Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/341

 THE YATOW. 313 bridegroom sends presents of female clothing, and of materials for a " man's " clothing, to the bride, including stuff for the long outer, wider, manly robe, which he assumes on his marriage-day for the first time in his life. After these are sent, the bridegroom is permitted to tie up his hair in a knot on the crown of his head, in old Chinese style; his uncut hair having been previously plaited in a queue similar to the present Chinese or Manchu fashion. The Corean never cuts off any of his hair and never shaves. There is, however, on the middle of the crown of his head a little spot, which could be covered with a sixpence, which was burnt on the occasion of his first childish illness ; and that spot is made a little larger when the knot is tied, as the accumulation of hair on the top of his head makes the head uncomfortably hot, and causes sore eyes. And the bridegroom having become a man, now goes round to pay his humble respects to all the relations and friends of his father. On the night of the day on which the bridegroom sent his presents, the friends of his father collect at his house, sit up all night, and eat, drink, and make merry. As Corea is an extremely poor country, there are many who cannot afford to get wives for their sons, and there are many men who grow up bachelors of a respectable age ; hence we imagine the notion prevalent in China that women are more numerous than men in Corea, as polygamy is so common. The male human being who is unmarried is never called a "man,'' whatever his age, but goes by the name of "yatow"; a name given by the Chinese to unmarriageble young girls : and the " man " of thirteen or fourteen has perfect right to strike, abuse, order about the "yatow" of thirty, who dares not as much as open his lips to complain. Another auspicious day, perhaps the third after present-day, is found for "diang gaiglianda" — the marriage. On the night before the marriage, the bride sends back her husband's garments made by herself, being her first wifely duty dona An auspicious hour is fixed for the departure of the bridegroom and his party from his own house to that of the bride. In front of the