3. In Kazakhstan There is a funny custom of serving cups of tea only half full. You shouldn’t be surprised (and you shouldn’t ask for a little more either)... A full cup means that the owner wants you to go home as soon as possible.
4. Surprising but true: V Nigeria Small children are not fried eggs because it is believed that if you feed them eggs, they will start stealing.
5. A On Jamaica Children are not given chicken until the children learn to speak. It is believed that chicken meat may prevent a child from speaking.
7. More in Japan Between snacks, the chopsticks should lie together directly in front of you, parallel to the edge of the table. And under no circumstances should you stick chopsticks directly into a bowl of rice, otherwise you risk getting into a very awkward situation... The fact is that during a funeral in Japan, a bowl of rice for the deceased is placed in front of his coffin, sticking chopsticks directly into the rice. Now you understand, right?
8. B China It is not customary to cut long noodles while eating. For the Chinese, noodles are a symbol of longevity, so by cutting them, you shorten your life.
9. In China Never point your chopsticks at anyone while eating - you will be considered rude.
10. IN South India While eating, do not touch the plate with your left hand. This is because the left hand is associated here (to put it delicately) with various functions of our body and is considered dirty. Even when passing documents, you should not use your left hand.
11. Since childhood, we were taught to finish our food to the end, but in the Philippines, North Africa and parts of China a clean plate can offend the owner! Only when the guest leaves some food on the plate does the host realize that he is full.
Etiquette in its essence performs a nation-forming function. For we call a people not just a population living together, but, first of all, an ethnic community united by traditions, customs, and rituals. Man in Ancient Rus' could survive only in the conditions of a family, a team. This is due both to the climate (severe frosts, prolonged rains, drought, poor soils) and to the geopolitical situation (constant raids on Rus' from the south and west).
Everyday work and the protection of wealth created by labor - all this was main task for fellow tribesmen. The ancient Russian had to be strong and hardy. Children - future breadwinners and protectors - not only acquired the necessary skills and knowledge, but also became successors of the customs and traditions of the tribe. The most favorite pastimes of men and boys were those that provided the opportunity to show strength and prowess: wrestling, fist fights, and racing. The girls were taught spinning skills. Young men from the age of twelve were sent to a military settlement. There, experienced warriors developed the necessary skills to protect their tribe from enemy raids.
Old Russian tribes consisted of clans - a set of families related to each other, living together, owning common property and governed by one clan elder. The clan elders had great power, each in their own clan; and having gathered together for a council (veche), they decided matters for their entire tribe. Hence the inviolability of the rule of subordination of the younger to the will of the elders, respect, obedience and submission towards father and mother. Without parental blessing it was unthinkable to do anything important event in a person’s life: choosing a bride, wedding, leaving his father’s house...
The standards and norms of behavior were most fully formulated by “ Domostroy", a set of everyday rules and instructions XVI century. “The word “domostroy” includes two Slavic words: “house builder.” The very combination “domostroy” appeared in Russian in the 15th century as a translation of the Greek word “economy” (house-ekos, law-nomos). “Home” is not just a home, but also everything connected with it - family, relationships, household. In the worldview of the Russian people, “home” is a source of internal harmony, on which the warmth of the hearth, harmony with family and friends, peace and self-confidence depend,” write the authors of the textbook with the self-explanatory title “Culture of Home.”
By ensuring the continuity and integrity of the family team, where the younger (wife, children, household members) are unconditionally subordinate to the elder (father), Domostroy reduced the possibility of the emergence of family conflicts. Everyone knew their rights and responsibilities, and if subordination was violated, the rest of the family pulled the offender back. According to Domostroi, praise should be pronounced in public, and punishment should be carried out in private. “Punishment” is an instruction, a command, and not necessarily beating with a stick or rods. The last resort is also offered in Domostroy, but as a last resort.
In Rus', great attention has always been paid to order in the house. “A thrifty wife’s house is always tidy and clean; in the courtyard and in front of the gate on the street, servants always sweep garbage and shovel out dirt, and in winter they shovel snow. And chips and sawdust and other rubbish must be cleaned up so that everything is always in order and clean. In the stable and in the barn and in all the other services, everything is arranged properly, hidden and cleaned and swept - such a good house, well dressed, is as if entering heaven,” we read in “Domostroy”. If in Europe at this time, as we have already said, “they spray the curtains, urinate in the fireplaces, on the walls, from the balconies,” then in Rus' the norm is to observe the rules of personal hygiene. "To the number folk customs, existing even in royal and boyar houses, belonged to: washing in a bathhouse on the eve of the wedding and after it, also laying rye sheaves instead of a bed and seating the newlyweds on furs. Washing in the bathhouse expressed the purity of the marriage bed and cleanliness in general, sleeping on sheaves meant income in the house, and sitting on furs meant wealth.”
