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Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2023)* NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!*
An immersive historical novel inspired by the true story of a woman physician in 15th-century China.
According to Confucius, “an educated woman is a worthless woman,” but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.
From a young age, Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus , they tell from adversity beauty can bloom.
But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife—embroider bound-foot slippers, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.
How might a woman like Yunxian break free of these traditions and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? A captivating story of women helping each other, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a triumphant reimagining of the life of one person who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.
An immersive historical novel inspired by the true story of a woman physician in 15th-century China.
According to Confucius, “an educated woman is a worthless woman,” but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.
From a young age, Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus , they tell from adversity beauty can bloom.
But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife—embroider bound-foot slippers, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.
How might a woman like Yunxian break free of these traditions and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? A captivating story of women helping each other, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a triumphant reimagining of the life of one person who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2023
13k people are currently reading
231k people want to read
About the author
Lisa See
24 books52.2k followersLisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Island of Sea Women, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family’s settlement in Los Angeles. Her books have been published in 39 languages. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the History Maker’s Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women. You can learn more about her at www.LisaSee.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 15,882 reviews
November 29, 2023
“Where is your book?” asks The One Who Does Not Read.
“Oh. I left it at home.”
“You did what?!?! I am turning this car around right now! I have to find out how the story ends!”
“We are the circle of good that surrounds her.” – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
Set in China in the 1500’s, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is dazzling, extraordinary, and fascinating.
Lisa See meticulously researched this book, and, at the same time, it never bogs down the storytelling. It has loads of strong female characters with complex relationships and power structures.
This would make an excellent book club pick and here are a few of my thoughts/observations while reading this book:
1) There were many different women who had power to be cruel but went down a different path
2) Tan Yunxian spends years embroidering shoes for her husband’s family. How does this contrast with the disposable society that we have nowadays where we throw away most things within a year?
3) What do we do for beauty/honor/those we love?
4) Moxibustion is still used today to treat a variety of conditions. Why isn’t it offered more commonly in Western society?
Action-packed from the first chapter and highly addictive, I would highly recommend for anyone who likes strong female characters or books set in China.
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“Oh. I left it at home.”
“You did what?!?! I am turning this car around right now! I have to find out how the story ends!”
“We are the circle of good that surrounds her.” – Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
Set in China in the 1500’s, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is dazzling, extraordinary, and fascinating.
Lisa See meticulously researched this book, and, at the same time, it never bogs down the storytelling. It has loads of strong female characters with complex relationships and power structures.
This would make an excellent book club pick and here are a few of my thoughts/observations while reading this book:
1) There were many different women who had power to be cruel but went down a different path
2) Tan Yunxian spends years embroidering shoes for her husband’s family. How does this contrast with the disposable society that we have nowadays where we throw away most things within a year?
3) What do we do for beauty/honor/those we love?
4) Moxibustion is still used today to treat a variety of conditions. Why isn’t it offered more commonly in Western society?
Action-packed from the first chapter and highly addictive, I would highly recommend for anyone who likes strong female characters or books set in China.
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
July 29, 2023
In each of the seven novels I have read by Lisa See, I always find it enlightening to learn so much about Chinese culture, families, history . While that focus pays tribute to her heritage and especially to strong women, she’s a versatile writer, telling stories of women in various times and places in varied circumstances. This one begins in 1469 during the Ming dynasty, in the time of bound feet, arranged marriages and concubines. The story is inspired by a real life woman doctor, Yunxian Tan, whose books today are “still used today in traditional Chinese Medicine “
The book opens when Yunxian Tan is eight, learning from her mother what her place in the future as a dutiful wife will be . The descriptions of the foot binding, while fascinating are brutal seeing what young girls endured to make them desirable and for the sake of proving one’s love for her husband. There’s more for her to learn, though. Yunxian is from a family of privilege and scholars, and when she comes to live in the elegant mansion of her loving grandparents, she becomes a part of the family legacy of practicing medicine. She learns more from her grandmother more than how to treat women. “You must speak if you wish to be heard.” The story continues through her life as a wife and mother and doctor.
There’s so much substance to this story. The history of the times where power, riches, land are dependent on having sons puts a focus on women giving birth and concubines. The power of friendship, of women caring for each other is portrayed in wonderful ways. The writing is lovely. The descriptions of the residences “The Garden of Fragrant Delights” , “The Courtyard of Whispering Willows”, and her use of actual phrasing of the times - “a resident is dwelling in her child palace” for being pregnant.
While this is a work of fiction, it’s obvious from the acknowledgements that the novel is impeccably researched, and if you are inclined to know more, go to LisaSee.com where she provides us all the background one might want on the culture, customs, traditional Chinese medicine and more that are portrayed in the novel . This is my favorite of hers yet.
I received a copy of this book from Scribner through Edelweiss.
The book opens when Yunxian Tan is eight, learning from her mother what her place in the future as a dutiful wife will be . The descriptions of the foot binding, while fascinating are brutal seeing what young girls endured to make them desirable and for the sake of proving one’s love for her husband. There’s more for her to learn, though. Yunxian is from a family of privilege and scholars, and when she comes to live in the elegant mansion of her loving grandparents, she becomes a part of the family legacy of practicing medicine. She learns more from her grandmother more than how to treat women. “You must speak if you wish to be heard.” The story continues through her life as a wife and mother and doctor.
There’s so much substance to this story. The history of the times where power, riches, land are dependent on having sons puts a focus on women giving birth and concubines. The power of friendship, of women caring for each other is portrayed in wonderful ways. The writing is lovely. The descriptions of the residences “The Garden of Fragrant Delights” , “The Courtyard of Whispering Willows”, and her use of actual phrasing of the times - “a resident is dwelling in her child palace” for being pregnant.
While this is a work of fiction, it’s obvious from the acknowledgements that the novel is impeccably researched, and if you are inclined to know more, go to LisaSee.com where she provides us all the background one might want on the culture, customs, traditional Chinese medicine and more that are portrayed in the novel . This is my favorite of hers yet.
I received a copy of this book from Scribner through Edelweiss.
July 6, 2023
Lisa See’s novels are a delight to read with the captivating human element combined with impeccable cultural details and attention to historical accuracy.
In this book, we are introduced to Yunxian Tan, one of China’s first female physicians who lived during the Ming dynasty. The journal she kept detailing her cases remains in existence today.
By virtue of her aristocratic birth her fate was sealed: education in how to be a proper wife, bound feet, arranged marriage, children, and a life lived solely within the confines of her compound.
When Yunxian’s mother dies at a young age, she is sent to live with her grandparents, who shower her with love, appreciate her intellect, and teach her not only the traditional female pursuits, but also about the world of women’s medicine, at a time when men were not allowed to attend to their health care needs.
During this time Yunxian meets Meiling, a girl of the lower classes, who is studying to be a midwife like her mother, a profession that is reviled in Chinese society for their exposure to blood. The theme of friendship and the power dynamics among women of different social classes is an overriding theme.
Their friendship, and the difficulties each experienced, is the crux of the novel. Both enter into arranged marriages, and Yunxain struggles to break free of the constraints placed upon her by her culture and her husband’s family.
Wealthy women were also constrained by the barbaric practice of foot binding which left women with such mutilated feet they were essentially disabled. Yunxian was one of these women and she continued the practice with her daughters. As much of a trailblazer as she was, she was still a victim of the times and it was the only way to secure a future (i.e. a good marriage) for her daughters.
This is a totally immersive experience, which transports the reader to 15th century China. I love a book that educates and entertains. As a nurse, I found the medical aspects of the story fascinating. They were often innovative and advanced, including a unique way to vaccinate against smallpox. As a woman, I was captivated by the story of women and their friendships, which provided a circle of women who supported one another in an era when they had no freedoms or rights.
This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and one we both highly recommend. This is historical fiction at its finest.
In this book, we are introduced to Yunxian Tan, one of China’s first female physicians who lived during the Ming dynasty. The journal she kept detailing her cases remains in existence today.
By virtue of her aristocratic birth her fate was sealed: education in how to be a proper wife, bound feet, arranged marriage, children, and a life lived solely within the confines of her compound.
When Yunxian’s mother dies at a young age, she is sent to live with her grandparents, who shower her with love, appreciate her intellect, and teach her not only the traditional female pursuits, but also about the world of women’s medicine, at a time when men were not allowed to attend to their health care needs.
During this time Yunxian meets Meiling, a girl of the lower classes, who is studying to be a midwife like her mother, a profession that is reviled in Chinese society for their exposure to blood. The theme of friendship and the power dynamics among women of different social classes is an overriding theme.
Their friendship, and the difficulties each experienced, is the crux of the novel. Both enter into arranged marriages, and Yunxain struggles to break free of the constraints placed upon her by her culture and her husband’s family.
Wealthy women were also constrained by the barbaric practice of foot binding which left women with such mutilated feet they were essentially disabled. Yunxian was one of these women and she continued the practice with her daughters. As much of a trailblazer as she was, she was still a victim of the times and it was the only way to secure a future (i.e. a good marriage) for her daughters.
This is a totally immersive experience, which transports the reader to 15th century China. I love a book that educates and entertains. As a nurse, I found the medical aspects of the story fascinating. They were often innovative and advanced, including a unique way to vaccinate against smallpox. As a woman, I was captivated by the story of women and their friendships, which provided a circle of women who supported one another in an era when they had no freedoms or rights.
This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and one we both highly recommend. This is historical fiction at its finest.
August 6, 2023
Lisa See sweeps us into the Ming Dynasty in 15th century China. The rich culture, the traditions - some fascinating; some disturbing. Being born during this time, a woman was obedient; subservient. Purely there to breed and act as woman of the household.
Tan Yunxian, is guided by her grandmother to practice Chinese medicine and heal women for their ailments- an education frowned upon by many. She is limited on who she can treat but secretly helps others. And always surrounded by women who support her during different phases of her life.
I found this fascinating in the amount of research See did in Chinese medicine. The character both brave and intelligent and who successfully published a book on women's issues in the 1500’s, China. Tough traits to have when one is bound both physically and mentally.
The foot binding will always make me cringe.
4.5⭐️
Tan Yunxian, is guided by her grandmother to practice Chinese medicine and heal women for their ailments- an education frowned upon by many. She is limited on who she can treat but secretly helps others. And always surrounded by women who support her during different phases of her life.
I found this fascinating in the amount of research See did in Chinese medicine. The character both brave and intelligent and who successfully published a book on women's issues in the 1500’s, China. Tough traits to have when one is bound both physically and mentally.
The foot binding will always make me cringe.
4.5⭐️
May 18, 2023
‘You must speak if you wish to be heard.'
Lady Tan Yunxian, a woman born into an elite class in China during the 15th Century, decides to tell her story. Her story of class restrictions and expectations, of learning medicine from her grandmother, of life and death, friendship, and the yin and yang of life.
