Three betrothal gifts and six gifts are still used today, but the meaning of the sand palace in ancient times was that the man who married a wife in ancient times had to pay a betrothal gift, and the woman had to have the palace sand to indicate that the woman was a virgin. Nowadays, the man who marries his wife also has to pay a betrothal gift, but the woman does not have the palace sand (meaning that the woman is no longer a virgin).
Extended information:
The steps for marrying a wife in ancient times:
1. Nacai
Nacai is the first of the six rites. It means that the man's family invites a matchmaker to propose marriage to the woman's family. After the woman's family agrees to discuss marriage, the man's family prepares gifts and goes to propose marriage. When the groom's family accepts gifts, they need to give about thirty kinds of gifts that symbolize auspiciousness to the bride's family.
2. Asking for a name
The second of the six rites is asking for a name. That is, after the girl’s parents accept the proposal of marriage, the girl’s family will bring her daughter’s Nian Geng horoscope back to the boy’s family. If a man and a woman are well matched, it predicts good or bad luck.
3. Naji
Naji, also known as Guowending, is the third ritual among the six rites. After receiving the Geng Tie, the Geng Tie will be placed in front of the gods or on the ancestors' table. Please ask for good or bad luck to make sure that the year and age of both parties are not in conflict with each other. After learning that there was no conflict between the two parties, he prepared a gift and informed the woman's family that they had decided to get married.
4. Nazheng
Nazheng is also called Nazheng and Naqi. It is the fourth of the six rites, that is, the man's family sends the letter of appointment and gift letter to the woman's family. One month to two weeks before the wedding, the groom's family will invite two or four female relatives (who must be fully blessed) to make an appointment with a matchmaker and bring the bride price, gift money and betrothal gift to the bride's home; at this time, the bride's family needs to return the gifts. .
5. Requesting period
The requesting period is also called the announcing period, commonly known as choosing a day. It is the fifth of the six rites, that is, the groom's family chooses an auspicious day for the marriage, and prepares a gift notification. Ask the woman’s family for permission.
6. Personal Ying
Qin Ying, also known as Yingqin, is the sixth of the six rites. It means that on the auspicious wedding day, the groom in formal dress will go to the bride’s house in person with the matchmaker, relatives and friends to marry her. bride. Before arriving at the bride's house, the groom needs to go to the bride's ancestral temple to pay homage, and then he takes the bride to the groom's house in a sedan chair. After the groom's family completes the ceremony of worshiping heaven, earth and ancestors, he will be sent to the bridal chamber.