Saishō

Saishō [際俎; さいしょう] is the Kantonese word for marriage. It consists of the character 際 ['union'] and 俎 ['connecting', 'joining']. 
Couples in Kanton are legally when they have changed the status on their family registration forms, and do not require a ceremony. However, it is estimated that over 85% of currently married couples did hold a wedding ceremony of some kind. Of that percentage, over 70% opted for a traditional Kiren ceremony, 25% chose a Christian ceremony and 5% visited a registry office. Traditionally, marriages in Kanton were categorised into two types according to how a partner was found - arranged marriage, which involved matchmaking, and 'love' marriage, in which the husband and wife met of their own accord and decided to marry for love.
== History ==
=== Chisō Period [800-1000 AD] ===
The Chisō period of Kantonese history marked its final move from rustic folk religion to a standardised faith [Kiren], which resulted in the wider standardisation of ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. These events, which had often been held in different ways according to region, became uniform in their customs through the spread of a standardised Kiren.
However, this meant that new rules were enforced on how, when and why couples could marry. Before the Chisō period, a high percentage of unions were aiban [愛匾], meaning that couples had married for love. Polygamy, which would be banned in 1134, was particularly common in the southern regions of the country. Only the elite [e.g. clan chiefs and their family members] would organise political marriages. However, as times moved on, it became more common and even more fashionable for people to marry based on convenience and social status. Women especially were encouraged to marry rich. There was also no limit on age, so children as young as 10 or 11 could be married off in order to improve their family's social or financial situation. 
The Heian period of Japanese history marked the culmination of its classical era, when the vast imperial court established itself and its culture in Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). Heian society was organized by an elaborate system of rank, and the purpose of marriage was to produce children who would inherit the highest possible rank from the best-placed lineage. It was neither ceremonial nor necessarily permanent.[2] The most weddings were in Edo (Modern day Tokyo).