The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Saber^{[citation needed]} (Traditional Chinese: 倚天屠龍記; Simplified Chinese: 倚天屠龙记; pinyin: yǐ tiān tú lóng jì) is a Chinese wuxia novel by Jinyong, first serialized in Ming Pao. Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiÇŽntǐzì; also Simplified Chinese: 简化字; Traditional Chinese: 簡化字; pinyin: jiÇŽnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell(ing) and yin means sound(s)). This article describes the most common variant called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: 汉语拼音; Traditional Chinese: 漢語拼音; pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme... Poster from the American release of Zhang Yimous 2002 film Hero (英雄) WÇ”xiá (also Wu Xia) (Traditional Chinese: 武俠; Simplified Chinese: 武侠; Mandarin IPA: ; Cantonese: mów hàb), literally meaning martial arts chivalry or martial arts heroes, from Chinese, is a distinct genre in Chinese literature, television and cinema. ... Daniel Defoes Robinson Crusoe; title page of 1719 newspaper edition A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended fictional narrative in prose. ... Louis Cha or Zha Liangyong (sometimes Cha Leung Yung), OBE (born June 6, 1924), known to most by his penname Jinyong (Jin Yong) or Kam-yung (Cantonese), is one of the most influential modern Chinese-language novelists who is also the co-founder of the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao. ... Ming Pao (Traditional Chinese: 明報, Simplified Chinese: 明报, Jyutping ming4 bou3, Hanyu Pinyin: míngbào), a Chinese language newspaper, is a publication by the Ming Pao Group in Hong Kong. ...

Jinyong revised the novel in 1979 with a number of amendments and additions. This is the version most familiar to readers. A third revision was published in early 2005, incorporating later thoughts and a lengthier conclusion. The third revision added many changes and cleared up some mysteries in the second version, such as the origin of Jiu Yang Zhen Jing. However, some Jinyong Loyalists were disappointed with the new revisions. This page refers to the year 1979. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

The novel is intended to be the third part of a trilogy after The Legend of the Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes. It is set about a hundred years after the second novel, in the late Yuan Dynasty. The Legend of Condor Heroes (Traditional Chinese: 射鵰英雄傳; Simplified Chinese: 射雕英雄传; pinyin: shè diāo yīng xióng zhuàn) is a wuxia novel by Jinyong, first published in 1957 in Hong Kong Commercial Daily. ... The Return of the Condor Heroes (Traditional Chinese: 神鵰俠侶; Simplified Chinese: 神雕侠侣; pinyin: shén diāo xiá lǚ) is a classic wuxia novel written by Jinyong, first published on May 20, 1959 in the first issue of Ming Pao and ran for about three years. ... The Yuan Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: Yuáncháo; Mongolian: Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus) lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. ...

As in a number of his novels, Jinyong makes use of a number of historical figures in the story, including the founder of the Ming dynasty Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Youliang, Zhang Sanfeng and the Ming Cult. The political clash between Han Chinese and the Mongols also features strongly in the plot. The Hongwu Emperor (October 21, 1328 - June 24, 1398), personal name Zhu Yuanzhang, was the founder of the Ming Dynasty of China, and the first emperor of this dynasty from 1368 to 1398. ... Chén Yǒuliàng (陳友諒, in Wade-Giles Chen Yu-liang) (1320 - August 23, 1363) was the founder of the rebel Dahan (大漢 Great Han) regime in late Yuan Dynasty in China. ... Zhang Sanfeng was a semi-mythical Chinese Taoist priest who is believed by some to have achieved immortality, said variously to date from either the late Song dynasty, Yuan dynasty or Ming dynasty. ... Manichaeism was one of the major ancient religions. ... Politics is a process by which decisions are made within groups. ... Han Chinese (Simplified Chinese: 汉族; Traditional Chinese: 漢族; Pinyin: hànzú) is a term which refers to the majority ethnic group within China and the largest single human ethnic group in the world. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ...

