Lady Tan’s Circle of Women

“A poignant new story exploring the life of a Chinese woman whose fate is bound by her country’s patriarchal power structures.” – Time.com

According to Confucius, an educated woman is a worthless woman,” but Tan Yunxian – born into an elite family, haunted by death, separations, and loneliness – is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. From a young age, Yunxian learns the pillars of Chinese medicine from her grandmother and how to treat women’s illnesses alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and 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 seeingMeiling and from treating the women and girls in the household. She is to act like a proper wife. Yunxian feels otherwise and spends her life trying to both please her family and break free of the constraints they impose upon her.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a captivating story of women helping other women. It is also a triumphant reimagining of the life of a woman who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.