A poor girl rises to high social status in China because of her unusually small feet. When her position is threatened by reformers out to abolish foot-binding she fights them. A study in social change. -- from the back of the book. This beguiling story is woven around the life of Fragrant Lotus, who had her feet bound in the Supreme Lotus style when she is six years old. Events in Fragrant Lotus' life twist and unfold in a series of witty and often wicked ironies, obliterating easy distinctions between kindness and cruelty, history and fable, forgery and authentic work. The novel's waggish narrator exist in a tension between judgement and description, wryly deflating his reader's certainties along the way. Written in 1985, The Three-Inch Golden Lotus is a deeply affecting, thoroughly enjoyable literary revelation.

Some idle talk before the story --The little girl, Fragrant Lotus -- The weird happenings really begin -- And again: the weird happenings really begin -- Several gentlemen display their learning -- Competition and defeat -- Beyond the immortal lies a God -- The four marvels of Tianjin -- With poetry, painting, song, dream, mist, and wine -- A true talent does not reveal himself -- Three battles -- When false becomes true, true is false -- And the eyes close -- Descent into chaos -- Bind unbind bind unbind bind unbind bind -- Present Pretty Plower of the Natural Foot Society -- 37 Gloucester street.