Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, Semi-Gods and Semi-Devils or The Cycles of the Heavenly Dragon (TC: 天龍八部; SC: 天龙八部; pinyin: Tiān Lóng Bā Bù) is a contemporary wuxia novel written by Jinyong.
It was originally published in 1963, and has since spawned several movies and television serials in both Mainland China and Hong Kong. The title of the novel has been a challenge for translators for years. It is based on the eight races of entities described in Buddhist text who are more powerful than humans on the cosmic scale. In Buddhism, even though these demi-gods are ranked higher than humanity, they are still bound to the Samsara by their own passions and desires. It is said that Jinyong originally modelled each major character after one of the Races.(eg. Qiao Feng obviously represents the Naga) But as he wrote on, the complexity of the story made it impossible for such a simplistic mapping. Today, the topic of which character corresponds to which Race is still an interesting matter of discussion among fans and readers.
Background
The main thematic element of the novel concerns the complex, often troubled relationships between the great multitude of characters from various kingdoms and sects, and the inherent bond that underlies the struggles of each. Ultimately, the novel examines the cause and effect that forms and breaks these bonds on five uniquely corresponding levels: self, family, society, ethnic group, and country (dominion). The timeframe in which the novel takes place is historically based upon the era of the Northern Song Dynasty, and includes the warring kingdoms of Song, Liao, Dali, Western Xia and Tubo. Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Major characters
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Qiao Feng 喬峰/乔峰 ,later asume the name (Xiao Feng 蕭峰, Xiao, his orginal family name)/ 萧峰 -- "Northern Qiao Feng", one of the two Wulin legendary heroes and a powerful martial artist; born of Qidan descent but was taken in by the Han swordsmen who killed his parents. At first, he used his adopted parents' surname but later reverted to his real one. Initially the leader of the Beggars' Sect, he was exiled after a controversy had revealed his true nationality. At varying times in the story he meets Duan Yu and Xu Zhu, with whom he would become sworn brothers. After being wrongly accused of killing his foster parents, his master (the Shaolin monk Xuan Ku 玄苦), and several other characters, he left the Song territory and by coincidence becomes the friend and sworn brother of the Khitan emperor. (The murders mentioned were actually committed by Qiao Feng's father Xiao Yuanshan 萧远山, whom everyone thought to be deceased by committing suicide after his wife or Qiao Feng's mother, was killed. He resided within the Shaolin temple for 30 years, learning every art he could find.) Qiao Feng eventually stopped a war between Song and Liao, but committed suicide when he believed he had betrayed his own country by forcing the Khitan emperor to withdraw troops and not attack the Song.
Murong Fu 慕容復/慕容复 -- "Southern Murong", whose skill turned out be the poorest out of all the main characters (as he is constantly relieved of his sword in numerous engagements); born of a royal lineage and successor to the throne of decimated Later Yan. A power-hungry and self-absorbed individual, he would stop at nothing to restore his kingdom. After a lengthy bout with Duan Yu and a failed alliance with Duan Yanqing (resulting in several needless deaths), he went insane and became somewhat of a recluse.(His father, Murong Bo 慕容博, whose martial arts prowess was far superor to his own, was also a cunning villain who plotted the attack on Qiao Feng's parents.)
Duan Yu 段譽/段誉 -- Prince of Dali. He was a pacifist by nature, although he later stumbled upon the secret arts of the 六脉神剑 (Liu Mai Shen Jian) and Xiaoyao's martial arts by chance. His father, Duan Zhengchun, was a notorious libertine who had affairs with several women who -- much to his dismay -- were revealed to be the birth mothers of several of his own love interests. In an ironic turn of events, it was revealed in the end that his true father is Duan Yanqing, who had been meaning to kill him. He became the emperor of Dali at the end of the novel.
Duan Zhengchun 段正淳/段正淳 -- (foster) father of Duan Yu, and the brother of the emperor of Dali. He had affairs with several women, who were all killed by Murong Fu. Most of them bore him children, who are all daughters:
Wang Fu Ren (Madam Wang) 王夫人 who bore Wang Yuyan 王語嫣/王语嫣 Her death is rather ironic because she happened to be Murong Fu's aunt.
Gan Bao Bao 甘寶寶/甘宝宝 who bore Zhong Ling 鍾靈/ 钟灵
Qin Hongmian 秦紅棉/秦红棉 who bore Mu Wanqing 木婉清/木婉清
Ruan Xingzhu 阮星竹 mother of A Zhu 阿朱, A Zi 阿紫
Ma Fu Ren (Madam Ma) 馬夫人/马夫人, or Kang Min 康敏; who has no children, and the only one of Duan Zhengchun's love interests who is truly evil; having plotted the death of her weak but good-natured husband Ma Dayuan 马大元, formerly the assistant chief of the Beggar Sect and second in command to Giao Feng
Dao Baifeng 刀白鳳/刀白凤 mother of Duan Yu, the only male. As it turned out, angry and jealous of Duan Zhengchun's many affairs, Dao Baifeng had a fling with Duan Yanqing, who was the true father of Duan Yu. Dao Baifeng is Duan Zhengchun's one and only official wife.
