There is a popular saying among the Chinese people of our generation - "Wherever there are Chinese, there will be Jin Yong novels." Who is Jin Yong? Why are his novels so influential all across the world?

edmundlaukm@yahoo.com

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Louis Cha Liang Yong was born in Hangzhou. He is a native of Haining, Zhejiang Province. After completing his primary education, Louis entered the Jiaxing High School in Zhejiang Province. Upon graduation from high school, he was admitted to the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Chunking Central University and then transferred to the Faculty of Law of Dongwu University majoring in International Law.

Louis was an avid reader since his youth. His favourite books include Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" (which remains to this day among his favourite books) and Alexandre Dumas' musketeer epics.

Owing to his wide reading of English books, Louis obtained the best scores in English at college. In fact, Louis worked for a time as an English Translator for Ta Kung Pao Newspaper.

EARLY JOURNALISM AND THE FILM INDUSTRY
Louis moved to Hong Kong and worked for Ta Kung Pao there. He later joined Hsin Wan Pao also. In the late 1950s, Louis worked as scenarist-director with Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd. and Phoenix Film Co. with special focus on writing plays and movie-reviews.

Louis was involved in the film industry for the better part of his life. From the numerous adaptations of his stories into movies and television serials, we can see that he was particularly fond of the entertainment industry.

THE MING PAO SAGA
In 1959, Louis Cha started Ming Pao Daily News and acted as the paper's director. His partner in this endeavour was his close friend Shen Baoxin. Since 1966, he also launched Ming Pao Monthly, Ming Pao Weekly and also Ming Pao Evening News.

In 1991, Ming Pao Group Ltd. became a public listed corporation under the leadership of Louis Cha, who was Chairman in the Board of Directors. He officially sold the corporation to Yu Pin Hai in 1993 and retired. To honour his contribution to the journalistic world, Louis Cha was given the title "Honourary President of Ming Pao Enterprises Co. Ltd.

NUMEROUS OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Louis Cha had also worked as executive member of the Basic Law Drafting Committee and Consultative Committee of the Hong Kong SAR since 1985 and resigned on May 20, 1989. Throughout his life, Louis longed for a more civilized world with a legal system which is more humane and less oppressive.

Louis was also a panel member of Legal Reform Committee, the Association of International Press and academician of Modern China Research Centre of the British Oxford University. He was appointed member of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong SAR in December 1995.  He was awarded the title of OBE in 1981. He was awarded honorary doctorate of Hong Kong University in 1986 and invited to work as honorary professor of the Faculty of Chinese Language and Literature of Hong Kong University in 1989. He was awarded "honorary citizen of Jiaxing City" in 1994 and engaged as honorary professor of Beijing University in October of that year. In November 1996, he was appointed honorary professor of Zhejiang University and senior advisor of the People's government of Jiaxing City. 

He donated HK$1million for disaster relief in July 1991 and HK$3 million to build a library at Jiaxing School of Higher Education in 1993. In 1994, he donated HK$200,000 to the school's library to purchase books. The property of his family is estimated at HK$1.2 billion by December 1995.

THE NOVELIST PAR EXCELLENCE
Despite the many achievements of this illustrious man, Louis Cha will always be fondly remembered primarily for his novels, which are treasured by millions of readers all over the world.

Louis Cha started writing novels under his pen-name JIN YONG in the year 1955. His first novel was called "Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge". He wrote a total of 14 novels and one short story. He completed his final work ("Duke of Mount Deer") in the year 1972 and spent the next 10 years or so editing his works. The diagram on the right shows the names of all 14 novels written by Jin Yong.

  1. BOOK AND SWORD, GRATITUDE AND REVENGE

This is Jin Yong's first work. It tells the story of the Red Flower Society, an anti-Qing organisation headed by its leader Chan Ka Lok, who strived to topple the Qing Dynasty during the rule of Emperor Qian Long. Most notable in this work is the manner in which Jin Yong employed popular Chinese folk-beliefs and hearsay like the "secret" that Qian Long is a Han Chinese and the Legend of Princess Fragrance.

This novel had been adapted several times into TV serials. The first was a TVB Production in the 1970s starring Adam Cheng and Candice Yu. The second adaptation was also by TVB in the 1980s starring Nelson Pang, Kitty Lai and Fiona Leung. It is also available as a comic by Li Zhi Qing. The English translation of the novel is available on-line by Graham Earnshaw at http://village.ios.com/~earnshaw/BS.htm.

  1. SWORD STAINED WITH ROYAL BLOOD

Tells the story of the fall of the Ming Dynasty. The hero in this story is a man called Yuen Ching Chi (a fictional character created by Jin Yong), who supposedly was the son of the great Ming General Yuen Chong Huan. The most spectacular aspect of this novel is how Jin Yong interweaves fact and fiction to create an epic tale of historical realism and mythical grandeur.

