Manchu Palaces: A Novel

It is the time of the Manchus, the dynasty that led China to its imperial zenith. Lotus readies herself to secure a position in the imperial palaces of Beijing's Forbidden City. Her cousin searches for a suitable husband who isn't put off by the smallpox scars on her face. As these two young women make their way in an unexpectedly sensual world, Lotus's mother dies. A spiritual quest unfolds as the mother's ghost struggles to return to the flesh. Told in a Buddhist perspective, this enchanting tale examines human loss and human folly. 3 cassettes.