Marriage, China, wedding, Bear's `A Wedding in China’ Page.

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GETTING MARRIED IN CHINA

by
LEE A. WOOD

(Family portrait.)
IN THE MIDDLE, BLACK COAT, BIN (LIN). TO HER LEFT, JIN MEI, WHITE COAT, BIN’S YOUNGER SISTER.
THE FAMILY GATHER AROUND A GREAT AUNT WHOM THEY HAVEN’T SEEN FOR YEARS.
THIS IS IN A SMALL TOWN (CALLED SHAO XING) ABOUT A DAYS DRIVE SOUTH OF SHANGHAI.
WE HAD GONE THERE TO INFORM THE AUNT OF THE DEATH OF HER SISTER.

All of last year, Paul, from Prince George, and I, planned to spend January in Mexico.

`03 Nov. 22 Bin (Lin), my ex-wife and I left for China.

The day after we arrived, in Shanghai, Bin’s mother died. (She had been failing for a long time) You can read more about that in my story A DEATH IN CHINA.

(On a street in front of a shop.)
HUANG JIN MEI, IN WHITE COAT WITH A BROTHER AND 2 SISTER-IN-LAWS.
THIS STREET IS A FAMOUS TOURIST SPOT IN SHAO XING.

(Mei Wei with a hat on.)
JIN MEI, HAMMING IT UP. WE WERE TRYING ON HATS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP.
(background coloured solid green.)
THE HAT BLENDED INTO THE BACKGROUND SO I CHANGED THE BACKGROUND WITH PHOTO SUITE III.

Back in Shanghai.Jin Mei’s neighbours and friends are avid dancers. Jin Mei booked tickets to take me to a disco on Christmas eve. On the afternoon of Xmas Eve we went to a jewellery store.

(Jin Mei and I at supper.)
ON XMAS EVE THE FAMILY TOOK ME TO A RESTAURANT
FOR A SPECIAL DINNER. I PROPOSED TO JIN MEI.

(Jin Mei dancing and waving her hands.)
XMAS EVE. AT THE DISCO. JIN MEI SHOWS HER RING TO HER FRIENDS.

( Jin Mei holding a large envelope.)
MEI WEI WINS THE DOOR PRIZE AT THE DISCO.
( A friend holding a large envelope.)
SHORTLY, THEREAFTER, DING LING, JIN MEI’S FRIEND, WON A DOOR PRIZE.

Both calendars were given to me as presents. They are lovely prints with metallic highlights and will grace the walls of our house afterJin Mei immigrates to Canada.

On Boxing day I flew back to Vancouver. Paced the streets, impatiently, during the weekend and Monday morning got my papers from the government to show that I was divorced. Took them to my lawyer who sent them to Victoria. Took my passport to the visa office to arrange for another Chinese visa. Went to Flight center and booked a ticket to Shanghai. Not wanting to sit and fume in Vancouver, and still wanting to meet Paul, I booked a ticket to Mexico.

(Paul and Brenda look down from a balcony.)
PAUL AND HIS WIFE, BRENDA, AT OUR HOTEL, MI CASISTA, IN ZIHUATANEJO.
(View of a beach.)
VIEW OF PLAYA MADERA FROM OUR BALCONY.

Meanwhile, back in vancouver, my lawyer has received my papers back from Victoria, translated them into Chinese, and sent them to the Chinese Embassy.

(Palm roof of a cabin.)
BELOW OUR ROOMS WAS A LOVELY CABANA THAT
I SAID I WOULD USE NEXT WINTER WHEN I TAKE MY WIFE TO ZIHU.
BRENDA LAUGHED AND SAID, “FIRST YOU HAVE TO FIND A WIFE.”
“NO PROBLEMO”, I REPLIED. THEY JUST LAUGHED AT ME.

While in Zihu. we were able to renew acquaintances with some old friends, and to make new ones. Zihu. is such a friendly town.

