Jing Chao

Character Profile

Name:	Jing Chao
Date of Birth:
Service:
Rank:
Nationality:	Chinese
Billets:

Biography

During his voyage to China and his stay there, Temeraire grew very fond of the Chinese style of cooking. In order to be able to provide him with Chinese dishes, Laurence employed two cooks, Gong Su and Jing Chao, to return from Macao with him and Temeraire to Britain.

Jing Chao was not popular among Temeraire's crew because he was quarrelsome and berated them in Chinese when they did not treat his supplies with what he considered appropriate care. When the party arrived at the Jiayu Gate, Gong Su almost turned back because the omen he received there told him he would never return to China. Jing Chao's omen was more favourable in that it indicated that he would be returning to China someday.

Jing Chao's omen apparently came true shortly after the party left the Jiayu Gate and began to cross the desert. One evening, both Jing and the camel he had been riding were discovered to be missing. Temeraire and Laurence searched for him, but never found him.