Bridal price is one of the ancient wedding customs in China, also known as betrothal price, bride price and engagement. In ancient China, when an engagement was concluded, it was customary to exchange betrothal money and bride price. This kind of betrothal money and dowry is usually called "bride price". During the period after the founding of New China, the bride price and the engagement related to the bride price were criticized and once abolished, but they have always existed among the people.
Bride price is a bride price or gift given to each other in the usual understanding, especially in marriage and love. In today's internet, it also refers to an act of giving each other lottery tickets and blessings. In some places, this custom is called expropriation, which means success.
More and more attention has been paid to the social contradictions caused by the bad habit of "exorbitant bride price", and various rectification actions have been carried out in some areas. Chapter I General Provisions Article 3 of the Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China: "Arranging, buying and selling marriages and other acts that interfere with the freedom of marriage are prohibited.
The ancient book The Book of Rites. "Confused ceremony" uploaded: "People who confuse the ceremony must combine the interests of the two surnames and be the ancestors of the temple, while the next generation is the successor, so the gentleman values it. It's about accepting gifts, claiming fame, Naji, collecting levies and inviting parties. The host banquets in the temple several times, but he worships outside the door, enters and obeys the temple, so it is also a matter of respect and prudence. " Another book, Yili, said: "There are six gifts when you are confused, such as receiving gifts, asking names, accepting gifts, inviting parties and welcoming people." This is the traditional custom of "six rites to get married", which was founded in the Western Zhou Dynasty and has been followed by successive dynasties. It is also the source of the custom of "bride price".
The Zhou Dynasty was an era of etiquette. At that time, a complete set of wedding etiquette was gradually formed. There are detailed provisions in the Book of Rites, which combine the whole set of rituals into "six rituals". The "six rites" marriage system established in the Western Zhou Dynasty and followed by successive generations is the source of the custom of "bride price". The "six gifts" are: receiving gifts, asking names, receiving gifts, inviting parties and welcoming relatives. The "receiving gift money" in the Six Rites is the gift money, which is equivalent to the present "bride price". This form of marriage continued until the Republic of China. Money or something usually given at the time of marriage.