From Cambodia to Japan

• Wedding lasts three days
• Both wedding ceremonies and the reception are held at the bride’s house
• Traditional clothes
• Traditional Music
• Food: Cambodian Food
• Religious Ceremony: Buddhist
• Conservatives have criticized the newly mixed cultures, stating that wedding is one of the many should-be -preserved forms of cultures, and therefore should be strictly followed　according to tradition only. They also say that the new cultures are poisoning the pure Cambodian customs, and are destroying our national identity.

• Wedding lasts only one day and one night
• Traditional wedding ceremonies are held at the bride’s house, while the reception is conducted at the restaurant
• Some traditional ceremonies are no longer practiced, some new ceremonies are added.
• Chinese influence: Tea ceremony, Chinese Lion dance, Wedding costumes, food...
• Western influence: Wedding gown, Music, Wedding cake, Food and drink…
• Religious ceremonies: Buddhist, Confucian, Christian ceremonies( if couples have converted to Christianity)...
• Liberals argue that traditional wedding -the kind that lasts three days- is both time and resource consuming. There are too many ceremonies, some of which are complicated and dull, and thus should be abolished. After wedding, both newly-wed couples are extremely exhausted. Moreover, the newly mixed wedding culture is more fascinating, and seems to please modern couples more than the old wedding forms.

I personally agree with the liberals for I believe we should move on; what is good should be preserved, and what is no longer useful should be discarded or let go of. I do believe however that while seeking to enjoy the diversity of new cultures, we should preserve some parts of our traditions for the next generation and never completely let go of all the old forms;otherwise, we'll face the danger of losing our national identities.