The Blood-Red Peony

In the late Qing and early Republican era, in the desolate garden of a separate residence belonging to the Liao family in Beijing, a graceful woman dances among the wild grass, sweeping her water sleeves as she sings: “The garden once bloomed in glorious colors, but now they are all left to broken wells and crumbling walls. How can such a fine day and lovely scenery be at the mercy of fate...” She continues: “Whose courtyard could offer such delightful pleasures? At dawn, the painted roofs unfold; at dusk, they are drawn closed. Green terraces and cloud-kissed pavilions...” Who could she be? The original mistress of the estate? A wandering soul? Or Du Liniang, returned from the dead? Has she come to finish a dream left incomplete, rekindle an old romance, or seek revenge?