Lady Tan's Circle of Women

How are female bonds depicted in the novel, in terms of both friendship and in rivalry? What do these bonds reveal about ideals of femininity and women’s roles within the text?

Yunxian pursues having a medical practice despite the various obstacles in her way. How does Yunxian’s relationship with her practice and commitment to her work change throughout the novel? How does it shape her characterization and character arc more broadly?

Research Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and explore the models and beliefs that underlie this practice. What role do the beliefs of TCM play in the novel through symbolism and/or the illumination of some of the book’s key themes and ideas?

Analyze the character of Doctor Wong. How is he characterized? What is his role and wider significance in the text?

How are class dynamics depicted in the book? What effect does socioeconomic status have on the lives and opportunities of the characters?

Analyze the role of familial ties in the novel. How are familial ties depicted? In what ways is family life both a source of strength and a hindrance to Tan Yunxian?

Explore Confucianism and analyze how its ideals and practices feature within the novel. How is Confucianism depicted? How does it shape the characterization and thematic preoccupations of the novel?

Read Tan Yunxian’s original work (See relies on the translation by Lorraine Wilcox and Yue Lu) and discuss how See uses or fictionalizes these cases in the novel. What are some of the challenges you see in writing historical fiction about an actual subject? What are some of the benefits?