The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-09-20
MARRIAGEIN CHINA.
How tho Bride 10 Delivered to the
Groom and How He Makes Her His
Wifi

groom anu now NO makes 60T MS
Wife.
From the New York Sun.
On the wedding day the guestsassem.
Die in the bridegroom's house. Then
procession is formed, consisting of
friends, bands Of music and sedan
chairs, decorated with red, and gold,
with bearers in red coats, and dressed
in sort of livery, sometimes wearing
red caps. The procession starts from
the house with q courier at the head.
He bears large piece of pork on tray,
to keep off malicious demons who may
he lurking on tho street corners and in
the alleys. These demons are supposed
to tackle the pork and while they are
thus busted I! the procession &c. passes on
ence. All this time the bride is at her own
dress and richest jewels. Her hair is
bouud up and arranged in due form and
style by a skilled matron. After this
headdress is donned. It usually consists
of some rich material sprinkled with
ornaments. A large mantle is thrown
over her. It completely covers her.
Last Of all an enormous hat, as large as
an umbrella, is placed on her head. 1t
comes down to her shoulders complete
" hiding her face. Thus rugged she
takes her seat in the marriage chair
called kwa kiau. When concealed in
this chair, she is carried to her husband
by four men.
When the bride is seated in the chair,
her mother or some other relative locks
the door and the key is given to the
best man, suppose he turns it over to
the bridegroom on reaching his house.
The procession returns with more care
and style. 1 saw one during ramble
in Chinese town. As the bride was
born past us we gave her three cheers.
I dare say that all her children will be
either knock-kneed or bow-legged, be-
cause of the cheers of the barbarians.
Good luck to the poor bottled-up one.
She had the best wishes of all our party,
as we followed the procession for some
the Cinnamon on the street.
As the procession approached the
bride-groom's door a band stationed
there struck up a tune, and Fl re crackers
were let off by the box until the bride
was carried within the gate. The go-be-
tween then got the key from the BRIDE
groom and opened the door ofthe sedan
chair. As. the bride alighted she twas
saluted by small child at the side of
an old man. The groom was closeted
within the house, and she went in to
seek him. She still wore the enormous
hat and mantle. When she found the
groom he greeted her with great gravity.
They both approached the ancestral
table and bowed their heads three times.
They next took seats at small table
bearing two goblets tied together with
thread and containing wine. The 60.
between severed the thread, but the
bride failed to Quench her thirst, owing
to the enormous hat and mantle.
The two were now man and wife. The
husband took the hat and mantle from
the bride, and for the first time IN his
life had look at her. After he had
looked at her for some minutes he called
in his friends and guests. They scrutin-
lied her and made no booes of
expressing their opinions con-
corning her charms. The females
gave their tongue full scope, anu had
no mercy upon the poor bride. She
able answer, for fear that the match
would be considered an unlucky one
These cruel criticisms ended, she was
introduced to her husbands parents,
after which she saluted her own father
and mother. The wedding feast WAS
then served. the sexes eating in diff
ferent apartments. The males were
served by the bridegroom and his male
relatives, and the females by the bride
and her mother-in-law, assisted by SER
wants. The two sexes rarely sit down at
the same table.
Marriage is very common among the
Chinese. You hardly ever come across
girl of sixteen or eighteen who is not
tied down to some man. If q woman
commits adultery after marriage she is
decapitated under the law. The man
however is allowed to keep as many con-
cubines as he can support, their chill
dren being legitimate, bnt coming after
the children Of the wife, If the concu-
bines live under the same roof, they are
mere servants of the wife. Some rich
men keep concubines in separate rooms.
Such positions are eagerly sought by
damsels of very fair parentage.