Chang and Eng Bunker: The Story of the Brothers Who Created the Concept of 'Siamese Twins'
Categories: Celebrities | History | North America
By Pictolic https://pictolic.com/article/chang-and-eng-bunker-the-story-of-the-brothers-who-created-the-concept-of-39siamese-twins39.htmlToday, there is hardly any need to explain who Siamese twins are — even children know that they are people who have fused bodies. But few people know why such twins are called “Siamese.” This term appeared at the beginning of the 19th century thanks to the first celebrities with this feature — the brothers Chang and Eng Bunker from Siam.
Siamese twins Chang and Eng were born in 1811 in Siam, now Thailand. The boys were given the names Rong and Ying at birth. They were born joined by a small 10cm long bridge located below the chest. Each of them had their own full set of organs, and the only organ they had in common was the liver.
Modern medicine can easily separate such twins, but two centuries ago the problem was insoluble. The bridge that connected the brothers was elastic. It did not prevent them from moving or even swimming. It was while swimming in the river in 1824 that Rong and Ying caught the eye of a foreigner, a merchant from Scotland, Robert Hunter.
The enterprising European immediately realized that the unusual children could bring him profit. He went to their parents and bought the boys without much difficulty. His visit coincided with a tragedy: the twins' father had died just a few days earlier, and the mother was in dire need of money. Hunter paid only $500 for the children.
After the purchase, Hunter immediately gave the boys new names. Now they were called Chang and Eng Bunker. For some time, the merchant took the twins with him to different countries. At the age of 17, they, along with Hunter and his partner Abel Coffin, ended up in the United States.
In America, the twins were first introduced to scientists. They examined and measured them, after which they declared that Chang and Eng were Chinese. This nationality was recorded in their first identity documents.
The news of the appearance of the young men fused together quickly spread through American newspapers. There were so many people who wanted to see them that Hunter and Coffin decided to organize a tour. They registered a company and called it simply: "Freak Show." And it didn't matter that the circus consisted of two young artists and two directors.
Twins Chang and Eng, thanks to the flexibility of their jumper, could show a variety of tricks. They ran, jumped, danced and even performed acrobatic tricks. The public did not demand much from them - Americans were ready to pay just to stare at the strange "Chinese".
Once the Bunker brothers mastered English, it became obvious that they had a sharp mind and a great sense of humor. From that moment on, their performances began to include conversations with the audience. The twins easily parried the most daring jokes and answered tricky questions. Chang and Eng's popularity grew rapidly. Mark Twain himself wrote about them, having personally met the brothers and was impressed by their charisma.
Soon, Abel Coffin became the sole owner of the Freak Show. He could not cope with organizing events on his own, so he hired a director for the circus. Chang and Eng's first manager was James W. Hale. It was he who introduced the term "Siamese twins" into circulation, although the original expression used was "Siamese boys."
Tickets to the Bunker Brothers show cost 25 cents, which is equivalent to about $7.50 today. In addition to selling tickets, James Hale came up with the idea of issuing postcards and booklets featuring the twins. For an additional fee, fans could get autographs from Chang and Eng.
But the tour wasn't always trouble-free. During one show in Alabama, a local doctor demanded to see the twins. His behavior was rude, and he treated the brothers as if they were second-class citizens. Chang and Eng showed pride and refused to let the doctor see them.
In retaliation, the doctor began spreading rumors that Chang and Eng were frauds. He claimed that the brothers were not connected to each other by anything other than their suit. Fortunately, most of the public ignored this statement. The incident did not affect the popularity of the duo, which continued to grow.
Having traveled all over America, Chang and Eng set off to conquer Europe. In England, at one of their performances, they were seen by a girl named Sophia. She fell in love with both guys at once and declared that she wanted to become their wife. Puritan English society took this with hostility. Discussions began in legal circles, during which such a marriage was recognized as criminal bigamy.
Meanwhile, the relationship between the artists and the circus owner Coffin was getting worse. The businessman was brazenly fleecing the artists, pocketing a significant portion of their income. This led to a scandal, during which 21-year-old Chang and Eng unilaterally broke their contract with the Freak Show and went on their own.
Chang and Eng abandoned the offensive names of the show and henceforth performed under the name "The Siamese Twins." During the seven years of working for themselves, they accumulated a significant capital and bought a plot of land in North Carolina. Having decided to end their touring life, the brothers at the age of 28 began building a house and organizing a farm. To work on the plantations, they bought black slaves to work on the plantations.
In their new place, Chang and Eng met sisters Adelaide and Sarah Yates. The brothers fell in love, and the girls reciprocated their feelings. However, according to one legend, both brothers initially chose Sarah, but then they came to an agreement, and Chang began to court Adelaide.
The most unusual wedding in North Carolina, and perhaps in the United States, took place in 1843. The brides' parents were categorically against the marriage, but love overcame all obstacles, and the ceremony took place. And soon the first children were born in the brothers' families. And this happened with a difference of only 6 days. First, Sarah gave birth to Catherine Marcellus on February 10, 1844. And on February 16, Adelaide gave birth to Josephine Virginia.
Subsequently, children began to be born almost every year. Chang and Adelaide had 10 offspring in total, and Eng and Sarah had 11. A total of 21 children were born: 12 daughters and 9 sons. Alas, two babies died in early childhood from burns, and two were born deaf. Interestingly, not a single pair of twins appeared in unusual families. Chang and Eng's marriages turned out to be happy, and the brothers lived with their wives until the end of their days.
When the Bunker brothers left the stage, they vowed never to return to show business. But in 1865, the Civil War brought a crisis, and the brothers' families found themselves in dire straits. Their slaves had been freed, and their plantations lay in ruins. Forced to find new sources of income, the Siamese twins decided to perform again. But it proved difficult to regain their success. In a country devastated by war, circus shows were of little interest to anyone.
To start earning money again, Chang and Eng had to tour Europe again. They visited France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland and even the Russian Empire, where they had great success. After returning to the United States, the already elderly brothers suffered a misfortune. Chang suffered a stroke, which left him paralyzed on the right side of his body. However, Eng was healthy and felt great.
Unfortunately, the duo could no longer perform, as Eng had to carry his sick brother. To make matters worse, Chang began drinking out of grief. Because the brothers were connected by their liver and circulatory system, the alcoholism of one affected the health of the other. Before Christmas 1874, Chang fell ill with bronchitis. The doctors prescribed treatment - sleeping in a chair by a hot fireplace.
The brothers did this for a few days, and then Eng persuaded his brother to go to bed. The next morning, their children discovered that Chang was dead. Eng died about two hours after his brother. An autopsy showed that one of the twins died from a blood clot, and the other from intoxication. Siamese twins Chang and Eng were 62 years old.
Brothers Chang and Eng Bunker have lived incredible lives full of challenges, successes, and love. Their story is inspiring and thought-provoking: about fortitude, about accepting the differences of others, and about how circumstances can shape our destiny. Do you think you could handle a similar challenge? What character trait do you consider the most important for overcoming such life's challenges? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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