Plot

The story revolves around a pair of priceless and extremely powerful weapons, known respectively as the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber(more precisely dragon slayer's saber), which all of wulin's martial artists covet. Either or both of them are thought to allow their wielder to rule the wulin world, according to a widely circulating rumor in an oft-repeated mantra, though for some reason they are now lost. The bayonet, still used in war as both knife and spearpoint. ... Poster from the American release of Zhang Yimous 2002 film Hero (英雄) Wǔxiá (also Wu Xia) (Traditional Chinese: 武俠; Simplified Chinese: 武侠; Mandarin IPA: ; Cantonese: mów hàb), literally meaning martial arts chivalry or martial arts heroes, from Chinese, is a distinct genre in Chinese literature, television and cinema. ...

The novel's hero is Zhang Wuji (张无忌/張無忌), who through a series of events becomes a highly skilled martial arts practitioner and 34th leader of the Ming Cult. Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ...

Like in most Jinyong's novels, romance forms a major backbone to the book. Interwoven in the plot is the protagonist's romantic entanglements with four female characters. Romantic love is a form of love that is often regarded as different from mere needs driven by sexual desire, or lust. ...

The secret of the sword and saber is revealed midway in the novel, but the impetus of the narrative is not lost, as the author traces the upheavals which follow it.

The novel ends with a hint of the imminent founding of the Ming Dynasty by the traitor Zhu Yuanzhang. The Míng Dynasty (Chinese: 明朝; Pinyin: Míng Cháo) was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. ...

The two weapons

Midway through the book, it is revealed that the two weapons, Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, are actually made from a single sword, Xuan-Tie-Jian, which Yang Guo wielded in the prequel (set nearly 100 years ago), The Return of the Condor Heroes. The great sword belonged to Dugu Qiu Bai, a great martial arts hero whose skills were unmatched under the heavens. Yang Guo came upon the sword while he was recovering from the loveless poison and the loss of his arm. The fictional character Yang Guo (Traditional Chinese: 楊過; Simplified Chinese: 杨过, pinyin: Yáng Guò) is the protagonist in the 1959 Chinese wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jinyong. ... The Return of the Condor Heroes (Traditional Chinese: 神鵰俠侶; Simplified Chinese: 神雕侠侣; pinyin: shén diāo xiá lǚ) is a classic wuxia novel written by Jinyong, first published on May 20, 1959 in the first issue of Ming Pao and ran for about three years. ... Dugu Qiu Bai aka Kim Mo tuk Ku Kau Pai (The lonely sword devil in search of defeat) was a character in Ging Yongs novel named Lin Kang. ... The fictional character Yang Guo (Traditional Chinese: 楊過; Simplified Chinese: 杨过, pinyin: Yáng Guò) is the protagonist in the 1959 Chinese wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jinyong. ...

Later, when Yang Guo and his master/wife, Xiaolongnü left Xiangyang, he left the sword with Guo Jing and Huang Rong. It was said that the sword was melted, special steel material was added and made into the Heaven Sword and the Dragon Sabre. Hidden within the Dragon Sabre was the military textbook (Wu Mu Yi Shu) written by the late great Sung Dynasty general Yue Fei; similarly, hidden within the Heaven Sword was a scroll detailing the powerful martial art Jiu-Yin-Zhen-Jing and (legends told that Guo Jing wrote the Dragon Subduing Palms or Xiang Long Shi Ba Zhang manual along with Jiu-Yin-Zhen-Jing). The former was given to Guo Jing and Huang Rong's son while the latter was bestowed upon their youngest daughter, Guo Xiang who was Yang Guo's favorite and founder of the Emei Sect. The fictional character Yang Guo (Traditional Chinese: 楊過; Simplified Chinese: 杨过, pinyin: Yáng Guò) is the protagonist in the 1959 Chinese wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jinyong. ... Xiaolongnü portrayed by Liu Yifei in the 2006 CCTVs adaptation of The Return of the Condor Heroes. Xiaolongnü (Traditional Chinese: 小龍女, Simplified Chinese: 小龙女; lit. ... Xiangyang (Traditional Chinese: 襄陽, Simplified Chinese: 襄阳, pinyin: Xiāngyáng) was a Chinese city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang (1267-1273) by Mongol invaders. ... Guo Jing (Chinese: 郭靖, died January 31, 1273) is the fictional main character in The Legend of the Condor Heroes, a novel written by Chinese author Jinyong. ... Huang Rong 黄蓉(born in 1203, died January 31, 1273) is a fictional character in the novel, The Legend of the Condor Heroes written by Chinese author Jinyong. ... Guo Xiang (Traditional Chinese: 郭襄; Simplified Chinese: 郭襄; pinyin: guō xiāng) is a fictional character in The Return of the Condor Heroes, a wuxia novel written by Jinyong, and later mentioned in The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Saber. ...

