History Literature / PavilionOfWomen

* ArrangedMarriage: Madam Wu's marriage to Mr. Wu; Madam Kang's to Mr. Kang; Wu Liangmo to Kang Meng; etc. etc.

* MayDecemberRomance: Mr. Wu is forty-five, Ch'iuming is eighteen, it doesn't work. On the other hand his relationship with an equally young but much more experienced girl from a 'Flower House' turns out much better. Not only is he genuinely in love with her, she is in love with him, and a little frightened by her emotions.

* TheUnfavorite: Fengmo is so very much this at the beginning of the book.

The protagonist is Madam Wu, an aristocratic Chinese lady at the head of a large and influential family. Her husband is a self-indulgent but well meaning man she twists around her little finger and her aged mother-in-law was long ago relegated to an honorable retirement. Madam is regarded by all, including herself, as an ideal woman; beautiful, dutiful, fruitful and accomplished. She believes herself to be a model wife who loves her husband, a good and affectionate mother to her sons and a just and impartial mistress to her many servants. The 'just and impartial' is true enough but in fact Madam Wu is an arrogant, self centered woman who loves nobody. Her self-realization and evolution into a warmer, better, genuinely good woman is the theme of the novel.

* SpiritAdvisor: The memory of her father-in-law, Old Gentleman, is this to Madam Wu in the beginning of the book, he is succeeded by [[spoiler: Brother Andre]]

The plot kicks off with Madam Wu's long planned for fortieth birthday which she uses as an excuse to finally detach herself completely from the burdensome responsibility for a family she does not love. Her detachment from her husband requires the purchase of a concubine, a healthy peasant raised girl Madam names Ch'iuming. Unfortunately the new concubine and Madam's third son Fengmo accidently catch a glimpse of each other and Madam decides to head off any scandalous results by quickly marrying Fengmo off to the young daughter of her friend Madam Kang.

* BelligerentSexualTension: Second son Tsemo and his self chosen wife Rulan have this in spades - and it is ruining their marriage

* DoorstopBaby: Ch'iuming's backstory includes being abandoned by her parents, an unfortunate Chinese custom, she is adopted by an old woman as a future bride for her son but the boy dies young leaving the bitter foster mother ready and willing to sell Ch'iuming as a concubine.

** Fengmo finds out - too late - that he does not want Linyi but fortunately for her he recognizes his responsibility to her and works to be a decent husband and make her as happy as possible.

Examples:

* SilkHidingSteel - Madam Wu again. Her physical beauty is constantly described along with her gentle voice, her elegant manners and her enigmatic concealing smile all disguising a strength that is self-evident to the reader.

* [[UnwantedSpouse Unwanted Concubine]]: Poor Ch'iuming.

''Pavilion of Women'' is a novel by Pearl S. Buck.

* MayDecember: Mr. Wu is forty-five, Ch'iuming is eighteen, it doesn't work. On the other hand his relationship with an equally young but much more experienced girl from a 'Flower House' works out much better.

* MenAreChildish: Madam sincerely believes that all you have to do to make a man happy is to keep his stomach full and his bed until Brother Andre calls her on it.

* [[UnwantedSpouse Unwanted Concubine]]: Poor Ch'iuming.

* DoorstopBaby: Ch'iuming's backstory includes being abandoned by her parents, an unfortunate Chinese custom, she is adopted by an old woman as a future bride for her son unfortunately the boy dies young.

* OrphanPlotTrinket: Ch'iuming's is the woman's coat of faded red satin she was found wrapped in as an abandoned baby.

* TheUnfavorite: Fengmo is so very much this at the beginning of the book.

* MarriedForLove: Madam is more than annoyed when her second son comes home from Shanghai with a 'modern' wife chosen for love. The marriage does not turn out well.

The plot kicks off with Madam Wu's long planned for fortieth birthday which she uses as an excuse to finally detach herself completely from the burdensome responsibility for a family she does not love. Her detachment from her husband requires the purchase of a concubine, a healthy peasant raised girl Madam names Chiu'ming. Unfortunately the new concubine and Madam's third son Fengmo accidently catch a glimpse of each other and Madam decides to head off any scandalous results by quickly marrying Fengmo off to the young daughter of her friend Madam Kang.

* SpiritAdvisor: The memory of her father-in-law, Old Gentleman, is this to Madam Wu in the beginning of the book, he is succeeded by [[spoiler: Brother Andre]]

* BelligerentSexualTension: Second son Tsemo and his self chosen wife Rulan have this in spades - and it is ruining their marriage.

* SilkHidingSteel - Madam Wu again. Her physical beauty is constantly described along with her gentle voice, her elegant manners and her enigmatic concealing smile all disguising a strength that is self-evident to the reader.

* IceQueen: Madam Wu is not overtly 'icy' but her emtional detachment and distance from even those supposedly closest to her allows her to manipulate them quite emotionlessly, for their own good of course.

* DefrostingTheIceQueen - the book is all about defrosting Madam Wu.