After losing her mother at only eight years old, Yunxian is sent to live with her grandparents. Unusually, not only does her grandmother offer Yunxian an opportunity to learn medicine, but she also offers her granddaughter the gift of friendship with Meiling, the local midwife's daughter. Through the ebb and flow of this lifetime bond, Yunxian learns to look beyond herself and her privileged life and understand the unity that all women share, 'A woman who helps others helps herself.' Reflecting on the four phases of a woman's life: milk years, hair-pinning, rice and salt, and finally sitting quietly, we follow Yunxian's coming of age and wisdom, 'we are all trapped to some extent by our physical and emotional selves, but each woman is trapped in a different way.'
Inspired by a real-life Tan Yunxian, and her actual written medical text, I was utterly transported to the Ming Dynasty: the sights, smells, luscious gardens, intricate dresses, and delicate accouterments. The wealth of detail Lisa See elaborates when relating Chinese cultural, religious values and aphorisms envelop the story with authenticity. Despite Lisa See already having a plethora of firm fans from her previous novels, this is my first. But, after this, it most certainly won't be my last. A wonderful piece of historical fiction that I believe anyone would love.
Lady Tan Yunxian, a woman born into an elite class in China during the 15th Century, decides to tell her story. Her story of class restrictions and expectations, of learning medicine from her grandmother, of life and death, friendship, and the yin and yang of life.
After losing her mother at only eight years old, Yunxian is sent to live with her grandparents. Unusually, not only does her grandmother offer Yunxian an opportunity to learn medicine, but she also offers her granddaughter the gift of friendship with Meiling, the local midwife's daughter. Through the ebb and flow of this lifetime bond, Yunxian learns to look beyond herself and her privileged life and understand the unity that all women share, 'A woman who helps others helps herself.' Reflecting on the four phases of a woman's life: milk years, hair-pinning, rice and salt, and finally sitting quietly, we follow Yunxian's coming of age and wisdom, 'we are all trapped to some extent by our physical and emotional selves, but each woman is trapped in a different way.'
Inspired by a real-life Tan Yunxian, and her actual written medical text, I was utterly transported to the Ming Dynasty: the sights, smells, luscious gardens, intricate dresses, and delicate accouterments. The wealth of detail Lisa See elaborates when relating Chinese cultural, religious values and aphorisms envelop the story with authenticity. Despite Lisa See already having a plethora of firm fans from her previous novels, this is my first. But, after this, it most certainly won't be my last. A wonderful piece of historical fiction that I believe anyone would love.
February 27, 2025
The book is called Lady Tan’s Circle of Women. The description says it’s about women in the Ming Dynasty practicing traditional Chinese medicine, treating patients, and eventually leaving behind a medical manuscript. I'm quite looking forward to it. Medical dramas or profession-based stories set in historical contexts can be engaging; they aren't as dry as non-fiction historical reads and often include interesting historical events.
However, I didn't even finish the first chapter before I realized Lisa See was trying hard to find a new book theme. She meticulously researched and highlighted all the male-dominated, oppressive customs accumulated over thousands of years in Chinese feudal society. It's like picking at scars, and scars need to be viewed rationally; they exist objectively and must be voluntarily examined, often reflected upon, to be the best version of oneself. But the tricky part is that the truth behind scars is very complex. If not handled well, it becomes overly simplified into black-and-white stereotypes. Nowadays, there’s a term called "political correctness" - if you’re depicted in a negative light and aren't bad, it's considered incorrect.
To start with, this book begins with some criticism, directly addressing the most brutal practice towards women in Chinese feudal society - foot binding. The beginning is decent; foot binding is gruesome, and many male literati across dynasties romanticized it with beautiful words. Lisa focuses on it, describing the entire process in meticulous detail like product manufacturing. It's horrifying to read, and the truth of the matter is gut-wrenching. Foot binding's perversion left a bloody scar on Chinese women's souls in this male-dominated society, and this grotesque aesthetic is worth digging into.
But as the story progresses, it starts to lose its flavor. Despite being titled after Lady Tan Yunxian, it should have enriched her story as a rare female doctor in Chinese history. In a strictly patriarchal and absolutist era, a renowned Ming gynecologist with a work that survived through time must have had an extraordinary upbringing, flying against the wind. Globally, even well-known figures like Marx faced similar struggles. After his father's early death, his mother in 19th-century Germany couldn't manage the family's finances independently and had to rely on male relatives.
However, Lisa uses Tan Yunxian's name as a front, misleading readers. She weaves all the scars of feudal society into her family's story - foot binding from birth, almost perverse family conditions in childhood, grandfathers and fathers taking concubines, uncles and husband arranged in feudal, anti-human child marriages. This literary technique of using a protagonist to critique the "3 mountains" (feudalism, imperialism, bureaucratic capitalism) becomes nauseating over time. In the past, limited propaganda channels required novels, operas, and plays to make the oppressed understand their plight, sometimes leading to violent revolutions.
Now, it's commercial fiction seeking sensational themes to drive sales. The story is written for foreigners with little to none knowledge of another culture, hitting all the shocking points - wet nurses, child brides, human trafficking, alluring concubines, multiple wives. Watching out of curiosity, I can predict the next outlandish twist as the female lead repeatedly gives birth to girls without a male heir, leading to secondary persecution. Skimming through some parts, if dialogues, descriptions, and characters only string together a critique, it's easy to read at a glance. I wonder if Lisa got too excited while writing, suddenly sending Lady Tan to the Forbidden City for an absurd childbirth scene involving the crown prince, bringing in palace maids and eunuchs. The emperor's appearance made me laugh angrily.
The medical aspect is even harder to write. Growing up in a family of Chinese medicine practitioners in a grand mansion, surrounded by women striving for continuation of the family line, with hormonal needs throughout life, she gradually becomes a gynecologist. That’s good, but the book mixes Chinese medicine with folk superstitions, prescribing like a quack. Lisa loves borrowing folk sayings like "you are what you eat" - afraid of difficult labor, eat rabbit meat because rabbits run fast. Famous doctor, quack, charlatan - it's surprising Ming people didn't die from this. Ironically, she occasionally inserts Confucian quotes, creating a cultural tabloid effect.
Every country has mainstream culture with universal values. Curiosity seeks pain points globally, but palace dramas always sell, providing dinner conversation. On reflection, people of any nation should first learn orthodox knowledge systematically to avoid being controlled by commercial, cult, revolutionary, or erroneous forces. A clear understanding allows discerning what to laugh off.
Here are a few points that made me feel awkward and disconnected while reading:
1. Lisa translated life stages as "milk days" and "rice-and-salt days," which are hard to understand. Additionally, there are some invented idioms and metaphors like "Don't allow yourself to become a jade hairpin that falls in the mud" and "A snake always sheds its skin," which are very unfamiliar and difficult to understand for someone who knows Chinese culture.
2. In the book, a woman calls the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang by name and says things like "How lucky we are to live during the age of the Great Ming," Miss Chen, Master Yang's concubine, comments. "Our country suffered through centuries of Mongol rule, but Zhu Yuanzhang drove them out, and became the first Ming emperor. Even the word itself—ming—tells of light, brightness, and the radiance of virtue. May the first hundred years of the Great Ming continue for a thousand years and gloriously on to the end of time." Moreover, the empress says to the protagonist, "When my husband was a boy, his father kept thousands of concubines." This kind of statement is historically inaccurate. The empress wouldn't refer to the emperor as "my husband," and it's impossible for ancient Chinese emperors to have "thousands of concubines" in their harem.
3. The descriptions of old Chinese households are also inaccurate. For example, the book describes the protagonist "reclining on a kang" (a heated brick bed typical of northern China), while the protagonist lives in Wuxi, where such heated beds wouldn't exist. Additionally, after the protagonist gives birth to a daughter, she personally breastfeeds her child without a wet nurse, which would be uncommon for a wealthy family in ancient China (Poppy brings her to me, and I open my gown so my baby can nurse).
4. Regarding the "female friendships" depicted in the book, although Lisa wants to show how women in feudal society supported each other, the deep bond between the protagonist and her father's concubine, Aunt Zhao, seems exaggerated. Aunt Zhao is a "thin horse" bought from Yangzhou, usually dancing for the father's and guests' entertainment (Miss Zhao, my father's concubine, must be entertaining my father and his guests.). However, she is also someone who "can read and write, having studied the classics" (I can read and write. I've studied the classics.). Such a concubine is very rare and feels unrealistic to me.
Overall, while the story is set in the Ming Dynasty, Lisa’s understanding and depiction of Chinese culture have serious shortcomings. Therefore, if you want to gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture and society during the Ming Dynasty, I recommend supplementing your reading with other historical sources. Other wise, it can be a “fun” read.
2.6 / 5 stars
However, I didn't even finish the first chapter before I realized Lisa See was trying hard to find a new book theme. She meticulously researched and highlighted all the male-dominated, oppressive customs accumulated over thousands of years in Chinese feudal society. It's like picking at scars, and scars need to be viewed rationally; they exist objectively and must be voluntarily examined, often reflected upon, to be the best version of oneself. But the tricky part is that the truth behind scars is very complex. If not handled well, it becomes overly simplified into black-and-white stereotypes. Nowadays, there’s a term called "political correctness" - if you’re depicted in a negative light and aren't bad, it's considered incorrect.
To start with, this book begins with some criticism, directly addressing the most brutal practice towards women in Chinese feudal society - foot binding. The beginning is decent; foot binding is gruesome, and many male literati across dynasties romanticized it with beautiful words. Lisa focuses on it, describing the entire process in meticulous detail like product manufacturing. It's horrifying to read, and the truth of the matter is gut-wrenching. Foot binding's perversion left a bloody scar on Chinese women's souls in this male-dominated society, and this grotesque aesthetic is worth digging into.
But as the story progresses, it starts to lose its flavor. Despite being titled after Lady Tan Yunxian, it should have enriched her story as a rare female doctor in Chinese history. In a strictly patriarchal and absolutist era, a renowned Ming gynecologist with a work that survived through time must have had an extraordinary upbringing, flying against the wind. Globally, even well-known figures like Marx faced similar struggles. After his father's early death, his mother in 19th-century Germany couldn't manage the family's finances independently and had to rely on male relatives.
However, Lisa uses Tan Yunxian's name as a front, misleading readers. She weaves all the scars of feudal society into her family's story - foot binding from birth, almost perverse family conditions in childhood, grandfathers and fathers taking concubines, uncles and husband arranged in feudal, anti-human child marriages. This literary technique of using a protagonist to critique the "3 mountains" (feudalism, imperialism, bureaucratic capitalism) becomes nauseating over time. In the past, limited propaganda channels required novels, operas, and plays to make the oppressed understand their plight, sometimes leading to violent revolutions.
Now, it's commercial fiction seeking sensational themes to drive sales. The story is written for foreigners with little to none knowledge of another culture, hitting all the shocking points - wet nurses, child brides, human trafficking, alluring concubines, multiple wives. Watching out of curiosity, I can predict the next outlandish twist as the female lead repeatedly gives birth to girls without a male heir, leading to secondary persecution. Skimming through some parts, if dialogues, descriptions, and characters only string together a critique, it's easy to read at a glance. I wonder if Lisa got too excited while writing, suddenly sending Lady Tan to the Forbidden City for an absurd childbirth scene involving the crown prince, bringing in palace maids and eunuchs. The emperor's appearance made me laugh angrily.
The medical aspect is even harder to write. Growing up in a family of Chinese medicine practitioners in a grand mansion, surrounded by women striving for continuation of the family line, with hormonal needs throughout life, she gradually becomes a gynecologist. That’s good, but the book mixes Chinese medicine with folk superstitions, prescribing like a quack. Lisa loves borrowing folk sayings like "you are what you eat" - afraid of difficult labor, eat rabbit meat because rabbits run fast. Famous doctor, quack, charlatan - it's surprising Ming people didn't die from this. Ironically, she occasionally inserts Confucian quotes, creating a cultural tabloid effect.
Every country has mainstream culture with universal values. Curiosity seeks pain points globally, but palace dramas always sell, providing dinner conversation. On reflection, people of any nation should first learn orthodox knowledge systematically to avoid being controlled by commercial, cult, revolutionary, or erroneous forces. A clear understanding allows discerning what to laugh off.
Here are a few points that made me feel awkward and disconnected while reading:
1. Lisa translated life stages as "milk days" and "rice-and-salt days," which are hard to understand. Additionally, there are some invented idioms and metaphors like "Don't allow yourself to become a jade hairpin that falls in the mud" and "A snake always sheds its skin," which are very unfamiliar and difficult to understand for someone who knows Chinese culture.
2. In the book, a woman calls the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang by name and says things like "How lucky we are to live during the age of the Great Ming," Miss Chen, Master Yang's concubine, comments. "Our country suffered through centuries of Mongol rule, but Zhu Yuanzhang drove them out, and became the first Ming emperor. Even the word itself—ming—tells of light, brightness, and the radiance of virtue. May the first hundred years of the Great Ming continue for a thousand years and gloriously on to the end of time." Moreover, the empress says to the protagonist, "When my husband was a boy, his father kept thousands of concubines." This kind of statement is historically inaccurate. The empress wouldn't refer to the emperor as "my husband," and it's impossible for ancient Chinese emperors to have "thousands of concubines" in their harem.
3. The descriptions of old Chinese households are also inaccurate. For example, the book describes the protagonist "reclining on a kang" (a heated brick bed typical of northern China), while the protagonist lives in Wuxi, where such heated beds wouldn't exist. Additionally, after the protagonist gives birth to a daughter, she personally breastfeeds her child without a wet nurse, which would be uncommon for a wealthy family in ancient China (Poppy brings her to me, and I open my gown so my baby can nurse).
4. Regarding the "female friendships" depicted in the book, although Lisa wants to show how women in feudal society supported each other, the deep bond between the protagonist and her father's concubine, Aunt Zhao, seems exaggerated. Aunt Zhao is a "thin horse" bought from Yangzhou, usually dancing for the father's and guests' entertainment (Miss Zhao, my father's concubine, must be entertaining my father and his guests.). However, she is also someone who "can read and write, having studied the classics" (I can read and write. I've studied the classics.). Such a concubine is very rare and feels unrealistic to me.
Overall, while the story is set in the Ming Dynasty, Lisa’s understanding and depiction of Chinese culture have serious shortcomings. Therefore, if you want to gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture and society during the Ming Dynasty, I recommend supplementing your reading with other historical sources. Other wise, it can be a “fun” read.
2.6 / 5 stars
August 1, 2023
I absolutely loved this story!
A well researched and fictional account on the life of a real historical figure.. Tan Yunxian, who published a book on her life as a physician in 15c China.
So interesting to read of the women’s lives during this time in China’s history.
Don’t miss this one!
A well researched and fictional account on the life of a real historical figure.. Tan Yunxian, who published a book on her life as a physician in 15c China.
So interesting to read of the women’s lives during this time in China’s history.
Don’t miss this one!
November 22, 2023
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a fascinating historical account centered around the life of a remarkable female doctor named Tan Yunxian, who in 1511 at the age of 50 published a book of her cases. Even more astounding: all of her patients were women and girls.
Little to nothing is known about her personal life, but that’s what novels are for. And who better to bring Yunxian to life than bestselling historical fiction author Lisa See.
Set in 15th-century China during the Ming Dynasty — a time of opulence, intrigue, and cultural transformation — Lady Tan’s Circle of Women explores the world of traditional Chinese medicine, encompassing its ancient healing practices, herbal remedies, and holistic approach to health and well-being.
Yunxian is a child when the story begins, an aristocrat’s daughter whose future should have contained little more than bound feet, arranged marriage, and a life spent behind the walls of the family’s compound.
But when her mother dies while Yunxian is still a child, she’s sent to live with her paternal grandparents, both of whom are physicians and more than willing to teach her the healing arts they practice.
At the time, female physicians were extremely rare and male doctors were not permitted to see a woman patient. A male doctor had to sit behind a screen or in another room, while the woman’s father or husband relayed questions and answers back and forth.
How crazy is that? Particularly when the Four Examinations of traditional Chinese medicine are looking, listening and smelling, asking, and pulse-taking. Imagine doing this without ever laying eyes on your patient.
I’ve had acupuncture and moxibustion treatments, as well as Chinese herbal decoctions prescribed by traditional Chinese medicine doctors. I can’t even fathom how any of this could be possible without being seen by the physician.
The story follows Yunxian as she eventually leaves her grandparents’ home and becomes a wife and mother who struggles to maintain a work-life balance, very much like women today.
But the heart of this tale is its titular circle of women — concubines, spinsters, midwives, servants, and Yunxian’s own daughters — who rally around each other in ways both large and small throughout the novel’s pages.
The deep and lasting bonds she forms with the other women and the quiet ways they make space for and uplift one another is touching and heartfelt. May we all have such women in our lives…and recognize them for the gift they are.
I’ve been an ardent fan of Lisa See since reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan many years ago. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, like See’s previous works, showcases her masterful storytelling ability.
This is an exquisitely detailed novel that’s been meticulously researched. From the first pages, you’ll find yourself steeped in the culture and social customs of ancient China as See provides insights into foot-binding — which will make you cringe — to producing jasmine tea.
Little to nothing is known about her personal life, but that’s what novels are for. And who better to bring Yunxian to life than bestselling historical fiction author Lisa See.
Set in 15th-century China during the Ming Dynasty — a time of opulence, intrigue, and cultural transformation — Lady Tan’s Circle of Women explores the world of traditional Chinese medicine, encompassing its ancient healing practices, herbal remedies, and holistic approach to health and well-being.
Yunxian is a child when the story begins, an aristocrat’s daughter whose future should have contained little more than bound feet, arranged marriage, and a life spent behind the walls of the family’s compound.
But when her mother dies while Yunxian is still a child, she’s sent to live with her paternal grandparents, both of whom are physicians and more than willing to teach her the healing arts they practice.
At the time, female physicians were extremely rare and male doctors were not permitted to see a woman patient. A male doctor had to sit behind a screen or in another room, while the woman’s father or husband relayed questions and answers back and forth.
How crazy is that? Particularly when the Four Examinations of traditional Chinese medicine are looking, listening and smelling, asking, and pulse-taking. Imagine doing this without ever laying eyes on your patient.
I’ve had acupuncture and moxibustion treatments, as well as Chinese herbal decoctions prescribed by traditional Chinese medicine doctors. I can’t even fathom how any of this could be possible without being seen by the physician.
The story follows Yunxian as she eventually leaves her grandparents’ home and becomes a wife and mother who struggles to maintain a work-life balance, very much like women today.
But the heart of this tale is its titular circle of women — concubines, spinsters, midwives, servants, and Yunxian’s own daughters — who rally around each other in ways both large and small throughout the novel’s pages.
The deep and lasting bonds she forms with the other women and the quiet ways they make space for and uplift one another is touching and heartfelt. May we all have such women in our lives…and recognize them for the gift they are.
I’ve been an ardent fan of Lisa See since reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan many years ago. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, like See’s previous works, showcases her masterful storytelling ability.
This is an exquisitely detailed novel that’s been meticulously researched. From the first pages, you’ll find yourself steeped in the culture and social customs of ancient China as See provides insights into foot-binding — which will make you cringe — to producing jasmine tea.
August 28, 2024
Why I chose to read this book:
1. I haven't met a Lisa See book that I didn't like, so it was only natural that I would add this one to my WTR list; and,
2. August 2024 is my "Biographical Fiction" Month.
Praises:
1. as always, See goes above and beyond when it comes to doing her homework! With every book, including this one, I learn more about Chinese culture, history, philosophy, and literature. This story is set in 1469 to 1511 and focuses primarily on the female relationships MC Lady Tan Yunxian experiences in her "circle of good". I also learned how these relationships were affected by various health issues, such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, even foot binding. Playing an integral part in this story was Yunxian's role as a doctor and her growing knowledge of Eastern medicine, as well as her close friend, Meiling's expertise as a midwife;
2. See allows the reader to be a spectator through her vividly-detailed descriptions; and,
3. I could feel the joy and pain that Yunxian and Meiling experienced throughout the creatively-woven plot.
Niggles: None!
Overall Thoughts:
Another well-crafted story, this time based on an actual female doctor living hundreds of years ago in China. Lisa See is my go-to author of Asian historical fiction!
1. I haven't met a Lisa See book that I didn't like, so it was only natural that I would add this one to my WTR list; and,
2. August 2024 is my "Biographical Fiction" Month.
Praises:
1. as always, See goes above and beyond when it comes to doing her homework! With every book, including this one, I learn more about Chinese culture, history, philosophy, and literature. This story is set in 1469 to 1511 and focuses primarily on the female relationships MC Lady Tan Yunxian experiences in her "circle of good". I also learned how these relationships were affected by various health issues, such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, even foot binding. Playing an integral part in this story was Yunxian's role as a doctor and her growing knowledge of Eastern medicine, as well as her close friend, Meiling's expertise as a midwife;
2. See allows the reader to be a spectator through her vividly-detailed descriptions; and,
3. I could feel the joy and pain that Yunxian and Meiling experienced throughout the creatively-woven plot.
Niggles: None!
Overall Thoughts:
Another well-crafted story, this time based on an actual female doctor living hundreds of years ago in China. Lisa See is my go-to author of Asian historical fiction!
June 6, 2023
Lisa See has become one of my favorite authors and I recommend her books oftentimes to my fellow historical fiction friends. If you are reading this review and have never read her titles, let this be your recommendation to give her a try.
In her latest novel, Lisa See transports readers, to 15th and 16th-century China and the incredible life of Tan Yunxian. A young woman born into a privileged family, surrounded by women who greatly influenced her healing practices.
