The Ritual Master Chinese stories… we each have our own, and I’m guessing it’s mostly a remix of clichés we picked up along the way. But every once in a while, we cross paths with a book or a movie that makes us feel there is more to chinese culture than we know. Amy Tan’s novels have that effect on me, and I’ve decided to focus on The Bonesetter’s Daughter for today.
- The story in one phrase
One woman’s forgetfullness opens up her life story to her daughter, a story of strong women, tragic events and a survival instinct of mothers and daughters in rural China, at the beginning of the 20th century. - My favourite character
Precious Auntie is the one character that stayed with me after I finished the book. The daughter of a bonesetter, she grows up thinking she is the master of her destiny, only to discover the harsh reality of women’s lives in a traditional society. She is the image of all that is positive in chinese traditions, as well as negative. For even if her destiny proves to be tragic, the values of self respect, of unconditional motherly love and the ultimate principle of freedom are the pillars that constitute her strength. - Top 3 Details
Resilience : many characters in the book remind us that adversity challenges us to find creative solutions. The nature of our hardships might change over centuries, however, the creative, resilient, feminine structure is able to find a way towards balance.Mother-daughter relationships : I have to confess this is a subject I like to observe in many novels that depict different cultures. The novel mirrors two mother-daughter pairs, with similar fundamental paths, as they unconsciously repeat familial patterns, but are also joined in similar conclusions. I think that in the end, we are invited to better understand our family before we judge their actions.Chinese philosophy : The Bonesetter’s Daughter is a distressing story with strong characters, yet we often find a testimony of Amy Tan’s attachment to her chinese ancestry in small details of elegant meaning : You are beauty, we are beauty, we are divine, unchanged by time. - My favourite Quote
That is the problem with modern ink from a bottle. You do not have to think. You simply write what is swimming on the top of your brain. And the top is nothing but pond scum, dead leaves, and mosquito spawn. But when you push an inkstick along an inkstone, you take the first step to cleansing your mind and your heart. You push and you ask yourself, What are my intentions? What is in my heart that matches my mind ? - Yin Yang
This is most definetly a Yin novel ! Not only are we constantly surrounded by feminine energy, but even the fundamental principles of love, of shame, of submission so radical it can only call for freedom, are silently working in the construction of a moving piece of litterature.
I’m curious to know what is your favourite Amy Tan novel, let me know in the comments below.
Next time, we will explore some calming rituals and maybe get to know chinese culture a little more.
Until then, enjoy your reading !
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