Nowadays, many rural Chinese still refer to the wedding as "Shou Cha" (literally "accepting tea") or "Chi Cha" ("eating tea"), bride-price as "Cha Jin" ("tea money") and betrothal gifts as "Cha Li" ("tea gift"), preserving the custom of ancient marital practices.

In the past, the engagement ceremony was an important process before marriage; only after this ceremony was an affiance cemented. Although such ceremonies varied greatly from place to place in China, they all had one thing in common: The bridegroom's family had to send gifts to the bride's family to secure the marriage.

For instance, in rural areas of North China's Hebei Province, people send "Xiao Li" ("small gifts") before the engagement ceremony, which include tea, jewelry, clothing, wine and food. When the couple is about to get married, the bridegroom's side must send "Da Li" ("big gifts"), such as more clothing, jewelry and money. Generally speaking, the specific amount ofDa Liis decided by the economic conditions of the bridegroom's family; rich families, for example, can send as much as 24 or 32tai(the amount of objects two persons can carry between them on a shoulder pole). But, no matter how poor the family may be, it is expected to send tea,dragon-and-phoenix cakes (cakes with patterns of dragons and phoenixes), Chinese dates and peanuts, etc, which convey a special meaning. After the bride's side receives the gifts, it should also send a dowry, which is also decided by family's economic conditions. Typically, the dowry must include a pair of tea cans and one vanity box.

Regarding tea as a symbol of loyalty to one's husband was mainly prevalent among the Han people. But, since people of most Chinese ethnic minorities love tea, they also included tea as betrothal gifts.

For instance, the people of the Va ethnic minority in Yunnan Province had to send betrothal gifts three times: six bottles of "clan wine" with some tea and bananas the first time; six bottles of "neighborhood wine" the second time to indicate the neighbors' approval; and one bottle of open-door wine" the third time for the bride's mother as she prayed for her daughter.