She was a pious Buddhist and every day in her prayers asked Buddha not ro reincarnate her as a woman. "Let me become a cat or dog, but not a woman, " was her constant murmur as she shuffled around the house, oozing apology with every step.

Jung Chang
About This Quote

When Natsuko was born, her parents were ecstatic. They had a son after all, and not just any son but one with the gift of good fortune. Natsuko was their only child and they wanted nothing but the best for him. However, on his sixth birthday, the gift of good fortune turned to tragedy when Natsuko discovered that he was indeed a boy.

Enraged, Natsuko’s father ordered his wife to kill the boy at once. Years later, on the same day at six years old, Natsuko died of a stroke while walking down the street. When Natsuko’s family discovered that she had died, they were stricken with grief.

Her father apologized profusely to her every day in his prayers for his actions. The rest of the family did not know what to do with themselves; praying every day for Buddha to reincarnate them as cats or dogs would be impossible.

Source: Wild Swans: Three Daughters Of China

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