Centuries ago, when China was ruled by Emperors, a Chinese man lived in a beautiful pagoda under an apple tree to the right side of the bridge. It is over this bridge that the willow tree drapes. The Chinese man, Tso Ling, was the father of a beautiful daughter, Kwang-se. It is this daughter who was the promised bride of a wealthy and old merchant.
But the story is complicated by the girl falling in love with Chang, the father’s clerk. The girl and young man eloped across the sea to the island cottages. The father followed them and caught them. He was about to have them killed when the gods saved the two by transforming them into a pair of turtle doves. These are seen flying together at the top of the design.
The Blue Willow present form was originally designed in the United Kingdom in 1790 Caughley Pottery Works in Shropshire.
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