The Young Flying Fox

The Young Flying Fox

One part of The Young Flying Fox from the magazine Wuxia and History
Author Jin Yong
Country Hong Kong
Language Chinese
Genre Wuxia
Publisher Wuxia and History (武俠與歷史)
Publication date
1960
Media type Print
Followed by Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain
The Young Flying Fox
Traditional Chinese 飛狐外傳
Simplified Chinese 飞狐外传
Literal meaning Flying Fox Tales

The Young Flying Fox[1][2] is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. The novel was first serialised in Hong Kong in 1960[3] in the magazine Wuxia and History (武俠與歷史). The novel is a prequel to Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain and was written a year after its literary predecessor.

Plot

The story is set in the Qing dynasty during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. The protagonist, Hu Fei, is a young martial artist who was raised by Ping A'si after the death of his father, Hu Yidao. While travelling around the land in search of adventure, Hu Fei encounters Feng Tiannan, a ruthless villain, and wants to kill him to deliver justice for the victims. He also meets a young maiden, Yuan Ziyi, who shows signs of affection towards him. She stops Hu Fei from killing Feng Tiannan each time when he is close to killing Feng.

Based on what Ping A'si told him, Hu Fei believes that Miao Renfeng is responsible for his father's death. He refrains from killing Miao after finding him, because Miao has been tricked by an enemy and temporarily blinded by a deadly poison. He is so impressed with Miao's sense of chivalry that he starts wondering if Ping A'si was mistaken about Miao. He decides to help Miao and journeys to find a cure for his eyes. He meets Cheng Lingsu, an apprentice of a deceased medicine guru known as the "King of Venoms". Hu Fei witnesses Cheng Lingsu defeating her three wicked seniors with her calm and wit. She agrees to help him cure Miao Renfeng's eyes.

When Miao Renfeng regains his sight, he confesses that he did kill Hu Yidao unintentionally several years ago. Hu Fei is filled with sorrow upon hearing the truth and he leaves with Cheng Lingsu. Cheng Lingsu and Hu Fei become sworn siblings. While travelling together, they chance upon an election for a new leader of the wulin (martial artists' community) hosted by the general Fuk'anggan. The election is part of Fuk'anggan's plan to instigate turmoil in the wulin and keep it under the Qing government's control. Hu Fei and Cheng Lingsu disguise themselves and participate in the event. With help from Yuan Ziyi, the trio combine efforts to expose Fuk'anggan's plot and disrupt the election.

They are attacked by enemies and Hu Fei is poisoned while shielding Cheng Lingsu with his body. Cheng loses her life trying to save Hu and reveals to him before dying that she loves him. Hu is filled with anguish after hearing that. After Cheng's funeral, he meets Yuan Ziyi, who tells him that she had already taken an oath to be a Buddhist nun in her childhood, and hence cannot be together with him even though she loves him. She places her palms together and recites a silent prayer for him before leaving.

Characters

Protagonists

Antagonists

Others

Adaptations

Films

Year Title Production Main cast
1980 Legend of the Fox Shaw Brothers Studio (Hong Kong) Chin Siu-ho, Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng, Wang Li, Choh Seung-wan, Wong Man-yee
1984 New Tales of the Flying Fox Felix Wong, Bryan Leung, Alex Man, Tai Liang-chun, Kara Hui, Ku Kuan-chung, Tong Chun-chung
1993 The Sword of Many Lovers Golden Harvest (Hong Kong) Leon Lai, Sharla Cheung, Michelle Reis, Elvis Tsui

Television

References

  1. John Christopher Hamm (2005). Paper Swordsmen: Jin Yong And The Modern Chinese Martial Arts Novel. University of Hawaii Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-8248-2763-2.
  2. Ann Huss; Jianmei Liu (2007). The Jin Yong Phenomenon: Chinese Martial Arts Fiction and Modern Chinese Literary History. Cambria Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-934043-08-0.
  3. The date conforms to the data published in Chen Zhenhui (陳鎮輝), Wuxia Xiaoshuo Xiaoyao Tan (武俠小說逍遙談), 2000, Huizhi Publishing Company (匯智出版有限公司), pg. 58.
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