Hūnshū, a Promise Across Centuries

China has long been called a land of ritual—and marriage books were part of that ritual weight.

Their history reaches back to the Zhou dynasty. The 《周礼》Zhōulǐ (‘Rites of Zhou’) records a dedicated office, the 媒氏méi shì (‘Matchmaker Office’), that managed betrothals and issued marriage documents on bamboo slips. After engagement, each party kept half; the matchmaker office delivered them.

Marriage books are closely tied to the 三书六礼sān shū liù lǐ (‘Three Documents and Six Rites’). The 《礼记》Lǐjì (‘Book of Rites’), in the chapter 昏义hūn yì (‘meaning of the marriage rite’), treats marriage as joining two families, serving ancestors, and continuing the lineage—therefore worthy of solemn care. The Three Documents are written at different stages: the 聘书pìn shū (‘betrothal document’), the 礼书lǐ shū (‘gift list’), and the 迎书yíng shū (‘welcome document’). Marriage was never only spoken aloud; ritual and written witness went together.

The Six Rites—纳采nà cǎi (‘proposal’), 问名wèn míng (‘name inquiry’), 纳吉nà jí (‘auspice’), 纳征nà zhēng (‘bride-price’), 请期qǐng qī (‘date setting’), and 亲迎qīn yíng (‘welcome procession’)—each step could involve exchanged documents, from draft posts to formal marriage books, building the full ritual archive.

Tang dynasty: marriage books under law

The Tang was a turning point: marriage books entered the legal system. The 《唐律疏议·户婚律》Tánglǜ Shūyì · Hùhūnlǜ (‘Tang Code’) penalized breaking a reported marriage book or private agreement. The Dunhuang manuscript 《新集吉凶书仪》Xīnjí Jíxiōng Shūyí (‘Newly Compiled Letter Models for Auspicious and Inauspicious Occasions’) already preserves model 通婚书tōng hūn shū (‘marriage letters’) and 答婚书dá hūn shū (‘reply letters’)—showing mature written forms for betrothal correspondence.

Song dynasty: draft and formal posts

In the Song, marriage books moved further into daily custom through 草帖cǎo tiě (‘draft post’) and 定帖dìng tiě (‘formal post’). According to the Southern Song 《梦粱录》Mèngliáng lù (‘Mengliang lu’), a brief draft came first; after agreement, a fuller post recorded lineage, birth data, and property. Elegant parallel prose made the document literary as well as legal.

Qing dynasty: ornate dragon-phoenix posts

Qing marriage books became visual objects—龙凤帖lóng fèng tiě (‘dragon-phoenix posts’) on red paper or silk with gold decoration and auspicious cover phrases. They were meant to be read and admired as calligraphy, pattern, and blessing together.

Republic era: lyrical vows

Republican-era marriage books are famous for painted borders and literary vows, such as:

And:

The most solemn promises often arrived in the gentlest language.

Contents varied by era and region: names, ages, birth dates, family information, gifts, wedding dates, witnesses, and officiants.

Yet marriage books also carry blessings—may the match endure, may the household flourish, may you 白头偕老bái tóu xié lǎo (‘grow old together’). A legal record becomes, through these lines, an emotional keepsake.

Because their phrases are not mere decoration.

They connect to centuries of literature and custom—from 桃之夭夭，灼灼其华táo zhī yāo yāo, zhuó zhuó qí huá (‘peaches bright and blooming’) to 谨以白头之约，书向鸿笺jǐn yǐ bái tóu zhī yuē, shū xiàng hóng jiān (‘write our white-haired promise on red paper’). Different words, one wish: may the person be a true match; may the covenant last.

When we unfold these old marriage books today, we read not only ritual history but generations of romance written to love itself.