The sun., 1892-01-10
A CHINEsE WEDDING.
A Prolonged Cercnony In Oriental High Life
as Observed by an 4 Anserlcnn,

ss Observed BY an American,
PENANG. East Indies. Nov. 15.-As a rule
weddings are hardly worth attending, al-
though they appear to be very much apprcci-
ated by some pcrsons They offer attractions
very little better than n funeral and nre too
stlf and formal for me. but I attended one
Yesterday that was really novelty. Ny pro-
fessional duties during thrce month"; So
| journ In this beautiful little island In the
Straits OF Maacca have brought me In contact
with several very wealthy and arlstocratio
Chinese families. including tho family Of his
Highnoss Prince khaw Sim Kong, the l,njah
| OF RennonG. L. e.. n prince Of one Of the
provinces In the kingdom OF Siam His daugh-
tor was the brido OF tho occasion. Like all
moguls OF tho East. he believes IN polygamy.
and keeps Chinese wife anl family here
and Siameso wife and family In his
own domnions llo vibratcs between the
two places rs occasion seoms to require
] have also. In a professional way. become
| very friendly with very nice family who had
| boen invited. and through them an invita-
| tion was extended to me. | was very glad to
| avail myself OF 81 rnrc privilege. and OF
| course accompanied thcm. Wo could wltness
only small pnrt OF tho wedding ceremonies.
| because marriages In the East require extcn-
| slvo preparations and festivities.
The festivities extend over period OF sew.
| eTHi uhyes ANU VTe CDNuucttu On u Erug OF
arent magnl!lccncc. The rich frequently spend
fortunes in promoting them md even tn. poor
| spend ten times more thnn they cnn afford. 1t
| is an occnsion for which an Oriental opens his
| purse strings and becomes perfectly indifTer-
| ont to expense. No matter how hard earned
his money may be- or how much privation may
have been required In orderto savo II. ho let's It
| go In reckless and extrnvagant manner: not.
perhaps. because he renlly is Indifferent to cx-
| pense. but simply In obedience to tho iron
| rule OF custom. he recohces himself TO what
appears to be tho inevitable 1t very often
costs a man with n family OF daughters half
his wealth in providing for marriages. In In
din. among the HIndoos daughters are mar
ried in carly childhood but the Chinese as a
| rule do not practise carly marriages. A girl.
| however. after she Is IL or l3 yenrs Of age Is
| confined to the house and not allowed to see n
| man on nnv account until her marriage. She
81 ends all her time and energy preparing for
| that event. Her hanliwork consists princi-
pally Of very elaborate beadwork for tho dec
| oration Of the bridal chamber and slippers for
her future lord and master. Tho beadwork
represents years OF patient industry II Is
made OF ilne beads which are placed together
In very artistic designs. and is very pretty. but
| II is too good to use.
The Cclestials have the profound dea that
| woman should not be educated. and therefore,
MS II rule. she Is entirely illiteratc. They sur
mise that in case she should be able to write
she might communicate with the young men,
might oven become n party TO a romantic
clopement. Courtship is entirely unknown to
tho Orlentals. All marriages are arranged In
n matter.of fact Way by the old folks. II tho
parents OF tho would be bride are rich. they
make overturcs to tho parents OF n suitable
young man by employing some outside
party to act as go-between or II
professional match maker to carry to
HI, him golh, , ,hairpin out Of their r, daushteri's
ring is sent in return. II. however. tho rar-
ents "f the young man represent more wealth:
The M sr AtcF ns the f'e rreiminares % ma @ have Been
completed. the Go.hctwcen gets tn. names OF
and repairs t" he temple ten; G to % consult tho ora. @
| cle 1fa general examination OF family horo-
seems seems t" give iayorabc ind"atio s S the day
| and hour and various details OF the Wedding
Il thS bs p9Gr thG Sro3m Hn snp
The parents OF the BRIDE however. generally
furnfs for her two rooms, and give her dow
Ten to twenty days previous to tho we,ldng
fhS inyti2ns in are s issued to all re.iyes i've and
membsr ] Of oii tic family. The st i IicroSyphies 81
printed on red n61nt four by nine
s snd s tho
comes forth. dressed in white: Whiic seated in
through a ceremony aecompanieG by dolefui
srams Of uS SSs IL which he w0rshps her
is 0s%s 0 shaSsd hsr esth ars
Isd ID dGwG ~ even her hair is stIiened and ad;
Hnl a IA pllp1 and her lipS n nrn' nh infpr rad
ssive her intended husband. on The day Of
wants and returns the rest, with presents OF
4 few hours afterwsrd the groom saIiies forth
to meet the bride for the first time. That part
s and were ere rermitted ra, ses
When the procession was passing with the
snS hs d%GsHf yrM 81 it. to Be oH "
go.between: With his hoaIy beard. which which Is a
very h t" nn
ably in an ' easy carriage snrrau%dsd by nu.
bearing i"s.' aioit red ranopy. o large lseunss: pa
PEI, lanterns on poles; banners, and
sicians performing % on nniamc T Inst instrumcnts. T
THEY were or ntGcompan'ed y hyn large % crowd Of
a rH
another : dressed goat. another . disp Jay 81
fresh fish. another hall a hundred pairs q
beadwork shippers. Others contained dressed
poultry. fruits. confectionery. and other viands
We arrived mt the brides residence. which
is very large and beautiful mansion hand.
somely furnished. about an hour and n hnii
before the groom came. W" were received
very politely and tea WAS brought immedi.
ateiy. aud placed before us We we're invited
also to partake Of the various dishes cOmpos-
ing the, feast. They were brought on large
silver trays and very tastcfuliy arranged
Some OF thom were very pnlatablc. Some ware
made from the milk 1f tho coconnnt, others
After the rcpast they brought out tho bride.
who was. to say tho lenst, fcarfuiy and won:
derfuliy arrayed. She was dressed In robes Of
the, richest SIX Of ralnnow Golors. elqborntey
embroidered and emit ellishru On her head was |
crown with gold spikes. in cn,.h OF which
were twenty or thirty diamonds Pha massive |
hnir pins had been inserted until her head ra-
sembled the back of u n,prcurine From tho
and it somewhat nhscur"l her face. which was |
enamellei to n ghnstly Wilderness. resembling
u piece Of china. Her stiirened back hair pro- |
traReh n The share Of "a, ships ruGder; On
mond hrinG%1;, The hairpns and iewelry would
nSf IN uf,.I vn1 ~ Uhnr h.ftvn