Arriving at the groom’s house, the new couple will jointly hold, or wear, a piece of red silk, and make formal bows to heaven and earth, parents, and each other. In some other cases, the matchmakers also bow.

The bride also usually wears a red veil on her head, which can only be lifted by the groom in the bridal chamber. This is because unmarried women above the age of 12 in ancient China were not allowed to see other men, even if they were relatives. The function of the red veil was to make sure the groom was the first man to see the bride other than her father.

Yet why the groom wears red veil is because of a myth. According to legend, there were a brother and sister named Fuxi and Nvwa. The siblings formed a couple in order to continue the human race, but were so shy about doing so that Nvwa used cloth made from woven grass to cover her face. The red veil the groom wears represents the cloth that covered Nvwa’s face, hence the beginning of the red veil tradition.