After Edith Left

I once knew an attractive young Chinese woman, well, quite a beautiful young woman was she, who had a special gift. When she changed into someone else’s clothes, she took on that person’s identity and character. She delighted in purchasing clothes from second hand shops and seeing where the identity would lead her. Up until I last saw her, it had all been just a game, nothing serious, until she found this particular second hand clothing shop….

Edith had never noticed the small shop displaying the name ‘Preworn Clothing’ before. Not surprising, although herself Chinese, as she had never passed down the winding street in this older section of Chinatown. It was set between a Chinese grocer’s shop and a fruit and vegetable outlet. Edith had a weak spot for used clothing shops and knew most of them, but not this one.

She crossed over the narrow street, climbed the two well-worn stone steps onto a small porch and pushed open the glass panelled door. As she opened it, a small brass bell tinkled, announcing her entrance. The shop was far larger on the interior than it appeared to be from the street. When Edith entered, the place appeared deserted. The dimly lit interior had a faint musky odour, one tended to associate with used clothing shops. A faint smell of incense partially masked the odour of the clothing, but not completely.

Edith walked along the racks, removing a garment here and there to examine it in closer detail. If it appealed to her discerning taste and critical eye, she held it against her body for further appraisal. Edith’s slender frame made choosing a suitable item of clothing a little difficult, whether it be a new item or preloved. So vast was the amount of clothing on display, she became quite lost in time and was startled when a voice came from behind.

‘Nǐ hǎo. I can assist, yes?’ said a woman in a heavy Chinese accent.

She looked around, surprised to see a small, middle aged woman dressed in old-fashioned black trousers and grey blouse standing before her. Her small stature was accentuated by being slightly hunched. Her penetrating eyes focused on Edith.

‘Oh, Nǐ hǎo, hello. Pease forgive me for jumping when you spoke. I was quite engrossed in your remarkable collection of clothing, madam’, Edith replied.

‘Xièxiè, thank you, it take me long time collect all this clothes’, the woman replied, nodding thoughtfully.

Edith took a gown from the rack and held it at arm’s length to examine it. It appeared rather old but in exquisite condition. The beautiful Chinese silk brocade, red and decorated with green and gold florets, appealed to Edith’s appreciation of fine handcraft. She admired it for some time, turning it to the back, and to the front. As she held it against her body, she felt a warm flush come over herself, no doubt given off by the beauty and quality of the garment.

‘Ah, Nǚshì, sorry, ah, Miss, this gown it is beautiful! It suit Nǚshì, so beautiful. You try on, yes?’

‘Oh, may I? Thank you.’

‘Of course, lah. Fitting room at rear of shop,’ said the woman, pointing.

Edith entered the large fitting room, finding a full-length mirror on her right and a seat to the left with clothes hangers arranged on the wall behind. She hung the silk brocade gown on the clothes hook as she kicked off the shoes and removed her blouse and slacks, hanging them on the spare hook.

She slipped the brocade over her head and worked the tight fitting, high necked garment over her body. It fitted as if made especially for her.

Edith turned to look in the mirror and completely lost track of time and awareness of her surrounds and herself, as if a complete transfiguration had taken place. The fitting room was no longer a fitting room but transformed into the interior of a temple. She pushed open the double doors and entered a vestibule.

Her own clothes were left hanging on the hook when Edith left, wearing the Chinese silk brocade.

…………………………………………………………..

In China, during the Qing Dynasty, in Henan Province, there lived a noble family of great wealth and status. Among the children was a remarkably beautiful daughter named Liánhuā who, at the age of eighteen contracted an incurable illness. Sadly, Liánhuā passed away and the devastated family erected a temple and in it, a mausoleum, to her memory.

A poor young scholar named Tai-huá was travelling through Henan Province on a journey of learning when he came upon a Taoist Temple of beautiful appearance and structure. He entered it and, as he wandered along the corridors, he realized part of the Temple was also a mausoleum of a beautiful young noble woman from a distinguished family. He stood before a portrait of the young woman whose tomb it was. She was dressed in a beautiful Chinese silk brocade, red and decorated with green and gold florets. Tai-huá was completely smitten by her extraordinary beauty, so much so, he did not hear the approach of a lady.

‘Nǐ hǎo, are you the travelling scholar?’ she asked.

Startled, Tai-huá spun around, his gaze falling upon a young woman of such rare beauty, she took his breath away. So surprised was he, he could not find words to speak. Then, to his amazement, he realized the beautiful young woman before him was the lady in the painting, dressed in exactly the same silk brocade as in the artwork.

‘Yes, yes, I, I am he,’ Tai-huá replied, putting his hands together and bowing slightly.

‘You have come from afar to meet me, to be my husband, to wed me so we can live through eternity,’ replied the young woman.

‘How can I wed you? I don’t even know your name. You are the lady in the painting; this is your memorial. How can you be standing here before me, alive? How can you become my wife?’

