Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-24
CHINA AND THE CHINESE.
Chinese Marriage Gus toms Compared
With Those of Europe.

BY COL. TCHENG-KI-TONG, MILITARY ATTEND
ANT OF CHINESE EMBASSY At PARIS.
Tr1aslated from ala ReUue dss Deu.e Aozdes,"
for the Sunday Morning Ne1os,
In China old bachelors and old maids
are the exceptions.
1t is with a purpose that commence
this subject with the above observation,
or ii will now be easier for me to relate
some curious things without exciting too
great astOnIshment.
Old bachelors and old maids are essen
italy the productions of Europe, and this
manner Of living is absolutely contrary
TO our customs. They say in Europe that
"Whoeyer is tit for service becomes a sol
der" With US the formula remains the
same, only we must substitute shus-
bando for the word soldier Seriously
speaking, we consider celibacy a vice,
and there must be good reasons to excuse
it. In Europe, on the contrary. one must
have good reasons to marry. This is per-
haps exaggerated, but it is the way in
Paris; and when they speak Of marriage
in China, it Is just the opposite of the Pa
rlslan marriage. The following details
will therefore be found interesting:
The Chinese marry very early-mOst Of
them before their 10Th year-and it is not
rare TO see young man Of 16 years marry
young girl Of ii, who may become
grandmother at 80. You would look in
vain among climatic causes for an expla-
nation Of this tendency Of our customs.
They are the result of the institution of
the family itself and of the religion of our
ancestors. In the north as well as in the
south Of China-that is to say, in the re-
giOns where one can experience the cold
OF Siberia or the heat OF the trOpics-these
customs are the same. The people marry
young in all the provinces of the Empire.
The hrst care of the parents is the mar
rage Of the child as soon as he approaches
the proper age. Sometimes even long
before that time arrives they make their
choice and inform the parents of the Young
lady OF their intention, and agree with
them 10 carry out the project as soon as
the time Will have arrived. Often the
choice Of a wife is made in the circle of
the family, or perhaps there are friends of
the TWO families who take it upon them
selves TO make the match and, although
serving as disinterested parties they are
often very successful. For with rs. "a
elsewhere, marriage is chance, as the
parties do nOtreauy know each other until
tney are married.
COuTtship is unknown, because our Gus
toms render it impracticable. In Europe
the young people see each other often be
ore marriage in order TO learn to love
each other, and during that time many
parties and grand dinners are given; this
1 indeed season Of JOY, which the mar
ried afterwards love to recall. 1t seems
10 me as If no one wishes to assume the
responsibility of the intended match.
The parents say to the young people:
Learn 10 know each other. You have
now two months before you need say YES
or no." But can they learn to know each
0ehar in rot
conclude therefore that it is better for the
parents TO be the sole responsible matri-
monial agents and that the children mere
~ marry at the appointed time.
L have often heard the following senti-
ment expressed, that 1.-THE happiest time
IS that Immediately preceding marriage"
There Is no doubt that only a married
man could have made such a declaration,
but It must be acknowledged that such
cIstonis are certainly as curious as ours.
,-- "a a ifseS are generally contracted be-
Of course misalliances sometimes
happen, but they are the exceptions.
When the choice has been made, that is
to say, when the young lady has been
chosen, her future parents officially ask
her hand in marriage, which being grant
ed, the betrOthal ceremony soon follows.
On this occasion the marriage contracts
exchanged. With US the head of the
{ amily takes the place of the civil authOTi-
les and the notary. Then the future hus-
band sends to his betrOthed two gold or
silver bracelets, connected by red thread,
which symbOliZes the cOnjugal bond.
These customs are exactly the same
as in Europe. but IN China they are per-
formed without the couple ever having
seen each other. The wedding presents
are sent some time afterwards, and are
made the occasion Of pOmpOus ceremO-
MES. The bridegroom sends to his be-
trOthed several dozen richly Ornamented
baskets, containing silks, embrOideries,
cotton goods, flowers and all that belongs
to the trOusseau of the bride. To these
presents, which are sometimes very
costly, are added many delicacies for the
amily, and large supply Of wedding
cakes, which the family of the bride dis
tributes to all their friends upon an
nOuncing to them the marriage of their
daughter.
The bride, on her part, after receiving
her marriage presents, sends to her future
husband the uniform of his rank, which
will be worn by him on his wedding day.
The marriage ought always to take
place during the year in which the bridal
presents have been sent. On the day pre-
ceding the marriage the parents of the
young lady send to the bridegroom the
silverware, furniture, linen-in one word,
everything necessary for housekeeping
the greatest display being made of them.
At this same time the family Of the
groom sends to his bride an embroidered
red satin sedan chair, which is accom-
panied by band of musicians. servants
carrying lanterns, or, if the family has an
official rank, torches, a red parasOl and
green screen (these being the official in
sigma J, then come tablets on which are
inscribed all the titles which the family
has possessed during several generations.
Upon receiving il the family of the bride
gives a grand dinner, and the chair is
placed IN the middle Of the room for the
admiration Of the guests. The dOwry Of
the bride is exposed in the same way at
the house Of the groom.
On the wedding day, early in the MORN
ing, four persons chosen from among the
relatives or the friends of the groom be-
take themselves to the house of the bride
and invite her to accompany them to the
house of her betrOthed. She enters her
chair, which is carried by four or eight
men, according TO the rank Of her family
or Of that which she is about to enter, and
preceded by the four ENJOYS in their chairs
sets out tor the house of her be trOthed.
Fireworks and joyous bursts of music
announce her arrival. Immediately
after the chair is carried into the parlOr,
where Tue ldulIHs lueiI ulcuuS anu the
bridesmaids and grOOmsmen are assem-
bled. One of the latter, wearing a me-
tallic mirror on his breast, steps before
the chair, the curtain of which is still
closed, and bows three times. Then one
Of the bridesmaids, opening the curtain,
invites the bride, who remains yelled, to
descend from the chair and proceed to
her room, where the groom, in his wed
ding costume, awaits her.
This is the first time that they see each
other. After this interview they are con-
Quoted into the parlOr by two persons
who have been married long time and
have had male children. These are the
sponsors Of the marriage, and are called
'Ethe happy couple" In the middle of
this parlOr is a table on which are placed
a burning censor, some fruits and wine.
We believe this table is sacred in the
sight Of heaven. The welded couple,
upon approaching it, PROSTATE themselves
before it and return thanks to the Supreme
Being for their creation, to the earth for
nourishing them, to the Emperor for his