Wedding Bed Customs in Chinese Tradition (An Chuang): Meaning, Essentials, and Step-by-Step Guide

What is the An Chuang Ceremony?

In Chinese tradition, the An Chuang (安床) ceremony — also known as the wedding bed blessing — is a time-honoured custom performed to bless the newlyweds with a harmonious marriage, abundant prosperity, and the hope for many healthy descendants.

The term An Chuang combines two characters: 安 (ān) meaning “safe and secure,” and 床 (chuáng) meaning “bed.” This custom has been practised for generations, especially among Chinese families who value symbolic rituals in ensuring a couple starts their marriage with strong blessings.

The wedding bed preparation is usually carried out three days to a week before the wedding or on an auspicious date and time chosen according to the couple’s Bazi or traditional almanac.

Essential Items for the Wedding Bed Customs

To carry out the An Chuang ceremony, several symbolic items are required. Each plays a role in attracting good fortune and setting a positive foundation for married life:

• Pair of bedside lamps – Symbolises a bright and harmonious future for the couple.

• New bed linen (preferably red or pink) – Represents auspicious beginnings, romance, and joy.

• Two oranges – Brings luck and prosperity through their round shape and golden colour.

• Red packet containing $8 or $18 – Attracts wealth and blessings; the numbers are considered auspicious in Chinese culture.

• Descendant pail – A traditional symbol of fertility and family growth.

• Fate coins – Enhances fortune and prosperity.

• Auspicious grain set – Represents abundance and a life free from want.

• New bed (optional) – Ideal for those moving into a new home, symbolising a fresh and clean start to married life.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Wedding Bed Preparation

1. Select the Right Person (or Do It Yourselves) Traditionally, the bed is prepared by a fortunate and happy couple who are in good health, have a harmonious marriage, and children — ensuring that their blessings are passed on to the newlyweds.However, it is also perfectly fine for the couple themselves to prepare the bed together, especially if they wish to personally set the intention for their new life.

2. Prepare the Bed Put on fresh, auspicious-coloured linens to mark a fresh start and bring positive energy into the marriage.

3. Place the Fate Coins Position one coin under each corner of the bed’s mattress to secure wealth and stability for the couple’s future.

4. Add Coins to Furniture Place the remaining coins, sealed in mini red packets, into the corners of drawers or cupboards with the packets facing upwards. This symbolises stored and rising fortune.

5. Arrange the Bedside Lamps Place a lamp on each side of the bed and keep them lit until three days after the ceremony, symbolising ongoing brightness and harmony.

6. Invite Children to Roll on the Bed Young children are invited to play or roll on the bed to symbolise blessings for a lively and healthy next generation.

7. Arrange the Blessing Items Place the remaining ceremonial items neatly on a red tray in the centre of the bed, the heart of the space where blessings radiate in all directions.

8. Recite Auspicious Phrases Complete the ceremony by reciting blessing phrases to seal the good fortune for the couple’s marriage.

Auspicious Phrases for the Wedding Bed Blessing

• 安床，安高高；步步高升，年年进步May this bed bring stability and rising success, year after year.

• 安床，安好好；夫妻和合，百年好合May this bed bless the couple with harmony and a hundred years of unity.

• 安床，安多多；子孙多多，满门俊彦May this bed bring many outstanding descendants.

• 安床，安旺旺；家族兴旺，富贵荣华May this bed bless the family with prosperity and honour.

• 安床，安稳稳；财源广进，平步青云May this bed bring steady wealth and smooth advancement in life.

Additional Notes

Once the wedding bed customs have been completed, the bed should remain untouched until the wedding day. Even the bride and groom should avoid sitting or lying on it beforehand, preserving the purity of the blessings and keeping the positive energy intact.