EAST AND WEST

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 7

EAST AND WEST

CHINESE AND WHITE GIRLS.

MARRIAGE DIFFICULTIES

Tho risks that attend the marriage of English women with Chinese are referred to by the Bishop °f Liverpool in his Diocesan ‘ Gazette.’ “ Those who know the Chinese people,” ho says, “ havo groat respoct for their many excellent qualities. Their intelligence, industry, sobriety, courtesy, power of endurance, sonso of gratitude, and good nature makes Us Wo them. . • . Having said this, I shall not bo misunderstood if I urge English clergy in this country to use the utmost caution, and to make diligent _ inquiries before solemnising tho marriage of Chinese men to English women. Tho latter in most cases do not realise how different are the social conditions in China.. There tho family, not tho individual, is tho unit. Marriages are usually arranged bv the heads of families—parents or grandparents—not by the bride and bridegroom themselves. “Chinese young men, except, tho very poorest, aro married before they attain the ago of twenty-one. A betrothal probably takes place years before that, and is very difficult to break off, though tho contracting parties have never mot. Even were a Chinese young man free when he left China, id's parents may since then havo affianced him to a Cninoso girl, oven without his knowledge. Monogamy, though in theory the rule, is by no means the universal practice in China. A rich man will have as many wives as ho likes, and be none tho less respected by Iris neighbors. Tho position of secondary wives is such ns no selfrespecting English woman can endure. Almost every Chinese man intends to return to China sooner or later. In South China I camo_ across several European wives of Chinese men, who told mo that they had lived happily enough with their husbands til! they wont to China; after that, in almost all cases, they acknowledged that they had made a mistake. I had frequently to get the assistance of benevolent friends to assist these unhappy women to return to England or tho colonies. Upper-class Chinese parents are generally strongly opposed to their sons and daughters marrying those of another rare. The prospective children of such marriages ought also to be considered. It is happily quite true that those, of mixed parentage are in no way inferior mentally, physically, or spiritualy to persons of pure European or Asiatic blood, but as things aro at present they are in danger in many parts of the world of suffering disabilities owing to ignorant and unjust prejudices. The Christian Church and tho progress of Western thought are gradually counteracting those disabilities; but ignorant prejudice and cruel customs die- very slowly, not least in tho East. “ Of course, if tho bridegroom is an established and consistent Christian, some of these perils are greatly diminished. We do not forget that in Christ Jesus wo are all ono, and the clergy will doubtless in all cases ascertain that the man is a baptised Christian. But, even so, the bride and her friends should havo their eyes open to the peculiar difficulties that may await her, and at least tho need for special prayer for the grace of God to meet trials to faith, from which those who marry in their race are happily free.”