The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Saber (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 Bao.
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.
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.
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.
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Plot
The story revolves around a pair of priceless and extremely powerful weapons, known respectively as the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, which all pugilists covet. Either or both of them are thought to allow their wielder to rule the pugilist world, according to a widely circulating rumor in an oft-repeated mantra, though for some reason they are now lost.
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.
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.
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.
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, namely, the sword 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.
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-Ying-Zhen-Jin and (legends told that Guo Jing wrote the Dragon Subduing Palms or Xiang Long Shi Ba Zhang manual along with Jiu-Ying-Zhen-Jin). 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 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 two weapons will rule the world.
The secret of the weapons was passed down via the leaders of the Emei sect and only 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.
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.
Zhao Min
Zhao Min was another main female character in 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 Chaghan Temür. She has an older brother K?ke Temür, Chinese name Wang Baobao.
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.
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.
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 shifu, 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.
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. Although his evil deeds benefit him personally, he's just obeying his Master's orders.
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.
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.
Kungfu sects
Ming Cult
Yang Dingtian - 33rd leader
光明二使:
Yang Xiao Left Guard
Yang Buhui: Daughter of Yang Xiao and Ji Xiaofu, wife of Ying Liting
Fan Yao Right Guard
Four Kings:
Dai Qisi Purple Dragon, also known as Granny Golden Flower and Madam Han
Xiaozhao: Daughter of Daiqisi
Xie Xun Golden Lion, Godfather of Zhang Wuji
Xie Wuji: Son of Xie Xun. He was killed by Cheng Kun when he was a baby. Zhang Wuji was later named after him.
Yin Tianzheng White Eagle
Yin Yewang: Son of Yin Tianzheng
Yin Li: Daughter of Yin Yewang, also known as Zhu'er
Yin Susu: Daughter of Yin Tianzheng, wife of Zhang Cuishan, mother of Zhang Wuji
Zhang Wuji: Son of Yin Susu and Zhang Cuishan，34th leader
Wei Yixiao Green Bat
Five Flag Separatists:
Zhou Dian Totter Zhou
Leng Qian Mr. Cold Face
Shuobude Monk Sack - Can't Tell
Peng Yingyu Monk Peng
Taoist Tieguan Priest Iron
Shaolin sect
"Kong"s:
Kongjian (空见)
Kongwen (空闻)
Kongzhi (空智)
Kongxing (空性)
"Yuan"s:
Yuanzhen, or Cheng Kun, aka Hun Yuan Pi Li Shou: (b. 1280s) A member of the Shaolin monastery
Yuanxin
Yuanyin
Yuanye
Wudang sect
Zhang Sanfeng
The 7 Swordsmen of Wudang
Song Yuanqiao: First brother
Song Qingshu: Son of Song Yuanqiao, the would-be suitor of Zhou Zhirou
Yu Lianzhou: Second brother
Yu Daiyan: Third brother
Zhang Songxi: Fourth brother
Zhang Cuishan: Fifth brother, father of Zhang Wuji, husband of Yin Susu
Zhang Wuji: Son of Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu
Yin Liting: Sixth brother, husband of Yang Buhui
Mo Shenggu: Seventh brother
Emei sect
Guo Xiang (郭襄, first leader)
Fengling (风陵师太, second leader)
Miejue (灭绝师太, third leader)
Ji Xiaofu
Yang Buhui 杨不悔: Daughter of Ji Xiaofu and Yang Xiao
Bei Jinyi
Zhao Lingzhu
Li Mingxia
Su Mengqing
Fang Bilin
Zhou Zhiruo (周芷若, fourth leader)
Kunlun sect
He Taichong (何太冲)
Kongtong sect
Huashan sect
Xianyu Tong (鲜于通)
Minor sects
Minor sects in the novel include Gaibang (Beggars' sect), Haishapai (Haisha sect), Jujingbang, Shenquanmen etc.
Adaptations
As is typical of Jinyong's novels, this story has been adapted to various media.
TV series
Because 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.
Adam Cheng played Wuji in a 1978 TVB production.
In 1984, Taiwan's TTV had Lau Tak Kai play Zhang Wuji and Zhang Cuishan.
Tony Leung Chiu Wai played Wuji in a 1986 TVB production. Simon Yam played Zhang Cuishan. Since Tony Leung and Simon Yam both went on to superstardom later in their careers, many consider this version to be the best TV adaptation.
Steve Ma Chingdao played Wuji in a 1994 Taiwan production.
Lawrence Ng played Wuji in a 2000 production.
Alec Su played Zhang Wuji and Zhang Cuishan in a 2003 Mainland China-Taiwan-Singapore co-production. Although the show begins differently and the role of the Mongolian Government in the story's events is emphasized, the major plotline remains largely unaltered. This version is notable in that it's the first to depict the events of story in chronological order as opposed to the revelatory style of the novel.
Movies
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).
Comics/Manhua
Ma Shing Wing, 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.
Video games
An old-school video game adaption encompasses the entire story.
In 2000, a fully 3D version appeared; however, the movie ends after the confrontation at Bright Peak.
