1937-12-11 — Page 13

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1937 ·

:

NEW customs of mankind are

moro diversely celebrated than those of marriage. These. vary not only from nation to nation, but also amongst the different ranks of society.

are

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH WEEK-END SECTION

CHINESE

ceremony

Thus wo find that, amongst found suspicious, in opportunity is some peoples and races, the provided for the young man to see nuptial rites aro of tho the maidens whom the matchmakers. jitmost simplicity, whilst have sought and of whom his parents have expressed tentative approval, amongst others they attain the and now await his own approbation, aome of complex formulas, so- in order that the engagemení

be effected. This Jemnised by the performance of may a more or less adventitious con- to called a seung-t'ai, or "a looking

at each other,"

and is an essential catenation of ritualistic cere- part of old-style Chinese courtship. monics, many of which This is accomplished by having the prescribed by age-old custom, matchmakers, and a relative or two young mon accompanied by the and others by the plous suscep- meet in turn the eligible young Wo- tibilities of many generations, men in a quasi-accidental manner, Such

description በዚ the either outside the village, in the

park, or some other public place. latter aptly typifies the mar words are spoken, and often as not, riage customs of the Chinese the malden does not know before- people; for, of all the 80-hand the purpose of the encounter. called Sons of Adam, none However, feminine intuition is auf- surpass this remarkable nation In the complexity of the rites for the assumption of the state of lawful matrimony. In- deed, marriage amongst them is

a

two

moment or

No

Acient to give an inkling of what in happening, and the sheepish actions of the young mun betray what arti- to conceal. The fee has intended young couple stare at each other in apparent discomfiture, and after a so of "sizing up" each not merely a mutual arrange- other, move away. After this series ment for the formation of con- of casual inspections has been com- in pleted, the young man signifies his Jugal ties between dividuals of the opposite sex; married preparations for the but it implies in the most force- ful way the linking of families -cach a member of a cinn of possibly divergent interests and bearing the patronymic or sur name of # distinct ancestral patriarch.

THE

can go forward.

4.4 4

forinni engagement or ting-fun is amongst the Chinese an occasion of the highest impor- tance. A formal contract is drawn

up

sent

in

NUPTIAL The SNAPSHOT GUILD

CUSTOMS

pomegranates, one box of hol-mel or marine delicacies" such as abalones or other kinds of shell-fish, and some sweets. Frequently, too, the presents gold watch pendant for the use of the of the girl's family will include a

prospective bridegroom.

both of นอน tulli have eliminated, and the wedding is graced silvery hair

by the performance of truly decorous ceremonies.

With the third passing of the comb, I comb with the hope that you two shall have many zone und grandions."

CUNDOWN is the

time Axed by

THERE is also a rather quaint Chinese custom which is carried out In most old-fashioned households on the wedding night-after incense has been burnt and libations of wine BOUT ten days before the fixed

custom for the bride to enter the

poured out to the various gods and date of the wedding is the period fa-klu or "bridal palanquin." With called the kwah-taal-lat or "passing the waiting carriers in a number of goddesses in order that their old and protection may be Invoked-by Chinese musicians, either a modern having the nuptial bed prepared by through the great rites "which is celebrated by the further exchange

band playing wedding marches, or

married couple who have been of ceremonial cakes and ch'a-keuk,

else one of the old-fashioned paat-

blessed with many

children. This vam-tul armed with Chinese horns

fortunate pair who and then comes the day before the

and files. These are hired to

are popularly wedding itself when the maid's trous-

known as the ho-ming-kung-p'ol or form is moved to the home of her

the dam-ch'ui saaHusband and wife sea

blowings

of nuspletous and the three

destiny perform this little ceremony Intended husband. This is in itself "the three quite an event, and the passage of viting the bride to enter the wed following verses as a sort of rustic Invitings," ie. the ceremonial of in-

by lighting candles and Intoning the the baden coolies through the streets bearing the new black lac ding chair. After this is done, she quered boxes and articles of furni- ture is, in the case of wealthy families a remarkable sight, and serves to gratify the sense of ostentation which to both Chinese and Jow is a truly Oriental heritage.

At length in the proper season comes the wedding day-the gala occasion in the lives of Chinese giris, and boys, 100, for that matter, as a to through the intermediaries,

Inan may marry only once, and his which is affixed the seals of the two

kit-fant wife is the only legal one, families, and the betrothal is.com-

regardless of how many concubines pleted by the

exchange of #

he may take in his later and more varlet

Those array of presents.

