The Willow Pattern Story
The Willow pattern is a classic landscape design whose classic
components include a weeping willow, pagodas, three men on a bridge and
a pair of lovebirds forever kissing, all in blue on a white background.
Although popularised by Thomas Minton it was developed by Thomas Turner
at Caughley, Shropshire in 1779, imitating Chinese patterns which had
preceded it. The pattern was produced by several potteries but its most
famous user is the Minton pottery.
The design is based upon a legend of two lovers who are transformed
into lovebirds. This legend is actually English in origin and not
Chinese.
The Legend -
There was once a Mandarin who had a beautiful daughter, Koong-se.
She was forbidden to leaver her father's Pagoda garden as she had been
promised in marriage to Ta-jin, a noble warrior duke and no-one was
allowed to see her face.
The birds became Koong-se's friends and she would feed and talk to
them. The Manadarin employed a secretary, Chang, who also fed and
talked to the birds. A pair of turtle doves began passing messages
between the two and they fell in love.
Chang sent Koong-se a love poem in a shell which floated into the streams
of the Pagoda garden. She replied, adding sails to shell and sending back
down the stream.
They did not communicate again until the wedding night on which was held
a grand banquet. All the guests became very drunk and Chang, borrowing the
robes of a servant passed through the guests unseen and came to Koong-se's
room. They embraced and vowed to run away together.
They were spotted escaping and the Mandarin, the Duke, and the guests
gave chase across the bridge. The couple escaped on a little boat which was
carried by the tide.
They settled on a distant island, and became farmers. The Mandarin
in his anger trapped all the birds in the garden in cages. He then
ordered his men to find Koong-se and Chang. After many years the Mandarin
had become very bitter in his failure to capture the two lovers. He then
had an idea. He released the two turtle doves and they headed straight
for Koong-se and Chang.
They were found, captured and thrown into the maze under the Pagoda
garden. There they tried in vain to escape and died in each others arms.
But the gods, touched by their love, at the very instant they died,
transformed them into lovebirds, forver kissing each other in
eternal love.
|
|