uli ▁is ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁W en ▁the ▁Dream er ▁and ▁Sw irl . ▁She ▁is ▁comfort ed ▁by ▁Big ▁Mother ▁Kn ife ▁while ▁her ▁parents ▁are ▁tort ured ▁and ▁is ▁dropped ▁off ▁on ▁her ▁door step . ▁She ▁also ▁is ▁a ▁gift ed ▁viol in ist ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁close ▁relationship ▁with ▁K ai ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁S par row , ▁despite ▁being ▁ 1 0 ▁years ▁his ▁junior . ▁ ▁F lying ▁Bear ▁and ▁Big ▁Mountain : ▁F lying ▁Bear ▁and ▁Big ▁Mountain ▁are ▁brothers ▁to ▁S par row ▁and ▁sons ▁to ▁Big ▁Mother ▁Kn ife ▁and ▁Ba ▁L ute . ▁They ▁are ▁inter change able ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁novel ▁but ▁eventually ▁grow ▁apart . ▁L ing : ▁L ing ▁is ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁S par row ▁and ▁the ▁mother ▁of ▁A i - ming . ▁She ▁develop s ▁a ▁close ▁relationship ▁with ▁Y iw en ▁particularly ▁after ▁A i - ming ▁fle es ▁China , ▁and ▁encourag es ▁her ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Tokyo . ▁ ▁Lu ▁Y iw en : ▁Y iw en ▁is ▁A i - ming ' s ▁neighbour ▁and ▁close ▁friend ▁growing ▁up . ▁The ▁two ▁of ▁them ▁get ▁involved ▁as ▁students ▁in ▁the ▁T ian an men ▁Square ▁protest s ▁where ▁they ▁frequently ▁get ▁themselves ▁in ▁trouble , ▁causing ▁Y iw en ' s ▁parents ▁to ▁worry . ▁ ▁Historical ▁context s ▁ ▁Th ien ▁references ▁numerous ▁songs ▁and ▁texts ▁from ▁Chinese ▁history . ▁These ▁include ▁S ima ▁Q ian ' s