to your spirit, i thee wed.

I have never heard of ghost marriages untill now. to some, like me, have no idea what it is. hence i decided to do some research and here are my findings.

A ghost marriage is a marriage in which one or both parties are deceased. Several cultures practice a form of ghost or spirit marriage, but China is probably most famous for its ghost marriage tradition. Ghost marriages are sometimes featured in Chinese films and novels, and occasionally stories about ghost marriages make their way into the West. The practice of ghostmarriage is linked to centuries of tradition and complex beliefs about the spirit world.

in one form of the ghost marriage, both parties are deceased. Chinese culture places a heavy value on partnership for people of marriageable age, especially women, and if someone of marriageable age should die before he or she can marry, the family may choose to hold a ghost marriage. Some families believe that it is unlucky or even dangerous to allow someone to remain buried without a spouse. The family consults with a priest or expert to find a suitable spouse, relying on astrological profiles to find a match.

If a match is found, a formal wedding ceremony is held in a temple, complete with the burning of offerings so that the partners have objects to use in the spirit world. Paper stand-ins are used for the bride and groom, with these stand-ins being burned at the end of the ceremony along with the rest of the offerings.

For Chinese women, a ghost marriage can be especially important. By tradition, many Chinese families keep tablets which represent their ancestors on the family altar. The family is responsible for praying for their ancestors and providing offerings, including food and spirit money which can be used in the afterlife. Chinese women who die unmarried are not entitled to a tablet on the family altar; a ghost marriage, however, ensures that the woman will have a tablet on the altar of her husband's family, so that she will be taken care of in the spirit world.

There are a variety of other reasons to perform ghost marriages. Some families hold marriages to appease angry spirits, while others choose to perform a ghost marriage to avoid allowing younger sons to marry before older sons. If a younger son marries first, this is viewed as inauspicious. Families may also utilize ghost marriages to carry on a family line; if an only son dies and he is wedded in a ghost marriage, the family can adopt a grandson to continue the family name.

The people involved in a ghost marriage do not necessarily need to be deceased. Wealthy families may hold a marriage between a living woman and a dead son, with the woman providing the justification to adopt a grandson. It is also possible for a living man to marry a dead woman, although this is less common. Some people may also hold ghost marriages to satisfy an engagement contract in the event that one of the fiancees dies before the marriage is held.

I have never heard of ghost marriages untill now. would you want to do it when you have left this world?