Jade Lady

From the liner notes: Very long ago, the emperor Chan-Tsung visited Tai-Shan, a great mountain of China. There among its temples, in a pool of crystal water, he saw the image of a lovely woman, whom he called The Daughter of the Spirit of Tai-Shan. In her honor, he built a temple containing the Jade Lady, and chinese women believe that this goddess has a power to bestow children upon barren women. At the foot of the mountain, hopeful women wait to make the pilgrimage. The coolies carry them up slowly, chanting. At the temple, a prayer-song echoes through the arches, across the sounds of a phoenix-flute, a Yang-Ching or Chinese harpsichord, Pi Pa or guitar, a Ku drum, and shudderings gongs. Other women take up the song, but at sunset, the coolie leader calls impatiently. The descent is made quickly, and the coolies are happy at the close of the day. But the women are questioning and hopeful, wondering if the powers of the Jade Lady will be of help to them.