The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-04-18
JAPANESE MARRIAGES.
How They Arc Conducted.

JAPANESE MARRIAGES..
How They Are Conducted.
from Bayard 7uylor's ne,u book about Japan in Our
| day.
1t Is difficult for the stranger in Japan
TO share to any extent in the domestic life
OF the people, and hence almost impossible
to witness their family festivals and GER
tremo East, the marriage Of q girl is char
acterized only by tho festivities which ore
held in the house Of the bridegroom. But
while the Chluaman is proud to invite for
eign guests to the Wedding of his daughter
in order to impress the former with tho dis.
play, the Japanese, on the contrary, sur.
rounds the ceremonies of the occasion with
tAe most direct reserve. He considers it
1oo serious to be Witnessed by any other
than tho nearest relations and friends of
the two parties.
| Most Of the Japanese marriages are the
result of family arrangement, prepared
long time in advance, and usually charac
terized by that practical good sense which
is ono of their natural traits. The bride has
no dowry, but she receives q very rich
srousse 81. But it is necessary that she
should have y slotless reputation, q gentle
| and amiable character, q proper education,
and skill to conuuct household. Pecani
ary considerations arc Of secondary i'm
portance, and they rarely take the form
OF money. when father who has no male
ct;ll gives his only or oldest daughter in
marriage, her husband is called the adopted
son of the family, takes the same name,
and inherits the trade or business Of his
father in-law.
Marriage is preceded by ceremony of be-
trothal, at which all tho principal members
Of the two families are present. 1t often
happens liz, the parties concerned then
for the FIRST time ave informed of the 10
| teLtions Of their parents with regard to
hem. From this time they are allowed
every possible opportunity Of seeing each
other and asccrtaining the wisdom of the
choice wherein they were not consulted.
Visits, invitations, presents, preparations
for furnishing their future home. succeed
each other, and the betrothed are soon
satisfied with their approaching destiny.
The wedding generally takes place when
the bridegroom has attained his Goth ) ear
aud the bride is in her 10th. Early on the
morning of the appointed day the trosseau
of the bride is carried to the hridegroom's
house and tastefully arranged in the rooms
prepared for the festival. The images of
the gods aud the patron saints of the two
families arc also suspended there before q
domestic altar adorned with flowers and
heaped with offerings. Lacquered tables !
support dwarf cedars and figures represent
ing tho japanese Adam and Eve, accom-
panied by their venerable attributes, the
centenary crane and tortoise. Finally, to
complete the tabieau by lesson in morals
and patriotism, there arc always to he
found among tAe presents o lew packages
Of edible seawevd and dried fish, which
suggest to the young couple tho primitive
nourishment and ancient simplicity of the
Japanese people.
Toward noon splendid procession en-
tcrs the halls thus prepared; the young
wife, clothed and yelled in white, advances
escorted by two bridesmaids and followed
by crowd Of relations, ncighbors and
friends, in testal costumes glittering with
brocade, scarlet, gauze and embr ,,d-ry.
The two bridesmaids perform the honors of
the house, arrange the guests, order the
courses of the collation., and Hutter from
one group to another to see that all are
served. They are called the male and
female butterfly, which insects they are ex-
pected to represent in tho style and orna-
ment Of their garments.
With the exception of certain Buddhist
sects, which admit II nuptial benediction
among their rites, priest never takes any
part IN the celebration Of Japanese mar
riage. There is nothing similar to pub
LEGATION Of the bans, but the police officer
who kas given permission for nuptial
festival in the quarter under his guardian
ship inscrits another couple on his list.
The public knoxl. ige Of the act, there
fore, is as complete as possible.
In place of ,ur = acrametal Yes, they
have recourse 70 an expressive symbol.
Among the objects displayed in the middle
Of the circle Of guests there is q metal vase.
shaped like basin, and furnished with
two spouts. This utensil is elegantly
adorned with bands of colored paper. At
certain signal one OF the ladies of honor
fills it with saki; the other takes it by the
handle, lifts it as high as the lips of the
kneeling bride and bridegroy IN, and causes
them to drink from it alternately, each
from tho spout on his or her side, until the
liquor is exhausted. 1t is thus that, as
husband and wife, they must together
drain tho cup of coujugal life, each drink.
ing from QUE side, but both tasting the
-ame ambrosia or the samo wormwood.
The poor c!asses-one may say, the mas
ses Of the population-are generally free
from the social vices which are encouraged
among the higher classes by the license al
lowed to them. The households of the
shopkeepers, artisans, laborers, and cult
vators of the soil, exact the constant care
and toll of tho father and mother, the I'M
ion of their efforts, in order to provide for
the needs Of their families There are we'd
ded couples who labor and serve heroical.
ly for years, in order to pay the expenses
Of their marriage festival.
There is one rather amusing custom,
however, whereby this excuse may be avoid
ed. A couple of respectable people have a
daughter. who is acquainted with good
young fellow who would be an excellent
husband for her, except that he lacks the
necessary means to give her that custo-
mary welding presents and keep free
table for week for the two families. The
hath |