The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-01


wife, and ever demesn thyse.t prudently
and wisely" Whereupon the son pros
trates himself four times, says he viii
obey, and enters sedan chair WIZ. ing
for him at the door. Friends and ac-
qusin,ancs walk before him with fine
lanterns, custom that dates from tie
time when marriages were celebrated at
night. When the procession reaches tbs
house of the brides father ii It's ~ the
second court to await him.
As regards the bride, she rises early on
this day, takes bath TO mus..sd accom-
paniment, sttires herself, jad break
fasts upon the provisions he- prospective
parents in-faw have sent 70 her. She
confines herself, however, to mouthful
or two, for it is considered good sign if
she refrains from eating much.
Before the young woman enters her
sedan chair she and her mother cry bitter
~. But when the lady at last is seated
in her palanquin very strange custom
is carried out. A member of the famil z
takes bedspread, holding two corners of
at in each hand. another throws four
old cakes, that must be fur '<hcl bv The
groom, into the air, one after aAother
so that they fall into the coverlet, while
the bride continuously murmurs congratu-
lations. Finally, the procession begins
to move, if possible, with music and
display of fireworks. Some red-capped
servants carry the furniture which the
bride takes FROM her old to her new home
for her own use
Everybody whether rich or poor, old or
young, must make way for the wedding
this, and if he is on horseback he is
obliged to dismount and do honor to the
young couple.
When the procession returns 10 the
house of the groom he gets out, invites
his wife to follow him and conducts her
to the middle court. where the festive
meal is prepared. Here the girl raises
her vail, the two salute each other and
then wash their hands; he on the north,
she on the south side of the court Then
she courtesies four times before him, and
he bows twice TO her, whereupon they sit
down to table opposite to each other.
The wife offers some meat and wine to
the memory of her ancestors and tastes of
the different victuals in deep silence.
The husband gets up, invites her to drink
and then sits down again. The wife like
wise rises, requests him to drink and re-
sumes her seat. First they drink out of
separate goblets, but finally out of the
same one. In one room of the house the
father of the young man dimes with his
friends, in another the mother of the
bride entertains hers. The guests remain
day and one night. During this time
candles are burned in the bridal chamber;
if they should go out it signifies the
early death of the bride, groom or both;
if one of the candles should melt it pres
ages tears and oonjugal sorrow.
On the following day the couple repair
to the second court, where they are
awaited by the parents of the young man.
They salute them and PROSTATE them
selves before them four times, whereupon
the husband retires, whites his wife re-
mains and makes ell kinds of little pres
ents to her parents in law. The we'd
ding ceremonies are concluded by the
Visits which the husband pays 10 all
relatives of his wife and the latter makes
to those of the husband.
One of the most remarkable of the
Chinese laws relating to wedlock is that
which provides that persons bearing the
same family name may not marry each
other. Thus it happens that while the
children of two rs or brother and
sister may be jo' in matrimony, that
privilege is den 10 the offspring Of two
brothers, and not infrequently to distant
relatives and even entire strangers. ImaR-
inc our laws prohibiting intermarriage
among our numerous Smiths, Browns
and Millers Another statute provides
that a mandarin must not marry in the
same province in which he officiates. IL
be does so, nevertheless, his MARI age is
declared illegal and he is punished with
eighty strokes of bamboo If a man |
DARN marries the daughter Of man who |
is interested in lawsuit to be decided by |
him, he not only receives l60 strokes. but
the wife is returned TO her parents, while |!
the WeuullS presents arc COuHscdteG 10 /
the State.
1t is considered dishonorable for a /
widow to marry again, and the disgrace |
extends to the man who marries her.
Only the poor enter into such marriages: |
The men because il is less expensive to |
order TO be supported again. When the /
Chinese want to indicate that man mar
led widow, they say he has taken unto
himself "ths wearer of the border" be-
.suse widows, when in mourning, gener-
lily wear white bordered garments or,
more rarely, robes of black and blue.
1t il illegal to remsrry before the expir-
Ition Of the mourning time-nine months
n case the wife dies and twenty seven in
ase Of the demise Of the husband Wild |
Tvs very often remain with their parents
Flaw il these are not too poor 70 support
hem. Frequently they commit suicide;
key know nothing of the self-immolation |
4 the widows of India, but prefer 20
ang. drown poison or starv. themselves
r 20 put an end TO their existence BIZ
moking opium 70 excess. IL must not
= supposed however, that suicide Is
lways the result Of grief. The usual
esson is q lack Of means Of existence, th.
widow not knowing what 20 live on
uriBg the long period % mourning.
too. q widow shri1ks from a
econd marriage because her first proved
cry unhappy Hanging u The preferred
lode Of self -dertTuctson which II often /
srr.sd ont publicly, il considered hon