There are examples in our history when traditions changed radically. I recall the great reforms of Peter I, the beginning of the destruction of the old cultural principles that served as the basis of ancient Russian etiquette. Returning from abroad in 1698, the Tsar-Transformer began to trim the beards of his boyars with his own hands. As you know, in Rus' a thick beard was considered a symbol of maleness. In 1700, a decree appeared prohibiting the wearing of long dresses. Instead of a traditional costume, townspeople were ordered to acquire Hungarian or German caftans. A decree of 1702 introduced a new procedure for marriage: the bridesmaid ceremony was replaced by an engagement ceremony, which was preceded by a personal meeting of the bride and groom. Marriage forced by parents was also prohibited by royal decree.
In 1717, “An Honest Mirror of Youth, or Indications for Everyday Conduct, collected from various authors by the command of His Imperial Majesty Sovereign Peter the Great, blessed and eternally worthy of memory,” was published. It can be called the first set of rules of social etiquette in Russia in its European understanding. Decent behavior - the key concept of this collection: the compliance of individual manners with generally accepted standards of decency, because decent - it “does not offend feelings of modesty” (V.I. Dal). Having reminded readers of the need to respect parents (this postulate of ancient Russian morality remains unshakable in the 18th century), “An Honest Mirror of Youth...” puts such a virtue as piety in first place. Piety - This is not only the observance of religious rituals, but, first of all, good manners. It manifests itself in public life in the form of such positive qualities personalities young nobleman, as respectfulness and politeness: “A youth should be very courteous and polite both in words and deeds: not insolent and not pugnacious...”. This monument to the era of Peter the Great's reforms is built on a social antithesis: the progressive man of the Enlightenment and the ignorant, idle people of the past. Here the external gloss and elegance of manners are clearly distinguished secular image life, when “a young boy is cheerful, hard-working, diligent and restless, like a pendulum in a clock,” and the parasitism of idlers who “live lazily, not cheerfully, and their minds are borrowed and worn out...”, i.e. will fall into disrepair. If the former, having mastered the norms of decency and etiquette, become gallant gentlemen, then the latter are like animals - they do not cut their nails, “eat like pigs,” and are intemperate in food and drink.
In the secular vocabulary of people of the 18th century. the word “kurtag” is often found - borrowed from French. Kurtag - exit at the royal court, reception day at the imperial residence. Famusov in A. Griboedov’s comedy speaks about one of the nobles of the era of Catherine I:
On the kurtag he happened to step on his feet:
He fell so hard that he almost hit the back of his head.
Elizaveta Petrovna, Catherine the Great's predecessor on the throne, organized frequent kurtags on a variety of occasions and for no reason. Ekaterina Alekseevna, then still the wife of the heir - the future Peter III, recalled: “In 1744 in Moscow, the empress decided to order that all men should appear at court masquerades in women's attire and all women in men's, and at the same time without masks on their faces. These were converted kurtags: men in huge skirts with whalebones, dressed and combed exactly as the ladies in the kurtags dressed; and the ladies in men's court costumes. Men did not like such metamorphoses at all; most of them came to the masquerade in the worst mood, because they could not help but feel how ugly they were in a lady’s outfit. On the other hand, the ladies seemed like pitiful boys; those who were older were disgraced by their thick, short legs; and of all of them, a man's suit suited only one empress. With her tall stature and some heft, she was wonderfully beautiful in men's attire. I have never seen such a beautiful leg on any man in my life; the lower part of the leg was surprisingly slender. Her Majesty danced excellently and in any outfit, male or female, she knew how to give all her movements some special charm. You couldn’t stop looking at her enough, and sometimes you stopped looking at her with regret, because you couldn’t see anything better.”