( Water across the road.)
HEAVY RAINS THE NIGHT BEFORE MEANT WE HAD TO DRIVE THROUGH WATER IN SEVERAL PLACES.
(A sign on a tree,(Parque Ecologico La Vainilla).)
OUR FRIENDS TOOK US INTO THE BACK COUNTRY TO A SMALL COMMUNITY.

( A lovely water fall deep within the forest.)
LOCAL YOUNGSTERS LED ME UPSTREAM THROUGH THE PARQUE.
(People gathered around and outdoor table.)
FRIENDS OF FRIENDS BARBEQUED A LARGE FISH THAT WE BOUGHT FROM THE FISHERMAN ON THE BEACH IN ZIHUATANEJO, EARLY THAT MORNING.

(Sunset over the ocean from high on a hill.)
AS WE MADE OUR WAY OUT OF THE HILLS WE STOPPED TO ENJOY A MOST SPLENDIFEROUS SUNSET OVER IXTAPA.

The day before Chinese New Year Eve I flew back to vancouver, arriving at night. The Chinese embassy had closed before I got there but before they closed they sent my papers back to my lawyer.

Hoping that the previous statement had occurred I slept in late on Chinese New Year Eve and arrived at my lawyer’s office an hour after the courier. I then hustled over to the visa office and picked up my passport an hour before they closed for Chinese New Year.

Needless to say I had been on pins and needles the entire time I was in Mexico and wasn’t really able to relax and enjoy my trip for fear this thing wouldn‘t time out.

The next day I flew to China.

The marriage office was closed for the New Year. Consulting the calendar we discoverer that Sat. Jan. 31 was a lucky day. The marriage office opened on Friday and they informed us they would be open on Saturday, because they had been closed all week.

(Sitting at a counter.)
JIN MEI AND BEAR REGISTER AT THE WEDDING OFFICE IN SHANGHAI.

Saturday was kind of a Canada day at the wedding office. The couple before us; the groom, a Chinese gentleman, was from Vancouver.

(Standing together on a platform before the official.)
`04/01/31 THE WEDDING CEREMONY.

The couple after us; the bride, a Chinese lady, was from Vancouver.

(Family at supper.)
THE BRIDE’S FAMILY, TOAST THE NEW COUPLE, AT A CELEBRATORY DINNER.

(Jin Mei and I in front of a hotel.)
THE HOTEL WE STAYED IN.
FOR OUR HONEYMOON WE WENT SOUTH OF SHANGHAI TO ZHU JIA JIAO [(THE ANCIENT CITY)
(I WONDER HOW MANY TOWNS IN CHINA ARE CALLED `THE ANCIENT CITY’?)] .

(Jin Mei and I in a temple tower.)
RINGING A BELL IN A TEMPLE. THREE STRIKES FOR $1.00.

(Jin Mei and I standing on a bridge, cuddling.)
KEEPING EACH OTHER WARM.
THE WIND WAS CHILLY, OVER THE WATER.
(A canal lined with old houses.)
A TOWN OF MANY MAN MADE CANALS.

(A modern bridge.)
BACK TO SHANGHAI, ON THE NEW, LU PU BRIDGE OVER THE HUANG PU RIVER.

So, now, my ex-wife is my sister-in-law, my ex-sister-in-law is my wife, my ex-step-son is my nephew and my ex-nephew is my step-son. Confusing?, but all in the family.

( a palm roofed cabin.)
AND NEXT WINTER I WILL TAKE JIN MEI TO ZIHU.
AND WE WILL STAY IN THE BAMBOO CABANA OVERLOOKING LA BAHIA ZIHUATANEJO.
(Two rainbows over the bay of Zihuatanejo.)
SUN SHOWER SEEN FROM THE CABANA AT MI CASITA.

END

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RELATED WEB SITES

A CHINESE COUNTRY WEDDING
(CHCP logo.)
CHCP
Chinese Historical & Cultural Project
(Double Happiness logo.)
BEIFAN
Double happiness

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