Tales of Ming Courtesans
In this extremely well-researched novel of three courtesans of 17th-century Nanjing, China, Poon tells the life stories and friendships of three real-life women who were all sold as “thin horses,” the term for pretty slave girls. The three women attempt to work as musicians and scholars, poets, and dancers. But they are both subjugated and humiliated by the class structure and the men who benefit from it. Their friendship is ultimately what sees them through a life of hardship.
The story is told to a young girl, Jingjing, whose mother has just committed suicide as a form of protest. The mother has written a memoir for her daughter so that she might understand. The other sections are oral storytelling sessions from the auntie Jingjing goes to stay with, as well as the auntie’s surrogate mother, who is Jingjing’s surrogate grandmother. They fill in the gaps, answering questions that Jingjing didn’t know she had.
Because real lives are not straight lines, biographical fiction can be a tricky medium, and this novel covers a great deal of ground. There are long stretches of summarizing, as the women move from adventure to adventure, which gives the book an episodic atmosphere rather than the building of conflict that can resolve. The brutality experienced by the women does not happen on the page, so sensitive readers don’t have to worry. I found all of the information interesting, even if I did not find it emotionally engaging. It makes sense to discover that this author has also written non-fiction, as so much information was packed in; I felt like I missed many nuances because I am not well-versed in this particular era and culture. Overall, this is a worthwhile read if 17th-century Chinese art, culture, and politics are your catnip.
