Jinyong
Encyclopedia
Louis Cha, GBM
, OBE
(born 6 February 1924), better known by his pen name Jin Yong, is a modern Chinese-language novelist. Having co-founded the Hong Kong
daily Ming Pao
in 1959, he was the paper's first editor-in-chief.
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia
("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, manhua
(comics) and video games.
Asteroid 10930 Jinyong
(1998 CR2) is named after him.
, China, with ancestry from Wuyuan, a county of Shangrao
, Jiangxi
, Cha is the second of seven children from an illustrious family of scholars; his grandfather obtained a jinshi degree in the imperial examination
. Cha was an avid reader of literature from an early age, especially wuxia and classical fiction. He was once expelled from his high school for openly criticizing the Nationalist
regime as autocratic. He studied at Hangzhou High School
in 1937 but was dismissed in 1941. He studied in Zhejiang Province Jiaxing High School and was admitted to the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the Central University in Chongqing
. Cha later transferred to the Faculty of Law at Dongwu University
to major in international law, with the intention of working as a foreign relations official.
In 1947, Cha joined Shanghai
's newspaper agency Ta Kung Pao
as a journalist. One year later, he was posted to the Hong Kong division as a copyeditor. He has resided in Hong Kong ever since. When Cha was transferred to Hsin Wan Pao as Deputy Editor, he met Chen Wentong, who in 1953 wrote his first wuxia novel under the pseudonym "Liang Yusheng
". Chen and Cha became good friends and it was under the former's influence that Cha began work on his first serialized martial arts novel, The Book and the Sword
, in 1955. In 1957, while still working on wuxia serializations, he quit his previous job and worked as a scenarist-director and scriptwriter at the Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd
and Phoenix Film Company.
In 1959, together with fellow high-school mate Shen Baoxin (沈寶新), Cha founded the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao
. Cha served as its editor-in-chief for years, writing both serialized novels and editorials, amounting to some 10,000 characters per day. His editorials were well respected, and Ming Pao gradually gained a reputation as one of Hong Kong's most highly rated press. His novels also earned him a large readership. Cha completed his last wuxia novel in 1972, after which he officially retired from writing, and spent the remaining years of that decade editing and revising his literary works instead. The first complete definitive edition of his works appeared in 1979. In 1980, Cha wrote a postscript to Wu Gongzao's tai chi classic
Wu Jia Taijiquan, in which he described influences from as far back as Laozi
and Zhuangzi
on contemporary Chinese martial arts.
By then, Cha's wuxia novels have earned great popularity in Chinese-speaking areas. All of his novels have since been adapted into films, television series and radio series in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. The important characters in his novels are so well-known to the public that they can be alluded to with ease between all three regions.
In later years in the 1970s, Cha was involved in Hong Kong politics. He was a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law
drafting committee, although, after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, he resigned in protest. He was also part of the Preparatory Committee set up in 1996 to supervise Hong Kong's transition by the Chinese government.
In 1993, Cha prepared for retirement from editorial work, selling all his shares in Ming Pao. Together with the royalties from his works, Cha's personal wealth is estimated at some HK$600 million.
.
Cha was awarded the OBE
in 1981. He is a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (1992) and a Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
(2004), both awarded by the French government.
Cha is also an honorary professor at Peking University
, Zhejiang University
, Nankai University
, Soochow University
, Huaqiao University
, National Tsing Hua University
, Hong Kong University (Department of Chinese Studies), the University of British Columbia
, and Sichuan University
, as well as an honorary doctor by Hong Kong University (Department of Social Science), Hong Kong Polytechnic University
, the Open University of Hong Kong
, the University of British Columbia, Soka University and the University of Cambridge
. He is also an Honorary Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford
and Robinson College, Cambridge
, and Wynflete Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
.
When receiving his honorary doctorate at the University of Cambridge in 2004, Cha expressed his wish to be a full-time student at Cambridge for four years to attain a non-honorary doctorate. In July 2010, Cha earned his PhD in Oriental Studies (Chinese History) at St John's College, Cambridge
with a thesis on imperial succession during the early Tang Dynasty
.
s of various length. Most of his novels were initially published in daily instalments in newspapers. The book editions were printed later. In order of publication these are:
Of these, the novels (The Legend of the Condor Heroes, The Return of the Condor Heroes, and The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Saber) make up the Condor Trilogy
that should be read in that sequence; a number of his other works are also linked to this trilogy (Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a precursor to the Condor Trilogy). Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain and The Young Flying Fox are companion pieces with the same protagonist with appearances of characters from The Book and the Sword. A few major characters from Sword Stained with Royal Blood also appear in his final novel The Deer and the Cauldron as minor characters.
with 7 characters* on each line:
Traditional Chinese:
Simplified Chinese:
Loose translation:
Shooting a white deer, snow flutters around the skies;
Smiling, [one] writes about the divine chivalrous one,
leaning against bluish lovebirds (or lover)
Cha has stated that he has never intended to have the couplet. The couplet serves primarily as a handy mnemonic
to remember all of Cha's works for his fans.
was his first novel serialized in Ming Pao, launched on 20 May 1959. Between 1970 and 1980, Cha revised all of his work. The result is called the "New Edition" (新版), also known as 修訂版, in contrast with the "Old Edition" (舊版), which refers to the original, serialized versions. Some characters and events were written out completely, most notably mystical elements and 'unnecessary' characters, such as the "red bird" and "Qin Nanqin", the mother of Yang Guo in the first edition.
In Taiwan, the situation is more complicated, as Cha's books were initially banned. As a result, there were multiple editions published underground, some of which were revised beyond recognition. Only in 1979 was Cha's complete collection published by Taiwan's Yuenching Publishing House (遠景出版社).
In mainland China, the Wulin (武林) magazine in Guangzhou
became the first to officially publish Cha's works, starting from 1980. Cha's complete collection in Simplified Chinese was published by Beijing
's Sanlian Shudian (三联书店) in 1994. Meanwhile Minheshe Singapore-Malaysia (明河社星马分公司) published Cha's collection, in Simplified Chinese for Southeast Asian readers in 1995.
