Jung-Sum - Jade Peony Characters

Jung-Sum, or Jung, is the adopted child of the family. He is about 12 years old when he narrates the 2nd section of the novel.

In his section we learn about Jung's adoption and difficult life before joining the family. This part shows the closeness of the Chinese community in Canada when the family takes Jung after his parents die.

We also learn about the turtle, which is an important symbol in Chinese culture.  Jung has a turtle he takes care of in the backyard. This is an interesting part of the novel as we can see the contrast between Canadian and Chinese culture. As Jung's Canadian friend says, "It's got to have a - you know - British or Canadian name." Eventually the turtle is named King George after the King of England. This is a contrast to Poh-Poh's stories of turtles and good fortune.

The final part of Jung's section deals with his changing feelings as he enters puberty. In the end, we see Jung is beginning to realize he is gay. Choy is at his best in this section as he uses the symbol and imagery of the moon and the sun to describe Jung. It is a subtle, yet powerful part of the novel.