Chapter 18

皇恩重元妃省父母

天伦乐宝玉献词华

Preparations are complete after months of hard work, and so Zheng finally sends in a written application for a Visitation, which is accepted. Eunuchs and officials inspect the area while the household puts on the finishing touches. On the appointed day, the household gathers, but a eunuch tells them to disband – they are much too early. She arrives to much pomp; she declares the garden ‘so extravagant’. It transpires that most of the place names used are those suggested by Baoyu, leading to an aside from the Stone on Baoyu and Yuanchun’s early relationship. Several inscriptions are changed at her suggestion.

Yuanchun kowtows to Grandmother Jia out of instinct, leading to high emotions all round. Senior eunuchs are led away to be entertained, and Yuanchun is able to chat informally with her family. She talks with Zheng through a curtain (men need ‘special reason’) to see her, and expresses her pleasure at Baoyu’s inscriptions. She summons him, and asks him to lead her on an inspection of the garden. The decorations and entertainments are extravagant, and she again berates the family. She dispenses with court etiquette and sits down to dinner; she chooses to call the garden ‘Prospect Garden’ and alters some place names. She requests Baoyu write octets for her four favourite places, and the girls offer octets too. Baochai sneaks a look at his poems and offers a suggestion based on Yuanchun’s observed tastes. Yuanchun is delighted. The plays begin, and Yuanchun sends confectionary to her favourite of the actresses, Charmante 龄官. Yuanchun completes her tour of the garden, and gives presents to each of her family. She is in tears as she is recalled to the Palace.