Wuxia
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Names

English Legend of the Condor Heroes

Legend of the Eagle Shooting Hero

Traditional Chinese 射鵰英雄傳
Simplified Chinese 射雕英雄传
pinyin She Diao Ying Xiong Zhuan
Vietnamese Xạ Ðiêu Anh Hùng Truyện

The Legend of the Condor Heroes was Wuxia Writer Jin Yong's third novel. Written in 1957, it was originally published in the Hong Kong Commercial Daily newspaper.

Synopsis[]

The story is set in the Southern Song Dynasty at the beginning of the Jurchen Invasion of China. The first part of the novel revolves around the friendship of two men, Yang Tiexin (楊鐵心) and Guo Xiaotian (郭嘯天) who fought against the invading Jin soldiers. The bond between the two was so deep that they swore to each other when their children were born, they would become sworn siblings if they were the same gender or be married if one was a boy and one was a girl.

Yang Tiexin married Bao Xiruo (包惜弱) while Guo Xiaotian settled down with Li Ping (李萍). With both their wives pregnant, Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin met a Taoist, Qiu Chuji (丘處機) who helped them name their two sons. Jingkang (靖康) was the era name of Emperor Qinzong, who was abducted, along with his father, by the invading Jin soldiers in 1127, ending the Northern Song Dynasty. Qiu Chuji wanted the children to remember this national embarrassment (靖康之耻), and hopefully help restore glory to their country and defeat the Jin when they grow up.

When the Jin soldiers invaded Northern Song, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian joined the citizens and fought them. Wanyan Honglie (完顏洪烈), a prince of Jin, after narrowly escaping death, is saved by Yang Tiexin's wife, Bao Xiruo. Enchanted by her beauty, Wanyan Honglie later returned and ordered her family to be murdered and took her back to his kingdom. Bao Xiruo, believing her husband was dead, married Wanyan Honglie as a form of gratitude for saving her was her savior. After marriage however, she did not live with him in the palace, she chose instead to live alone in a simple cottage. Her son, Yang Kang grew up in the palace and was treated by Wanyan Honglie like his own flesh and blood.

Meanwhile, after the death of her husband, Guo Xiaotian, Li Ping was rescued by Mongolian soldiers and brought to their country. Thus, in the harsh deserts of Mongolia, Guo Xiao Tian's son, Guo Jing was born and raised.

The second part of the story focuses on the events that both of their sons underwent. Guo Jing (郭靖), Guo Xiao Tian's son grew up in Mongolia, under the protection of Genghis Khan. Yang Kang (楊康), on the other hand, grew up as a prince in the Jin Empire.

While still a little boy growing up in Mongolia, Guo Jing saves a prominent Mongolian general, Jebe (哲別) from Genghis Khan. This event led to his subsequent tutelage under Jebe and his closeness with the Khan and his family. His childhood friend was Genghis' son, Tolui (托雷) and daughter, Hua Zheng (華箏). Later, Guo Jing became a disciple of the Jiangnan Qi Guai (江南七怪).

On the night the six-year-old Guo Jing became Jiangnan Qi Guai's disciple, Mei Chaofeng (梅超風) was seen practicing Nine Yin White Bone Claw (九陰白骨爪). She had previously blinded Ke Zhen'e and murdered his older brother. As the Jiangnan Qi Guai had a serious fight with her, she summoned her husband, Chen Xuanfeng (陳玄風) to support her. Chen Xuanfeng gave Zhang A'Sheng, one of the Jiangnan Qi Guai, a lethal hit with Heart-Destroying Palm (摧心掌). He held up the little Guo Jing, trying to threaten the Jiangnan Qi Guai, but the frightened Guo Jing took out the dagger carved with Yang Kang's name, stabbed Chen Xuanfeng in the navel, killing him.

Yang Kang, on the other hand, grew up in luxury and great comfort in the royal court of Jin. His step-father, Wanyan Honglie loved his mother so much that the affections he had for the mother was also transferred to the son. Yang Kang's teacher was the Taoist Qiu Chuji who taught him the martial arts of the Quan Zhen Sect (全真教).

Unknown to both, Jiangnan Qi Guai leader, Ke Zhen'e had previously made a bet with Qiu Chuji that they would teach both boys martial arts and let them duel upon reaching the age of eighteen.

Even though Qiu Chuji was a noble patriot, his tutelage of Yang Kang was motivated by competitiveness to win the bet. Yang Kang grew up with decent martial arts skills and a mastery of cunningness, from being raised by Wanyan Honglie.

