National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

CHAP. LV. p. 267.   MARRIAGE CUSTOM.   59

the two arrange a grand wedding between the dead lad and lass. And

marry them they do, making a regular contract ! And when the

contract papers are made out they put them in the fire, in order (as

they will have it) that the parties in the other world may know the fact,

and so look on each other as man and wife. And the parents thence-

forward consider themselves sib to each other, just as if their children

had lived and married. Whatever may be agreed on between the

parties as dowry, those who have to pay it cause to be painted on

pieces of paper and then put these in the fire, saying that in that way

the dead person will get all the real articles in the other world."

Mr. KUMAGUSU MINAKATA writes on the subject in Nature,

Jan. 7, 1897, pp. 224--5 :

" As it is not well known whether or not there is a record of

this strange custom earlier than the beginning of the dynasty of

Yuen, I was in doubt whether it was originally common to the

Chinese and Tartars until I lately came across the following

passage in Tsoh-mung-luk (Brit. Mus. copy, 15297, a I, fol.

I I-12), which would seem to decide the question--' In the North

there is this custom. When a youth and a girl of marriageable

ages die before marriage, their families appoint a match-maker

to negotiate their nuptials, whom they call " Kwei-mei " (i.e.

" Match-Maker of Ghosts "). Either family hands over to another

a paper noticing all pre-requisites concerning the affair ; and by

names of the parents of the intended couple asks a man to pray

and divine ; and if the presage tells that the union is a lucky one,

clothes and ornaments are made for the deceased pair. Now

the match-maker goes to the burying-ground of the bridegroom,

and, offering wine and fruits, requests the pair to marry. There

two seats are prepared on adjoining positions, either of which

having behind it a small banner more than a foot long. Before

the ceremony is consecrated by libation, the two banners remain

hanging perpendicularly and still ; but when the libation is

sprinkled and the deceased couple are requested to marry, the

banners commence to gradually approach till they touch one

another, which shows that they are both glad of the wedlock.

However, when one of them dislikes another, it would happen that

the banner representing the unwilling party does not move to

approach the other banner. In case the couple should die too

young to understand the matter, a dead man is appointed as a

tutor to the male defunct, and some effigies are made to serve as

the instructress and maids to the female defunct. The dead

tutor thus nominated is informed of his appointment by a paper

offered to him, on which are inscribed his name and age. After

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