Jing-mei's mother

Outer characterization

Jing-mei’s mother is a Chinese immigrant who settles in San Francisco, USA, in 1949, having lost her home and family in China. She works as a cleaning woman and, together with Jing-mei’s father, she manages to save enough money to buy a secondhand piano for her daughter to practice. She dies some time after Jing-mei’s 30th birthday.

Inner characterization

Jing-mei’s mother is an ambitious woman, who has high hopes and dreams for a better life. Despite having lost her home and family in China, Jing-mei’s mother does not look back in regret, but forward in hope that ...