Tan Yunxian

Tan Yunxian (; 1461–1554) was a Chinese female physician during the Ming dynasty.

Life Tan's grandmother was the daughter of a physician. In fact, one reason Tan's grandfather married her grandmother was to learn medicine himself. Two of her grandparents' sons, including Tan's father, were able to pass the jinshi examinations, and they became officials. Due to the fondness her grandparents had for her, which evidence shows was directly related to her intellect, her grandparents passed on their medical knowledge to Tan. Tan's grandmother left her medical manuals and tools upon her deathbed to be passed onto Tan. Tan inherited many medical documents from her grandparents. She studied these medical works day and night. However, she did not start implementing this knowledge until she herself became ill.

Tan Yunxian later married, raised four children, and practiced medicine on women. Out of these four children, two were sons. Both of these sons died at a young age, ending her family line, according to patriarchy. However, her daughters carried on her mitochondrial DNA.

Medical activity Tan Yunxian's medical practice was confined to treating women. She initially began by treating her own children, with her grandmother's guidance to confirm her diagnoses. She was known to diagnose herself and others of her family and compare that diagnosis to that of the outside doctor. The women she worked with usually had chronic complaints, rather than of temporary illnesses. Many of these women had “women’s complaints,” such as menstrual irregularities, repeated miscarriages, barrenness, and postpartum fatigue. Other patients had illnesses that either sex could contract, such as coughing, insomnia, rashes, swellings, diarrhea or nausea.

Tan, similar to other literati doctors, often prescribed herbal medications to her patients. She also practiced moxibustion. This was the burning of moxa, or dried Artemisia, at specified points on the body, which was similar to acupuncture. This process was believed to stimulate the circulation of qi. Since the physician applying the moxa had to physically touch the patient, male doctors were unable to perform this treatment on women. Tan served many working women in her practice. Various accounts show Tan's conclusions that these women often overworked themselves, whether physically or mentally

Although Tan Yunxian was able to practice gynecology, pediatrics and obstetrics, her experience in other fields was limited. Tan was only able to practice medicine in the country among her friends or acquaintances. Even after she completed her autobiographical account Sayings of a Female Doctor, the only physician book written by a woman in the Ming Dynasty, In the prologue of her book, Tan frets about its reception due to her being a female author. A male doctor could not touch a woman during an examination, but rather had to review her symptoms through asking her questions. They may also use a male relative or husband as a go-between.

Popular portrayal A character that combines Tan with Jingtai Emperor consort Empress Hang was portrayed by Cecilia Liu in 2016 Chinese historical drama series The Imperial Doctress. In that series, the character's surname was changed from to the homophone surname . The series focuses on a fictionalized love triangle between Tan and two emperors, with her medical work becoming a side plot. The series' lavish yet historically accurate costumes are reported to cost over $460,000 USD.

Tan is the main character of Lisa See's 2023 novel Lady Tan's Circle of Women . The novel focuses on the personal life of Tan, beginning with her education from her grandmother and through her struggles as a female physician in the Ming Dynasty. The novel also focuses on her friendship with a midwife, and the stigmas surrounding this friendship at the time.