ས

afluent years. There are momen- by the man's family.

of LIKE that other interesting people

tous preparations at the homes nddition to the customary Fau -the Children of Israel-who

both bride and groom. Early in the they resemble in so many ways, the lat-peng or ceremonial cakes include bot

morning the bride dons the scarlet lotus Mushrooms,

wedding

garments, and is crowned Chinese as a whole cling tenaciously the following:

with the fung-kwoon or "bridal core- net" coruscating with gilded tinsel and hung with shimmering strings

n of artificial pearls. Various old wo- men assist her in her dressing, and one of these is the lucky personage known Us the homing-p'oh, or "lucky matron", Le. one who given birth to many Bons. This staid individual performs for her the important tusk of combing her hair; for on this occasion, it is deemed to be of special ceremonial significance. Indeed, not to have hö-ming-p'oh to comb the bridal

Hace.

hig

Is carried out on the back of an old

BY T. PAUL GREGORY

woman who is popularly known for the occasion as the tool-k'am, and as she seats herself within the con-

veyance, she casts a lost look at her childhood home.

After the arrival of the wedding-

bers of the

she

is

to the customs of their fathers, and seeds, pomegranates, cypress leveg and in many instances a gold ring, one of these is the employment

The significance of the latter is, of mool-yan or "marriage brokers." These individunts are generally at course, apparent but the intent of though not always elderly females the other items may seem mysterious. who like the Hebrew san'at-chen are Ne to say euch has a special

Needless hired out by families to search out ceremonial meaning, and expresses eligible girls of the neighbour- the hope that the forthcoming marri- hood, with whom their sons might age may be a fruitful and happy one. It may be mentioned here, that, in contract suitable matrimonial all!»

"go-betweens" These

are the majority of instances, the pay- armed with a red card bearing the ment of a fixed sum of money by the birth-date and horoscope of the young young man's parents is arranged for man for whom his parents or guar- as an essential of the engagement. dians seck n suitable mante, The This it may be noted is a vestigiat

The a marriage, however, remnant of the primitive day, the locks would be the equivalent of in- wedding ceremony would be to West- arrangement of a is not easy; for the elders and re- purchase, and, even to this day, the viting disaster, and as the old woman latives of both families must be discussion of the maiden's shan-ka or satisfied. No two persons of the

"body-price" is an Important preli- combs, she sings the following verse: same surname may ever marry minary in the marringe negolintions rule which is still, largely observed of must old-fashioned families. times. iconoclastic In these

The presents returned by the wo- Anuther preliminary which is gener- mun's family, however, are in most ally carried out is that the genealo- teases not so many or so elaborate, gies

clans must of the two

be but propriety demands that they scrutinised for three generations in should approximate in value as near- possible. Nevertheless, the order to make sure that there is no ly us lateni taint of leprosy, epilepsy or essential gifts which must be re- other dread infection. After this has turned are the following: A box of been ascertained 10 every one's ch'a-kruk literally the feet of ten"

and an assortment of red buns, and satisfaction, the birth dates horoscopes

compared, and it cakes of various kinds,-one pair of

even

nre

"Yat-shoh sholt to mei

Yi-shoh shoh to pask-faat is'al-mei demands tow, which propriety

Saam-shoh shoh to'yi-suen moon

tel."

follows:

This may be freely translated as

With the first passing of the comb comb with the hope that your mutual love will endure to the end of your days With the second, I comb with the wish that your mutual love will last until the time when

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THE REST.

sedan at the home of the bridegroom. there are various minor rites which are generally observed. One of these requires that the san-long or "new man" kick the door of the palanquin as a summons for the bride to come forth. After steps out, she carried over the threshold of the dwelling by one of the female mem-

groom's family, customary old-style Chinese

emners more or less of an ordeal. There are the interminable bowings-those stomachle

to Heaven und Earth, to parents, to

to relatives and to each other. After these multifarious rites

have been fulfilled. the fan-alue or "marriage register" is signed. There are, of course, numer- ous other details-variations of local custom, which are also observed. In some districts, too, the wedding is made the occasion to tease the bride und badger the bridegroom. Some- times, the solemn event degenerates into a ribald spirit suggesting a rus- tic carnival. In modernised custom, however, much that is objectionable In the old-fashioned nuptials has been

TEST ANSWERS

Weck-End Problems

PROBLEM 1. PHYLLIS

Phyllis is nine,

Father is 32 and Grandfather is 50. When Father is 50, .Phyllis will be 36-four times her present age, and four years older than Father is now.

Note-The clause that Phyllis

is over five is necessary to the problem. There would other- wise be two other solutions. It will probably interest solvers to work these out.

*

PROBLEM II.

TRIPLE ACROSTAGRAM

N ET

MOT O R

ETON

ENE M

Downfall Of Aubroy

St. Epps

(Solution)

Y

St. Epps had fallen into a trap. The conversation between Playfair and Dumbell-which he thought himself so clever to have overheard had been singed for his especial benefit. Hurrying from the Yard he rang up Chartways' "special" number, Wellington 7380-of which he had just heard for the first time-to inform his con- federate that Pinyfair's suspl clons had been aroused. Ho committed himself beyond hope of redemption before he realised that he was talking to a detective. Flight and arrest. followed.

bad

Current Affairs

(1) 5 (0) 2 (17)

epithalumlum:

"Fa-p'oh timi-chuk sham kwong fal Fa-kung sung-tsz to moon-lai

Fa foat moon t'ong ch'eng foo-kwal Fa kaan kit-tsz isot loh-wat.

