Coming of age Ritual Ceremony in Jianshui Confucius Temple

The coming-of-age ceremony is a symbolic rite of passage held when young individuals reach a certain age, signifying their transition into adulthood. While the coming-of-age ceremony in China has a history spanning thousands of years, it has been infrequently observed in the past half century.

Coming of age, or adulthood ceremonies, refer to rituals held by human societies to celebrate the maturity of their members.

In ancient times, the coming-of-age ceremony referred to the “capping ceremony” (冠礼) and the “hairpin ceremony” (笄礼). It dates back to the Western Zhou period and persisted until the Ming Dynasty. It seems to have originated from the ritual system established by Duke of Zhou.

For aristocratic males, the capping ceremony was held at the age of 20, symbolized by the act of donning a cap, after which they were allowed to marry. The act of donning the cap indicated the recognition of the individual by the community, signifying their attainment of adulthood.

Aristocratic females, on the other hand, held the hairpin ceremony at the age of 15, after which they could get married. Some ceremonies were also held at the age of 16, such as the Japanese “genpuku” ceremony, the Chaozhou people’s “chuyuanyuan,” and the Taiwanese “doing sixteen.” In the case of royal families, this age could be even earlier; there are examples of capping ceremonies at the age of 12 during the Spring and Autumn period.

After the coming-of-age ceremony, individuals are allowed to engage in romantic relationships.

The Kino people place great importance on the coming-of-age ceremony. On a girl’s fifteenth birthday, her apron is replaced with a layered one, and her hairstyle is changed to a single braid, allowing her to carry a cylindrical bag. On the day a boy turns sixteen, he must replace his hat with a wrapped headpiece, and his parents will gift him an embroidered cylindrical cloth with colorful patterns. From that point onward, they officially become members of the village community, with the right to engage in romantic relationships.

Young people who have undergone the coming-of-age ceremony must join a social youth organization with specific village community regulations, such as promoting unity and mutual assistance, showing respect to elders in bamboo buildings during courtship, and refraining from using vulgar language in communal places. After the coming-of-age ceremony and participating in the organization, young people gain the eligibility to engage in romantic relationships and attend social gatherings.

Capping Ceremony and Hairpin Ceremony

Ancient Coming-of-Age Ceremonies

The original purpose of the coming-of-age ceremony was to prohibit intermarriage with underage individuals. The Capping Ceremony is a sophisticated and representative form of the coming-of-age ceremony, serving as a moral examination of marriage eligibility for adults.

The Capping Ceremony marks the transition of young men into adulthood. The “Book of Rites” states, “Rites begin with the capping ceremony,” and “At the age of twenty, a man undergoes the capping ceremony and receives a personal name.” The performance of the capping ceremony is essential; as the “Book of Rites” explains, “Humanity and righteousness, the foundation of human existence, start with correct bearing, harmonious appearance, and appropriate speech. Therefore, after the capping ceremony, the individual is dressed appropriately, with correct bearing, harmonious appearance, and appropriate speech. After the capping ceremony, they receive a personal name, following the path to adulthood.” According to this perspective, one who does not understand humanity and righteousness is not considered truly human. Without undergoing the capping ceremony, one will find it challenging to achieve adulthood.

The Capping Ceremony evolved from the prevailing “chengding” ceremony in clan societies and continued until the Ming Dynasty. The specific ritual involved the recipient styling their hair and wearing a ceremonial cap in the ancestral temple. Due to the numerous accessories, including the cap, hat, headscarf, clothing, leather belt, and footwear, the ceremony was divided into three significant steps. Different hats representing different meanings were worn one by one during the “three additions.” After the ceremony, the father or another elder would assign a new personal name, in addition to the original name. Only men who had undergone the capping ceremony and received a personal name were deemed qualified for future marriage.

In contrast to the male Capping Ceremony, the female coming-of-age ceremony is called the Hairpin Ceremony, also known as the “jiaji” ceremony, held at the age of 15. In this ceremony, the girl’s parents arrange her hair and add a hairpin, signifying the end of her girlhood and the readiness for marriage.