Sitting gloriously on the wall,
The fan recounts its family’s bloodline.
Esteemed doctors tending to the Emperor,
Arranged marriages of nobility,
Bearing heirs to secure its longevity.
Alas, a daughter is born,
This wicked child,
From the Devil,
Bringing an end to their royal name.
It is the beginning of the end.
A line of daughters
Bankrupts the wealth
In paying for their dowry.
The fan is a reminder
A phoenix to bring longevity,
The swan to bless us with luck,
A lotus flower to symbolise harmony,
The women work their magic.
As these symbols appear on the silken cloth
They work with speed and precision.
The men are spellbound
By the skill and beauty of the women
As they embroider the winning fan.
Disgraced by her incompetence,
Beauty she is, but skill she lacks.
She hears the whispers behind her,
Of why the mayor’s daughter is absent form the stage.
She imagines her father’s shame,
Because she is unable to join the game.
The crowds’ murmur starts to buzz
As the women reveal their silken glory.
The sun comes out
And shines on the woven collection.
How beautiful they look!
Glimmering in the sunshine.
Everyone is quiet, waiting for the announcement
Who will be crowned this year’s embroider?
Overwhelmed by emotion,
She turns back through the crowd, with new determination arising within her.
She must be the winner in the forthcoming year!