From 1999 to 2006, Cha revised his novels for the second (and probably last) time. Each of his works is carefully revised, re-edited and re-issued in the order he wrote them. This revision was completed in spring 2006, with the publication of the last, The Deer and the Cauldron. The newly revised edition, known variably as the (世紀新修版), (新修版) or (新新版), is noted for annotations in which Cha answers previous criticisms directed at the historical accuracy of his works. In this revision, certain characters' personae were changed, such as Wang Yuyan, and many martial art skills and places have their names changed. This edition faced a number of criticisms from Cha's fans, of whom some are more willing to stick to the older storyline and names. The older 1970-80 修訂版 is no longer issued by Cha's Minheshe (明河社).
or patriotism is a strong theme in Cha's works. In most of his works, Cha places emphasis on the idea of Han Chinese
self-determination and identity, and many of his novels are set in time periods when China proper
was occupied or under the threat of occupation by northern peoples such as Khitan
s, Jurchens, Mongols
, or Manchu
s. However, Cha gradually evolved Chinese nationalism into an inclusionist concept which encompasses all present-day non-Han minorities. Cha expresses a fierce admiration for positive traits of non-Han Chinese people personally, such as the Mongols and Manchus. In The Legend of the Condor Heroes, for example, he casts Genghis Khan
and his sons as capable and intelligent military leaders against the corrupt and ineffective bureaucrats of the Han Chinese-ruled Song Dynasty
.
Cha's references range from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, Chinese martial arts, music, calligraphy, weiqi
, tea culture, philosophical schools of thought such as Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and imperial Chinese history. Historical figures often intermingle with fictional ones, making it difficult for the layperson to distinguish which is which.
His works show a great amount of respect and approval for traditional Chinese values, especially Confucian ideals such as the proper relationship between empire and subject, father and son, elder brother and younger brother, and (particularly strongly, due to the wuxia nature of his novels), between master and disciple, and fellow disciples. However, he also questions the validity of these values in the face of a modern society, such as ostracism experienced by his two main characters— Yang Guo
's romantic relationship with his teacher Xiaolongnü
(which was considered highly unethical) in The Return of the Condor Heroes. Cha also places a great amount of emphasis on traditional values such as face
and honour.
Cha broke his traditions of his usual writing style in The Deer and the Cauldron
, where the main protagonist Wei Xiaobao
is a bastard brothel rascal who is greedy, lazy, and utterly disdainful of traditional rules of propriety. In his 14 other serials, the protagonists or the heroes were explored meticulously in various aspects of their relationships with their teachers, their immediate kin and relatives, and with their suitors or spouses. With the exception of Wei Xiaobao, all the heroes have acquired and attained the zenith in martial arts, most would be epitome or embodiment of the traditional Chinese values in words or deeds, i.e. virtuous, honourable, respectable, gentlemanly, responsible, patriotic and so forth.
In The Deer and the Cauldron, Cha intentionally created an anticlimax and an anti-hero in Wei Xiaobao, who possesses none of the desirable traditional values and no knowledge in any form of martial arts, and depends on a protective vest made of alloy to absorb full-frontal attack when in trouble, and a dagger that can cut through anything. Wei was a street wise womanizing weasel, with no admirable qualities whatsoever. One of Cha's contemporaneous fiction writer Ni Kuang
wrote a connected critique of all of Cha's works and concluded that Cha concluded his work with The Deer and the Cauldron as a satire to his earlier work, and a reminder to the readers for a reality check.
. Ni is a fan of Cha, and has written a series of criticism analyzing the various personalities and aspects of his books (我看金庸小说 series).
Despite Cha's popularity, some of his novels were banned outside Hong Kong due to political reasons. A number of them were outlawed in the People's Republic of China in the 1970s as they were thought to be satires of Mao Zedong
and the Cultural Revolution
; others were banned in the Republic of China (Taiwan) as they were thought to be in support of the Communist Party of China
. None of these bans exists today, and Cha's complete collection has been published multiple times in Hong Kong
, Taiwan, and mainland China. Many politicians on both sides of the Straits are known to be readers of his works; Deng Xiaoping
, for example, was a well-known reader himself.
In late 2004, the People's Education Publishing House (人民教育出版社) of the People's Republic of China sparked off controversy by including an excerpt from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
in a new senior high school Chinese textbook. While some praised the inclusion of popular literature, others feared that the violence and unrealistic martial arts described in Cha's works were unsuitable for high school students. At about the same time, Singapore's Ministry of Education
announced a similar move for Chinese-learning students at secondary and junior college levels.
and the Wudang Sect
, did exist in real life, though their details are inevitably subject to the artistic license of Cha; other cults, such as the Beggars' Sect
, are less well documented. It should be noted that Cha's portrait of the schools and sects are mostly in line with their contemporary image in martial arts literature, and new sects such as the Ming Cult
is the exception, used specifically as a fictional lead into the next era after the Yuan Dynasty
into the Ming Dynasty
.
1 The time frame of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer
is unspecified; Cha states that it is intentionally left ambiguous because the novel is allegorical in nature. Nevertheless, people have speculated on the timeframe; the most possible candidate is the Ming Dynasty
, because the Wudang
and Emei
sects (founded at the start of the Ming Dynasty) appear prominently, and because the Manchu
s (who destroyed the Ming Dynasty) are not mentioned. In The Deer and the Cauldron
, the main character is also mentioned to be from a dynasty before Qing. In several film adaptations including Swordsman II
starring Jet Li
, the story is specified to take place during the reign of the Wanli Emperor
, which would make it the late Ming Dynasty but just before the period of Manchu encroachment.
2 The time frame of Ode to Gallantry
is also unspecified. The sources that would put the story in Ming Dynasty are that the mention of Zhang Sanfeng
being already dead and the illustrations depict men wearing Han hairstyle.
3 The time frame of A Deadly Secret was ambiguous in its first and second editions. Cha specifically states that the story is inspired by the tragic story of his grandfather's servant seems to suggest that the events of the novel occurs near the end of the Qing Dynasty
; the novel illustrations that depict men wearing Manchu hairstyle supports this idea. In the third edition of the novel, Cha links the story with Wu Liuqi, a character from The Deer and the Cauldron
, fully integrating it into Qing Dynasty.
Other works available in English include:
from King Hu
et al., and its sequel Swordsman II
from directors Ching Siu-Tung
and Stanley Tong
; the Wong Jing
films Royal Tramp
and Royal Tramp II
(both starring Stephen Chow
); and Wong Kar-wai
's Ashes of Time
. Dozens of role-playing video games are based on Cha's novels, a notable example of which is Heroes of Jin Yong
(金庸群俠傳), which was based on the major characters and events in Cha's novels.
