472 



tjuds ifi repeated, and the bride makes her obei- 

 sance to her father and mother-in-law. The for- 

 mer makes her a present, after which she returns 

 with her husband to her father s house, where it is 

 customary, amongst the liigher orders, for her to 

 remain until after the birth of her first child, when 

 she removes permanently to her hii&band s house, 

 and agrand entertainment is given on the occasion. 

 A piece of meat is suspended over the door, as a 

 bribe to the tigers, tradition recording that one of 

 these auimalb carried otfabride, whilston her way 

 to her husband's house* A sieve with chopsticks 

 is placed at the threshold, over which the bride 

 leaps, this being supposed to promote parturition, 

 A looking glass is suspended within the bed, to 

 drive away evil spirits which are supposed to be 

 incapable of enduring the sight of their own forms, 

 and flower pots are placed around it in order to 

 promote a numerous family^ 



Divorces amongst the Chinese are very easily 

 obtained, no less than seven causes being assign- 

 ed for which a man can put away his wife, al- 

 though the latter can only claim a separation, the 

 power of divorce not being extended to the fe- 

 male, however just may be her cause of com* 

 plaint. These seven grounds are as follows* r 

 ** First, for barrenness; secondly, for adultery; 

 thirdly, for refusing to serve her father-in-law, and 

 mother-in-law; Fourthly, for much speaking; fifth- 

 ly, for theft ; sixthly, for jealousy ; and seventhly, 

 for disease; e. g. some inveterate kind of leprosy. 



« iQdo Chineic glcvmr, Vol 2d. p. 30S. 



