The Republic of Moldova (Moldovan: Republica Moldova, English: Republic of Moldova), referred to as Moldova, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, bordering Romania and Ukraine.
The country covers an area of 33,800 square kilometers, stretching 350 kilometers from north to south and 150 kilometers from east to west. Shaped like an inverted bunch of grapes, it is a small European nation. The country is divided into 32 districts, 3 municipalities (Chisinau, Balti, and Bender), and 2 administrative units (the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia and the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester). The capital is Chisinau.
Moldovans and Romanians share the same ancestry and culture, both being descendants of the Dacians. The total population of the country is 3.5576 million (as of January 1, 2014, excluding the populations of Transnistria and the city of Bender). The ethnic composition is 75.8% Moldovan, 8.4% Ukrainian, 5.9% Russian, 4.4% Gagauz, 2.2% Romanian, 1.9% Bulgarian, and 1.4% other ethnic groups. The official language is Moldovan, and Russian is used as a lingua franca. Most people practice Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Over the centuries, the Moldovan people have developed unique national costumes. Adult men wear long white shirts and white trousers, topped with a woolen suit vest. In winter, they wear leather or fur vests, short sheepskin coats, small sheepskin hats, and handmade leather boots, cinched at the waist with a red, green, or blue wide belt. These belts are generally 3 meters long. For men, the belt is not only practical but also highly decorative.
Women wear large headscarves, white blouses with colorful embroidery, and wide-hemmed skirts that fall below the knee, covered by a wool or linen apron. Moldovan women's skirts are typically made of dark-colored pure wool fabric, embroidered with colorful geometric patterns, and cinched with a narrow belt at the waist. In winter, both men and women wear handmade fur coats. By the beginning of the 21st century, traditional clothing was still preserved among the elderly in rural areas, while young people rarely wear them, mostly using them for film and stage performances; they have gradually become an artistic symbol of the Moldovan nation.
Weddings are grand celebrations in Moldovan families. The wedding ceremony, which lasts for several days, is rich in content and unique. Autumn is the season for Moldovan weddings. Before the wedding, rituals such as proposals, engagements, and expressions of gratitude take place. The wedding is usually held at both the bride's and groom's homes, after which the groom brings gifts to his mother-in-law's house to pick up the bride. After the bride's parents offer their blessings, they present the dowry and send the bride to the groom's family. A very grand banquet (Masa Mare) is then held at the groom's home.
At this point, the newlyweds must hold candles and bring the "fire of love," which symbolizes life, light, and good fortune, from the "eternal flame" room. They pay respects to both sets of parents to show gratitude and honor. The entire wedding process is filled with poetry recitations, dancing, and singing. Friends and relatives attending the wedding celebrate enthusiastically until dawn. At daybreak, everyone sits for a moment, and the bride holds a baby to bless her with many children. Then, the husband leads his wife to the door. Before the couple crosses the threshold, guests scatter grain over their heads and bodies to wish them abundance year after year.
During major festivals, Moldovans of all ages wear national costumes to dance and sing in the streets. It is no exaggeration to say that "dance is the soul of the Moldovan people." Moldovan folk dances are passionate, poetic, and slightly melancholic, fully reflecting the character of the nation. Folk dances like the "Hora" and "Joc" are famous both at home and abroad. Moldovan folk poetry is rich and full of distinct national character, with the lyrical song "Doina" being the essence of folk poetry and widely sung.
The staple food for Moldovans is bread, and they enjoy various vegetable dishes, fried meat, lamb, and dairy products. Traditional national food includes hot cornmeal porridge (mamaliga), served with sheep's milk cheese, fried onions, butter, and tomatoes. Typical foods include vegetable soup, smoked fish, cured meat, stuffed peppers with cheese, cabbage rolls made with grape leaves, peas mixed with minced onions, and garlic paste. Moldovan women are skilled at preparing various pickles and brewing wine. Their pickles come in a wide variety and are delicious; the wine they brew is sweet and sour, with an intoxicating aroma. During holidays, housewives always prepare jellied chicken and jellied pork for their families.
Moldovan fruits and vegetables are seasonal; once the season passes, they are no longer available because the locals rely on nature and do not use the vegetable greenhouses common in China. However, locals can still eat out-of-season fruits and vegetables, though not fresh—they are homemade canned goods. Homemade canning is an important Moldovan custom. As soon as autumn arrives, Moldovans buy piles of vegetables and fruits, various seasonings, and glass jars, lids, and sealing tools of all sizes to start canning.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, and red peppers are washed one by one, blanched in boiling water, drained, mixed with various seasonings, packed into jars, and sealed tightly with tools and lids before being moved to the basement for storage. A family can take them out as needed, and the winter slowly passes as these canned vegetables are consumed. Diligent families make enough to last the whole year, and sometimes even for several years.
If you are a guest in a Moldovan home, please note: when dining at the same table, it is considered taboo for guests to play with knives and forks or clatter the tableware. It is also considered impolite to pick up plates to eat or drink soup. When visiting someone's home, do not enter the host's bedroom or sit on the bed without permission, as this is extremely rude behavior.
It is especially worth mentioning grapes. The lives of Moldovans are inseparable from grapes and wine. Grapes are the oldest plant on Moldovan soil, with a cultivation history dating back to 3000 BC. In the countryside, every family has a wine cellar. People regard grapes as a symbol of wealth. When hosting guests, the host will offer homemade wine. When wishing each other well, they love to say, "May our lives be as fruitful as the grapevines in late autumn."
Moldova also has the world's largest underground wine city. Located more than 80 meters underground, this kingdom of wine features streets named after various famous wines that crisscross each other. Without road signs, your car would not be able to find its way out of this wine labyrinth. Neatly lined along both sides of the streets are large wine barrels with a capacity of about 20 tons each. These barrels must be made of exquisite oak, which facilitates fermentation and imparts a fragrant aroma to the wine.
Locally, there is a beverage called "Moldovan tea" that is a household staple suitable for all ages. This drink is tea-colored but exudes the fragrance of wine. However, it is not tea, but a beverage brewed from pure grape juice through fermentation. It falls between wine and fruit juice, much like the rice wine or light wine found in some parts of China, with only a few degrees of alcohol. Whether in the countryside or in towns, almost every family brews "Moldovan tea" to prepare a year's supply.