Sword of the Yue Maiden
Encyclopedia
"Sword of the Yue Maiden" is a wuxia
short story by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in 1970 on Ming Pao Evening Supplement (明報晚報). This short story is the last of Jin Yong's wuxia works, together with The Deer and the Cauldron
. However, its historical setting, in the Spring and Autumn Period, is the earliest amongst all of Jin Yong's works.
and the Yue state
. A swordsman from Wu challenges Yue. Fan Li
, an advisor in Yue, finds a young maiden called A'qing to be the candidate to take up the Wu swordsman's challenge. A'qing is an expert swordswoman and she defeats the Wu swordsman with ease.
It is revealed that A'qing learnt her swordplay while playing sword-fights with a white gibbon. Fan Li allows A'qing to train the soldiers of Yue in swordplay and A'qing gradually falls in love with Fan Li. King Goujian of Yue finally defeats his rival, King Fuchai of Wu, after enduring hardship and humiliation. Fan Li is reunited with his lover Xishi
, who has been working as a spy in Wu. A'qing feels that Xishi is a threat to her love for Fan Li and wants to kill Xishi. However, she is taken aback by Xishi's beauty and she hesitates. A'qing accidentally hurts Xishi with her inner energy
while thrusting her sword towards her, even though the blade does not touch Xishi at all. Xishi clutches her bosom in pain and the expression on her face is later described to be "so beautiful that it will take away the soul of any man who looks upon her". This later gives rise to the Chinese phrase "Xizi clutching her bosom" (西子捧心), which refers to a woman's beauty being enhanced when she is in a state of pain or illness.
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...
short story by Jin Yong. It was first serialized in 1970 on Ming Pao Evening Supplement (明報晚報). This short story is the last of Jin Yong's wuxia works, together with 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...
. However, its historical setting, in the Spring and Autumn Period, is the earliest amongst all of Jin Yong's works.
Plot
Set during the Spring and Autumn Period of ancient China, the story tells of the struggle for power between the Wu stateWu (state)
The State of Wu , also known as Gou Wu or Gong Wu , was one of the vassal states during the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period. The State of Wu was located at the mouth of the Yangtze River east of the State of Chu. Considered a semi-barbarian state by ancient Chinese...
and the Yue state
Yue (state)
Yue was a state in China which existed during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period , in the modern province of Zhejiang. During the Spring and Autumn Period, its capital was in Guiji , near the modern city of Shaoxing...
. A swordsman from Wu challenges Yue. Fan Li
Fan Li
Fan Li was an ancient Chinese advisor in the state of Yue in the Spring and Autumn Period. He had been to the state of Wu as hostage together with King Goujian of Yue. Three years later they came back and he helped Goujian to carry on a reform. At last Yue was able to defeat the state of Wu. After...
, an advisor in Yue, finds a young maiden called A'qing to be the candidate to take up the Wu swordsman's challenge. A'qing is an expert swordswoman and she defeats the Wu swordsman with ease.
It is revealed that A'qing learnt her swordplay while playing sword-fights with a white gibbon. Fan Li allows A'qing to train the soldiers of Yue in swordplay and A'qing gradually falls in love with Fan Li. King Goujian of Yue finally defeats his rival, King Fuchai of Wu, after enduring hardship and humiliation. Fan Li is reunited with his lover Xishi
XiShi
Xishi is a village in Fuxing, Changhua, Taiwan with a population of 2342, and an area of 0.9746 km².Xishi Village is bordered on the North by Lugang Township, on the South by Tongan township...
, who has been working as a spy in Wu. A'qing feels that Xishi is a threat to her love for Fan Li and wants to kill Xishi. However, she is taken aback by Xishi's beauty and she hesitates. A'qing accidentally hurts Xishi with her 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...
while thrusting her sword towards her, even though the blade does not touch Xishi at all. Xishi clutches her bosom in pain and the expression on her face is later described to be "so beautiful that it will take away the soul of any man who looks upon her". This later gives rise to the Chinese phrase "Xizi clutching her bosom" (西子捧心), which refers to a woman's beauty being enhanced when she is in a state of pain or illness.
Characters
- A'qing (阿青) - a young maiden who learns her swordplay skills from playing sword-fights with a white ape. She falls in love with Fan Li. She becomes jealous of Xishi and attempts to kill her.
- Fan LiFan LiFan Li was an ancient Chinese advisor in the state of Yue in the Spring and Autumn Period. He had been to the state of Wu as hostage together with King Goujian of Yue. Three years later they came back and he helped Goujian to carry on a reform. At last Yue was able to defeat the state of Wu. After...
(范蠡) - an advisor to King Goujian of Yue. He is in love with Xishi who has been working as a spy in Wu. When he is reunited with his lover, it incurs the jealousy of A'qing, who has a crush on Fan Li and she attempts to kill Xishi. - XishiXiShiXishi is a village in Fuxing, Changhua, Taiwan with a population of 2342, and an area of 0.9746 km².Xishi Village is bordered on the North by Lugang Township, on the South by Tongan township...
- the legendary beauty who brings the downfall of Wu by working as a spy for Yue. She is Fan Li's lover and their reunion incurs the jealousy of A'qing, who attempts to kill her.
Adaptations
- In 1986, Hong Kong's ATVAsia Television LimitedAsia Television Limited is one of the two free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong, the other being rival Television Broadcasts Limited . It launched in 1957 under the name Rediffusion Television as the first television station in Hong Kong...
produced a television series based on the story, starring Moon LeeMoon LeeMoon Lee is a former Hong Kong actress who frequently played roles related to the action and martial arts genre in TV serials and films. She was particularly notable in the sub-genre known as girls with guns.-Biography:...
as A'qing.
External links
Sword of the Yue Maiden on Baidu BaikeBaidu Baike
Baidu Encyclopedia is a Chinese language collaborative Web-based encyclopedia provided by the Chinese search engine Baidu. Like Baidu itself, the encyclopedia is heavily self-censored in line with government regulations....