Classmate Rob Hildebrant did some searching to find out the origin of the gene names Jingwei and Yande. Here's what he found

Professor Long named the new Drosophila gene after Jingwei, a princess from Chinese mythology. The two share the similar stories of being 'reincarnated' with a new function and a new appearance (structure). Yande comes from Yandi, her emperor father. The complete story can be found online but here's the gist.

→ She died at sea at a young age.

→ She chose to reincarnate as a bird.

→ She intended to use her new body to carry stones from a nearby mountain to the sea, in order to fill it up. Thus destroying the sea and avenging her death.

→ The sea tells her that she'll never get revenge, 'not even in a million years'.

→ She tells the East Sea that she'll will continue to carry stones for tens of millions of years, 'so that none will perish as I have.'

      As a side note there is also the saying, “Jingwei filling the sea” which describes undying determination in the face of adversity.