A Dream of the Pear Garden

When they first met, Jin Rong was still a prince of the Great Qing, dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, full of youthful vigor. Xu Jichuan was a celebrated young female-role performer in the opera world. Onstage, he would gently wave his folding fan, and every frown and smile could steal the hearts of half the city. Yet he was aloof by nature and hard to approach. The first time Jin Rong went to the theater to hear him sing, he saw straight through the layers of makeup and delicate brows to the loneliness in his eyes, black as night. From then on, no matter how many intoxicating diversions the vast capital offered, he could never put aside those tear-filled eyes. Xu Jichuan thought Prince Rong's patronage of an actor was merely a momentary whim of a spoiled young noble. Only after many twists and turns did he finally understand the weight of that deep affection. A prince and a female-role opera performer, from the late Qing to the Republican era. Happy ending, guaranteed. Except for the broad historical setting of the late Qing and early Republic, all characters are fictional. The operas mentioned in the story are mostly based on the Mei School, though the actual dates when the works were created may not match the events in the story. The story also features Kunqu alongside Pihuang. Please add the author's collection to your favorites~ Theme: