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Pavilionul placerilor
La început, viaţa în Pavilionul Florii de Piersic părea a fi un vis. Înconjurată de flori exotice, bambuşi, fântâni răcoroase şi grădini colorate, Xiang Xiang se simţea mai bine ca oricând. A fost iniţiată în muzică, pictură, literatură, caligrafie şi, spre marea ei surpriză, în arta de a satisface bărbaţi. Căci doar ulterior a descoperit destinaţia sumbră a acestui frumos Pavilion al plăcerilor, care era de fapt un bordel de lux. Nici măcar atunci când va deveni favorita celor mai puternici bărbaţi, Xiang Xiang – supranumită Preţioasa Orhidee – nu va renunţa la visul ei de a fugi departe de Pavilion, de a-şi reîntâlni mama, de a-şi răzbuna tatăl şi de a afla dragostea adevărată.
O femeie de 98 de ani, trăind la ora actuală în San Francisco, îşi povesteşte tinereţea petrecută în China anilor ’20, perioadă de glorie în care a împărtăşit faima de cea mai rafinată curtezană.
Tatăl ei fusese acuzat pe nedrept de crimă, apoi executat, iar mama ei nevoită să se retragă într-o mănăstire budistă. Rămasă singură la 13 ani, Xiang Xiang a fost atrasă într-un bordel, Pavilionul Florii de Piersic, căpătând nume de scenă Bao Lan sau Preţioasa Orhidee. Graţie frumuseţii ieşite din comun şi a talentului la pictură, având înclinaţii poetice şi muzicale vădite şi, mai ales, dovedindu-se a fi maestră în arta amorului, Bao Lan devine o prostituată extrem de râvnită.
Ceea ce avea să se numească ulterior «cultura gheişelor» a supravieţuit în China timp de 2500 de ani, ajungând la apogeu în ultimii 400 de ani. În timp ce în Japonia această tradiţie a continuat, în China a dispărut după invazia japoneză de la începutul secolului al XX-lea.
«... Cei mai mulţi oameni au auzit doar despre gheişele japoneze, mai ales prin intermediul cărţii lui Arthur Golden, Memoriile unei gheişe. Tocmai de aceea, eu m-am hotărât să scriu despre fenomenul gheişelor chineze, astfel încât oamenii din Occident să poată afla mai multe lucruri despre forma originară a acestui mod de viaţă fascinant, deşi atât de trist.»
Mingmei Yip
Pavilionul plăcerilor este o frescă a vremurilor în care artistele-prostituate (ming ji, curtezane cu veleităţi artistice, predecesoarele gheişelor) erau cele mai cultivate, elegante şi talentate femei, posedând acele înclinaţii înspre poezie, muzică sau pictură care, în cultura occidentală, au caracterizat aproape exclusiv clasa artiştilor.
Născută dintr-un tată care era profesionist al jocurilor de noroc şi o mamă artistă, Mingmei Yip ştia cât demult şi-ar fi dorit părinţii ca ea să devină un om învăţat. De aceea a studiat artele chineze şi muzica, şi-a obţinut doctoratul la Sorbona şi a devenit scriitoare, după ce a practicat jurnalismul, în perioada de 8 ani în care mama ei a fost prizonieră în Vietnam.
O femeie de 98 de ani, trăind la ora actuală în San Francisco, îşi povesteşte tinereţea petrecută în China anilor ’20, perioadă de glorie în care a împărtăşit faima de cea mai rafinată curtezană.
Tatăl ei fusese acuzat pe nedrept de crimă, apoi executat, iar mama ei nevoită să se retragă într-o mănăstire budistă. Rămasă singură la 13 ani, Xiang Xiang a fost atrasă într-un bordel, Pavilionul Florii de Piersic, căpătând nume de scenă Bao Lan sau Preţioasa Orhidee. Graţie frumuseţii ieşite din comun şi a talentului la pictură, având înclinaţii poetice şi muzicale vădite şi, mai ales, dovedindu-se a fi maestră în arta amorului, Bao Lan devine o prostituată extrem de râvnită.
Ceea ce avea să se numească ulterior «cultura gheişelor» a supravieţuit în China timp de 2500 de ani, ajungând la apogeu în ultimii 400 de ani. În timp ce în Japonia această tradiţie a continuat, în China a dispărut după invazia japoneză de la începutul secolului al XX-lea.
«... Cei mai mulţi oameni au auzit doar despre gheişele japoneze, mai ales prin intermediul cărţii lui Arthur Golden, Memoriile unei gheişe. Tocmai de aceea, eu m-am hotărât să scriu despre fenomenul gheişelor chineze, astfel încât oamenii din Occident să poată afla mai multe lucruri despre forma originară a acestui mod de viaţă fascinant, deşi atât de trist.»
Mingmei Yip
Pavilionul plăcerilor este o frescă a vremurilor în care artistele-prostituate (ming ji, curtezane cu veleităţi artistice, predecesoarele gheişelor) erau cele mai cultivate, elegante şi talentate femei, posedând acele înclinaţii înspre poezie, muzică sau pictură care, în cultura occidentală, au caracterizat aproape exclusiv clasa artiştilor.
Născută dintr-un tată care era profesionist al jocurilor de noroc şi o mamă artistă, Mingmei Yip ştia cât demult şi-ar fi dorit părinţii ca ea să devină un om învăţat. De aceea a studiat artele chineze şi muzica, şi-a obţinut doctoratul la Sorbona şi a devenit scriitoare, după ce a practicat jurnalismul, în perioada de 8 ani în care mama ei a fost prizonieră în Vietnam.
