and her parents, it is considered unpropitious that those of her female relatives and friends who are in mourning should be present.
" The bridal chair is selected by the family of the bridegroom, and sent to the residence of the bride gen- erally on the afternoon preceding the wedding-day, at- tended by a band of music, some men carrying lighted torches, two carrying a pair of large red lanterns, con- taining candles also lighted, and one having a large red umbrella, and one or two friends or other attendants. The bridal chair is always red, and is generally cov- ered with broadcloth, or some rich, expensive material. It is borne by four men, who wear caps having red tas- sels. The musicians and all the persons emplo\-ed in the procession have similar caps. A'ery early on the morning of her marriage the bride or the ' new wom- an' arises, bathes, and dresses. While she is bathing the musicians are required to pilay. Her breakfast con- sists theoretically of the fowl, the vermicelli, etc., sent by the family of her affianced husband. In fact, how- ever, she eats and drinks vary little of anything on the morning or during the day of her wedding. AA^hen the precise time approaches for taking her seat in her sedan, usually between five and eight o'clock in the morning, previously fixed by the fortune-teller, her toilet is completed by one of her parents taking a thick veil and placing it over her head, completely covermg her features from view. She is now led out of her room by one of her female assistants, and takes her seat in the sedan, which has been brought into the reception-room of the house. The floor from her room to the sedan is covered for the occasion with a kind of red carpeting, so that her feet may not touch the ground. She takes her place in the sedan amid the sound of fire-crackers and music by the band. The bride, her mother, and the va- rious members of the family, are required by custom to indulge during this morning in heart}^ and protracted crying — oftentimes, no doubt, sincere and unaffected. While seated in the sedan, but before she starts for her future home, her parents, or some members of her family, take a bed-quilt by its four corners, and, while holding it thus before the bridal chair, one of the bride's assist- ants tosses into the air, one by one, four bread-cakes, in such a manner that they will fall into the bed-quilt. These bread-cakes were received from the famih' of her husband at the same time as the cock and vermicelli were received. The woman during this ceremony is constantly repeating felicitous sentences, which are as- sented to by some others of the company. The quilt containing these cakes is gathered up and carried imme- diately to an adjoining room. The object of this cere- mony is explained to be to profit the family of the bride's parents, being an omen of good, which is in some manner indicated to the Chinese apprehension bj- the quilt and the cakes being retained in the house — the local sound of the common word for ' bread,' and a cer- tain word meaning ' to warrant,' ' to secure,' being idei>- tical."
Bridal Procession. — After these performances "the bridal procession starts en route for the residence of the other party, amid explosions of fire-crackers and the music of the band. In the front of the procession go two men carrying two large lighted lanterns, having the ancestral or family name of the groom cut in a large form out of red paper pasted u]ion them. Then come two men carrying similar lanterns, having the family name of the bride in a similar manner pasted on them. These belong to her family, and accompany her onl}^ a part of the way. Then comes a large red umbrella, followed by men carrying lighted torches, and by the band of music. Near the bridal chair are sev- eral brothers of the bride or friends of her family, and several friends or brothers of the groom. These lat- . ter are dispatched from the house of the groom early in the morning, for the purpose of meeting the bridal procession and escorting the bride to her home. This deputation sometimes arrives at the house of the bride
MARRIAGE
804
MARRIAGE