The rules of secular etiquette in its European understanding are gradually taking root in Russia. Assembly, those. balls, entertaining evenings, are part of the flesh and blood of noble society. All Russian classical literature is filled with descriptions of secular entertainment - balls and evenings: the comedy “Woe from Wit” by A.S. Griboyedov, novel “Hero of Our Time” by M.Yu. Lermontov and his drama “Masquerade”, the epic “War and Peace” by L.N. Tolstoy and others. Everywhere social life appears as an empty pastime, a meaningless activity. At balls and evenings they sound rote, nothing meaningful phrases, the ceremony and ritualized behavior of the guests turns them into mannequins. Let's remember the description social evening from the novel by L. Tolstoy: “Anna Pavlovna Sherer’s living room began to gradually fill up. The highest nobility of St. Petersburg arrived, people of the most diverse ages and characters, but identical in the society in which they all lived<...>All the guests performed the ritual of greeting the unknown, uninteresting and unnecessary auntie<...>All those who approached, without showing any haste out of decency, with a feeling of relief at the fulfillment of a difficult duty, walked away from the old woman, so as not to approach her once all evening.” Pierre Bezukhov appears: “Anna Pavlovna greeted him with a bow that belonged to people of the lowest hierarchy in her salon.” One of the nobles present pronounces the words “without changing his voice and in a tone in which, due to decency and sympathy, indifference and even mockery were visible,” etc. Having turned into a frozen ritual, secular etiquette becomes a form of institutionalized hypocrisy.
Secular education - mastering skills that meet the tastes of high society. For example, dance training. Let us remember the lines from “Eugene Onegin” by A.S. Pushkin:
He could express himself perfectly in French and wrote;
He danced the mazurka easily and bowed at ease...
Dance training began early - from the age of five or six. Pushkin himself studied it already in 1808 (the future great poet in 1799). Long training gave young man not only dexterity during dancing, but also confidence in movements, freedom and ease in posing a figure, which in a certain way influenced the psychological structure of a person: in the conventional world of social communication, he felt confident and free, like an experienced actor on stage. In this regard, we note the attempt to introduce in the 80s of the XX century. in Soviet schools such a subject as “Rhythmics”. Unfortunately, teaching movement to music in elementary grades (6-8 years old) did not last long and was curtailed during the years of “perestroika.” Currently, teachers note the need to introduce school hours"corrective rhythms". With its help, you can establish balance in the activity of the child’s nervous system. Music games relieve psycho-emotional stress, develop group behavior skills, i.e. socialize the child.
So, ball XIX century began Polish polonaise. Second ballroom dance there was a waltz. The Mazurka formed the center of the ball and was its culmination. Lightness, sophistication, grace - all this characterized the French style of performing the mazurka.
Compliance with the norms of etiquette was mandatory for everyone who was a member of high society, including the emperor. Tsar Peter III (1761-1762) paid for his disdain for the customs and rituals of Russians with his crown and life. Born in Holstein (Germany), he lived in Russia for 18 years, but never accepted Russian traditions. For Peter III, born Karl-Peter-Ulrich, such cultural values, like the Orthodox faith, church rites and rituals, meant little. Historian V.O. Klyuchevsky wrote: Peter “in the court church during the service received ambassadors, walking back and forth, as if in his office, talking loudly, sticking out his tongue at the clergy, once on Trinity Day, when everyone knelt down, he left the church with a loud laugh.” . Peter III ruled his empire for only 186 days. In June 1762 he was dethroned and then killed.
Etiquette traditions are in the nature of unwritten rules. They are absorbed by us from the world around us: communication with family, friends, at school, on the street. When they show Soviet newsreels or feature films about the Soviet past (for example, “Two Comrades” (directed by V. Pendrakovsky), “The Vanished Empire” (directed by K. Shakhnazarov)), what is striking is the way students in schools, technical schools, and universities are dressed. Wearing a school uniform was compulsory back then. In secondary specialized and higher educational institutions there was a more democratic style of clothing. However, the footage impartially records the rigor and formality in the youth’s choice of a suit for school. Looking into a modern classroom, we will see the absolute diversity of clothing: short skirts, long nails, “Gothic” style mixed with “leather jackets” and earrings in the ears of young men... Is there a need for a dress code (prescribed style of clothing) for a modern student? We believe so. After all, the external reflects the internal content. An educational institution is not a discotheque, not a cafe-bar. The priority here is to gain knowledge, not to spend free time. In addition, students are future specialists. They will have to comply with the dress code adopted in this company.
