With Rings on Her Fingers and Bells on Her Toes (Well, not exactly...)

I am always looking for symbolism in all things wedding.  Recently I have been pondering the reason for wearing the engagement/wedding band on the fourth or "ring" finger of the left hand. 

You may be familiar, to some extent, with the reason the wedding band is worn there.  According to Roman belief there is a vein we have in our left "ring" finger which runs directly to the heart, which as we all know, is the symbol of LOVE. However, this vein, called the vena amoris, is found similarly in ALL the fingers of BOTH hands.  Wedding bands were  not exchanged in Rome until the later part of the second century, and engagement rings were often strands of hemp woven together and tied around the betrothed's finger. Other cultures, like the Gauls and Britons wore rings on their middle fingers.

Then I heard a beautiful theory (thank you Hub) that the Chinese have given as to why the wedding ring should be worn on the fourth finger. As the story goes :

Look at your left hand that your wedding ring goes on. The thumb represents your parents. The index finger represents your siblings. The third finger, or the middle finger, represents yourself. The fourth finger represents your life partner. And the pinkie represents the children you will some day have.

Now, place both of your hands together and bend your middle fingers together, leaving the other fingertips touching together as shown in the picture.

When your hands are as such:

Pull your thumbs apart (this represents the parents). Your thumbs will open because you and your parents are not destined to be together forever. At some point they will leave you in your life. Now put your thumbs back together.

Repeat the same motion with your index fingers (this represents your siblings). Of course your index fingers will also separate because you are also not destined to be with your siblings for the rest of your life. They will move on and have families of their own. Now put them back together.

Next, separate your pinkies (this represents your future children). Of course these will also separate because your children will not be with you forever. They will grow up to have lives and families of their own as well. Now put them back together.

Now for your "ring" finger (this represents your life partner). Try separating them as you did with the other. Can't do it can you? That is because your life partner is the one who is supposed to be with you for the rest of your life. They will be the one to be with you forever and through thick and thin.

To be honest...I think the inability to move the ring fingers apart has more to do with structure of tendons in the hand...but hey...who cares?  It's a lovely story... :)