Meteor, Butterfly, Sword (流星·蝴蝶·劍) is a 1973 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...

 novel by Gu Long

Gu Long

Xiong Yaohua , better known by his pen name Gu Long , was a Chinese novelist and screenwriter. Xiong is best known for writing wuxia novels and novel series, which include: Juedai Shuangjiao, Xiaoli Feidao Series, Chu Liuxiang Series, Lu Xiaofeng Series and Xiao Shiyilang...

. It is the basis of a 1976 film Killer Clans, a 1978 television series produced by Hong Kong's CTS, the 1993 film Butterfly and Sword, a 2003 mainland Chinese television series and a franchise of video games.

"A shooting star burns but briefly, but while it burns what other star in the heavens is as bright, as brilliant. When a shooting star appears not even the stars in the enduring constellations can match its light. The life of a butterfly is delicate even more fragile than flowers, but alas it lives only in the spring. It is beauty, it is freedom, it is flight. Although its life is short it is fragrant. Only swords, in comparison are eternal. A swordsman holds his light, his brilliance and light in his hands, but should the sword feel emotion will its brilliance be as short as that of a meteor."

The novel touches on the themes of life, love and ambition and what is endured, betrayed and sacrificed to achieve each.