Written during the Covid-19 lockdown, Lisa See writes a poignant tale of a woman who faces many trials and tribulations- some because of the restrictions of her society and others that are timeless across centuries. The novel was divided into different parts of Yunxian's life from childhood to her aging days.
I loved the characters and the realistic scenarios that they are placed under. There are some scenes of childbirth and foot binding that are very descriptive and might make a reader squeamish. However, do not deny yourself the pleasure of a fictionalized novel about a woman that actually lived.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date o6/06/23
Goodreads Review 06/06/23
In her latest novel, Lisa See transports readers, to 15th and 16th-century China and the incredible life of Tan Yunxian. A young woman born into a privileged family, surrounded by women who greatly influenced her healing practices.
Written during the Covid-19 lockdown, Lisa See writes a poignant tale of a woman who faces many trials and tribulations- some because of the restrictions of her society and others that are timeless across centuries. The novel was divided into different parts of Yunxian's life from childhood to her aging days.
I loved the characters and the realistic scenarios that they are placed under. There are some scenes of childbirth and foot binding that are very descriptive and might make a reader squeamish. However, do not deny yourself the pleasure of a fictionalized novel about a woman that actually lived.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date o6/06/23
Goodreads Review 06/06/23
June 8, 2023
Will be in minority here! Well researched but over-described details and plethora of characters bogged down narrative.
July 24, 2023
Lisa See had written another gripping, thought provoking book that showcases strong female characters living in China during the 15th Century. I enjoyed her attention to detail, extensive research, and vivid descriptions. She creates characters that I care about, and it was easy to slip into the world of the characters in this book as a silent observer.
In the beginning of the book, Yunxian Tan is a young girl living during the Ming Dynasty. Her mother passes away and she is sent to live with her grandparents. Her grandmother is a healer/physician in a time when male doctors will not touch women or blood. She has extensive knowledge of herbs and healing. Yunxian wants to be a healer as well but knows that she soon will enter an arranged marriage and go live in the home of her mother-in-law. While living with her grandparents, her grandmother arranges for her to meet Meiling, a midwife apprentice who will remain her friend throughout their lives.
This was such a gripping, eye opening and beautifully written book. Even though I knew about the practice of foot binding and have read about it in many books, it still makes me cringe. I can't begin to imagine the pain involved.
Class, birthright, customs, obligations, and expectations are detailed in this book. I felt for the characters and formed strong opinions about others in this book. Life was far from easy and Lisa See captured the pressure to produce a male heir, to be a good wife, good daughter, and good daughter-in-law.
Whenever I read a book by Lisa See I am reminded of how much I enjoy her books. I had a hard time putting this book down and can't wait to read what she writes next!
Captivating, thought provoking, well written and hard to put down! Highly Recommend.
*Traveling friends buddy read
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
In the beginning of the book, Yunxian Tan is a young girl living during the Ming Dynasty. Her mother passes away and she is sent to live with her grandparents. Her grandmother is a healer/physician in a time when male doctors will not touch women or blood. She has extensive knowledge of herbs and healing. Yunxian wants to be a healer as well but knows that she soon will enter an arranged marriage and go live in the home of her mother-in-law. While living with her grandparents, her grandmother arranges for her to meet Meiling, a midwife apprentice who will remain her friend throughout their lives.
This was such a gripping, eye opening and beautifully written book. Even though I knew about the practice of foot binding and have read about it in many books, it still makes me cringe. I can't begin to imagine the pain involved.
Class, birthright, customs, obligations, and expectations are detailed in this book. I felt for the characters and formed strong opinions about others in this book. Life was far from easy and Lisa See captured the pressure to produce a male heir, to be a good wife, good daughter, and good daughter-in-law.
Whenever I read a book by Lisa See I am reminded of how much I enjoy her books. I had a hard time putting this book down and can't wait to read what she writes next!
Captivating, thought provoking, well written and hard to put down! Highly Recommend.
*Traveling friends buddy read
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 14, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this novel, I was engaged throughout even if the secret reveal was easy to guess from the beginning. The research is exquisite and I have a whole new respect for the depth of understanding that Chinese medicine and midwifery had even in ancient times (this may be true for other medical philosophies but I haven't read about them in depth). It was also interesting how Yunxian could explain her thinking/actions using what she knew were characteristics of her sign... kinda like how people believe in zodiac signs as their personality. There were many parts of the story where I felt her anguish, frustration, impatience and sorrow. It also gave me another view of footbinding as not cruelty that mothers inflicted on their daughters but as a practice they knew would ensure a better future for their daughters. Even the function of concubines and the nettling relationship that would exist between a wife and concubines was nicely portrayed. A part of me was hoping that as a doctor, Yunxian would come to realize how many ailments and issues could be avoided by not practicing footbinding but that wouldn't fit with her character and her beliefs. It was heartwarming to see how Yunxian comes to understand that she is connected to all women through their common emotional, psychological and physical struggles. Overall another wonderfully enlightening Lisa See book.
August 17, 2023
This book was much better than I thought it would be. Now I know that sounds like damning with faint praise, but when you consider I had no desire to read this at all, but was roped into it by my book club after having told them I wouldn't be coming to any more meetings because night time driving didn't work for me anymore, our next hostess in line decided on a Sunday brunch instead. Worse than that, I was 67th on the library waiting list, so had to download a full price Kindle copy. Lisa See is very popular with my book club, not so much with me. So it had a few strikes against it going in.
However......the story grabbed me from the beginning and kept me reading about a woman practicing medicine in 15th century China. She was highborn and not expected to do anything but provide sons for her husband, which is barbaric enough, but when you add foot-binding, methods of childbirth, keeping women in compounds to prevent contamination by other men, concubines, eunuchs, and palace intrigue, well, it got interesting. Not to mention the witchiest mother-in-law in literature. It ended up being a novel of friendship and fellowship between women helping each other during bad times. Which is what women throughout history have always done. So 4 well-deserved stars.
And because I can't resist, I include my favorite quote:
"Tell me. Are men not the cause of every woe the world must endure?"
However......the story grabbed me from the beginning and kept me reading about a woman practicing medicine in 15th century China. She was highborn and not expected to do anything but provide sons for her husband, which is barbaric enough, but when you add foot-binding, methods of childbirth, keeping women in compounds to prevent contamination by other men, concubines, eunuchs, and palace intrigue, well, it got interesting. Not to mention the witchiest mother-in-law in literature. It ended up being a novel of friendship and fellowship between women helping each other during bad times. Which is what women throughout history have always done. So 4 well-deserved stars.
And because I can't resist, I include my favorite quote:
"Tell me. Are men not the cause of every woe the world must endure?"
August 22, 2023
The novel feels like someone trying too hard to show how well researched and historically accurate she is. She seems to forget that her readers would rather be entertained than lectured at.
The writing is also especially grating for me. -- As a native Chinese speaker, I have never drawn the mental equation between "zi gong" (womb) and "child palace". -- There are other similar instances in the book. By foregoing romanised Pinyin and instead, presenting the literal meaning of a word to an audience that has no sufficient knowledge of the workings of the Chinese language, thousands of years of linguistic sophistication is lost in the reading. The effect is unnatural and just plain childish. While it may not be the author's intention, the subtext seems to be, "How quaint is the Chinese language? I think it's quaint! Don't you think it's quaint?!"
Thank goodness there are still writers that are capable of portraying foreign voices without infantalising the language in question. Imagine a Japanese character saying "child of the tree" instead of "kinoko" for mushrooms. Or a German character saying "hand shoes" instead of "handschuhe" for gloves. The abomination.
Then the author somehow inexplicably and inconsistently uses Western terminology for the herbs and medical procedures referred to in the book. Why? Are the Chinese names not good enough in these regard?
"Child palace" (eye-roll) is just one example of the author's constant need to explain and hammer in her idea of "chinese-ness" for the "education" of a non-Chinese readership, who can then claim "enlightenment" on Chinese culture and history. Add in two-dimensional characters that I can't seem to care for and a plodding narrative, this book makes for very painful reading indeed, at least for this reader.
I would recommend the Chinese classic "Dream of the Red Chamber" by Cao Xueqin to anyone interested in truly complex and well-rounded Chinese female characters in traditional patriarchal China.
The writing is also especially grating for me. -- As a native Chinese speaker, I have never drawn the mental equation between "zi gong" (womb) and "child palace". -- There are other similar instances in the book. By foregoing romanised Pinyin and instead, presenting the literal meaning of a word to an audience that has no sufficient knowledge of the workings of the Chinese language, thousands of years of linguistic sophistication is lost in the reading. The effect is unnatural and just plain childish. While it may not be the author's intention, the subtext seems to be, "How quaint is the Chinese language? I think it's quaint! Don't you think it's quaint?!"
Thank goodness there are still writers that are capable of portraying foreign voices without infantalising the language in question. Imagine a Japanese character saying "child of the tree" instead of "kinoko" for mushrooms. Or a German character saying "hand shoes" instead of "handschuhe" for gloves. The abomination.
Then the author somehow inexplicably and inconsistently uses Western terminology for the herbs and medical procedures referred to in the book. Why? Are the Chinese names not good enough in these regard?
"Child palace" (eye-roll) is just one example of the author's constant need to explain and hammer in her idea of "chinese-ness" for the "education" of a non-Chinese readership, who can then claim "enlightenment" on Chinese culture and history. Add in two-dimensional characters that I can't seem to care for and a plodding narrative, this book makes for very painful reading indeed, at least for this reader.
I would recommend the Chinese classic "Dream of the Red Chamber" by Cao Xueqin to anyone interested in truly complex and well-rounded Chinese female characters in traditional patriarchal China.
July 5, 2023
I challenge anymore who has read Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, to turn the last page and not have a mountain of respect and awe inspiring admiration for the characters Lisa See has presented.
One of the characters, Yunxian Tan, is shown to us as a young girl, of a higher rank, living in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. She has lost her mother, and has a knowledgeable grandmother skilled in the healing arts. Yunxian wants desperately to become a doctor but her station in life is to learn the etiquette of the time, with feet bound, and being subservient to men. She is wonderfully trained by her doting grandparents as her grandmother verses her in caring for the sick and both grandparents nurture her with a knowledge of love and compassion.
At this time, men were not permitted to care for woman and could only diagnose treatment behind a screen while symptoms were spoken to him.
Yunxian becomes friends with Meiling, a girl of lower rank, who will be trained in the art of birthing babies. The girls form a lifelong friendship even though their rank in life doesn't allow them as adults to be together.
The lives of Yunxian and Meiling intersect through marriages, heartbreaks, and their love for each other. Their lives will touch you in many ways as they live, in Yunxian’s case, confined within the walls of her husband’s palatial home, dealing with a mother in law she will never make happy, while Meiling desperately wants a child with her hard working husband as she becomes extremely proficient as a midwife.
The two ladies do prove the valor of a life well led, while adapting and following through with their dreams and aspirations in a time where women might have dreampt, but never been able to fulfill those desires.
