Pavilion of Women

by Pearl S. Buck, Adam Verner

On her fortieth birthday, Madame Wu carries out a decision she has been planning for a long time: she tells her husband that after twenty-four years their physical life together is now over and she wishes him to take a second wife. The House of Wu, one of the oldest and most revered in China, is thrown into an uproar by her decision, but Madame Wu will not be dissuaded and arranges for a young country girl to come take her place in bed. Elegant and detached, Madame Wu orchestrates this change as she manages everything in the extended household of more than sixty relatives and servants. Alone in her own quarters, she relishes her freedom and reads books she has never been allowed to touch. When her son begins English lessons, she listens, and is soon learning from the "foreigner," a free-thinking priest named Brother Andre, who will change her life. Pavilion of Women is a thought-provoking combination of Old China, unorthodox Christianity, and liberation, written by Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel Prize winner born and raised in China. Few stories raise so many questions about the nature and roles of men and women, about self-discipline and happiness. At the center is the amazing Madame Wu -brilliant, beautiful, full of contradictions and authority.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, China, Asia, Book Club, Historical

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1946

About the author

Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker Buck was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for The Good Earth, the best-selling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and which won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, Buck became the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China" and for her "masterpieces", two memoir-biographies of her missionary parents.
Buck was born in West Virginia, but in October 1892, her parents took their 4-month-old baby to China. As the daughter of missionaries and later as a missionary herself, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang, with her parents, and in Nanjing, with her first husband. She and her parents spent their summers in a villa in Kuling, Mount Lu, Jiujiang, and it was during this annual pilgrimage that the young girl decided to become a writer. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, then returned to China. From 1914 to 1932, after marrying John Lossing Buck she served as a Presbyterian missionary, but she came to doubt the need for foreign missions. Her views became controversial during the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy, leading to her resignation. After returning to the United States in 1935, she married the publisher Richard J. Walsh and continued writing prolifically. She became an activist and prominent advocate of the rights of women and racial equality, and wrote widely on Chinese and Asian cultures, becoming particularly well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption.

Reviews

[Jo Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

My personal belief is that some books wait for us to come along and discover them they lie quietly, patiently, waiting for years maybe for the correct moment in our lives to be found. This book is one of them for me. I'll admit if I was to have read this book say 20 years ago I probably would not have enjoyed it so much or been able to appreciate the philosophical deepness of it. This book felt like it had waited for me to pick it up at just the right moment. I don't think I have ever read a book that has touched me in such a personal way as this one has.

Madame Wu lives in two worlds one of the "old ways" and yet she is a very modern thinker of the new. When I first started reading this story I felt a little put off by Madame Wu and how she strived to be so perfect so in control of everything she did. For the first time ever I actually felt a little jealous over a fictional character. I have read a lot of books that made me feel many emotions but never envy. She had me stopping and thinking as to how I measured up as a wife and mother and maybe as a human being in general. As the story progresses we begin to see the real person that Madame Wu is she has reached the age of 40 and now she feels that she wants her time to do what she wants to do. She's done with bearing children and keeping her husband entertained and happy she's done her duty running a household and keeping everything in order and everyone satisfied. She wants a life of her own she wants to feel free to read books and to be herself and do the things she was never able to do.

And so begins her plan if I can make everybody happy in the family then they will all go off into their own worlds and leave me alone to be in mine. Madame Wu was torn with a tough decision as to what to do about her husband if she continued to have sex with him she could find herself pregnant past forty. She also knew that if she refused him he'd just go down to the local flower house and take care of it himself so she makes a drastic decision against her friends and family's opinions and decides on a concubine. Will just fix Mr. Wu up with a nice girl of my choosing and then after everything settles down I can start my life or at least that's how the plan was suppose to work out.

Slowly disaster after disaster arises and the family is thrown into chaos. She starts to study with Brother Andre a tutor she hired for her third son and he opens up her mind to a whole new way of thinking. Madame Wu comes to fully realize the complicated bonds between men and women are not so easily arranged and maybe in a way men and women are not so different, that we all need to feel love and be happy to achieve our highest potential.

With wit, humor and layer upon layer of thought provoking dialogue author Pearl S. Buck is able to transcend time between the past and the present. This story makes you look at the relationships between men and women with a whole new appreciation.

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in China, PAVILION OF WOMEN by Pearl S Buck invites us into an ancient family led by the Lady of the house, Madame Wu. All seek her council and wisdom and is held in high esteem.

Madam Wu has had a plan in the works for sometime. It is her thoughtful decision that when she turns 40, she will retire from her duties as wife and choose a concubine, Second Lady, to fulfill the wishes of Mr Wu.

The Wu household is a noble household rich with tradition and the proper way of running family and business. However, what Madam Wu has in mind—free thinking and soul searching—will turn the household on its head.

This book was a thoughtful, moving read. I’ve read other Buck novels and have each time enjoyed her masterful way of presenting characters and situations. This latest read of Buck’s, though, is now my favorite.

[Sawsan · Rating 3 out of 5]

أغلب روايات الكاتبة الأمريكية بيرل باك عن الحياة في الصين حيث عاشت سنوات طويلة من عمرها
ونقلت في كتاباتها صور مختلفة للحياة الصينية وخاصة من الجانب الاجتماعي

رواية محكية بأسلوب هادئ وبسيط .. تدور حول شخصية مدام وو
المرأة الجميلة القوية التي تحظى باحترام وتقدير كزوجة وأم وتُدير بيت العائلة الكبير بحزم وهدوء
بعد بلوغها الأربعين تُقررالانسحاب من العلاقة الزوجية الجسدية وبإرادتها تختار محظية لزوجها
تظل في حيرة بين الرغبة في التحرر وبين التزامات الحياة اليومية ومسئولياتها تجاه الآخرين
وبالتدريج تدخل عالم فكري مختلف يمتد بعيدا عن قيود النظرة الضيقة والمفاهيم المغلوطة

كتبت باك عن شخصيات من طبقات اجتماعية متعددة تُمثل سلوكيات وأفكار ودوافع مختلفة
في سرد يعرض التقاليد الصينية والنظرة السائدة لطبيعة الرجل والمرأة في بدايات القرن العشرين
التغيرات الثقافية والاجتماعية للأجيال الجديدة ومحاولات التمرد على النظم العائلية الصارمة
ويتناول مفردات الحرية والحب والمسئولية والسعادة وشخصية المرأة ما بين الجانب الجسدي والعقلي

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised to get so drawn into Pearl S. Buck's "Pavilion of Women." Buck has a subtle writing style that transcends time, making you forget that the book was written in 1946. Though I was intrigued to read it, given that Buck received both a Nobel and Pulitzer prize.

