My first child arrived in this world when I was nineteen, and I gave birth to my beautiful goddess when the date of my birth moved by two centuries away from me.
I first met Sun Bu’er in 1184, when she was just sixty. She was sitting at the edge of a cliff, her eyes closed.
“To stop the Dragon.
When everything remains immobile,
It causes movement.
Yin and Yang are creating one another.
Catch the Jade Tiger
At a blow of the wind,
Catch the Golden Bird in the moonshine.
Follow the process of internal change,
And keep focused
On the cessation and return.
When all the bridges are crossed,
The alchemical energy
Returns to the oven.”
She slowly turned her head and addressed me, although I had not given any sign of my presence.
“Sister, come down and join me. It’s a nice morning today. My children are coming to see me and to celebrate my birthday. Earthly duties are also rewarding. I hope to see all my grandchildren. The tea ceremony preparations are in process.”
“Well, since you have noticed me, there is no point in hiding. I liked your poems, Sister. But what do you mean by ‘immobility’? However, I think, we will talk about it later, and now I want to give you some tea as a gift. You are sure to love it. It grew among peach-trees at the secret slope of Lu-Shan Mountain.”
“I do appreciate, Tea Elder, your calling me ‘Sister’. Your fame is like the tender odour of the eternity for those, who have chosen the Way.
“Please, follow me into the house. Soon, it will be filled with the cheerful voices of my grandchildren. It’s not often that we can allow ourselves to indulge in watching the joyous playfulness of these little rulers of the world.”
……….
This wonderful meeting with Sun Bu’er and her children touched me so deeply, that when I was left alone, I had an irresistible wish to experience maternity again.
It was a risky decision, which involved a great deal of responsibility. It was not hard to guess that no one would have approved of my move, even Sun Bu’er. Over the eight centuries I had preserved my ‘jade cluster’ intact. Now it was time ‘to eat’ one of the grapes of this wonderful garden. Besides, it had been quite a challenge to preserve one’s pristine energy for so long, and there was no way to measure it. How could I know whether my decision would be fateful for me, whether I would be able to get over the energy loss, and, besides, whether I would be able to pass on enough energy to my child?