"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" Quotes
Two women in 19th century China form a deep bond through the secret language of nu shu, facing the joys and hardships of womanhood together.
historical fiction | 353 pages | Published in 2011
Quotes
A mother is best. A wife is okay. But a daughter—she’ll stay. In the Zhao family, we say: ‘A good mother-in-law rears even pigs and dogs.’
Girls, as you know, are like rivers. They’re pure and clear, undulating, and full of life.
Your mother laughed as if it would be a pleasure to bring something into this sad and distracted world.
She was a river spirit, an injurious ghost officials spoke of only behind closed doors.
The holidays were full of joy. They provided the pleasure of anticipation and the pleasure of remembrance.
Chopping off my hair was an expression of my grief, my remorse.
You must work very hard to forgive those you love.
Families rely on hope like a walking stick, holding them up in difficult times.
It’s a dangerous business not to be able to read.
You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.
