Elizabeth's full Chinese name is Jiang, Xia Shuang (shah shwong). My brother Peter, the China scholar, tells me he thinks her name means she was the second child after one already born - "Shuang" means "a pair" and "Xia" means "beneath" or "under."
Given the situation in many rural Chinese communities, it indicates that she likely was the second born in a family that already had a child. This is still common in China right now. The financial and social penalties are stringent and people are just ekeing out sustenance existences. Families either try for a boy, and/or are financially penalized for having additional children. It makes it impossible for them to keep their second or third children, especially if they are girls.
While we are joyful hearing the news of her imminent arrival here, we feel terrible for her family. So her Chinese name, which has a beautiful sound, reflects some of that sadness.
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"Xia" also means "the glow of the sunrise or sunset" and I was SO HOPING that it would be part of my daughter's given name. Had it been, we would have kept it as her first name (pronounced Zee-ah, although in China it's pronounced See-ah). Love the name and didn't get to use it for my daughter (though I still think of her as Xia in my heart).
Of course, you have the pinyin, so you know what that means -- but there is another meaning, one that is far prettier!
Congratulations on your absolutely beautiful baby girl. You will have such a wonderful time once you get her and bring her home!
Kelly (aka Truly Blessed, mom to 3 big boys and a sweet Yangdong SWI Princess, too!)
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