Kitti Ping Yung

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Kitti Ping Yung is a fictional character in the Dragonriders of Pern science fiction novels by Anne McCaffrey. She's named after McCaffrey's sister-in-law, Kitty Ping Yung McCaffrey.

Kitti Ping Yung first appears in Dragonsdawn. She is a biologist and genetic engineer. She and her daughter are members of the expedition to colonize Pern. Prior to the start of the novel, she studied genetics in the Great Beltrae Halls of Eridani.

Yung is responsible for altering the genetic structure of the indigenous life form known as firelizards so that they would have more effect in the colonists' fight against Thread. Her work created eighteen dragons, which were the basis of the dragons that live on and protect Pern in all of the novels.

Yung's daughter, Wind Blossom, is also a genetic engineer and dragon researcher. Wind Blossom strove to further Kitti Ping Yung's research of dragons. Her efforts lead to the creation of watch-whers.