Ah Ling is the protagonist of the novel’s first section, “The Celestial Railroad.” He is the son of a Chinese sex worker and a white foreigner. He is sold by his biological father after the death of his mother. The man to whom he is initially sold employs him in his opium business until he sells him to Uncle Ng, the owner of a Chinese laundry in the United States.

Ling is characterized in part by his ambition. He does not take to the tedious work in the laundry and dreams of striking it rich as a prospector. He ultimately finds work on the railroad, both as an explosives expert and later as a bone collector, gathering the remains of the many Chinese men who died during the railroad’s construction. In this way, Ling is representative of many Chinese men who came to the United States during the first wave of Chinese immigration, which began during the 19th century and was centered in California. He thus speaks to the theme of History and Chinese American Experiences and demonstrates the way that historical events such as the gold rush and the construction of the American railway system shaped early Chinese American communities.