The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-16
Chinese Marriage Customs
''KA JIT BIN.'

'sAlasi What a pityt' How unlucky!
"Cet rid Of the thing" "A grill" With
thsse and similar calculations the neigh
bots, who have focked in to hear the news,
shake their heads and noisily depart. leav-
ms the unhappy and disappointed father to
NJ sse his wrath, or vent IL on the miserable
mrstner OF the unwelcome offspring. Save
ons. the proud father OF a son Of three sum-
MRS and his infant brother. who sees IN
hit friends misfortune a kind Providence
to, himself. in the shape of a possible
daaghter-in-law. He is in no hurry to be
gole, so takes another Whit Of the fra
tefnal pipe, which has already circulated
freely among the departing callers. There
is a pause of silent sympathy. and a talk
ons a dozen other topics. before, with con-
Siderable caution, the subject is preached.
According to Chinese etiquette. the boys
parents must take the initiative in this
m@tter. which. however, cannot be settled
without consulting the horoscopist, who
mist be furnished with full particulars as
TO tho time and circumstances connected
with the birth Of the boy and girl From
thS day OF her birth till she is about six
tedn years of age a Chinese girl is an
eligible bride. but rather less than 10 per
ceat. are betrothed in infancy. Sometimes,
particularly among the poorer classes, she
is drought up by her mother-in-law, hut
mere often the betrothed couple do noe see
ea:h others faces until the wedding day.
china is essentially a land Of births,
deHths and marriages" Before these three
important events everything else sinks into
oblivion. A war, a coronation, a coup
d'etat. "A Boxer rising-in these the average
Ckinaman takes little interest. but the
birth of a son. Who can estimate the inn
poftance OF such an event? The occasion.
anu its anniversaries, will be celebrated
with great joy by the whole household. OF
more immediate Importance 10 the individ-
uai himself. however. is his wedding day,
oni which he attains his majority. Hence
forth he is eatitled. within certain limits,
to manage his own affairs. Yet not for one
moment during the lifetime OF his parents
is he released from the obligation OF abso-
luse submission to their will. Whether the
command of the parent be reasonable or
unreasonable 1t must be implicitly obeyed.
A another. In a fit of passion. commanded
hes son of forty years of age to lie down
on the floor and receive a beating at her
ha5lds-and he did it,
kl the world may see the spectacle of
this Emperor Kwang Hsu setting to his
subjects an example of the highest virtue
china knows, filial piety, as he sits quies-
cent on the throne, in obedience TO the
will of his stepmother, who. on account of
her relationship to the Emperor's late
fasher. assumes supreme control over her
Etepson, even carrying her authority so far
asito practically usurp the throne. Hence
thu liberty which comes to a son on his
wedding day is qualified by the idiosynera-
cies Of his parents.
THE 'GO-BETWEEN."
Che matrimonial arrangements are made
by. the parents through the medium of ''go-
belweens." This indispensable and ever
welcome newsnonger travels from house to
house. ascertaining the ages of sons and
daughters, hearing and coming their vir-
TUBS. pocketing fees and perhaps receiving
specimens of the tiny shoes worn by the
gifis, which more or less determine the So
cial position Of their fathers. The higher
the social position the smaller will be the
gitrs feet or mangled remnants Of these
extremities.
1t may be well to note in passing that the
process of foot binding usually begins when
the girl is from four to seven years of age.
Tie services of a professional binder may
be; employed. who will bring with her sam
pies Of shoes for the parents to select the
@NE101 49, ta0 1toES ~ "AAACAA NAO LOo 10
10 be bound. The four toes are bent under
meath the great toe and the bandages tight
easd every day until the tips of the toes
can be seen on the inner margin of the
foot. The more painful process of short
enang the foot then begins. the object being
70. bring the great toe close TO the heel. so
that the remainder of the foot is pushed
out OF place and forms a lump above, only
the heel and the toe going into the tiny
shoe. Public spirit has at length been
aroused TO fight this ancient and barbarous
custom, and anti-footbinding societies are
Swinging up in all directions.
Returning from this depression to the be-
trnthal. the question is frequently asked,
'Tfow is it that the Chinese youth never
reIents the control OF his parents in matri-
m5nial affairs?" In order to understand
this, it must be remembered that one i'm
pcrtant characteristic of Chinese polite
ness is the strict seclusion OF women. The
history of China shows that there was a
time when woman took her place on the
battlefield or in the mart. side by side with
man. With the dawn of a moral
reformation came an appreciation OF
the gehtleness of woman, and a
desire TO protect her. The custom
OF separation OF the sexes, pure at its
source, has become corrupted into a Sc
cllsiun which causes the woman TO feel
the restraint of her unnatural confinement,
while the man not only misses her COM
psnionship. but has no possibility of MAX
Ing a free choice Of his partner in life.
1t is not unusual for Chinese parents be-
fore contracting an engagement for their
children. to give them the full particulars
which they have learned from the go
between" and allow them to have a voice
in determining the matter. On the other
hand, some parents will heedlessly make
mpst unsuitable arrangements. without con-
sElting their children, or even in the face
OF, their opposition, tears and entreaties.
THUS, an intelligent. refined, well-educated
girl may be betrothed to a cook. with whom
size has little in common. because he is
earning good wages, or, as is more often
tie case. a student may be betrothed to
an iIliterate girl. who lives for nothing
but dress and show.
RESORTING TO THE HOROSCOPIST.
When a preliminary agreement has been
arrived at between the two families, they
resort TO the hOrOScopfst. In whom great