The Astonishing Guest of the Pear Garden

Once, there was a courtyard and a stage, where arias from north and south were performed to suit every taste. Opera flourished during the Qing dynasty, and troupes performing in the imperial palace became commonplace. Bannermen and wealthy households alike loved to listen. Those with fine voices were invited into the homes of the nobility and became private opera troupes. What I want to tell is simply a story about a dan-role performer in that era, acting out every facet of life. Blurb: Red brick and yellow tiles, a place that gathers all the world’s riches. Is this the Forbidden City? A young opera performer, just starting out, steps into the palace for the first time. They say this place nurtures its inhabitants, and that the most noble person in the land lives here. Along the long passageway, I run my fingers over the vermilion walls and look up at the square patch of sky. Suddenly, I think of the hopeful eyes of my senior apprentice sister. A bird darts overhead and vanishes in an instant. In the prime of my youth, whom will I meet? Note: Exclusive first publication on Jinjiang Literature City: 2021.4.10 Theme: If one day we share a snowfall, then in this life we will have grown old together.