The content of the hidden book and scroll, plus the fact that the two weapons can only be broken (thereby revealing said book and scroll) when used against each other, was the source of the claim that whoever possessed the sword will be "untouchable" and whoever possessed the sabre will rule "all under heaven".

The secret of the weapons was passed down via (and only through) the leaders of the Emei Sect. Zhou Ziruo was the latest leader of the sect, and about half-way into the novel, she managed to obtain the two weapons through her scheming and deception.

Characters

Protagonists

Zhang Wuji

Zhang Wuji is the main male character in the novel. He was born on Ice and Fire Island in 1337, his father was Zhang Cuishan, and mother was Yin Susu. Living together with them on the island was his godfather, Xie Xun. Zhang Wuji was named after Xie Wuji, who was Xie Xun's baby son that was killed by Cheng Kun and was called Xie Wuji before he was 10 years old. When he was 10, Zhang Wuji returned to mainland China with his parents. His parents died at Mt. Wudang, and Zhang Wuji lived there for two years. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Events March 17 - Edward, the Black Prince is created Duke of Cornwall, becoming the first English Duke Beginning of the Hundred Years War (c. ...

Zhang Wuji traveled to Hu Qingniu's after he was poisoned, and he lived at Hu Qingniu's for another two years. After the death of Hu Qingniu and his wife, he went to see Yang Xiao with Yang Buhui. On the way back from Yang Xiao's, he encountered Zhu Changling.

He spent five years studying the martial arts from the manual, Jiuyang Zhenjing, healing his poisoned body in the process. When he was twenty, he went to Guangming Peak where he became Ming Cult's 34th leader by helping the Cult resolve its animosities with the six other major Sects. He met Zhao Min, who became his wife later, at Lüliu Shanzhuang. He then went to Shaolin and Wudang. At Wudang, he met Zhang Sanfeng and Zhao Min again. Manichaeism was one of the major ancient religions. ... Main gate of the Shaolin temple in Henan. ... Cliffside Temple at Wudangshan The Wudang Mountains (武當山; pinyin: wǔ dāng shān, also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang), are a small mountain range in the Hubei province of China, just to the south of the manufacturing city of Shiyan. ... Cliffside Temple at Wudangshan The Wudang Mountains (武當山; pinyin: wǔ dāng shān, also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang), are a small mountain range in the Hubei province of China, just to the south of the manufacturing city of Shiyan. ... Zhang Sanfeng was a semi-mythical Chinese Taoist priest who is believed by some to have achieved immortality, said variously to date from either the late Song dynasty, Yuan dynasty or Ming dynasty. ...

Zhao Min

Zhao Min was a Mongolian princess and the main female character of the novel. In the initial version of the novel, she was known as Zhao Ming. Her Mongolia name was Minmin Temür, or Mingming Temür in the original version of the novel. She was born around 1340, and her father was Prince Chaghan Temür. She has an older brother Köke Temür, Chinese name Wang Baobao. Events Europe has about 74 million inhabitants. ... Köke Temür - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Köke Temür (Classical Mongolian: köke temür, Khalkha Mongolian: Хѳхтѳмѳр Höhtömör; ?-1375) was an Uyghur general of the Yuan Dynasty (and the Northern Yuan). ...

Zhou Zhiruo

Zhou was a girl whom Zhang Wuji first met when she was a 10-year-old. She became the fourth leader of Emei. Zhou Zhiruo loved Zhang Wuji passionately and almost married him despite her master Mie Jue's vehement admonishment. Location within China A wooden bridgewalk over the Crystal Stream, western slopes. ...

