The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-03-21
Wedding Ceremonies in China.
now THE RESULT OF FIFTEEN OR TWEEN
TY YEARS OF ALLEGED CoURTsnIp ARE
CELEBRATED.

/
TY YEARS OF ALLEGED CoURTsnIp ARE
| CELEBRATED.
For few days before the wedding
day the young lady, who has already
been told of the approaching event,
gives vent to her anger in orthodox
fashion by loud believing night and
day, The weeping damsel expresses
at intervals in conventional phrases
the sense of desolation she feels at the
near prospect of being torn forever
from her parents and her childhoods
home. 1t is on the last night that the
maiden tries on her bridal dress, lights
incense before the shrine of her ances-
tors and prostrates herself in farewell
worship before her assembled parents,
uncles and aunts. AT last the dreaded
day arrives. The fair one rises early,
bathes perhaps for the first time for
two or three months, arranges her hair
in matronly style, puts on her bridal
garments of gorgeous red silk or stuff,
sometimes richly embroidered, and a
heavy coronet-like head-dress brilliant
with real or imitation pearls and prec-
ious stones, velvet tassels and fringes
and gold or gilt trappings, which jim
gle at every step she takes. Her toilet
is completed by the large red veil of
silk or cotton, which completely covers
her face from view. 1t is considered
good form to resist the services of her
attendants with loud screams and ex-
postulations, any such thing as submis.
sion on her part being sure to be con-
strued by her chatting bridesmaids into
an immodest JOY at the near prospect
of wedlock.
The bride g Dom remained at home
with his friends. He is arrayed in
silks aud satins, embroidered according
to his rank, red scarf crossed his
breast and brilliant wedding cap is
worn on his head. He seats him
self in glorious state awaiting the COM
ing of the bride. He has already dis
patched an elegant bridal sedan, richly
gilded and enamelled, decorated with
king fishers feathers and ornamented
with gorgeous carvings, which he has
hired for the occasion. 1t is carried
by a half dozen men in red tunics
and follows in the rear of the process
sion. 1t is preceded by gilded pavil-
ions and canopies, red boards with gilt
characters representing the academcal
degrees and imperial honors conferred
upon the bridegroom or his ancestors
grand languages, splendidly. carved
and painted banners, huge fans aud
state umbrellas according to the rank
of the bridegroom's father The bear
ers, equerries and musicians that swell
the train are all draped in red robes
and the whole procession marches
along amidst the beating of drums,
the clash of cymbals and the screams
of clarionets. The procession arrives
a. the brides house and is greeted by
the dismal howls of the females with
in. A letter written by her husband is
now handed to the bride, informing
her that the tlowery sedan is waiting
at her door and inviting her to set out
for her new home Then come sundry
exhortations from her parents, tie ex-
change OF good wishes protracted part
ings, choking sobs and vehement pro-
testations from the bride against being
taken from her home. This hollow
farce is broken up by bridesmaid
casting veil over the face of the lu-
gubrious bride, while an old hag takes
her upon hel back in ignominious fash
ion, carrying her out of the door and
setting her down in the sedan chair.
The door of the conveyance is then
locked and the key handed to the
bridegrooms friend. The bands then
strike up and the procession returns
amidst farewell salvos of bombs and
fire crackers, the wonder being that
any bride can survive such an internal
din
Arriving at the door of her new
home she is saluted with more fire
crackers. The bridegroom now comes
forth with all that dignifed bearing
and easy insouclance so natural to a
well-bred Chinaman and taps the door
of the chair with his fan. The door is
then opened and the bride, still thickly
yelled from profane gaze, is again car
ried on the back of female attendant
into her husbands house. She is now
a wife, the simple ride in the fowery
chair having the mystic power of trans
forming her into married woman.
The bridegroom now seats himself on
a high chair and receives the homage
of his dutifnl spouse. He then de,
scends, raises her heavy veil and fol
the first time gazes on the face of the
| girl to whom he has been engaged foi
the last ten or fifteen years. There
follows no rapturous embrace, no word
of tender endearnert, no look that
speaks of love. He simply inspect,
her for few moments as he woulG
some piece of furniture, for she is moth
ing more to him. Sometimes this cere
mony of unveiling takes place in tn,
bridal chamber, where they seat them
selves side by side, he contriving to si
upon part of her dress, signifying hi,
control and her submission. We tax,
one glimpse of the nuptial couch, hung
with slips OF paper with such inscrip
tions as "May You have 100 sons ant
1000 grandsons' and adorned will
orange trees and strings of cash, tn,
symbols of fruitfulness. Heaven anC
earth, household goods, family ances
tors and the parents of the bridegroom
are then worshipped by the wedde'
pair.
The wedding feast begins in the al
ternoon and extends over two or thre
days Invitations have been sent on
weeks before, the guests responding b
forwarding a sum of money varyin
from 500 cash to twenty ounces G
silver This is sent the day before tn
wedding and goes to defraying the eA
: penses of the feast. The banquetin
halls are lighted up with scores c
prism fringed chandeliers, tables al
spread with all kinds of delicaciet
hundreds of invited guests, grand
dressed, throng the room, garrulou
: groups surround the bridegroom, offe
: ing their congratulations, a band c