The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-01
MARRIAGE IN CHINA.
Engagements are Always Effected
By g Mediator.
The Bride and Groom Have No Voice ~
to Their Choice--Strange Laws and
Customs Relating to Matrimony
in the Fiowery Kingdom.

to Their Choice--Strangs Laws and
Customs Relating to satrimony
in the FIowery Kingdom.
Chinese brides seldom receive a dover.
Nine times out of ten the wooer buys
his wife from her father, and pays part OF
the purchase money after the engage
ment and the remainder on the wedding
day. In addition to this the parents of
the girl receive considerable presents OF
wine, fruit, rice and silk from those of
the youth, says the St. Louis Globe
Democrat.
In China no match is arranged without
the Intervention of mediator, who may
be either masculine or feminine and re-
ceives no remuneration. The negotia-
tons are generally begun by the father
of the matrimonial candidate, who re-
quests the mediator to take card, bear
ing the name of his son and the year,
month, day and hour of the birth of the
same to a certain family. Often the
choice of this family is left to the. mediator
In case the parents OF the girl do not
reject the matrimonial offer at once, they
deliver a similar card, having reference
to their daughter, to the match maker
Thereupon negotiations lasting three days
are entered upon, but they are immedi-
ately terminated if anything unpropi-
tious, such as the breaking of dish,
should happen to either of the interested
parties In that case the cards are re-
turned. During these three days many
minor ceremonies are observed. Every
word to be spoken is determined upon
beforehand, and the phrases that are
uttered neither lack politeness nor hui
mility, which refers especially to those
expressed by the father Of the bride.
Two examples will suffice. When, as
custom demands, the father Of the bride
Is asked about the name and age of his
daughter, he must reply:
II have received the evidence of your
favor with reverence. That you conde-
of your son shows that you esteem my
poor family more than it deserves. My
daughter is coarse and stupid and have
not been able to educate her well. Not
withstanding, however, l will gladly obey
you," and so on.
When the father of the coarse and
stupid maiden receives the customary
donations and is informed of the date of
the wedding be is expected to say:
81 have heard of your last decision.
You desire the wedding to take place on
the -, and / can but regret that my
daughter possesses so little merit and has
not even received the most necessary edu-
cation. fear she is good for nothing.
Yet l dare not oppose you, for the horo-
scope is favorable Therefore, l accept
your presents, salute you, and will see
to it that all necessary preparations are
made"
After the accomplishments of the bride
are thus set forth, the engagement is
effected in a very strange manner. The
parties exchange bits of pasteboard,
each of which consists of two parts and
is covered with red paper. On the out
side they bear the image of dragon (the
emblem of man) and a phoenix (the sym
Dol of woman) cut out of gold paper and
pasted on; on the inside are the names
and the dates of the birth of the be-
trothed. These pieces Of pasteboard are
transfixed with needles that are threaded
with red silk, and the engagement is COM
pleted, legal and can not be so easily
broken as among civilized people. In
this matter the red thread is most i'm
portant. Instead of saying ''they are
engaged, the people of the Flowery King
dom exclaim: Their feet are tied to-
gether with the red thread"
The groom has no right to break off the
engagement, if the girl appears homely to
him subsequently, or becomes poor or i'll,
unless she has bad reputation. But the
ill-repute of the groom does not operate
against him. If either or both parties is
dishonest, leprous. or afflicted with some
the other may break off the en-
gagement. In case this is done, it is gen
orally considered sufficient if the above
mentioned lists of pasteboard are returned
and an explanation is rarely demanded;
not infrequently, however, the party that
desires to be released from his or her obi |
CATION must pay the other a sum of &C
quittance.
Often children are engaged to each !
other by their parents in infancy. In |
this case the parents make solemn vows, |
and exchange pieces of cloth torn ont of !
their garments. Sometimes n father /
betroths his new born daughter to the |
infant son of friend. in which case |
donations are made to the latter and the /
girl is not infrequently raised in the home /
of her prospective father-in-law until the .
is celebrated
The furnishing of the brides apartment /
In the house of her future husband is 4
made the occasion of a quaint ceremony. |
Five pieces of money coined under FIVE /
different Enlperors, are placed under the
bed, FIVE similar coins under the bedding.
and twenty-five bund les of cooke rice
are suspended from a window coruice.
square vessel, filed with rice aad covered
with red paper, upon which scissors,
money, five kinds Of dried fruit,
In orange, flowers, an oil lamp and a
candle are laid, is placed upon tbs bed.
rhe two last named objects are lit. and il
$ considered an omen of evil IL either Of
hem Is extinguisked By draught Of air
,r chance II. however, the ceremonies
are carried out without mishap the couple
s supposed TO become very happy.
a day before the wedding the bride
iresses her hair ike married woman
md tries on her wedding garments in the
presence OF her Lazy friends and relatives.
/ . kxf-
tablets Of the family ard