Book

Lady Tan's circle of women : a novel

See, Lisa, author

2023

Overview

\"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 themselves: 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, pluck instruments, 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, go on to treat women and girls from every level of society, 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?\" -- Provided by publisher.

• Publisher: Scribner
• Subject: 1368-1644 / Women physicians Fiction. / Aristocracy (Social class) Fiction. / Female friendship Fiction. / Midwives Fiction. / Women China Fiction. / Arranged marriage Fiction. / Sex role Fiction. / Femmes médecins Romans, nouvelles, etc. / Amitié féminine Romans, nouvelles, etc. / Sages-femmes Romans, nouvelles, etc. / Femmes Chine Romans, nouvelles, etc. / Mariage arrangé Romans, nouvelles, etc. / Rôle selon le sexe Romans, nouvelles, etc. / FICTION / Historical. / FICTION / Asian American. / FICTION / Literary. / Women / Sex role / Midwives / Arranged marriage / Aristocracy (Social class) / Female friendship / Women physicians / Women Physicians. / Aristocracy (social class) Fiction. / Females Friendship Fiction. / China History Ming dynasty, 1368-1644 Fiction. / Chine Histoire 1368-1644 (Dynastie des Ming) Romans, nouvelles, etc. / China
• ISBN: 9781982117085, 1982117087, 9781398526068, 1398526061

Item info:

1 item available

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Holdings :

Call Number	Copies	Material	Location
PS3569.E3334 SEE	1	BOOK	AUTOSTORE