Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 503

1842.

Traits of Chinese Character.

offers on the part of the ladies are numerous.

4M5

Rich people, who

have daughters only, seek out for worthy sons-in-law, and invite can- didates for their hands from amongst whom they may choose. This custom is exhibited in the popular novel called Yu Kiáu Lí, or The Two Cousins. When married, these become their adopted children. The marriage vows are well kept on the part of the woman, and pro- portionally loose on that of her lord. How lightly she may be held, how much soever she may suffer, as a general thing the wife remains faithful to her husband. Suicide is not uncommon, when the wife feels the brutal manners and treatment of her husband to be past endurance.

The Chinese are particular in avoiding connections with their relatives. Families of the same surname cannot legally marry, for they believe that the slightest degree of consanguinity deteriorates the race, and perpetuates, or give rise to hereditary disease. Their notions of beauty are indeed singular; a small foot, and a chalky complexion approaching to the ghastly, are regarded as essentials to females loveliness. A pensive, languid look, and a delicate silvery voice, are always attractive in their view.

Celibacy is of rare occurrence, and young men of all ranks marry as early as possible. If some of the poorer classes have no wives, it is owing to their having no money to buy one.

The purchase

money is paid in the shape of a dowry, and is looked upon as a sort of indemnity for the expense of bringing up the damsel. It is not look- ed upon as an actual purchase of the wife, however, but a kind of set- tlement upon the parents. Concubines and inferior wives are acquired by the actual transfer of money, and hold a rank between a wife and a servant. If widows have no grown up sons to cherish and sup. port them, nor parents to control them, they can dispose of their own persons; yet it is disgraceful to marry a second time, and public opi- nion honors the chaste keeper of a widowed marriage.

The entire life of a Chinese is spent in amassing property. There are great incentives to untiring industry. Property is probably safer here than among any other Asiatic nation, and perhaps nowhere so sub. divided. Entail is unknown, and though the eldest son may take the lion's share by main force, his younger brothers must divide with him, Thus the largest estates soon dwindle away, and the accumulation of enormous property is of rare occurrence. The mass of the people however are neither very rich nor degradedly poor, whatever be their occupation. No labor is wanting to extract as much from the soil as it will produce, and if agriculture fails, a man turns his attention to some .