The Dragon Boat Festival looms large in Yunxian’s imagination. What does it mean for her—and the other women who reside in the Garden of Fragrant Delights—to finally get to attend?

The Dragon Boat Festival looms large in Yunxian’s imagination. What does it mean for her—and the other women who reside in the Garden of Fragrant Delights—to finally get to attend?

It meant everything to these ladies to be able to attend the Festival! Wonderful for them to leave the confines of home and see the spirit of friendly competition. Even Lady Tan was caught up in the moment and cheering in the final race. Good for her for encouraging/allowing her female family members to attend!

The festival made me think of the Kentucky Derby or going to Disneyland. The festival was a very special event that made it an experience of a lifetime.

The festival made me think of the Kentucky Derby or going to Disneyland. The festival was a very special event that made it an experience of a lifetime.

A taste of freedom and celebration. It brought out joy in those that attended. Pageantry!

The women of the time rarely left the confines of their compounds. I felt there was some jealousy when their husbands and concubines always went. It made me smile when Lady Tan told the other wives and children that this year they were going to go. Meiling did a beautiful job sharing the outside world with Yunxian who said the Boat Festival was exactly as she had imagined it to be. The women must have been exhilarated with the sights and sounds. To be able to cheer for their favorite boat without being reprimanded must have been such a breath of fresh air, even if only for one day.

The women rarely were permitted outside the confines of the family compound so being able to leave and see an event they had only heard about was special indeed.The women who had previously been permitted to attend were the concubines who accompanied the wives husband's while the wives were left behind. I thought it was great that even Lady Tan's mother-in-law went. Being able to finally accompany their husband's outside the walls meant so much to them.

The festival means freedom. Because of their status, Yun, and the other women (except concubines),of The Garden of Fragrent Delights are not at liberty to go outside the walls of the compound.

I agree with what others have said that the Dragon Boat Festival gave the3 women a taste of freedom of being able to leave the confines of the compound and enjoy themselves both as individuals and as a group and experience what others outside their compound experience during the festival.

Not only was the event exciting to attend but it was a rare time they were out of the compound.

I think it represented freedom and joy to her. Being able to attend and take her household with her, allowed her to see a world outside the compound where they were restricted and to enjoy life for a day with her husband to herself.

The Dragon Boat Festival allowed the normally cloistered women a taste of freedom and a peek at people from the" lower" classes. It's interesting that in allowing the ladies of the court to attend, Yunxian denies that same experience to the concubines. Once again, the women are pitted against each other because of the men who control their lives.

FREEDOM
This one word comes to mind. This attendance allows women to escape their enclosed household existence and see something of another world.

I thought this was a great full-circle moment for the book. Lady Tan is finally in a powerful enough position where she can change something. She's able to experience this event for herself rather than having Meiling explain it to her.