The Legend of the Condor Heroes
Encyclopedia
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
. Jin Yong revised the novel twice, first in the 1970s and later in the 2000s.
and at the beginning of the Jin Dynasty's invasion of northern China. The first part of the novel revolves around the friendship of two men, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian, who become heroes in their own right as they fight the Jin invaders. The bond between the duo is so strong that they pledge to each other that their unborn children will become either sworn brothers (if both are of the same sex) or arranged to be married (if they are of opposite sexes).
The story focuses on the trials and tribulations of their sons after Guo Xiaotian's death and Yang Tiexin's disappearance. Guo Jing
, Guo Xiaotian's son, grows up in Mongolia under the care of Genghis Khan
. Yang Kang
, on the other hand, grows up in Jin as a Jurchen prince's son. Guo Jing is mentored by the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan" in martial arts but he is a slow learner and only manages to master part of the skills he was taught. Yang Kang was mentored by Qiu Chuji
of the Quanzhen Sect
and he learns the evil "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" from Mei Chaofeng secretly.
The boys' personalities differ largely from each other due to the difference in the manners they were raised. Guo Jing is honest, loyal and righteous, but slow witted. Conversely, Yang Kang is clever, but scheming and treacherous. They eventually meet one another and their respective lovers, Huang Rong
and Mu Nianci
. The main plot follows Guo Jing and Huang Rong's adventures and their encounters with the Five Greats. Meanwhile, Yang Kang plots with the Jurchens to destroy his native land of Song. Yang Kang refuses to acknowledge his ethnicity and is strongly driven to acquire wealth, fame and glory. His treachery is slowly unveiled throughout the novel through the encounters he has with the protagonists, although he is in the end outwitted by Huang Rong.
Assisted by Guo Jing, the Mongol army destroys the Jin Dynasty, subsequently turning its attention towards Song. Guo Jing is unwilling to aid the Mongols in conquering his native homeland and leaves Mongolia. Guo Jing returns to Song and helps his countrymen in countering the Mongol invasion. On the other hand, Yang Kang meets his retributive end, leaving behind Mu Nianci and their unborn son. The Mongol invasion is halted by Genghis Khan's unexpected death, although Guo Jing and Huang Rong encounter countless civilian deaths owing to this military conquest.
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, and the first part of 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...
. It was first serialized between January 1, 1957 and May 19, 1959 in Hong Kong Commercial Daily
Hong Kong Commercial Daily
The 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...
. Jin Yong revised the novel twice, first in the 1970s and later in the 2000s.
Plot
The story is set in the Song DynastySong 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...
and at the beginning of the Jin Dynasty's invasion of northern China. The first part of the novel revolves around the friendship of two men, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian, who become heroes in their own right as they fight the Jin invaders. The bond between the duo is so strong that they pledge to each other that their unborn children will become either sworn brothers (if both are of the same sex) or arranged to be married (if they are of opposite sexes).
The story focuses on the trials and tribulations of their sons after Guo Xiaotian's death and Yang Tiexin's disappearance. Guo Jing
Guo Jing
Guo Jing is the fictional protagonist of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. He plays a supporting role in the sequel novel The Return of the Condor Heroes as well...
, Guo Xiaotian's son, grows up in Mongolia under the care of 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....
. Yang Kang
Yang Kang
Yang Kang is the fictional antagonist and the foil to the protagonist, Guo Jing, in Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes.-Birth and heritage:...
, on the other hand, grows up in Jin as a Jurchen prince's son. Guo Jing is mentored by the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan" in martial arts but he is a slow learner and only manages to master part of the skills he was taught. Yang Kang was mentored by Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji
Qiu Chuji was a Daoist disciple of Wang Chongyang. He was the most famous among the Seven True Daoists of the North...
of the Quanzhen Sect
Quanzhen School
The Quanzhen School of Taoism originated in Northern China. It was founded by the Taoist Wang Chongyang in the 12th century, during the rise of the Jin Dynasty...
and he learns the evil "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" from Mei Chaofeng secretly.
