I just finished reading Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See. It is a historical novel that centers around Tan Yunxian, who is a real historical figure who becomes a female physician during the 15th century Ming dynasty in China despite strict rules limiting women’s lives back then. Despite this, Tan Yunxian finds a path into medicine through her grandmother, who teaches her healing practices. It focuses on her lifelong friendships and how women support each other while facing restrictions.
Respectful Lady asks me to repeat the rules we’ve covered, “When walking, don’t turn my head… When talking, don’t open my mouth wide. When standing, don’t rustle my skirts. When happy, don’t rejoice with loud laughter. When angry, never raise my voice.” (p.18)
In the book Respectful lady is Yunxian’s teacher who teaches her the rules of how a proper woman should act in elite society. I chose this quote because it clearly shows how strict the rules were for women back then. How women shouldn’t laugh loudly or even move in a noticeable way. This is important to the story because it helps us understand the kind of life Yunxian is expected to live. But she rejects it because later on she becomes a doctor and goes against these rules. This shows how she grows as a character despite the challenges and expectations set on her and becomes stronger by not always following what society expects of her.