Mount Hua Sect (華山派)

• Linghu Chong
  Linghu Chong
  Linghu Chong is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer by Jin Yong.-Biography:Linghu is an orphan and was taken into Yue Buqun's care as a child. Yue accepted him as a disciple and Linghu became a member of the Mount Hua Sect as Yue's most senior disciple. He...
  
   (令狐沖) – the scruffy, happy-go-lucky protagonist of the novel. An orphan, he was raised as Yue Buqun's eldest student. He masters the "Nine Swords of Dugu
  Dugu Qiubai
  Dugu Qiubai is a fictional character appearing in three of Jin Yong's wuxia novels. He is considered to be one of the most powerful characters in Jin Yong's wuxia world. He is nicknamed "Sword Devil" to reflect his prowess in and devotion to the practice of swordplay...
  
  " after encountering Feng Qingyang and becomes a formidable swordsman. His sudden tremendous improvement in swordplay causes his teacher to suspect him of having stolen the "Bixie Swordplay" manual and mastered the skill. Even after his expulsion from Mount Hua, he remains loyal and respectful towards his teacher. Although his kind nature and heroic attributes make him a likeable person, they also negatively influence him by increasing his affiliations with jianghu lowlives, resulting in him being misunderstood by his fellows and other orthodox sects. He retires from the jianghu eventually to lead a peaceful life with his lover, Ren Yingying.

Qi faction (氣宗)

• Yue Buqun (岳不群) – the leader of the sect. He is an expert in using the "Violet Mist Divine Skill" (紫霞神功). Despite being nicknamed "Gentleman Sword" (君子劍) for his cultured and refined behavior, he gradually reveals himself to be actually a narrow-minded, selfish and power-hungry hypocrite. He lusts for the Lin family's "Bixie Swordplay" manual and seizes it through unscrupulous means, eventually castrating himself to master the skill. He is killed by Yilin after attempting to trap and murder his rivals.

• Ning Zhongze (寧中則) – Yue Buqun's wife. She is nicknamed "Heroine Ning" (寧女俠) for her chivalrous nature. She is also the only person who believes Linghu Chong's innocence in the theft of the "Bixie Swordplay" manual. She becomes disappointed with her husband after he reveals his beastly form and loses her will to live, eventually choosing to commit suicide after being humiliated by enemies.

• Yue Lingshan (岳靈珊) – the daughter of Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze. She is Linghu Chong's childhood playmate and his first love interest. She is married to Lin Pingzhi but discovers later that she is actually a pawn in a power struggle involving her loved ones. She is killed by her husband after refusing to join Zuo Lengchan.

• Lin Pingzhi (林平之) – the son of Lin Zhennan. After his family is massacred by the Qingcheng Sect, Yue Buqun sympathizes with him and accepts him as a disciple and even marries his daughter to him. Driven by strong hatred and resentment after discovering Yue Buqun's ulterior motive in accepting him, he becomes increasingly vicious and kills his family's murderers brutally for revenge. He is blinded by Mu Gaofeng and imprisoned by Linghu Chong in an underground dungeon after Linghu promises to spare his life.

• Yue Su (岳肅) – the founder of the Qi faction and Cai Zifeng's senior

• Lao Denuo (勞德諾) – nicknamed "Old Man Sa" (薩老頭), he is Yue Buqun's second disciple. He is actually a spy sent by Zuo Lengchan to steal the "Violet Mist Divine Skill" manual. He murders Lu Dayou when Lu discovers his identity. He tries to learn the fake "Bixie Swordplay" but accidentally loses all his inner energy
  Neigong
  Neigong, also spelled nei kung, neigung, or nae gong, refers to any of a set of Chinese breathing, meditation and spiritual practice disciplines associated with Daoism and especially the Chinese martial arts...
  
  .

• Lu Dayou (陸大有) – Yue Buqun's sixth disciple, nicknamed "Sixth Monkey" (六猴儿) for his monkey-like behavior and affinity with monkeys. He maintains a close relationship with Linghu Chong and even steals their teacher's "Violet Mist Divine Skill" manual to help Linghu recover from his injuries. He is murdered by Lao Denuo.

