Smyrna times., 1876-03-29


in red satin, gaily embroidered, and even
the doors were covered with cloth of the
same joyful color. Tea and cake were
served as soon as we were seated, a courtesy
never omitted in China, and meantime
fresh bursts of music announced the arrival |
of other guests, until our hall was well |
filled with ladies. Ere long louder and |
more prolonged blast from the band, |
heralded the approach of the bridal chair,
and we fastened into the outer hall, where |
the gentlemen were assembled and where
the ceremony was to take place. The
bride, on leaving her parental home, for
the husband and home she has never seen,
is escorted half way by her relatives and
friends; there, delegation from the bride
groom meets them and the bridal chair is
given over to their keeping all the brides
friends returning home.
She is always young and generally very
timid and before her are two days of the
most wearisome ceremonies, without the
comforting sight of single familiar face
Truly the journey to the Hymeneal alter is
difficult one to the Chinese bride, and
doubtless many heart ache is hidden un-
der the immovable exterior which she
must preserve. But whilewea are moralizing
the chair has been carried into the hall
and the preliminaries are in progress.
What brilliant equipage it is, all red and
gilt of course, and so completely closed up
| boE vro oo1Dof oafob o1ipooco Of itc ocoI1-
pant. An old woman, who was seventy
years, old, the mother of five sons and
daughters and whose husband was still
living, had been chosen to take the bride
from her chair and act as mistress of cere-
p monies-she stationed herself at the door
! and near her was placed little BAY as a
] favorable object for the brides dr&sp ping
eyes to rest upon first. Red mats are laid
: from the chair to the bridal apartments
and while we all hold our breath and the
i, gentlemen lean forward to have a good
. view, the door opens and figure is led
out, gorgeously arrayed in rainbow hues,
p on foundation of red satin, with wide
. fringe berthe, having tinkling bells from
Il each tassel, the little feet encased in EN-
- broidered satin shoes and the head-alas
g for discovered with red silk veil, re
!. sembling a bandana handkerchief. Ovel
!. the red mats the bride was led to her room
~ where the bridegroom and his father re
ceived her. Soon afterward, the bride
10 groom came out followed by the bride, sup
Il ported by the old woman and servant
go 1t is her duty to be as automatic as possibl
n and in the marriage ceremoy which tool
70 place Immediately, she was perfectly pas
i. sive'in the hands Of her attendants. Re
nc mats were placed before table, on whic
20 were tea, fruits and cakes, also four to
- chickens, white with red combs ard tail
81 Standing on these mats, the couple bowe
- low four times toward Heaven, and chan
20 ing places, repeated this ceremony, whic
see is called "woshipping heaven and earth
Then they worshipped each other in IL
q same manner, and again stood up, faciI
,d each other. The mistress of ceremoni
;tb then took two cups from the table contai
los ing wine and joined by red cord-the
ho she passed back and forth between thel
70 repeating "happy sentences "-afterwa
IN, she held a server with cakes, fruit and ri
,od between them, then the chickens and 9th
,Iso symbols, (for full description of which S
,,b+ Rev. ]. J. Doolittle's "Social Life amo
mo-. the Chinese.") These ceremonies ended t
INV husband and wife retired to their apa
md ments, where he raised the "envious vel
oall and for the first time gazed upon t
on, features of his bride. 1t is to be hoped
,ol. found her beautiful, according to I
da,o Chinese standard-he, poor fellow, is
a. deniably homely, but so amiable and
,oro right that we, who know him personal
- call the bride fortunate to have Obtain
-. such a husband. After the nearest friel
r,o had looked upon the bride, we were
,,ll,, vited to "interview" her, a word whic
Ionr nowhere more applicable than to a Chin
az bride, except that she does not talk at
II but her attendant answered all questi
al freely, as to her dress, age and parents
81 1t is common to say in describing awedd
o,t. that the "bride looked lovely and
.ho groom happy" but this groom loo
;ou, miserably terrified throughout the C
- mony and not all the outward adornn
etor Of silk and gold, could make the b
a. look other than plain in our. eyes.
a. was receiving" in the furthest of
.~t; three rooms, supported by the old wo
al on one side and a servant on the other,
hoda little maid standing near. Now that
--.1 veil was raised we had an opportunit
!, :. see her face. 1t was round, rather fiat
49, as she kept her eyes resolutely on the
ad;es almost expressionless. A deep firing
,lono- beads hung over her forehead, her haii
vol, oiled and vanished, from its appear
49,, and the smooth bands surmounted
.ha ornamental gold coronet. Her eyet
,,,oro1 were shaved into the curve Of beauty
irving her face powdered and painted, her I
brilliant carmine. She wore four braS
.bok.s ON each arm, her fingers were lite
arrive loaded with rings and gold shields an
,;o;ans neck encircled with chains. Her feet
i the held up for our admiration by the I