138 
ETHNOLOGICAL NOTES. 
her name and that she is now engaged to the one 
to whom she sends this paper. The bridegroom also 
returns a similar paper. 
It depends entirely on the young man how long the 
engagement is to last. It is altogether against Chinese 
etiquette that those who are engaged should try to 
speak or look at one another before they are married ; 
they should behave just as if nothing had happened. 
It often happens among the poorest classes of Chinese 
that the parents buy a young girl from another poor 
family, with the intention of marrying this girl later 
on to one of their sons. When the girl is bought she is 
accepted by the new family as one of the daughters 
and the young boy for whom she is destined, treats her 
as a sister ; and when both are old enough—about the 
age of 15—they marry together. It is however not 
obligatory for the boy to marry this girl and in case 
the boy should decline to take her as his wife, she is 
sold to any person who wants to marry her. 
The Marriage Feast. 
When the 3 7 oung man has sufficient money and feels 
inclined to settle down, the books are consulted for a 
lucky day and a lucky hour to celebrate this great 
event. The result of this oracle is made known to both 
sides, after which the parties concerned nearly alwa}fs 
give their consent. 
On the evening before the day of marriage, the girl 
makes a grand feast and the young man sends over: 
the dowry (phin keem), a pair of shoes for all the near 
male relations of the girl, sarongs for the female rela¬ 
tions, fowls or pigs, fans, onions, paddy, and sweet¬ 
meats for the dinner. The parents of the girl invite 
ail their own relations and friends and also the go- 
between, but not the bridegroom. The invitations are 
sent round on a red paper, on which is written the date 
of the eve of the marriage feast and the names of the 
couple (very much the same as is done in Europe). The 
guests are supposed to make a present to the parents 
of the girl consisting of a sarong or a coat or money 
(one dollar and one cent). During the whole feast the 
