Li-yan is the protagonist and the narrator of the novel. She is a curious child who grows up to become an insightful and kind person. From an early age, Li-yan shows great ambition: She wants to be the first person from her village to go to a university, and she is ready to work hard towards that goal. Li-yan’s goals demonstrate her divergence from her people’s traditional way of life. Although Li-yan deeply respects the Akha Law, violent cultural practices challenge her moral belief system and cause her to rebel against her upbringing. Her pregnancy and ill-fated marriage to San-pa force her to change her plans, but she never loses her desire for knowledge. With time, tea-growing traditions of her ancestors becomes a foundation of Li-yan’s career. Diligent and persistent, Li-yan overcomes many obstacles and develops into a successful businesswoman as well as a loving wife and mother.

A-ma is Li-yan’s mother. She presides over the family “with a stern but fair hand” (290), and she is a wise and kind woman. Throughout the novel, she is Li-yan’s anchor and role model: Even in the hardest circumstances, she manages to find a solution. A-ma is also a keeper of Akha traditions.