Evening star., 1911-08-26

Supreme Court will be required to have
knowledge of not only the Spanish and
Filipino law and language, but also the
law. language and customs of China This
is all due to the fact that there are cases
coming on appeal from the supreme court
of the Philippines, where the litigants are
Chinese and Chinese descendants. IN
which rights of property and large IN
heritances are claimed from the descend
ants of the sons of the celestial empire
in those islands.
There is one of these cases actually
pending before the Supreme Court of the
United States which, after having main
tained the interest of the public and the
profession In the Philippines for more
than five years, is likely to awaken the
interest of the American public. The case
in question is that of Si-Yoc-Lieng ct al
agt. Petronila Encarnacion ct al. IN
which alleged descendants OF Christian
Chinaman named Vicente Romero Sy'
Quia of Am-Thau. Annoy. Gnlna' can, .ha
Philippines. and which amounts to al
least $1,UOO.OOO. Without going into the
details of the case or into the legal mer-
it's of the same, it is full OF interesting
details of the customs. laws ana ways OF
the Chinese.
Hordes of Chinese witnesses testified
in the case, writing strange hierogiyphlcs
in the record, which makes it look at
some pages like a Chinese laundry Dill
They tell of the interesting ceremopies
attached to the Chinese marriage, the
Chinese funerals and the Chinese family
records as they are kept In the family
altar and worshiped by the descenoants
of those gone by.
In the matter of dates involved the liti'
clear to the judges their method
of reckoning time. The Chinese computs
time in cycles, and with them cycle Is
rounded out every sixty years. linen
from sixty they go back to one ana com
mence again. There are twelve months
in Chinese calendar, but each month
has only fancy name that is not om-
cial. In explanation OF this witness
said: 1.-THE twelve months have the hours
like twelve watches Of the day that Is
one part of the twelve. We have twelve
characters and ten characters and COM
bination of the two makes compinatlon
Of sixty"
Whether this was understood by the
court does not appear. but the point was was
brought out that this ten and twelve
method applies to the names OF inanimate
objects-things-and to animals, respect
lively. Thus there are twelve animals,
the sheep, the COW, the dog, the cat
while the ten are wood fire, water. earth,
iron, stone etc. To explain his own age
the same witness said: II was born IN
the sheep year. in the reign OF the En-
peror Tao kuang. l 90 not reao' aho
therefore cannot tell the exact year OF
the emperor's reign. But ! was once
given to understand my age by my par
ents, and l can at least count the add1-
ton of one age every year. Inc sneep
year comes once every twelve years. and
have had six sheep years. l am there-
for seventy-two years OF age
From the testimony given at the trial
by the witness Sy Peng, one OF the Oldest
witnesses in the case, and one or the
chiefs of his clan at Am Thau, Annoy,
China, who first claimed that he was
born in the year of the rat. and later cor-
rected this statement. declaring that he
was born in the year of the pig, We have
detailed account of how the Chinese
marriage and marriage negotiations pre-
ceding 1t are performed.
tive of their ages, are incompetent to
marry themselves; they must be married
by a competent authority OF their respec-
tive families. All arrangements must be
,
business Of the mediator Is to give the
history. circumstances. wishes OF the two
families to one another; also to arrange
about the presents to be given by the fu-
ture groom to the bride. and to SEQ tha'
the marriage letters are properly ex-
changed between the heads Of the two
families When the letters have been sx-
changed and the presents made and ae-
cepted. the tie is considered to have been
made under the law. Then the day for
ha ia ".
for the marriage ceremony, and It al
ways takes place first at the home Of the
groom. The mediators exchange the
eight characters of the two parties.
(These characters are supposed to be the
astronomical reading of the parties). They
make diligent inquiries concerning the
respective families, consult the family
GODS and when everything seems salts
factory they SO announce and the con-
tract is made.
"When the contract is decided upon,
pair Of bangles Is sent from the family OF
the groom to the family Of the bride. and
later. when the date Of the marriage is
fixed. presents consisting of money. be-
trothal money it is called. pieces OF silk,
candies and so forth are sent. The sugar
candies sent by the family OF the groom
to that Of the bride are to be distributed
among the 1rlenus anu IeidtiseS VI sAe
latter, and in return for this they send q
number Of breast-front pockets. dried or
anges and other fruits, to be distributed
among the friends and relatives Of the
groom A lucky day is set for the mar
riage. 1t is the business of the groom to
send to the bride complete bridal suit
and accessories. which the bride must
wear on the day she comes to the house
of the groom to be married.
"a red chair is sent by the groom in
charge Of the mediators ana other
friends with presents and a list Of the
presents to the house Of the bride. Then
the bride comes with furniture and other
things, and on her arrival f1recrackers
are fired SO that not only the neighbors
but also the whole village Is notified