I went to Changhai and asked if one of their bridges was supposed to be the original of the one shown in the Willow Pattern plate. Surely they knew the Willow pattern? It was a British favourite of pottery makers and the public throughtout the 1900s and is still produced by a pottery in the nort of England.
Neither my guide i China nor anybody else had had heard of the story. But was it a Chinese story?
According to the Victoria and Albert Museum's website on the story, the myth was originally Japanese and was later copied evolved and make popular in China.
I remembered the three figures on the bridge as being the two young lovers being pursued by the empolyee of the girl\s rich father. Since he was so near, why did he not catch them? I supposed that stylicstically you just had three figures on the bridge, one in hot pursuit of the other two, equally spaced over a symbolic small bridge in the crowded pattern.
However, in the V & A story the three figures are all the pursuers.
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Finally, was it a true story or a myth? As for true stories, there are dozens of instances in many countries of an empolyee wanting to marry the daughter of the boss. Sometimes the boss is delighted and the son in law is a great success. Sometimes the boss has other plans. quite possibly one instance or many more inspired the original story teller. They might have combined two or more stories to make a series of incidents. What makes the story a myth? the Gods turning the couple into love birds On the other hand, hindus believe that poeple are reincarnated. A friend of mine was convinced that a butterly which visited her was the soul or reincarnation or message of her dead friend. At least the mysthological end saves you from worrying about whether the realistic story being based on a real couple suffered a tragic end and instead provides a happy ending.
Tips for travellers
1 BRIDGES Visit old Shanghai with its magical bridges. 9More arched bridges in Cambridge, England, Venice, Italy, Mostar.
2 TREES If you love trees, and plants, consider visiting England's New Forest, Kew Gardens or Green park in London, or the National Arboretum.
3 CHINESE Cities See the old quarters of Shanghai and other cities in China.
4 UK Pottery You can visit porcelain factories in the north of England and see old and modern pottery, and buy in their shops. Outlets are all over the UK. Or serach online for new and seconds. England also has old cities with antique shops and modern hgih streets with charity shops.
Useful Websites
https://vgm.liverpool.ac.uk/blog/2021/willow-pattern/#:~:text=The%20Willow%20Pattern%20Story,in%20The%20Family%20Friend%20magazine.
