The Book and the Sword
Encyclopedia
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
.
Set in the Qing Dynasty
during the rule of the Qianlong Emperor
, the novel details the quest of the Red Flower Society, an organisation aimed at overthrowing the government, and their entanglements with an Islamic tribe in Central Asia. The "book" in the title refers to a Qur'an
stolen from the tribe. Historical characters such as the Qianlong Emperor, Zhaohui (兆惠), Heshen
, Zheng Xie
and Fu Kang'an are also mentioned in the novel. One of the female protagonists, Princess Fragrance, is loosely based on the Qianlong Emperor's Fragrant Concubine
.
This debut novel quickly established Jin Yong as one of the new masters of the wuxia genre. Alternate English titles of the novel are Book and Sword: Gratitude and Revenge and The Romance of the Book and Sword.
-led Qing Dynasty
and restore Han Chinese
rule in China. The society is led by a total of fifteen leaders with Chen Jialuo as its chief. Wen Tailai, the fourth leader of the society, is arrested on the Qianlong Emperor
's orders. Wen Tailai holds the key to a secret behind the emperor's birth and the emperor wants to silence him.
The plot's development is mostly based on the society's repeated attempts to rescue Wen Tailai. The heroes encounter some Islamic tribesmen, who are pursuing a convoy of hired escorts, who have robbed them of their holy artefact, a Qur'an
. Chen Jialuo aids them in defeating the mercernaries and recovers the holy book. He wins the respect and admiration of Huo Qingtong, the daughter of the tribe's leader. Throughout the story, some of the heroes eventually find their rights after going through thick and thin together. The couples Xu Tianhong and Zhou Qi, Yu Yutong and Li Yuanzhi, are married after two lengthy subplots.
Chen Jialuo and the heroes follow the trail of the convoy escorting Wen Tailai back to the capital Beijing
and they reach Hangzhou
. In Hangzhou, Chen Jialuo meets the Qianlong Emperor, who is travelling in disguise, and by coincidence they strike up a friendship. However, later when the duo recognise each other, they become wary and suspicious of the other. Qianlong's best warriors are defeated by the society's members in a martial arts contest and Qianlong feels humiliated. He wants to summon his army to eradicate the society, but refrains from doing so as he is aware of the society's strong influence in Hangzhou.
When Chen Jialuo finally rescues Wen Tailai, he is shocked to hear that the Qianlong Emperor is not a Manchu at all, but in fact, a Han Chinese. Even more shockingly, Wen Tailai reveals that Qianlong is actually Chen Jialuo's older brother, who has been replaced at birth with the Yongzheng Emperor
's daughter. Chen Jialuo and the heroes take Qianlong hostage and try to persuade him to acknowledge his ethnicity. They suggest that he use his power and status to drive the Manchus out of the Central Plains
and affirm that he will still remain in power after doing so. The emperor agrees reluctantly and both sides come to a truce.
At the same time, the Qing army invades present-day Xinjiang
, where the Islamic tribe lives, and Chen Jialuo travels there to help his friends. He meets Huo Qingtong again and Huo's younger sister, Kasili (Princess Fragrance). Chen Jialuo is attracted by Kasili's beauty and falls in love with her. However, he gradually becomes entangled in a complex love triangle as Huo Qingtong is also in love with him. The Islamic tribe is eventually annihilated by the Qing army and Kasili is taken captive and escorted back to Beijing.
Qianlong is attracted by Kasili's beauty and tries to force her to become his concubine but she refuses. Chen Jialuo infiltrates the palace and meets Qianlong again. He reminds Qianlong of his earlier promise to put the nation's interests before his own, whilst promising that he will persuade Kasili to become Qianlong's concubine. Kasili discovers that Qianlong is going back on his word and planning to annihilate the entire society. She commits suicide to warn Chen Jialuo. The Red Flower Society is angry with Qianlong for breaking his promise and storm the palace, culminating in a bloody battle. Qianlong is forced to come a truce with the society once more and the heroes let him off on the condition that he promises never to persecute the society again. After paying their final respects to Kasili, Chen Jialuo and the heroes return to the western regions.
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 Jin Yong. It was first serialized between February 8, 1955 and September 5, 1956 in The New Evening Post 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...
.
Set in 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....
during the rule of the Qianlong Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
, the novel details the quest of the Red Flower Society, an organisation aimed at overthrowing the government, and their entanglements with an Islamic tribe in Central Asia. The "book" in the title refers to a Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
stolen from the tribe. Historical characters such as the Qianlong Emperor, Zhaohui (兆惠), Heshen
Heshen
Heshen or Hešen , from the Manchu Niohuru clan, was a Manchu official of the Qing Dynasty, a favourite of the Qianlong Emperor. Born Shanbao , his given name was later changed to Heshen. His courtesy name was Zhizhai . He was a member of the Plain Red Banner, as well as one of the most corrupt...
