Oil-paper umbrellas are not only daily necessities for keeping out the sun and rain, they are also indispensable items in wedding rituals. In traditional Chinese weddings, when the bride gets off the sedan after getting married, the matchmaker will use a red oil-paper umbrella to cover the bride to ward off evil spirits. In traditional Japanese weddings, the bride will also be covered by a red oil-paper umbrella. Oil-paper umbrellas were also used in ancient Ryukyu weddings. The elderly like purple umbrellas, which symbolize longevity, and white umbrellas are used during funerals.