cup and gives back the cup to the mother-in-law, who drinks three cups again.  Condiments are served, and, in ordinary houses, soup; after which the bride drinks once from the third cup and hands it to her father-in-law, who drinks thrice from it; the bride again drinks twice from it, and after her the mother-in-law drinks thrice.  The parents-in-law and the bride thus have drunk in all nine times.  If there are any brothers or sisters-in-law, soup and condiments are served, and a single porcelain wine-cup is placed before them on a tray, and they drink at the word of command of the father-in-law.  It is not indispensable that soup should be served upon this occasion.  If the parents of the bridegroom are dead, instead of the above ceremony, he leads his bride to make her obeisances before the tablets on which their names are inscribed.

In old days, after the ceremonies recorded above had been gone through, the bridegroom used to pay a visit of ceremony to the bride’s parents; but at the present time the visit is paid before the wedding, and although the forms observed on the occasion resemble those of the ancient times, still they are different, and it would be well that we should resume the old fashion.  The two trays which had been used at the wedding feast, loaded with fowl and fish and condiments neatly arranged, used to be put into a long box and sent to the father-in-law’s house.  Five hundred and eighty cakes of rice in lacquer boxes were also sent.  The modern practice of sending the rice cakes in a bucket is quite contrary to etiquette:  no matter how many lacquer boxes may be required for the purpose, they are the proper utensils for sending the cakes in.  Three, five, seven, or ten men’s loads of presents, according to the means of the family, are also offered.  The son-in-law gives a sword and a silk robe to his father-in-law, and a silk robe to his mother-in-law, and also gives presents to his brothers and sisters-in-law. (The ceremony of drinking wine is the same as that which takes place between the bride and her parents-in-law, with a very slight deviation:  the bridegroom receives no presents from his mother-in-law, and when the third cup is drunk the son-in-law drinks before the father-in-law).  A return visit is paid by the bride’s parents to the bridegroom, at which similar forms are observed.

At the weddings of the great, the bridal chamber is composed of three rooms thrown into one,[117] and newly decorated.  If there are only two rooms available, a third room is built for the occasion.  The presents, which have been mentioned above, are set out on two trays.  Besides these, the bridegroom’s clothes are hung up upon clothes-racks.  The mattress and bedclothes are placed in a closet.  The bride’s effects must all be arranged by the women who are sent on a previous day for the purpose, or it may be done whilst the bride is changing her clothes.  The shrine for the image of the family god is placed on a shelf adjoining the sleeping-place.  There