The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-12-20
A Wedding in Chinese High Life.

Among the pure Chinese, and es-
pecially among the higher GLASSES,
wedding is long and serious affair.
From the almost Turkish strictness
with which females are secluded, it is
comparatively rare that couple see
each other previous 10 their betrothal.
and still more so that there should be
any acquaintance between them. This
has given rise to the necessary employ
ment of 8 character equivalent to the
bGzUdldn or marriage broker of ancient
Brittany, to Mr.. Foy's Partisan sMatri-
monial Agency Office, or the daily mar
riage advertisements of our own pa
pers. If your wish is for marriage in
the abstract, the broker will find you
a fitting partner first, and negotiate the
transfer after If you are less pure
ly philosophical, and wish to con-
suit your own tastes as well as interests
and increase of the nation, you are only
to name the party, and the broker be-
comes your accredited, ambassador.
There is, however, one prelimary point
to be ascertained. Has your intended
the same surname as yourselfP If so, it
is fatal difficulty, as the laws of China
would not permit the marriage. If,
however, she is Chun and you are lie,
or she is Kwan or Yu, and you rejoice
in any other patronymic monosyllable,
the next step is for the broker to
obtain from each q tablet containing
the name, age, date, and hour of birth,
etc. These are then taken to diviner
and compared, to see If the union
promises happiness; if the answer is
favorable (and crossing the palm with
silver is found to be as efectual with
| fortune-tellers in China as it is else
/ ruhn nA he nol hot
is If the station and wealth of the two
families are similar, the proposal is
made in due form. The wedding pres
ents are then sent, and If accepted the
young couple is considered as legally
betrothed.
A lucky day must next be fixed for
the wedding, and here our friend the
diviner is again called upon. Previous
to the great day the bridegroom gets a
new hat and takes a new name, while
the lady, whose hair has hitherto hung
down to her heels in single
plait, at the same time becomes
initiated into the style of hair
dressing prevalent among Chinese mar
ried ladies, which consists in twisting
the hair into the form of an exaggerat-
ed teapot and supporting it in that
shape with a narrow plate of gold or
jade over the forehead, and q whole
system of bodkins behind it. On the
wedding morning presents and con-
gratulations are sent to the bridegroom,
and among the rest pair of geese;
not sent as we might imagine by some
wicked wag or irreclaimable bachelor,
as personal reflection on the intellect
ual state of his friend, but as an emblem
of domestic unity and affection. The
ladies, too, in China, as well as else
where, indulge in q little fashionable
crying on the occasion, and so the
relatives of the bride spend the morn
ing with her, weeping over her impend.
ing departure, or, more probably, their
own spinsterhood. They do not. how
ever, forget to bring some contributions
for her trousseau. In the evening
comes the bridegroom with q whole
army of his friends, a procession of Ian
terms, q long red cloth or silk tapestry
embroidered with figure of the dra-
gon borne on a pole between two men
and a large red sedan covered with
carving and gliding, and perfectly
close. In this the bride is packed uE
securely out of sight, and the whole
procession, preceded by a band o.
music and the dragon. and closing will
the brides bandboxes, starts for home
vi dTTlNdls sue 10 lIllcu ONcI buc buI co
hold. on which pan of charcoal i:
burning, probably in order to preven
her bringing an evil influence in will
her. She then performs the kotou Il
husbands father and mother, worship
the ancestral tablets of her new family
: and offers prepared betel-nut to the as
sembled guests
Up to this time she has been yelled
! but she now retires to her chamber
! where she is unveiled by her husband
! she then returns, again performs obei
sance to the assembled guests, ant
7 partakes of food in company with he
husband; at this meal two cups of wine
one sweetened the other with bite
herbs infused in it, are drunk togethe
: by the newly married pair, to symbol
ize that henceforth they must share to
, gether ife's sweets and bitters. Th
bride then retires escorted by the ma
4 irons present, some one of whom re
! cites a charm over her, and arrange
the marriage couch. The next morn
ing the gods of the household and tn
? hearth are worshipped, and the six fo
l lowing days are devoted to formal re
|. ceptions at home of different member
: of the two families or equally forma
: visits paid to the family of the bride
9 During the whole of this period, sh
n still travels in her red-and7gold sedan
: and is still escorted by her band {
n