Peach Blossom Pavilion

Peach Blossom Pavilion
Mingmei Yip

Behind the doors of the pavilion, a world of sensuality and intrigue awaits…Xiang Xiang’s life as an innocent girl is about to change beyond recognition.Falsely accused of murder, Xiang Xiang's father is executed, and her mother forced into a Buddhist nunnery. Xiang Xiang, alone and friendless at thirteen years old, is tricked into entering the Peach Blossom Pavilion, where she is given the name Bao Lan – Precious Orchid.There she is trained in the fine arts of womanhood, studying music, literature, painting, and more importantly, the art of seduction and pleasuring men; and becomes one of China’s most successful courtesans.However, Precious Orchid is determined to avenge her parents and sets out on a journey that includes passion, adventure, danger, fame, and finally, her chance to achieve the justice she has sought so long.An enchanting tale of opulence and desire, perfect for fans of Anchee Min and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Peach Blossom Pavilion

Mingmei Yip

Copyright (#ulink_cd7351bb-aea8-5fa1-9c77-200c58232016)

Avon

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

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Hammersmith, London W6 8JB

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2014

Copyright © Mingmei Yip 2008

Cover photographs © Natalia Campbell / Getty Images (woman); myu-myu / Getty Images (bird); Shutterstock.com (http://www.shutterstock.com); Kevin Hua Long Jiang / Getty Images (background).

Mingmei Yip asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780007570126

Ebook Edition © February 2014 ISBN: 9780007570133

Version: 2014-07-25

Dedication (#ulink_d33c7b5a-713a-56e6-b57a-3777392b4049)

For Geoffrey, Who gives me both the fish and the bear’s paw.

When there is action above and compliance below, this is called the natural order of things.

When the man thrusts from above and the woman receives from below, this is called the balance between heaven and earth.

–Dong Xuanzi (Tang dynasty, AD 618–907)

Table of Contents

Cover (#u8f6e9ec6-7448-5951-a331-e518b45840b4)

Title Page (#uf70b3b48-d409-5c87-8c9b-e23813394587)

Copyright (#u6334894e-ae25-5a9f-a1ec-4d0d5893827e)

Dedication (#u509fdfee-c89d-5c6f-bc05-a67ef984a377)

Epigraph (#u395f5183-59d6-54d1-81fd-0892697716f1)

Prologue (#u101d299e-94ca-5cd1-8a7f-d6d28fb918a6)

Part One (#u812d7b8c-dd9c-532b-8d61-e0adadba517a)

1. The Turquoise Pavilion (#u8ce50361-82e1-5a55-9a34-f02829e618a3)

2. The North Station (#ua5537127-76cb-5300-866b-e8e060108d64)

3. The Dark Room (#ue76109fb-6cab-562b-8b23-f3fdfb6d85bf)

4. The Elegant Gathering (#uf29ce47e-e374-5a83-8c2f-f97d8d8d4e13)

5. Spring Moon (#u026b27b0-954d-536a-abc9-6eb66d83d381)

6. A Lucky Day (#u61ae2184-b131-50a4-b1dc-ccbdfd932300)

7. The Jade Stalk and the Golden Gate (#u9a0f5756-a581-5923-aaab-5dbf1358013e)

8. The Haunted Garden (#u9d882e6b-4d86-5c09-b95b-c4fccdcbfe8f)

9. The Art of Pleasing (#u93df184c-00fa-59e1-8837-1e19f212f396)

10. The Longevity Wrinkles (#uc81c5cc7-fba7-5a4d-9b52-9c12e2fb26df)

11. Rape of the Rock (#litres_trial_promo)

12. Beat the Cat (#litres_trial_promo)

Part Two (#litres_trial_promo)

13. Life Went On (#litres_trial_promo)

14. Mr. Anderson (#litres_trial_promo)

15. The Prestigious Prostitute (#litres_trial_promo)

16. Red Jade (#litres_trial_promo)