What do the three books of the Three Books and Six Rites refer to?

The three books of the Three Books and Six Rituals refer to the letter of appointment, the letter of etiquette and the letter of welcome.

1. Letter of engagement: The letter of engagement is a document used by a man to formally propose to the woman’s family.

In ancient times, a letter of engagement was similar to today's marriage certificate, representing the man's commitment to the woman and the formal announcement of the engagement.

After accepting the letter of engagement, the woman expressed her agreement to marry the man.

2. Letter of ceremony: The letter of ceremony is a letter that lists the type and quantity of wedding gifts.

In ancient times, the man's family gave gifts to the woman's family to show respect and gratitude to the woman's family.

The function of the ceremony letter is to ensure that both families are aware of the wedding gifts and avoid misunderstandings and conflicts during the marriage process.

3. Welcome letter: The welcome letter is the document used by the man to welcome the bride through the door.

On the bride's wedding day, the man must send a welcome letter to the woman's family to express his welcome and blessing to the bride.

The greeting book is also a way for the boy's family to express respect and gratitude to the girl's family.

Introduction to the Three Books and Six Rites The Three Books and Six Rites are ancient Han marriage customs and etiquette.

The "three letters" refer to the documents used in the "six rites" process, including letters of appointment, letters of etiquette and letters of welcome.

The "six rites" refer to the entire marriage process from proposal to marriage.

"Six rites" refers to the six etiquette methods, which refer to accepting gifts, asking for names, accepting gifts, accepting invitations, asking for appointments and personally welcoming.

The ancient marriage process has a somewhat different meaning from the modern one.

The modern marriage process generally refers to the etiquette held on the wedding day. The marriage process of the Three Letters and Six Rituals includes the documents and etiquette from the marriage negotiation, engagement to marriage.

Similar to modern times, the entire traditional marriage customs and etiquette are notified to relatives and neighbors to gain social recognition and protection.

In addition, traditional marriage customs and etiquette enable the married couple to obtain the approval of ancestors and gods and assume the rights and obligations towards their parents and relatives.

Therefore, in some ancient times, unless a man and a woman complete the process of three letters and six etiquette, the marriage will not be recognized as a formal marriage; the completeness of the marriage etiquette will directly affect the auspiciousness of the marriage.

However, in different Chinese dynasties, wedding customs and etiquette also differed.