Infant Matrimony

In the states of Yan and Zhao, the son of a relatively well-off family would be betrothed to a grown-up girl when he was between the ages of three and five. Anticipating that their daughters’s betrothal gifts would be profitable, poor families with a lot of children would marry them in accordance with the local custom. When the betrothed girl arrived at the in-laws, the first thing she did was to make obeisance to her parents – in – law in the way she did to her own parents, and she addressed her husband as “ younger brother”. Chores like fetching water from a well, grinding rice in a mortar, cooking and sewing all fell on her. At night, she would lull her little husband to sleep; during the daytime, she dressed him and fed him. She actually served as a maid in the house. They married when the boy grew up.

中国民间风俗—娃娃亲

     燕、赵这一带的居民，家庭情况属于小康水平的，生了儿子才三岁五岁，就给他娶个成年的姑娘。家庭贫寒孩子又多的人家，则认为他们的聘金有利可图，就随当地的风俗习惯让女孩出嫁。姑娘到了男方家，先用对父母的礼仪拜见公婆，称她的丈夫为弟弟。家中所有打水舂米、煮饭烧菜和缝纫等家务，都由她来担任。晚上哄小女婿睡觉，白天给他穿衣服，喂饭给他吃，像保姆那样。男孩子成年后，便结婚。