This is the story of Bao Gong. One night, a ray of light from Heaven fell on a sleeping 50-year-old woman’s belly. She awoke in the morning to discover she was pregnant with a heavenly child. But the woman was old and didn’t want any more children, and she tried to abort the baby. She wasn’t successful and gave birth to a baby boy. At about the same time, the older woman’s daughter-in-law also gave birth to a boy.
The woman’s boy was born very ugly, with dark skin and huge eyes. She went to her daughter-in-law and asked that she drown the ugly baby in the river. She was too embarrassed at the thought of what people would say about her, the old woman with the ugly baby. Her daughter-in-law agreed and took the ugly baby boy away.
When it was time for her little grandson to start school, the older woman stroked his head and remarked sadly: “If my ugly little boy were still alive, he would be starting school now too.” Her daughter-in-law smiled and said: “Do you want to see him?” The woman sighed and replied: “I couldn’t even if I wanted to; he’s long dead now.”
Her daughter-in-law then went outside and brought back a little boy with a dark face, saying: “Look, it’s him, your son. I couldn’t bring myself to throw him in the river; he’s your flesh and blood. I hid him in my house and raised him along with my son. They both called me mom, but it’s time to give him back to his real mother.” The woman had given the boy a second chance.
The older woman hugged her little boy and told him: “I am your mom; I gave birth to you. But the person who raised you is your sister-in-law she saved your life. So hurry and bow to her and give thanks.”
The boy’s name was Bao Gong
The boy’s name was Bao Gong and he obediently bowed to his sister-in-law, thanking her for loving him and raising him as her son. Later, the boy’s mother passed away, and his sister-in-law continued to look after him.
Bao Gong served as a senior government official. But he never forgot to respect and thank the woman who saved his life and raised him as her own.
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