Matchmaking Myths

• Yue Lao is the Chinese god of marriage and is also known from the tale, the Old Man Under the Moon. It is said that Yue Lao binds potential couples together with his red silken string even before they are born.

• The dragon and the phoenix symbolizes that the couple will stay together through thick and thin. 

 

Pre-Wedding Traditions

• Elders and professional matchmakers would ponder over the pros and cons of a proposal for a long time before the marriage was finalized. The topics of discussion include the couple’s social standing, reputation, financial situation and the social relationship between the two households.

• Betrothal gifts, like a hairpin, jade or dragon and phoenix wax candles, are given from the groom’s family to the bride’s family. These gifts were so important that a marriage without them was considered dishonorable.

• The most common dowries given from the bride’s family to the groom’s family included scissors like two butterflies never separating, rulers indicating acres of field, and vases for peace and wealth.

• The bride and groom will bathe with pomelo leaves to cleanse off bad spirits and change into new red clothes and slippers before the wedding.

 

Wedding Day

• The groom must shoot three headless arrows at the bride. When it is done, the groom will pick them up and break them in half, signifying that their love will last forever.