Madame ZHǍNGSŪN 长孙 = and elderly lady with no teeth
Madame TÁNG 唐 = her daughter-in-law
CUĪ Nánshān 崔南山 of the Táng 唐 dynasty (period 12) had a great grandmother known as Madame ZHǍNGSŪN 长孙. She was very old and no longer had teeth. Each day his grandmother, Madame TÁNG 唐, combed the old lady’s hair, washed her face, and brought her into the main hall, where she fed her mother-in-law with her own milk, although it meant that she had to feed her own children rice gruel. Although the old lady ate not a crumb, nevertheless she passed many years in good health.
One day she fell sick, and young and old gathered about her as she announced: “There is no way that I can repay my daughter-in-law’s favors. I want all the sons and grandsons and their wives to be as filial and respectful as this daughter-in-law has been.” And truth to tell, when Madame Táng’s children grew up, they were all noted for their great filial devotion.