''The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber'' (), also translated as ''The Sword and the Knife'', is a
wuxia
( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...
novel by
Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It is the third and final installment in the ''
Condor Trilogy
The ''Condor Trilogy'' (射鵰三部曲) is a series of three wuxia novels written by Hong Kong-based Chinese writer Jin Yong (Louis Cha). The series is amongst the most popular of Jin Yong's works.
The novels in the trilogy are:
* ''The Legend ...
'', preceded by ''
The Legend of the Condor Heroes
''The Legend of the Condor Heroes'' is a wuxia novel by Chinese writer Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It is the first part of the ''Condor Trilogy'' and is followed by ''The Return of the Condor Heroes'' and ''The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber''. It w ...
'' and ''
The Return of the Condor Heroes
''The Return of the Condor Heroes'', also called ''The Giant Eagle and Its Companion'', is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It is the second part of the '' Condor Trilogy'' and was preceded by '' The Legend of the Condor Heroes'' and foll ...
''. It was first serialised from 6 July 1961 to 2 September 1963 in the
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
newspaper ''
Ming Pao
''Ming Pao'' () is a Chinese-language newspaper published by Media Chinese International in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, ''Ming Pao'' established four overseas branches in North America; each provides independent reporting on local news and colle ...
''.
Jin Yong revised the novel in 1979 with a number of amendments and additions. A second revision was published in early 2005, incorporating later thoughts and a lengthier conclusion. It also introduced many changes to the plot and cleared up some ambiguities in the second edition, such as the origin of the ''Nine Yang Manual''. As is typical of some of his other novels, Jin Yong included elements of Chinese history in the story, such as featuring historical figures like
Hongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398), personal name Zhu Yuanzhang (), courtesy name Guorui (), was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1368 to 1398.
As famine, plagues and peasant revolts in ...
,
Chen Youliang
Chen Youliang (陳友諒; 1320 – 3 October 1363For those cross-referencing the Mingshi, in the old Chinese calendar 至正二十三年 refers to the year 1363 CE, 七月二十日 refers to 8月29日 or 29 August, and 八月二十六日 re ...
,
Chang Yuchun
Chang Yuchun (1330 – 9 August 1369), courtesy name Boren and art name Yanheng, was a Chinese military general of the Ming dynasty. He was a follower of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, and contributed heavily to the est ...
and
Zhang Sanfeng
Zhang Sanfeng (also spelled Zhang San Feng, Chang San-Feng) refers to a legendary Chinese Taoist who many believe invented T'ai chi ch'üan. However, other sources point to early versions of Tai Chi predating Sanfeng. He was purported to hav ...
. The political and ethnic clash between the
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive va ...
rebels and the ruling
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...
s is also a prominent theme in the novel.
Plot
Set in China towards the end of the
Yuan dynasty
The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...
, the story revolves around a pair of allegedly unrivalled weapons, the Heaven-Reliant Sword and Dragon-Slaying Saber, which are coveted by many martial artists. Either or both of them are thought to allow their wielder to rule the ''wulin'' (martial artists' community or "wuxia"), according to a widely circulated mantra. At the start of the novel the Reliant Sword is in possession of the Abbess Miejue 灭绝师太, the leader of the Emei school.
The protagonist,
Zhang Wuji
Zhang Wuji () is the fictional protagonist of the ''wuxia'' novel ''The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber'' by Jin Yong.
Fictional character biography
Zhang Wuji's parents are from opposing sides of the ''wulin'' (martial artists' community). His ...
, is of mixed heritage between the orthodox and the "evil" cults. His father, Zhang Cuishan 張翠山, is an apprentice of
Zhang Sanfeng
Zhang Sanfeng (also spelled Zhang San Feng, Chang San-Feng) refers to a legendary Chinese Taoist who many believe invented T'ai chi ch'üan. However, other sources point to early versions of Tai Chi predating Sanfeng. He was purported to hav ...
, the highly revered leader of the "orthodox"
Wudang Sect
The Wudang Sect, sometimes also referred to as the Wu-tang Sect or Wu-Tang Clan, is a fictional martial arts sect mentioned in several works of ''wuxia'' fiction. It is commonly featured as one of the leading orthodox sects in the '' wulin'' (mar ...
; his mother, Yin Susu 殷素素, is the daughter of Yin Tianzheng, the chief of the "evil"
Heavenly Eagle Cult. He was born on a reclusive
volcanic island
Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...
, where he spent his childhood with only his parents and his godfather, Xie Xun. The Sabre is in the possession of Xie Xun. When he is about 10 years old, his parents brought him back to Wudang 武當派. Along the way Wuji is kidnapped by the Xuanming Elders 玄冥二老. All the various factions of the wuxia descend on Wudang to coerce the couple to reveal the whereabouts of Xie Xun, who possesses the Dragon Slaying Saber. His parents refuse and commit suicide.