"Pavilion of Women" follows a mother and wife "Madame Wu" who, on her 40th birthday, chooses to provide her husband with a concubine instead of ever allowing him back into her physical world. There is absolutely nothing bad I can say about the first 3/4 of this book. It is incredibly well-written and even the unlikeable characters are given a certain charm that draws you into their lives and circumstances.

But Buck's own fascination with religion (her father was a missionary), mixed with her only daughter's predicament of being born disabled weighed too heavy on this book. Unless you are fully prepared to be preached to, do not step into "Pavilion of Women" lightly. Madame Wu's entire character development comes to a crux during her friendship with a Christian monk whose Christian charity not only changes her life but changes the entire exposition of the novel. Suddenly the relationships between men and women which pepper the book with realism and humour are laid out as relationships of the flesh that have no comparison to one's relationship with God. If you are an atheist, a teeter-totterer or just plainly not Christian, it can be a little hard to take. But with a little bit of a guard up, Buck's story has something to offer all of those groups, without really risking a fear of coversion to Buck's side.

So many insights into life are offered that it is easy to see why Buck deserved the honour of the Pulitzer.

[Lilli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am far overdue for a reread of this book (and subsequently, a more in-depth review than this) but I often answer the question of "What is your favorite book?" with this book. It is a beautifully written, deeply meaningful and profoundly moving story of womanhood, autonomy, and spirituality and I have thought of it fondly every single day since reading. Hoping to reread soon!

[Alice Poon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel deeply moved me, not only because Pearl Buck illustrates in it her sweeping knowledge and sympathetic views of the Chinese society in early- to mid-20th century, but also because of the humanistic attitudes and nuanced philosophies that color and enliven her characters.

This particular époque in China is one of East-West cultural clashes coming to the surface as the younger generations begin to seriously contemplate a clean break from the yoke of old Chinese traditions and customs and embrace freedom of the mind and soul. This nascent way of thinking is particularly manifest in man-woman relationships and in the values and belief system. Christian missionaries play an important part in brewing social changes, but even among these, there are the dogmatic and the more liberal streams of preaching.

The protagonist Madam Wu is first portrayed as the beautiful, all-wise, fastidious and capable mistress of the wealthy Wu household (which brings to mind the character Xue Baochai in Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin). With diplomacy, tact and intelligence, she manages her large household of sixty with success and accolades from within and without the family. Yet in the depths of her soul, she is a lonely creature yearning to be freed from her duties. She feels no one understands her and views herself superior to all those who surround her, including her sons and daughters-in-law, whose marriages she feels compelled to arrange for their own good. She even arranges for her husband to take a concubine, hoping to gain her own freedom. Eventually she comes to discover that none of her family members is happy.

Then a renegade foreign missionary enters her life and lights up her soul. Using a liberal approach to religion, he wins her admiration where another dogmatic Catholic nun fails, shining a whole new light on the meaning of love and freedom. She begins to understand that to love is to not judge others harshly and that self-fulfillment is the key to setting one’s soul free, and that this applies to all man-woman relationships. Shortly thereafter, something vile happens to him, which devastates her, and she realizes that she is in love with this foreigner, and that the single most important thing that she always lacked is the capacity to love. With that epiphany, she sets out to follow the foreigner’s selfless example and to remedy her past mistakes.

I’m giving this novel 4.5 stars, rounded up.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Now more than ever her life was divided into two--that part which was lived in the house and that part which was lived inside herself.”

It’s China in the 1940’s, though it feels like it could be a much earlier decade. Madame Wu (as she is formally addressed throughout the novel) is First Wife in the old and distinguished House of Wu. We meet her on her fortieth birthday, when she has made a momentous decision to obtain a second wife for her husband. After years devoted to pleasing him, raising their children, and running the affairs of his household, she believes this will finally allow her time to be her own separate self.

We observe her amazing ability to skillfully steer the members of this ancient Chinese family through personal, cultural and political changes. As we watch her direct and advise them, her judgement and self-control are awe-inspiring, but the crux of the story is her developing awareness of a personal and spiritual insight that changes her life and the lives of everyone around her.

It’s a very confined narrative. The only point-of-view is that of Madame Wu, and she rarely leaves the walls of her family compound. The way it expands is fascinating though, as she eventually opens her mind to foreign ideas, looks to the stars, and applies her innate wisdom to new experiences.

I enjoyed this much more than The Good Earth. I was amazed at the way--throughout the book’s 300 plus pages--I hung on this one character’s every thought. Though small in scale, the story’s ideas gave it a limitless, timeless feel.

A captivating and enriching journey.

“Gods she did not worship, and faith she had none, but love she had and forever.”

[Ivana Books Are Magic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has touched me so deeply, that I cannot help feeling a strike of destiny in the way it came into my hands. I started reading it, blissfully unaware of both the plot and what it might be like. Pavilion of Women has proven to be such a beautiful reading surprise. I must have read it in one breath, or at least, that is what reading it felt like. Once I started it, I just couldn't stop reading. I cannot express how much I enjoyed this novel. It is a truly remarkable portrayal of a woman's soul. It's pure magic. Pavilion of Women has even managed to comfort me during a difficult hospital stay and I'm sure it's a novel I'll never forget.