632 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
375 people are currently reading
5642 people want to read
About the author
Mingmei Yip
15 books158 followersMingmei Yip was born in China, received her Ph.D. from the University of Paris, Sorbonne, and held faculty appointments at the Chinese University and Baptist University in Hong Kong. She's published five books in Chinese, written several columns for seven major Hong Kong newspapers, and has appeared on over forty TV and radio programs in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, and the U.S. She immigrated to the United States in 1992, where she now lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
February 2, 2010
I have to admit that it started out as a three or four star book, but by the end I had to give it one star. It is basically a Chinese Harlequin Romance. Dumb and boring. Why did I even read it? It seemed promising in the beginning. Set in 1918, a 13 year old is sent to live with an aunt after her father is murdered and her mother has to go into hiding in a nunnery. The aunt is actually a "mama" (or madam) running a brothel. Beautiful Xiang Xiang is trained in the arts--music, poetry, singing, painting, etc. She is being groomed to become one of China's most famous prostitutes. Then (ha) it just becomes riduculous. Don't bother.
June 15, 2014
The writing killed this story. The 'prose' extremely clunky with such a disjointed feeling. The language switches in such extremes - from sickeningly sweet misplaced poetic attempts, to extremely coarse language utterly out of place.
The narrative introduced scenarios completely implausible, almost as if trying to distract the reader from the poor writing.
There is nothing seductive about this novel AND it is NOTHING close to Memoirs of a Geisha. Such a shame, the main protagonist Xiang Xiang was intriguing but her potential was extinguished almost from the beginning. Very disappointing.
The narrative introduced scenarios completely implausible, almost as if trying to distract the reader from the poor writing.
There is nothing seductive about this novel AND it is NOTHING close to Memoirs of a Geisha. Such a shame, the main protagonist Xiang Xiang was intriguing but her potential was extinguished almost from the beginning. Very disappointing.
August 20, 2008
I had a very difficult time rating this book. The fictional story of a young chinese girl placed into her aunt's prestigious prostitution house was very interesting and fast moving. I liked that it gave me more insight into yet another facet of China's historical culture. I would give the plot 4 stars. However, the writing used a lot of repetetive words and phrases that became very irritating and took away from the mood of the book. I would give the writing style 2 stars. I would recommend this book to someone interested in Chins's history but not if you simply want a good read.
January 24, 2009
Like a Coach bag and matching shoes bought for $10 at a stall in China, you think you are getting a good deal, whether it is real or not, until upon closer inspection you realize the C's are really O's and the rubber is pealing off the outsole, this story was only a half-assed attempt to make the Chinese version of a famous and popular Japanese book and movie. Really really disappointing.
August 4, 2008
This is a book I probably wouldn't have read on my own had my mom not given it to me as a birthday gift. After reading the inside flap, I thought it sounded interesting and I really did enjoy this book, not in the sense that it is a "feel good" book, rather in the way it dealt with sensitive issues and evoked a lot of sympathy and compassion on my part. Overall, the book has a depressing tone with a silver lining. Without the silver lining I don't think I would have enjoyed this book.
The story is told by an elderly Chinese woman telling the memoir of her life to her great-grandaughter. Her story begins as a 13 year old girl in early 1900s China who, by no choice of her own, is forced into an upper-class prostitution house. She eventually achives the status of ming ji, which is similar to a Geisha in Japanese Culture. Despite her unfortunate circumstances, she always desires to leave this life and be reunited with her mother. The story is filled with a lot of heart ache for love and love lost, but there is always a glimmer of hope that I found myself hanging onto.
I wouldn't say this novel is for everyone. There are some language issues that surface every now and then. After the first several chapters, I felt the author dealt with the sexual aspects more professionally, but any potential reader should know these things before engaging in this book.
The author has created a memorable character who I find myself hurting because the life she endured and yet I find her honorable in overcoming her greatest obstacle in life. If you read and enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha then you will most likely enjoy this novel.
The story is told by an elderly Chinese woman telling the memoir of her life to her great-grandaughter. Her story begins as a 13 year old girl in early 1900s China who, by no choice of her own, is forced into an upper-class prostitution house. She eventually achives the status of ming ji, which is similar to a Geisha in Japanese Culture. Despite her unfortunate circumstances, she always desires to leave this life and be reunited with her mother. The story is filled with a lot of heart ache for love and love lost, but there is always a glimmer of hope that I found myself hanging onto.
I wouldn't say this novel is for everyone. There are some language issues that surface every now and then. After the first several chapters, I felt the author dealt with the sexual aspects more professionally, but any potential reader should know these things before engaging in this book.
The author has created a memorable character who I find myself hurting because the life she endured and yet I find her honorable in overcoming her greatest obstacle in life. If you read and enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha then you will most likely enjoy this novel.
August 8, 2013
The first half of this novel was very good and I was expecting to give it four stars.. Readers are introduced to Xiang Xiang, a girl about thirteen whose father is executed for a crime he did not commit and as a result, her mother chooses to head to a nunnery and places Xiang Xiang in her aunt's care, not realizing that the aunt is the proprietor of a prostitution house. Xiang Xiang is cruely introduced to the world of selling sex and eventually becomes a very sought after, prestigious prostitute. She eventually attains the means of escape, by way of a woman posing as a man who becomes her lesbian lover.
This is where I lost all respect and sympathy for the main character who at this point is called Precious Orchid. After escaping the prostitution world, PO runs away from the woman that saved her into the arms of a monk, whom immediately upon meeting she is "madly in love" with and of course, must have sex with him. But, oh! Life with a monk is too boring and she misses the fine clothes and food and when opportunity arrises, she jumps back into the lesbian's bed. When that fails, instead of attaining a respectable trade, PO goes back to prostitution! I spent three days reading this book and when I got to this last quarter, I quickly scanned the rest in disgust and threw it in the "OFF TO THE USED BOOKSTORE" bag.
Precious Orchid then goes back to her aunt's "pavilon" and attempts to exact revenge on the warlord responsible for her father's execution (who has surprisingly been her best customer all these years) and after sleeping with him tries to shoot him. Notice I used the word "tried" there. Let's just say she fails even that. She then runs away again, swearing to end the sex trade life but while having her portrait painted, she even sleeps with the artist!
Three stars for a character I came to feel repulsion for and the crude sexual language. The entire novel references all the sexual activities and body parts involved as jade stalks, golden gates, raining on clouds, chopping open melons, cinnabar crevices, and polishing our mirrors. What the heck?
