"Wang Ping writes with passion and an understanding strengthened by the female experience. This is a rich, necessary, and invaluable book."-Ha Jin, author of
Waiting "Impeccable.... [A] house of Chinese wonders.... Wang takes on a giant storehouse of subject matter and glides through its labyrinthine corridors in fluid, often intuitive moves.... Fascinating."-
San Francisco Bay Guardian "Eloquently and thoroughly documents a custom that for 1,000 years symbolized not only attractiveness, but gentility, virtue and high status.... [Wang Ping] peels back the layers of fear, desire and social climbing...like so many lotus petals."-
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)