Mei Chaofeng, who was blinded in that battle, later attempted to avenge her husband. Her subsequent attacks on Yang Kang led her to realize that she had the wrong boy. She later became a master to Yang Kang, teaching him the deadly Nine Yin White Bone Claw. Yang Kang arranged the human sacrifices needed for Mei to perfect her Nine Yin White Bone Claw.

As both reached the age of eighteen, they both travelled to the Central Plains, where both would finally meet...

Chapters[]

In the 3rd edition of the novel, there are forty chapters, which are listed below listed Simplified Chinese with English Translations.

  1. 风雪惊变 Incident in the Blizzard
  2. 江南七怪 Seven Freaks of the South
  3. 大漠风沙 The Winds of the Steppes
  4. 黑风双煞 Dark Winds' Twin Killers
  5. 弯弓射雕 Crooked Bow Shooting Condors
  6. 崖顶疑阵 Mysterious Happenings at the Cliff's Summit
  7. 比武招亲 Joust for a Spouse
  8. 各显神通 Each Demonstrating His Skill
  9. 铁枪破犁 The Broken Spear
  10. 冤家聚头 Gathering of the Foes
  11. 长春服输 Changchun Admits Defeat
  12. 亢龙有悔 The Proud Dragon Repents
  13. 五湖废人 The Crippled
  14. 桃花岛主 The Lord of Peach Blossom Island
  15. 神龙摆尾 The Dragon sways its Tail
  16. 九阴真经 Arts of the Nine Negations
  17. 双手互搏 Technique of Ambidexterity
  18. 三道试题 3 Test Questions
  19. 洪涛群鲨 Great Waves of Sharks
  20. 窜改经文 Doctoring the Scripture
  21. 千钧巨岩 Heavy Weight of 1000 Jun Rock
  22. 骑鲨遨游 Roaming with the Sharks
  23. 大闹禁宫 Disturbing the Forbidden Palace
  24. 密室疗伤 Healing in the Secret Room
  25. 荒村野店 Desolated Inn in the Village
  26. 新盟旧约 New Allies, Old Stipulations
  27. 轩辕台前 Pavilion's Platform
  28. 铁掌峰顶 Peak of Mt. Iron Palm
  29. 黑沼隐女 The Lady Beyond Black Marsh Pit
  30. 一灯大师 Reverend Monk Yi Deng
  31. 鸯鸳锦帕 Mandarin Duck Handkerchief
  32. 湍江险滩 Dangerous Shore Beyond the Rushing River
  33. 来日大难 Upcoming Disaster
  34. 岛上巨变 Radical Changes on the Island
  35. 铁枪庙中 In the Temple of the Spear
  36. 大军西征 The West Expedition
  37. 从天而降 Descending from the Sky
  38. 锦囊密令 Secret Order Within the Brocade
  39. 是非善恶 Distinguishing Good & Evil
  40. 华山论剑 Duel on Mount Hua

Characters[]

Protagonists[]

Guo Jing

Huang Rong

Mu Nianci

Antagonists[]

Yang Kang

Ouyang Ke

Qiu Qianren

Qiu Qianzhang

Wanyan Honglie

Chen Xuanfeng

Mei Chaofeng

Ouyang Feng

Five Greats[]

Central Divinity Wang Chongyang

East Heretic Huang Yaoshi

West Poison Ouyang Feng

South Emperor Duan Zhixing

North Beggar Hong Qigong


The Seven Freaks of Jiangnan (江南七怪)[]

Flying Bat Ke Zhen'e

Magic Hands Scholar Zhu Cong

Horse Deity Han Baoju

South Mountain Woodchopper Nan Xiren

Smiling Buddha Zhang Ahsheng

Hidden Hero of the Busy City Quan Jinfa

Yue Sword Maiden Han Xiaoying

Seven Masters of Quanzhen[]

Ma Yu

Tan Chuduan

Liu Chuxuan

Qiu Chuji

Wang Chuyi

Hao Datong

Sun Bu'er

Adaptations[]

TV Series[]

Year Production Guo Jing Huang Rong Country
1976 ATV Wong Man Biu Michelle Mei Suet Hong Kong
1983 TVB Felix Wong Barbara Yung Hong Kong
1988 CTV Howie Wong Idy Chan Taiwan
1994 TVB Julian Cheung Athena Chu Hong Kong
2003 CCTV Li Yapeng Zhou Xun China
2008 CCTV Hu Ge Ariel Lin China
2017 Huace Yang Xu Wen Li Yi Tong China


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