complicated rules and ceremonials; lavish ceremonies; mumbo jumbo; prolix style and hackneyed rites;red-tapery(/red-tapism); red tape; slow-grinding official wheels; trivial formalities; unnecessary and elaborate formalities ❍ 他说最近很忙，并且主要的是因上海解放了，新社会了，不时兴过去那一套～。(周而复《上海的早晨》Ⅰ—392) So he had said that he was busy just now and anyway the main thing was that now that Shanghai had been liberated they were living in new society where it was no longer the done thing to have such lavish ceremonies. ❍ 我们最反对这种～。We are strongly opposed to such red tape.
繁文缛节
unnecessary and elaborate formalities;red tape 摈弃～cut out red tape
繁文缛节fán wén rù jié
文：仪式；缛：繁多；节：礼节。指过分烦琐的仪式和礼节。比喻烦琐多余。red tape, prolix style and hackneyed rites, complicated rules and ceremonials, superfluous rules and usages