Sino-Thai Ethnic Identity: Married Daughters of China and Daughters-in-law of Thailand

The structure of Sino-Thai ethnic identity is examined through analysis of their morality as revealed in wedding ritual & symbols. The wedding ritual of the Sino-Thai contains reworked symbols from Thai Buddhism, Chinese Confucianism, & Western consumerism that legitimize Sino-Thai beliefs & self-interests. Three primary features of Sino-Thai life & their relationship to wedding practices are discussed: (1) transformed Confucian patrilineal order, particularly as manifested by higher valuation of prooducing male offspring & the groom family's avoidance of the bride; (2) gender-embedded hierarchical order, particularly as manifested in the Confucian tea service ceremony & the involvement of Buddhist monks in the wedding; & (3) interdependence between class & ethnicity, as manifested by the value placed on the prestige of Thai elite attending the wedding. The intersections of ethnicity, class & gender are discussed. 44 References. D. Generoli