But enough with the praises for now. Let's talk a bit about what this novel is about and what it is like. The novel's protagonist is Madam Wu. The subtitle of this novel is : A Novel of Life in the Women's Quarters, and that is what this book it about. The terms 'women's quarters' sounds historical, and indeed this book is set in the past, in a remote part of China before the outbreak of WW2. Besides following the life of Madam Wu, the protagonist, this novel also follows the life stories of other women who are close to her. The introduction of the novel describes both Madam Wu and her family dynamics. As she turns 40, Madam Wu longs for some 'me time'. On the surface, Madam Wu has everything she might want. A husband and children who love her, servants who worship her, a respected place in a community. Everyone seems to either admire or respect her. Madam Wu's family is the wealthiest in the area, and it seems to be a happy family. Madam Wu's sons are either married or too young to be married, but either way they seem respectable of their parents. One of Madam Wu's sons has married a girl older than himself, which poses technical problems in the selection of the daughter-in-law who will be in charge of the household once she turns 40, but there are no major problems, or so it seems.

Madam Wu, however, has quite a surprise prepared for everyone. She has decided to find her husband a concubine. When Madam Wu discloses this to her servant and later on friend, she received a hocked reaction. It is known to everyone that Madam Wu is beloved by her husband. What could possibly drive her to such a decision. Now, at the time book happens, concubines are still present but they are started to be seen as something better left to the past times. The historical reasons for concubines are interesting. As Madam Wu rationally explains, a concubine ensures that a man can have more children without endangering his wife. Having a baby after you turn 4o was a dangerous feet in those days. Many women have lost their lives that way. Some of them, or so it seems, have been relieved when a concubine came to take their place.

However, a concubine was always known to present a risk. Why risk disrupting a happy family? Why bring a stranger into a well functioning family? Madam Wu stubbornly clings to her decision, confident that she will able to make her husband see the benefit of her decision. Slowly, we learn more about their marriage. Mister Wu protests but finally agrees with this wife's decision. Madam Wu is known to be a flawless, capable and intelligent lady. Even in the traditional society of the time, Madam Wu commands respect. Moreover, in her home, this lady's word is the law. Madam Wu spends her first night alone. She has chosen a room close to her mother in law, on the pretext of being able to better take care of her, but in reality because it's the most private place in the house. Madam Wu speaks of tradition and fulfilling her role of a good wife, but it seems that what she is really interested in is independence. As I said, Madam Wu, needs some 'me time', she wakes up in the morning feeling happy, knowing that nobody will ever disturb her sleep by reaching up to her. It seems Madam Wu has planned everything in detail, she will select a suitable concubine, a simple village girl who will be grateful to be a part of such a rich and respected family. Her sons and daughters in laws are appealed by her decision. One of her son's wives tells Madam Wu how she had even protested and marched against the concubine tradition and urges her to give up on her decision.

Madam Wu chooses an orphaned village girl, feels a bit guilty by the fact that she had bought her like a cattle, but ensures herself she is actually doing her a favour. For a while, it seems that things might run smoothly. Madam Wu concentrates on marrying another soon to her neighbour's daughter. Madam Wu's intelligence and sophistication allow her to be one step of a time. As she manages to secure more time for herself, Madam Wu reflects on her life. Her father in law loved and respected her, but warned her not to read certain books while she is young. Her late father in law saw that an intelligence of her sort might make her unhappy, and urged her to have patience with his son, who was spoiled by his mother and ended up being less intelligent that Madam Wu. Madam Wu has lived her life fulfilling her duty, but now she wants the freedom to be by herself, to devote herself to learning, to have time to read those book. What she doesn't realize is that she cannot be free while others around her are not free. In other words, Madam Wu will have to pay a price for buying that poor village orphan girl who now turns to be unhappy with the new arrangement and begs to leave. One after another, family crisis take place, and Madam Wu realizes that for all her sophisticated and intelligence, she has much to learn. Madam Wu will not be able to help her family until the managed to help herself, and vice versa.





“You are free when you gain back yourself,” Madame Wu said. “You can be as free within these walls as you could be in the whole world. And how could you be free if, however far you wander, you still carry inside yourself the constant thought of him? See where you belong in the stream of life. Let it flow through you, cool and strong. Do not dam it with your two hands, lest he break the dam and so escape you. Let him go free, and you will be free.”

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts on Pavilion of Women:

At the beginning I found myself strangely interested in this book; its really not my cup of tea. I was shocked, and I was thinking to myself, “is this really going to be a four star book?” I had trouble putting the book down. Then, at about three-quarters through I realized that what I liked about the book didn’t really have anything in particular to do with the book itself or the author.

I liked all the parts about the Chinese culture, everything was surprising to me as I am really not very well acquainted with anything “Eastern”. To be honest, I’m not that very well acquainted with anything modern either, I kind of focus on the Romans up to the Medieval Age so everything else is just a little surprising and interesting. So I enjoyed hearing about the silk robes, and the family celebrations, and the sense of honor, and while these things were well told by the author, they were what kept me reading not the characters, the philosophical discourse, or the plot, which was quaint but not really enough for me.

The end was very bland, drawn out, and I was unresponsive to it. The philosophical ideas of the author as related by the characters had started out as insightful and interesting, but by the end their placement in the narrative seemed forced and jarring.

So in the end, there was nothing about this particular book that was special, that I don’t feel I could have gotten anywhere else- so three stars. I would definitely read more by the author though, I think I could really enjoy some of the books that she is more well known for, such as the one that she received the Nobel Prize for.

[Ana | The Phoenix Flight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sugestão de leitura aqui: https://youtu.be/qG3DnTvUPw4

Com uma escrita simples, mas bonita, Pearl S. Buck dá-nos a conhecer as rotinas diárias e as relações dentro da Casa Wu, uma casa abastada, com as suas tradições que vão sendo passadas de geração em geração há alguns séculos.

Através do olhar de Madame Wu, vamos vendo as outras personagens, sejam elas membros da família, amigos chegados, ou mesmo estrangeiros que vivem na vila, mas acima de tudo, vemos a forma como vê e abarca a vida.

Tal como o nome indica, Onde Mora a Felicidade, é a busca de Madame Wu pela felicidade, por uma liberdade que estava vedada às mulheres na China (era verdade em 1946 quando o livro foi publicado e ainda é muito verdade nos dias de hoje, mesmo que não da mesma forma). Uma personagem extremamente inteligente, muito à frente do seu tempo, que mantém a sua elegância ao longo da história enquanto levanta questões relacionadas com a liberdade e a felicidade que procura.

