Lady Tan's Circle of Women, by Lisa See

 

Mansion of Golden Light Tan family	Garden of Fragrant Delight Yang family
Tan Yunxian Poppy – slave Respectful Lady – mother – died of foot infection Father   Miss Zhao – father’s concubine Yiteng – son   Grandfather Tan – Gentleman Scholar of the 7th Rank Grandmother Ru- doctor, from family of doctors   Tan Jing – father’s older brother	Maoren Yang – Yunxian’s husband Master Yang – father Lady Kuo – mother   Second Uncle – 2nd in line to inherit after Maoren   Women in compound: Uncle’s wives and Spinster Aunt Concubines Maoren’s sisters   Snowpink and Snowgoose – Maoren’s concubines   Miss Chen – Master Yang’s concubine Manzi – son – would inherit if Maoren had no son (was really Doctor Wong’s son)   Yunzian and Maoren’s children: Ailan, Chunlan, and Yuelen – daughters Lian – son   Doctor Wong - gave medicine to harm Yunxian but Meiling took it instead and lost baby   Miscellaneous Records of a Female Doctor
Midwife Shi Meiling – daughter, became midwife and Midwife Shi after mother died Zhang Kailoo – husband, tea merchant   Forbidden City – Hongzhi emperor Empress Zhang – pregnant and eye infection, requested Yunxian for treatment on Meiling’s recommendation Both Yunxian and Meiling pregnant   Coroner Sun – investigate death of Spinster Aunt and medicine given by Dr. Wong

 

NOTE: Page numbers are from hardback edition.

1.      In Yunxian’s lessons she learned that “…we are a man’s possessions.  We women exist to give him heirs and feed, clothe, and amuse him” (page 6).  How was she able to achieve what she did?  What character traits or events led her to become a doctor?  What role did Grandmother Ru play?

2.      Yunxian realized that “His (grandfather) learning comes from reading books; Grandmother Ru’s training comes from following her parents, who learned from their parents, who learned from their parents, and so on” (page 31).  How do you learn best – through reading or hands-on?

3.      After Yunxian was married, she sent secret letters to Meiling through Poppy.  But Poppy betrayed her and gave the letters to Lady Kuo.  Why did she do that?

4.      Can you understand the reasoning behind foot-binding?  Yunxian thought, “Our tottering and swaying on our spindly and weak legs make us appealing to men, but a single misstep or fall can change our futures” (page 73).

5.      Did you like all of the sayings and rules throughout the book, or were they a distraction?  Were there any you particularly liked?  Two of my favorites are:

a.      “A woman who helps others helps herself.” (page 220)

b.      “Friendship is a contract between two hearts.  With hearts united, women can laugh and cry, live and die together.” (page 331)

6.      Meiling was Yunxian’s best friend.  Why did she take the medicine herself that Doctor Wong sent for Yunxian?

7.      Did you like the additional story line of Doctor Wong, Miss Chen, and Spinster Aunt’s murder?  Did this add to the book for you?

8.      Were you at all familiar with this period of Chinese history?  What facts surprised you?

9.      Tan Yunxian and her book are real and the book is still available today.  In the Acknowledgments, the author wrote that many of the formulas in the book are used in traditional Chinese medicine today.  What do you think she know about medicine that is still applicable today?

10. Are there any particular events or scenes you remember from the novel?

11. Discuss your reading experience.  Did you enjoy the story?  Would you recommend this book to a friend?