CHAPTER TWO Huangfu Jing Begets Mythical Twins (Part 1)

“Reporting to Master: The mid-wife says that Madam is still undergoing waves of labor pains, and it is surely because she is pregnant with twins. After a short while, she is certain to bear a young master. I am here to report the good news to Master in advance.”

Hearing the report, the Commissioner-in-chief was elated
The auspicious signs precisely matched what the dream had foretold

Before midnight,^[1] she had given birth to a daughter
In a short while, she would again give birth to a son

Quickly lighting candles—burning incense—
The Commissioner-in-chief thanked the gods for their blessings

Before he could make his way to the room to see his daughter
After midnight,^[2] Lady Yin gave birth to a son

Tidying up his brocade clothes and satin belt
He rewarded the midwife and entered the inner chamber

Hanging up the embroidered curtain, he moved close to the ornate bed
In a low voice, he asked his wife whether she felt alright

Today she gave birth to a pair of son and daughter twins
Their ancestors can be relieved about their bloodline

Eastern Dipper and Jade Maiden were born as twins
The Huangfu household relied on the heavens

Lady Yin felt joy in her heart
She called the wet nurse to bring the children

They were both sent into the arms of her husband
The Commissioner-in-chief looked at them closely in satisfaction

Looking at them—the pair of children appeared to be dignified^[3]
They were each covered in brocade quilts and wrapped with a jeweled belt

Their faces were like peach blossoms dewy with raindrops
Their eyebrows were like willow leaves saturated in mist

Their earlobes were naturally beautiful
Their tiny red lips were distinctively vibrant

Their eyes moved like running water, exceeding the mundane
Their noses were rounded like balls of cotton, transcending the ordinary

Embroidered clothes partially covered their faces
Emerald cuffs lightly enveloped their jade-like fists

The two darling babies resembled each other
As if they were powdered in makeup and carved from jade

The master finished looking at his newborn son and daughter
They were like—two luminous pearls in the palms of his hands

He ordered the wet nurse to be careful
And urged her to ensure the lying-in Lady Yin’s safeness

He worshipped the gods repeatedly for being merciful
Paying thousands of gold to shape statues in their holy likeness

Hundreds of carts and horses came to congratulate him
He held grand banquets both when it was three days and one month old for the twins

He hired one more wet nurse to together look after the twins
It is only because—he did not expect to have both a daughter and a son

The government offices were filled with happiness
The general’s mansion was brimming with splendor

For an entire year, the twins grew up together
One year passed by, and then came another

By only the age of five, they were already very clever
Going to school and learning from teachers to recite the words of the sages

[1] The original Chinese text is haishi 亥时 [the hours of the pig], which is equivalent to 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm in the modern days. More about the zodiac time system, see the entry of Chinese Zodiac Hours.

[2] The original Chinese text is zishi 子时 [the hours of the rat], which is equivalent to the period of time from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm in the modern days. The Rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac cycle and represents the beginning of a new day. More about the zodiac time system, see the entry of Chinese Zodiac Hours.

[3] The original text describes the twins as being duanyan 端嚴 [dignified and solemn]. Although Huangfu Changhua and Shaohua are still babies at that time, considering that they are immortals reincarnated into the human world, the author probably did it on purpose to highlight their extraordinary origins.

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