Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-10
How They Get Married in China.

stupidity Oh tue GueSilO0ef was the SUD-
stitute presumption, delicately limited.
How They Get Married in China.
In China, as in most other countries,
bethrothal, or engagement, precedes mar
riage, but the parties chiefly concerned
have commonly but little to do with the
matter. The usual course pursued is for
the parents Of the man who seeks wife
to engage the services of a gO-hetween,
who is furnished with ''card, or rather
an oblong piece of paper, setting forth
the ancestral name and "eight characters"
of the intending bridegroom. These
eight characters exhibit the precise time
Of his birth; and the eXactness required
by ancient superstitious obseryances is so
great that not only are the year, moon,
and day given, bat even the 'period" of
the day is stated. In many cases, the 60
between is even intrusted with the deli
cate duty of finding an eligible family to
open negotiations with.
\ suitable family having been selected,
the card is handed in, and an offer of
marriage is made; if the proposal be en-
tertained, a species of soothsayer IS CON
suited to determine whether the eight
characters of both parties are sufficiently
in harmony for them to become husband
and wife. Should he come to an affirma
tive conclusion, and the offer Of mar
riage be accepted by the lady's parents on
her behalf, the go-between takes back TO
his principals "card," giving the same
particulars, as mentioned above, with
regard to the damsel. At this point a
difficulty may occur, for if anything
which is deemed unIucky should chance
to happen, even though it be of such a
nature as would appear most trifling and
ridiculous to us, the whole affair is not
unfrequently broken off,
The betrothal being now duly arranged,
the intending bridegroom and his family
forward various presents-such as orna-
ments for the hair, bracelets, food, etc
in rattle alton of the engagement and in
return, the family of the bride-elect send
some trifing articles. The value of the
presents sent at this and other periods Of
course varies materially, according to the
position and wealth of the contracting
parties; and furthermore, they are usually
sent to various members of the two fami-
lies, and are not confined to the af1ianced
pair.
The nuptial sedan chair is sent by the
family Of the bridegroom on the day be-
fore the wedding, sometimes on the day
itself 1t is red in color, and is borne by
four men, wearing the traditional official
hats or caps, which are made of felt or
straw, according to the season of the year.
The seoan-chair is generally accompanied
by a servant bearing a bridal umbrella,
which is also red, and of the same style
as is used in official professions, but not
in the least like the European article;
others carry red lanterns and lighted
torches, and there is a band Of music o.
in attendance.
On the nuptial day the bridegroom I'M
dergOes the peculiar ceremony of placing
a cap on his head, and blessing is said
over him. Some say that if strict Ell
quette be followed, the bride elect should
weep for the ten evenings preceding the
wedding, in which ceremonial observ-
ance it IS customary that she should be
Joined by her immediate female relations
whom she is about to leave.
The bride, attired in an e.aborately
embroidered robe, is generally conducted
to her sedan-chair early in the morning
of the happy day, crackers exploding and
music playing-or rather braying-the
while. We have heard that there are dis
tricts where a custom obtains that wheat
air and caught in a coverlet, ceremony
which can not be considered much more
absurd than the practice of throwing the
slipper at home. Then the procession
starts for the brides new abode, accom-
panied by more crackers and more So
called music. First in order come four
lanterns, two with the bridegroom's clan
name painted on them, and two with the
brides. These lanterns are usually of
paper, and are carried aloft in the air by
their bearers at the end of poles; the
characters pasted on them are red. The
umbrella, torches, and sojdssdnt music are
also there. Friends and relatives from
both sides escort the bride; and when the
procession has accomplished about half
its journey, the receiving of the bride"
takes place. At this period, the lady is
supposed to assume her husbands clan
name, so the lanterns bearing her clan
name now disappear from the procession,
as also do her relatives and friends,
and she now proceeds with her
husbands representatives. Having ar
rived at the bridegroom's house
the procession halts amidst loud explo-
sions of crackers, etc. The bride is now
assisted out of her sedan-chair, and after
some curious-and, to foreigners, very
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. have been attended
to-one being, that, in some parts of the
country, she has to- step over saddle
placed at the doorway of her new home
she joins her husband in the worship
OF heaven and earth, and also of the an
cestral tablets-a highly important part
or the marriage ceremony in most prov
lnces OF China. The newly welded pair
kneeI down and bow solemnly before
table, which isplaced in prominent posi-
ton near the end of the principal part of
the house, and towards the open air-by
this action signifying that they are pay
ing ooelsance to heaven and earth; they
then turn, and in somewhat similar