The orphaned Zhang Wuji rescued but he was struck with Xuanming Divine Palm which if untreated will kill him in short order. Through a series of circumstances he would wind up as a wandering orphan. He wanders into an isolated valley by chance and discovers the long-lost ''
Nine Yang Manual''. He masters the
inner energy skills described in the book, uses them to heal himself and becomes a formidable martial artist in the process. Later on, he helps to resolve the conflict between the "evil"
Ming Cult
The Ming Cult is a fictional cult and martial arts sect featured in the ''wuxia'' novel '' The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber'' by Jin Yong, first published in serial form from 1961 to 1963. It is also briefly mentioned in ''The Legend of the Con ...
and the six major "orthodox" sects, which are bent on destroying the cult. He earns the respect of the cult's members and becomes its leader after mastering the skill "Heaven and Earth Great Shift". He reforms the cult and helps to mend its relations with other sects. He becomes a key figure in leading the ''wulin'' and rebel forces to overthrow the
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...
-led Yuan dynasty.
Throughout his adventures, Zhang Wuji finds himself entangled in a complex web of love relationships with four maidens. The first, Zhu'er, is a horribly disfigured girl who is actually his maternal cousin. The second, Xiaozhao, is a Chinese-Persian servant girl who understands him very well. Xiaozhao has to leave China after learning that she is destined to return to Persia to lead the Persian Ming Cult.
The third maiden,
Zhou Zhiruo
Zhou Zhiruo () is one of the two female lead characters in the wuxia novel ''The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber'' by Jin Yong. Jin Yong describes Zhou Zhiruo's physical appearance as "beautiful, pure and free of worldly traits".Quote: 清麗秀 ...
, is Zhang Wuji's childhood friend. She falls in love with him, but has to turn against him as she is bound by an oath she made to her
martial arts master, Abbess Miejue, who hates and distrusts Zhang Wuji and anyone related to the Ming Cult. Miejue devises a vicious scheme for Zhou Zhiruo to seize the two weapons by exploiting Zhang Wuji's love for her apprentice. Zhou Zhiruo also turns vicious after Zhang Wuji reneges his promise to marry her and swears vengeance on him.
The fourth maiden, Zhao Min, is a Mongol princess and Zhang Wuji's former arch-rival. Although Zhao Min and Zhang Wuji were initially on opposing sides, Zhao Min gradually falls in love with Zhang Wuji after their various encounters and eventually turns against her fellow Mongols to help him.
At the end of the novel, Zhang Wuji decides to retire from the ''wulin'' after he mistakenly believes that the Ming Cult's members are plotting to betray him. He decides that Zhao Min is his true love and they leave to lead a reclusive life far away from society. The second edition of the novel has an ambiguous ending about Zhang Wuji's relationship with Zhou Zhiruo. Zhang Wuji gave up an opportunity to become a ruler when the Ming Cult is on the verge of overthrowing the Yuan dynasty. Ideally, Zhang Wuji would have become the new emperor. In reality, however, his subordinate
Zhu Yuanzhang
The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398), personal name Zhu Yuanzhang (), courtesy name Guorui (), was the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1368 to 1398.
As famine, plagues and peasant revolts in ...
seizes control of the Ming Cult and unites most of China's rebel forces under his leadership. After capturing
Nanjing
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...
, Zhu Yuanzhang becomes the new emperor and establishes the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
.
In 2005, Jin Yong published a third edition of the novel, which has a slightly different ending from the earlier versions. In this edition, Zhang Wuji feels disillusioned after failing to save a general's life and addressing Han Lin'er's death. He relinquishes his leadership of the Ming Cult to his deputies, Yang Xiao and Fan Yao, and then leaves the
Central Plain with Zhao Min.
The two weapons
The origins
The two titular weapons, the Heaven Reliant Sword () and the Dragon Slaying Saber (), were forged from the Heavy Iron Sword, which
Yang Guo
Yang Guo, courtesy name Gaizhi, is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel ''The Return of the Condor Heroes'' by Jin Yong.
Birth and heritage
Yang Guo traces his lineage to Yang Zaixing, a Song general who participated in the Jin–Song W ...
wielded in ''
The Return of the Condor Heroes
''The Return of the Condor Heroes'', also called ''The Giant Eagle and Its Companion'', is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It is the second part of the '' Condor Trilogy'' and was preceded by '' The Legend of the Condor Heroes'' and foll ...
''.
The Heavy Iron Sword belonged to
Dugu Qiubai
Dugu Qiubai is a fictional character who is mentioned by name in three wuxia novels by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). He does not appear in any of the novels because he lived in an era long before the events of the novels took place. Nicknamed "Sword D ...
, a great swordsman whose skills were unmatched in his time. Yang Guo chanced upon the Heavy Iron Sword while he was recovering from the Love Flower's poison and the loss of his right arm. When Yang Guo and
Xiaolongnü
Xiaolongnü () is the fictional female protagonist of the wuxia novel ''The Return of the Condor Heroes'' by Jin Yong. In the novel, her physical appearances is described as follows: "skin as white as snow, beautiful and elegant beyond conventio ...
departed
Xiangyang
Xiangyang is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hubei province, China and the second largest city in Hubei by population. It was known as Xiangfan from 1950 to 2010. The Han River runs through Xiangyang's centre and divides the city no ...