The boys' personalities differ largely from each other due to the difference in the manners they were raised. Guo Jing is honest, loyal and righteous, but slow witted. Conversely, Yang Kang is clever, but scheming and treacherous. They eventually meet one another and their respective lovers, Huang Rong
Huang Rong
Huang Rong is a fictional character in the wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong. She plays a supporting role in the sequel The Return of the Condor Heroes.-Character description:...
and Mu Nianci
Mu Nianci
Mu Nianci is a character in Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. She is the love interest of the primary antagonist Yang Kang and the mother of Yang Guo, the protagonist of the sequel novel The Return of the Condor Heroes...
. The main plot follows Guo Jing and Huang Rong's adventures and their encounters with the Five Greats. Meanwhile, Yang Kang plots with the Jurchens to destroy his native land of Song. Yang Kang refuses to acknowledge his ethnicity and is strongly driven to acquire wealth, fame and glory. His treachery is slowly unveiled throughout the novel through the encounters he has with the protagonists, although he is in the end outwitted by Huang Rong.
Assisted by Guo Jing, the Mongol army destroys the Jin Dynasty, subsequently turning its attention towards Song. Guo Jing is unwilling to aid the Mongols in conquering his native homeland and leaves Mongolia. Guo Jing returns to Song and helps his countrymen in countering the Mongol invasion. On the other hand, Yang Kang meets his retributive end, leaving behind Mu Nianci and their unborn son. The Mongol invasion is halted by Genghis Khan's unexpected death, although Guo Jing and Huang Rong encounter countless civilian deaths owing to this military conquest.
Characters
- Guo JingGuo JingGuo Jing is the fictional protagonist of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. He plays a supporting role in the sequel novel The Return of the Condor Heroes as well...
(郭靖) – the son of Guo Xiaotian and Li Ping. He is born in Mongolia under the care and protection of Genghis Khan. He learns martial arts from many teachers, namely the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan", Ma Yu of the Quanzhen Sect, Hong Qigong and Zhou Botong. Although he is slow-witted, he maintains good moral principles and possesses a strong sense of patriotism towards his country and race. Towards the end of the novel, his adventures and many encounters transform him into one of the greatest pugilists of his time.
- Huang RongHuang RongHuang Rong is a fictional character in the wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong. She plays a supporting role in the sequel The Return of the Condor Heroes.-Character description:...
(黃蓉) – the daughter of Huang Yaoshi and Feng Heng. She meets Guo Jing by chance and they embark on their adventures together. They fall in love gradually and are eventually married. She is accepted as a disciple by Hong Qigong and later succeeds Hong as chief of the Beggars' SectBeggars' SectThe 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....
. She is intelligent and quick-witted, specializing in several other fields besides martial arts just like her father, and inheriting her mother's eidetic memory.
- Yang KangYang KangYang Kang is the fictional antagonist and the foil to the protagonist, Guo Jing, in Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes.-Birth and heritage:...
(楊康) – the son of Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo. He is raised in the Jin Dynasty as the son of the sixth prince, Wanyan Honglie, and is also known as "Wanyan Kang" (完顏康). He is treacherous and manipulative, lusting for fame, wealth and power, to the extent of exploiting his own race. He is thus labelled as a race traitor for acknowledging Wanyan Honglie, who is responsible for the deaths of his parents, as his father. He meets his retributive end after being poisoned in the Temple of the Iron Spear.
- Mu NianciMu NianciMu Nianci is a character in Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. She is the love interest of the primary antagonist Yang Kang and the mother of Yang Guo, the protagonist of the sequel novel The Return of the Condor Heroes...
(穆念慈) – the foster daughter of Mu Yi (Yang Tiexin). She meets Yang Kang when her foster father arranged a martial arts competition to seek a husband for her. Yang Kang won the competition and Mu Nianci falls in love with him. However, she leaves him after witnessing his treachery and brutal acts. She becomes pregnant with his child and gives birth to their son, Yang GuoYang GuoYang Guo, style name Gaizhi , is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong....
.