The customs, the way of life, the things presented by Lisa See so proficiently put forth, will provide an education for the reader. I was truly inspired by these women in this tale and how they faced their lives with dignity and respect for culture, family, and love.
It was truly a privilege to read such a exquisite story that was extensively researched and presented.
Jan and I loved it and sing its praises. Definitely added to the top ten books of 2023!
One of the characters, Yunxian Tan, is shown to us as a young girl, of a higher rank, living in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. She has lost her mother, and has a knowledgeable grandmother skilled in the healing arts. Yunxian wants desperately to become a doctor but her station in life is to learn the etiquette of the time, with feet bound, and being subservient to men. She is wonderfully trained by her doting grandparents as her grandmother verses her in caring for the sick and both grandparents nurture her with a knowledge of love and compassion.
At this time, men were not permitted to care for woman and could only diagnose treatment behind a screen while symptoms were spoken to him.
Yunxian becomes friends with Meiling, a girl of lower rank, who will be trained in the art of birthing babies. The girls form a lifelong friendship even though their rank in life doesn't allow them as adults to be together.
The lives of Yunxian and Meiling intersect through marriages, heartbreaks, and their love for each other. Their lives will touch you in many ways as they live, in Yunxian’s case, confined within the walls of her husband’s palatial home, dealing with a mother in law she will never make happy, while Meiling desperately wants a child with her hard working husband as she becomes extremely proficient as a midwife.
The two ladies do prove the valor of a life well led, while adapting and following through with their dreams and aspirations in a time where women might have dreampt, but never been able to fulfill those desires.
The customs, the way of life, the things presented by Lisa See so proficiently put forth, will provide an education for the reader. I was truly inspired by these women in this tale and how they faced their lives with dignity and respect for culture, family, and love.
It was truly a privilege to read such a exquisite story that was extensively researched and presented.
Jan and I loved it and sing its praises. Definitely added to the top ten books of 2023!
July 1, 2023
Someone out there knows I like historical fiction. Amazon, Instagram, Big Brother, and That Quiet Skinny Guy with the Red Camry who Always Seems to be Smoking a Cigarette in the Alley Whenever I Leave the House at Any Time of Day. So, I got this suggested to me on a number of occasions. Didn’t win the Goodreads giveaway, but I waited a good long while for this one in the library queue. And then, right there next to my pick-up shelf was the NYT Best-Seller List, with this at #5.
The best way to summarize the plot is to say it’s a fictionalized account of a woman in 15th Century China who becomes a doctor, mostly to women, against all odds. See takes us through the life of Yunxian, going from her childhood in a house of some privilege to her old age. Over the years she learns about medicine from her grandparents and befriends the daughter of a midwife from a nearby town. Secretly, she treats women in the compound and meets with some success. She even gets a chance to treat the empress. Simultaneously, she marries (arranged, of course), has children, and even gets involved in a murder investigation.
What’s most impressive here is the amount and extent of research. The customs, the dress, the ceremonies were all given astounding detail. Every page is just filled with intricate descriptions of how people lived back then. Tough to translate from ancient Mandarin (I think) to modern English, but she did. Even how the characters referred to one another seemed realistic.
But the dedication to historical accuracy took away from the narrative. Rather than move the plot or develop the characters, the author instead chose to have Yunxian explain what was happening, why things were happening. There were some descriptions of what people were wearing or the long procedures for some tradition. It was the MC in first person, but what I heard was a history teacher, lecturing.
There’s also supposed to be a close connection between Yunxian and Meiling (the midwife’s daughter), but I just didn’t get enough emotional attachment. Same for Yunxian’s daughters: she says she loves them and misses them, but we get almost no description of them or any interaction. Perhaps it’s custom to not be as involved with children in this time and in this sociological class, but her stated feelings for them seemed flat. Also, the murder inquest seemed a bit truncated, added to all the other occurrences when it might have stood alone.
Overall, I come back to the old standby of narrative fiction: “Show, don’t tell.” “I decide it’s time to visit Grandmother,” she says, out of the blue. We get these kinds of revelations all the time, sometimes to describe a tradition we in the 21 Century won’t understand, or maybe to see that Yunxian (who only becomes “Lady Tan” in the last 30 pages) thinks so differently than everyone else. Also, if ancient medicine is your thing, this is your book. Me, my eyes glazed over whenever we learned about some prescription, diagnosis or treatment. Great if you want to learn about the history and medicine of the time, not so great if you want to sympathize with the characters.
All this takes too long, it slows the pace to a crawl. We learn a lot, but character and plot development suffer. There really isn’t a “circle of women” until the end, and the drama is sandwiched with too much historical accuracy.
This all said, it’s written wonderfully with great care. It speaks to an amazing idea, a triumph in a dark time. I can see why people want to read it: it’s an incredible story, worthy of admiration. But the execution as a compelling, exciting tale just doesn’t happen for me. I might have written this as a non-fiction piece instead and it would have taken on the same importance.
An important work about a fascinating person. If you can stick with the sociological text, give it a try.
The best way to summarize the plot is to say it’s a fictionalized account of a woman in 15th Century China who becomes a doctor, mostly to women, against all odds. See takes us through the life of Yunxian, going from her childhood in a house of some privilege to her old age. Over the years she learns about medicine from her grandparents and befriends the daughter of a midwife from a nearby town. Secretly, she treats women in the compound and meets with some success. She even gets a chance to treat the empress. Simultaneously, she marries (arranged, of course), has children, and even gets involved in a murder investigation.
What’s most impressive here is the amount and extent of research. The customs, the dress, the ceremonies were all given astounding detail. Every page is just filled with intricate descriptions of how people lived back then. Tough to translate from ancient Mandarin (I think) to modern English, but she did. Even how the characters referred to one another seemed realistic.
But the dedication to historical accuracy took away from the narrative. Rather than move the plot or develop the characters, the author instead chose to have Yunxian explain what was happening, why things were happening. There were some descriptions of what people were wearing or the long procedures for some tradition. It was the MC in first person, but what I heard was a history teacher, lecturing.
There’s also supposed to be a close connection between Yunxian and Meiling (the midwife’s daughter), but I just didn’t get enough emotional attachment. Same for Yunxian’s daughters: she says she loves them and misses them, but we get almost no description of them or any interaction. Perhaps it’s custom to not be as involved with children in this time and in this sociological class, but her stated feelings for them seemed flat. Also, the murder inquest seemed a bit truncated, added to all the other occurrences when it might have stood alone.
Overall, I come back to the old standby of narrative fiction: “Show, don’t tell.” “I decide it’s time to visit Grandmother,” she says, out of the blue. We get these kinds of revelations all the time, sometimes to describe a tradition we in the 21 Century won’t understand, or maybe to see that Yunxian (who only becomes “Lady Tan” in the last 30 pages) thinks so differently than everyone else. Also, if ancient medicine is your thing, this is your book. Me, my eyes glazed over whenever we learned about some prescription, diagnosis or treatment. Great if you want to learn about the history and medicine of the time, not so great if you want to sympathize with the characters.
All this takes too long, it slows the pace to a crawl. We learn a lot, but character and plot development suffer. There really isn’t a “circle of women” until the end, and the drama is sandwiched with too much historical accuracy.
This all said, it’s written wonderfully with great care. It speaks to an amazing idea, a triumph in a dark time. I can see why people want to read it: it’s an incredible story, worthy of admiration. But the execution as a compelling, exciting tale just doesn’t happen for me. I might have written this as a non-fiction piece instead and it would have taken on the same importance.
An important work about a fascinating person. If you can stick with the sociological text, give it a try.
November 26, 2023
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Wow, it's the second book I've read this month! Go me!
LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN is a Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee and I can kind of see why it was picked. It vibes like one of those literary-lite books that are always so popular in book clubs, and has just the right amount of scandal to titillate the people who don't like scandal, replete with some gross-out cringe moments.*
*Oh yes, more on this.
Tan Yunxian is the granddaughter of two doctors and has learned a lot about medicine from her grandmother. Like SNOWFLOWER AND THE SECRET FRIEND, there's an element of forbidden friendship in the form of Meiling, a girl who is destined to be a midwife (which is looked down upon since they touch blood).
The book follows Tan from childhood to old age, and we see her endure marriage, childbirth, and the family drama that comes from being immersed in a new dynamic where women must grasp for whatever power is given to them. In this sense, the book is similar to basically every other See book I've read, including that gross cringe stuff I mentioned earlier.
See really does not hold back on describing the process of foot-binding. In this book, we're treated to the full process, including what happens when infection sets in. Given Tan's background in medicine, there's lots of other gross tidbits, including the consumption of smallpox scabs for inoculation (called variolation), the removal of a parasitic worm through emesis and chopsticks, and descriptions of miscarriage/abortion and the use of abortofacients. It's honestly pretty gnarly and by the time I got to the worm bit, I was like naaaaaaurr.
The pacing in this book feels way off and it doesn't feel like there's much happening. It also lacks the emotional depth of her earlier books, like SNOWFLOWER AND PEONY IN LOVE. This one felt quite removed and cold in comparison. Maybe it was meant to be that way to show composure, idk. But it ended up making the book really hard to get into. I liked the mystery towards the end, and the court trial, but then after that, it was a slow and grueling slide back into when-is-this-book-going-to-pick-up.
I didn't hate this book and voted for it in the GCA because I didn't read anything else, but I'm not sure I'd read any more of her newer books unless one of them just really jumped at me.
2.5 to 3 stars
July 2, 2023
Read This Book!
I loved 💗 this book. There is so much history and love learning about different time periods and different cultures. The woman are completely subservient to the men, yet still find ways to work and show off their talents.
If you enjoy Historical Fiction and especially if you like Lisa See’s books, you will adore this rich and enchanting book.
Wonderful Story. Love 💕 and Highly Recommend❣️
I loved 💗 this book. There is so much history and love learning about different time periods and different cultures. The woman are completely subservient to the men, yet still find ways to work and show off their talents.
If you enjoy Historical Fiction and especially if you like Lisa See’s books, you will adore this rich and enchanting book.
Wonderful Story. Love 💕 and Highly Recommend❣️
February 7, 2025
Tan Yuxian fue una mujer de una familia importante en la China del siglo XV que, desafiando a las normas del momento, consiguió erigirse como doctora y esta es su historia. Bueno, esta pudo ser su historia. Se han conservado muy pocos datos de su vida por lo que Lisa See llena los huecos creando una ficción maravillosa a increíblemente bien documentada que me atrapó desde la primera página y me llevó muy lejos en tiempo y en espacio para descubrir que tristemente, para las mujeres, algunas cosas no han cambiado tanto.
Yunxian llegará a casa de sus abuelos tras una serie de tristes acontecimientos que la acompañarán siempre como una sombra. Por suerte, allí, además de cariño y apoyo, encontrará en la figura de sus abuelos una fuente enorme de conocimientos sobre medicina, siendo especialmente importante todo lo que le enseñará su abuela, relacionado con la medicina “no oficial”, pero la única que ofrecía remedios a enfermedades y problemas de las mujeres, por ejemplo, aquellos relacionados con la maternidad. Y menos mal, porque un médico varón no podía ni ver, ni tocar, ni hablar directamente a una mujer enferma.
