Chapter 7: "Frost Descends, Women are Wed" and the Clan System

Section 1: Marriage and the Ancestral Temple

The primary purpose of marriage in the Pre-Qin period was not romantic love but the continuation of ancestral temple sacrifices and the lineage of the clan.

The Book of Rites, "The Meaning of Wedding" (昏义), states:

"The wedding rite is to unite the harmony between two clans, above to serve the ancestral temples, and below to continue the later generations. Thus, the noble man esteems it." (Liji 礼记·昏义)

"Above to serve the ancestral temples" means marriage ensures the continuity of sacrifices in the ancestral temple. "Below to continue the later generations" means marriage ensures the continuation of the clan’s bloodline. Both objectives transcend the individual level, being major affairs of the clan and the state.

Precisely because of this, the timing of marriage could not be arbitrary. If marriage occurred at an improper time, it violated the Heavenly Dao, potentially resulting in "incomplete sons," the risk of the ancestral temple being left without descendants, and the decline of the clan. The severity of these consequences far outweighed individual concerns.

The regulation "Frost descends, women are wed" is thus imbued with supreme solemnity and authority within this patriarchal context. It is not merely a requirement of the Heavenly Dao but a necessity for the ancestral temple, the clan, and the state.

Section 2: Coordination of the Six Rites and the Marriage Season

The Pre-Qin wedding involved the Six Rites: Nà cǎi, Wèn míng, Nà jí, Nà zhēng, Qǐng qí, Qīn yíng (纳采、问名、纳吉、纳征、请期、亲迎). The execution of these Six Rites required a certain amount of time, and each had its own temporal requirements.

I. Proposal (Nà Cǎi 纳采)

Nà cǎi is the first of the Six Rites, where the man sends a matchmaker to the woman's family to propose marriage, offering a wild goose as a pledge gift.

As noted before, the goose is migratory. The use of the goose as a pledge gift might correspond to the time when wild geese migrate south—i.e., late autumn to early winter.

The Rites of Zhou, "Ceremonies for a Gentleman's Wedding," states:

"The wedding rite, the delivery of the initial message. Nà cǎi uses a wild goose." (Yili 仪礼·士昏礼)

"Delivery of the initial message" (xià dá 下达) means the man's intention is set, and an envoy is sent to convey it to the woman’s family. Using the goose as a pledge gift is symbolic and also aligns with the season—holding the proposal ceremony when wild geese migrate south makes the goose timely and appropriate.

II. Inquiry of Name (Wèn Míng 问名)

Wèn míng is the second rite, where the man inquires about the woman's name and birth date for divination of fortune.

This occurs shortly after Nà cǎi, perhaps on the same visit or a few days later, around late autumn to early winter.

III. Affirmation of Auspices (Nà Jí 纳吉)

Nà jí is the third rite, where the man informs the woman's family of the divination results—if auspicious, the marriage can proceed.

This occurs after divination, around late autumn.

IV. Presenting the Betrothal Gifts (Nà Zhēng 纳征)

Nà zhēng is the fourth rite, where the man sends betrothal gifts to the woman's family. This is the substantial step finalizing the engagement.

Nà zhēng occurs between late autumn and early winter, around the time of "Frost descends," aligning with the "Frost descends, women are wed" rule.

V. Requesting the Date (Qǐng Qī 请期)

Qǐng qí is the fifth rite, where the man requests the specific date for the wedding ceremony.

This occurs between early winter and mid-winter.

VI. Personal Welcome (Qīn Yíng 亲迎)

Qīn yíng is the final rite, where the groom personally goes to the woman’s home to welcome the bride. This is the climax of the wedding.

The Qīn yíng must occur after Frost's Descent and before the Thawing of Ice. This is what the "Ni" (逆) in "Frost descends, women are wed" refers to.

Examining the temporal sequence of the Six Rites shows that the process, from Nà cǎi to Qīn yíng, required about two to three months. If Nà cǎi occurred in mid-autumn, Qīn yíng would occur around mid-winter to late winter, perfectly fitting the "Frost descends, women are wed" season. If delayed, the personal welcome must be completed before the ice thaws in mid-spring, otherwise the limit is exceeded.

