Ancient Gelao Rite: Why Brides in This Chinese Tribe Lost Their Teeth Before Marriage

New Delhi: In a remote part of southern China, an old Gelao custom once required women to have one or two of their upper front teeth deliberately removed before marriage. The painful practice is centuries old. But today it has largely faded from daily life.

What Was The Ritual Before A Gelao Wedding?

Among the Gelao, an ethnic group living mainly in Guizhou province near the border with Vietnam, brides-to-be were expected to break their front teeth with a small hammer as part of a marriage rite. Community members believed this would protect the groom’s family from harm and ensure a healthy future for the couple.

What Stories and Beliefs Shaped the Custom?

According to local legend, the custom began long ago when a young Gelao woman on her way to collect fruit slipped from a cliff and lost two teeth. Her courage and loyalty became a model for others, and the act of removing front teeth became a mark of devotion before marriage.

Who Performed the Painful Ritual?

The procedure was typically performed by the bride’s maternal uncle at her home. First, a ceremonial drink was prepared. Then, by using a small hammer, he would break the woman’s upper front teeth. A medicinal powder was quickly applied to the gums to help with healing. If the maternal uncle was not available, another male relative could take his place.

What mattered was that the custom was followed, not who performed it.

Historical records even say that decorative dog teeth would sometimes be installed as replacements.

Why Were Front Teeth Removed Before Marriage?

Many in the community felt that keeping the two front teeth might bring bad luck to the husband’s household, including fewer children. Others saw it as simply part of beauty standards at the time.

When and Why Did the Tradition Fade Away?

According to a 1957 investigation by the Guizhou Provincial Institute of Ethnic Studies, this custom was practiced by Gelao people in regions like Puding, Zhijin, and Renhuai in Guizhou province. But the practice began to decline after the Qing dynasty (1644-1912), and in modern times it survives more as a cultural story than a living ritual.

Today, most Gelao no longer follow this tradition in everyday life. The once-common rite has become a symbolic cultural memory rather than a requirement for marriage.