Encontramos en esta novela con uno de los temas fetiche de Lisa See, la amistad. Meiling será el contrapunto de Yunxian, a pesar de ser de clase inferior y tener vidas muy distintas, estarán siempre ahí la una para la otra. Eso sí, no esperéis una amistad idílica, sino una que solo acaba fortaleciéndose cuando las cosas se ponen muy negras, y no en pocas ocasiones, mirarán más por sí mismas que por la otra. Y en el fondo… por mi feo que suene esto, las entiendes en cierta manera. Responden a su entorno, educación, oportunidades y… a que una es el yin y otra el yan, y lograr la armonía puede llevar toda una vida.
De hecho, Yunxian, es una protagonista complicada, con la que empatizas en muchos casos, pero también te enfadas por sus decisiones y personalidad. Por su inconsciencia ante sus privilegios. Eso sí, construida de diez. Parece que respira.
Imposible sintetizar en una reseña todo lo que la novela nos ofrece: una iniciación a la medicina china, donde vemos el origen de lo que hay utilizamos; salud mental, maternidad, opresión a las mujeres y su rol según la clase social, sus obligaciones matrimoniales, vendado de pies y su simbología y consecuencias…
Una novela que me sorprendió con giros que no esperaba, como encontrar de pronto una investigación y aprender mucho de cómo era el sistema judicial en aquel momento o… sentir que estaba en Juego de Tronos al meterte de lleno en las intrigas en las casas pudientes donde esposas y concubinas convivían a veces como aliadas y a veces como rivales; sin olvidar detalles que resuenan a ‘El cuento de la criada’ (o a la maternidad subrogada) y que estaban completamente normalizados en la China de la dinastía Ming.
Me encantaría saber con qué quedarme… porque he disfrutado muchísimo de toda la parte médica de la novela, de la sororidad y el poder de las alianzas femeninas en mundo donde se buscaba la rivalidad femenina a todos los niveles, de cómo las creencias y supersticiones guiaban hasta las decisiones más aparentemente apremiantes.
Aunque tiene escenas muy dolorosos y momentos en los que solo quieres salvar a los personajes de su destino, me parece la novela menos dura de las que he leído de momento de la autora, y la verdad, he agradecido no salir emocionalmente destruida.
Una vez más, Lisa See consigue conquistarme con una historia y personajes que se quedan en mi corazón.
Yunxian llegará a casa de sus abuelos tras una serie de tristes acontecimientos que la acompañarán siempre como una sombra. Por suerte, allí, además de cariño y apoyo, encontrará en la figura de sus abuelos una fuente enorme de conocimientos sobre medicina, siendo especialmente importante todo lo que le enseñará su abuela, relacionado con la medicina “no oficial”, pero la única que ofrecía remedios a enfermedades y problemas de las mujeres, por ejemplo, aquellos relacionados con la maternidad. Y menos mal, porque un médico varón no podía ni ver, ni tocar, ni hablar directamente a una mujer enferma.
Encontramos en esta novela con uno de los temas fetiche de Lisa See, la amistad. Meiling será el contrapunto de Yunxian, a pesar de ser de clase inferior y tener vidas muy distintas, estarán siempre ahí la una para la otra. Eso sí, no esperéis una amistad idílica, sino una que solo acaba fortaleciéndose cuando las cosas se ponen muy negras, y no en pocas ocasiones, mirarán más por sí mismas que por la otra. Y en el fondo… por mi feo que suene esto, las entiendes en cierta manera. Responden a su entorno, educación, oportunidades y… a que una es el yin y otra el yan, y lograr la armonía puede llevar toda una vida.
De hecho, Yunxian, es una protagonista complicada, con la que empatizas en muchos casos, pero también te enfadas por sus decisiones y personalidad. Por su inconsciencia ante sus privilegios. Eso sí, construida de diez. Parece que respira.
Imposible sintetizar en una reseña todo lo que la novela nos ofrece: una iniciación a la medicina china, donde vemos el origen de lo que hay utilizamos; salud mental, maternidad, opresión a las mujeres y su rol según la clase social, sus obligaciones matrimoniales, vendado de pies y su simbología y consecuencias…
Una novela que me sorprendió con giros que no esperaba, como encontrar de pronto una investigación y aprender mucho de cómo era el sistema judicial en aquel momento o… sentir que estaba en Juego de Tronos al meterte de lleno en las intrigas en las casas pudientes donde esposas y concubinas convivían a veces como aliadas y a veces como rivales; sin olvidar detalles que resuenan a ‘El cuento de la criada’ (o a la maternidad subrogada) y que estaban completamente normalizados en la China de la dinastía Ming.
Me encantaría saber con qué quedarme… porque he disfrutado muchísimo de toda la parte médica de la novela, de la sororidad y el poder de las alianzas femeninas en mundo donde se buscaba la rivalidad femenina a todos los niveles, de cómo las creencias y supersticiones guiaban hasta las decisiones más aparentemente apremiantes.
Aunque tiene escenas muy dolorosos y momentos en los que solo quieres salvar a los personajes de su destino, me parece la novela menos dura de las que he leído de momento de la autora, y la verdad, he agradecido no salir emocionalmente destruida.
Una vez más, Lisa See consigue conquistarme con una historia y personajes que se quedan en mi corazón.
February 28, 2025
i was hoping this would be a 5-star read, or possibly a 6-star favorite. who wouldn't love a story about chinese women overcoming adversity together, tan yunxian's journey in the medical field during the ming dynasty (women in medicine held the same high status as men during this time), and a tale based on a true woman in chinese history (the real tan yunxian)? upon reading this novel however, i'm reminded of why i'm averse to reading lisa see's books. the positive part is that it's pro-chinese women solidarity. this book covers many hardships for women from that dynasty (however heavily fictionalized), ranging from feet binding to child birth and they are all very graphic so please keep that in mind before you decide to read.
i had way more issues than not with lady tan's circle of women. this, and see's other books i've read, felt like it was written with the white gaze. it was pandering to readers who don't care to take the same amount of time out of their day to so much as figure out how to say our names as they do looking up every character's lore, correct name/title pronunciation, and medieval history that inspired game of thrones. i appreciate the research and cultural richness that went into this novel, but every chinese phrase, teaching, and nuance was explained or whitewashed to placate an audience that very likely fetishizes us. there was even a part explaining yin and yang! lady tan's circle of women allowed itself to be chinese but not too chinese or else she risked alienating english-speaking readers. i could've taken much of this story, changed a few names, and turned it into a corporate white feminist narrative. this comment on reddit summarizes a lot of my grievances with lisa see's writing, particularly with this book. i don't want to feel like that while reading our books; i want an unapologetically chinese book.
i no longer want novels written in proximity to whiteness, i no longer want books that have to explain our existence, and i no longer settle for crumbs. it's also not sapphic like i hoped. i felt baited by that summary 😩😂
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6/2/2023: pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic
i had way more issues than not with lady tan's circle of women. this, and see's other books i've read, felt like it was written with the white gaze. it was pandering to readers who don't care to take the same amount of time out of their day to so much as figure out how to say our names as they do looking up every character's lore, correct name/title pronunciation, and medieval history that inspired game of thrones. i appreciate the research and cultural richness that went into this novel, but every chinese phrase, teaching, and nuance was explained or whitewashed to placate an audience that very likely fetishizes us. there was even a part explaining yin and yang! lady tan's circle of women allowed itself to be chinese but not too chinese or else she risked alienating english-speaking readers. i could've taken much of this story, changed a few names, and turned it into a corporate white feminist narrative. this comment on reddit summarizes a lot of my grievances with lisa see's writing, particularly with this book. i don't want to feel like that while reading our books; i want an unapologetically chinese book.
i no longer want novels written in proximity to whiteness, i no longer want books that have to explain our existence, and i no longer settle for crumbs. it's also not sapphic like i hoped. i felt baited by that summary 😩😂
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6/2/2023: pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic pls be sapphic
October 20, 2023
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is only the second of Lisa See’s books that I’ve read. And I wasn’t a big fan of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. But this was getting such wonderful reviews, I decided to give it a try. And I’m so glad I did.
The story is based on the real life Yunxian Tan, a female doctor in the 15th century. I was drawn in by the role a doctor played in Chinese society, as compared to say a midwife or bone setter. A doctor didn’t really handle the patient and certainly never got blood on his hands.
Starting with the death of her mother when she’s just 8, we see her as she’s taken to her grandparents who are both doctors. Her grandmother is one of only two female doctors. Yunxian also becomes friends with Meiling, the daughter of a midwife. It’s an interesting friendship that allows the reader to see the restrictions and problems faced by the different classes.
When she arrives at her husband’s family’s household, her mother-in-law prohibits her from using her skills. However, she is eventually allowed to resume practicing.
As with all ancient cultures, the role of women in society was limited, even more so for ladies of high rank. Between their bound feet and typically being confined within the household, their life was restricted. Bearing children was tantamount, especially sons. And everyone within the household had a specific rank which led to jealousy and in some instances, downright evil actions.
The book is well researched and See sneaks in all the necessary facts without bogging down the story. She paints each scene so it’s easy to envision and places you firmly in the time and place. She spells out foot binding in detail and I’ll admit to cringing whenever it came up. I was fascinated by the ideas behind Chinese medicine. It’s an engrossing story of life in Imperial China during the Ming Dynasty with all its layers of society.
That said, the book wasn’t quite a five star read for me. The pace is uneven and drags at times. The pace picks up in the second half of the story although the ending could have been tightened up.
I listened to this and enjoyed Jennifer Lim’s narrative style.
The story is based on the real life Yunxian Tan, a female doctor in the 15th century. I was drawn in by the role a doctor played in Chinese society, as compared to say a midwife or bone setter. A doctor didn’t really handle the patient and certainly never got blood on his hands.
Starting with the death of her mother when she’s just 8, we see her as she’s taken to her grandparents who are both doctors. Her grandmother is one of only two female doctors. Yunxian also becomes friends with Meiling, the daughter of a midwife. It’s an interesting friendship that allows the reader to see the restrictions and problems faced by the different classes.
When she arrives at her husband’s family’s household, her mother-in-law prohibits her from using her skills. However, she is eventually allowed to resume practicing.
As with all ancient cultures, the role of women in society was limited, even more so for ladies of high rank. Between their bound feet and typically being confined within the household, their life was restricted. Bearing children was tantamount, especially sons. And everyone within the household had a specific rank which led to jealousy and in some instances, downright evil actions.
The book is well researched and See sneaks in all the necessary facts without bogging down the story. She paints each scene so it’s easy to envision and places you firmly in the time and place. She spells out foot binding in detail and I’ll admit to cringing whenever it came up. I was fascinated by the ideas behind Chinese medicine. It’s an engrossing story of life in Imperial China during the Ming Dynasty with all its layers of society.