Sword faction (劍宗)

• Feng Qingyang (風清揚) – a senior member of the faction. He was lured away by the Qi faction during the sect's internal conflict, and the Qi faction uses the opportunity to defeat and force the Sword faction into exile. Feeling embarrassed for having been deceived, Feng Qingyang leaves to lead a life of seclusion in the back-hill of Mount Hua. He meets Linghu Chong by chance and teaches him the "Nine Swords of Dugu".

• Cai Zifeng (蔡子峰) – the founder of the Sword faction and younger disciple brother of Yue Su

• Feng Buping (封不平) – one of the leaders of the Sword faction. He returns from exile to challenge Yue Buqun for the role of leader of the sect after being instigated by Zuo Lengchan. He is defeated by Linghu Chong and forced back into exile.

Mount Song Sect (嵩山派)

• Zuo Lengchan (左冷禪) – the ambitious leader of the sect. He practises a skill called "Freezing Breath" (寒冰真氣) that freezes his internal energy to sub-zero temperature and increases its power tremendously. He succeeds in mastering the fake "Bixie Swordplay", acquired by Lao Denuo. However, he is blinded by Yue Buqun, who uses the real swordplay on him during the election ceremony, and he pretends to concede his position as leader of the alliance to Yue Buqun. He leads a group of people to Mount Hua later to kill Yue Buqun, but Yue sees through his plot and traps them inside a cave along with his other rivals. Zuo Lengchan is killed by Linghu Chong during the ensuing chaos.

(North) Mount Heng Sect (恆山派)

• Yilin (儀琳) – a disciple of Dingyi, and the daughter of Monk Bujie and Mute Granny. She falls in love with Linghu Chong after he rescues her from Tian Boguang. However, she has to hide her feelings for him because she is a nun and forbidden by her sect's rules to have romantic feelings for any man.

• Three Elder Nuns
  • Dingjing (定靜) – Dingxian's senior. She is ambushed by Zuo Lengchan's lackeys, who attempt to force her to join Zuo's "alliance". She refuses to capitulate and dies before Linghu Chong can save her.
  • Dingxian (定閒) – the benevolent and wise leader of the sect. She is murdered by Yue Buqun along with Dingyi. She names Linghu Chong her successor before her death.
  • Dingyi (定逸) – the fiery-tempered teacher of Yilin. She is murdered by Yue Buqun along with Dingxian.

(South) Mount Heng Sect (衡山派)

• Mo Da (莫大) – the leader of the sect. He is a mysterious figure, known for playing melancholic tunes on a huqin
  Huqin
  Huqin is a family of bowed string instruments, more specifically, a spike fiddle popularly used in Chinese music. The instruments consist of a round, hexagonal, or octagonal sound box at the bottom with a neck attached that protrudes upwards...
  
   that conceals his sword. He displays fast and unpredictable swordplay techniques that correspond with music themes.

• Liu Zhengfeng (劉正風) – nicknamed "Third Master Liu" (劉三爺). He is Mo Da's junior and second leader of the sect. He plays the flute well and befriends Qu Yang, who shares the same passion for music with him, and they compose the musical piece Xiaoao Jianghu (笑傲江湖) together. On his day of retirement from the jianghu, he is confronted by Zuo Lengchan's lackeys and commits suicide by bursting his arteries.

Mount Tai Sect (泰山派)

• Taoist Tianmen (天門道人) – the leader of the sect. He is betrayed and killed by his followers, who have secretly defected to Zuo Lengchan's side.

• Yuji (also known as Yujizi) - the last known leader of the sect. During a debate with the "Six Immortals of the Peach Valley" on the rightful leader to the alliance, he attempts to fight them but has both his arms and right leg torn apart from his body by Zuo Lengchan.

