An old Korean farmer and his lovely young wife were very happy together, but unfortunately they were childless. They waited for many years until a very magical thing occurred . . . "finally the woman learned that she was with child." She gave birth to a little girl and the parents were ecstatic. To mark the glorious event the baby's father planted a pear tree and when he was admiring it, he decided the child would be named "Pear Blossom." She was a beautiful, carefree and happy child until the age of thirteen when her mother suddenly passed away. The old man needed someone to help him care for Pear Blossom and he went to a matchmaker.

Focusing on two late-Ming or early-Qing plays central to the Chinese canon, this thought-provoking study explores crucial questions concerning personal identity. How is a person, as opposed to a ghost or animal, to be defined? How can any specific person (as distinguished, for example, from an impostor or twin) be identified? Both plays are chuanqi, representatives of a monumental genre that represents Chinese dramatic literature at its most complex: Tang Xianzu’s Peony Pavilion is a romantic comedy in 55 acts, and Kong Shangren’s Peach Blossom Fan narrates the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 40 acts.

Blossom

Two things bring Burke from New York to Indiana: a serial sniper whose twisted passion is to pick off couples on lovers' lane. Virgil's nephew is the innocent prime suspect, and Burke vows to find the real killer the right way - or the Burke way. And when comes Blossom. Slim, gorgeous, brilliant. She's got a heated interest in the murders... and in Burke.

A Year of Doilies

Crochet 12 gorgeous doilies, one for each month of the year! Designs include Serendipity, Pale crocus, Circle-in-the-Square, Tiffany, White Blossom, and more.