The Joy Luck Club | Part Summaries

Timeline of Events

• 1918

  Ying-ying St. Clair falls into the lake at the Moon Festival and is separated from her family.

  Part 1, Chapter 4
• 1920

  Lindo Jong, two, is betrothed to Tyan-yu, the son of the wealthy Huang family.

  Part 1, Chapter 3
• c. 1923

  An-mei Hsu's mother commits suicide to give An-mei and her half-brother a better life.

  Part 4, Chapter 1
• 1932

  Ying-ying's first husband abandons her; she aborts their unborn child as revenge.

  Part 4, Chapter 2
• c. 1934

  Lindo weds Huang Tyan-yu; months later she successfully escapes the marriage.

  Part 1, Chapter 3
• 1944

  Suyuan Woo flees Kweilin with her twin daughters, then must abandon them when she becomes ill.

  Part 4, Chapter 4
• 1946

  Upon hearing the news of her first husband's death, Ying-ying agrees to marry Clifford St. Clair.

  Part 4, Chapter 2
• c. 1946

  Lindo is introduced to Tin Jong by An-mei; they marry months later.

  Part 4, Chapter 3
• 1949

  Suyuan and her second husband, Canning, move to the United States.

  Part 1, Chapter 1
• 1960

  Ying-ying has a miscarriage and falls into a deep depression.

  Part 2, Chapter 2
• 1960

  Nine-year-old Waverly Jong becomes a national chess champion.

  Part 2, Chapter 1
• c. 1965

  An-mei's four-year-old son Bing drowns in the ocean under 14-year-old Rose's watch.

  Part 2, Chapter 3
• c. 1987

  Waverly is afraid to tell Lindo she is engaged to Rich Schields.

  Part 3, Chapter 2
• c. 1987

  Ted Jordan files for divorce from Rose.

  Part 2, Chapter 3
• c. 1987

  Suyuan dies.

  Part 1, Chapter 1
• Two months later

  Jing-mei joins the Joy Luck Club and learns her half-sisters in China have been found.

  Part 1, Chapter 1
• Months later

  Jing-mei and Canning go to China to meet Jing-mei's half-sisters.

  Part 4, Chapter 4

Part Summaries Chart