Peach Blossom Pavilion by Mingmei Yip Read Free Book Online Page B

front of an ancient building with red-tiled roofs and white walls. Pearl and I got out of the car and walked toward the gate. Four big characters in walking-style calligraphy above the lintel read: WHITE CRANE IMMORTAL'S HALL.
    I turned to ask Pearl, "What is an immortal's hall?"
    "A Taoist temple."
    What did prostitutes have to do with Taoists and temples?
    As we stepped through the crimson gate, I finally asked, "Sister Pearl, why would someone hold a party in a temple?"
    "Ah, Xiang Xiang," Pearl threw me a chiding look, "the party we're now going to attend is special, a yaji-elegant gathering. Tonight you'll meet lots of important and famous people-artists, scholars, poets, actors, high government officials. Anyway, you're lucky to be invited, so you can start to soak in the flavor of the arts." She paused to look at me meaningfully. "If you want to be a fining ji, that is. Do you want to?"
    I didn't know whether to say yes or no. Maybe both. "Yes" because I'd like to be prestigious, "no" because, needless to say, I hated even to think of myself as a prostitute. Nevertheless, I knew the two words together signified something quite different. At Peach Blossom, I'd read fine poems and seen exquisite paintings by women-including Pearl-who bore this title. Among the cultivated, rather than being despised, they were highly respected-of course, for their beauty, but even more for their many talents and detached artistic air.
    As I was still wondering whether I should say yes or no, I was surprised that my head, against my will, was already nodding like a pestle hitting against a mortar.
    Now Pearl whispered into my ear, "Of course, there'll also be crude businessmen and evil people like policemen, politicians, and even tong members."
    Silence reigned in the air until we stepped inside the courtyard where the party was held.

    I let out a small cry.
    It was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. I inhaled the aroma of food and the fragrance of sweet-smelling incense. Colorful lanterns of various shapes and sizes hung from plum trees, swaying and shimmering in the breeze. Glowing peaches had grown as big as a baby's head; a rabbit watched me wherever I moved; a carp glowed orange; a horse trotted in the wind; a fiery dragon stretched its claws and soared in the air.
    Atop several tables were placed sheets of rice paper, brushes, ink stones, tea sets, wine vessels, trays of snacks, and plates of dim sum. Pearl and I floated here and there, watching some sisters paint, others rehearse poetry or sing arias of Peking and Kun operas, while yet others flirted with the guards and male servants. A few men arched their brows and smiled at us as we drifted by. Dew swayed on top of plum blossoms while in the fishpond gold carp wagged their tails.
    More and more guests arrived. The men looked important and intimidating in expensive gowns or fashionable suits. The sisters were at their best-willowy bodies clad in silk, bejeweled hair shiny, makeup immaculate, as their delicate hands fussed with water pipes, clinked glasses, smoothed pomaded hair, patted fat cheeks, even delved into bulging pockets.
    Then I felt a surge of guilt. In the bare fifteen minutes I'd been in this immortal's hall, I'd completely forgotten about my mother. By now she was probably in the unadorned nunnery reciting sutras and beating the wooden fish to accumulate merit for me.
    "Beautiful, isn't it?" Pearl pinched my elbow, awakening me from my thoughts. "We're still early, so let's go appreciate the lanterns before my big fish Mr. Chen arrives." She led me past the women servants who were arranging the food and drink under the scrutinizing eyes of Fang Rong and Wu Qiang.
    Then she stopped in front of a big tree. Swaying down from the lanterns were slips of rice paper inscribed with calligraphy.
    As I was about to read the characters, Pearl's silvery voice rose to my ear. "Xiang Xiang, do you know that tonight is yuanxiao, the Lantern Festival?"
    Sadness swelled inside