MARRIAGE IN CHINA.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3200, 22 May 1879, Page 4

MARRIAGE IN CHINA.

Marriage D 4»r regarded by the Chinese as the most ' ie'rious* event of life, and the, idea.of marriage is constantly preient to the' min^!6f'the Chinese 1 of all classes, aisuming as it does extra importance from their anxiety not to Jdie without As regards the belief injthjejfjiture state, j fe'wj> p^rions in China seem to take' thought on the subject; but all alike dread the prospect of being deprived of proper funeral obsequies arid of .the reverential homage which ought to be paid at regular dates by male-descendants to a tablet inscribed with the name of the deceased. Hence the lack of male posterity is regarded as the greatest of calamities and celibacy as the height of folly. ' In order'to'avoid all risk of leaving no .eon to survive him, a Chinaman, will, if he can, marry " early and often " the natural result being that China is over peopled. This ruling desire of the Chinese must be constantly borne in? mind as being a mainspring of their conduct in life, and a principal motive in all*'their dramas and romances. Apart from the anxiety to provide against the risk of dying childless,; or rather " sonless " the Chinese seem not to be' generally disposed towards polyi gamy, and the bird which they have fleeted' as : an. emblem of conjugal happiness arid fidelity is the teal, because teals are always seen swimming together in couples, and .answer each other with a cry, which the Chinese consider tobe very harmonious.. Even when there are more than one wife in a household, the first usually enjoys a distinct pre-eminence, and is the legal mistress of the house. But,iialthough the wives of the second rank themselves occupy an inferior position, their children are placed on terms of perfect, equality with those of the first wife, even as regards inheritance.—Sir I). Wedderburn in the Fortnightly., Eeview. ...'"''" . ■' . -'• " ;■ '-J-