Insight into a Distant Time and World – Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

A fascinating look into the lives of (mostly) upper-class women during the Ming Dynasty (15th century) in China. Tan Yunxian lost her mother at an early age and was raised by her wealthy maternal grandparents, who were both doctors, and were training her in their profession. Chinese medicine was far more advanced in many ways at this time than Western medicine, and this well-researched novel brings us into a world where male and female doctors (who existed, but were rare) played very different roles. Women were also midwives but this was not a profession practiced by upper-class women, though midwives played an important role in all women's lives.

Yunxian was "married out" at 15, to the son of another even more wealthy family, who lived in a vast compound. Not only did she have to leave her beloved grandparents, but also her only friend, Meiling, the daughter of a midwife. While women played subservient roles to the men in their lives, and men could take multiple wives, concubines, and consorts, when a young wife moved into her husband's family home, she soon learned the hierarchy of the women in that household, which would be headed by the wife of the most senior man.

The societal roles and rules of China, especially of the upper classes, were extremely rigid, especially for women and girls. Every aspect of appearance and behavior was scrutinized.

In this novel, we follow Yunxian through all of her life stages, her marriage and children, her medical studies and eventual practice, her relationships with her mother-in-law, the other women in the household and so much more. The writing is so rich, exploring her physical, emotional and mental states, and we are introduced to the Chinese terminology used for the female body, its functions, and development through the stages of aging. The author includes highly-detailed descriptions of the settings, the furnishings, the foods, clothing, and of the herbs and materials Yunxian uses in her medical analysis and practice. The reader is immersed in all aspects of Yunxian's inner and outer life.

It was fascinating to look through this window into such a sophisticated culture, which was amazingly advanced, elaborately structured, and so far beyond what most of Europe would have known at the time. At the same time, the author creates a deep feeling of sympathy and understanding for Yunxian and the challenges she faces and confronts.

A satisfying and illuminating book – highly recommend!