Mas será que encontrar a felicidade será tão fácil como simplesmente libertar-se de algumas partes da sua vida?

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pavilion of Women by Pearl S. Buck tells the story of an aristocratic and noble woman, Madame Wu, as she tries to navigate her way in the changing Chinese culture on her vast Chinese estate as the world is on the brink of World War II. This is a story of profound change in Madame Wu as she comes to terms with her role on behalf of her family and her profound transformation as a woman. This quiet but moving novel focuses on the role of women and motherhood in a changing China.

The House of Wu, one of the oldest and most revered in China, is thrown into chaos when Madame Wu decides on her fortieth birthday to no longer share the mariatal bed with her husband of twenty-four years and asks that she be allowed to select a second wife for him. It is during this process and in her friendship and love for Brother Andre, a tutor for her son, that Madame Wu learns of the selfishness of her life not only regarding her husband but with her four sons and their wives. It is thus that she begins her profound journey of spiritual growth as she begins to change her ways. Pearl S. Buck's writing is magnificent as follows:

"This matter of intelligence--it is so great a gift, so heavy a burden. Intelligence, more than poverty and riches, divides human beings and makes them friends or enemies. The stupid person fears and hates the intelligent person. Whatever the goodness of the intelligent man, he must also know that it will not win him love from one whose mind is less than his."

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story is set in pre-Communist China, just before and during the Second World War. It is centred around a wealthy old-fashioned family called Wu, and explores the psychology of the different relationships between members of this extended family. The central figure of the story is Madame Wu -intelligent, cool, self-possessed and ordered, she runs a large household of over 60 people, with great efficiency – but always in a very understated and subtle way. She also oversees the administration of her husband’s land and tenants.

On her 40th birthday she announces her withdrawal from the marriage bed, and her decision to get her husband a concubine. For years she has given much of her time to family affairs; but in this and in other respects she now wants more time to herself. This causes a furore, with her husband and with other members of the household, but nevertheless she goes ahead with her plan. She introduces a young country girl (given the title and status of Second Lady), into the household.... and as time goes by people adjust to her decision.

But her plans for a life of quiet retreat are disrupted. Into her life comes Father André, a foreign tutor to one of her sons. He is deeply spiritual, but not in traditional Christian way, and they share many philosophical conversations. Father André shows Madame Wu the selfishness of the ways in which she has run her household. Particularly in the ways she has manipulated people. Then tragedy strikes – Father André is mugged and dies. Madame Wu has a revelation, and realises that she had fallen in love with him, and that this is the first person she has ever really loved. It transforms her whole way of thinking and being, and she adopts his philosophies as her own. In the latter part of the book we see Madame Wu’s outlook change, and we see the effect this has on her family.

This book is written in quite a simple and artless fashion, and so many of its descriptions are pretty.... It made me think of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado – and the song Three Little Maids From School Are We...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXWkIZ...
Everything in Madame Wu’s world is so perfect, and runs so smoothly, and with such charm. Even the negative incidents are treated with a cool acceptance.

Then I checked out Wikipedia for a biog of the author..... Pearl S Buck was born in 1892 to two Southern Presbyterian missionary parents. When she was a baby her parents left America and went to China. She was raised bilingual – speaking both English and classical Chinese. In 1911 she returned to America to go to college in Virginia. Afterwards, like her parents, she served as a Presbyterian missionary, but her views became controversial, and she resigned. In 1914 she returned to China, and got married to an English (American?) agricultural economist. From 1920-1933 she taught English Literature at Nanking University, but eventually, in 1934, they had to flee China after turbulence with nationalist troops, Communist forces and assorted warlord uprisings.
She and her husband returned to America. Shortly afterwards they divorced, and she remarried.


Given the nature of Pearl Buck – her great experience of Chinese culture, her great experience of religious arguments of the time and darn it - even her experience of love, this book takes on a whole new dimension for me. It isn’t the fantasy world of the Mikado – rather it is the view of life in a Chinese household seen through the eyes of someone who has had a fascinating and idiosyncratic life. I think she really writes from the heart and from her experiences.

I thought this book was very unusual. I enjoyed it enormously, and greatly look forward to reading more by this author.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A warm and interesting story. Madame Wu is a thoughtful, interesting woman and she runs her household with care and ability.
I liked the insight into upper Chinese culture and lifestyle. Madame Wu takes an unconventional path when on her 40th birthday she reclaims her life and walks away from her marriage bed, freeing herself from her wifely duties and intending to spend the rest of her days in study and contemplation.
The teachings of Father Andre are simple and respectful of all life forms and all human beings, regardless of station.
When Madame Wu becomes spiritually motivated, I found the story slowed down but still remained enjoyable. However, the story became a bit preachy as well. Love for self, family, life, community is important; it does make Life worthwhile; yet I feel that Pearl Buck didn't convey the greatness of this life path well at times.
I have to ponder this a bit more. I enjoyed this book but the second half didn't resonate as much with me as the first. Well told but I prefer The Good Earth.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Pearl S. Buck's writing. That being said, I shall have to go through her entire bibliography in order to satisfy myself. Her prose is a warm bath, complete with the small insights and revelations that often come to one during luxurious respite. 'Pavilion of Women' presents a woman with unparalleled logic and self-control, but who also is ignorant of how coldly she views the rest of the world, those who lack her intelligence and strength of will. Through the course of the novel, she recognizes the mistakes she has made in withdrawing herself from the world and expecting the world to properly continue, and with the help from a foreign priest and a previously foreign emotion, she discovers how to continue existing. I feel I have a soft spot for this book, as I share many of the character traits of the protagonist (albeit not nearly as omniscient), and I love the book for being able to relate to many of its wise remarks on life in general.

[Oana · Rating 4 out of 5]

O carte profunda despre traditiile si obiceiurile din cultura chineza, si rolul familiei in societatea chineza din perioada interbelica.
Doamna Wu, o femeie distinsa ajuns la varsta de 40 de ani, decide sa se retragă din dormitorul soțului si sa ii aduca acestuia o concubina pentru a evita o sarcina nedorita, considerată de aceasta o rusine dupa varsta de 40 de ani.
Fiind parte dintr-o familie numeroasa de nobili, aceasta se loveste de reticenta fiilor sai si a numeroaselor rude care traiesc sub acelasi acoperiș.
Cartea aduce in prim-plan numeroase reflecții despre varsta, onoare, datoria fata de familie si religie.
Mi-a placut foarte mult modul in care este construit personajul principal precum si evolutia acestuia, care reflecta de fapt evolutia unei societăți aflată la granita dintre tradiție si modernitate.

