Weddings gone wrong: An ancient Chinese custom takes a disturbing turn
Weddings gone wrong: An ancient Chinese custom takes a disturbing turn On November 18, a man armed with a sledgehammer was captured on video breaking down a door to a Shenzhen residence. But it wasn’t a robbery, because the people inside were expecting it. Those on the outside cheered with enthusiasm. By smashing the door, this man was participating in one of the many wedding hazing rituals practiced throughout China. It’s all part of a custom that’s spiraling wildly out of control. Known as “disturbing the bridal chamber” or “rowdy wedding” (闹婚 nàohūn), depending on whether it’s a verb or a noun, these raucous nuptial celebrations have recently received lots of news coverage, mostly due to the injuries involved. The Shenzhen sledgehammer incident turned the wedding into a bloody scene, as flying glass injured multiple bridesmaids inside the house. Last month in Shandong Province, a groom was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion when his buddies slammed him into the ground...