In between all this drama, there is some good stuff like PO's friendship with Pearl, a fellow prostitute and her reunion with her nun mother.
This is where I lost all respect and sympathy for the main character who at this point is called Precious Orchid. After escaping the prostitution world, PO runs away from the woman that saved her into the arms of a monk, whom immediately upon meeting she is "madly in love" with and of course, must have sex with him. But, oh! Life with a monk is too boring and she misses the fine clothes and food and when opportunity arrises, she jumps back into the lesbian's bed. When that fails, instead of attaining a respectable trade, PO goes back to prostitution! I spent three days reading this book and when I got to this last quarter, I quickly scanned the rest in disgust and threw it in the "OFF TO THE USED BOOKSTORE" bag.
Precious Orchid then goes back to her aunt's "pavilon" and attempts to exact revenge on the warlord responsible for her father's execution (who has surprisingly been her best customer all these years) and after sleeping with him tries to shoot him. Notice I used the word "tried" there. Let's just say she fails even that. She then runs away again, swearing to end the sex trade life but while having her portrait painted, she even sleeps with the artist!
Three stars for a character I came to feel repulsion for and the crude sexual language. The entire novel references all the sexual activities and body parts involved as jade stalks, golden gates, raining on clouds, chopping open melons, cinnabar crevices, and polishing our mirrors. What the heck?
In between all this drama, there is some good stuff like PO's friendship with Pearl, a fellow prostitute and her reunion with her nun mother.
July 29, 2011
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would after reading other reviews. I did see the similarities between Pavilion and Memoirs of Geisha...there were some similar themes. The writing style reminded me of Lisa See (Peony in Love, Snowflower and the Secret Fan) but I think See's writing is a little more refined. I think Yip is repetitive at times and it got distracting...at one point I was going to scream if I read the words ""jade stalk"" or ""golden gate"" one more time.
I loved the relationship between Pearl and Xiang Xiang and how it pushed the story forward.
Overall I thought the book was well-developed but I did not see the point in the chapters with Jade Treasure and her fiance. They were annoying and added no substance to the novel. I think simply having Xiang Xiang look back on her life would have been more engaging.
I loved the relationship between Pearl and Xiang Xiang and how it pushed the story forward.
Overall I thought the book was well-developed but I did not see the point in the chapters with Jade Treasure and her fiance. They were annoying and added no substance to the novel. I think simply having Xiang Xiang look back on her life would have been more engaging.
November 9, 2008
this book had me entertained from the prologue! I was initially caught off guard by the language, it was racier than I had anicipated, but realized soon that it fit well into the blatant story telling of an old woman unashamed of her past life as a prostitute.
I originally expected something along the lines of Memoirs of a Geisha, but soon found that the two books could not really be compared. I enjoyed the look inside of old China and I really enjoyed the story. I didn't feel the "can't put it down" urgency, but I did look forward to the span of time that I could sit and focus on reading it (and I did complete it in under 2 days).
a very easy read with little emotional attachment for me, which I find refreshing after being addicted to the characters in previous books - HA!
I originally expected something along the lines of Memoirs of a Geisha, but soon found that the two books could not really be compared. I enjoyed the look inside of old China and I really enjoyed the story. I didn't feel the "can't put it down" urgency, but I did look forward to the span of time that I could sit and focus on reading it (and I did complete it in under 2 days).
a very easy read with little emotional attachment for me, which I find refreshing after being addicted to the characters in previous books - HA!
April 21, 2020
Rep: wlw(??) mc, lesbian side character, Chinese characters and setting
CWs: graphic descriptions of abuse, prostitution, graphic descriptions of rape, suicide, murder of a sapphic character
two things i can be bothered to note,
• this reads less like f/f than teng xiong is a lesbian but xiang xiang is straight, i mean xiang xiang never loves teng xiong just has sex with her and keeps thinking "i wish she was a real man", meanwhile meets qing zhen once and "oh we're in lurve"
• the rape scenes are...unnecessary to say the least
CWs: graphic descriptions of abuse, prostitution, graphic descriptions of rape, suicide, murder of a sapphic character
two things i can be bothered to note,
• this reads less like f/f than teng xiong is a lesbian but xiang xiang is straight, i mean xiang xiang never loves teng xiong just has sex with her and keeps thinking "i wish she was a real man", meanwhile meets qing zhen once and "oh we're in lurve"
• the rape scenes are...unnecessary to say the least
June 17, 2008
a very beautiful cover that the content doesn't deserve. it was okay...but rather plain and less than sweeping.
May 5, 2014
Started well, but degenerated. Disappointed with repetitive phrases like "she plunged on...." referring to unguarded comment in conversation.....tiring.
December 28, 2021
3,5
"Pawilon Kwiatu Brzoskwini" to książka, która na mojej półce czekała około 10 lat, aż w końcu ją przeczytam. Sięgnęłam po nią tylko i wyłącznie dlatego, że wybraliście mi ją w głosowaniu, które zorganizowałam na Instagramie. Gdyby nie, pewnie czekałaby kolejne dziesięć lat na swoją kolej.
To historia strasznie smutna, miejscami wręcz dołująca. Opowiada o losach dziewczynki, która trafiła do domu uciech i była prostytutką przez większość swojego życia. Autorka maluje nam obraz Chin, który jest ciężki (a może nawet wręcz niemożliwy) do zaakceptowania. Dziecięca prostytucja, znęcanie się nie tylko nad dziewczynkami, ale także nad zwierzętami domowymi. Ciężko było czytać tę książkę w grudniu, gdzie czytelnik marzy o czymś lekkim i przyjemnym.
Pierwsza część historii Xiang Xiang niesamowicie mnie wciągnęła. Druga już niekoniecznie. Mam wrażenie, że autorka miejscami zbyt odchodziła od głównego tematu a wątek poszukiwanej matki wychodził mi już bokami. Ileż można wciąż wałkować to samo?