Grand Bauhinia Medal
The Grand Bauhinia Medal the highest award under the Hong Kong honours and awards system, is to recognise the selected person's lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the postnominal letters GBM and the style "The Honorable"...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 6 February 1924), better known by his pen name Jin Yong, is a modern Chinese-language novelist. Having co-founded the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
daily Ming Pao
Ming Pao
Ming Pao is a Chinese language newspaper published by Ming Pao Group in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, Ming Pao established four overseas branches in North America, each provides independent reporting on local news and collect local advertisements. Currently, only the two Canadian editions remain: Ming...
in 1959, he was the paper's first editor-in-chief.
Cha's fiction, which is of the wuxia
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...
("martial arts and chivalry") genre, has a widespread following in Chinese-speaking areas, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States. His 15 works written between 1955 and 1972 earned him a reputation as one of the finest wuxia writers ever. He is currently the best-selling Chinese author alive; over 100 million copies of his works have been sold worldwide (not including unknown number of bootleg copies).
Cha's works have been translated into English, French, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Burmese, Malay and Indonesian. He has many fans abroad as well, owing to the numerous adaptations of his works into films, television series, manhua
Manhua
Manhua are Chinese comics originally produced in China. Possibly due to their greater degree of artistic freedom of expression and closer international ties with Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been the places of publication of most manhua thus far, often including Chinese translations of...
(comics) and video games.
Asteroid 10930 Jinyong
10930 Jinyong
10930 Jinyong is a main-belt asteroid discovered on February 6, 1998 by the Beijing Schmidt CCD Asteroid Program at Xinglong. It is named after Chinese author Jin Yong, whose birthdate falls on the same day the asteroid was discovered....
(1998 CR2) is named after him.
Biography
A native of Haining City, ZhejiangZhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, China, with ancestry from Wuyuan, a county of Shangrao
Shangrao
Shangrao is a medium-sized prefecture-level city located in the northeast of China's Jiangxi province. According to the 2010 Census, Shangrao has a population of 6,579,714 inhabitants....
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
, Cha is the second of seven children from an illustrious family of scholars; his grandfather obtained a jinshi degree in the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
. Cha was an avid reader of literature from an early age, especially wuxia and classical fiction. He was once expelled from his high school for openly criticizing the Nationalist
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
regime as autocratic. He studied at Hangzhou High School
Hangzhou High School
Hangzhou High School , or Hangzhou Senior High School, established in 1899, is a high school in China. There are 46 academicians who graduated from the institution.-Hanggao Observatory:...
in 1937 but was dismissed in 1941. He studied in Zhejiang Province Jiaxing High School and was admitted to the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the Central University in Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
. Cha later transferred to the Faculty of Law at Dongwu University
Soochow University (Suzhou)
Soochow University , colloquially known in Chinese as Suda is a university in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The school is part of the Chinese Ministry of Education's Project 211, and a Jiangsu provincial key comprehensive university.-History:...
to major in international law, with the intention of working as a foreign relations official.
In 1947, Cha joined Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
's newspaper agency Ta Kung Pao
Ta Kung Pao
Ta Kung Pao is the oldest active Chinese language newspaper in China. It is based in Hong Kong and has been funded by the government of the People's Republic of China since 1949...
as a journalist. One year later, he was posted to the Hong Kong division as a copyeditor. He has resided in Hong Kong ever since. When Cha was transferred to Hsin Wan Pao as Deputy Editor, he met Chen Wentong, who in 1953 wrote his first wuxia novel under the pseudonym "Liang Yusheng
Liang Yusheng
Chen Wentong , better known by his pen name Liang Yusheng , is a Chinese writer of wuxia novels.He is credited as the pioneer of the "new school" wuxia genre in the 20th century, as well as one of the three most esteemed wuxia writers in the second half of the 20th century .-Biography:Chen was...
". Chen and Cha became good friends and it was under the former's influence that Cha began work on his first serialized martial arts novel, The Book and the Sword
The Book and the Sword
The Book and the Sword is the debut wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized between February 8, 1955 and September 5, 1956 in The New Evening Post in Hong Kong....
, in 1955. In 1957, while still working on wuxia serializations, he quit his previous job and worked as a scenarist-director and scriptwriter at the Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd
Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd
Great Wall Studio was Hong Kong's leading left-wing studio and one committed to making progressive mandarin films with social content as well as entertainment value.-Overview:...
and Phoenix Film Company.
In 1959, together with fellow high-school mate Shen Baoxin (沈寶新), Cha founded the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao
Ming Pao
Ming Pao is a Chinese language newspaper published by Ming Pao Group in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, Ming Pao established four overseas branches in North America, each provides independent reporting on local news and collect local advertisements. Currently, only the two Canadian editions remain: Ming...
. Cha served as its editor-in-chief for years, writing both serialized novels and editorials, amounting to some 10,000 characters per day. His editorials were well respected, and Ming Pao gradually gained a reputation as one of Hong Kong's most highly rated press. His novels also earned him a large readership. Cha completed his last wuxia novel in 1972, after which he officially retired from writing, and spent the remaining years of that decade editing and revising his literary works instead. The first complete definitive edition of his works appeared in 1979. In 1980, Cha wrote a postscript to Wu Gongzao's tai chi classic
Tai chi classics
The Tai Chi Classics are classical texts used as guides for the practice of the Chinese martial art of t'ai chi ch'uan. These texts, which vary from school to school, are usually written in classical Chinese and are used by modern schools that trace their lineage from the Chen family or from them...
Wu Jia Taijiquan, in which he described influences from as far back as Laozi
Laozi
Laozi was a mystic philosopher of ancient China, best known as the author of the Tao Te Ching . His association with the Tao Te Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism...
and Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi
Zhuangzi was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE during the Warring States Period, a period corresponding to the philosophical summit of Chinese thought — the Hundred Schools of Thought, and is credited with writing—in part or in whole—a work known by his name,...
on contemporary Chinese martial arts.
By then, Cha's wuxia novels have earned great popularity in Chinese-speaking areas. All of his novels have since been adapted into films, television series and radio series in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. The important characters in his novels are so well-known to the public that they can be alluded to with ease between all three regions.
In later years in the 1970s, Cha was involved in Hong Kong politics. He was a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law
Hong Kong Basic Law
The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, or simply Hong Kong Basic Law, serves as the constitutional document of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China...
drafting committee, although, after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, he resigned in protest. He was also part of the Preparatory Committee set up in 1996 to supervise Hong Kong's transition by the Chinese government.
