Whoever came up with the idea of throwing rice on the bride and groom were not Chinese! Chinese show prosperity through the huge wedding feast - not rice, which is probably a Japanese tradition. Instead, Chinese use firecrackers to scare away evil spirits who may want to cause problems later. This ritual is performed not only at weddings, but most major celebrations. Before the couple crosses the threshold during the recessional, long chains of firecrackers suspended on a stick are lit for several minutes. Evening weddings feature noisy, full-scale firework displays as part of the festivities. Taking today's strict air pollution laws into consideration, most Chinese couples have to settle for a tape of fireworks or crashing cymbals to get the desired affect.