▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁S par row ▁and ▁L ing ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁friend ▁and ▁neighbour ▁of ▁Y iw en . ▁A i - ming ▁fle es ▁China ▁after ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁T ian an men ▁Square ▁protest s ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁and ▁finds ▁a ▁home ▁with ▁Marie ▁and ▁Ma ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁while ▁in ▁V ancouver . ▁Event ually ▁she ▁leaves ▁for ▁America ▁with ▁the ▁hope ▁that ▁she ▁can ▁make ▁a ▁better ▁life ▁for ▁herself . ▁ ▁Big ▁Mother ▁Kn ife : ▁Big ▁Mother ▁Kn ife ▁is ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁Ba ▁L ute , ▁sister ▁of ▁Sw irl , ▁and ▁mother ▁to ▁S par row , ▁F lying ▁Bear , ▁and ▁Big ▁Mountain . ▁She ▁has ▁a ▁close ▁relationship ▁with ▁her ▁sister ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁hard ▁time ▁recon cil ing ▁the ▁horror s ▁that ▁Sw irl ▁faces ▁with ▁the ▁political ▁powers ▁that ▁Ba ▁L ute ▁f ights ▁for . ▁ ▁Sw irl : ▁Sw irl ▁is ▁the ▁sister ▁of ▁Big ▁Mother ▁Kn ife ▁and ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁W en ▁the ▁Dream er . ▁W en ▁the ▁Dream er ▁and ▁Sw irl ▁are ▁pun ished ▁with ▁re - ed uc ation ▁through ▁hard ▁labour ▁under ▁Ma o ▁Z ed ong ' s ▁regime ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁help ▁them ▁learn ▁from ▁their ▁mistakes ▁– ▁they ▁har bour ▁a ▁secret ▁library ▁cell ar ▁where ▁they ▁store ▁valuable ▁he ir lo oms , ▁documents , ▁American ▁books , ▁and ▁other ▁cont rab and . ▁ ▁Ba ▁L ute : ▁Ba ▁L ute