Student ethics does not end with clothing. Higher education obliges you to be serious and careful: not to wave your arms, not to make noise in the corridors and classrooms, to be polite with teachers and group mates. During the lecture, do not interrupt the professor, but ask questions after its completion or politely ask during a break whether the lecturer has time to clarify certain aspects educational material. The ethical aspect is also present in the process of preparing and speaking at a seminar, during a discussion of a coursework or thesis. It is forbidden to pass off other people's thoughts as your own. Therefore, it is necessary to refer to the original source (textbook, study guide, monograph, scientific article, website, etc.). Otherwise it will be called plagiarism - appropriation of someone else's authorship. It is necessary to respect other points of view that differ from yours. During a scientific discussion of the problem, it is necessary to name the names of those scientists who previously studied this question. Each of your thesis must be supported by arguments, reference to an authoritative opinion. When drawing conclusions, do not forget to summarize what was said earlier, try to outline the prospects for further research. Don't forget to start your speech with the greeting "Dear Colleagues!" and end it with the phrase “Thank you for your attention. Do you have any questions for me?
Following the rules does not mean violating your individuality. On the contrary, a person who is decently dressed, smiling, and responsive deep down feels calmer and more confident. It's about about self-sufficiency of the individual! “Schools of bitches”, the erroneous understanding of aggression and rudeness as independence and superiority, wasting life are dead-end forms that do not have any ideological platform. Simplicity in communication, helping the needy and disadvantaged in all cultures has always been welcomed and set as an example. In general, as in “Domostroy”: “Give honor and bow to those who are older than you, honor the middle ones as brothers, lovingly comfort the weak and sorrowful, and love the younger ones like children - do not be a villain to any creature of God.”
It is gratifying that, despite the cataclysms of the 20th century, the Russian people retained goodness and placability(we emphasize this word!) in your heart. On this occasion I remember dramatic story from the book “Enemy of the People” by D. Rogozin, who contributed to the release of an elderly Russian builder from Chechen captivity. “He was stolen and kept in a damp basement of a residential building for exactly fourteen months. He managed to survive only due to his ingenuity and amazing will.<...>The old man did not curse his monsters, he only recalled how the whole family calmly dined at the table installed above the entrance to his basement. Everyone - young and old - knew that an elderly hostage was rotting alive in the zindan, and considered this to be a common thing. The old man excitedly told me all the new details of his misadventures, as if he was in a hurry somewhere, and I kept wondering where he had such a desire for life, such unique ability to preserve dignity and human appearance in inhuman captivity.” There are many examples in the history of the Russian state when our ancestors helped sick and wounded foreign soldiers, and did not mock them. For example, the life of the Germans surrounded in January 1943 near Stalingrad was guaranteed. Through the efforts of Soviet commanders, reception centers and camps for prisoners of war were organized. Our doctors, orderlies, and nurses treated frostbitten and starving German soldiers and fought against infectious diseases. For comparison, let us recall Hitler’s famous directive to the German army that surrounded Leningrad in 1942: not to accept the surrender of the city, since the problems of the survival of the population and its food supply cannot and should not be solved by the German side. His closest associate, Nazi Goering, said: “This year in Russia between 20 and 30 million people will die of hunger. Perhaps it is good that this will happen, for some nations must be exterminated."
Nowadays, the word “etiquette” can be heard in every country.
But everywhere there are their own characteristics that have been formed over many centuries. However, in the culture of any nation they acquired their shape depending on the traditions of communication, national characteristics and much more.
For example, guess in which country they won’t communicate with you if they don’t know your name? Of course, in England.
And in what country can you sing serenades under the balcony without the threat of getting a portion of cold water for it?
And the friendliness and nobility of the French are simply legendary.
But, since the sun rises in the east, we will probably begin our tour of the etiquette of different countries with it.
China
This is a country of calm contemplation of life. Everything in it is fused with nature into one whole, and people treat everything with respect. The etiquette fully reflects this.
Probably the most interesting tradition in China there is tea drinking.
This ceremony is carried out in specially designated places with extraordinary solemnity and leisure.
Everyone sits around a small table and drinks tea, brewed according to a certain recipe, pouring it into small cups.
There is always small talk at the table. By Chinese etiquette, while drinking tea you are supposed to smile and talk only about good things.
If usually all young people serve the oldest and most respected, then during this ceremony even the most important person can serve a cup to another, thus equalizing him in rights with everyone else.
You too can have an evening at your home. Chinese tea party. To do this, you don’t have to wait for a special holiday; you can simply invite guests any day and talk over a cup of tea in pleasant company.
Türkiye
Turkey also has special rules of etiquette.
Women are required to wear long clothing that covers their arms and legs.
