Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-08-30
Marriage and Divorce Among
the Chinese.

NLaET1dSS ANU ~ 10 (NAAkVbAfs
the Chinese.
A correspondent writing from Shanghai
speaks as follows of wedding ceremonies
customary among the Chinese:
.The marriage ceremony as conducted
nv the Chinese, although partaking. as
with us, both of the characters of a civil
and RELIGIOUS rite, is done without the aid
of a priest, but is nevertheless considered
a most binding and solemn transaction.
| The betrothal generally takes place when
the people most interested are mere child
rem This is done by means of third
marty not connected with either family.
| If he succeed in making an arrangement
between the two families he is well paid
IF the families are satisfied the bargain is
COMPLETED, the young people themselves
having nothing to say about it. Some of
their Customs between the betrothal and
the marriage are exceedingly superstitious,
and some even ridiculous; but when the
marriage is completed all the allegiance of
the woman is transferred from her fathers
house to that of her husband. She even
ceases worshipping her own ancestral
dead. but worships instead the tablets of
her husbands ancestors. They have law
preventing consanguine marriages; cousins
| bv the fathers side-that is, children of
| brothers-are not allowed to intermarry,
hut children of sisters are. Another law
in relation to this is that people of the
same name may not intermarry No mat
ter if they come from different portions of
the empire, or that no relation can be
traced between their respective ancestors
for years back, they cannot become hus-
band and wife. Widows, too, are at a
great discount. Although they do some
times marry the second time, it is consid-
cred a disgrace on her part and on the
part of him who should marry her; so
much so that her late husbands friends
will generally support her rather than con-
sent to her marrying again, on account of
the disgrace this procedure. would bring
upon them, and without their consent her
second marriage would be unlawful The
marriage ceremony is conducted with
great deal of show, burning of incense and
interchange of presents. Both the bride
and bridegroom, who, perhaps, have not
seen each other, remain at their respective
homes until the day arrives, when they
start out in sedan chairs, accompanied by
their friends, to meet each other. When
the meeting takes place the brides party
still keeps on toward her husbands house,
and he and his party follow His friends,
some of whom have been sent sent to her
house early in the morning, now take
charge of the bride, while her own friends,
who have accompanied her so far, go back.
Upon arriving at the house the bride, who
is closely vested, kneels alongside of her
future husband and worships his ancestral
tablets, and then the marriage is COM
pleted, although some other ceremonies
still to be performed, which very often are
not concluded for five or six days. There
is the usual amount of crying done by the
female relatives of the bride, and after they
have relieved themselves in this way they
go home, leaving the bride to the care of
the husband and his friends.
Their laws as regards divorce are rather
e-sided-they are all in favor of the
man. 1t would be useless for woman to
| attempt to get divorce from her husband
under any circumstances-even on the
| ground of, extreme cruelty. After her
marriage she has become the sole property
of her husband, she having no redress ex-
cept an appeal to her own family, who sell
dom, however, interfere in the matter
But should he become tired of her, or wish
to beome rid of her, he can procure di-
vorce on, either OF the following grounds
| Adultery; unfilial conduct towards her
husbands parents the commission of any
crime; jealousy barrenness, or speaking
disrespectfully of her husband. This lat
ter, however, must have been of frequent
occurrence. But if she has lived with
him, and has behaved well to his father
and mother until they are both dead or il
| he having married her when he was poor,
| he has grown rich and has attained high,
er position than that which he occupied
| when he married hereunder any Of these
| circumstances he cannot procure divorce.
But then he may sell her, and even in
this she has nothing to say, and provided
he can find a man who is willing to take
her at low figure, all her allegiance is
transferred to her new husband, and heI
former one is perfectly at liberty to marry
again. But in spite of the facility with
which a man can get rid of his wife, di
vorce is rarely sought for, nor lis it com
mon tor man to sell his wife. Adivorced
woman is almost an ontcast. Her own
friends and family will not associate with
her, nor can she marry again. Her late
husband gives her small stipend yearly,
and if this is not sufficient she has to hire
herself out as servant, but generally has
to go some distance even to do this