The Three Books and Six Rites are traditional Chinese marriage customs and rituals. Only after completing the Three Books and Six Rites can it be considered a proper marriage arranged by a matchmaker.
Three Books: Refers to the Letter of Appointment, the Book of Rites, and the Letter of Welcoming the Bride, which are documents required in the process of the Six Rites and must be delivered in writing by the male party to the female party's home.
The Six Rites: Refers to the six rituals of accepting gifts, asking for names, offering blessings, offering gifts, and welcoming relatives, which are the entire process from proposal to marriage.
1、 Three books
Appointment letter: a document of engagement. When a man and a woman enter into a marriage contract in Najib, a letter is handed over from the man's family to the woman's family.
Book of Rites: A document used during a grand ceremony, listing the items and quantities of the ceremony.
Welcome letter: a document for marrying the bride. It is a document given by the man to the woman when welcoming her through the door.
2、 Six Rites
Na Cai: The groom's family invites a matchmaker to propose to the bride's family. After the bride's family agrees, the groom's family prepares gifts to propose.
Name: The man's family asks a matchmaker to ask for the woman's surname and birthdate, as intermarriage is not allowed in families with the same surname.
Najib: After the man retrieves the woman's name and birthdate, he practices divination at the ancestral temple. After the auspicious omen was announced, the bride's family was notified and it was decided to enter into marriage.
Nazheng: The male party sends a double number of women to present gift letters to the female party's family, and the female party entertains these "blessed individuals" and gives them gifts in return.
Request: The groom's family chooses a wedding date and prepares gifts to inform the bride's family, seeking their consent.
Qinying: The etiquette of a man marrying a woman to his home. After the welcoming ceremony is over, the six rituals are considered complete.