The year is 330 BC. On the mist-shrouded hillsides of the Orient, fertile orchards bear a luscious fruit of unparalleled flavor and texture. So distinctive and unforgettable is the fruit that it becomes steeped in legend and celebrated in myth. Through tradition and verse, it comes to be regarded as a symbol of beauty, and longevity — and great wisdom and intellect is ascribed to those who partake of its flavor. This is the birthplace of the Asian pear.