Asking the Name
One of the Six Rites: The groom's family sends someone to ask the bride's family for her name and birth date and time, used for matching compatibility.
Asking the Name is a step in traditional wedding procedures where, after the proposal, the groom's family formally entrusts a matchmaker to inquire about the bride's name and her Eight Characters (BaZi) birth data. After obtaining this information, the groom's family will have someone analyze the BaZi of both the man and woman to see if they are compatible, if there are any clashes or conflicts, and use this as an important basis for deciding whether the marriage should proceed. This procedure was an indispensable part of old-style marriages.