Xu Zhu 虛竹/虚竹 -- A Shaolin monk. He bore traits similar to Duan Yu. By accidental, he solved the "Unsolvable Weiqi Game" (with help) and inherited the power of the Xiaoyao Sect Grandmaster in order to defeat Ding Chunqiu, a traitor and a murderer. His powers were further augmented when he came into contact with the Tian Shan Tong Lao. Later he was found to be the captured son of Ye Er Niang and the abbot of the Shaolin temple, who was also the Leading Brother(带头大哥),having attacked Qiao Feng's biological parents and also killed his mother. Xu Zhu, for learning the martial arts of another sect and violating the monk's protocol multiple times, was expelled from the Shaolin temple, much to his sadness.
Wang Yuyan 王語嫣/王语嫣 -- A beautiful and compassionate maiden, initially she loved the elusive Murong Fu, who had no desire outside of conquering the kingdoms. Finally she redirected her love to Duan Yu, who was obsessed with her right from the beginning. Her past was largely unknown until the end, where it was revealed that she was the granddaughter of the Tian Shan Tong Lao's younger disciple sister and Wu Ya Zi, the Xiaoyao Sect Grandmaster.
A Zhu 阿朱 -- The love interest of Qiao Feng. She was one of the daughters of Duan Zhengchun and was a master of disguise. After a misunderstanding between Qiao Feng and Duan Zhengchun (in which Qiao Feng was led to believe that Duan Zhengchun was the Leading Brother killed his birth parents), a disguised A Zhu was slain at the hands of her lover.
A Zi 阿紫 -- A Zhu's younger sister. Very childish and self-centered, she caused much hassles for Qiao Feng, who swore an oath to take care of her after her sister's passing. She was heavily infatuated with Qiao Feng, although he saw her as nothing more than a burden which he was obligated to carry. After being blinded by her own master, A Zi whined for Qiao Feng and her half-brother Duan Yu to gouge out someone else's eyes to replace her own. She eventually had her wish granted through the selfless sacrfice of You Tanzhi. After Qiao Feng committed suicide, a heartbroken A Zi, carrying Qiao Feng's corpse, jumped off the cliff at Yan Men Guan 雁门关.
You Tanzhi 游坦之 (Tie Chou 鐵丑/铁丑, "The Iron Clown") -- A prisoner of A Zi who developed a scathing hatred towards Qiao Feng for killing his father and many others during the Hero's Covention. He was the polar opposite of A Zi: a selfless, noble individual who would willingly submit to the wishes of loved ones. Ironically, he fell in love with A Zi and, as a result, had a cast-iron mask placed over his face as an amusement of her sadistic desires. When A Zi was blinded by her master Ding Chunqiu, he went to ask Xu Zhu to surgically replace A Zi's eyes with his own, threatening to kill himself if Xu Zhu refused. His story was that of a true tragedy -- giving everything to his betrothed and yet receiving naught but cruelty in return. After A Zi committed suicide, You Tanzhi followed suit.
Si Da E Ren 四大惡人/四大恶人 ("The Four Evil Ones") -- a band of four individuals known for their cruelty and malevolence, consisting of:
Duan Yanqing 段延慶/段延庆 (E Guan Man Ying 惡貫滿盈/恶贯满盈, "Overflowing Evil") -- Extremely powerful despite his form as a crippled old man. Once a prince of Dali, he was outcast and left for dead, after which he was "brought back to life" by a woman who was shrouded in light. The women turned out to be Dao Baifeng, who gave birth to his son Duan Yu
Ye Er Niang 葉二娘/叶二娘 (Wu E Bu Zuo 无恶不作, "Commits all kinds of Evil") -- Deprived of her only son, she crazily seized and killed the sons from others. It turned out Xu Zhu was her son. Later, she meets Xuan Ci, the head abbott of Shaolin whom Xiao Yuan Shan, the vengeful father of Xiao Feng, revealed as the father of Xu Zhu. Xuan Ci was then punished for breaking the monk's protocol and was beaten, and later died from his wounds. A heartbroken Ye Er Niang then killed herself.
Yue Lao San 岳老三/岳老三 (Xiong Shen E Sha 凶神惡煞/凶神恶煞, "Evil Countenance") -- Comical (but evil) individual who complained constantly about his status with regards to others (Yue Lao San always thinks he is older than Ye Er Niang and calls himself Yue Lao Er 岳老二). He wields a an enormous pair of scissors. He was outsmarted by Duan Yu and becomes his "disciple". He was also known as 南海鱷神/ 南海鳄神 (Crocodile Spawn of the Southern Seas). Despite his ignoble namesake, he came through as a loyal disciple by sacrificing his own life so that Duan Yu could be saved.
Yun Zhong He 雲中鶴/云中鹤 (Qiong Xiong Ji E 窮凶極惡/穷凶极恶, "Desperate Evil") -- A lecherous fiend who was notorious for preying on beautiful young women. Duan Yu, who was already grieving for his dead parents, viciously slaughtered him near the epilogue using 六脈神劍/六脉神剑 (Liu Mai Shen Jian), for lusting after Wang Yuyan.
Wu Ya Zi 無崖子/无涯子 -- Grandmaster of the Xiaoyao Sect,who transferred all his powers (qi) to Xu Zhu before he died.
Tian Shan Tong Lao 天山童姥 -- Disciple sister of Wu Ya Zi and long-time nemesis of Li Qiushui, her own disciple sister.
Li Qiushui 李秋水 -- Training partner of Wu Ya Zi and younger disciple sister to Tian Shan Tong Lao. Mother of Wang Fu Ren - who gives birth to Wang Yuyan.
