Center Point Large Print edition.

549 pages (large print) ; 23 cm

large print.

Regular print version previously published by Scribner.

Includes author's note with background information.

Includes bibliographical references.

"According to Confucius, "an educated woman is a worthless woman," but Tan Yunxian -- born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness -- is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations -- looking, listening, touching, and asking -- something a man can never do with a female patient. From a young age, Yunxian learns about women's illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose -- despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it -- and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other's joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom. But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife -- embroider bound-foot slippers, pluck instruments, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights."-- Provided by publisher.

Tan, Zhonglin, 1822-1905 -- Fiction.

Women physicians -- Fiction.

Sex role -- China -- Fiction.

Female friendship -- Fiction.

Large type books.

China -- History -- Ming dynasty, 1368-1644 -- Fiction.

Historical fiction.

Large print books.

9781638087748 (hardback : alk. paper)

1638087741 (hardback : alk. paper)