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Question 4.-If a daughter were to be adopted would it be customary or usual to adopt some female relative?
Answer:-As answered in question 2 it is very unusual to adopt a daughter in the strict legal sense of the word. There is no object in adopting a daughter in the whole fabric of the Chinese Constitution. In the case of relatives, if the family of a relative be in affluent circumstances no daughter would be given to another man as an adopted or foster-daughter. If the parents of a relative be poor then they would ask compensation for "rice, ginger and vinegar money". If that happens, it at once places the child in the same position as a foster-daughter or mui-tsai. Besides, to adopt (using the word in a loose. sense) a relative as a daughter one has to be very careful as she must be of a generation next below that of the adoptor, otherwise a person of a higher generation (that is, the Aunt Class) might inadvertently be made to become a daughter, which is punishable by law for upsetting the natural family relationship. With regard to strangers no such precaution is needed.
Question 5.-Would it be in accordance with custom to adopt the child of persons entirely unrelated to and unknown to the adoptive parent?
Answer:-Yes. See answer 4.
Question 6. Assuming that such an adoption was not contrary to custom, would the adopted child's surname be changed to that of the adoptive parent?
Answer-As there is no legal adoption of a daughter in China, the change of surname is not absolutely necessary. Some do, however, and it all depends on the degree of attachment and affection between the adopter and the adopted.
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Question 7. -Would it be in accordance with custom for the surname of a mui- tsai to be changed for that of its adoptive parent?
Answer: A mui-tsai is in the position of a foster-daughter and the answer to question 6 applies to this question.
Question 8. Is it customary or usual in the case of bona fide adoption for a "rice, ginger and vinegar fee" to be paid to the child's parent by the adoptive parent?
Answer-As there is no legal adoption of a daughter in the same sense as that of an adoption of a son, it is usual in the case of a bona fide adoption of a foster-daughter for a rice, ginger and vinegar fee, to be paid to the child's parent by the adoptive parent.
Question 9.—Is such a fee ever or usually paid in the case of the adoption of a male child?
Answer-No. The adoption is done by law. The adoptive parent only decides. the person to be adopted among the class of persons adoptable by law.
Question 10.-Is it customary or usual to insert in a document evidencing a trans- action of adoption double the amount actually paid for a "rice, ginger and vinegar fee?"
Answer: No. The fee paid in such cases is nominal and not the ascertained ex-
penses.
Question 11. Is it customary or usual in the case of bona fide adoption to have any document evidencing the transaction?
Answer: In the case of a bona fide adoption of a son, No. The announcement in the family of the decision of the adopter is sufficient. In the case of a bona fide adoption of a foster-daughter, Yes.
Question 12. Is it customary or usual to stipulate that if the adopted child is found disobedient to instructions the adoptive parent shall have the right to present the child to any other person?