Chinese city bans ‘vulgar’ wedding hazings after string of incidents take tradition too far
- The custom of naohun has a long history and sees guests mocking the bride, groom and bridesmaids or making them perform stunts
- The city of Zouping in Shandong said police would be used to target outrageous or criminal behaviour at weddings
A city in eastern China has formally banned a notorious wedding tradition where guests are allowed to tease the new couple and their bridesmaids, after a series of incidents when the joke went too far.
The authorities in Zouping, a city in Shandong province, issued a notice on Wednesday specifically outlawing “vulgar behaviour at weddings” and calling for the “reform of wedding traditions”.
The tradition known as naohun has seen couples or their guests being forced to strip or being tied up, making them wear outrageous clothing or signs, insults being hurled at the bride and bridesmaids or people being forced to perform in an indecent manner.
The government stressed that this behaviour would be punished by the police and could be considered a criminal offence.
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“Let us all be more civil, boycott vulgar activities at weddings, turn ‘naohun’ into civilised blessings and help weddings go back to being warm and romantic,” the notice said.
The new policy has been widely applauded by the Chinese public.