LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN: The Empowering Story of Tan Yunxian

I devoured this book. “Lady Tan’s Circle of Woman” by Lisa See is a historical novel inspired by the true story of a pioneering female physician in 15th century China. Lisa See follows Yunxian throughout her life as she navigates the intricacies of class, inheritance, customs, obligations and socialites expectations.

The story begins after the loss of Yunxian’s mother when Yunxian falls under the care of her grandparents. Yunxian’s grandmother is one of the rare female doctors in China and is determined to relay the core principles of Chinese medicine to Yunxian.

Along the way, Yunxian befriends Meiling, a young apprentice midwife. The two have a unique bond and a shared mission—to focus on the ailments particular to women; male doctors shun treating women and blood.

Despite her promising future in medicine, when Yunxian is married off, her hope of practicing medicine is no longer a reality. Her mother-in-law enforces the rigid role of a conventional wife— engaging in embroidery, reciting poetry, and fulfilling the duty of birthing sons. Yunxian must learn how to balance her different roles.

A Lisa See is book is a well-researched book. See presents the customs and lifestyles of the era, offering her readers an enlightening education into a bygone world. It was not always an easy book to read while learning about foot binding, arranged marriages, and concubines. It forces us to confront a reality where women's worth was often measured by their ability to produce sons.

But, Yunxian’s story is one of resilience and evolution, a reflection of the struggles and triumphs that have defined the female experience throughout centuries.

I read Lisa See's "The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane" last year and loved it--so I was already looking forward to this book coming out. Now, after enjoying two of her books this much, Lisa See is an auto-buy author for me--somebody whose books I will always purchase.

You can learn more about Lisa See and her novels on her website here.