In 1993, Cha prepared for retirement from editorial work, selling all his shares in Ming Pao. Together with the royalties from his works, Cha's personal wealth is estimated at some HK$600 million.
Family life
Cha married three times in his life. He divorced twice, and had two sons and two daughters, all from his second marriage. In 1976, Cha's eldest son committed suicide while a student at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Decorations and conferments
In addition to his novels, Cha has also written many non-fiction works on the history of China. For his achievements, he has received many honors.Cha was awarded the OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1981. He is a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (1992) and a Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
(2004), both awarded by the French government.
Cha is also an honorary professor at Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
, Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
, Nankai University
Nankai University
Nankai University , commonly known as Nankai, is a public research university based in Tianjin on mainland China. Founded in 1919 by educators Zhang Boling and Yan Fansun , Nankai University is a member of the Nankai serial schools. It is the alma mater of former Chinese Premier and key historical...
, Soochow University
Soochow University
Soochow University refers to two distinct universities: one located in Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China, and the other in Taipei, Taiwan . Though both universities share the same English name, they are named differently in Chinese...
, Huaqiao University
Huaqiao University
Huaqiao University is a national university located in Xiamen and Quanzhou, Fujian province, China.Huaqiao University was founded in 1960, with support from the late Chinese premier and historical figure Zhou Enlai, for students of overseas Chinese backgrounds to pursue tertiary education in...
, National Tsing Hua University
National Tsing Hua University
National Tsing Hua University is one of the most prestigious universities in Taiwan. The university has a strong reputation in the studies of science and engineering. Times Higher Education - World University Rankings is107in the world. Engineering and Science are the best in Taiwan...
, Hong Kong University (Department of Chinese Studies), the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, and Sichuan University
Sichuan University
Sichuan University is one of the oldest national universities in China. It is ranked No. 8 among the Chinese universities according to the 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities....
, as well as an honorary doctor by Hong Kong University (Department of Social Science), Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University specialises in professional education in Hong Kong. The University’s teaching units are grouped under six faculties and two schools; the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, Faculty of Business, Faculty of Construction and Environment, Faculty of...
, the Open University of Hong Kong
Open University of Hong Kong
The Open University of Hong Kong is a Hong Kong university providing sub-degree, degree and postgraduate courses leading to awards and qualifications principally through a system of open access and distance education....
, the University of British Columbia, Soka University and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He is also an Honorary Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.St Antony's is the most international of the seven all-graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics, and history of particular parts of the...
and Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of either sex.- History :The college was founded...
, and Wynflete Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
.
When receiving his honorary doctorate at the University of Cambridge in 2004, Cha expressed his wish to be a full-time student at Cambridge for four years to attain a non-honorary doctorate. In July 2010, Cha earned his PhD in Oriental Studies (Chinese History) at St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
with a thesis on imperial succession during the early Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
.
Novels
Cha wrote a total of 15 pieces, of which one ("Sword of the Yue Maiden") is a short story and the other 14 are novels and novellaNovella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
s of various length. Most of his novels were initially published in daily instalments in newspapers. The book editions were printed later. In order of publication these are:
- The Book and the SwordThe Book and the SwordThe Book and the Sword is the debut wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized between February 8, 1955 and September 5, 1956 in The New Evening Post in Hong Kong....
(書劍恩仇錄) (first published on The New Evening PostNew Evening PostThe New Evening Post was a Hong Kong newspaper. It was the evening edition of Ta Kung Pao. It started printing on October 15, 1950 and stopped printing on July 27, 1997.The famous novelist Jinyong was an editor there starting in 1952....
from 1955-6) - Sword Stained with Royal BloodSword Stained with Royal BloodSword Stained with Royal Blood is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in the Hong Kong Commercial Daily between January 1, 1956 and December 31, 1956...
(碧血劍) (first published on Hong Kong Commercial DailyHong Kong Commercial DailyThe Hong Kong Commercial Daily is a business-oriented newspaper, published in broadsheet format. Established in 1952, it was the first financial newspaper in the Chinese language, with its electronic format available on the Internet...
in 1956) - The Legend of the Condor HeroesThe Legend of the Condor HeroesThe Legend of Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the first part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between January 1, 1957 and May 19, 1959 in Hong Kong Commercial Daily...
(射鵰英雄傳) (first published on Hong Kong Commercial Daily in 1957-9) - Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain (雪山飛狐) (first installment appeared on the first issue of Ming PaoMing PaoMing Pao is a Chinese language newspaper published by Ming Pao Group in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, Ming Pao established four overseas branches in North America, each provides independent reporting on local news and collect local advertisements. Currently, only the two Canadian editions remain: Ming...
in 1959) - The Return of the Condor HeroesThe Return of the Condor HeroesThe Return of the Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the second part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between May 20, 1959 and July 5, 1961 on Ming Pao. The story revolves around Yang Guo and his lover Xiaolongnü in their adventure in the wulin fraternity, which does not...
(神鵰俠侶) (Ming Pao, 1959–61) - Other Tales of the Flying FoxOther Tales of the Flying FoxOther Tales of the Flying Fox is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. Its title is also translated as Young Flying Fox in English. The novel was first serialized between 1960-1 in the magazine Wuxia and History...
(飛狐外傳) (Wuxia and History, 1960-1) - Swordswoman Riding West on White HorseSwordswoman Riding West on White HorseSwordswoman Riding West on White Horse is a wuxia novella by Jin Yong. It is first published in 1961 in Ming Pao. It is also the only time Jin Yong featured a female protagonist in all his novels.-Plot:...
(白馬嘯西風) (first published on Ming Pao in 1961) - Blade-dance of the Two LoversBlade-dance of the Two LoversBlade-dance of the Two Lovers is a wuxia novella by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in 1961 in Ming Pao.-Plot:The story is set in the Qing Dynasty. A pair of precious blades known as "Lovers' Blades" are transported by an escort agency commissioned by provincial officials to the Forbidden City...
(鴛鴦刀) (first published on Ming Pao in 1961) - Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre (倚天屠龍記) (first published on Ming Pao in 1961)
- A Deadly Secret (連城訣) (first published on Southeast Asia Weekly in 1963)
- Demi-Gods and Semi-DevilsDemi-Gods and Semi-DevilsDemi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized concurrently from September 3, 1963 to May 27, 1966 in Ming Pao in Hong Kong and Nanyang Siang Pau in Singapore....