"Pawilon Kwiatu Brzoskwini" to wymagająca skupienia cegła licząca ponad 500 stron. Uważam, że mimo wszystko warto było ją w końcu przeczytać. Dostarczyła mi mnóstwa emocji, zaznaczyłam w niej sporo cytatów od których dostawałam gęsiej skórki. Historia była straszna, nie ma co tu dużo mówić. Nie jest to zatem pozycja dla każdego. Ci bardziej wrażliwi mogą mieć problem z jej czytaniem. Opisy są często bardzo obrazowe i szczegółowe przez co wzbudzają złość, rozżalenie, ale też strach przed tym, co wydarzy się na dalszych kartach książki.
Czytacie na własną odpowiedzialność.
"Pawilon Kwiatu Brzoskwini" to książka, która na mojej półce czekała około 10 lat, aż w końcu ją przeczytam. Sięgnęłam po nią tylko i wyłącznie dlatego, że wybraliście mi ją w głosowaniu, które zorganizowałam na Instagramie. Gdyby nie, pewnie czekałaby kolejne dziesięć lat na swoją kolej.
To historia strasznie smutna, miejscami wręcz dołująca. Opowiada o losach dziewczynki, która trafiła do domu uciech i była prostytutką przez większość swojego życia. Autorka maluje nam obraz Chin, który jest ciężki (a może nawet wręcz niemożliwy) do zaakceptowania. Dziecięca prostytucja, znęcanie się nie tylko nad dziewczynkami, ale także nad zwierzętami domowymi. Ciężko było czytać tę książkę w grudniu, gdzie czytelnik marzy o czymś lekkim i przyjemnym.
Pierwsza część historii Xiang Xiang niesamowicie mnie wciągnęła. Druga już niekoniecznie. Mam wrażenie, że autorka miejscami zbyt odchodziła od głównego tematu a wątek poszukiwanej matki wychodził mi już bokami. Ileż można wciąż wałkować to samo?
"Pawilon Kwiatu Brzoskwini" to wymagająca skupienia cegła licząca ponad 500 stron. Uważam, że mimo wszystko warto było ją w końcu przeczytać. Dostarczyła mi mnóstwa emocji, zaznaczyłam w niej sporo cytatów od których dostawałam gęsiej skórki. Historia była straszna, nie ma co tu dużo mówić. Nie jest to zatem pozycja dla każdego. Ci bardziej wrażliwi mogą mieć problem z jej czytaniem. Opisy są często bardzo obrazowe i szczegółowe przez co wzbudzają złość, rozżalenie, ale też strach przed tym, co wydarzy się na dalszych kartach książki.
Czytacie na własną odpowiedzialność.
September 23, 2019
It was darker than I expected, but probably I should have expected it to be kind of gritty so that's my own fault. Interesting book, tho. My favorite part was the one lesbian crossdressing character (Teng Xiong) but that's probably no surprise.
May 4, 2021
It started off good but about a third of the way in it started to drag and lose its cohesiveness. The original plot got lost in a bad romance.
March 19, 2014
Peach Blossom Pavilion is a book I would have never chosen to read. It was only when I was contacted about being part of the blog tour that I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give it a go. As I turned the last page I wondered whether I would have finished it if I wasn’t reviewing it and the answer is: I’m not sure.
Peach Blossom starts with an elderly lady (Precious Orchid) sitting with her granddaughter and her granddaughter’s boyfriend – they are eager to write down their grandmothers memoirs. As Precious starts to recall the story of her life, we are transported back to the early 1900’s Shanghai and to a family torn apart. Precious (real name Xiang Xiang) is sold to a prostitution house after her father is murdered and her mother moves away to become a nun. At only thirteen years old, Xiang Xiang is thrust into adulthood and is expected to become a worthy prostitute under the trusty wing of Pearl, an older prostitute. Over the course of this novel, we follow Xiang on her journey through adulthood, being taken on her journey from naive young girl to experienced, bitter adult.
This is a tricky book to review: it’s not something I would normally choose to read and I don’t know if I enjoyed it. It is weird to think about enjoying a book about a young girl sold into prostitution so I think instead of enjoyment; it was more intrigue that kept me reading. It’s not a light-hearted easy read; instead it’s full of challenging ideas and situations which were in places slightly difficult to read.
The main character, Xiang Xiang, was a very honest and believable protagonist which added to the urge I had to keep reading about her – I cared about her. The rest of the characters were mainly vile and were the kind of characters who you would be happy to see die on the pages. There were few who I enjoyed reading about which made for quite an interesting reading experience – normally if there is just one protagonist, you sometimes question their viewpoint but for the whole entirety of the book I was in agreement with Xiang Xiang: the men were vile and the women in charge of the prostitutes were just as horrifically behaved.
This book was set in China in the early 1900’s but if I’m totally honest, aside from some phrases and brief descriptions of food, rickshaws and gardens, it didn’t have a very oriental feel about it. Perhaps this was mainly because the action was so character based that I had little time to appreciate the Chinese elements: either way, it wasn’t a striking part of the book. There were limited character descriptions so in my head, I pictured them as English looking and English speaking characters…strange!
The plot was reasonably paced and there were a few transitions from past to present which divided the narrative nicely. The book was split into three parts which focused on different parts of Xiang Xiang’s story which helped to move the story forward in time and to a whole new aspect of Xiang’s life. Yip’s writing was consistent throughout and whilst it wasn’t immature in its tone, I felt it could have been a little stronger in places: the descriptions of sex were quite strange. For example to describe a penis, the word ‘jade stalk’ was used which whilst in context when Xiang was young, didn’t have a place when she was a fully grown adult and it felt a little odd at times to be unable to read the ‘real’ names for certain body parts.
This book isn’t for the faint-hearted, the subject matter isn’t easy to read and it will take you from your comfort zone, however, I did find this book compelling and wouldn’t be adverse to reading something similar in the future.
A shockingly realistic portrayal of the life of a young Chinese prostitute and her journey from being nothing to becoming something.