Films
| Year | | Production | | Guo Jing | | Huang Rong | | Yang Kang | | Mu Nianci | | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Emei Film Company (Hong Kong) |
Cho Tat-wah Cho Tat-wah Cho Tat-wah or Tso Tat-wah was a film actor of Hong Kong, most famous for the roles he played in a number of Wuxia films in the 1950s and 1960s.... |
Yung Siu-yee | Lam Kau | Lai Kwan-lin | See Story of the Vulture Conqueror Story of the Vulture Conqueror Story of the Vulture Conqueror is a two-part Hong Kong film adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The first part was released in 1958 while the second part was released in the following year... |
| 1977 | 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) |
Alexander Fu Alexander Fu Sheng Alexander Fu Sheng was a major Hong Kong martial arts film star in the 1970s.-Biography:... |
Tanny Tien | Lee I-min | Kara Hui Kara Hui Kara Hui Ying-Hung is a Hong Kong actress of Manchu ancestry.-Biography and career:Hui's family moved to Hong Kong in 1966 and she started working at night clubs at fourteen. In her interview on Be My Guest, Hui revealed her family lost their savings from her father's business acquaintances... |
See The Brave Archer |
| 1978 | Niu-niu | See The Brave Archer 2 The Brave Archer 2 The Brave Archer 2, alternatively known as Kungfu Warlord 2, is a 1978 Hong Kong film adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The film was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chang Cheh, starring Alexander Fu and Niu-niu in the leading roles... |
||||
| 1981 | Yu Tai-ping | N/A | See The Brave Archer 3 The Brave Archer 3 The Brave Archer 3, alternatively known as Blast of the Iron Palm, is a 1981 Hong Kong film adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The film was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chang Cheh, starring Alexander Fu and Niu-niu in the leading roles... |
|||
| 1993 | Scholars Ltd. (Hong Kong) | N/A | See The Eagle Shooting Heroes The Eagle Shooting Heroes The Eagle Shooting Heroes is a 1993 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Jeffrey Lau. It is a parody of Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes.-Production:... |
|||
| 1994 | See 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.... |
|||||
Television
| Year | | Production | | Guo Jing | | Huang Rong | | Yang Kang | | Mu Nianci | | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | CTV (Hong Kong) | Jason Pai | Michelle Yim Michelle Yim Michelle Yim Wai-ling , also known by her Chinese stage name Mai Suet , is a Hong Kong actress. She graduated from St Rose of Lima College and Shaw Brothers' Training School.-Early life and career:... |
Bruce Leung | Mang Chau | See The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1976 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1976 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CTV in Hong Kong in 1976.-Cast:*Jason Pai as Kwok Ching*Michelle Yim as Wong Yung... |
| 1983 | 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) |
Felix Wong Felix Wong Felix Wong Yat-wah is a Hong Kong actor and singer. Wong is best known for his performances in many Hong Kong wuxia television drama series produced by TVB, such as The Legend of the Condor Heroes , in which he played the protagonist Kwok Ching... |
Barbara Yung | Michael Miu Michael Miu Michael Miu Kiu-wai is a Hong Kong television and film actor. He was considered as one of the most popular young actors of the 1980s, and along with Tony Leung, Andy Lau, Felix Wong, and Kent Tong, he was a member of TVB's Five Tigers... |
Sharon Yeung | See The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1982 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1982 TV Series) -Track list:-Production:According to the behind-the-scenes featurette on the DVD, the Mongolian scenes were filmed in Lantau Island, Hong Kong.... |
| 1988 | China Television Co, Ltd. (Co-production) | Howie Wong | Idy Chan Idy Chan Idy Chan Yuk Lin is a popular Hong Kong TV actress, especially during the 1980s.-Career:She joined showbiz when she was 17 in 1977. She is most famous for her portrayal of three of the characters from The Condor Trilogy; her heavenly role of Xiaolongnü along with Andy Lau as Yang Guo in the 1983... |
Poon Wang-ban | Chiu Shu-yi | See The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1988 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1988 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Taiwanese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CTV in Taiwan in 1988.-Cast:*Howie Wong as Guo Jing, Guo Xiaotian*Idy Chan as Huang Rong, Feng Heng... |