, Zheng Xie
Zheng Xie
Zheng Xie , commonly known as Zheng Banqiao was a Chinese painter from Jiangsu. He began life in poverty, but rose in the exam system to become a magistrate at Shandong. However, after 12 years, he became critical of the life of an official as he refused to ingratiate himself with senior officials...
and Fu Kang'an are also mentioned in the novel. One of the female protagonists, Princess Fragrance, is loosely based on the Qianlong Emperor's Fragrant Concubine
Fragrant Concubine
The Fragrant Concubine is a figure in Chinese legend who was taken as a consort by the Qianlong Emperor during the 18th century. Although the stories about her are believed to be mythical, they may have been based on an actual concubine from western China who entered the harem of the emperor in...
.
This debut novel quickly established Jin Yong as one of the new masters of the wuxia genre. Alternate English titles of the novel are Book and Sword: Gratitude and Revenge and The Romance of the Book and Sword.
Plot
The Red Flower Society is a secret society that aims to overthrow the ManchuManchu
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...
-led 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....
and restore 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...
rule in China. The society is led by a total of fifteen leaders with Chen Jialuo as its chief. Wen Tailai, the fourth leader of the society, is arrested on the Qianlong Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
's orders. Wen Tailai holds the key to a secret behind the emperor's birth and the emperor wants to silence him.
The plot's development is mostly based on the society's repeated attempts to rescue Wen Tailai. The heroes encounter some Islamic tribesmen, who are pursuing a convoy of hired escorts, who have robbed them of their holy artefact, a Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. Chen Jialuo aids them in defeating the mercernaries and recovers the holy book. He wins the respect and admiration of Huo Qingtong, the daughter of the tribe's leader. Throughout the story, some of the heroes eventually find their rights after going through thick and thin together. The couples Xu Tianhong and Zhou Qi, Yu Yutong and Li Yuanzhi, are married after two lengthy subplots.
Chen Jialuo and the heroes follow the trail of the convoy escorting Wen Tailai back to the capital 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...
and they reach Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
. In Hangzhou, Chen Jialuo meets the Qianlong Emperor, who is travelling in disguise, and by coincidence they strike up a friendship. However, later when the duo recognise each other, they become wary and suspicious of the other. Qianlong's best warriors are defeated by the society's members in a martial arts contest and Qianlong feels humiliated. He wants to summon his army to eradicate the society, but refrains from doing so as he is aware of the society's strong influence in Hangzhou.
When Chen Jialuo finally rescues Wen Tailai, he is shocked to hear that the Qianlong Emperor is not a Manchu at all, but in fact, a Han Chinese. Even more shockingly, Wen Tailai reveals that Qianlong is actually Chen Jialuo's older brother, who has been replaced at birth with the Yongzheng Emperor
Yongzheng Emperor
The Yongzheng Emperor , born Yinzhen , was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and the third Qing emperor from 1722 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, Yongzheng's main goal was to create an effective government at minimal expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng used military...
's daughter. Chen Jialuo and the heroes take Qianlong hostage and try to persuade him to acknowledge his ethnicity. They suggest that he use his power and status to drive the Manchus out of the Central Plains
Central Plain (China)
Zhongyuan or the Central Plain of China refers to the area on the lower reaches of the Yellow River which formed the cradle of Chinese civilization. It forms part of the North China Plain....
and affirm that he will still remain in power after doing so. The emperor agrees reluctantly and both sides come to a truce.
At the same time, the Qing army invades present-day Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, where the Islamic tribe lives, and Chen Jialuo travels there to help his friends. He meets Huo Qingtong again and Huo's younger sister, Kasili (Princess Fragrance). Chen Jialuo is attracted by Kasili's beauty and falls in love with her. However, he gradually becomes entangled in a complex love triangle as Huo Qingtong is also in love with him. The Islamic tribe is eventually annihilated by the Qing army and Kasili is taken captive and escorted back to Beijing.
Qianlong is attracted by Kasili's beauty and tries to force her to become his concubine but she refuses. Chen Jialuo infiltrates the palace and meets Qianlong again. He reminds Qianlong of his earlier promise to put the nation's interests before his own, whilst promising that he will persuade Kasili to become Qianlong's concubine. Kasili discovers that Qianlong is going back on his word and planning to annihilate the entire society. She commits suicide to warn Chen Jialuo. The Red Flower Society is angry with Qianlong for breaking his promise and storm the palace, culminating in a bloody battle. Qianlong is forced to come a truce with the society once more and the heroes let him off on the condition that he promises never to persecute the society again. After paying their final respects to Kasili, Chen Jialuo and the heroes return to the western regions.