(天龍八部) (Ming Pao and SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's Nanyang Siang PauNanyang Siang PauNanyang Siang Pau or Nanyang Business Daily was founded by philanthropist-entrepreneur Tan Kah Kee on 6 September 1923 in Singapore, currently published in Malaysia...
, 1963-6) - Ode to GallantryOde to GallantryOde to Gallantry is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, first serialized between June 11, 1966 and April 19, 1967 on Ming Pao. The novel shares the same Chinese title as a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, which is used as its epigraph.-Plot:...
(俠客行) (Ming Pao, 1966-7) - The Smiling Proud Wanderer (笑傲江湖) (first published on Ming Pao in 1967-9)
- The Deer and the CauldronThe Deer and the CauldronThe Deer and the Cauldron, also known as The Duke of Mount Deer, is a novel by Jin Yong, and was the last of Jin Yong's works. The novel was initially published as a serial, and ran between October 24, 1969 to September 23, 1972 in Ming Pao.Although the book is often termed as a wuxia novel, it is...
(鹿鼎記) (Ming Pao, 1969–1972) - Sword of the Yue MaidenSword of the Yue Maiden"Sword of the Yue Maiden" is a wuxia short story by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in 1970 on Ming Pao Evening Supplement . This short story is the last of Jin Yong's wuxia works, together with The Deer and the Cauldron...
(越女劍) (Ming Pao evening supplement, 1970)
Of these, the novels (The Legend of the Condor Heroes, The Return of the Condor Heroes, and The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Saber) make up the Condor Trilogy
Condor Trilogy
The Condor Trilogy is a trilogy of three wuxia novels by Jin Yong.The novels in the trilogy are:*The Legend of the Condor Heroes *The Return of the Condor Heroes...
that should be read in that sequence; a number of his other works are also linked to this trilogy (Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a precursor to the Condor Trilogy). Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain and The Young Flying Fox are companion pieces with the same protagonist with appearances of characters from The Book and the Sword. A few major characters from Sword Stained with Royal Blood also appear in his final novel The Deer and the Cauldron as minor characters.
Couplet
After Cha completed all his titles, it was discovered that the first characters of the first 14 titles can be joined together to form a coupletCouplet
A couplet is a pair of lines of meter in poetry. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter.While traditionally couplets rhyme, not all do. A poem may use white space to mark out couplets if they do not rhyme. Couplets with a meter of iambic pentameter are called heroic...
with 7 characters* on each line:
Traditional Chinese:
Simplified Chinese:
Loose translation:
Shooting a white deer, snow flutters around the skies;
Smiling, [one] writes about the divine chivalrous one,
leaning against bluish lovebirds (or lover)
Cha has stated that he has never intended to have the couplet. The couplet serves primarily as a handy mnemonic
Mnemonic
A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
to remember all of Cha's works for his fans.
- "Sword of the Yue Maiden" was left out because it would be an odd number, thus the couplet wouldn't be complete, also because the "Sword of the Yue Maiden" was so short it wasn't even considered a book.
Editions
Most of Cha's works were initially published in installments in Hong Kong newspapers, most often in Ming Pao. The Return of the Condor HeroesThe Return of the Condor Heroes
The Return of the Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the second part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between May 20, 1959 and July 5, 1961 on Ming Pao. The story revolves around Yang Guo and his lover Xiaolongnü in their adventure in the wulin fraternity, which does not...
was his first novel serialized in Ming Pao, launched on 20 May 1959. Between 1970 and 1980, Cha revised all of his work. The result is called the "New Edition" (新版), also known as 修訂版, in contrast with the "Old Edition" (舊版), which refers to the original, serialized versions. Some characters and events were written out completely, most notably mystical elements and 'unnecessary' characters, such as the "red bird" and "Qin Nanqin", the mother of Yang Guo in the first edition.
In Taiwan, the situation is more complicated, as Cha's books were initially banned. As a result, there were multiple editions published underground, some of which were revised beyond recognition. Only in 1979 was Cha's complete collection published by Taiwan's Yuenching Publishing House (遠景出版社).
In mainland China, the Wulin (武林) magazine in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
became the first to officially publish Cha's works, starting from 1980. Cha's complete collection in Simplified Chinese was published by Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
's Sanlian Shudian (三联书店) in 1994. Meanwhile Minheshe Singapore-Malaysia (明河社星马分公司) published Cha's collection, in Simplified Chinese for Southeast Asian readers in 1995.
From 1999 to 2006, Cha revised his novels for the second (and probably last) time. Each of his works is carefully revised, re-edited and re-issued in the order he wrote them. This revision was completed in spring 2006, with the publication of the last, The Deer and the Cauldron. The newly revised edition, known variably as the (世紀新修版), (新修版) or (新新版), is noted for annotations in which Cha answers previous criticisms directed at the historical accuracy of his works. In this revision, certain characters' personae were changed, such as Wang Yuyan, and many martial art skills and places have their names changed. This edition faced a number of criticisms from Cha's fans, of whom some are more willing to stick to the older storyline and names. The older 1970-80 修訂版 is no longer issued by Cha's Minheshe (明河社).
Patriotism, jianghu and development of heroism
Chinese nationalismChinese nationalism
Chinese nationalism , sometimes synonymous with Chinese patriotism refers to cultural, historiographical, and political theories, movements and beliefs that assert the idea of a cohesive, unified Chinese people and culture in a unified country known as China...
or patriotism is a strong theme in Cha's works. In most of his works, Cha places emphasis on the idea of Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
self-determination and identity, and many of his novels are set in time periods when China proper
China proper
China proper or Eighteen Provinces was a term used by Western writers on the Qing Dynasty to express a distinction between the core and frontier regions of China. There is no fixed extent for China proper, as many administrative, cultural, and linguistic shifts have occurred in Chinese history...
was occupied or under the threat of occupation by northern peoples such as Khitan
Khitan people
thumb|250px|Khitans [[Eagle hunting|using eagles to hunt]], painted during the Chinese [[Song Dynasty]].The Khitan people , or Khitai, Kitan, or Kidan, were a nomadic Mongolic people, originally located at Mongolia and Manchuria from the 4th century...
s, Jurchens, Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
, or Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
s. However, Cha gradually evolved Chinese nationalism into an inclusionist concept which encompasses all present-day non-Han minorities. Cha expresses a fierce admiration for positive traits of non-Han Chinese people personally, such as the Mongols and Manchus. In The Legend of the Condor Heroes, for example, he casts Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
and his sons as capable and intelligent military leaders against the corrupt and ineffective bureaucrats of the Han Chinese-ruled Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
.
