LV., p. 267. "They [the Tartars] have another notable custom, which is
this. If any man have a daughter who dies before marriage, and another man
have had a son also die before marriage, the parents of 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 thenceforward 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-luh (Brit. Mus. copy,
15297, a 1, fol. 11-12), 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.
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