Each country in the world has some cultural traditions and customs unique to it. While these may seem unusual or different to others, for them, it means holding on to the very essence. One such custom was part of China’s Miao communities in Xiangx, in which unmarried girls were chosen as brides by a deity and sent to live in caves, where they would fast to death as a form of sacrifice.

China’s Ancient Bride Ritual

Known as Luo Hua Dong Nv, it was widely practiced in western Hunan province in southern China. The tradition is thought to have originated from ancient folk and animistic beliefs, which said all things possessed spirits. Deities were said to reside in caves. According to the South China Morning Post report, the custom was described as a “marriage between humans and deities.” It was also regarded as one of the “Three Evils of Xiangxi".

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Who Were Chosen?

The custom usually involved unmarried women between the ages of 16 and 25. They were believed to be “chosen” and described as having bright right eyes, gentle personalities, intelligence and beauty. In some communities, unmarried girls even exhibited some strange behaviours, like becoming obsessively clean, preferring solitude and appearing mentally absent.

Locals considered such girls to have secretly pledged themselves to a deity and to be waiting to be taken away by them. The families would then visit nearby caves to perform rituals such as burning incense and paper offerings. SCMP reported that they would also plead that their daughter is unworthy of divine affection, hoping that the deity will release her.

If the girl recovered, the family would acknowledge deity’s mercy and return to the cave to thank. However, if her condition remained unchanged, the family would call it “fate” and send her to the cave as an offering on a chosen date. The custom dictated that the chosen girl stays inside the cave, where she would eventually succumb to starvation as a bride of the god.

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Is It Still Practiced?

On the other hand, the family celebrated the event as a wedding ceremony and not a funeral. They believed that she had gone to marry the “Cave deity.” Notably, the custom is no longer practiced in China.

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