Publication Date: June 2023
Blurb:
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?
What To Expect:
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a standalone historical fiction novel about the life of a female doctor in 15th century China. You can expect rich historical details, strong female friendships, and a look into the medical practices of the time.
Content Warnings:
Language: None
Sexual Content: Closed Door – References to and discussion about sexual activities and mild innuendo, with no explicit details
Violence: Moderate – Somewhat detailed descriptions of injuries, death, and foot binding. Multiple childbirth scenes with descriptions of blood.
Substance Use: Mild – Characters drink alcohol casually
Prejudices: Sexism
Religious Themes: The characters believe in gods, demons, evil spirits, and ancestor worship, but the religious aspects are not a focus of the story
Other Topics: Heavy – Miscarriage; infertility; abortion is mentioned and briefly discussed
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