Cha's references range from traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, Chinese martial arts, music, calligraphy, weiqi
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
, tea culture, philosophical schools of thought such as Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and imperial Chinese history. Historical figures often intermingle with fictional ones, making it difficult for the layperson to distinguish which is which.
His works show a great amount of respect and approval for traditional Chinese values, especially Confucian ideals such as the proper relationship between empire and subject, father and son, elder brother and younger brother, and (particularly strongly, due to the wuxia nature of his novels), between master and disciple, and fellow disciples. However, he also questions the validity of these values in the face of a modern society, such as ostracism experienced by his two main characters— Yang Guo
Yang Guo
Yang Guo, style name Gaizhi , is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong....
's romantic relationship with his teacher Xiaolongnü
Xiaolongnü
Xiaolongnü is the fictional female protagonist of Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes. The author describes her physical appearances as "skin as white as snow, beautiful and elegant beyond convention and cannot be underestimated, but appears cold and indifferent" .-Name:It is...
(which was considered highly unethical) in The Return of the Condor Heroes. Cha also places a great amount of emphasis on traditional values such as face
Face (sociological concept)
Face, idiomatically meaning dignity/prestige, is a fundamental concept in the fields of sociology, sociolinguistics, semantics, politeness theory, psychology, political science, communication, and Face Negotiation Theory.-Definitions:...
and honour.
Cha broke his traditions of his usual writing style in The Deer and the Cauldron
The Deer and the Cauldron
The Deer and the Cauldron, also known as The Duke of Mount Deer, is a novel by Jin Yong, and was the last of Jin Yong's works. The novel was initially published as a serial, and ran between October 24, 1969 to September 23, 1972 in Ming Pao.Although the book is often termed as a wuxia novel, it is...
, where the main protagonist Wei Xiaobao
Wei Xiaobao
Wei Xiaobao is the fictional protagonist of Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Deer and the Cauldron . He is a witty, sly and illiterate teenager, born to a prostitute from a brothel in Yangzhou during the Qing Dynasty. He bumbles his way into the Forbidden City and has a fateful encounter with the young...
is a bastard brothel rascal who is greedy, lazy, and utterly disdainful of traditional rules of propriety. In his 14 other serials, the protagonists or the heroes were explored meticulously in various aspects of their relationships with their teachers, their immediate kin and relatives, and with their suitors or spouses. With the exception of Wei Xiaobao, all the heroes have acquired and attained the zenith in martial arts, most would be epitome or embodiment of the traditional Chinese values in words or deeds, i.e. virtuous, honourable, respectable, gentlemanly, responsible, patriotic and so forth.
In The Deer and the Cauldron, Cha intentionally created an anticlimax and an anti-hero in Wei Xiaobao, who possesses none of the desirable traditional values and no knowledge in any form of martial arts, and depends on a protective vest made of alloy to absorb full-frontal attack when in trouble, and a dagger that can cut through anything. Wei was a street wise womanizing weasel, with no admirable qualities whatsoever. One of Cha's contemporaneous fiction writer Ni Kuang
Ni Kuang
Ni Kuang , also known as Ngai Hong, I Kuang or Yi Kuang, is a Hong Kong-based Chinese novelist and screenwriter, with more than 300 published wuxia and science fiction novels and more than 400 film scripts. He is the brother of another romance novelist, Yi Shu.-Life:Born Ni Chong , he grew up in...
wrote a connected critique of all of Cha's works and concluded that Cha concluded his work with The Deer and the Cauldron as a satire to his earlier work, and a reminder to the readers for a reality check.
Criticisms
The study of Cha's works has spun off an individual area of study and discussion: Jinology. For years, readers and critics have written works discussing, debating and analyzing his fictional world of martial arts; amongst the most famous are by Cha's close friend and science fiction novelist, Ni KuangNi Kuang
Ni Kuang , also known as Ngai Hong, I Kuang or Yi Kuang, is a Hong Kong-based Chinese novelist and screenwriter, with more than 300 published wuxia and science fiction novels and more than 400 film scripts. He is the brother of another romance novelist, Yi Shu.-Life:Born Ni Chong , he grew up in...
. Ni is a fan of Cha, and has written a series of criticism analyzing the various personalities and aspects of his books (我看金庸小说 series).
Despite Cha's popularity, some of his novels were banned outside Hong Kong due to political reasons. A number of them were outlawed in the People's Republic of China in the 1970s as they were thought to be satires of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
and the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
; others were banned in the Republic of China (Taiwan) as they were thought to be in support of the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
. None of these bans exists today, and Cha's complete collection has been published multiple times in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Taiwan, and mainland China. Many politicians on both sides of the Straits are known to be readers of his works; Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
, for example, was a well-known reader himself.
In late 2004, the People's Education Publishing House (人民教育出版社) of the People's Republic of China sparked off controversy by including an excerpt from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized concurrently from September 3, 1963 to May 27, 1966 in Ming Pao in Hong Kong and Nanyang Siang Pau in Singapore....
in a new senior high school Chinese textbook. While some praised the inclusion of popular literature, others feared that the violence and unrealistic martial arts described in Cha's works were unsuitable for high school students. At about the same time, Singapore's Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
announced a similar move for Chinese-learning students at secondary and junior college levels.
Schools
A recurring theme in contemporary martial arts books is to group characters into different schools and sects and to portrait heroics of the main characters in the context of historical rivalries between and schools of martial arts. Cha's novels are no exception to this. Many of the schools of martial arts portrayed by Cha's works, such as the Shaolin SectShaolin Sect
The Shaolin Sect is a fictional Chinese martial arts sect featured in several wuxia works. It is one of the largest, most famous and recognised orthodox and righteous sects in the jianghu. Its home base is at present-day Shaolin Monastery in Henan...
and the Wudang Sect
Wudang Sect
The Wudang Sect is a fictional Chinese martial arts sect featured in several works of wuxia fiction. It is one of the most famous and recognised orthodox and righteous sects in the jianghu. Its home base is in the Wudang Mountains...
, did exist in real life, though their details are inevitably subject to the artistic license of Cha; other cults, such as the Beggars' Sect
Beggars' Sect
The Beggars' Sect is a fictional Chinese martial arts sect featured prominently in works of wuxia fiction by writers such as Jin Yong and Gu Long. The sect has also found its way into some Hong Kong martial arts films such as King of Beggars....
