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Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See. Born into a Chinese American family, See has used her ancestry as the impetus for much of her writing over the years, including novels like The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. In her latest work of historical fiction, she draws inspiration from the true story of a Ming dynasty woman physician from 15th-century China to tell a fascinating story of female friendship.
Tan Yunxian is being raised by her grandparents and schooled by her grandmother - one of only a handful of female doctors in China. 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. Yunxian also learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find a mutual purpose and vow to be forever friends.
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 within the walls of the family compound. How can Yunxian break free of these traditions and pursue her healing work, and can her friendship with Meiling play a role?
In its review last year, the Washington Post wrote,""Celebrated for novels that pull readers deep into Chinese history and culture, Lisa See imagines the life story of Tan Yunxian, a 15th-century physician who devoted her life to caring for women... Despite the inordinate limits placed on women, See allows their strengths to dominate their stories, even though not all women were graced with lives of fulfillment."
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