A man will not allow himself to go outside in shorts even in the hottest weather (I wonder how you will feel bundled up from head to toe in the middle of summer? But they tolerate it!).
Italy
This country is a recognized leader in the fields of spaghetti and football.
True Italians are impulsive and hot-tempered people, they love to argue and defend their opinions with all the passion they can, even when they are wrong.
Sometimes a whole neighborhood is busy sorting things out, but then everyone laughs merrily and hugs. Moreover, Italians attach great importance to gestures and facial expressions, so they express many of their emotions not only and not so much in words.
Agree, usually intense gestures are not approved. But not in Italy!
Spain
The peculiarities of this country are related to the climate. On hot days summer days the sun shines so brightly that it is simply impossible to stay under its rays for a long time.
Therefore, during siesta hours (from 1 pm to 5 pm) you should not disturb the Spaniards unless you want to be impolite.
Imagine if these rules applied to us: then we definitely wouldn’t have to go to school during the second shift or do any housework.
But maybe everything is fine, or maybe you won’t have a normal walk, because there’s no one on the street anyway.
Greece
In this country, it’s nice to be the hostess of the house, who will definitely receive a gift from the guests who come.
People usually give flowers or cake, but it is also customary to bring fresh fruit juice or homemade cheese. It’s great, though, to invite guests over: you don’t even need to set the table, because the guests will bring everything with them!
Sweden
Here they carefully monitor cleanliness and order, and protect natural resources. Garbage left after a picnic in the forest or on the bank of a river is subject to a heavy fine.
And it’s better not to enter someone else’s territory without an invitation.
But invited guests are always welcome here! If all people were, like the Swedes, organized and, at the same time, friendly, then there would be no need to remind us about the rules of etiquette.
Norway
In Norway, as in Sweden, they take nature very seriously and take care of every tree.
In addition, Norwegians are a fairly calm people who do not like unnecessary fuss and noise.
Silence and order are maintained in all public places. No one pushes their bags at the airport or train station.
Probably, there is something to learn from these people: let’s take an example from the Norwegians and let’s not push passers-by on the subway, even when we’re in a hurry.
United Kingdom
A rather strict country, famous for its pedantry and punctuality. If you are even 1 minute late, you will immediately reveal your bad manners and disrespect for others.
And with their visits it is even more difficult: first you will receive a nice invitation to a meeting by mail, and you will respond to it on an even nicer postcard.
You come, sit for half an hour, take your leave and go home.
But that's not all - then you need to thank the hostess in writing for the good reception.
Such a number will not work with us: would you really like to run to the post office twice for the sake of a half-hour party (first to respond to the invitation, and then to express gratitude to the hosts)?
Denmark
In Denmark, every owner takes very good care of his home.
You walk down the street and see rows of beautiful and neat houses on both sides.
Tiled roofs of houses look very elegant and festive.
This is how the Danes live, leading a calm, measured lifestyle.
They are not as punctual as the British (you can be late for an informal meeting by
France
The French are very well-mannered and delicate people, they are polite and friendly, talkative and tactful. It is customary to give flowers to girls, even if there are no holidays.
Imagine that for a birthday, guests themselves send bouquets of flowers and set the time of their (!) visit.
Do you think that flowers in our lives are a fairly common phenomenon and people have always given them to each other?
Not so! It turns out that this custom came to us from medieval times.
Gallant men compared the ladies to the flowers they brought with them on a date. Since then, this wonderful tradition has appeared.
Russia
In our country there is also a special etiquette. It took quite a long time to develop. Modern standards of behavior are very reminiscent of merchant etiquette.
You probably kiss your beloved friends on the cheek when they meet. Have you ever wondered where this custom came from? It originated in Rus'.
Back then it was customary to kiss people you liked on the cheek three times when greeting them. And here is another example of modern Russian etiquette.
Russian people are very hospitable people.
And it doesn’t matter at all what time of day or day a guest comes to you, with an invitation or due to a sudden outburst of emotions, you still have to accept him (unless, of course, you’re in a big hurry), listen and advise something, if necessary .
But in general, it’s your own business whether to let a guest in or not.
As you can see, each country in our vast world has its own special norms of behavior. But they do not at all cancel generally accepted norms. In order to win over a person of any nationality, it is not at all necessary to thoroughly study the traditions of all countries (a whole life is not enough for this!), It is enough to be polite and follow the norms of universal human communication.