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read some of Pearl Buck novels when I was much younger, but I don't remember them being so... exhausting? tedious? annoying? I think the fault is with the main character, who is pretty much the most unrelatable character I have ever come across. She is so self-righteous, so full of herself, so narcissistic, so judgmental, so controlling, I couldn't stop cringing with annoyance. The greatest value of this book lies in the depiction of life in a traditional Chinese household, but you can get that from an anthropology/history school book without Madame Wu irritating you beyond reason.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

>spoiler alert<

Very good, but sad. A book of striking contrasts, Madame Wu married for many years to a man in the traditional Chinese way, living in Victorian China, that she feels distant and in a sense, isolated from. The way of life does not do much for the feeling of intimacy with one's spouse-- all interactions are basically formal. She in a sense doesn't feel a connection with her husband-- oh, she honors, respects and is completely loyal to him, but she has a deep desire to learn, has a hunger for knowledge and in some senses, her husband just doesn't "get it". Madame Wu meets an American missionary who is the complete opposite of her husband. At first, she is kind of disgusted by him.... his ways are so much different to the traditional Chinese way of doing things; he is not as genteel, refined, he doesn't care about the strictly defined class structure.... but she is intrigued by him to. He loves to learn as well, loves books, loves talking about them, and she looks forward to his visits. They never get romantically involved or anything, but she feels more connected to him than really anyone else in her life. When he dies, it is really sad. I cried. The only person that really ever understood her was gone. I adore Pearl Buck as ++an author and have many of her books. Her writing is always so thought provoking.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just had the best experience with this book. Pearl S. Buck is a wonder and she deserves every award she ever got and more. I was suprised how quickly I got to know Madam Wu and I really felt like I knew her; like we could sit down and talk for hours.
Brilliantly done and written with superb style and grace. I liked it tons better than "The Good Earth."
Loved this thought about Adam and Eve: Because he knew that her mind and her heart were fixed not upon the man, but upon the pursuance of life." he had replied. "the man's mind and heart were fixed upon himself. He was happy enough, dreaming that he possessed the woman and the garden. Why should he be tempted further? He had all. But the woman could always be tempted by the thought of a better garden, a larger space, more to possess, because she knew that out of her body would come many more beings, and for them she plotted and planned. The woman thought not of herself, but of the many whom she would create. For their sake she was tempted. For their sake she will always be tempted.248

Only the small and the mean retaliate for pain.264

I have learned that there is a debt due to every soul, and this is the right to its own true happiness. 285

But Mother, To know how to read is to light a lamp in the mind, to release the soul from prison, to open a gate to the universe. 292 (Best quote ever!)

To lie is a sin, Brother Andre had taught him simply, but it is not a sin against God so much as a sin against yourself. Anything built upon the foundation of a lie crumbles. The lie deceives no one so much as the one who tells it.294

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise to become thoroughly engrossed in a book, of which I had few expectations. Wasn't a big fan of "The Good Earth", so opened this with a little trepidation. Set in China, primarily in the 1930s, there is a lot in this small novel: the nature of relationships between men & women, family dynamics, finding one's true self and happiness, cultural traditions versus change. It touched my soul just as Madame Wu's soul was "found" and truly opened to others.

Madame Wu, from an affluent Chinese family, rarely ventures from the walls of their home, more like a compound, as there are about 60 people between family & servants living there. She is in control and although engaged with all that goes on there, in fact appears to be the one who orchestrates all, she is emotionally aloof. She makes a bold decision at the age of 40. No longer wanting to chance a pregnancy, she decides to withdraw to her own rooms and live a more solitary life. This action as well as the introduction of a foreign teacher, Brother Andre, into the mix initiates a cascade of reactions and changes within the household and beyond. More profoundly is the change that comes from within for Madame Wu. Madame Wu's character is peeled away for the reader layer by layer, like the proverbial onion throughout the story, it makes one reflect on the nature of one's own relationships with others & the world around you.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pearl Buck's writings about China take me back to a place I visited long ago. Her stories and characters are absolutely engrossing; this was no exception. Sometimes a book is full of quotes that I can't resist noting, and this was one of those:

"... Madame Wu had long ago learned that the affairs of a great household must be managed one by one and in order.... She had tried to [do sometihng else]... and Heaven had prevented it. The time was not ripe, therefore. And as she had learned to do, while she pondered on large things, she acted on small ones."

"You must learn to take from a person that which is his best and ignore all else."

"Long ago she had learned that to seem to yeild is always stronger than to show resistance, and to acknowledge a fault quickly is always to show an invincible rectitude."

"The sun belongs to uas all ... and we reflect its light, one to another, east and west, rising and setting."

"... Listlessness must be met with firmness."

[Isabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I was a teenager, Pearl S Buck was all the rage with the other teenage girls in my life -- sister, cousins, friends -- but I was not a fan... I preferred torturing myself with Dostoevsky!
So, imagine my surprise when, a few dozen pages into "Pavilion of Women" which I had started to read by default when nothing else was available, I found myself not only liking Madame Wu but also relating to her and also admiring her for conquering the daunting odds of a purely domestic life in order to read, reflect and learn.
And then enters the development of "her soul" via the advent of a monk who will inspire her with a love that can only be sublimated into true service of others. Unfortunately, this is the point when I disconnected from the book and remembered why I used to prefer torturing myself with Dostoevsky. Wondering whether I should reread "Crime and Punishment" or " The Idiot"...

[Bloodorange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Up to 75%, this book is skilfully written, psychologically complex, and the author more or less allows the reader to draw their own conclusions and lessons. The remaining 25% is a vaguely Christian(?) treatise on the role of women in the society, which I feel was dated already at the time of writing (1946). I feel the perfectionism of the protagonist deserved something better than being wasted like that.