Peach Blossom starts with an elderly lady (Precious Orchid) sitting with her granddaughter and her granddaughter’s boyfriend – they are eager to write down their grandmothers memoirs. As Precious starts to recall the story of her life, we are transported back to the early 1900’s Shanghai and to a family torn apart. Precious (real name Xiang Xiang) is sold to a prostitution house after her father is murdered and her mother moves away to become a nun. At only thirteen years old, Xiang Xiang is thrust into adulthood and is expected to become a worthy prostitute under the trusty wing of Pearl, an older prostitute. Over the course of this novel, we follow Xiang on her journey through adulthood, being taken on her journey from naive young girl to experienced, bitter adult.
This is a tricky book to review: it’s not something I would normally choose to read and I don’t know if I enjoyed it. It is weird to think about enjoying a book about a young girl sold into prostitution so I think instead of enjoyment; it was more intrigue that kept me reading. It’s not a light-hearted easy read; instead it’s full of challenging ideas and situations which were in places slightly difficult to read.
The main character, Xiang Xiang, was a very honest and believable protagonist which added to the urge I had to keep reading about her – I cared about her. The rest of the characters were mainly vile and were the kind of characters who you would be happy to see die on the pages. There were few who I enjoyed reading about which made for quite an interesting reading experience – normally if there is just one protagonist, you sometimes question their viewpoint but for the whole entirety of the book I was in agreement with Xiang Xiang: the men were vile and the women in charge of the prostitutes were just as horrifically behaved.
This book was set in China in the early 1900’s but if I’m totally honest, aside from some phrases and brief descriptions of food, rickshaws and gardens, it didn’t have a very oriental feel about it. Perhaps this was mainly because the action was so character based that I had little time to appreciate the Chinese elements: either way, it wasn’t a striking part of the book. There were limited character descriptions so in my head, I pictured them as English looking and English speaking characters…strange!
The plot was reasonably paced and there were a few transitions from past to present which divided the narrative nicely. The book was split into three parts which focused on different parts of Xiang Xiang’s story which helped to move the story forward in time and to a whole new aspect of Xiang’s life. Yip’s writing was consistent throughout and whilst it wasn’t immature in its tone, I felt it could have been a little stronger in places: the descriptions of sex were quite strange. For example to describe a penis, the word ‘jade stalk’ was used which whilst in context when Xiang was young, didn’t have a place when she was a fully grown adult and it felt a little odd at times to be unable to read the ‘real’ names for certain body parts.
This book isn’t for the faint-hearted, the subject matter isn’t easy to read and it will take you from your comfort zone, however, I did find this book compelling and wouldn’t be adverse to reading something similar in the future.
A shockingly realistic portrayal of the life of a young Chinese prostitute and her journey from being nothing to becoming something.
September 12, 2015
After reading the summary, I expected a dark and twisted love story full of sex and sad moments. But "Peach Blossom Pavillion" is a surprisingly postive novel with few truly sad moments. And explicit sex was nowhere to be found either.
The author's style definitely takes getting used to. It's extremely flowery, though that fits the time and place. Prostitutes are known as "flower girls" and brothels have poetic names like "Peach Blossom Pavillion". Nobody ever seems to call anything by its name - you don't "have sex", you "visit the Wu mountain"; there's no "penis", it's the "jade stalk", and so on. At times, those descriptions were pretty funny and definitely not something western ears/eyes are used to.
You can't compare the life of a Ming Ji with that of a prostitute in this day and age. Aside from good looks and great skills in bed, entertainment in the traditional sense was very important. They have to be artists - painters, singers, musicians. I really enjoyed the descriptions of Xiang Xiang learning these art forms and how she entertained her guests with them. Of course she's a natural in all of them.
I really enjoyed all the descriptions of every day life in Peach Blossom Pavillion. The author tried very hard - and succeeded - to create a whole world behind those walls. Though I can't judge how historically accurate these were, since I don't know nearly enough about the topic to comment on that. But it certainly felt pretty realistic.
Unfortunately, the prologue successfully ruined any suspense for the story. It basically tells you how the story is going to end, so all that's left for you is finding out how exactly we came to that ending. That didn't make it boring, though.
Other than that, there were a few too many completely coincidental coincidences, which were very convenient and provided some simple solutions.
Sometimes I didn't particularly like Xiang Xiang. In the beginning, she was naive to a point where I started doubting her intelligence. Later, she made some decisions that I really didn't agree with either.
To sum it up, "Peach Blossom Pavillion" is an interesting historical novel, that unfortunately lacks suspense. Four stars for a book with room for improvement, which was interesting nonetheless.
The author's style definitely takes getting used to. It's extremely flowery, though that fits the time and place. Prostitutes are known as "flower girls" and brothels have poetic names like "Peach Blossom Pavillion". Nobody ever seems to call anything by its name - you don't "have sex", you "visit the Wu mountain"; there's no "penis", it's the "jade stalk", and so on. At times, those descriptions were pretty funny and definitely not something western ears/eyes are used to.
You can't compare the life of a Ming Ji with that of a prostitute in this day and age. Aside from good looks and great skills in bed, entertainment in the traditional sense was very important. They have to be artists - painters, singers, musicians. I really enjoyed the descriptions of Xiang Xiang learning these art forms and how she entertained her guests with them. Of course she's a natural in all of them.
I really enjoyed all the descriptions of every day life in Peach Blossom Pavillion. The author tried very hard - and succeeded - to create a whole world behind those walls. Though I can't judge how historically accurate these were, since I don't know nearly enough about the topic to comment on that. But it certainly felt pretty realistic.
Unfortunately, the prologue successfully ruined any suspense for the story. It basically tells you how the story is going to end, so all that's left for you is finding out how exactly we came to that ending. That didn't make it boring, though.
Other than that, there were a few too many completely coincidental coincidences, which were very convenient and provided some simple solutions.
Sometimes I didn't particularly like Xiang Xiang. In the beginning, she was naive to a point where I started doubting her intelligence. Later, she made some decisions that I really didn't agree with either.