TRADITIONAL ETIQUETTE - a system of historically determined norms and standards of behavior characteristic of a particular society. An important component of ethnicity. culture associated with morality. norms and values; manifests itself in empirically observable forms of behavior. In the variety of etiquette standards, the main ones are: E.t. greetings and farewells; ; intrafamily and family-kinship relationships; table and state etiquette. As society modernizes, etiquette norms undergo a transformation towards their simplification.
This. Chuvash. contains both Eastern and Russian. and Western European elements. Archaic features of the East. etiquette saved in , Crimea is regulated, among others, by norms related to greetings and farewells, blessings, gratitude, etc., incl. the requirement to use when addressing relatives (both your own and your spouse’s relatives) not by names, but by terms of kinship and property. Traditional etiquette norms within family and kin. relationships are also an integral part of socionormatives. ethnic culture. In general, E.t. Chuvash. was a manifestation of patriarchal norms. societies with priority for men. a beginning that required submission to the authority of the head of the family (father), at the same time honoring the mother, respect for elders, and care for the younger. It suggested a number of prohibitions, for example, for women to appear with their heads uncovered and in unbelted clothes in front of their husband’s relatives, etc., for young family members - not to interfere in adult conversations without the permission of their father, etc. Customs of table and guest E.t. were closely associated with holidays and rituals; among the Chuvash, for example, they are clearly reflected in the ritual . When going to a feast, the Chuvash prepared gifts (usually beer, pies, roast goose, nuts for children, etc.). The owner greeted the guests at the gate, and he himself or the eldest son led the horse into the yard. When meeting, it was customary to conduct a dialogue, in which they tried to elevate the interlocutor, without going beyond the bounds of self-respect. At the feast, they adhered to a strict order of seating at the table: on the side of the hut in the front corner sat the head of the clan, to the right of him were the men (the closest or oldest - closer to the owner, the further the degree of relationship and the younger the guest - the closer to the door). To the left of the head, his wife and women were seated, observing the same order as the men. The place at the opposite end of the table from the head of the family was occupied by the leader of the ritual (kĕrekeçĕ). During the meal, the elders were given special respect. According to Chuvash rules. This. during the ceremonial cases (when saying prayers, wishes, etc.) all guests stood up; the eldest member of the family recited blessings by placing his crossed hands on the heads of his kneeling sons and daughters-in-law. The same sign of reverence and respect was a bow to the waist. After the blessing, those gathered sang a ritual song in honor of the owners of the house. When visiting, despite the plentiful table and the cordiality of the hosts, it was customary not to eat enough.
Lit.: Zolotnitsky N.I. Root Chuvash-Russian dictionary compared with languages and adverbs different nations Turkic, Finnish and other tribes. Kazan, 1875; Kuznetsov A.V. Traditional table etiquette Chuvash people. Ch., 2003.
The ancient Chinese sage Confucius said that all virtues have their source in etiquette. The background of etiquette, the formation of standards of decency in society, and manners of behavior in society are contained in the traditions and customs of the ethnic group, the uniqueness of the cultural and historical development of the people. Culture always implies the preservation of previous experience. Therefore, understanding the traditions of etiquette, their study and continued use in the lives of people of the third millennium will help avoid the spread of nihilism and radicalism in society.
Tradition - this is the transmission over a long period of time - from generation to generation - of such elements of social and cultural heritage, as social attitudes, norms of behavior, values, customs, rites, rituals. Traditions are the mechanism by which society and groups introduce their values and norms into the consciousness of people. They stabilize society, the life of an individual group. For example, the traditions of both European and Eastern peoples provide for the groom to receive the bride's dowry. Dowry, we read in the dictionary of V.I. Dahl, - “the wealth of the bride, which follows her by inheritance, or as a gift from relatives; wife's property." It was put on public display so that anyone could see the valuables that the bride and groom received after the wedding. In the Russian language, proverbs have been preserved to this day: “Believe the dowry after the wedding,” “The dowry is in the chest, and the fool is in the hand.” A train was equipped to transport the dowry, i.e. a series of carts following one after another. To emphasize the wealth of the bride's dowry, more or less heavy things were laid out on several carts. The train moved through the most crowded streets, stopping at intersections. During the transfer of the dowry, the gathered guests, relatives of the bride and groom, with things in their hands, danced on the street, despite even the bad weather. When the music died down, they sang funny songs. This tradition is still alive. For example, on the wedding day they demand a bride price (a symbolic payment for the bride's dowry), and the marriage cart noisily passes through busy places.
