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There is a tribe in the world in which couples cut each other to express their love. After all, what is the reason for this strange tradition? Let us tell you.
There are different ways of expressing love in the world. Somewhere flowers are given, somewhere love letters are written, somewhere the heartfelt feelings are expressed through music, but a unique custom has been prevalent in some tribes of China for centuries, which can be considered strange and unusual in today’s time. This custom is related to love, but after knowing about it you may feel that it is not a symbol of love but of enmity. Actually, to express love here the couple has to bite each other with their teeth.
The tradition is known as ‘Yao Shou Ding Ching’, which means “sealing love by cutting the hand,” reports the South China Morning Post. This is the traditional law of the Miao community living in Hainan province of China. In 2017, this tradition was officially recognized as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage, as it embodies the Miao community’s belief that “everything leaves a trace.”
Tradition born in the lap of nature
This unique ritual is usually performed under evergreen trees, especially betel nuts. The betel nut tree is considered a symbol of eternal love and permanence in Miao culture. Every year, on a special festival falling on the third day of the third lunar month, young men and women gather under the shade of these trees or on the grassy hills. They communicate with each other through folk songs, songs express love, emotions and the hope of finding a life partner. When a young man is attracted to a girl, he expresses his feelings at night by playing musical instruments such as a nose flute or a whistle made from leaves. The girl understands the love hidden in these sweet voices and then answers, but the answer is given with teeth and not with words.