Once Zhang Wuji fell for Zhao Min, Zhou Zhirou became jealous. She learned only the martial arts from the Jiuying script, while neglecting inner energy cultivation, so although she resembled a powerful pugilist on the surface, she had no real substance.

Yin Li

Yin Li was Zhang Wuji's younger female cousin. Her father was Yin Yewang. Yin Li was also known as Zhuer. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

Xiaozhao

Xiaozhao was Purple Dragon and Han Qianye's daughter. Among the women Wuji would encounter she was the most beautiful. Louis Cha had said, on occasions, that Xiaozhao is his personal favorite female character out of all whom he had created for his novels.

Xie Xun

Xie Xun or Golden Haired Lion King, is one of the four guardians of Ming Sect and godfather of Zhang Wuji. He had at one stage on Ice and Fire Island, went into one of his berserk moods and was thus blinded by Yin Su Su as a last resort. He is hated by the Wuxia society in this story was because Cheng Kun, his mentor, had killed his family to exact revenge on the Ming Sect, he had killed others in the name of Cheng Kun to lure him out. It was actually a plot by Cheng Kun, as he knew the temper of his student well, so by killing his family, he had provoked Xie Xun to go around killing people in his name so as to lure him out. Thus, Xie Xun's name was hated by Wuxia world and also Ming Sect was also hated by the Wuxia world.

Antagonists

One of the reasons why Jinyong is considered such a great writer is that he creates villains that are not evil for evil's sake. The reader can often empathize, if not outright agree, with their motivations even though their methods may be despicable. Louis Cha or Zha Liangyong (sometimes Cha Leung Yung), OBE (born June 6, 1924), known to most by his penname Jinyong (Jin Yong) or Kam-yung (Cantonese), is one of the most influential modern Chinese-language novelists who is also the co-founder of the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao. ...

Cheng Kun

Cheung Kun is the primary villain of the novel. Because he lost his one true love to the leader of the Ming Sect, he has vowed to destroy the Ming Sect in China. He has no compunction whatsoever in whom he has to deceive, implicate, or murder in order to accomplish his goal.

Chen Youliang

Main article: Chen Youliang

Chen Youliang is a disciple of Cheng Kun. He convinces Song Qingshu to betray Wudang Sect and join the Beggar's Sect. Eventually became a major warlord in his own right. Chén Yǒuliàng (陳友諒, in Wade-Giles Chen Yu-liang) (1320 - August 23, 1363) was the founder of the rebel Dahan (大漢 Great Han) regime in late Yuan Dynasty in China. ... Chén Yǒuliàng (陳友諒, in Wade-Giles Chen Yu-liang) (1320 - August 23, 1363) was the founder of the rebel Dahan (大漢 Great Han) regime in late Yuan Dynasty in China. ...

Miejue

Main article: Miejue

Mie Jue is the dogmatic leader of the Emei sect. She wishes to eradicate evil and to prevent her disciples from falling under evil influences by any means necessary. Since the Ming sect has been pre-judged as an evil sect, Mie Jue will not be swayed to allow them or anything associated with them to exist. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Mie Jue killed Ji Xiao Fu because she allowed herself to be deceived by the 'evil' Yang Xiao and would not repent by killing him. Mie Jue ordered Zhou Zhiruo to kill Wuji and never fall in love with him because she had already lost one disciple to the evil sway of the Ming sect and didn't want to lose another good disciple to them.

Song Qingshu

Song Qingshu was madly in love with Zhou Zhi Rou. He would do anything to please her and to have her become his wife. He is the very epitome of forsaking all others for the one he loves.

Zhu Yuanzhang

A traitor of the Ming sect who rose through the ranks and eventually usurped the leadership of both the sect and the anti-Yuan forces in general. Persecuted erstwhile comrades after establishing the Ming Dynasty of China.

Adaptations

As is typical of Jinyong's novels, this story has been adapted to various media.

TV series

Due to the fact that the story features a young man choosing between several beautiful women, this story gets a treatment every so often so that emerging young talent can be showcased. Each of the TV series features a slightly different beginning and ending.

