The protagonist, a twelve-year-old girl with a clean fair oval face and a widow's peak, described as exceptionally elegant and refined. She was sold by her starving mother during a drought for three dou of rice. She was raised a green-feathered parrot for three years from age nine to twelve. She is quiet, obedient, stubborn, and easily moved to tears by small kindnesses. She was sold into the Imperial Palace as a palace maid and assigned to the East Palace. She was made to do menial labor in the utility courtyard and suffered severe sunburn while sweeping leaves.