Characters
- Chen Jialuo (陳家洛) – the protagonist of the novel and chief of the Red Flower Society
- Huo Qingtong (霍青桐) – Mu Zhuolun's older daughter. She falls in love with Chen Jialuo when he helps her tribe recover the Qur'anQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
that was stolen from them. She is an expert in martial arts as well as a resourceful military tactician.
- Kasili (喀絲麗), also known as Princess Fragrance (香香公主) - Huo Qingtong's younger sister. She meets Chen Jialuo and falls in love with him. She is captured by Qianlong, who forces her to be his concubine. She agrees but when she discovers that he is going back on his word, she commits suicide to warn Chen.
- Qianlong EmperorQianlong EmperorThe Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
(乾隆皇帝) – the ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He is actually the older brother of Chen Jialuo. He was replaced at birth with the Yongzheng EmperorYongzheng EmperorThe Yongzheng Emperor , born Yinzhen , was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and the third Qing emperor from 1722 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, Yongzheng's main goal was to create an effective government at minimal expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng used military...
's daughter and raised as a Manchu prince before succeeding to the throne.
Films
| Year | | Production | | Cast | | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Emei Film Company (Hong Kong) |
Cheung Ying, Tsi Law-lin, Yung Siu-yee | See The Book and the Sword (1960 film) The Book and the Sword (1960 film) The Book and the Sword is a 1960 Hong Kong film based on Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword. Directed and written by Lee Sun-fung, the film was divided into two parts, respectively released on May 4 and June 9 in 1960 in Hong Kong.-Cast:... |
| 1981 | Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers Studio The Shaw Brothers Studio , owned by Shaw Brothers Ltd., was the foremost and the largest movie production company of Hong Kong movies.From their distribution base in Singapore where they founded parent company Shaw Organization in 1924, and as a strategic development of their movie distribution... (Hong Kong) |
Ti Lung Ti Lung Tommy Tam Fu-Wing, also known as Ti Lung , or Dik Lung, is a Hong Kong actor.-Background:He studied Wing Chun under the martial arts master Chu Wan. In 1969, Ti was found by the Shaw Brothers and cast in Return of the One-Armed Swordsman opposite Jimmy Wang Yu, a role which would launch his career... , Jason Pai |
See Emperor and His Brother Emperor and His Brother The Emperor and His Brother is a 1981 Hong Kong film based on Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword. Produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio, the film was directed by Chor Yuen and starred Lo Lieh, Ti Lung and Jason Pai in the leading roles.-Plot:... |
| 1987 | Hong Kong | Zhang Duofu, Chang Dashi, Liu Jia, Aiyinuo | See The Romance of Book and Sword The Romance of Book and Sword The Romance of Book and Sword, also known as Jiangnan Shujian Qing in mainland China, is a 1987 Hong Kong film based on Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword. The film was followed by Princess Fragrance, released later in the same month and also directed by Ann Hui... and Princess Fragrance (film) Princess Fragrance (film) Princess Fragrance, also known as Gebi Enchou Lu in mainland China, is a 1987 Hong Kong film based on Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword... . |
Television
| Year | | Production | | Cast | | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | TVB Television Broadcasts Limited Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967... (Hong Kong) |
Adam Cheng Adam Cheng Adam Cheng Siu-chow is a Hong Kong TVB actor and Cantopop singer.-Career:Cheng started his career in the 1970s, where he gained a reputation for playing the lead roles in TVB Wuxia drama series based on the works of Louis Cha and Gu Long, such as The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber and Chor Lau Heung... , Liza Wang Liza Wang Elizabeth Wang Ming-chun, SBS, commonly known as Liza Wang, is an accomplished diva, actress and MC in Hong Kong. She is a well-known personality in Chinese-speaking communities. She has been nicknamed "The Big Sister" in the HK entertainment circle... , Candice Yu Candice Yu Candice Yu born Yu De Ying on 22 October 1959) is a Hong Kong film actress and occasional singer, best known for her films with Shaw Studio of the 1970s and 1980s... |
See The Legend of the Book and the Sword (1976 TV series) The Legend of the Book and the Sword (1976 TV series) The Legend of the Book and the Sword is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword. It was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong in 1976.-Cast:*Adam Cheng as Chan Ka-lok / Kin-lung Emperor... |
| 1984 | TTV Taiwan Television Taiwan Television Enterprise, Ltd. , commonly known as TTV is launched), is the first television broadcast station in Taiwan... (Taiwan) |
