Lady Tan's Circle of Women

By: Lisa See

Narrated by: Jennifer Lim, Justin Chien

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!*

From “one of those special writers capable of delivering both poetry and plot” (The New York Times Book Review) an immersive historical novel inspired by the true story of a woman physician in 15th-century China—perfect for fans of Lisa See’s classics Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane.

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, 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.

Critic reviews

Praise for Lisa See

"See is one of those special writers capable of delivering both poetry and plot."
—New York Times Book Review

Praise for Island of Sea Women

“Vivid ... thoughtful and empathetic ... necessary."
—New York Times Book Review

“Lisa See’s mesmerizing new historical novel…celebrates women’s strengths—and the strength of their friendships.”
—O, The Oprah Magazine

“Painstakingly researched…deft…a powerful and essential story of humanity.”
—The Los Angeles Review of Books

"Compelling ... takes readers on a journey spanning generations — in this case 1938 to 2008 — as moments of cherished friendship, unspeakable tragedy and, in the end, a plot twist worthy of Raymond Chandler unfold."
—Associated Press

"Lim’s restrained performance captures all the fascinating, if disturbing, details of bound feet, eunuchs, deadly diseases, and the courtly intrigue surrounding aristocratic life during the Ming dynasty. The foreword and afterword are authentically narrated by Justin Chien."

So great!

I loved these women. I felt their struggle. I cried with them. I was thrilled when they got a few rewards for so much hard work living in such a hard place and time. Isn't it amazing all the ways women have been held down and forced to walk a narrow path determined by men?

Lisa See never disappoints!

I can honestly report that I have never been disappointed by a Lisa See novel. My favorite one is still Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but they are all great. I love the dive into the Asian traditional culture specifically related to the women and the upbringing of girls. It is fascinating and I love how Lisa See creates and identifies the great strengths of the female characters in her novels. They have great strength but in a realistic way that stays true to the culture.

The reality of foot binding experiences intrigue me and also terrify me. I highly recommend any of the Lisa See novels and will continue to enjoy them as she publishes more. Bravo, Lisa See, you are an amazing author and so consistently valid. Thank you.

Good historical fiction

I enjoyed this book. It was very interesting and had a good plot. I liked learning about the many details of the lives of women 15th(?) century China.

Beautiful Book!!!

Women are still struggling with the same issues that plagued females in Lady Tan’s life time. She was a beautiful person who helped those around her who struggled with health issues. She treated both the physical and spiritual aspects of a woman, which we are now finding out is so important for complete and correct healing to occur.

Hard Lives

Started a little slow for me but ended up i really liked it. I listened to it twice. How different and difficult life was then. The reader was very good. I just thought it would be better if she'd had a Chinese accent.