Violation of established traditions is perceived as sacrilege, blasphemy. Researcher of ancient Russian culture B.A. Uspensky even introduces a special term "anti-behavior" In our opinion, the events in Moscow in early XVII centuries. Representatives of the Polish gentry (nobility) arrived in the capital for the wedding of the Russian Tsar False Dmitry I(1605-1606) and daughters of a Polish magnate Marina Mnishek(died in 1614). The hatred of Muscovites for guests from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a consequence disrespectful attitude Polish side to Russian traditions. In Orthodox churches they behaved without any respect: they entered there wearing hats and weapons, leaning on the tombs with the relics of miracle workers. During the wedding ceremony, the customs established in Rus' were grossly violated. Having eaten and drunk, the nobles began to dance. In Russia, it was considered shameful and indecent for respectable people to jump around and do kneeling. Dancing was the lot of buffoons. The Soviet poetess N. Konchalovskaya in her book “Our Ancient Capital” figuratively expressed this desecration of national traditions:
Polish gentlemen dance to the music,
Russian beauties are ashamed to look at.
I have never seen such shame before:
The female sex dances intoxicated.
I had never even heard of girls walking through the Kremlin loudly.
The gentry wanders around the ancient capital,
Playing mischief in the middle of a clear day -
In the ancient cathedral they sit on a tomb,
Spurs brazenly ringing against the slabs.
Religious etiquette was also violated: only an Orthodox woman could be the wife of the Russian Tsar, and Marina Mnishek adhered to the rituals of the Roman Church. The marriage to a Catholic and her coronation became the last straw in the patience of Muscovites: a popular uprising broke out, during which False Dmitry I was killed.
Custom- a stereotypical way of behavior that is reproduced in a certain society or social group and is familiar to its members. To this day, we wave to those leaving. This is the custom of farewell, wishes bon voyage. It is based on the pagan ideas of our ancestors, who worshiped the elements of fire, water, air, etc. In this way, a tailwind was “winded”, helping the person leaving to get home safely. Another custom has survived to this day: a woman should walk to the right of a man. It goes back to the distant past, when men carried a sword or saber on the left, and during an attack there was a need to quickly pull it out of its sheath.
Rite - embodiment of everyday, religious and other customs in various situations. For a long time, the traditional Russian wedding ceremony consisted of two parts, to a certain extent opposed to each other: on the one hand - the official, legal, church (wedding), on the other - the family (merry revelry, i.e. the wedding itself). Moreover, the second part, the family part, was popularly considered to be the main part, the one that finally cements the family union. If for some reason the wedding was postponed (although the wedding had already taken place), the newlyweds were separated until the wedding ceremony itself. Nowadays, just as before, the “wedding part” of a marriage lasts much longer (sometimes several days!) than the “official” registering part (in the registry office and in the church).
Ritual - a type of ritual, an ordered system and sequence of actions, speeches, ceremonial. Rituals in different cultures have their own characteristics. For example, in European court circles there was a struggle for the slightest privilege to participate in the ritual, since such participation confirmed aristocratic advantages over other, less noble nobles. Some ladies were allowed to sit near the king, others were forced to stand. There was an etiquette that prescribed that some people should sit in armchairs or on stools, in chairs with one back or another; some had the advantage of going ahead of the foreign princes, others - behind. There were also those who were allowed to hold a candle while the king was undressing, although the chambers were brightly lit. In Russian culture, the following color symbolism has historically developed in the attire of Orthodox clergy: golden (yellow) robes or white - worship in honor of Christ
the Savior, prophets, apostles, during the performance of sacraments (requirements) and funeral services; blue and white - for holidays in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary; red - on the day of remembrance of martyrs, etc. Even during the times of the USSR, when atheistic propaganda was carried out, some Russian families celebrated the main Orthodox holiday - Easter - in one way or another. Soviet people, who did not even observe church fasts, who rarely went to churches (or did not go there at all), painted eggs, baked Easter cakes, addressed each other in close circle on Bright Sunday with the traditional greeting for this day: “Christ is risen!”
Traditions, customs, rites, and rituals embody the moral essence of society. “Morality is an ideological reflection of the general vital interests of the era,” wrote the German scientist Eduard Fuchs (1870-1940). At the end of XX - beginning of XXI V. voices were increasingly heard about the “decline of morals”, “general immorality”, the lack of modern people concepts of decency, etc. In this regard, we consider it appropriate to make a short historical excursion into the depths of centuries, dwelling in more detail on the picture of the morals of Europe during the Renaissance.