To sum it up, "Peach Blossom Pavillion" is an interesting historical novel, that unfortunately lacks suspense. Four stars for a book with room for improvement, which was interesting nonetheless.
February 18, 2014
Peach Blossom Pavilion. Mingmei Yip
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I love books that describe life in old China or Japan, and I've read many over the past few years. I'm fascinated by the dichotomy of life, the paradox of how different it is according to the status you were born into, sex, and how quickly circumstances can change.
I was really looking forward to reading this but I found it just didn't have the sensuality or detail I've enjoyed in other books. It reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha, one of my favourites, in it's premise but the execution is very, very different. I enjoyed the beginning to the story, but once at the Pavilion I felt I was always waiting for something to happen. Where I had a fascination with daily life and minutiae of detail in Memoirs, here I just felt each interlude with Xiang Xiang was glossed over, there seemed to be events that I though would develop, but it was a kind of by rote retelling of a story, and I just ended up after getting halfway through the book skim reading to the end. Its perfectly well written – it's just that the story simply didn't engage me, I read about events but whereas in other books I’d feel I was there with the characters, and laugh or cry with them, hold my breath with suspense at the drama here it was just a story being told that became at times mechanical to read. I really didn't feel Xiang Xiang was a character I could relate to or feel for in any way, she seemed to become a user of people, and I just didn't like her. The things that happened didn't feel real, I felt I was reading a story not going along with Xinag Xiang on her life journey. I needed to like her to feel sad or happy at what happened o her but instead I felt she became a user and manipulator of people.
Of course we all like different styles of writing and once again a reminder this is just my view, I’m one person and you may well feel differently about this story.
Stars: sadly just two, its perfectly well written technically but just didn't appeal to me. :(
ARC supplied by Netgalley
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I love books that describe life in old China or Japan, and I've read many over the past few years. I'm fascinated by the dichotomy of life, the paradox of how different it is according to the status you were born into, sex, and how quickly circumstances can change.
I was really looking forward to reading this but I found it just didn't have the sensuality or detail I've enjoyed in other books. It reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha, one of my favourites, in it's premise but the execution is very, very different. I enjoyed the beginning to the story, but once at the Pavilion I felt I was always waiting for something to happen. Where I had a fascination with daily life and minutiae of detail in Memoirs, here I just felt each interlude with Xiang Xiang was glossed over, there seemed to be events that I though would develop, but it was a kind of by rote retelling of a story, and I just ended up after getting halfway through the book skim reading to the end. Its perfectly well written – it's just that the story simply didn't engage me, I read about events but whereas in other books I’d feel I was there with the characters, and laugh or cry with them, hold my breath with suspense at the drama here it was just a story being told that became at times mechanical to read. I really didn't feel Xiang Xiang was a character I could relate to or feel for in any way, she seemed to become a user of people, and I just didn't like her. The things that happened didn't feel real, I felt I was reading a story not going along with Xinag Xiang on her life journey. I needed to like her to feel sad or happy at what happened o her but instead I felt she became a user and manipulator of people.
Of course we all like different styles of writing and once again a reminder this is just my view, I’m one person and you may well feel differently about this story.
Stars: sadly just two, its perfectly well written technically but just didn't appeal to me. :(
ARC supplied by Netgalley
September 1, 2016
NOTE: A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
While most are familiar with the term"geisha" for a Japanese courtesan, few know that the Chinese "yi ji" preceded the geisha. This book tells of 13 years in the life of Precious Orchid, one of the last of the Chinese courtesans. The generic term for the houses these women lived in was "turquoise pavilion". The particular house Precious Orchid found herself in was the Peach Blossom Pavilion.
Precious Orchid becomes a member of this household upon the untimely death of her father, killed for a crime he didn't commit. Her mother left for a Buddhist nunnery, leave Xiang Xiang in the care of a friend who was to find her work in a rich man's house as a servant. As she soon finds out, the type of service she is expected to perform is not that of a house servant. Trained by a senior member of the house, Sister Pearl, Xiang Xiang learns that flirtation is a bigger part than actual sex and calligraphy, poetry and learning to play instruments such as the pipa and qi are to be part of her repertoire. Her virginity is sold at the age of 13 to an "old man". We see her through her mid-twenties when she finally "retires". All this is through Precious Orchid's voice as she narrates her memoirs to her great-granddaughter. Times are changing during her time at the Peach Blossom Pavilion as the artistic endeavors of the Yi Ji are falling away to the crassness of straight prostitution.
The Chinese seem to be the masters of euphemism. The books Xiang Xiang is given to study have such names as "Variegated Patterns of the Flowery War" or "Secret Prescriptions for the Jade Chamber". The man's "jade stalk" thrusts toward the sky. His "yang" energy causes her "cinnabar crevice" to become moist. If for nothing else, the read for the terminology and descriptions that you can't help giggle over.
While most are familiar with the term"geisha" for a Japanese courtesan, few know that the Chinese "yi ji" preceded the geisha. This book tells of 13 years in the life of Precious Orchid, one of the last of the Chinese courtesans. The generic term for the houses these women lived in was "turquoise pavilion". The particular house Precious Orchid found herself in was the Peach Blossom Pavilion.
Precious Orchid becomes a member of this household upon the untimely death of her father, killed for a crime he didn't commit. Her mother left for a Buddhist nunnery, leave Xiang Xiang in the care of a friend who was to find her work in a rich man's house as a servant. As she soon finds out, the type of service she is expected to perform is not that of a house servant. Trained by a senior member of the house, Sister Pearl, Xiang Xiang learns that flirtation is a bigger part than actual sex and calligraphy, poetry and learning to play instruments such as the pipa and qi are to be part of her repertoire. Her virginity is sold at the age of 13 to an "old man". We see her through her mid-twenties when she finally "retires". All this is through Precious Orchid's voice as she narrates her memoirs to her great-granddaughter. Times are changing during her time at the Peach Blossom Pavilion as the artistic endeavors of the Yi Ji are falling away to the crassness of straight prostitution.
