“天要下雨，娘要嫁人”

“天要下雨，娘要嫁人”Literally, it means “If it rains, my mother will marry.”This Chinese proverb implies that some things are irreversible or that one’s resolve is unwavering.

Orphan and Widow

Long ago, there was a scholar named Zhu Yaozong. His father passed away due to illness when he was just over a year old. Fearing that Zhu Yaozong might be abused by his future stepfather, his mother refused to remarry, shouldering the burden of supporting him alone.

Studying Under a Master, He Became the Top Scholar

Zhu Yaozong was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and loved reading. Seeing his potential, his mother used the money she saved from her frugal lifestyle to hire a teacher named Zhang Wenju to teach him at their home.

Zhang Wenju was also a poor scholar, but he possessed a wealth of knowledge. His lessons with Zhu Yaozong were meticulous and attentive. The teacher and student were a formidable pair, one a masterful teacher and the other a bright and studious student.

“Chastity Archway”

When Zhu Yaozong took the palace examination, the emperor was impressed by his talent and handsome appearance. He decreed that he be appointed his son-in-law. After thanking the emperor for his kindness, Zhu Yaozong recalled his mother, who had painstakingly raised him. He recounted the difficult life he and his mother had lived together since childhood.

The emperor was deeply moved and immediately issued an edict:

A “Chastity Archway” should be erected in honor of the mother of Zhu Yaozong, the top scholar, who had been widowed for many years and had never remarried.

Zhu Yaozong was naturally delighted.

Fear and Joy

According to custom, the newly crowned top scholar would return home to visit his family. When Zhu Yaozong returned home, his mother was overjoyed to see her son had won the top spot. However, when she heard the emperor’s decree to erect a chastity archway for her, she became visibly uneasy.

Zhu Yaozong’s mentor, Zhang Wenju, had tragically passed away due to illness a few years earlier. During their time together at Zhu Yaozong’s home, they gradually developed feelings for each other.

Although Zhang Wenju left the family after Zhu Yaozong went to Beijing for the imperial examination, their affection for each other continued unabated. Recently, Zhu Yaozong’s mother had been considering marrying Zhang Wenju. Now, hearing that the emperor was going to erect a chastity archway for her, how could she not be filled with worry?

It’s going to rain, I’m getting married.

When Zhu Yaozong heard his mother was planning to remarry his mentor, Zhang Wenju, he was terrified.

He tumbled to his knees before his mother, weeping bitterly:

“Mother, this is absolutely impossible. I’ve already told the Emperor that you won’t remarry. If you remarry now, you’ll be committing the crime of deceiving the Emperor. This is a heinous crime punishable by the death of all nine generations of your clan!”

Zhu Yaozong’s mother was torn.

If she remarried, she would undoubtedly be committing the crime of deceiving the Emperor. But if she didn’t, who would know the long, lonely nights she’d endured?

After much deliberation, Zhu Yaozong’s mother sighed and said helplessly, “Let’s leave everything to fate.”

She casually took off a silk dress from her waist and handed it to Zhu Yaozong, saying,

“It was not easy for me to raise you. Tomorrow morning, wash this dress and hang it out in the yard. If it dries before nightfall, I won’t remarry. If it doesn’t, it’s God’s will. You don’t have to stop me from remarrying.”

Things go against wishes

Zhu Yaozong knew his mother’s hard work in raising him, so he had no choice but to do as she instructed.

The next morning, the sky was clear and the sun was blazing.

Zhu Yaozong was secretly delighted. He thought, in such good weather, even ten or eight dresses could be dried, not just one.

But just as he washed his mother’s dress and hung it out to dry in the yard, the clear sky suddenly became overcast and a torrential downpour poured down.

The skirts drying in the yard were soaked by the torrential downpour, much wetter than they would have been after washing and wrung out. The rain continued into the middle of the night. My mother’s skirts remained as if soaked in water. How could they possibly dry?

After dark, Zhu Yaozong’s mother, looking out the window at the pouring rain, said to him, “Son, it’s raining, and I must marry. Heaven’s will cannot be defied!” Zhu Yaozong groaned bitterly, but he could do nothing about it.

A Generous Emperor

After returning to the capital, Zhu Yaozong reported his mother’s marriage to his mentor, Zhang Wenju, to the emperor, requesting his punishment.

The emperor was amazed and said, “It’s raining, and I’m marrying. This is a match made in heaven. Let it be.”

From then on, people used the phrase “天要下雨，娘要嫁人”to describe events that are irreversible.