The Betrothal
订亲
First both sets of parents exchanged family credentials as tokens of intention.
首先双方父母会相互交换可以表明身份的信物。
Then, after extensive bargaining, the two families would arrive at the amount of money and goods that would make up the gift to the girl’s family.
然后经过谨慎的商讨，双方父母就给女方的聘礼的费用和礼品达成一致。
After presenting engagement takens, the go-between would ask the bride’s family to chose among several auspicious wedding dates suggested by the boy’s family and also set a date for presenting betrothal gifts.
订婚仪式过后，媒人会向男方家庭要几个黄道吉日同时也会择日给予聘礼。
The boy’s family presented betrothal gifts of money and significant items such as tea, “Dragon (male) and Phoenix (female)” bridal cakes, pairs of male and female poultry, sweetmeats and sugar, wine and tobacco ，accompanied by an itemized statement of these gifts.
男方家庭的聘礼包括金钱和贵重物品，比如茶叶，“龙凤饼”老婆饼，几对家禽，果脯和喜糖，红酒和烟草等等。
Tea was such a primary part of these gifts in some areas that they were known collectively as cha-li, that is, "tea presents."
茶叶是所有礼物中的重中之重原因在人们熟知的“茶礼”。
The girl's family reciprocated with gifts of food and clothing.
女方家庭也会回礼一些食物和衣物。
It was customary for the girl's family to distribute the bridal cakes they received from the boy's family to friends and relatives as a form of announcement and invitation to the wedding feast.
女方家庭将男方给的老婆饼发给亲朋好友，以示婚宴的正式通知。
The number of cakes given to each was established according to a rigid etiquette，on the basis of seniority and degree of intimacy.
发给每个人的老婆饼的数量由长辈资历和亲密程度决定。
Those who received the bridal cakes, were expected to present congratulatory gifts to the girl's parents.
女方父母指望那些收到老婆饼的人会给贺礼。
The boy's families gifts acknowledged the parents' efforts in raising the girl，and by accepting the gifts，the girl's family pledged her to the boy's.
男方家庭体谅女方家庭带大孩子的不容易，而经过接受聘礼，女方家庭会将女儿托付给新郎。
It is interesting to note that the bride was given to the family rather than the groom alone.
值得注意的是新娘是被托付给了家族而非新郎自己。
Although the bride and groom probably had not met yet, betrothal was considered binding unless both families agreed to annul the contract.
尽管新郎和新娘没见过面，订亲是包办的，除非双方家庭同意解除婚约。
Several days after the presentation of the betrothal gifts，the girl's family sent porters with an inventoried dowry to the boy's house.
聘礼接收的几天后，女方会叫人将女方的嫁妆送去男方家。
The dowry consisted of practical items, including a chamber pot, filled for the occasion with fruit and strings of coins.
嫁妆包括许多实用的物品，比如夜壶，装满水果的盆，几串铜钱。
This procession gave the girl's family the opportunity to display both their social status and their love for their daughter，and wealthy parents often included serving girls to attend their daughter in her new home.
这些物品展示了女方家庭的家境和对新娘的疼爱，大户人家会把丫鬟作为嫁妆让新娘带入新家。
Betrothals generally lasted for a year or two, although child betrothals would last until the children had grown to marriageable age.
订亲仪式一般会持续一年到两年，甚至有些娃娃亲的订亲仪式会持续到两个孩子长到适婚年龄。