Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

The family holds funeral rites for Grandmother and Third Sister in the spring. Because of Grandmother’s higher status and the family’s limited resources, Grandmother’s body is given as much honor as they can afford, while Third Sister’s death goes almost unacknowledged. The local matchmaker, Madame Gao, who is less prestigious than Madame Wang, visits the family and declares that Beautiful Moon and Lily will both be pleasing to their husbands. The girls are too young to understand her suggestive comments. Elder Sister’s sworn sisters come to the house to celebrate Bull Fighting Day. Together with the older women, they prepare food and share stories that have been recorded in the women’s writing.

Some days later, Madame Wang comes to propose a possible lautong match for Lily. This girl, Snow Flower, is aligned with Lily according to “the eight characters” (40). She was born on the same day, year, and even in the same hour as Lily, their feet were bound on the same day, and they have the same number of siblings. Snow Flower’s family is of higher standing, her uncle being a jinshi scholar, but Snow Flower’s mother is satisfied with the possible match.