Marriage of Dongxiang people

Influenced by the Islamism, marriages of Dongxian ethnic minority is basically decided by parents while the young pair have no chance to talk with each other face to face before wedding. In most cases, the matchmaker serves as the person to convey messages for the young pair.  

Generally, the bridegroom's family first sends a matchmaker to the bride's family to propose a marriage. After the bride's side consents, the groom's family should present a ceremonial gift, which is generally composed of several jin (1 jin = 0.5 kg) of refined tea and several pieces of clothes. Then comes the official engagement procedure, i.e. delivering betrothal gifts. At the appointed time, the groom, his father, uncle, the matchmaker together with the attending guests altogether will take the betrothal gifts to the bride's house.

Betrothal gifts fall into two categories: one category includes tealeaves, brown sugar, cakes, etc.; the other includes clothes, cash, earrings, bracelets, etc, which have been set in earlier discussions. In some mountainous areas of Dongxian ethnic minority, there are the practice of sending steamed buns as betrothal gifts to indicate a bumper harvest next year for the bride's parents and the daughter-in-law.