The Caojiao ceremony of the Jingpo people

The wedding ceremony of the Jingpo ethnic minority differs from place to place, though there is no big difference. One of the ceremonies is "Caojiao" locally called "Bangbanghe" which means "a small pile of grasses".

The Caojiao is deliberately arranged by the groom' family for the bride to cross over before she is received to the house of the groom. When the bride departs, she will be accompanied by two bridal maids, one left and one right; and when it is time to stride over the Caojiao, the bridal maids will let her alone. Once the bride strides over the grass pile, she becomes a member of the groom's family, and it means she will be a diligent wife and filial daughter-in-law in the future.

After the Caojiao ceremony is finished, the bride will be accompanied by her two bridal maids again and seated besides the groom’s parents, receiving congratulations from the old generation. Meanwhile, both the bride and groom will serve each other a cup of rice wine and the Caojiao ceremony is drawn to a close.