Snow Flower and the Secret Fan plot
Set in 19th century China, 7 year old girls Snow Flower and Lily are linked for eternity as 'Laotong'. Isolated from their families, they secretly communicate by taking turns writing in a secret language between the folds of a white silk fan. In a parallel story set in present-day Shanghai, the Laotong descendants Nina and Sophia struggle to maintain their own friendship. Drawing on the lessons of the past, the two modern women must understand the ancient story of their ancestors. The secret is hidden from them in the folds of a white silk fan.