The Inner Circle of Lady Tan

Imperial China, 15th century. Tan Yunxian is an aristocrat, and her fate, like the fates of thousands of other daughters of officials, is predetermined: a monotonous life in the inner quarters, unbearable torment from foot binding, and then—an arranged marriage and the inevitable duty of giving birth to a son. But after her mother's death, her father sends the young Yunxian to her physician grandparents, where, under her grandmother's guidance, the girl immerses herself in the study of medicine. According to Confucian canon, a male doctor cannot see women, and a female doctor cannot touch blood, but someone must heal women's ailments! Yunxian and her friend Meilin decide to dedicate their lives to this. A captivating narrative full of dramatic plot twists—another success from the famous Lisa See, author of the novels 'Snow Flower and the Secret Fan', 'The Peony Pavilion', and 'The Girls of Shanghai'.