[The Overflowing Inkwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally finished this book! (Some spoilers herein) (mostly ranting about how bad this book is though)

Reading it a second time, after reading others of Buck's work and others concerning the events going on in China at the time this novel is set, made it quite a different work than I thought it was the first time. That said - I do not like this book. Madame Wu is insufferable. She begins as someone inscrutable, all-knowing, lofty, considering all beneath her and contemptible to some degree. She finishes the book only mildly better - knowing that she considers all slightly beneath her and somewhat contemptible, she chastises herself lightly for it, and continues on as ever.

The book harps on and on and on about how women only find fulfillment in childbirth, in continuing the human race; that they will grow angry and restless and bitter with their husbands and their families and the world if they do not bear children; all of the advice in the book to any of the women from Madame Wu is about going off and being fruitful, regardless of the issues the marriage is having.

The worst thing about this book - no one is truly likable. Everyone is so severely flawed you cannot like them. Madame Wu is untouchable by her family and therefore also untouchable to the reader - she makes her decisions and does what she wills often with no explanation, only the assurance that there are reasons, that are often not found out for a long time. Her husband is at first besotted with her, but Madame Wu finds him small of mind and too limited to care for and thus the readers are forced to look at him in the same light. He gets worse as the book goes on, and finally ends shacked up in his own part of the house with a former prostitute, eating and drinking until he is near to putting himself in an early grave. Madame Wu thinks magnanimously to herself that she will not say anything to him, and let him die thus, because surely it is better to die early and happy than late and unhappy. Because there's no middle ground for these people, no midway where they aren't eating and drinking to excess and 'being happy' or drowning in their ascetic sorrows.

Her sons and their wives, Chiuming the first concubine, even Andre to some extent are all similarly fault-ridden characters. None of them can be cared for genuinely as the reader flips through, searching for some redeeming grace in anyone, anyone at all. All of the marriages are fraught with arguments and hatred, except the eldest pair who are basically nonexistent. Meng, the first son's wife, is hardly a character but is the best-liked, for she is 'made to have children' and is mindlessly, slavishly devoted to her husband and the rearing of his sons. That's it. That's all she is, and all she does, the entire book long. Liangmo, the first son and her husband, is similarly a paragon, taking his duties looking after the Wu estates and shops perfectly. For this reason, this couple hardly exist on the page, but they are not the hope the reader seeks. Meng literally looks at her husband whenever she is asked her opinion so he may tell her in that moment what she thinks on a topic. Liangmo is a jerk who is furious with his younger brother's success in bettering the lives of the poor common folk by teaching them to write and read and take care of their own money and accounts, and wishes that the commoners were dirty and slovenly again - what right have they, he asks himself, to be clean like rich folk? What right have they to doctors, for there are too many people as it is - they should go on dying!

So we turn to the next beleaguered couple, and are given no rest: Tsemo and Rulan, 'who loved each other too fiercely' to get along, who only quarreled all day long, who feared their love and couldn't hold it, but of course get a honeymoon period for ten days late in the book, because Madame Wu has the perfect fix. Rulan needs to be the perfect, submissive slave, to have sex with her husband and do nothing of her own, to separate herself from her husband because her love will consume them both. And then of course Tsemo goes and dies straight away in a plane crash - Madame Wu is glad of it, because they never would have been able to live together. Ten days without an argument is really all they could manage and now Rulan can remember her husband in peace!

Good heaven. But wait, there's more! Because there's a third set of people, the third son and his wife, the wife also headstrong, also educated like Rulan, also wishing to do away with the backward customs of tradition and be a little more modern in their relationships. But Fengmo is one of those people who can never truly be devoted to anything unless he has A Cause to live and die for. So again the recommendation is to submit as a mindless slave, have sex, and separate - Fengmo goes overseas to school, and Linyi stays behind to be reformed. Fengmo of course falls in love with someone at school, and returns home immediately, ashamed of his love, to pour all his life and love into reforming the world and making the lives of the poor better, while Linyi serves him as an actual servant and a teacher, but no love is ever to be shared between them.

Chiuming is similar, being used as a concubine the husband cannot bring himself to care for. Constantly shunted aside by both the family and the book - Madame Wu continually forgets to check in on her and see how the girl she bought and paid for to take care of her husband's desires is doing (aside from when Madame Wu gets furious that Chiuming has gotten pregnant - shocking, I know), so we don't see her either, until her life is so lonely and sad that Chiuming attempts suicide while pregnant to put both her and her child out of their misery. Eventually, though, she gets a slightly fairy tale ending in that her mother returns with a tale of woe, and discovers her daughter still alive - so Chiuming goes home with her and we are told she weds a widower and is happy. Unlucky reader, who must stay behind in the diseased but "ancient and steadfast" halls of Wu!

This book makes you feel a bit sick after you've read it. You're glad to have finished it, but the lives of all these people, none of them happy, stick in your mind and make you weary. It is unendingly sad that so many live with each other in marriage and never find happiness or love with each other, and regardless of Buck's intentions in writing it, I personally don't want to read about more unhappy couples. I have examples of that already in my life; I would rather not the faint hope one holds for marital joy be extinguished because of a novel.

In short - skip it, and be glad you did. There's hardly anything worth reading here, unless you too subscribe to the message that women are just to submit mindlessly and without question to the husbands they are given, forcing themselves to have sex until they reach the magic age of forty and can separate themselves (and throw a concubine or three at the man who is still lusty) for the betterment of their souls. Yes, Madame Wu begins to grow past these things, but literally only in the last couple of chapters where she decides to let everyone do what they will and be happy - I would that the message had come sooner, and not immediately at the close, where everyone is still rather unhappy, and where we know disaster is soon to come as communism and the Cultural Revolution destroy literally everything that anyone in this book (aka Fengmo) ever achieved.

Definitely going to take a break before reading the last book of Buck's I have in my possession, and I certainly shall never return to these pages or any others of Buck's again after this last novel on my list. I have heard much in her favour, but at this juncture I fear it was much overblown and rather unjustified. Unless people like reading these things to give a contrast to perfect, unspoiled lives or something, I don't know.