Yu Tien-lung, Sam-sam, Yang Liyin | See Book and Sword Chronicles Book and Sword Chronicles Book and Sword Chronicles is a Taiwanese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword. It was first broadcast on TTV in Taiwan in 1984.-Cast:*Yu Tien-lung as Chen Jialuo / Qianlong Emperor*Sam-Sam as Huo Qingtong... |
| 1987 | TVB (Hong Kong) | Pang Man-kin, Jacqueline Law, Fiona Leung, Simon Yam Simon Yam Simon Yam Tat-Wah , born March 19, 1955, is a Hong Kong actor and film producer.-Background:The son of a former police officer of Shangdong heritage, his father was a Hong Kong Royal Police ship captain who was murdered by his colleague.... |
See The Legend of the Book and the Sword (1987 TV series) The Legend of the Book and the Sword (1987 TV series) The Legend of the Book and Sword is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword. The series was first aired on TVB in Hong Kong in 1987.-Cast:*Pang Man-kin as Chan Ka-lok / Fuk Hong-on... |
| 1992 | CTS Chinese Television System Chinese Television System is a broadcast television station in Republic of China .-History:Founded on October 31, 1971, CTS started off as a joint venture between the ROC's Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Education. At the time of its establishment, CTS was the only VHF-supported... (Taiwan) |
Kenny Ho Kenny Ho (actor) Kenny Ho Ka-King is a Hong Kong actor who is best known for his role as Zhan Zhao in the 1993 Taiwanese drama Justice Bao.-Career:Ho enrolled in the ATV's training institute in 1982 and officially became an ATV actor after signing a contract with the company the following year... , Shen Meng-sheng, Leanne Liu, Fu Chuan |
See The Book and the Sword (CTS) The Book and the Sword (CTS) The Book and the Sword is a Taiwanese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CTS in Taiwan in 1992.-Cast:*Kenny Ho as Chen Jialuo*Leanne Liu as Huo Qingtong*Fu Chuan as Princess Fragrance... |
| 1994 | CCTV China Central Television China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers... (Mainland China) |
Huang Haibing, Wang Weiguo, Wang Jinghua, Yang Yanuo | See The Book and the Sword (1994 TV series) The Book and the Sword (1994 TV series) The Book and the Sword is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CCTV in China in 1994.-Cast:*Huang Haibing as Chen Jialuo*Wang Jinghua as Huo Qingtong... |
| 2002 | Co-production | Vincent Zhao Vincent Zhao Vincent Zhao Wenzhuo , sometimes credited as Chiu Man-cheuk, is a Chinese actor and martial artist. Zhao is best known playing the role of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung in the Once Upon a Time in China film and television series.-Early life:Zhao was born in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, as the... , Aaron Chen, Esther Kwan Esther Kwan Esther Kwan Wing-ho , born 16 July 1964 is a Hong Kong actress contracted to TVB.-Career:Kwan began her acting career after high school at ATV from 1988 to 1993. She moved over to TVB in 1993 and has been at the broadcaster on and off ever since. She is married to fellow actor Nick Cheung. They... , Rachel Ngan |
See Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge is a television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Book and the Sword. The series was first broadcast on CTV in Taiwan in 2002.-Cast:*Vincent Zhao as Chen Jialuo*Esther Kwan as Huo Qingtong... |
| 2008 | Mainland China | Adam Cheng Adam Cheng Adam Cheng Siu-chow is a Hong Kong TVB actor and Cantopop singer.-Career:Cheng started his career in the 1970s, where he gained a reputation for playing the lead roles in TVB Wuxia drama series based on the works of Louis Cha and Gu Long, such as The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber and Chor Lau Heung... , Liu Dekai, Qiao Zhenyu, Niki Chow Niki Chow Niki Chow is a Hong Kong actress and Cantopop singer. She terminated her contract with management company BMA and label BMA Records in January 2011 and currently has an artist contract with TVB. She was born and raised in Hong Kong... , Liu Ying |
See The Book and the Sword (2008 TV series) The Book and the Sword (2008 TV series) The Book and the Sword is a 2008 Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CETV-3 in China in 2009... |
Radio broadcasts
- In 1999, Hong Kong's RTHKRadio Television Hong KongRadio Television Hong Kong is a public broadcasting organisation in Hong Kong that is operated as an independent department in the government under the Broadcasting Authority. RTHK operates seven radio channels, and produces television programmes that are then broadcast through local television...
produced a 32 episodes radio serial, voiced by Tse Kwan-ho, Gigi LeungGigi LeungGigi Leung Wing-kei is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress.-Biography:Given the name Leung Bik-Zi at birth, at the age of 7 her mother changed her name changed to 'Wing-Kei' for superstitious reasons; as a child, Leung suffered from frequent asthma attacks and it was believed a change of name...
, Chow Kwok-fung and Jacqueline PangJacqueline PangJacqueline Pang Traditional Chinese - 彭晴 is a Hong Kong live television compère/host, interviewer, and a radio announcer on RTHK since 1998....
.
External links
The Book and the Sword 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....