That said, the book wasn’t quite a five star read for me. The pace is uneven and drags at times. The pace picks up in the second half of the story although the ending could have been tightened up.
I listened to this and enjoyed Jennifer Lim’s narrative style.
May 17, 2024
I've helped Grandmother with many pregnancies, but I'm not above having the same concerns of any woman with child. To give birth to a son is paramount. After that, the goal is to have a slippery birth. (PG 124)
Feminism in 15th century China is pretty cool to imagine but I'm happy it's not men hating feminists. Respectful, loving wives, moms, and daughter-in-laws that take their family life seriously are at the heart here. I loved that it was a woman doctor at a time when that was unheard of.
The feet binding process really grossed me out and I sympathized with the little girls. Also, big footed women grossed them out so touche! cross cultures. I Googled 'modern China and feet binding' and found some fascinating articles of the last of these women now elderly. Feet binding never come back in style!
And glad concubines (sexual, entertainment therapists?) aren’t something we’re all in favor of…
Lots of interesting subjects/history here.
Moral of the story? Women need a safe circle of women in their lives. Free therapy to vent and laugh and be inspired.
Lisa See is always a great storyteller. I enjoy her history and her characters.
Feminism in 15th century China is pretty cool to imagine but I'm happy it's not men hating feminists. Respectful, loving wives, moms, and daughter-in-laws that take their family life seriously are at the heart here. I loved that it was a woman doctor at a time when that was unheard of.
The feet binding process really grossed me out and I sympathized with the little girls. Also, big footed women grossed them out so touche! cross cultures. I Googled 'modern China and feet binding' and found some fascinating articles of the last of these women now elderly. Feet binding never come back in style!
And glad concubines (sexual, entertainment therapists?) aren’t something we’re all in favor of…
Lots of interesting subjects/history here.
Moral of the story? Women need a safe circle of women in their lives. Free therapy to vent and laugh and be inspired.
Lisa See is always a great storyteller. I enjoy her history and her characters.
December 2, 2024
Simply stellar novel, yet there is nothing simple about this narrative. Lady Tan's Circle of Women is incredibly well researched and extremely well written. It is a literary and historical work of art. Th e reader is truly transported to long-ago China. We learn in depth about the culture, Chinese medicine, and midwifery. I loved the names ascribed to different female characters (Respectful Lady) and aspects of being a woman (monthly moon water). Even the name given to Small Pox held beauty. I love stories with an emotional impact, and this story ripped my guts out. The Small Pox aspect alone was devastating and was only one component to the suffering endured. There are many aphorisms (I love and appreciate their use in a book), and my favorite was No Mud, No Lotus.
The readers gets a greater understanding of foot binding and the role of mistresses. We learn about match making and the importance of the year each is born. The year of the (metal) snake is ever present throughout the narrative. Many characters "shed their skin" as they grow and adapt to new paths their lives have taken. This is definitely a story of relationships and family, of respect, class, and power. Also one of limits and breaking the limits.
I loved how the story was grounded in Yin and Yang. I was impressed with the plot, and then even more so by the intricacies of the plotting within the plot of the plot!
The readers gets a greater understanding of foot binding and the role of mistresses. We learn about match making and the importance of the year each is born. The year of the (metal) snake is ever present throughout the narrative. Many characters "shed their skin" as they grow and adapt to new paths their lives have taken. This is definitely a story of relationships and family, of respect, class, and power. Also one of limits and breaking the limits.
I loved how the story was grounded in Yin and Yang. I was impressed with the plot, and then even more so by the intricacies of the plotting within the plot of the plot!
December 11, 2022
This novel is exceptional! ❤️ So much intricate research, woven together to tell a compelling story. These characters will stay with me for a while, especially Lady Tan. I can’t write a review that would do this book justice. But, it is a must read, in my opinion. It is astounding to me, the parallels between the struggles of women in the 1400’s and how strongly they correlate to the struggles women still face in 2022. This book beautifully emphasizes the circle of women we have in our life and how we must build each other up, and support each other. Stunning!! 💗
September 15, 2023
Lisa See’s newest book, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, was a beautifully written historical fiction novel. It explored what life was like in China during the 15th century for both men and women. There were explicit expectations for each. Young girls were expected to have their feet bound by their mothers and marry by the time they reached their fifteenth birthday. Girls were not expected to be educated. Educated women were frowned upon in China during the 15th century. Brides were expected to leave their childhood homes and live in their husband’s house no matter how far away it might be. They were expected to honor and serve their mother-in-law’s every desire and produce male babies above all else. Young boys were provided tutors who prepared them to pursue prestigious careers. There were distinct differences in the upbringing of both young girls and boys and no one dared to deviate from that norm. Lisa See found her inspiration for this book in her research that uncovered the life of an actual woman physician who lived during the years of the Ming Dynasty. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women was the story about the life of this strong, courageous and determined woman physician.
Tan Yunxian grew up in a prestigious home. Her mother died when she was just eight years old and her father was having trouble coping with his wife’s death. He brought Yunxian and her little brother to live with her grandparents. Yunxian was confused by the untimely death of her mother and by the abandonment of her father. She was sad and lonely. Yunxian’s grandmother was a prestigious woman doctor. There were very few women who were doctors during that time in China’s history but Yunxian’s grandmother was one of the best. She took Yunxian under her wing and taught her the essential skills for being a good physician. These skills were known as the Four Examinations which were looking, listening, touching and asking. Male physicians were unable to perform these skills on a female patient. They treated and diagnosed female patients while sitting behind a screen. Male doctors were forbidden to see or touch female patients unless there was an issue of dire medical circumstances. Most women treated by male physicians were more likely to receive the wrong diagnosis or treatment as a result. Yunxian gradually became an astute student of the medical treatments that her grandmother taught her. Above all, Yunxian’s grandmother taught her about the various illnesses and conditions that affected women during pregnancies and when they delivered babies.
During these informative and impressionable years, Yunxian was introduced to Meiling. She was the age as Yunxian. They were both born in the year of the snake. Meiling was learning to become a midwife from her own mother. The girls forged a beautiful friendship and became more like sisters over the years. Even though they were born into different classes, their friendship flourished for many years. They shared secrets, dreams, desires and things they struggled with with each other. Their bond was so strong that they felt that they would be friends forever and ever.
When Yunxian turned fifteen she married the man that had been chosen for her by her grandfather. It was an arranged marriage. Yunxian was expected to leave the home of her grandparents and settle into her husband’s family compound known as the Garden of Fragrant Delights after she was married. On the day of Yunxian’s wedding, Yunxian and Meiling vowed to keep in touch by writing letters to each other and by visiting each other. Yunxian soon discovered that the Garden of Fragrant Delights was an elite home and it belonged to a very prestigious family. Her new home, the Garden of Fragrant Delights, was even larger than the home of her grandparents. Yunxian was anxious to please her new mother-in-law but her mother-in-law made it almost impossible for Yunxian to do so. Then her new mother-in-law stripped Yunxian of the things that meant the most to her. She forbade Yunxian from seeing Meiling and from practicing her medical skills on the women that lived in the compound. She required Yunxian to be a “proper wife” to her son. Giving birth to sons was probably the number one expectation. Yunxian was brought up in an unconventional way but in her new role as wife and daughter-in-law she was expected to conform to the traditions that were expected of women and wives. Would Yunxian be able to forfeit the things she cherished most in life just to appease her mother-in-law and new husband? Could she defy traditions and forge her own path and destiny? Was it possible to help other women medically and still be a good wife, mother and daughter-in-law?
I enjoy reading books that feature strong women characters. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women definitely had them. All the characters were memorable and inspiring but Yunxian’s and Meiling’s characters were my favorites. I loved that Yunxian had the courage to do what she believed was necessary and required of her. Few women would have had the determination and strength to accomplish the things she did. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women was impeccably researched and so well plotted. I learned so much about this period of China’s history by reading this book. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women was about family, friendship, unconventional and controversial professional roles of women, the differences between how girls and boys were treated during their childhoods, the challenges women faced during this time in history, class distinctions, small pox outbreaks, aspects of Chinese culture during that time period and the challenges strong women faced in a male dominated society. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by Jennifer Lim and Justin Chien. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
Tan Yunxian grew up in a prestigious home. Her mother died when she was just eight years old and her father was having trouble coping with his wife’s death. He brought Yunxian and her little brother to live with her grandparents. Yunxian was confused by the untimely death of her mother and by the abandonment of her father. She was sad and lonely. Yunxian’s grandmother was a prestigious woman doctor. There were very few women who were doctors during that time in China’s history but Yunxian’s grandmother was one of the best. She took Yunxian under her wing and taught her the essential skills for being a good physician. These skills were known as the Four Examinations which were looking, listening, touching and asking. Male physicians were unable to perform these skills on a female patient. They treated and diagnosed female patients while sitting behind a screen. Male doctors were forbidden to see or touch female patients unless there was an issue of dire medical circumstances. Most women treated by male physicians were more likely to receive the wrong diagnosis or treatment as a result. Yunxian gradually became an astute student of the medical treatments that her grandmother taught her. Above all, Yunxian’s grandmother taught her about the various illnesses and conditions that affected women during pregnancies and when they delivered babies.
During these informative and impressionable years, Yunxian was introduced to Meiling. She was the age as Yunxian. They were both born in the year of the snake. Meiling was learning to become a midwife from her own mother. The girls forged a beautiful friendship and became more like sisters over the years. Even though they were born into different classes, their friendship flourished for many years. They shared secrets, dreams, desires and things they struggled with with each other. Their bond was so strong that they felt that they would be friends forever and ever.
When Yunxian turned fifteen she married the man that had been chosen for her by her grandfather. It was an arranged marriage. Yunxian was expected to leave the home of her grandparents and settle into her husband’s family compound known as the Garden of Fragrant Delights after she was married. On the day of Yunxian’s wedding, Yunxian and Meiling vowed to keep in touch by writing letters to each other and by visiting each other. Yunxian soon discovered that the Garden of Fragrant Delights was an elite home and it belonged to a very prestigious family. Her new home, the Garden of Fragrant Delights, was even larger than the home of her grandparents. Yunxian was anxious to please her new mother-in-law but her mother-in-law made it almost impossible for Yunxian to do so. Then her new mother-in-law stripped Yunxian of the things that meant the most to her. She forbade Yunxian from seeing Meiling and from practicing her medical skills on the women that lived in the compound. She required Yunxian to be a “proper wife” to her son. Giving birth to sons was probably the number one expectation. Yunxian was brought up in an unconventional way but in her new role as wife and daughter-in-law she was expected to conform to the traditions that were expected of women and wives. Would Yunxian be able to forfeit the things she cherished most in life just to appease her mother-in-law and new husband? Could she defy traditions and forge her own path and destiny? Was it possible to help other women medically and still be a good wife, mother and daughter-in-law?
