In ancient China, the marriage was arranged by parents. When a boy’s parents identified a likely bride-to-be, they would send a matchmaker to sound out their feelings about the match and present gifts to the girl’s parents. When the girl’s family received the proposal, the matchmaker would record the girl’s birth data (combined from year, month, day, hour, heavenly trunk and earthly branch) on a formal document.

The document would be placed on the ancestral altar in the boy’s family. If there was no inauspicious omen (for instance the loss of property) during that time, an astrological expert would be invited to predict if the boy and the girl would be a good match. If the result was favorable, the boy’s data would be given to the matchmaker to bring to the girl’s parents. Then the girl’s family would go through the same process.

The two families would be arranged to meet only when the both results were favorable. When both of the sides satisfied, they would proceed to the betrothal.