, they left the sword with the couple
Guo Jing
Guo Jing is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel ''The Legend of the Condor Heroes'' by Jin Yong. He also appears as a supporting character in the sequel, ''The Return of the Condor Heroes'', and is mentioned by name in ''The Heaven Swo ...
and
Huang Rong
Huang Rong is a fictional female protagonist in the wuxia novel ''The Legend of the Condor Heroes'' by Jin Yong. She also appears as a supporting character in the sequel, ''The Return of the Condor Heroes''.
In ''The Legend of the Condor Heroes ...
. The sword was melted and special steel material was added and it was then forged into the two weapons.
In the third edition of the novel, the Heaven Sword was forged from Yang Guo's Gentleman Sword and Xiaolongnü's Lady Sword while the Dragon Saber's origin remained unchanged.
The secret
Hidden in the blade of the Dragon Saber is the military treatise ''Book of Wumu'' by the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
general
Yue Fei
Yue Fei ( zh, t=岳飛; March 24, 1103 – January 28, 1142), courtesy name Pengju (), was a Chinese military general who lived during the Song dynasty, Southern Song dynasty and a national hero of China, known for leading Southern Song force ...
. Similarly, concealed in the blade of the Heaven Sword are two scrolls detailing the
Nine Yin Manual and Guo Jing's "
Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms
The Gaibang (丐幫)is a fictional martial arts organisation featured prominently in works of ''wuxia'' fiction by writers such as Jin Yong, Gu Long and Wolong Sheng. The gang has also found its way into martial arts films such as ''King of Begg ...
".
The Dragon Saber was given to Guo Jing and
Huang Rong
Huang Rong is a fictional female protagonist in the wuxia novel ''The Legend of the Condor Heroes'' by Jin Yong. She also appears as a supporting character in the sequel, ''The Return of the Condor Heroes''.
In ''The Legend of the Condor Heroes ...
's son Guo Polu, while their younger daughter Guo Xiang inherited the Heaven Sword.
The content of the hidden book and scrolls, in addition to the fact that the weapons can only be damaged and broken when used against each other, was the source of the claim that whoever possesses the Dragon Saber will rule the world and yet only the one who possesses the Heaven Sword can stand against the wielder of the Saber.
The secret of the weapons was passed down only from the leader of each generation of the
Emei Sect
The Emei Sect is a fictional martial arts sect mentioned in several works of ''wuxia'' fiction. It is commonly featured as one of the leading orthodox sects in the '' wulin'' (martial artists' community). It is named after the place where it is b ...
to her successor. Miejue is succeeded by Zhou Zhiruo and the secret is passed on to the latter. In the novel, Zhou Zhiruo gains possession of both weapons through her cunning and deception and she breaks them to obtain their contents.
In the latest revision, two halves of an iron-plated map are hidden in the weapons instead of manuals. Once pieced together, the map points out the location of
Peach Blossom Island
Taohua Island is one of the islands of the Zhoushan Archipelago. The island is under the administration of Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China.
The island is mentioned many times in Louis Cha's ''Condor Trilogy
The ''Condor Trilogy'' ( ...
, where the manuals are hidden. Jin Yong reasoned that the change was due to a possibility that the dissection of the weapons will cause the manuals to be burnt, hence two pieces of an iron-plated map would be better substitutes.
Analogy
In Chinese culture, the
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
is a symbol of the emperor or sovereign ruler. The full translated name of the Dragon Saber is "Dragon Slaying Saber", which implies that it is used to "slay the emperor". In this case, the "emperor" refers to
Emperor Huizong of the
Yuan dynasty
The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...
.
Throughout Chinese history, several monarchs have become tyrants, just like when the mythical Dragon goes out of control and becomes a menace. The Heaven Sword's full translated name is "Heaven Reliant Sword" as it embodies Heaven. In Chinese culture, the emperor is respectfully called the "
Son of Heaven
Son of Heaven, or ''Tianzi'' (), was the sacred monarchical title of the Chinese sovereign. It originated with the Zhou dynasty and was founded on the political and spiritual doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven. Since the Qin dynasty, the secula ...
", which implies that Heaven is the ultimate authority in determining who will be the ruler of China.
It can thus be interpreted as such: The secret in the Dragon Slaying Saber can be used to "kill" (dethrone) the (Mongol) emperor and replace him with another (
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive va ...
) ruler. Ideally, a brilliant military leader can use the ''Book of Wumu'' to its full potential by staging a rebellion to overthrow the Yuan dynasty and restore Han Chinese rule. However, if the new emperor turns out to be an incompetent monarch or a tyrant, a martial artist can master the skills from the manuals in the Heaven Reliant Sword, assassinate the emperor and replace him with a wise and benevolent ruler.
Characters
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heaven Sword And Dragon Saber
1961 novels
Novels by Jin Yong
Novels first published in serial form
Works originally published in Ming Pao
Condor Trilogy
Novels set in the Yuan dynasty
Sequel novels
Novels about orphans
Cultural depictions of Chinese men
Novels about rebels
Novels set on islands
Novels set in the 14th century
Chinese novels adapted into television series
Novels set in Henan
Novels set in Hubei
Novels set in Beijing
Novels set in Anhui
Novels set in Shaanxi
Novels set in Sichuan