The so-called "return to the home" means that after the wedding, the bride takes the groom back to her natal home. It is said that this custom has existed since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It has a history of 2,500 years, but it is still preserved.
At the beginning, the purpose of returning home was for the bride to take the groom’s family to recognize her natal family’s home. In ancient times, it was inconvenient for people to travel, and marriage between men and women was not a free love affair. They had to follow the orders of their parents and the words of the matchmaker. Many newlyweds don’t know what each other looks like until their wedding night, let alone where the bride lives.
So why choose the third day? There are many ways to say this. Getting married is a tiring thing, especially in the past when there was so much red tape. The newlyweds had to work until very late that night before they could rest. The young people were full of energy and would be too tired if they came back the next day.
So, give the young couple some time to buffer. Furthermore, you must bring a greeting gift when you return home. This also takes time to prepare. If you rush to the door without bringing all the gifts, you will be disrespectful and leave a bad impression on your parents-in-law.
There is another story about returning home. It is said that in the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang had a beloved princess who married a scholar who had just won the Jinshi. Because the princess couldn't get used to sleeping in the scholar's bed, she took the scholar to the palace early the next morning to pay respects to her father and queen.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very surprised to see the princess, so he asked: Have you paid your respects to your parents-in-law today? The princess hesitated and said that it was not too late. Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and said that since he was married, he must put his husband's family's affairs first. What's the big deal if you go back to the palace before paying your respects to your parents-in-law?
Even as a princess, she cannot bully others just because of her special status. Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the princess to stay at home and be filial to her parents-in-law all day on the second day, and she could not enter the palace until the third day. As a result, this custom has gradually been passed down, and now everyone chooses to return home on the third day if conditions permit.