Dragonwings is the first installment of Yep’s historical fiction series Golden Mountain Chronicles, which consists of 10 books. In order, the novels included in the series are: The Serpent’s Children, published in 1984 and set in 1849; Mountain Light, published in 1985 and set in 1855; Dragon’s Gate, published in 1993 and set in 1867; The Traitor, published in 2003 and set in 1885; Dragonwings, published in 1975 and set in 1903; Dragon Road, published in 2007 and set in 1939; Child of the Owl, published in 1977 and set in 1960; Sea Glass, published in 1979 and set in 1970; Thief of Hearts, published in 1995 and set in 1995; and Dragons of Silk, published in 2011. Each narrative spans several generations, and the entirety of the series covers an ambitious time frame, stretching from 1835 to 2011.

At its heart, the Golden Mountain Chronicles is a family saga that traces the history of the Young clan, following the lives of several generations from the late 19th century to the early 2010s. Beginning his epic narrative in China, Yep uses the Young clan’s lives to trace the larger history of Chinese immigration to America.