The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-17
DIVORCE IN CHINA.

Grounds for Granting It-Conse-
quences to tae Wife.
The writer of the series of essays in the
North China Herald on "The Natural His
tory of the Chinese Girl, )" to which referenc Q
has already been made, has some interesting
observations on divorce in China and its
consequences to the wife. Chinese law, he
says, recognizes seven grounds for the
divorce of a wife-childlessness, wanton
conduct, neglect of husbands parents, To-
quacity, thievishness, jealousy, malignant
disease. The requisites for a Chinese wife
are by no means sure to De exacting. A
man in the writer's employ, who was think
ing of giving up his single life, on being
questioned as to what sort OF wife he pre-
ferred, compendiously replied ut is
enough If she is neither bald nor idiotic."
In country where the evowed end of mar
riage js to raise up posterity to burn in
cense at the ANCESTRAL graves, it is not
strange that chIldlessness should rank first
among the grounds for divorce.
1t would be an error, however, to infer
that these are ordinary occasions of divorce,
| simply because they are designated in the
imperial code of laws. It is always diff
cult to arrive at just conclusions in regard
to facts of high degree of complexity,
especially In regard to the Chinese. But
the truth appears to be that divorce
IN China is by no means so COM
mon as might be expected. by one reason
ing from the law. Probably the most COM
mon cause is adultery, for the reas that
this Is the crime most fatal to the existence
of the family. But in every case of divorce
there is factor 20 be taken into account
which the law does not consider. That is the
family of the woman. aud it is a factor of
great Importance. 1t is very certain that
| the family of the woman will resist any
divorce which they consider to be unjust or
| disgraceful, not merely on account of the
loss of dignity, but for another reason even
| more pc werful. In China a woman cannot
return to her parents house after an un-
happy marriage, as it is often done in wests
ern lands, because there isno provision for
her support. The land Is set apart for the
maintenance of the parents, and after that
has been provided for the remainder is di-
vided among the brothers. No lot or por-
tlon falls to a sister.
1t is this which makes it imperative that
every woman should be married that she
may have some visible means of support.
After her parents are dead, her brothers, or
more eriainly her brothers wives, would
drive her from the premises as an alien who
had no business to depend upon their family
when she belongs to another. Under this
state of things it is not very likely that a
husband would be allowed to divorce his
wire, except Tor valid cause, unless tnere
should be some opportunity for her to take
step"-that is, to remarry elsewhere.
Next to adultery, the now common cause of
Chinese divorce, is thought to be
what western laws euphemistically
term incompatibility, by which is meant.
in this case. such constant domestic brawls
as to make life, even for Chinese, not
worth living. When things have reached
this pith they must be very bad, indeed.
Every one of the above mentioned causes
for divorce evidently affords room for the
the law were left to its own execution,
with no restraint from the wife's family,
the grossest injustice might be constantly
committed. AS it is, whatever settlement
IS arrived at in any particular case must be
the result of a compromise, in which the
friends of the weaker party take care to
sec that their rights are considered.