The Tao of Women

For centuries women have remained quiet, suppressed by society. Yet in their silence a singing can be heard, celebrating their truths. In The Tao of Women, female voices speak out. Finally, the wisdom of Taoist philosophy is linked with the deep and mysterious wisdom of women.

The Tao of Women captures and presents the power and wisdom generated by centuries of women's lives with the hope that this wisdom will not be lost. These brief and poignant meditations amplify the voices of our grandmothers and their mothers before them, they illuminate the connections over time and space and culture, allowing us to understand the women who came before and the daughters who will follow.

In 1950, a secret language was discovered near Hunan Province, China. It was not until 1982 that anyone collected and translated this secret "women's script." Known as Nu Shu, this ancient language was developed and used by women to communicate with each other when their society would not allow them to learn to read and write. For the first time in America, 81 original Nu Shu illustrations and their translations can be seen in The Tao of Women.