[Bbrown · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read The Good Earth for class many years ago I enjoyed it, but until very recently it never occurred to me to read anything else by Pearl S. Buck. The Good Earth, is, after all, her most popular book by far, winning Buck the Pulitzer Prize and contributing to her Nobel Prize win more than any of her other novels (most of them, including this one, she wrote after she was a laureate). I didn’t even know the name of any of Buck’s other works, so I was surprised to find that she had been a rather prolific writer, with dozens of novels to her name. Pavilion of Women is, at least per goodreads, her second most popular novel, with only a small fraction the number of readers as The Good Earth, but it has a lot in common with that work: it is a novel focused on actions, with a distinctive writing style, and it has a similar setting. However, the scope of Pavilion of Women is narrower, painting the portrait of a family matriarch instead of depicting the fall of one great house and the rise of another.

Like The Good Earth, Pavilion of Women is almost entirely focused on the actions of its characters, and the progression of the plot. This, for whatever reason, is a rarity among the books I typically read. Only occasionally does Buck have a passage of descriptive imagery, touching on the garden, the countryside, or the weather, and even then that passage is usually only a few lines. Likewise, Buck is not concerned with “world building,” in the sense of explaining how the house of Wu or the rural Chinese town functions. As a reader you certainly become familiar with both the house and the town, but largely through the characters and what actions they perform. Buck never delves into how many courts the house of Wu has, or its layout, the fact that it contains a temple is only introduced over two-thirds into the book, but it’s clear that these specifics are not something Buck considers essential to the story being told.

Buck’s prose is particularly noteworthy. It’s a distinctive blend of straightforward depictions of actions, heavy on dialogue or internal monologue, with some distinguishing element occasionally added, creating a particular type of minimalism that is easy to read, and that gradually introduces you to the characters and setting without having to dedicate long sections of the book to such information specifically. In contrast, Buck will with more frequency than many authors drop in isolated lines that are an almost poetic take on the subject being discussed. “To bear him many children was her sole desire. She was his instrument for immortality.” I feel that this style has influenced American depictions of China, and the type of dialogue typically given to Chinese characters. Buck is, after all, likely still the most read author on the topic of China in America, as she has been from the 1930s.

Because the actions are so central to Pavilion of Women, it’s hard to discuss the book without going into the events depicted—so be warned that the rest of the review will contain general spoilers.

The book can be divided almost exactly into thirds: the third before Brother André, the third with Brother André, and the third after Brother André. Though these sections are defined by the presence or absence of Brother André, this book is primarily the portrait of Madame Wu, the matriarch of the great house of Wu. The book opens with Madame Wu’s implementing a decision she made long ago to retire from the physical duties of being a wife and to bring in a concubine as a second wife for her husband, a decision she adheres to even though her friends and family uniformly consider it a bad idea. But Madame Wu’s competence is such that everyone defers to her decision. In this first third, the character of Madame Wu concerned me, as she skirted the line of being a too-perfect character without any flaws (see her preternatural ability to harvest silk worms, ability to calm infants with her presence, deftly manipulate everyone she comes into contact with, she seems good at everything).

Luckily, the second third addresses my concern. Madame Wu’s perfection is juxtaposed with her initial lack of passion, as she calculates her every action. The introduction of Brother André, who sees through Madame Wu the way she sees through others, and who finally begins spurring emotions in her, is a welcome jolt to the story after the largely boring first third. Through Brother André, Madame Wu realizes (and we learn) that, instead of wanting to retire as a wife and bring in a concubine out of her continued desire to be a perfect wife and matriarch, Madame Wu did it out of a selfish desire to free herself from her burdens. This section chips away at the mask of perfection presented by the first part, revealing that the house of Wu is not the tranquil place it was originally depicted as being, and that many of Madame Wu’s machinations have failed or backfired. In discussing and learning from Brother André, Madame Wu begins to develop as a character, realizing her flaws but also growing toward her potential of actually being the benevolent matriarch she was thought to be (and convinced herself she was) in the first part of the story.

In the last third, Madame Wu’s promise is finally fulfilled, though the catalyst for this is unexpected. Madame Wu goes about helping others and correcting past mistakes where she can, and finally earns her reputation. This is not to say that the house of Wu is transformed into a paradise on earth, as, throughout all the parts of this book the rest of the Wu family has continued to develop, with some family members growing in a positive way and others the opposite. Madame Wu is no supernatural force, so there remain some members that live tragic lives despite her presence. To me this final section highlighted the main flaw of the Pavilion of Women, which is that Pearl S. Buck is not able to deliver the enlightenment her characters promise. The story presents two characters, Madame Wu and Brother André, who each come to a greater understanding of life, the universe, and their role in it. But when Buck has those characters share their insight, it is not the revelation it is depicted as being. When Madame Wu gives advice to her daughter-in-law, explaining that it is not her duty to her husband to have children, but rather their shared duty to mankind, it is different advice than Madame Wu would have given in the first part of the book, but not better advice. The Pavilion of Women has no great truths to reveal, even if its characters are depicted as revealing great truths and other characters act as though they have received great truths.

This lack of revelation is a serious flaw because it undercuts not only the plot of Pavilion of Women, but also its main characters, as they are not believably what Buck purports them to be. Since, as already described, the prose is dedicated to depicting events, there is not enough beauty in the language of the Pavilion of Women to elevate the book. Likewise, there is no grander, more symbolic story of the rise and fall of a great house like that depicted in The Good Earth, which could still work even if its characters fell short. There is, in short, not much to fall back on once the development of Madame Wu ends unsatisfyingly, which is what transforms a minor complaint into a more sizeable one.

The Pavilion of Women is a period piece, and I have a fondness for period pieces (arising out of my love for settings). So, just as I return to Zola and Austen, I may read more works by Buck, to again visit pre-revolution China. But if I do, I’ll be hoping for something more akin to The Good Earth (perhaps I’ll try its sequel) rather than The Pavilion of Women, which in my opinion didn’t quite work because Buck failed to clear the bar she set for herself.

