"The matchmaker] must carry the proposal to the girl's family and ask for the young lady's 'eight characters' (the year, month, day of the month and hour of the boy's birth and of the girl's birth) and later conduct the negotiations concerning the gifts. If the girl's family hands out the 'eight chraracters', this is a sign of preliminary consent."
Hsu 1971, 84
Return to Chinese Wedding Traditions