Big Breasts & Wide Hips

List of Principal Characters

In Chinese, the family name comes first. In families, proper names are used far less often than relational terms (First Sister, Younger Brother, “Old Three,” etc.). In this novel, some of the characters change names, a few more than once, for a variety of reasons. Nicknames, including numbers, are common.

Mother

Shangguan Lu; childhood name Xuan’er. Motherless from childhood, raised to adulthood by aunt and uncle, Big Paw. Married to blacksmith Shangguan Shouxi. A convert to Christianity in her late years.

Eldest Sister

Laidi, daughter of Mother and Big Paw. Married to Sha Yueliang, mother of Sha Zaohua. After the founding of the People’s Republic, forced to marry crippled mute soldier Speechless Sun. Later has a son with Birdman Han, named Parrot Han.

Second Sister

Zhaodi, daughter of Mother and Big Paw. Married to commander of anti-Japanese forces Sima Ku; mother of twins, Sima Feng and Sima Huang.

Third Sister

Lingdi. Also known as Bird Fairy, daughter of Mother and a peddler of ducklings. First wife of Speechless Sun, mother of Big Mute and Little Mute.

Fourth Sister

Xiangdi, daughter of Mother and an itinerant herb doctor.

Fifth Sister

Pandi, daughter of Mother and a dog butcher. Married to Lu Liren, political commissar of the Demolition Battalion, mother of Lu Shengli. Holds several official positions, changing her name to Ma Ruilian after the founding of the People’s Republic.

Sixth Sister

Niandi, daughter of Mother and wise monk of the Tianqi Monastery. Married to American bomber pilot Babbitt.

Seventh Sister

Qiudi, offspring of a rape of Mother by four deserters. Sold to a Russian woman as an orphan, changes her name to Qiao Qisha.

Eighth Sister

Yunu, a twin born to Mother and Swedish missionary Malory. Born blind.

I (narrator)

Jintong, Mother’s only son, born together with Eighth Sister.

Shangguan Shouxi Shangguan Fulu Shangguan Lü Sima Ting

Blacksmith; Mother’s impotent husband. Blacksmith, Shangguan Shouxi’s father. Shangguan Fulu’s wife, “Mother’s” mother. Steward of Dalan Town’s Felicity Manor; later serves as mayor.

Sima Ku

Younger brother of Sima Ting, husband of Zhaodi (Second Sister). A patriot, linked to the Nationalists during the War of Resistance (1937-1945).

Sima Liang

Son of Sima Ku and Zhaodi (Second Sister).

Sha Yueliang

Husband of Laidi (Eldest Sister), commander of the Black Donkey Musket Band during the War of Resistance (1937-1945). Goes over to the Japanese as a turncoat.

Sha Zaohua

Daughter of Sha Yueliang and Laidi (Eldest Sister). Grows up together with Jintong and Sima Liang.

Birdman Han

Lingdi (Third Sister)’s lover.

Pastor Malory

Swedish missionary; has illicit affair with Shangguan Lu, and fathers twins Jintong and Yünü.

Parrot Han

Son of Birdman Han and Laidi.

Lu Liren

Also known as Jiang Liren and, later, Li Du. Serves in many official capacities for Communists.

Lu Shengli

Daughter of Lu Liren and Shangguan Pandi (Fifth Sister). Becomes mayor of Dalan.

Speechless Sun

Eldest son of Aunty Sun, neighbor of the Shangguan family. Born a mute. Engaged to Laidi (Eldest Sister), is crippled in battle, and returns to marry Laidi.

Ji Qiongzhi

Jintong’s inspiring teacher.