The Flower-Sitting Chair

Vocabulary:

Dowry- Money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage.

Mourning- The actions or expressions of one who has suffered a lost of a love ones.

Weep- To tears as an expressions of emotion.

Embroidered- To ornament with needlework.

Tribulation- A state of suffering or distress.

Regalia- The emblems and symbols of royalty.

Palanquin- A covered litter carried on poles on the shoulders of four or more people.

Broth- The water in which meat, fish or vegetables have been boiled.

Tilted- To incline in an angle, to cause a slope.

Chamber- A room in the house, especially a bedroom.

 

The Flower-Sitting Chair

Summary:

This chapter is mainly about Lily's wedding preparations. It starts by Madame Wang telling a story about a young married woman and everything she had to endure through marriage. The story served as a guideline with good morals and tips of how to be a good wife. 

Next it jumps to the pre wedding ceremonies, one of them consisted in the bride not eating in the final 10 days before the wedding. During this time she also gets to meet her in-laws where she gets their approval on the marriage. Her mother in-law ended up sympathizing with Lily.

After this, they take Lily to their village where she will meet her future husband. Before she left she received a letter from Snow Flower where she stated that she was afraid that Lily would forget her. Lily felt horrible that she read the letter after she left and could not tell Snow Flower that she will always remember her.

The chapter ends with Lily getting married and feeling anxious about seeing Snow Flower on her third day of marriage when they read books written for her, but Snow Flower never showed-up. 

Chinese Art Paintings of Zou Chuan-an