The **** ()**** is**** the Confucian coming**** of**** age ceremony****.**** According to the, it is only after the coming of age ceremonies that young people could call themselves adults and could share social responsibilities. The name refers to the ritual ceremony for men which involves the use of a, while the () refers to the one for women and involves the use of a. Both the and have important symbolic meaning for the Han Chinese. Both of these ceremonies are key Confucian rites, and are part of the "four rites", along with marriage, mourning rites, and sacrificial rituals. The and the ceremony can be performed by people of any social class; however, rich people were more likely to hold the ceremony than poor people. In the 20th century, these ceremonies slowly phased out, but there has been a recent resurgence of interest, especially in those who are interested in Confucian traditions and. Since 2010, large ceremonies have taken place each year at Wenmiao, in Taiyuan, Shanxi.

History

The and the ceremony appeared in China in ancient times, prior to the Qin era. Some philosophical texts dating from the Zhou dynasty and Warring States period provide some evidence for the ceremony, for example in the Analects of Confucius and by texts written by Mencius. The ceremony can also be found in the Han Shu.

Ceremony

The is also known as the "capping" ceremony. The character is sometimes translated as crown or cap. As a coming of age ceremony, the ceremony marks the passage of man from childhood to adulthood. It is only after the ceremony that a man is considered an adult and can be given adult responsibilities and rights; for example, a man could become the heir of his family, get married, inherit a business, and participate in other aspects of society.

Age

The ceremony typically occurs when a man reaches 20 years old and when a girl reaches 15.

Location and organization of ceremony

The ceremony takes place in the young man's ancestral temple on a carefully chosen date, which was considered auspicious, and it was organized by a respectable senior relative of the young man. It could also be done by the eastern stairs (which was the entrance typically used by the master of the house) if the boy was a son by the proper wife, to symbolize that he was in the succession line. On the day of the ceremony, many guests were invited, including the parents of the young man, the master of the ceremony, and an assistant.

Procedures of ceremony

The procedures of ceremony occur through the following steps:

Derivatives and influences

Korea

Following the Confucian tradition, Koreans also performed the "capping" ceremony, known as Gwallye as a symbol of coming-of-age for men. On the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, Korean men would have their hair put up in a top knot and cover it with a hat (e.g. a gat) and were official given responsibilities as an adult men.

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