"Heung-chuk tat-paal poon ying

ming

Heung-yin 3014 sheung

buen t'in-ting Heung-fung sheung taong shan

kaam ling

Heung-fong sht wing kit teng

shing

our

These are in reality an example of a more or less sterotyped ritualistle orizon and may be freely rendered In English doggerel as follows: "Flower goddess, for thee

candles burn

bright, Flower god, pray send sons this

home to delight, Flowers alling with wealth and

honour the hall, Flowera 'bearing much fruit on this

bed to fall.

II

"Our incense should blaze as in

prayer we bend:

Our sweet-scented smoke should to

Henven ascend;

Our offering ye spirits take, we

entreat,

And this room shall be with linked

songs réplete."

MIRROR PICTURES,

HAVE you ever takon mirror ple photonah and then quickly close tures; that is, for example, a the shulior-and the picture has picture of sister or the "giti friend" boou lakon, Simple, isn't it? For this standing in front of a mirror perhaps

"dolling up" a bit or inaybo just ad- miring horsel][?

It is the unusual that aitracis at- tantion but it is necessary to 100 your oyes and a littlo imagination and Ingenuity to ferrot out the ex- coptional and got platures that show, individuality,

I

When making mirror pletures and focusing for rodected Imagos unly, it is necessary to add the distance from the mirror to the subject, to tho distance from the mirror to the lens

the camera and then sol the focus accordingly.

If it in desired to include, the aub- jock in the picture with the reflected imago the focus should bo set for tho latance from the mirror to the lona. The smaller the lens opening thei greater the depth of field and the sharper will be both Images, Of course, the nearer the subject is to the mirror the loss is required in thei matter of "doptà"."

Let us suppose that sistor Mary is two feet and the camora Blæ feet from the mirror. It you want to la- cludo sister, as well as her reflected Image, in the picture, set the focus

A section for unusual plotures will at six feet. If you want only the re-brighton the pages of any album. flected image in the picture, you not the focus at oight feel. A photofinshi | type of pleturó a No. 10 photodesh lamp simplifies your exposure prob-) bulb wili furnish onough light. lam and permits a small enough Iona In amateur photography, export. opening to gain a sufficient range of monting becomes the spies of lito sharpness,

and you will be surprised at the in After locating your subject in the teresting effects you will get in work. Ander and setting the focus of your Ing out "stuni" pictures on gloomy. camera at the proper distance, set rainy days when outdoor activities theabutter for "timo", place a are taboo, Iosults, in somo instan- photoflash bulb in an ordluary floor ces, may be rather grotesque but lamp within reaching distance from you will have a lot of inexpensive the camera, tilting the shade slightly | amusement and pictures that show upward and toward the subject. If individuality. Anyone can take the you cannot till the shade, roniove IL ordinary ran of pletures but it re- from the lamp. It is best not to havo | quiries a lttlo lagonulty to get the any bright lights burning near the unusual. That is what you should lens of the camera. Bet your lons "shoot" for, and the resulting plc- opening according to the tablo on turos will be for more interesting the photoflash lamp contalaor. Take than ordinary record pictures and your position at the camera, press broathe to itself into your photo. the cable releaso to open your shut-| graph album. for and immediately tura on the

Just another

John Van Gulldor

minutes

wish I didn't always wake so tired. Those wretched directors are meeting this morning too!

All their

happiness

depended on him.

Oh, Mr. Martin! I had to send that report into the directors' meeting without

wait.

you seeing it. Sorry couldn't

But I chocked,

it carefully.

THAT NIGHT

[THINKS:/

*Their happines depends on my job..! The directors are right, I am half asleep. I'll simply

have to see a doctor about this wretched

tiredness

THINKS

Very efficient

but not

your job,

young man?

Darling! Ramamber lin | | 3 MOWING LATER

getting a rise this

month. I hate to see you slaving and doing all the

housework yourself.

Let's get

5

(2)

1 (10)

3❘ (18)

(3)

3 (11)

4

(10)

3

(4)

4 (12) 1

a daily

(20)

4

(5)

2 (13)

3

help in

2 (21)

2

(7)

1 (15) 4 (22)

(0)

21 (10) 4.). (23)

(0) G❘ (14)

MEANWHILE IN THE DIRECTORS MEETING:

But, my dear sir, Martin, koks half asleep all day. If the younger man can do the job better, Martin must take the consequences. I'll talk to Martin

THE DOCTOR SAYS:

It's this waking tired, that's holding you back! Even during sleep. heartbeats and other automatic actions go on using up energy. Unless energy's replaced during sleep, of courte you wake tired-light Starved! I advise

Horlicks.

Does your husband

wake fired?

and so every night

GRAN

IF he does, see to it that he gets Horlicks

regularly, a cupful every night." He'll get the tight kind of sleep, and wake refreshed. **** be able to concentrate better, he won't be bandi capped any longer at his work by that deadening

HORLICKS

guards against Night Starvation