‘My name is Liánhuā. My parents had an old Fortune Teller address me before I departed this life. The told me you would come to take me for your wife. He told me, when you visited the temple, I would be awakened, and you would wed me,” replied Liánhuā.

‘Gracious Lady, I am taken completely by surprise. I am all but speechless. I am but a poor student and not of noble birth. I am not prepared for a wedding. When are we to be wed?’ asked Tai-huá.

‘The ceremony is being prepared as we speak. It was destined long ago you would arrive on this very day at this very hour. Come, follow me and the attendants of my parents’ household will prepare you for the ceremony,’ replied Liánhuā.

She took Tai-huá’s hand in hers and led him away across manicured lawns, past ponds of waving lotus and through groves of fruit trees, until they arrived at a mansion set in the centre of the gardens.

Liánhuā ushered him up marble stairs into a magnificent hall. As they entered, servants came forward and took both Liánhuā and Tai-huá to different rooms to prepare them for the wedding ceremony.

When Tai-huá was dressed in traditional wedding attire, the attendants conducted him into the banqueting hall. All the guests rose to their feet upon his entry. He walked forward to the official table where Liánhuā’s parents were seated,

‘Distinguished scholar, welcome to our home and welcome as our son-in-law. We are most grateful for your arrival to awaken our daughter and prepared to wed her,’ said Liánhuā’s father.

Tai-huá knelt down and bowed low until his forehead touched the floor. He then rose and knelt before Liánhuā’s parents.

‘Distinguished sir, gracious madam, I am but a poor scholar and I am humbled to take your beautiful daughter’s hand as my wedded wife.’

As he finished speaking, the guests again arose to their feet as Liánhuā entered the banqueting hall.

Tai-huá turned and faced his future wife. To him, she looked absolutely divine, dressed in silk brocade, red and decorated with green and gold florets. She wore a blue head piece held in place with golden hair pins.

The couple stood before Liánhuā’s parents and other court officials and exchanged wedding vows. They were then pronounced husband and wife.

Liánhuā’s father presented both newlyweds with a jade stone set in a golden ring.

Tai-huá took the ring for Liánhuā and slipped it onto her finger.

After the ceremony, the feasting and celebrations began and extended well into the night. Towards midnight, Liánhuā and Tai-huá retired to their second-story suite. Tai-huá had never experienced such luxury. He sat on a couch and watched Liánhuā go to her dressing table. She removed the blue head piece and shook out her long hair from the bun it had been tied in.

She then un-buttoned the high collar of the red silk brocade gown. Tai-huá’s mouth dried and a tingle of excitement swept through his body as his wife lifted the red silk brocade up over her head and then let it fall to the floor.

………………………………………………………..

As the exquisite silk brocade gown fell to the floor, Edith turned to look in the mirror. Her memory of the brief period from the past became like a dense fog, a hazy remembrance.

As she adjusted her long hair, Edith noticed a gold ring with a jade stone setting on her finger. She had never worn, nor seen, such a ring before.

To Edith, this was rather exciting and mysterious. She had been given the ability to adopt the identity of the previous wearers of pre-loved garments; however, this old Chinese silk brocade gown was different. She had been in a trance but had a vague vision of a wedding ceremony. What happened? Where did the ring come from?

As she was studying it, there came a knock on the dressing room door. ‘Miss, you all right? You Okay? You been long time in dressing room.’

Uncertain how long she’d been in the fitting room, Edith panicked a little and hurriedly dressed back int0 her own clothes.

‘Coming, madam. I’m coming now.’

Edith picked up the brocade gown, arranged it on the hanger, and went back into the shop.

‘You like gown very much?’ inquired the old woman.

‘Yes, it is wonderful, as if made for me,’ Edith replied.

‘Ah! This is strange world, Nǚshì, Miss, it may be made long ago with you in mind’, the woman replied, chuckling.

The reply puzzled Edith, but she let it go. ‘How much is the gown? It is for sale, isn’t it?’

‘Oh yes, , because it very old and rare, I must ask two hundred and fifty dollar.’

‘How about two hundred? I don’t have that money with me today. Can I give you a deposit and I’ll return with the money tomorrow?’

‘Maybe you pay two hundred twenty-five, eh?’

‘Okay. You want a deposit?’

“No need deposit, madam. I will keep.’

…………………………………………………………..

Edith returned mid-morning the next day to collect the silk brocade. The woman carefully packed it into a carry bag, and Edith paid for it.

She left the shop, stepped down the two well-worn stone steps onto the pavement, and just as she turned to walk away, she almost collided with a young Chinese scholar.

He looked at Edith and gave a startled cry and instantly fell to his knees, putting his hands together. ‘Liánhuā, Liánhuā, my beautiful wife! Where did you go? Why did you leave? I have been searching for you for what seems like eternity!’