The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-07
MARRIAGE IN CHINA.
How the Bride Is Delivered to the Groom
and How He Makes Her His Wife.

New York sun
On the wedding day the guests assemble in
the bridegrooms house. Then a procession
is formed, consisting of friends, bands OF
music ana sedan chairs decorated in 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 a courier at the head He bears a large
piece OF pork on 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 busted the procession passes GU with
out being affecred by their evil influence.
All this time the bride is in her own house,
arraying herself in her best dress and rich
est jewels Her hair is bound up and
arranged in due form and style by skilled
matron. After this her headdress is donned
1t usually consists of some rich material
sprinkled with ornaments. A large mantle
is then thrown over her. 1t 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, completely
hiding her face. Thus rugged, she takes her
seat in the red gilt 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 re-
turns with more care and more style. / saw
one during a ramble in Chinese town. As
the bride was born past us we gave her three
cheers l 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 botlled-up one. She had
the best wishes of all our party, as we fol-
lowed the procession for some squares TO the
great establishment ofall the Cinnamon ON
the street.
AS the procession approached the bride
groom's door a band stationed there struck
up a tune and firecrackers 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 saluted by-a small child at the side OF
the old man. The groom was closeted with
in the house, aud she went in TO seek him.
She still wore the enormous bat and mantle.
When she found the groom he greeted her
with great gravity. They both approached
the ancestral tablet and bowed their beads
three times. They next took seats at a small
table bearing two goblets, tied together with
thread and containing wine. The go-ee-
tween severed the thread, but the bride
failed TO quench her thirst owing to the enor-
nous hat and mantle.
The two were now man and wife The
husband took the hat and mantle fnom the
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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 concern
ing her charms. The females gave their
tongues futl scope, and had no mercy upon
the poor bride. She took it all without
making any disagreeable answer. for fear
that the match would be considered an un-
lucky 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 apps rtments. The
males were served by the bridegroom and his
male relatives, and the females by the bride
and her mother-in-law. assisted by servan Is
The two sexes rarely set down at the same
table.
Marriage is very common among the
Chinese. You hardly ever come across a
girl of sixteen or eighteen who is not tied
down to some man. If woman commits
adultery after marriage she is decapitated
under the law. The man. however, is
allowed to keep as many concubines as he
can support, their children being legitimate,
but coming after the children of the wife.
If the concubines live under the same roof
they are mere servants of the wife. Some
rich married men keep concubines in sepa-
rate apartments. Such positions are eagerly
sought by Gamseis Of very fair parentage.