Brides Around the World By Linda Holderbaum This Chinese bride and groom with wooden carved heads were created by the Door of Hope Mission, probably in the 1930s or 1940s. Founded in Shanghai in 1900 by five missionary women to rescue Chinese prostitutes, the Mission expanded its work in 1912 to include abandoned children. They continued through 1977. To raise funds for the Mission they produced dolls depicting Chinese people from various walks of life. Early dolls have carved heads and cloth bodies. Dolls produced from 1922 on have wooden carved heads, hands and sometimes feet. The groom wears a Da Gua tunic that closes in the front. The bride's beaded veil covers her face. 112 SPRING 2020 All dolls from the author's collection