This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... REDIRECT Television Broadcasts Limited ... Adam Cheng Siu-Chow (Simplified Chinese: 郑少秋, Traditional Chinese: 鄭少秋, Jyutping: Ching6 Siu2 Tsau1, Pinyin: Zheng4 Shao3 Qiu1, Originally named 鄭創世;Cheng Chong-sai) (born February 24, 1947 in Hong Kong) is a popular TVB actor and singer in Hong Kong. ... REDIRECT Television Broadcasts Limited ... Tony Leung in his 2002 album, Wind and Sand Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Chinese: 梁朝偉; Pinyin: Liáng Cháowěi) (born June 27, 1962) is a Hong Kong movie and ex-television actor. ... Simon Yam Simon Yam Tat Wah (Chinese: 任達華 born March 19, 1955) is a Hong Kong actor. ... REDIRECT Television Broadcasts Limited ... Lawrence Ng Kai Wah is a popular TV actor in Hong Kong. ... Alec Su, Taiwanese pop star and well-known actor. ...

Movies

• In 1978, Shaw Brothers produced 2 films based on the novel in two parts.

• In 1993, Jet Li starred in Kung Fu Cult Master which is based on the book with major alterations in both plot and characters. The movie also ends on a cliffhanger, with no sequel to follow. Although the English title is different, the Chinese title remains 倚天屠龍記 (The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Saber).

Jet Li Jet Li (Traditional Chinese: 李連杰; Simplified Chinese: 李连杰; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Li Lien-chieh; Cantonese: Ley5 Lin4 Git6; born April 26, 1963) is a Chinese martial artist and film actor. ...

Comics/Manhua

• Ma Wing Shing, the renowned author and illustrator of The Storm Riders, adapted the story. Louis Cha is credited as the writer while Ma Shing Wing handled the illustration work. In 2002, Comics One published an English translation. While the plot details remain intact, some of the story's events were presented out of order from the novel.

The Storm Riders is a 1998 Hong Kong film directed by Andrew Lau. ...

Video games

• An old-school RPG adaption encompasses the entire story.
• In 2000, a newer adaptation was released by Soft-World; however, the movie ends after the confrontation at Bright Peak.
• In 2004, Soft-World released another adaptation. Instead of the traditional turn-based RPG, this version has a real-time battle system (similar to Diablo), and encompasses the entire story.

Computer role-playing games (CRPGs), often shortened to simply role-playing games (RPGs), are a type of video or computer game that traditionally use gameplay elements found in paper-and-pencil role-playing games. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Diablo is a hack and slash action role-playing game released by Blizzard Entertainment and developed by Blizzard North, released on November 30, 1996. ...

See also

• Jinyong
• The Condor Trilogy
• The Legend of the Condor Heroes
• The Return of the Condor Heroes

Louis Cha or Zha Liangyong (sometimes Cha Leung Yung), OBE (born June 6, 1924), known to most by his penname Jinyong (Jin Yong) or Kam-yung (Cantonese), is one of the most influential modern Chinese-language novelists who is also the co-founder of the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao. ... The Condor Trilogy is a trilogy of three wuxia fiction novels by Jinyong. ... The Legend of Condor Heroes (Traditional Chinese: 射鵰英雄傳; Simplified Chinese: 射雕英雄传; pinyin: shè diāo yīng xióng zhuàn) is a wuxia novel by Jinyong, first published in 1957 in Hong Kong Commercial Daily. ... The Return of the Condor Heroes (Traditional Chinese: 神鵰俠侶; Simplified Chinese: 神雕侠侣; pinyin: shén diāo xiá lǚ) is a classic wuxia novel written by Jinyong, first published on May 20, 1959 in the first issue of Ming Pao and ran for about three years. ...

External links

• (English) Tales of the Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Slaying Sabre - translation of the novel at Wuxiapedia.com
• (English) Yi Tian Tu Long Ji - fansite of the novel
• (English) TV adaptations - fansite
• (French) Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre - information about the 1978 film adaptation at the French Wikipedia