The Chinese seem to be the masters of euphemism. The books Xiang Xiang is given to study have such names as "Variegated Patterns of the Flowery War" or "Secret Prescriptions for the Jade Chamber". The man's "jade stalk" thrusts toward the sky. His "yang" energy causes her "cinnabar crevice" to become moist. If for nothing else, the read for the terminology and descriptions that you can't help giggle over.
January 3, 2013
I can immediately see why people think of this as a faster-paced version of Memoirs of a Geisha. It's also on the crude side, as some other reviewers have mentioned: words like "fuck" and "slut" take prominence. But I don't think that's a bad thing - it makes it feel less sanitized and more true-to-life, because I damn well know people talk that way in real fucking life.
Hurrr.
In all seriousness, this is kind of an awesome book, albeit sad if you're anti-sex work. It doesn't pain prostitution as a wholly pretty picture, but it doesn't paint it as a completely terrible one either, so I very much appreciate the balance. The narrator is old when the book first starts, and is telling the story of her life as an immersive tale to her granddaughter and fiance. The action is quick and the details are breathtaking.
AND THEN IT GETS BETTER; the lesbians show up! Hells yes. Everything gets better with lesbians. I don't like how fickle Xiang Xiang is in her affections though; it seriously starts to switch like every other day, which is irritatingly juvenile.
AND THEN IT GETS WORSE; Xiang Xiang becomes a complete idiot, unable to make up her mind about anything or accomplish anything remotely intelligent. It's weird how this book shifts halfway through - one page, the language is beautiful and the story engaging, the next it's tedious and unbelievable. I finished it hating the book, because Xiang Xiang's all-consuming need for revenge is just plain irritating. This book would've been so much more enjoyable if the last two parts simply hadn't existed.
Hurrr.
In all seriousness, this is kind of an awesome book, albeit sad if you're anti-sex work. It doesn't pain prostitution as a wholly pretty picture, but it doesn't paint it as a completely terrible one either, so I very much appreciate the balance. The narrator is old when the book first starts, and is telling the story of her life as an immersive tale to her granddaughter and fiance. The action is quick and the details are breathtaking.
AND THEN IT GETS BETTER; the lesbians show up! Hells yes. Everything gets better with lesbians. I don't like how fickle Xiang Xiang is in her affections though; it seriously starts to switch like every other day, which is irritatingly juvenile.
AND THEN IT GETS WORSE; Xiang Xiang becomes a complete idiot, unable to make up her mind about anything or accomplish anything remotely intelligent. It's weird how this book shifts halfway through - one page, the language is beautiful and the story engaging, the next it's tedious and unbelievable. I finished it hating the book, because Xiang Xiang's all-consuming need for revenge is just plain irritating. This book would've been so much more enjoyable if the last two parts simply hadn't existed.
March 18, 2014
I absolutely LOVE the cover of Peach Blossom Pavilion, I was drawn to it straight away – the colours are stunning and the cover is vivid and it really stuck in the front of my mind, and so I was very much looking forward to reading it and discovering more about this book.
Xiang Xiang’s father is excited for murder, a crime which he didn’t commit, and soon after her mother is forced into a Buddhist nunnery. With nowhere to turn, Xiang Xiang ends up in the Peach Blossom Pavilion, where she is then given the name Bao Lan – Precious Orchid. At the Peach Blossom Pavilion, she is taught in many things, including music, literature an painting. In addition she is taught the art of seduction and pleasuring men. However, Xiang Xiang is determined to avenge her parents…
I really liked Xiang Xiang, she was instantly likeable and I really felt for her and the situation she was in. I particularly liked that everything was new to Xiang Xiang, so as the novel is written from her perspective, I learnt everything about the customs, the culture and the world around her along with her at exactly the same time. I really enjoyed this aspect as it helped me to feel closer to Xiang Xiang and I gained a better understanding of her journey. I also learnt so much too!
I was quickly drawn into Peach Blossom Pavilion, and it was a captivating story that I couldn’t put down. I was gripped to Xiang Xiang’s story and wanted to stay with her throughout. Highly recommended.
Xiang Xiang’s father is excited for murder, a crime which he didn’t commit, and soon after her mother is forced into a Buddhist nunnery. With nowhere to turn, Xiang Xiang ends up in the Peach Blossom Pavilion, where she is then given the name Bao Lan – Precious Orchid. At the Peach Blossom Pavilion, she is taught in many things, including music, literature an painting. In addition she is taught the art of seduction and pleasuring men. However, Xiang Xiang is determined to avenge her parents…
I really liked Xiang Xiang, she was instantly likeable and I really felt for her and the situation she was in. I particularly liked that everything was new to Xiang Xiang, so as the novel is written from her perspective, I learnt everything about the customs, the culture and the world around her along with her at exactly the same time. I really enjoyed this aspect as it helped me to feel closer to Xiang Xiang and I gained a better understanding of her journey. I also learnt so much too!
I was quickly drawn into Peach Blossom Pavilion, and it was a captivating story that I couldn’t put down. I was gripped to Xiang Xiang’s story and wanted to stay with her throughout. Highly recommended.
March 6, 2015
saya nggak suka dengan buku ini.
Alasan saya:
1. Ceritanya terlalu mirip dengan Memoirs of a Geisha. Biaa dibilang Peach Blossom Pavilion adalah ripoff-nya MoaG.
2. Bahasa yang digunakan nggak seindah Petals from the Sky. Terlalu brutal vulgar untuk ukuran buku historical fiction. Terlalu banyak kata fuck yang bikin saya risih. Saya nggak akan protes menemukan fuck yang bertebaran di buku erotica, misalnya. Pemilihan kosa katanya kurang tepat.
