The familiar blue and white willow pattern has been popular in dinnerware for hundreds of years, and behind it lies a very old story. If you look closely at the design you will see three figures running across a bridge. One is carrying a box, another a staff and the third a whip. Where are they going? Who lives in the large house in the background or the small one on the island? And what is the meaning of the two doves who hover together at the top of the plate?

They are all part of the tragic tale of two lovers who lived long ago in the far-off land of China. Koong-se was the beautiful daughter of a wealthy mandarin. But Chang was a poor peasant poet and they were not allowed to marry. The willow plate tells the story of their escape from Koong-se's angry father, their brief happiness together and how they became immortal. Here, for all children who have gazed at the willow plate and wondered, is a poetic, beautifully illustrated retelling of the ancient legend.

From the dust jacket