This scheduling is highly rational. Autumn, after the major farm work is done, allows families leisure time to conduct the Six Rites without haste. Winter, with cold weather and no farming, is ideal for the long journey often required for the personal welcome (the bride moves from her clan to her husband’s). By early spring before the ice thaws, the bride is settled in her new home and can begin preparations for spring plowing with her husband’s family.

This arrangement perfectly embeds the marriage event within the annual agricultural rhythm, avoiding interference with production while conforming to the Heavenly Dao—a model of the unity of Heaven and humanity.

Section 3: Marriage Grades and Wedding Dates

Pre-Qin marriage had strict hierarchical differences: Son of Heaven, feudal lords, high ministers, scholar-officials (shì 士), and commoners. Did the temporal regulation of "Frost descends, women are wed; ice thaws, cessation kills" apply equally to all grades$5

Based on textual evidence, this time restriction generally applied across ranks, though specific execution might have varied.

I. The Son of Heaven's Marriage

The Son of Heaven's marriage was the most solemn, often involving alliances between states. Records of the Son of Heaven's marriages are scarce, making it hard to ascertain the specific timing. Based on records in the Spring and Autumn Annals, feudal lords' weddings mostly occurred in autumn and winter, suggesting the Son of Heaven’s weddings likely followed suit.

II. Marriages of Feudal Lords

The Spring and Autumn Annals records numerous marriages of feudal lords, from which we can examine their timing.

Spring and Autumn Annals, Duke Yin the 2nd Year: "In the ninth month, Ji sent Lie Ru to welcome the woman in marriage." (Autumn)

Spring and Autumn Annals, Duke Huan the 3rd Year: "In autumn, the Duke of Lu Gongzi Hui went to Qi to welcome the woman in marriage." (Autumn)

Spring and Autumn Annals, Duke Huan the 8th Year: "In the tenth month of winter, it snowed. Ji Gong came and welcomed the Queen from Ji." (Early Winter)

These cases—ninth month, autumn, winter tenth month—all align with the "Frost descends, women are wed" period. The Duke Huan the 8th Year instance is particularly telling: the record notes "it snowed," indicating deep autumn turning to winter, yet the welcome proceeded, emphasizing that the marriage date was inflexible and could not be postponed, even under harsh weather. This proves the mandatory nature of the "Frost descends, women are wed" regulation.

One apparent exception is Duke Zhuang the 24th Year: "In summer, the Duke went to Qi to welcome the woman in marriage." The commentaries suggest this was irregular due to the complex political situation between Lu and Qi concerning Duke Zhuang’s mother, Wen Jiang, and the Duke of Qi. Such deviations from the norm were often noted critically, suggesting they were considered non-standard or improper.

Overall, the vast majority of noble marriages recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals took place in autumn and winter, generally conforming to the regulation. Exceptions usually had special political causes or were criticized for impropriety.

III. Marriages of High Ministers and Scholar-Officials

Records of high ministers' marriages are scarce. However, inferring from the Rites of Zhou, "Ceremonies for a Gentleman's Wedding" (Shi Hun Li 士昏礼), which outlines the basic ritual for the shì class, the marriage timing should follow the general principle: "Frost descends, women are wed; ice thaws, cessation kills."

IV. Marriages of Commoners (Shùrén 庶人)

No formal ritual texts describe the marriages of commoners. However, inferring from the Rites of Zhou, "Mediator of the Matchmaker," which mentions the expediency of "assembly in mid-spring," commoners also followed the general rule of autumn-winter marriage, with mid-spring serving as the final allowance.

Section 4: Conflicts Between Marriage Season and Mourning Rites

Pre-Qin mourning rites were extremely strict. If a parent died, the child had to observe a mourning period of three years (about 25 lunar months) during which no marriage or nuptial visits could take place.

The Book of Rites, "Miscellaneous Rites, Book II," discusses mourning periods. If a period of mourning overlapped with the ideal marriage season (autumn/winter), the wedding would have to be postponed until after the mourning period ended—often awaiting the next autumn/winter cycle.

The Spring and Autumn Annals records instances of postponed marriages due to mourning.

This conflict between mourning and marriage highlights the complexity within the ritual system. When two rites conflict, the general principle was that the obligation of mourning (filial piety) took precedence over the desire for marriage, reflecting the paramount importance of filial piety in Pre-Qin thought.