3. Di luar kemiripan dengan MoaG, buku ini terlalu sinetronish. Xiang Xiang anak orang berada. Bapaknya dieksekusi padahal nggak bersalah. Ibunya jadi biksuni. Xiang Xiang dititipkan pada kenalannya, Fang Rong, yang mengaku orang kaya dan berjanji untuk membesarkan Xiang Xiang. Ibunya ini tidak tahu latar belakang Fang Rong, asal kasih dan percaya. Sesampainya di rumah bordil, Fang Rong dan suaminya tertawa seperti orang-orang jahat di sinetron gitu, mengejek ibu Xiang Xiang, berkata bahwa mereka mendapatkan anak cantik dengan gratis. Oh my…
4. Ciri-ciri fisik yang digambarkan Mingmei Yip di buku ini juga sangat stereotip. Fang Rong digambarkan gemuk dengan tompel di pipi dan penampilan lebay.
Jujur aja, saya kecewa dengan buku ini, tidak sesuai dengan harapan. Seandainya saya membaca buku ini lebih dulu, mungkin saya tidak mau lagi membaca buku karya Mingmei Yip.
Yang saya sukai dari buku ini mungkin hanya pace-nya cepat dan bahasanya yang mudah dipahami.
Alasan saya:
1. Ceritanya terlalu mirip dengan Memoirs of a Geisha. Biaa dibilang Peach Blossom Pavilion adalah ripoff-nya MoaG.
2. Bahasa yang digunakan nggak seindah Petals from the Sky. Terlalu brutal vulgar untuk ukuran buku historical fiction. Terlalu banyak kata fuck yang bikin saya risih. Saya nggak akan protes menemukan fuck yang bertebaran di buku erotica, misalnya. Pemilihan kosa katanya kurang tepat.
3. Di luar kemiripan dengan MoaG, buku ini terlalu sinetronish. Xiang Xiang anak orang berada. Bapaknya dieksekusi padahal nggak bersalah. Ibunya jadi biksuni. Xiang Xiang dititipkan pada kenalannya, Fang Rong, yang mengaku orang kaya dan berjanji untuk membesarkan Xiang Xiang. Ibunya ini tidak tahu latar belakang Fang Rong, asal kasih dan percaya. Sesampainya di rumah bordil, Fang Rong dan suaminya tertawa seperti orang-orang jahat di sinetron gitu, mengejek ibu Xiang Xiang, berkata bahwa mereka mendapatkan anak cantik dengan gratis. Oh my…
4. Ciri-ciri fisik yang digambarkan Mingmei Yip di buku ini juga sangat stereotip. Fang Rong digambarkan gemuk dengan tompel di pipi dan penampilan lebay.
Jujur aja, saya kecewa dengan buku ini, tidak sesuai dengan harapan. Seandainya saya membaca buku ini lebih dulu, mungkin saya tidak mau lagi membaca buku karya Mingmei Yip.
Yang saya sukai dari buku ini mungkin hanya pace-nya cepat dan bahasanya yang mudah dipahami.
March 20, 2014
Overall, I found Peach Blossom Pavilion an interesting read. I've read very little fiction that deals with the lives of the courtesans of China, so this insight into the traditions and the treatment of the girls was fascinating.
Precious Orchid does at times come across as just that; 'precious'. She often makes decisions, especially after fleeing the Pavilion that are difficult for the reader to understand, but do add to the action and adventure of the story.
Mingmei Yip is a great storyteller, and it is obvious that she really knows her subject - her passion shines through in her writing. Her descriptions are evocative, whilst at times her attention to detail can make for uncomfortable reading, especially around Precious Orchid's introduction to life as a sex worker. However, this really did happen, and to gloss over and romanticise these events would do them no justice whatsover
Precious Orchid does at times come across as just that; 'precious'. She often makes decisions, especially after fleeing the Pavilion that are difficult for the reader to understand, but do add to the action and adventure of the story.
Mingmei Yip is a great storyteller, and it is obvious that she really knows her subject - her passion shines through in her writing. Her descriptions are evocative, whilst at times her attention to detail can make for uncomfortable reading, especially around Precious Orchid's introduction to life as a sex worker. However, this really did happen, and to gloss over and romanticise these events would do them no justice whatsover
July 18, 2020
Incredibly beautiful story of loss and love
This book makes you sad, then happy, then distraught, and finally hopeful. the leaves you truly moved. It really is an incredibly beautiful story.
This book makes you sad, then happy, then distraught, and finally hopeful. the leaves you truly moved. It really is an incredibly beautiful story.
April 27, 2015
This is some weird combination of Amy Tan and a more explicit Chinese version of Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha. While this was good, both Tan and Golden are better, more accomplished writers, and I found myself often wishing this book would be over sooner rather than later. It would eventually draw me back in, but there were a lot of contrived sequences that I had honestly read before in other books. It wasn't an altogether terrible book; I just don't see myself really recommending the book to anyone or rereading it anytime soon if ever. I would rather save my energy for Amy Tan or Arther Golden.
June 19, 2014
I enjoyed the first half of the book.
The second part of the story was, quite simply, too unrealistic to be believable!
There are some lovely writing, with references to many Chinese poems and classic stories. However, as some GoodReads readers pointed out in their reviews, it's repetitive on many occasions and that becomes distracting and even annoying to some people.
The second part of the story was, quite simply, too unrealistic to be believable!
There are some lovely writing, with references to many Chinese poems and classic stories. However, as some GoodReads readers pointed out in their reviews, it's repetitive on many occasions and that becomes distracting and even annoying to some people.
May 14, 2014
Good read, but a bit slow. The main character, Precious Orchid was rather naive and at some points, rather stupid. But overall, I did enjoy the book, and wasn't satisfied until I finished it. I would recommend to patient readers who liked 'Memoirs of a Geisha'.
April 26, 2014
Read. It is an interesting book giving insight into Chinese culture.
May 28, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, but was disappointed when it became far fetched and predictable. Despite this, I would still recommend it as a good read as I couldn't put it down!
Read
June 2, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Graphic rape
Sex work
Graphic abuse
Suicide
Murder
Graphic rape
Sex work
Graphic abuse
Suicide
Murder
March 28, 2010
Made fun of this book while I was reading it, but it was actually pretty good.
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