, are less well documented. It should be noted that Cha's portrait of the schools and sects are mostly in line with their contemporary image in martial arts literature, and new sects such as the Ming Cult
Ming Cult
The Ming Cult is a fictional cult and martial arts sect based on the actual Gnostic religion Manichaeism. It plays an important role in Jin Yong's The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber of all wuxia fiction works. It is also briefly mentioned in The Legend of the Condor Heroes as well...
is the exception, used specifically as a fictional lead into the next era after the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
into the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
.
Timeline
| Era | Novel |
|---|---|
| 6th century BC | Sword of the Yue Maiden Sword of the Yue Maiden "Sword of the Yue Maiden" is a wuxia short story by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in 1970 on Ming Pao Evening Supplement . This short story is the last of Jin Yong's wuxia works, together with The Deer and the Cauldron... |
| 11th century | Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized concurrently from September 3, 1963 to May 27, 1966 in Ming Pao in Hong Kong and Nanyang Siang Pau in Singapore.... |
| 13th century | The Legend of the Condor Heroes The Legend of the Condor Heroes The Legend of Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the first part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between January 1, 1957 and May 19, 1959 in Hong Kong Commercial Daily... The Return of the Condor Heroes The Return of the Condor Heroes The Return of the Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the second part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between May 20, 1959 and July 5, 1961 on Ming Pao. The story revolves around Yang Guo and his lover Xiaolongnü in their adventure in the wulin fraternity, which does not... |
| 14th century | The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Saber |
| 16th century | (The Smiling, Proud Wanderer The Smiling, Proud Wanderer The Smiling, Proud Wanderer is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, first published as a serial in Ming Pao from April 20, 1967 to October 12, 1969. The term "Xiaoao Jianghu" means to live a carefree life in a mundane world of strife... )1 (Ode to Gallantry Ode to Gallantry Ode to Gallantry is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, first serialized between June 11, 1966 and April 19, 1967 on Ming Pao. The novel shares the same Chinese title as a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, which is used as its epigraph.-Plot:... )2 |
| 17th century | Swordswoman Riding West on White Horse Swordswoman Riding West on White Horse Swordswoman Riding West on White Horse is a wuxia novella by Jin Yong. It is first published in 1961 in Ming Pao. It is also the only time Jin Yong featured a female protagonist in all his novels.-Plot:... Sword Stained With Royal Blood Sword Stained with Royal Blood Sword Stained with Royal Blood is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in the Hong Kong Commercial Daily between January 1, 1956 and December 31, 1956... The Deer and the Cauldron The Deer and the Cauldron The Deer and the Cauldron, also known as The Duke of Mount Deer, is a novel by Jin Yong, and was the last of Jin Yong's works. The novel was initially published as a serial, and ran between October 24, 1969 to September 23, 1972 in Ming Pao.Although the book is often termed as a wuxia novel, it is... (A Deadly Secret)3 |
| 18th century | Blade-dance of the Two Lovers Blade-dance of the Two Lovers Blade-dance of the Two Lovers is a wuxia novella by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in 1961 in Ming Pao.-Plot:The story is set in the Qing Dynasty. A pair of precious blades known as "Lovers' Blades" are transported by an escort agency commissioned by provincial officials to the Forbidden City... The Book and the Sword The Book and the Sword The Book and the Sword is the debut wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized between February 8, 1955 and September 5, 1956 in The New Evening Post in Hong Kong.... Other Tales of the Flying Fox Other Tales of the Flying Fox Other Tales of the Flying Fox is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. Its title is also translated as Young Flying Fox in English. The novel was first serialized between 1960-1 in the magazine Wuxia and History... Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain |
1 The time frame of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer
The Smiling, Proud Wanderer
The Smiling, Proud Wanderer is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, first published as a serial in Ming Pao from April 20, 1967 to October 12, 1969. The term "Xiaoao Jianghu" means to live a carefree life in a mundane world of strife...
is unspecified; Cha states that it is intentionally left ambiguous because the novel is allegorical in nature. Nevertheless, people have speculated on the timeframe; the most possible candidate is the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, because the Wudang
Wudang Sect
The Wudang Sect is a fictional Chinese martial arts sect featured in several works of wuxia fiction. It is one of the most famous and recognised orthodox and righteous sects in the jianghu. Its home base is in the Wudang Mountains...
and Emei
Emei Sect
The Emei Sect is one of the leading orthodox Chinese martial arts sects in the jianghu in several works of wuxia fiction. Its home base is on Mount Emei in Sichuan...
sects (founded at the start of the Ming Dynasty) appear prominently, and because the Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
s (who destroyed the Ming Dynasty) are not mentioned. In The Deer and the Cauldron
The Deer and the Cauldron
The Deer and the Cauldron, also known as The Duke of Mount Deer, is a novel by Jin Yong, and was the last of Jin Yong's works. The novel was initially published as a serial, and ran between October 24, 1969 to September 23, 1972 in Ming Pao.Although the book is often termed as a wuxia novel, it is...
, the main character is also mentioned to be from a dynasty before Qing. In several film adaptations including Swordsman II
Swordsman II
Swordsman II, also known as The Legend of the Swordsman, is a 1992 Hong Kong wuxia film. It was directed by Ching Siu-tung and Stanley Tong and written by Hanson Chan, Tang Pik-yin and Tsui Hark. The film was the second part of a trilogy. It starred Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Rosamund Kwan and Michelle...
starring Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
, the story is specified to take place during the reign of the Wanli Emperor
Wanli Emperor
The Wanli Emperor was emperor of China between 1572 and 1620. His era name means "Ten thousand calendars". Born Zhu Yijun, he was the Longqing Emperor's third son...
, which would make it the late Ming Dynasty but just before the period of Manchu encroachment.
2 The time frame of Ode to Gallantry
Ode to Gallantry
Ode to Gallantry is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, first serialized between June 11, 1966 and April 19, 1967 on Ming Pao. The novel shares the same Chinese title as a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, which is used as its epigraph.-Plot:...
is also unspecified. The sources that would put the story in Ming Dynasty are that the mention of Zhang Sanfeng
Zhang Sanfeng
Zhang Sanfeng was a semi-legendary Chinese Taoist priest who is believed by some to have achieved immortality, said variously to date from either the late Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty or Ming Dynasty. His name is said to have been Zhang Junbao 張君寶 before he became a Taoist.Zhang's legend is that of...
being already dead and the illustrations depict men wearing Han hairstyle.
