The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-09
MARRIAGES IN CHINA.
The Presence of the Groom Unnecessary
Reasons for Divorce.

The Presence of the Groom Unnecessary
Reasons for Divorce.
Love and romance play little part in
the marriages of China, according to
the ''Ostasiatischer Lloyd" The China
man who enters the harbor of matri-
mony looks upon the matter as full
fillment of duty which he owes to his
ancestors
THE custom of the Chinese" contin-
ues the journal, ito marry off their
sons and daughters at an early age does
not seem advisa bic to the Europeans
1t is also the rule in China that unions
only take place between families of
equal social and financial standing.
Disregard of this rule would cause sub.
sequent trouble invariably.' The Gus.
tom of early marriages is founded,
moreover, on principles incomprehensi-
BILE to the western mind. The boy and
girl joined in wedlock do not form
new family, but rather the youngest
branch Of the family tree, upon which
they are henceforth dependent. The
duty of the parents toward their sons
does not end with their marriage; they
are obliged to care for them after that
time also. There is a great disadvan-
tage in this system. The son, being
under the eyes of the parents as long as
they are alive, really never becomes
independent. All members of a family
live, when possible, under one roof,
and even after the death of the
parents the sons continue, as
rule, to live together in the fam
ily home. When the father dies
the oldest brother assumes his place at
the head of the family, and when the
mother dies the wife of the oldest
brother takes her place. But, again,
the system has many advantages. As
the girls are married very young, they
are unacquainted as a rule with the
duties of housewife. But in entering
the household of their fathers-in-law
they learn the needful lesson in family
economy.
SIT is nothing rare" adds the paper,
''for boys twelve and fourteen years old
to marry. The physical, moral and in.
tellectual development of the contract
ing parties has nothing whatever to do
with the matter. Other considerations
entirely regulate the affair. An old
Chinese aphorism says that the great
business of life is ended when the sons
and daughters are married. The Chinese
parents do not care to run the danger
of pOstponing the marriage of their
after their own death.
"a Chinese engagement dates its be-
ginning from the exchange of red cards
between the parents of the contracting
parties. These cards in many districts are
immense documents almost the size of a
horse blanket They are important for
the reason that they are used as evil
dence in case of disagreements in the
future. We seldom hear in China of
broken engagements. Yet if a quarrel
can not be settled peacefully recourse
is had to the law. and the Judge usually
imposes fine upon the party WHO has
broken the contract.
The chief incident in a Chinese mar
riage Is the arrival of the bride in her
bridal clothes before the house of her
chosen one. That is a de facto fulfill
ment Of the contract The wedding
day is determined by the parents Of the
groom. The Imperial calendar names
the lucky DAYS, and on such days the
so-cslled red celebrations take place,
both in the cities and country. The
same bridal clothes may be worn several
times In districts where II is Gus
tomary TO celebrate the weddings
in the forenoon the weddings OF
the eo-wives take place IN the
afternoon or in the evening. The
Chinese thus hope TO make them less
important That the chief part Of
a Chinese marriage IS the arrival Of the
bride at the house Of the groom Is Illus
trated again by the fact that the sons
are often married without being pres
ent al their own weddings IL i not /
believed 20 be fortunate 20 change the /
wedding day when once decided. II
the future husband. therefore, happens I
20 be called away on the wedding day 4
the marriage takes place b. sending /.
the bride 70 his house
Chinese Law recognizes seven J
grounds tor divorce from woman 4
improper conduct neg 4
Iect Of tie parents q the husband. a I
tendency 20 steal, jealousy and incur .
able disease A natural consequence i
% tie Importance attached AZ China to 4
male heirs i that WHERE they are i
q hseent. the husband zoarrsss u eo-wIfe-
This. however. is not general AID - 4
limited 70 families Of wealth. The bad &
results 81 the system are recognized ~ 4
the Chinese themselves The practical I
Chinese therefore have adopted more
.iz.n-s was OF obtaining sszxs-tAs