| 1992 | TVB (Hong Kong) | N/A | See Rage and Passion Rage and Passion Rage and Passion is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novels The Legend of the Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes. It was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong in 1992.-Plot:... |
|||
| 1993 | See The Mystery of the Condor Hero The Mystery of the Condor Hero The Mystery of the Condor Hero is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. It was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong in 1993.-Plot:... |
|||||
| 1994 | Julian Cheung Julian Cheung Julian Cheung Chi-lam , better known as Chilam, is an award-winning Hong Kong singer and actor. Cheung is popularly known for his role as Guo Jing in the 1994 TV series adaptation of the Wuxia novel, The Legend of the Condor Heroes and also as Chi-Kin from the TVB drama Cold Blood Warm Heart... |
Athena Chu Athena Chu Athena Chu is a Hong Kong actress and singer.-Biography:Chu attended The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 1990 to 1992, during which time she hosted children's shows on the television station TVB. After graduating in 1992, she started working on films. Her roles with Chow kick-started... |
Gallen Lo Gallen Lo Gallen Lo Ka-leung is a Hong Kong actor and singer who primarily acts in television series. He is sometimes credited as King Gallen or Law Ka-leung.-Career:... |
Emily Kwan | See The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1994 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1994 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on TVB in 1994.-Cast:*Julian Cheung as Kwok Ching**Chu Wai-lin as young Kwok Ching... |
|
| N/A | See The Condor Heroes Return The Condor Heroes Return The Condor Heroes Return is a Hong Kong television series loosely based on the stories of two characters in Louis Cha's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes... |
|||||
| 2003 | Ciwen Film & TV Production Co. Ltd. (Mainland China) | Li Yapeng Li Yapeng Li Yapeng is a Chinese actor. He starred two CCTV TV series adaptations of Louis Cha's Wuxia novels; Guo Jing in The Legend of the Condor Heroes and Linghu Chong in Laughing in the Wind .In 2005 he married actress and singer Faye Wong, and had a daughter by her in May 2006, Li Yan... |
Zhou Xun Zhou Xun Zhou Xun is a Chinese actress and singer. She is regarded as one of the "Four Young Dan actresses" in China in the early 2000s, along with Zhang Ziyi, Xu Jinglei and Zhao Wei.-Early life:... |
Zhou Jie Zhou Jie Zhou Jie is a Chinese actor and singer, best known for his works on two television series as Fu Er Kang in the Huan Zhu Ge Ge trilogy and as Yang Kang in The Legend of the Condor Heroes .-Trivia and Gossip:... |
Jiang Qinqin Jiang Qinqin Jiang Qinqin is a Chinese actress. She is sometimes credited as Shui Ling , a stage name given to her by Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao while she was involved in the production of the television series Tears in Heaven.... |
See The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It is the first installment of a trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, followed by The Return of the Condor Heroes and The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber... |
| 2008 | Chinese Entertainment Shanghai Ltd. (Mainland China) |
Hu Ge Hu Ge (actor) Hu Ge , is a Chinese actor and singer. Hu is best known for his role as Li Xiaoyao in the 2003 television series Chinese Paladin.-Biography:... |
Ariel Lin Ariel Lin Ariel Lin |Hakka]]: Lim2 Yi3 Sen2) was born 29 October 1982. She is a Taiwanese actress and singer, who won Best Leading Actress in a Television Series at the 43rd Golden Bell Awards... |
Justin Yuan Justin Yuan Yuan Hong , also known as Justin Yuan, is a Chinese actor.-Biography:Yuan was born in Wuhan, Hubei. He graduated from Shanghai Theatre Academy, where he met and made friends with a fellow actor Hu GeYuan Hong , also known as Justin Yuan, is a Chinese actor.-Biography:Yuan was born in Wuhan, Hubei.... |
Cecilia Liu Cecilia Liu Liu Shishi , better known as Cecilia Liu, is a Chinese film and television actress and ballerina.-Biography:... |
See The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2008 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2008 TV series) The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. The series was produced by Chinese Entertainment Shanghai, the same company that produced Chinese Paladin , The Little Fairy and The Young Warriors... |
Comics
- In 1998, Hong Kong's Ming Ho Press (明河社) published a 38 volume comic series illustrated by Lee Chi Ching. This was published in Indonesia by MNC Comics in 2000.
Video games
- Shachou Eiyuuden: The Eagle Shooting Heroes - developed by Sony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
for the PlayStation
External links
The Legend of the Condor Heroes 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....