Arrangement of marriage
Preliminary discussion of marriage before a wedding.
Uihon is a preliminary discussion that involves the proposal and approval of marriage. Generally, it refers to the disucssions through the whole marriage process from the first talk of marriage until the actual wedding ceremony.
During this process, both families concerned discuss the would-be bride and groom’s age, family tradition and circumstances, generic diseases, recent history of funerals, or whether they have the same surnames or ancestral origins.
In addition, personality, manners and gagyeok (Kor. 가격, Chin. 家格, lit. family status) were also taken into account. To closely examine conditions such as character or family tradition, ganseon (Kor. 간선, Chin. 看選, lit. meeting candidates) took place, which was deemed important because connections between families were often made through marriage. In recent years, this is rarely done as love marriage, which values individual relationships, has become prevalent.
During the uihon process, both families communicate solely through a m atchmaker. The groom’s family makes a courteous proposal and waits for napchae (Kor. 납채, Chin. 納采, acceptance by the bride’s family). When uihon is completed through matchmaking, a practice called gunghap (fortuneteller’s predictions on the future couple’s marital life) is conducted. Unlike those days, gunghap is not an absolute condition for marriage today: it is now merely an old convention. Then when the groom sends his sajudanja (document featuring the groom’s horoscopic data), the bride’s family prepares to choose a wedding date. Once the date is set, no funeral should take place in either family till the wedding and the groom must not make a deep bow to anyone. Nappye refers to the custom of the groom’s family sending yejangham (Kor. 예장함, Chin. 禮狀函), a chest containing yejangji (Kor. 예장지, Chin. 禮狀紙, lit. letter of appreciation) and chaedan (Kor. 채단, Chin. 采緞, lit. colorful silks), to the bride’s family through hamjinabi (male friends of the groom carrying the yejangham). Nappye takes place early on the wedding day, or the day before the wedding. The silk sent is red and blue, which is wrapped in paper of the same colors. These days, a suitcase full of jewelry and cloth is often sent instead of an actual chest.