In the XVI-XVII centuries. There was a great revolution in the system of spiritual values. Medieval asceticism was replaced by the desire for fullness of life, joy earthly pleasures. European individualism with a new type of personality was formed. We are talking about a self-confident, enterprising, energetic, full of plans and hopes, not without selfishness, even sometimes predatory, powerful, strong-willed person. He is interested exclusively in earthly problems; high performance, initiative, the ability to do everything, know everything, be able to do everything, do more, etc. are valued in a person.
The man of the Renaissance, unlike the medieval ascetic, had excellent health and a strong physique. In the book “Human Physiology” (XVI century, France), the physical characteristics of a man are described as follows: “Men by nature have a large frame, wide faces, slightly curved eyebrows, big eyes, quadrangular chin, thick sinewy necks, strong shoulders and ribs, broad chest, sunken belly, bony and protruding thighs, sinewy strong thighs and arms, hard knees, strong shins, protruding calves, slender legs,” etc. They loved curvy figures in a woman. A lady whose corsage (part of a woman's dress covering the bust) foreshadows luxurious breasts is valued above all else. These are the women from the sensual paintings of the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens(1570-1640). A contemporary explains why large women are preferable to smaller ones for men: “It is much more pleasant to ride a tall and beautiful horse, and the latter gives the rider much more pleasure than a small nag.”
Sensuality, turning into voluptuousness, is perceived as a natural manifestation of human nature. “The laws of nature are most important. Nature created nothing for nothing and provided us with noble organs not only so that we would neglect them, but so that we would use them,” say the characters in the novel “The Decameron” by the Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio(1313-1375). “Marriage to a strong and well-built man” is the basis of a woman’s physical health.
For the first time in Europe, etiquette standards are becoming popular among broad sections of the population: the nobility, merchants, and city dwellers. Good manners were necessary for a gentleman to charm a lady. From France to European languages, and in the 18th century. and in Russian, the concepts of “courtiness” and “elegance” come. Courtoisie- court etiquette, politeness, courtesy; elegance - politeness, external gloss, secularism in the Renaissance. Hence the adjective elegant - beautiful, graceful. During the Renaissance, ideas about court etiquette were formed. They are based on standards and rules of behavior in a given society. The man was perceived by society as the owner of the house, the father of the family. In the living room, his chair was on a raised platform, and the guests were arranged in order corresponding to their status.
Often we perceive a particular era and its great figures by imagining the etiquette features of a given society. Here is the beginning of V. Nabokov’s poem “Shakespeare”:
Among the nobles of Elizabeth’s time, you too shone, honored the magnificent covenants, and the circle of rump, the thigh covered with satin silver, the wedge of the beard - everything was like everyone else...
Mysteries - collar on the chest in the form of frills. It was worn by contemporaries of W. Shakespeare and the philosopher F. Bacon. This is exactly the attire of men of that era that is depicted on the canvases of great artists. For example, “Portrait of a Man with Jockstraps and a Goatee” by Rembrandt.
The monarch's meals were furnished extremely luxuriously. Below is a contemporary description of the ritual of lunches and dinners of Queen Elizabeth I of England (1558-1603). First, two gentlemen bring into the monarch's chambers the symbols of royal power - a staff and a shroud. They kneel three times, spread the tablecloth on the table and leave. Then two other gentlemen bring salt, a dish and bread. Having knelt, they also leave. Next, two noble ladies bring a knife for tasting. They curtsy (a respectful bow with a squat) and remain in the room until the end of the meal. The queen's bodyguards bring twenty-four dishes in golden dishes, and one of the noble ladies cuts off a piece of the food and gives it to the bodyguard to try, in order to protect the first person in the state from poisoning. Then Elizabeth I herself begins the meal. The dishes not eaten by her go to the ladies-in-waiting.
Of course, one should not exaggerate. The elegance of courtiers' dress was at odds with what we would now call "civilized behavior." At royal receptions in France, there were not enough chamber pots with which footmen ran around (performing natural necessities in the presence of others before early XIX centuries in Europe it was not considered something indecent and fit into existing mores). In Versailles, Fontainebleau, the Louvre, courtiers “water the curtains, urinate in the fireplaces, on the walls, from the balconies.” That is why the court so often changes its location: royal residences are cleaned and washed after guests defecate
