he Marriage Certificate of Dr. George Leslie Mackay
God created Man, male and female, Adam and Eve, and they lived happily in the Garden of Eden. Eve, however, unfortunately fell into temptation and ate of the Forbidden Fruit.She and Adam were thus expelled from the Garden of Eden and condemned to a mortal existence. Ever since, humanity has been beset with all manner of troubles. Humanity must deal with floods, wild beasts, war and plagues, but none of these can compare with the domestic strife of Adam and Eve. The squabbles between man and woman have troubled humankind for thousands of years. With the bondage of marriage, quarrels between husband and wife have become so petty that not even God can help.
 
 
It is said that the bond of marriage is as thin as the piece of paper upon which a marriage license is printed, and impulsive people may sign a divorce agreement after the slightest conflict. Others, however, invest this piece of paper with a lifetime’s worth of kindnesses and complaints, feelings and memories. To most husbands and wives, this piece of paper is only looked at once and put away thereafter. Given today’s high divorce rates, the value of marriage certificates has even dropped below that of wallpaper; who would bother to spend much time looking at one? Though perhaps not apparent in its material value, there is in fact much to be learned from the marriage certificate!
 
 
Marriage as Public Affairs
 
Let’s start close at hand. Marriages in the Republic of China are ceremonial. It is required that “A marriage incorporate a public ceremony with two or more witnesses.” In other words, originally a wedding ceremonywith two or more witnesses was in and of itself sufficient; the signing of a certificate was not strictly required. However, this definition of a wedding ceremony invited controversy as couples held different ideas about the validity of their wedding ceremonies and brought their disagreements to court. To fix this problem, the government made amendments to the section of the Civil Code pertaining to family affairs. Effective from May 23rd, 2007, Article 982 of the Civil Code reads: “A marriage should be certified in writing, with the signature of two or more witnesses, and two parties should register the marriage at the household registration office.” The meaning of this portion of the Civil Code is, marriage certificates are now legally enforceable documents.The husband and wife must prepare a formal marriage certificate and present it to the household registration office before the marriage is legally recognized.
 
From this we can see that the marriage certificate is no longer only a matter between husband and wife, but is now a public concern and legal issue, reflecting unceasing historical change and the vicissitudes of human feeling.
 
 
One Marriage, Three Certificates
 
How should interpret this phrase? To answer this, we must go back more than a hundred years, to that missionary with his long, black beard: Mr. George Leslie Mackay. With pious Christian faith, he spread the Word in wild and undeveloped areas throughout northern Taiwan. He devoted not only his youth and passion to Formosa, but also his marriage.
 
On May 27th, 1878, Mackay wrote this in his diary:
 
Today in the British Embassy I married Miss Tiu? Chhang-mia. The consul and his wife (Mr. and Mrs. A. Frater), Mr. John Dodd, Dr. Ringer, Mr. and Mrs. Lay, and a few others were present to witness the ceremony.
 
 
Although held in the Qing era before the implementation of modern law, Mackay’s wedding would be considered lawful even by today’s standards. It was not only a public ceremony, but the wedding venue was the British Embassy at Fort San Domingo, today a renowned historical monument. The attendees were all VIPs: in addition to notables like the consul Mr. Frater and Dr. Ringer there was also Mr. John Dodd, who introduced tea production techniques to Taiwan, allowing the flavors of Formosan tea to waft onto foreign lands. Aside from a public ceremony and witnesses, there was also a document stating their marriage vows, also known as the marriage certificate. It reads as follows:
 
In the eyes of everyone here, and with a sincere heart, I, Tiu? Chhang-mia, now take thee, Reverend George Leslie Mackay, to be my lawful husband. My vow shall meet no objection.
 
I hope all members present bear witness to this. I, Tiu? Chhang-mia, now give myself to you, George Leslie Mackay, who in accordance with the law and relevant customs, is now my husband, till death do us part.
 
 
This marriage certificate is simple, written in calligraphy simple script and in a manner neither joyful nor particularly tender. On the contrary, there is a hint of sadness, although a sense of confidence emerges from the tone of fear. The name “George Leslie Mackay” is written in Taiwanese transliteration. At that time, marriage between a local and a foreigner would create quite a stir. Besides this document, two other documents were also preserved. 
One is a document signifying the agreement of Miss Tiu? Chhang-mia’s birth parents, and the other that of her foster parents. These three documents reveal Mrs. Mackay’s family background and more than that are a representation of the plight of Taiwanese women at that time.
 
 
God’s Approval
 
It all began onMarch 9th, 1872, when Mackay arrived at Tamsui River on the Sea Dragon. Arriving in Huwei (today, Tamsui) for the first time, he described his state of mind at the time: “I look from north to south, and then towards the inland and the deep green mountains far away. My soul is very content, my mind calm and at rest. I know that this is where I belong. A calm and clear voice said to me: ‘This the land.’” Just as God decreed, Mackay decided to stay in Huwei to spread the Gospel. In the beginning, the locals met him with many obstacles, and even insults and attacks. It was only after numerous twists and turns that Mackay finally began to make progress. He wrote this in his diary on March 2nd, 1873:
 
There were about one hundred and fifty people in attendance at this afternoon’s Wugu Presbyterian Church inauguration ceremony. I delivered a sermon based on Hebrews 10:25. Everyone was warm and happy.
 