[Tamara Agha-Jaffar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pavilion of Women by the 1938 Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck takes place in 1940s China. The central character is Madame Wu, the elegant, competent, and beautiful mistress of the large Wu household. Married and the mother of four sons, Madame Wu is judicious, diplomatic, serene, loved, and respected by all. The novel opens on her fortieth birthday, a momentous occasion for her. She calmly announces her decision to end physical intimacy with her husband and choose a second wife for him to satisfy his carnal needs.

The announcement is greeted with shock and plummets the household in turmoil. Her husband is mystified by her decision and initially refuses her offer. But Madame Wu is adamant. With the help of the local marriage broker, she selects a young girl who meets her requirements and cements the deal. She then proceeds to arrange a marriage for her third son. She treats people as if they are pieces on a chess board, moving them at will. Her goal is to settle the affairs of her family so she can be relieved of responsibilities toward others and experience the freedom she has longed for throughout her marriage. But her plans go awry and her household falls apart.

Pearl Buck’s portrayal of Madame Wu is particularly effective. She depicts her as unflappable, elegant, beautiful, intelligent, and, above all, determined to fulfill her duty. But in spite of her serene exterior, Madame Wu is deeply unhappy and lonely. Although she has all the comforts of life, she has never connected with another human being until she meets Father André, her son’s tutor who happens to be a European renegade priest and to whom she bares her soul. He accuses her of selfishness, of badly misjudging male/female relations, and of treating young women as if they were nothing more than breeding vessels to be bought and sold. Falling in love for the first time in her life, Madame Wu experiences an epiphany and proceeds to rectify her past mistakes. She follows the example set by Father André by showing greater tolerance for human weakness and supporting the pursuit of freedom by others.

The tension between a traditional life-style and the influx of Western ideas and attitudes is brought to the forefront by the characters, their conflicts, and the choices they make. The characters are realistically portrayed and well-developed. The first half of the novel depicts life in the Wu household with great sensitivity and with an eye for detail that captures the intricacies of manners, behaviors, and traditions of Chinese upper-class society. The second half of the novel becomes more introspective, focusing on Madame Wu’s philosophical conversations with Father André as he exposes her to Western ideas. This section loses much of the vibrancy of the earlier section. The philosophical pronouncements seemed contrived. And the gradual intensification of Madame Wu’s feelings toward Father André and her constant self-examination tend to drag the narrative down.

In spite of these few shortcomings, the writing is excellent and immerses the reader in upper-class life in China of the 1940s.

Recommended.

You can see more of my book reviews at www.tamaraaghajaffar.com

[Ana-Maria Beșa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Inteligența e un dar atât de mare și o povară atât de grea! Mai mult decât sărăcia și bogățiile, ea desparte oamenii, îi face să se împrietenească sau să se dușmănească. Omul prost se teme de cel deștept și îl urăște. Oricât de bun ar fi cel deștept, trebuie să priceapă că asta nu va cuceri afecțiunea unuia cu mai puțină minte decât el."
" E primejdios să înalți un suflet dincolo de nivelul lui. Asemenea pâraielor, sufletele au un loc de unde izvorăsc, iar a le forța e împotriva firii, așadar, e primejdios. Când sufletul e silit la ceva, el caută să ajungă iar la nivelul lui și se risipește, sfâșiat între nivelele superioare și cele inferioare, iar acest lucru e, de asemenea, primejdios. Adevărata înțelepciune înseamnă să cumpănești sufletele, să le cântărești și să le lași să trăiască la locul lor."

[Calzean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pre-Communist China but the times are changing. Madame Wu leads a traditional life running her family, extended family, various adopted/orphans and a cast of servants. The author recreates the traditions with great depth, clarity and without judgement.
But the book is also about the various relationships between Madame Wu and her husband, their children, in-laws, friends and servants. The book is also about how people change as they age and hopefully, like Madame Wu, use their experiences wisely and accept that change can be okay.
A well crafted novel of a time gone by.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I want to say that I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.

This book has added to an area that I know needs strengthening for me, knowledge of the life of Chinese people. It is set in mid 20th century, prior to WWII, a time of change around the world and a time of growing change in China. It is the story of cultural and personal transition. Pearl Buck writes from her knowledge of the country and her knowledge as a woman.

We see all that happens through the eyes of Madame Wu, the Lady of the Wu household who manages everything that happens and sees that all runs well, including her children's marriages. At the age of 40, she has decided on a new course of personal freedom that will shake up the entire household in ways she never intended and ultimately lead her to a level of self-hood she had never sought....she never knew it existed.

At first I found myself put off by some of the formality of the lifestyle which became part of the writing. Then I found that, as Madame Wu began to step in new directions, so too did the novel and the writing. I became more excited in my reading.

There are philosophical discussions and talk of how marriages can possibly last. This story takes place in a wealthy household that can afford to have such concerns.

It is, I believe, a woman's book, dealing so much with woman's place in the world. It is dealing with China in the 1940s and some of the truths spoken here seem dated. However, some are timeless.

Recommended for all who would like to visit another world, taken there by someone who grew up there and loved the people.

[CS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give Pavilion of Women five stars not for it's execution (though I don't think it's written poorly) but for it's insight and depth and humanity and love.

If someone were to ask me, "what sort of person should I be?" I would advise them to read Pavilion of Women, to learn from Madame Wu's learning, and to take to heart Brother Andre's wisdom. Meditate on the change in Madame Wu, on her successes and setbacks, and see the way in which she came to live her life. All that Brother Andre says, ponder.

I am often shocked that this book of Buck's is not more mentioned.

I wrote this review after a re-read. I wondered if the book would still speak to me many years later. And it did. It just said different things this time. Or, at least, different things in the text had relevance to me.

Also - this book still tells a good story - even if you aren't in it for the philosophy. No need to wade through a boring or stiff allegory to get to the meat of it.

Please enjoy! This is an excellent work!

[Kristyh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it was self absorbed navel gazing from beginning to end. I found it hard to admire anything about the stifling, traditional Chinese culture and philosophy portrayed in the House of Wu. I kept on waiting for the catalyst in the story, and when it came it changed nothing. The main character, Madam Wu, went from controlling and manipulating all around her in one direction, to controlling and manipulating all around her in another direction. If I hear about Madam Wu’s “silvery” voice, “slender” hands or “delicate” way of eating ever again, I think I will be the wife hanging from the rafters…..