I enjoy reading books that feature strong women characters. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women definitely had them. All the characters were memorable and inspiring but Yunxian’s and Meiling’s characters were my favorites. I loved that Yunxian had the courage to do what she believed was necessary and required of her. Few women would have had the determination and strength to accomplish the things she did. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women was impeccably researched and so well plotted. I learned so much about this period of China’s history by reading this book. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women was about family, friendship, unconventional and controversial professional roles of women, the differences between how girls and boys were treated during their childhoods, the challenges women faced during this time in history, class distinctions, small pox outbreaks, aspects of Chinese culture during that time period and the challenges strong women faced in a male dominated society. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by Jennifer Lim and Justin Chien. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
December 3, 2023
Lady Tan's Circle of Women is the latest historical fiction book by Lisa See based on the life of Tan Yunxian, a woman physician in the Ming dynasty during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Tan Yunxian was born into an elite family but one haunted with death, separations and loneliness. After the death of her mother, young Tan Yunxian was raised by her grandparents. Tan's grandmother was one of the few female doctors in China. Over the years she taught her granddaughter about women's illnesses along with a young peasant girl, Meiling, learning to become a midwife like her mother, Midwife Shi. Meiling and Tan form a very close friendship that is to last over their lifetime, in spite of many hardships and difficulties.
The Ming dynasty is generally known as a period of stable and effective government. The time of the Ming dynasty was a period of tremendous growth, including the construction of a vast army and navy. There were enormous construction projects as in the restoration of the Grand Canal and the Great Wall, as well as the establishment of the Forbidden City. It was generally thought that the Chinese people were fortunate in living during this time.
It was during this time that young wife and mother Tan perfects her knowledge of the treatment of women with the aid of her grandmother, as well as Meiling and her mother. A persistent struggle throughout this fictional narrative is the fight against years of tradition in keeping women in their prescribed roles as dictated by Chinese society. Her ultimate goal was to write a book about her experiences with her patients.
Lisa See discusses that during the COVID 19 pandemic, she like many of us, was perusing her library shelves with volumes of research when she came across a book that had been in her library for ten years, Reproducing Women: Medicine, Metaphor, and Childbirth in Late Imperial China by Yi-Li Wu. It was in this book that she found her first reference to the mention of Tan Yunxian, a woman doctor in the Ming dynasty, who at age fifty in 1511, published a book of her medical cases. Discovering that the book was still available, Lisa See knew what her next book would be. This was a wonderful story of not only a woman and her family but of a dynasty.
The Ming dynasty is generally known as a period of stable and effective government. The time of the Ming dynasty was a period of tremendous growth, including the construction of a vast army and navy. There were enormous construction projects as in the restoration of the Grand Canal and the Great Wall, as well as the establishment of the Forbidden City. It was generally thought that the Chinese people were fortunate in living during this time.
"How lucky we are to live during the age of the Great Ming. . . . Our country suffered through centuries of Mongol rule, but Zhu Yuanzhang drove them out, and became the first Ming emperor. Even the word itself--ming--tells of light, brightness, and the radiance of virtue. May the first hundred years of the Great Ming continue for a thousand years and gloriously on to the end of time."
It was during this time that young wife and mother Tan perfects her knowledge of the treatment of women with the aid of her grandmother, as well as Meiling and her mother. A persistent struggle throughout this fictional narrative is the fight against years of tradition in keeping women in their prescribed roles as dictated by Chinese society. Her ultimate goal was to write a book about her experiences with her patients.
Lisa See discusses that during the COVID 19 pandemic, she like many of us, was perusing her library shelves with volumes of research when she came across a book that had been in her library for ten years, Reproducing Women: Medicine, Metaphor, and Childbirth in Late Imperial China by Yi-Li Wu. It was in this book that she found her first reference to the mention of Tan Yunxian, a woman doctor in the Ming dynasty, who at age fifty in 1511, published a book of her medical cases. Discovering that the book was still available, Lisa See knew what her next book would be. This was a wonderful story of not only a woman and her family but of a dynasty.
November 6, 2023
I actually am reviewing an advanced uncorrected reader’s proof copy (ARC) that was dropped off as a donation to my Little Free Library Shed. This may or may not affect my reading/review experience.
According to Respectful Lady, “whether animal or woman, we are a man’s possessions. We women exist to give him heirs and feed, clothe and amuse him. Never forget that.”
This is her instructions to the narrator of this novel. The scene is the anguish of foot binding, will undoubtedly set the tone for the book.
The subject of this novel is Tan Yunxian, a real-life woman who lived in China during the Ming dynasty. She became a famous doctor who also published several cases.
In this story…
After her mother dies, she moves in with her grandparents, who are doctors. She becomes a young ward and embarks on a medical apprenticeship.
The story is one of friendship among women. Class divisions. Facing formidable challenges.
And…
How women come to help each other under different and sometimes difficult circumstances.
Sometimes the scenes lack an intimacy of a first-person, present-tense story. It almost feels like a historical re-enactment, as opposed to being placed directly within the boundaries of history being told.
However…
The costumes are amazing, the setting and props feel authentic. We may be transported…
But…
As a reader, I still felt like an outsider looking in, as opposed to being within the pages/story.
But…
There is still a sense that because the story is based on a real person, that it is educational in some ways. Even entertaining.
Which made it…
Maybe a little imperfect.
And…
Still a good read. Hopefully, the final manuscript was cleaned up which makes it a great read for others.
January 22, 2024
This is my first Lisa See and I'm impressed by the way she steers away from the usual cliches and conventions of historical fiction. Set under the Ming dynasty (fifteenth century in European chronology) this is a granular account of women's lives and women's medicine. The narrator is taught traditional Chinese healing by her grandmother at a time when male doctors were not allowed to touch their female patients and when midwives were frequently of a lower class receiving limited respect.
What I like is that there's no lush romance and that this does not pander to western conventions of representing China in fiction. The book also avoids my pet hate of anachronistically making historical women proto-feminists railing against the patriarchy. Instead, we see women walking a careful line of conforming to Confucianism and domestic hierarchies where they obey their parents and parents-in-law while at the same time negotiating some private space and personal agency within constructed allowances.
The thought world, too, is done excellently: our protagonist agonises about producing a son for her husband, embracing this unquestioningly as her foremost function in life; and buys him a concubine for his pleasure once their marriage has staled. Indeed, the portrait of the complicated relationships between first wives, secondary wives and concubines within the household is done very well with no sentimentality or anachronistic indignation.
See doesn't shy away from the blood, gore and agonies of the body: there are graphic scenes, though never gratuitous, of childbirth, miscarriage, and a tapeworm. Fascinating too, though it made me squirm in horror, is the account of foot-binding: what happens when a foot gets infected, scenes of a girl undergoing binding being helped to walk on her broken feet where each tiny step is excruciating, her mother's pride in her courage and endurance of suffering which is character-forming as well as creating an aesthetically-pleasing body for her future husband. This is what I want from my historical fiction: a sense of understanding of an alien culture; an acceptance that life is different across time and place.
There's nothing very dramatic here and the focus is very much on female relationships in a domestic sphere but I found this slow and precise evocation of a woman's life utterly engrossing.
I listened to the audiobook which is excellently read - and occasionally found myself doing an extra lap in the park in order to listen to a bit more!
What I like is that there's no lush romance and that this does not pander to western conventions of representing China in fiction. The book also avoids my pet hate of anachronistically making historical women proto-feminists railing against the patriarchy. Instead, we see women walking a careful line of conforming to Confucianism and domestic hierarchies where they obey their parents and parents-in-law while at the same time negotiating some private space and personal agency within constructed allowances.
The thought world, too, is done excellently: our protagonist agonises about producing a son for her husband, embracing this unquestioningly as her foremost function in life; and buys him a concubine for his pleasure once their marriage has staled. Indeed, the portrait of the complicated relationships between first wives, secondary wives and concubines within the household is done very well with no sentimentality or anachronistic indignation.
See doesn't shy away from the blood, gore and agonies of the body: there are graphic scenes, though never gratuitous, of childbirth, miscarriage, and a tapeworm. Fascinating too, though it made me squirm in horror, is the account of foot-binding: what happens when a foot gets infected, scenes of a girl undergoing binding being helped to walk on her broken feet where each tiny step is excruciating, her mother's pride in her courage and endurance of suffering which is character-forming as well as creating an aesthetically-pleasing body for her future husband. This is what I want from my historical fiction: a sense of understanding of an alien culture; an acceptance that life is different across time and place.
There's nothing very dramatic here and the focus is very much on female relationships in a domestic sphere but I found this slow and precise evocation of a woman's life utterly engrossing.
I listened to the audiobook which is excellently read - and occasionally found myself doing an extra lap in the park in order to listen to a bit more!
July 3, 2023
In 1469 China, eight year old Tan Yunxian knew she would be married off at fifteen, into an acceptable family, with a husband who matched her sign, the Metal Snake. She'd already been through the binding of her feet which needed to be tended to often, so there was no infection. But her mother was only twenty eight when she died of the serious infection of her feet, and her death caused a drastic change in Yunxian's life. She, along with her servant Poppy, and first concubine Miss Zhao, were sent to Yunxian's grandparent's home, where she'd remain in their care until her marriage, learning to become a doctor like her grandmother. Yunxian made a friend at her grandmother's house, Meiling, who was the same age as she was, and also the daughter of the mid-wife, in training to become one herself. Yunxian's loneliness abated somewhat when she and Meiling played together.
After Yunxian's marriage, and the producing of three daughters, her husband took a concubine to give him a son. Yunxian was sent to Beijing to tend to the Empress, a long journey by water, and there she met up with Meiling again, who was to deliver the Empress' child. Both Yunxian and Meiling were also pregnant, both hoping for the arrival of sons. But there was trouble ahead along with tragedy...
Lady Tan's Circle Of Women is the 2nd I've read by Lisa See and while her writing is exquisite, I found the book overly long and drawn out. I was shuddering over the binding of feet and what happened if it all went wrong; of pregnancy and birth, and the measures taken to avoid the blood. Yunxian was a stong, determined woman, well ahead of her time in her positive outlook to her patients, in a time when doctors weren't meant to be women! Recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU via NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
After Yunxian's marriage, and the producing of three daughters, her husband took a concubine to give him a son. Yunxian was sent to Beijing to tend to the Empress, a long journey by water, and there she met up with Meiling again, who was to deliver the Empress' child. Both Yunxian and Meiling were also pregnant, both hoping for the arrival of sons. But there was trouble ahead along with tragedy...
Lady Tan's Circle Of Women is the 2nd I've read by Lisa See and while her writing is exquisite, I found the book overly long and drawn out. I was shuddering over the binding of feet and what happened if it all went wrong; of pregnancy and birth, and the measures taken to avoid the blood. Yunxian was a stong, determined woman, well ahead of her time in her positive outlook to her patients, in a time when doctors weren't meant to be women! Recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU via NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
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