Seasonal Ceremony

On the day of Lichun in the modern era, a palace museum staff member named Xiao Li photographs the historic grounds alongside an older colleague. The museum is home to a renowned orange cat known as Orange, a seasoned resident who serves as both a mouser and a beloved attraction for visitors. While basking in the courtyard, Orange engages in a territorial dispute with a newly arrived tabby cat. During the altercation, Orange is knocked backward over a stone railing. Instead of landing normally, she experiences a disorienting fall that transports her consciousness into the body of a kitten in the Qing Dynasty, specifically in the year 1769 during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. She awakens in a humble courtyard in Jinling, where she is claimed by a large tabby cat who becomes her mother. Orange, now a kitten, is named Ju Zi and raised alongside three siblings in the household of the Wang family.

The Wang family is a prominent scholarly lineage in Jinling. The matriarch, Old Madam Dong, rules the household with strict authority, while the patriarch, Wang Zhefu, is a disgraced official currently returning from exile in the remote region of Jiaying. The family dynamics are complex; Wang Xichen, the second son, is the father of the newborn girl, Wang Zhenyi. Born on the Beginning of Spring, Zhenyi is the product of a union that carries the weight of familial expectation, particularly because the Wang family desperately desires a male heir to continue the lineage. As Zhenyi grows, Ju Zi becomes her constant companion, observing the intricate social hierarchies and emotional undercurrents of the household from her unique feline perspective.

Zhenyi displays an extraordinary intellect and curiosity from a young age, particularly regarding the natural world and astronomy. Her grandfather, Wang Zhefu, recognizes her sharp mind and takes it upon himself to educate her in the classics and the solar terms, fostering a deep bond between them. This relationship stands in contrast to the rigid Confucian expectations placed on the women of the family. The central conflict emerges when Zhenyi approaches the age of five, the traditional time for foot binding. Upon witnessing her elder sister Shuyi undergoing the painful procedure, Zhenyi is terrified and resolves to escape her fate. She attempts to hide in a dilapidated shed, only to be discovered and brought before Old Madam Dong. The incident causes Zhenyi to fall ill with a high fever, which temporarily halts the plans for her foot binding.

During her recovery, Zhenyi’s interest in the solar terms deepens under her grandfather’s guidance. He explains that these time divisions were derived from careful observation of nature rather than divine intervention, sparking a scientific curiosity in the young girl that defies the superstitious norms of her time. As she grows older, Zhenyi’s reputation for wit and intelligence spreads. During the Lantern Festival, she impresses a gathering of scholars and officials, including the famous writer Yuan Mei, by solving complex riddles. Her performance draws attention from various suitors and families, highlighting the tension between her intellectual capabilities and the societal constraints imposed on women. The narrative follows her development from a curious child into a young woman navigating a world that values female virtue over female intellect, all while Ju Zi remains her silent, observant guardian throughout the changing seasons and family trials.