The Season of Osmanthus and Everlasting Vows

When the fragrance of osmanthus permeates the streets and alleys, a decade-long tradition returns to Zhuanqiao Town – the Golden Wedding photography session for senior couples to celebrate the Double-Ninth Festival, a day dedicated to the elderly. This year, the festival fell on October 29.

The "newlyweds" are seniors who entered into matrimony between 1970 and 1975.

In that straightforward and unembellished era, a marriage certificate and a modest homemade celebration may have constituted the entirety of a wedding. Many elders cherished a long-held dream of wearing a pristine white wedding gown and capturing a formal photograph of their love.

As wedding gowns blend with silver hair and traditional Chinese attire enhances smiling wrinkles, time appears to fold upon itself, softly conveying the most poignant answer regarding love and companionship.

The Season of Osmanthus and Everlasting Vows

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Their story began in 1958, when Zhu Huanwen and He Huafang, fresh graduates of East China Normal University and Shanghai Normal University, were assigned to the same rural school in Pudong. A shared educational ideal sparked a lifelong bond. "Our wish is simple: to live each day in health and happiness and to see 100 years together," He says. In these plain words lies the profound pledge of growing old together, hand in hand.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Married since 1968, Pan Xuelin and Zhuang Shundi have a simple secret to their long marriage: "When I get angry, he stays quiet, and when he gets angry, I do the same. That's how we never really argue," Zhuang says. "I wish to care for him always" is a testament to her unwavering devotion.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Zhu Guanhong expresses his deep appreciation for his wife, Xie Anmei, in a single heartfelt sentence: "You've endured so much," he says. "Raising our children was tough on her, so I told her I'd never hold any of her frustrations against her." Now in their eighties, the couple may not travel far, but they find joy in exploring nearby Shanghai, cherishing these serene moments together.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: The cross-regional marriage between Wang Caihang and Lu Honglian started with a promise: "I can cook." "I'm from the North, and he's from Shanghai. I told him I couldn't cook, and he said he would do it," says Lu with a mischievous smile.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: In navigating life's mundane chores and inevitable frustrations, Zhang Lichun and Zhong Bomin have always adhered to the rule of "mutual understanding," managing to turn the ordinary into something poetic. "Occasional disagreements are unavoidable," Zhang shared, "but as long as it's not a matter of principle, we accommodate each other. Happiness is what matters most – when you're happy, your health naturally follows."