The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-04
Marriage I'm China.
now THE BRIDE Is DELIVERED TO THE GROol
AND HOW HE MAKES HER HIS WIFE.

HOW THE BRIDE Is DELIVERED TO THE GROOM
AND HOW HE MAKES HER HIS WIFE.
fFrom the New York sun.l
On the weddlng-day the guests assemble
in the bridegrOom's house. Then a pro-
cession is formed, consisting OF friends,
bands OF music, and sedan chairs decorated
in red and gold, with bearers in red coats,
and dressed in a sort Of livery, sometimes
wearing red caps. The procession starts
from the house with courier at
the head. He bears large piece
OF pork on q tray, TO keep off malicious
demons who may be lurking on the street.
corners and in the alleys. These demons
are supposed to tackle the pork, and while
they are thus bUS,ed the procession passes
on without being affected by their evil in
fuence. All this time the bride is at her
own house, Grraying herself in her best
dress and richest jewels. Her hair is
bound up and arranged in due form and
style by skilled matron. After this her
head-dress is dOnned. IL usually consists
of some rich material sprinkled with orna-
ments. A large mantle is then thrown
over her. 1t completely covers her. Last
OF all an enormous hat, rs large rs an UNI
brella, is placed on her head. 1t comes
down to her shoulders, completely hiding
her face. Thus rigged, she takes her seat
in the red gilt marriage chair, called Elcd
Eidu. 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.
l suppose he turns it over to the bride
groom on reaching his house. The pro-
cession returns with more care and more
style. / saw one during a ramble in a Chi
nese town. As the bride was borne past
us we gave her three cheers. / dare say
that all her children will be either knock
kneed or bow-legged because 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 pro-
cesSion for some squares, to the great
astonishment OF all the Cinnamon on the
street.
As the procession approached the bride
groom's door n band stationed there struck
up tune, and fire-crackers were let off by
the box until the bride was carried within
the gate. The go-between then got the
key from the bridegroom and opened the
door OF the sedan-chair. As the bride
alighted she was saiuted by a small child at
the side OF the old man. The groom was
cIOSeteQ Wltnln Jne mouse, ana sue went III
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 tablet
and bowed their heads three times. They
next took seats at small table bearing two
gobIets tied together with thread and con-
tanning wine. The go-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
a look at her. After he had looked at her
for some minutes he called in his friends
and guests. They scrutinized her and
made no bones Of expressing their opinions
concerning her charms. The females gave
their tongues full scope, and had no mercy
upon the poor bride. She took it all with
out making any disagreeable 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 different
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 servants. The two sexes
rarely sit down at the same table.