Jesting Chant (Xia Nü Fu)

定义

或题《下女词》、《下女文》。唐代婚礼仪式歌。“下女夫”又称“弄女婿”，为北朝时婚俗，是远古劫夺婚痕迹的遗留。到唐代，仅存口头戏谑调笑。《下女夫词》即为举行这种仪式时所唱。

Also known as Xia Nü poem or Xia Nü verse, it was a chant sung during wedding ceremonies during the Tang Dynasty. The Chinese name, Xia Nü Fu, literally means “playing jokes on the son-in-law,” and was a wedding custom during the Northern Dynasties. It probably originated from the ancient bride-raiding custom in which the groom pretended to attack the bride’s family so that he could take the bride home against her parents’ will. By the time of the Tang Dynasty, the fighting and looting were omitted, with only verbal jokes left to be played on the groom. The chant was sung on this occasion.