Suzhou No. 69 Garden.

Pearl Tower Garden: The former residence of Chen Wangdao, the Nanjing Censor during the Jiajing and Wanli periods of the Ming Dynasty, also known as Fujitang. It was first built in the Ming Dynasty and flourished during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.
The story of the Pearl Tower took place in this garden. In the 18th year of the Wanli reign, Fang Qing, a descendant of an official, suffered a misfortune in his family. He had no choice but to borrow money from his aunt Chen to go to Beijing to take the exam, but was ridiculed instead. Chen's daughter Cui'e was originally engaged to Fang Qing, so she secretly gave him silver and a pearl tower, a treasure handed down from generation to generation, to help him study. Later, Fang Qing won the top spot in the imperial examination and entered Chen's residence disguised as a Taoist priest. He sang Taoist songs to mock his aunt, and Chen felt extremely remorseful. Fang Qing finally married Cui'e.

Post by Ara Rolfson | Nov 11, 2024