Sun Moon Holy Cult (日月神教)

• Ren Yingying (任盈盈) – the daughter of Ren Woxing. Although she is intelligent and caring towards her subordinates, she can be ruthless and cold-blooded at times. She met Linghu Chong and falls in love with him after being attracted to his heroic attributes. She eventually marries Linghu Chong and accompanies him for the rest of their lives.

• Ren Woxing (任我行) – the former leader of the cult. He instills fear and panic in people, including his followers, for his mastery of the "Star-sucking Skill" (吸星大法), which allows him to drain an opponent's inner energy. He falls from power in a scheme orchestrated by Dongfang Bubai and is imprisoned for 12 years. He meets Linghu Chong by chance and Linghu helps him take back control of his cult. He dies from severe giddiness due to old age not long after returning to power.

• Dongfang Bubai
  Dongfang Bubai
  Dongfang Bubai is a fictional character in the wuxia novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer by Jin Yong.Dongfang is the leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult . He castrated himself to learn the skills in the Sunflower Manual and becomes a formidable pugilist...
  
   (東方不敗) – overthrows Ren Woxing and takes over as the leader of the cult. He is considered the most powerful character in the novel in terms of martial arts, having mastered the skills in the Sunflower Manual. However, he had also castrated himself in the process and became sexually perverted. He neglects the cult's affairs and spends time with a male lover. He is slain by the combined efforts of Ren Woxing, Xiang Wentian, Linghu Chong and Ren Yingying.

• Xiang Wentian (向問天) – an elder of the cult. He remains loyal to Ren Woxing even after Dongfang Bubai came to power and becomes an outcast of the cult. He becomes sworn brothers with Linghu Chong after realizing that they have share similarities in their personalities. He becomes the cult's leader after Ren Yingying retires.

• Qu Yang (曲洋) – an elder of the cult, who specializes in playing the guqin
  Guqin
  The guqin is the modern name for a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family...
  
  . He befriends Liu Zhengfeng, who shares the same passion for music as him, and the duo compose the musical piece Xiaoao Jianghu together. He and Liu Zhengfeng commit suicide by bursting their arteries after being cornered by Zuo Lengchan's men.

• Ren Yingying's subordinates
  • Lan Fenghuang (藍鳳凰) – the leader of the Five Deities Sect (五仙教). She attempts to cure Linghu Chong of his internal injuries but fails. She becomes Linghu Chong's god-sister later.
  • Lao Touzi (老头子) - the father of Lao Busi. He is grateful to Linghu Chong, who has accidentally consumed his eight herbal tablets. Linghu Chong is willing to sacrifice his blood to save his daughter after realising the mistake.
  • Zu Qianqiu (祖千秋) - tricks Linghu Chong into consuming Lao Touzi's tablets
  • Ji Wushi (计无施)
  • Lü Zhuweng (绿竹翁)

Shaolin Sect (少林派)

• Fangzheng (方證) – the head abbot. He is highly respected and recognised in the wulin for his prowess in martial arts and morally upright character. He passes Linghu Chong the Sinew-changing Classic to aid the latter in healing his internal wounds as he believes it is Linghu's karma to learn the skill.

• Fangsheng (方生) – Fangzheng's junior

Wudang Sect (武當派)

• Taoist Chongxu (冲虚道長) – the leader of the sect. Like Shaolin's Fangzheng, he is highly respected in the wulin for his expertise in martial arts and morally upright character. He meets Linghu Chong by coincidence while in disguise as a farmer and has a duel with the latter. He is impressed when Linghu Chong defeats his "Taiji Swordplay
  Taijijian
  Taijijian is a straight two-edged sword used in the training of the Chinese martial art Taijiquan. The straight sword, sometimes with a tassel and sometimes not, is used for upper body conditioning and martial training in traditional Taijiquan schools...
  
  " using the "Nine Swords of Dugu" and strikes up a friendship with the latter.

