Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

It's hard to believe that as recent as 1951 Yeo women were still binding their feet and writing in a secret womans language. I can't tell the year of this book (it is never referenced other than one uprising I'd have to look up*) but it does give you an idea of what the chinese are about, their culture and daily living. This is much better than Memoirs of a Geisha too. It does not glamorize (as Geisha did) the lifestyle of someone with Lotus feet.

Most interesting to me was the foot binding, the obedience to culture/men and the disobedience of the women shown by the women handing down from generation to generation the traditon of Nu Shu: secret womens writing.

"Obey, obey, Obey and then do what you want" is simlar to It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Although for most of us, that doesn't inculde being disgraced and your status lowered or even turned out.

Lisa See's book, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

A Wiki entry about Nu Shu

A Wiki entry about foot binding



*The Taiping Rebellion (1851–1864) the character Lily was in her 30's during this rebellion. She died in her 80's.