 
Go-Ko-Khi Presbyterian Church (located in what today is Wugu Township, Taipei County) was the first church Mackay established in northern Taiwan. After its establishment, students 12 years of age or older were invited to learn the Roman alphabet. Participants received one silver coin a month. Among the more than one hundred participants, the most talented, highest-achieving student was a girl named Chhang-a. She was the grandchild bride of Chen Tha-so, Mackay’s first female follower.
 
 
Mackay and Chen Tha-so were on familiar terms to begin with. As Chhang-a showed outstanding performance at learning, Mackay’s visits to Chen Tha-so’s place were like teacher’s home visits. Speaking of “home visit,” adjectives like warm and earnest may spring up in the mind. However, a hundred years ago this was rare in Taiwan, when poverty meant education was beyond the reach of most families. For girls, academic talent ran counter to traditional ideas about virtue. For Chhang-a, an adopted child bride, dducation was out of the question. Her original husband-to-be died early at age twelve. This perhaps led her foster parents to believe she was instigator bearer of misfortune whose arrival had led to her betrothed’s death. They often abused her and even forced her to bind her feet. In Mackay’s eyes, Chhang-a’s experience was almost unbearably tragic. Despite her unsurpassed understanding of the Bible, her fate tormented her. Under the strictures of Han Chinese social structure, she had little, if any, prospect for the future.
 
 
Hence, with the help of his student Chen Yunteng, who acted as a matchmaker, Mackay decided to marry Chhang-a and renamed her Tiu? Chhang-mia, according to Taiwanese transliteration (English name Minnie). However, both her foster parents and birth parents had to agree before the two could marry. Following their consent, the marriage certificate was signed and the two could finally become husband and wife.
 
This is the reason why one marriage has three certifying documents.
 
Among the missionaries in Taiwan at the time, Mackay was the first to take a local girl as his wife, an act that declared his determination to plant roots in Taiwan and his adherence to the “burn out rather than rust out” spirit. Just as was written when he said “This is the land” upon his first arrival at Tamsui, this was indeed, as God decreed, the land to which he would devote himself to and the woman with which he would join himself.
 
 
From Tiu? Chhang-mia’s perspective, a single marriage certificate allowed her to escape from her foster family as well as her miserable life circumstances. She took on a surprising path and became the only woman among six teachers at Taiwan’s earliest Western school—the Oxford School. Because she could interpret Christian doctrines from the perspectives of local people, she provided important aid to Mackay’s missionary enterprises. Later, they gave birth to two daughters, Mary Ellen (1879-1959) and Bella (1880-1970), and one son George William (1882-1969).
 
Simple as a marriage certificate may be, it can change a person’s destiny and carries religious, cultural and social meaning.
 
 
Marriage Certificate Penalty
 
As a side note, I have been married for many years. The birth certificate of my daughter has long replaced my marriage certificate in significance. Thinking of that marriage certificate, prepared in the delicate style provided by the wedding shop, I cannot today remember where it has been stored away. That said, an episode comes to mind. In preparation for registering my marriage, I prepared everything according to information downloaded online, including my household registration certificate, ID card, personal stamp, photo, and of course the marriage certificate itself. While my wife was handling the formalities at the registrar, I stood off to the side and waited, only for my wife to present me with a big red bill she asked me to sign. In confusion, I thought to myself: isn’t this a ticket?
 
That’s right. The staff noticed the date on our marriage certificate and discovered that we had violated the law. The Household Registration Act, Article 53 stipulates that:
 
Any application that is not made within the statutory time limit without due reason shall be subject to a fine.
Past due more than one day and less than fifteen days 75 NTD
Past due more than sixteen days and less than thirty days 150 NTD
 
 
I never would have thought that I would have to sign and pay 150 NTD in penalty before having my wife’s name printed in the spouse column of my ID card.
 
Perhaps, after my death, anyone curious enough to research my marriage will discover that red-colored ticket beside my marriage certificate.
 
Will he carefully study the documents in detail just as I did Mackay’s, or will he simply laugh it off?
 
 
References:
Mackay, George. Diary of Dr. Mackay. Trans. by Chen Hongwen. Tainan: Renkuang, July, 1996. 
Mackay, George. From Far Formosa. Trans. by Lin Wansheng. Taipei: Avanguard, May, 2007.
 
為一紙永恆的誓約-談馬偕的結婚證書相關藏品
Collection on the “Promise of Eternity – The Marriage Certificate of Dr. George Mackay”
 
Description: Content Summary: Tha-so and chhang-a came out.
Data identification: serial number: 18771123
 
 
 
Description: Content: at the Consulate at 11 A.M. married to TiuN-Chhang-mi...more
Data identification: serial number: 18780527
 
 
 
Dr. Mackay and Zhang Congming’s Marriage (1) Approval by Birth Parents
Description: Content: On May 27th, 1878, Dr. Mackay got married with Zhang Congming who was born in Wugu. This is ,the document of approval made by Zhang Congming’s birth parents Mr. and Mrs. Zhang Zhong (...more
Data identification: serial number: 00004