| caption: |
the Ang and his family and enormous house |
| text: |
The Ang's house is enormous and was newly repaired by the villagers giving 3 days of free labour earlier this year. The Ang is an oldish man, an opium smoker and at present at least rather ill looking. His eldest son died, and his widow with two small daughters was given the choice of staying here or returning to her home village. She opted for Tang and will marry her husband's younger brother, the Ang's heir, a young man now perhaps 18 or 20 years old. No formal wedding will be held (77) but the young man will take his brother's place without the performance of any rites. Legally there is no change, for the young woman will become the wife of the ruling chief and thus head of the women's side of the household. |
