Paula and Andrew, two twenty-something Americans, arrive in China right after the Cultural Revolution, when the country is just starting to open up to foreigners. Paula has come to teach English and Andrew has come to spend a semester close to Paula. Their naiveté is astounding as they blunder into the heavily socialist and guarded community of the school. They are spied on by everyone, obliquely threatened, mystified by local customs, and generally fish out of water. Ultimately, Andrew returns to the States, but Paula decides to stay, despite her seeming distaste for their surroundings.

WIDOW WAN - probably in her 70’s. Well fed, long term survivor, few words (all in Cantonese, usually commands), much power.
VICE PRINCIPAL HUANG - late 20’s, Northern Chinese, educated, vital but guarded. An outsider in Canton.
TEACHER CHEN - 30’s but worn for her years, Cantonese, anxious, kind.
ANDREW BAKER (bai ke) - 20’s, New Yorker, very urban, glib. Wears glasses, no fashion sense.
PAULA WHEATON (wei tan) - 20’s Waspy New Yorker, striking.
PRINCIPAL WANG - 40’s, Cantonese, formal, nervous. The bureaucrat who lives in fear.
LAO WAN - older long-term survivor; few words, much power.
XIAO WAN - 19, but acts younger; assigned to be the American teachers’ maid.
SHERMAN - 20’s, smart-ass student; city kid, privileged, General’s son (can be doubled by Principal Wang).
LINCOLN - student, late teens/20’s, Sherman’s sidekick, cynic (doubled by Vice Principal Huang).
XIAO DA - 20’s, Northern (Hubei) student, female. Studious, serious: a believer (can be doubled by Xiao Wan.)
PEARL - Straight, initially shy student, female, Cantonese (doubled by Teacher Chen).
TEACHER MING - old lady, long hard life; nominal chair of language department (doubled by Widow Wan, her opposite).
YING - late 30’s, peasant; school maintenance man/worker/electrician (doubled by Principal Wang). CUSTOMS MAN - Young, modern (doubled by Vice Principal Huang).