Qingcheng Sect (青城派)

• Yu Canghai (余滄海) – the leader of the sect. After Lin Pingzhi kills his son in a quarrel, he uses his son's death as an excuse to massacre the Lin family and destroy their escort agency. He is in fact eyeing the Lins' "Bixie Swordplay" manual. Lin Pingzhi survives the massacre and kills him brutally for revenge later. Yu Canghai is known for his "Pine Wind Swordplay" (松風劍法), which allows him to enshroud his foes in a green shadow.

Fuwei Escort Agency (福威鏢局)

• Lin Yuantu (林遠圖) – the founder of the agency. He was formerly a Shaolin monk known as "Duyuan" (渡元). He returned to his secular life and created the "Bixie Swordplay", based on Yue Su and Cai Zifeng's recollections of the Sunflower Manual.

• Lin Zhennan (林震南) – the grandson of Lin Yuantu and father of Lin Pingzhi. He inherits his ancestor's "Bixie Swordplay" manual, which is highly sought after by many pugilists. His family runs the agency for three generations until its destruction in his time. He and his wife are captured by Yu Canghai during the massacre by the Qingcheng Sect, and are tortured to death by Mu Gaofeng later.

Others

• Monk Bujie (不戒和尚) – the father of Yilin. He falls in love with Yilin's mother, who was a nun then, and renamed himself "Bujie" (不戒), which literally means "no rules". He attempts to cure Linghu Chong of his internal wounds by further injecting another two streams of energy, but fails and worsens Linghu's condition.

• Tian Boguang (田伯光) – a bandit nicknamed "Lone Traveller of a Ten Thousand Li" (萬里獨行). He is notorious for his lecherous behavior and for committing several rapes. He tries to rape Yilin but Linghu stops him. Bujie semi-castrates him later and forces him to become a monk. He is renamed to "Buke Bujie" (不可不戒), which means "cannot have no rules".

• Six Immortals of the Peach Valley (桃谷六仙) – six brothers, who are each named after the six parts of the peach tree. Although they quarrel and bicker among themselves, they are actually very close to each other. They try to cure Linghu Chong of his internal wounds but fail and cause further harm to the latter by injecting six streams of energy into his body.

• Mu Gaofeng (木高峰) – a notorious hunchbacked bandit from the north. He is also among those eyeing the Lin family's "Bixie Swordplay" manual. He tries to force Lin Pingzhi to be his disciple and tortures Lin's parents to death. His hunchback is actually a sack containing poison gas, which when torn, will release the gas and blind everyone around it. He is slain by Lin Pingzhi for revenge, but manages to blind Lin before dying.

• Wang Yuanba (王元霸) – nicknamed "Invincible Golden Saber" (金刀無敵). He is the leader of the Golden Saber Sect (金刀門) and maternal grandfather of Lin Pingzhi.

• Ping Yizhi (平一指) – a physician nicknamed "Killer Physician" (殺人名醫). He believes that life and death are predestined by Heaven's will, so saving a life is equivalent to defying Heaven's laws. As such, he lays down a regulation that for every life he saves, another must die. He is unable to cure Linghu Chong of his internal wounds and commits suicide in shame.

• "Four Friends of Jiangnan" (江南四友)
  • Huang Zhonggong (黃鍾公) – a music fanatic who challenges Linghu Chong to a duel once in a bid to obtain a music score. He is forced to commit suicide by Ren Woxing.
  • Heibaizi (黑白子) – a weiqi fanatic with a pale face and dark hair. He becomes a handicap after Linghu Chong uses the "Star-sucking Skill" on him.
  • Tu Biweng (禿筆翁) – challenges Linghu Chong to a duel but loses. He is forced to submit and consume a pill by Ren Woxing to make him loyal to the latter.
  • Dan Qingsheng (丹青生) – a wine craze who knows Linghu Chong through their common interest. He is a swordplay expert and fights with Linghu but loses. Like Tu Biweng, he is forced to submit to Ren Woxing.

Lin Pingzhi's family tree

External links

• The Smiling, Proud Wanderer character list at lannyland.com