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Wu Tsing is An-mei’s mother’s second husband, a wealthy merchant. He is a greedy and impulsive man, only interested in his own pleasure. When he first appears, he has spontaneously taken a fifth wife, an extremely naïve teenage girl whom he quickly tires of. The way he uses Western-style clothing and architecture as a sign of his wealth further characterizes him as a man obsessed with fads and fashion. Although these qualities cannot erase the power he holds by virtue of being a wealthy man, they do weaken his authority. It quickly becomes evident that Wu Tsing is head of his household in name only. Instead, Second Wife easily manipulates him with fake health scares, playing on his fear of ghosts. He easily falls in line, even taking other wives at her behest so she does not have to worry about bearing him children. An-mei’s mother similarly plays on Wu Tsing’s fear of ghosts to ensure An-mei’s safety. The way Wu Tsing so easily bends to the will of others echoes An-Mei and Rose’s apparent lack of wood, or inner steadfastness, in their characters. He is yet another demonstration of the danger of not having the resolve to express one’s own opinions and beliefs.
