The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-24
A JAPANESE WEDDING.
ANGULAR SYMBOLIC RITES At THE
TIME OF MARRIAGE.
How Two Young People Arc Made One In
Al. Land Of the Mikade, Where Mafri-
90 4. Not = Failurs-Some Weddings
-. Occasions Of Jollity.

the Land OF tn7
4. Not = FaiIurs-soms Weddings
an, Occasions Of Joliity.
Tn the dusk Of evening the bride, in
carriage, surrounded and followed by
train Of uplifted lanterns, proceeds to the
bridegroom's house. Hurrah for Hymen
Every chamber and every room. from
nook 30 corner, the whole house Is mer'
rily lit and ablaze with forest OF
candles. Upon the altar of family wor'
ship, unseen gods seem to assemble, de
scending the beams OF Pickering light:
and graciously accepting the Joyful
offerings OF game Of the mountains
fishes Of the seas and the first growth'
OF the earth. Hurrah for the holy
union!
Yonder in the best hall Of the house
the candles, larger than a mans arm
blithely spread their rays over the new
carpets, the new ceilings, the new doors
and the new walls; and In a deep cut
niche there hangs silken panel WHEREOF
stand a venerable couple OF snow
crowned ages, under an evergreen
bower Of stalwart pine. praising the rise
OF wonder sun, mathematical Of happy
union, pure life, old age, and increasing
health. To its left another hangs with
picture of a snow white crane leisurely
contemplating the serene blossoms OF
the ume tree-suggestive OF chaste lofti'
ness of philosophic salvation.
On the right hand side the third pane
represents a tortoise, covered with sea
weeds. trailing like long tassels Of golden
wool. in calm rest under few graceful
bamboo trees, famous for their pliable
but unbreakable strength the whole
sv1nbolizing the meek but uncrushable
virtue and slow but sure triumph OF
Righteousness. Then in the center OF the
hall, on a small lacquered table, are dis
played heaps of Kombu, seaweed OF
great tsnacity and duration, and OF other
vegetables, equally mathematical of vari-
GUS human virtues, skillfully piled and
carved into shapes of prospering pine
tree, a pair Of cranes, their nest and
nestlings, and so on--indicating the happy
future of the union which is now going
10 be made.
But hush, here comes Mrs Nakaudo,
the earthly representative OF the god
Hymen, leading by the arm the bride,
SO fair and so modest, blushing under a
silken veil; they pass in solemnly through
the guests door and seat themselves be.
fore the symbolic table. Three minutes
later, Mr.. Nakaudo leads in the bride
groom, who takes his seat opposite the
bride; and Mr.. n. opposite Mrs. N. These
arc truly a man and wife Of estimabls
character and are the mutual friends OF
the bride and bridegroom's parents OF
guardians, honored by the latter with
the trust of officiating at the holy cere-
mony.
Well. then, the Ms Introduce the young
people each to the other. Inaudible &C.
acknowledgements and solemn bowling on
both sides follow. Then Mr.. \. proceeds
10 declare the duties Of 4 man and a
wife. and Of their welded life-a solemn
declaration, uttered I'm slow, soft, but
penetrating tone. A funny sight, how
ever, looked from its funny side-two
men and two women sitting cross legged
on the carpet, numbling gravely over a
heap of tasteless weeds and roots! But
TO see the matter so funnily one must be
a funny creature too. Looked at from
the serious side, how much more pro
found I'm its truth than in mere show
of ceremony
"Henceforward you are husband and
wifef So says our Nakaudo; and they
become husband and wife. They do not
exchange promises, nor do they grasp
each other by the hands.
"Henceforward you are husband and
wifer So commands the Nakaudo, and
they VOW each other in unuttered words
strict obedience to this commandment,
and signify this by drinking spirit OF
Sake out OF the same cup,e three and
three and three-nine times.
So ends the sacred ceremony. Then
the nearest relatives of the husband are
hurried in turn to the presence OF the
bride to be introduced to her. All! but
now follows the banquet, only not a
good, Jolly one. 1t is family banquet
none but the blood relatives OF the hus-
band and the very nearest Of the bride
are preseM. Il is a solemn, formal one
in spite of all the magnificent dishes and
sparkling wines.
So ends japanese wedding in solem
nifty from beginning to theend, and
rather think it should. or course am
not writing Of our jinrikishamen'S and
coolies wedding, which some smart for
ejgners saw, and to which they added
little color and introduced silly modifica
tons. and finally fitted up for mode
festival OF Christian churches to raise
charity. Yet do not mean to say oul
lower classes marry without any cere
mony; only they are generally jolly peo
pie, and everything goes in a jolly way
with them.
The legal side of marriage in Japan !;
only This, that no marriage is legal until
it is registered at the registry office, and
the law recognizes only one man and one
woman as wife and a husband. Japan
is not a polygamous nation.
If it is the question OF law, Japan Il
not polygamous nation. II, as matter
Of popular sentiment, the younger gener
alton has 1t entirely against anything
short of total announcement Of the ole
idea-and what nation has not had IT.
old idea in practice at one time or an
other? At ali events, If the japanese
marriage system seems all unnatural t(
foreigners, we have still the satisfaction
OF being able to disprove that silly state
ment which has OF late greatly tickleo
the incurable sore Of bald-headed, false
teethed bachelors and maidens, Mar
rage is failure because It IS emil
nently successful in Japan, although oil
xorca ia nerhaDs as easy in Japan as N