Explainer | Why little Chinese boy rolls across newlyweds’ bed while chanting blessings on wedding day
Centuries-old marriage ritual mandated that boys of a particular age took part; modern-day version can see adults doing the rolling
At some Chinese weddings, a little boy is invited to roll across the wedding bed while chanting blessings, praying for the couple to have children and enjoy prosperity.
Known as gun chuang or “rolling the bed”, this centuries-old tradition originated in northern China but has since spread nationwide.
In ancient China, when populations were small and productivity low, families desperately hoped for a male heir to help with agricultural work.
Legend tells of a woman from the Zhao family who, after bearing six daughters in a row, became desperate for a son.
One night, she dreamed of a wise old man with flowing white hair who whispered to her the secret to bearing a son.
The next morning, the wife visited her brother-in-law’s house, brought back two little boys and had them roll on her bed three times.
Months later, she gave birth to twin sons, and this method of “praying for a son” soon became a widely known tradition.
