Moon Shadow Lee is a seven-year-old Chinese boy who travels to San Francisco to meet his father, Windrider, for the first time. As a recent immigrant, he faces a difficult transition to life in America, dealing with racial discrimination while finding comfort in the close-knit Tang community. He is curious, dutiful, and eager to understand both his father and the unfamiliar white American culture around him.

Windrider Lee is Moon Shadow's father, a skilled kite-maker and handyman working at a laundromat run by the Company. He possesses a deep fascination with machinery and aviation, harboring an ambitious dream to build and fly his own airplane. He acts as a courageous and guiding figure for his son, balancing his duties to his family with his desire for personal freedom.

Uncle Bright Star is the elderly, pragmatic leader of the Company, a laundromat business in Chinatown. Having survived the harsh conditions of the California gold rush and railroad construction, he is fiercely protective of the Tang community and highly skeptical of white American society. Though strict and sometimes stubborn, he serves as a caring father figure to his employees.

Miss Whitlaw is a white property manager who provides housing for Windrider and Moon Shadow. Open-minded and hospitable, she eagerly bridges cultural divides and shows a genuine interest in her tenants' lives. She has a particular fondness for dragons, maintaining a stained-glass window of one, which sparks early conversations and bonding with Moon Shadow.

Black Dog is Uncle Bright Star's estranged son, a brooding man in his forties who resents life in America. He operates within the criminal underworld of Chinatown as a member of the Sleepers brotherhood and struggles with an addiction to opium. Embittered by the discrimination he witnesses, he frequently acts in self-destructive ways that harm the larger Tang community.

Robin is Miss Whitlaw's niece, a young girl from Missouri who is being raised by her aunt after losing her parents. Curiosity and a shared love of reading help her form a bridge to Moon Shadow, making her his primary peer and companion in the unfamiliar neighborhood.

Hand Clap is a distant relative of Moon Shadow and a member of the Company. He facilitates Moon Shadow's immigration to the United States, traveling with the boy across the ocean and accompanying him through the harsh inspection process.

White Deer is the cook for the Company. Along with the other men, he provides a familial support system for Windrider and Moon Shadow within the walls of the Chinatown laundromat.

Lefty is a poet and an essential member of the Company. He contributes to the tight-knit brotherhood of the laundromat, offering support during times of crisis and transition.

Moon Shadow's mother is a hardworking woman who remains in China while her husband seeks better opportunities in America. She encourages Moon Shadow to respect his father and supports Windrider's dreams through her letters.

Moon Shadow's grandmother is a practical, traditional woman who helps raise her grandson. She is highly skeptical of Windrider's ambitions in America, frequently voicing her concerns about the dangers of the "Land of the Golden Mountain."

Mr. Alger is a white real estate manager who recognizes Windrider's mechanical skills. He offers Windrider employment, providing a crucial stepping stone for the Lee family outside of Chinatown.

Jack is a white neighborhood boy who initially targets Moon Shadow with ethnic slurs and physical violence. His interactions with Moon Shadow demonstrate the hostility the young immigrant faces in his new neighborhood.

The Dragon King is a mythological figure from Chinese folklore whom Windrider claims to have met and healed. He informs Windrider of his past life as a dragon, setting the spiritual and motivational foundation for Windrider's aeronautical dreams.

Orville Wright is a famous American aviation pioneer. He corresponds with Moon Shadow, providing diagrams and charts that aid Windrider in his attempts to build a functioning airplane.