3 The time frame of A Deadly Secret was ambiguous in its first and second editions. Cha specifically states that the story is inspired by the tragic story of his grandfather's servant seems to suggest that the events of the novel occurs near the end of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
; the novel illustrations that depict men wearing Manchu hairstyle supports this idea. In the third edition of the novel, Cha links the story with Wu Liuqi, a character from The Deer and the Cauldron
The Deer and the Cauldron
The Deer and the Cauldron, also known as The Duke of Mount Deer, is a novel by Jin Yong, and was the last of Jin Yong's works. The novel was initially published as a serial, and ran between October 24, 1969 to September 23, 1972 in Ming Pao.Although the book is often termed as a wuxia novel, it is...
, fully integrating it into Qing Dynasty.
Translation of Cha's works
The books currently available are:- The Book and the SwordThe Book and the SwordThe Book and the Sword is the debut wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized between February 8, 1955 and September 5, 1956 in The New Evening Post in Hong Kong....
- published by Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, translated by Graham Earnshaw, edited by John Minford and Rachel May - The Deer and the CauldronThe Deer and the CauldronThe Deer and the Cauldron, also known as The Duke of Mount Deer, is a novel by Jin Yong, and was the last of Jin Yong's works. The novel was initially published as a serial, and ran between October 24, 1969 to September 23, 1972 in Ming Pao.Although the book is often termed as a wuxia novel, it is...
(in three volumes) - published by Oxford University Press, translated by John Minford - Fox Volant of the Snowy MountainFlying Fox of Snowy MountainFlying Fox of Snowy Mountain, also known as Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. It was first serialized between February 9, 1959 and June 18, 1959 in Ming Pao....
- published by China University Press, translated by Olivia Mok
Other works available in English include:
- The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber - in comic book form by Ma Wing-shing, published by ComicsOne
- The Legendary CoupleThe Return of the Condor HeroesThe Return of the Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the second part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between May 20, 1959 and July 5, 1961 on Ming Pao. The story revolves around Yang Guo and his lover Xiaolongnü in their adventure in the wulin fraternity, which does not...
- in comic book form by Tony Wong, published by ComicsOne - The Return of the Condor HeroesThe Return of the Condor HeroesThe Return of the Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, and the second part of the Condor Trilogy. It was first serialized between May 20, 1959 and July 5, 1961 on Ming Pao. The story revolves around Yang Guo and his lover Xiaolongnü in their adventure in the wulin fraternity, which does not...
- in comic book form by Wee Tian Beng, published by Asiapac Books - Laughing in the WindThe Smiling, Proud WandererThe Smiling, Proud Wanderer is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong, first published as a serial in Ming Pao from April 20, 1967 to October 12, 1969. The term "Xiaoao Jianghu" means to live a carefree life in a mundane world of strife...
- DVD collection of the 2001 CCTV series with English subtitles released in the United States.
Adaptations
There are more than 90 television series and films adapted from Cha's novels, including The SwordsmanThe Swordsman
The Swordsman or Swordsman is a 1990 Hong Kong wuxia film. King Hu was credited as the director but he allegedly left the project midway, and the film was completed by a team led by producer Tsui Hark. The film is adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer...
from King Hu
King Hu
King Hu was a Hong Kong- and Taiwan-based Chinese film director whose Wuxia films brought Chinese cinema to new technical and artistic heights. His films Come Drink with Me , Dragon Gate Inn and A Touch of Zen inaugurated a new generation of wuxia films in the late 1960s...
et al., and its sequel Swordsman II
Swordsman II
Swordsman II, also known as The Legend of the Swordsman, is a 1992 Hong Kong wuxia film. It was directed by Ching Siu-tung and Stanley Tong and written by Hanson Chan, Tang Pik-yin and Tsui Hark. The film was the second part of a trilogy. It starred Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Rosamund Kwan and Michelle...
from directors Ching Siu-Tung
Ching Siu-tung
Ching Siu-tung , also known as Tony Ching, is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy A Chinese Ghost Story .-Career:...
and Stanley Tong
Stanley Tong
Stanley Tong is a film director from Hong Kong.According to IMDb , he customarily attempts stunts himself before asking actors to risk themselves...
; the Wong Jing
Wong Jing
Wong Jing is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker possessed of strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he is often cited as the most consistently successful filmmaker , in commercial terms, in the Hong Kong cinema of the last...
films Royal Tramp
Royal Tramp
Royal Tramp is a 1992 Hong Kong film based on Louis Cha's novel The Deer and the Cauldron. The film was one of the five top grossing Hong Kong films in 1992. Stephen Chow, who played the protagonist Wai Siu-bo, also starred in the other four films...
and Royal Tramp II
Royal Tramp II
Royal Tramp II is a 1992 Hong Kong film based on Louis Cha's novel The Deer and the Cauldron. The film is a sequel to Royal Tramp, which was released earlier in the same year.-Cast:*Stephen Chow as Wai Siu-bo*Brigitte Lin as Lung-yee...
(both starring Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
); and Wong Kar-wai
Wong Kar-wai
Wong Kar-wai BBS is a Hong Kong Second Wave filmmaker, internationally renowned as an auteur for his visually unique, highly stylized, emotionally resonant work, including Days of Being Wild , Ashes of Time , Chungking Express , Fallen Angels , Happy Together and 2046...
's Ashes of Time
Ashes of Time
-Critical:When the film opened in Hong Kong it received mixed reviews. Critics found it so elliptical that it was almost impossible to make out any semblance of a plot, something very rare in a wuxia film....
. Dozens of role-playing video games are based on Cha's novels, a notable example of which is Heroes of Jin Yong
Heroes of Jin Yong
Heroes of Jin Yong , first published in 1996, is a tactical role-playing game based on the storyline and characters in Jin Yong's Wuxia novels, developed by Heluo ....
(金庸群俠傳), which was based on the major characters and events in Cha's novels.
Further reading
- The Jin Yong Phenomenon: Chinese Martial Arts Fiction and Modern Chinese Literary History. Ann Huss and Jianmei Liu. (Cambria PressCambria PressCambria Press is an independent academic publisher based in Amherst, New York. The publishing company was established by 2006, with its first titles released in September of that year. Cambria publishes academic monographs and new titles by scholars in a wide range of research fields, initially...
, 2007).