The Legend of the Condor Heroes
 One of the earliest 1960s editions; volume 1 of the series | |
| Author | Jin Yong |
|---|---|
| Original title | 射鵰英雄傳 |
| Country |
 Hong Kong |
| Language | Chinese |
| Series | Condor Trilogy |
| Genre | Wuxia |
| Publisher | Hong Kong Commercial Daily |
Publication date | 1 January 1957 |
| Media type | |
| Followed by | The Return of the Condor Heroes |
| The Legend of the Condor Heroes | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 射鵰英雄傳 | ||||||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 射雕英雄传 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Story of the Eagle-shooting Hero | ||||||||||
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The Legend of Condor Heroes is a wuxia novel by 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 was first serialised between 1 January 1957 and 19 May 1959 in the Hong Kong Commercial Daily.[1] Jin Yong revised the novel twice, first in the 1970s and later in the 2000s.
Plot
The story is set in the Song dynasty and at the beginning of the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty's invasion of northern China. The first part of the novel revolves around the friendship of two men, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian, who became heroes in their own right as they fought the Jin invaders. The bond between the duo is so strong that they pledge to each other that their unborn children will become either be sworn siblings (if both are of the same sex) or a married couple (if they are of opposite sexes).
The story focuses on the trials and tribulations of their sons after Guo Xiaotian's death and Yang Tiexin's disappearance. Guo Xiaotian's son, Guo Jing, grows up in Mongolia under the care of Genghis Khan. Yang Tiexin's son, Yang Kang, on the other hand, grows up in Jin as a powerful Jurchen prince's son. Guo Jing is mentored by the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan" in martial arts but he is a slow learner and only manages to master part of the skills he was taught. However, he improves his skills after receiving advice from Ma Yu of the Quanzhen Sect. Yang Kang is tutored by Qiu Chuji, who is also from Quanzhen, but he secretly learns the evil "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" from Mei Chaofeng, a disciple of Huang Rong's father.
The boys' personalities differ largely from each other due to differences in their upbringing. Guo Jing is honest, loyal and righteous, but slow-witted. Conversely, Yang Kang is clever, but scheming and treacherous. They eventually meet one another and their respective lovers, Huang Rong and Mu Nianci. The main story line follows Guo Jing and Huang Rong's adventures and their encounters with the Five Greats. Meanwhile, Yang Kang plots with the Jurchens to conquer his native land of Song. Yang Kang refuses to acknowledge his ethnicity and is strongly driven to acquire wealth, fame and glory. His treachery is slowly unveiled throughout the novel in the encounters he has with the protagonists, although Huang Rong ultimately outwits and accidentally kills him.
Assisted by Guo Jing, the Mongol army destroys the Jin dynasty, subsequently turning its attention towards Song. Guo Jing is unwilling to aid the Mongols in conquering his native land and he leaves Mongolia. Guo Jing returns to Song and helps his compatriots counter the Mongol invaders. On the other hand, Yang Kang meets his retributive end, leaving behind Mu Nianci and their unborn son. The Mongol invasion is halted by Genghis Khan's unexpected death, although Guo Jing and Huang Rong see countless civilian deaths due to this military conquest.
Characters
Adaptations
Films
| Year | Production | Main cast | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Emei Film Company (Hong Kong) | Cho Tat-wah, Yung Siu-yee, Lam Kau, Lai Kwan-lin | See Story of the Vulture Conqueror |
| 1977 | Shaw Brothers Studio (Hong Kong) | Alexander Fu, Tanny Tien, Lee I-min, Kara Hui | See The Brave Archer |
| 1978 | Alexander Fu, Niu-niu, Lee I-min, Kara Hui | See The Brave Archer 2 | |
| 1981 | Alexander Fu, Niu-niu, Yu Tai-ping | See The Brave Archer 3 | |
| 1993 | Scholars Ltd. (Hong Kong) | Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Jacky Cheung | See The Eagle Shooting Heroes |
| 1994 | Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Jacky Cheung | See Ashes of Time |
Television
Comics
In 1998, Hong Kong's Ming Ho Press (明河社) published a 38 volume manhua series illustrated by Lee Chi Ching. This was published in Indonesia by MNC Comics in 2000.
Video games
Shachou Eiyuuden: The Eagle Shooting Heroes is a video game developed by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation.
References
- ↑ 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. 56.
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