This novel had been adapted in the 1980s by TVB starring Felix Wong and Miu Kiu Wai. The new version will be released soon starring William Lam Ka Dong, Kong Wah and Charmaine Sheh. The comic version by Li Zhi Qing is also available. The novel is also the basis for the movie with the same name starring Danny Lee, Yuen Biao and Cheung Man.

  1. FLYING FOX OF SNOWY MOUNTAIN

This is actually a novella rather than a full-length novel (Jin Yong is well-known for his several thousand page epics). However, within its short length (200+ pages), it tells the stories of many generations of love and war between 4 families, whose ancestors were the bodyguards of General Li Zhi Cheng who toppled the Ming Dynasty. The main protagonist in this novella is Wu Yat Do, whose story was told in flashbacks (a unique way of storytelling favoured by Jin Yong). The latter part of the story concerns the son of Wu Yat Do, Wu Fei who fell in love with the daughter (Miu Yuk Lan) of his father's "killer", Miu Yan Fung.

This story was adapted by TVB in the 1980s starring Ray Lui Leung Wau, Margie Tsang, Jamie Chik, Kenneth Tsang Kong and Patrick Tse Yin. It was loosely adapted again in the 1990s starring Sunny Chan and Charmaine Sheh. Available as a short 2 issue comic. This novella is also available in an English translation by Olivia Mok called "Fox Volant of Snowy Mountain" and it is obtainable through Amazon.com.

  1. LEGEND OF THE CONDOR HEROES

Part One of the famous "CONDOR HEROES TRILOGY". This story is set during the Sung/Jin Dynasty and tells the story of Genghis Khan's rise to power. The hero in this story is a dull-witted young man called Gwok Jing. It tells the story of Gwok Jing's love for Wong Yung and his concern for his evil sworn brother, Yeung Hong. The most spectacular aspect of this novel, however, is the introduction of the 4 Great Martial Artists - "East Heretic", "West Venom", "South Beggar" and "North King".

This is among the most well-loved Jin Yong tale. It was adapted into TV series starring Felix Wong and the late Barbara Yung in the 80s - this adaptation is still the most well-known "martial-arts" TV series ever. It was reported by many TV stations in many countries that whenever they showed this series on TV, the streets were almost deserted and traffic was easy because everyone was at home with the TV on!!! The second adaptation was in the early 1990s starring Julian Cheung Chilam, Athena Chu Yan and Gallen Lo Ka Leung. It is also available as an award-winning comic series by Li Zhi Qing.

  1. THE YOUNG FLYING FOX

This story is actually the prequel to "Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain". While the former dealt with the story of the middle-aged Wu Fei seeking vengence for the death of his father, the real protagonist in the story was his father Wu Yat Do. In this novel, Jin Yong told the story of the young Wu Fei from his boyhood to his heroic youth. This novel is also a sequel to "Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge" wherein it shows the reappearance of the Red Flower Society and their friendship with the young Wu Fei.

The stories in this novel were incorporated into the TV adaptations of "Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain". As a stand-alone story, it was made into a movie starring Leon Lai, Michelle Reis and Cheung Man.

  1. THE RETURN OF THE CONDOR HEROES

Part Two of the "CONDOR HEROES TRILOGY". Tells the story of the next generation of the protagonists in the first part. The hero in this story is the son of the villian Yeung Hong, a hot-blooded, rebellious orphan who fell in love with his teacher, Dragon Girl. Needless to say, many were against their romance but Yeung Gor defied them all. They were to encounter many difficulties in their relationship before their final reunion at the end of the story.

Due to the "romantic" nature of this tale, it is especially favoured by TV viewers. Thus is was adapted numerous times. Firstly, there was the famous TVB version in the 1980s starring Andy Lau and Idy Chan. Then, TVB remade it in the 1990s starring Louis Koo and Carmen Lee. TCS (Singapore) told a giant leap in their usually mediocre productions to adapt this story into another version (still mediocre, though - compared to the TVB versions but good by Singapore standards) starring Christopher Lee and Fann Wong. The worst version produced so far was the 1990s Taiwanese version! This story is also available in comic form by famed Singapore cartoonist Wee Tian Beng.

  1. A DEADLY SECRET

While "Return of the Condor Heroes" dealt with love, this novel dealt with evil. It tells the story of a young, innocent man called Tik Wan who goes through every form of suffering imaginable at the hands of his evil masters. This is the most depressing work in the Jin Yong canon. Readers often wonder whether human beings are really capable of such extents of evil after reading this book. However, like all of Jin Yong's works, this novel also contains a beautiful, tender love story.

The only TV adaptation was in the early 1990s starring Roger Kwok and Kitty Lai. Guess TV viewers find it hard to stomach such agonising stories.

  1. THE HEAVEN SWORD AND DRAGON SABRE

Part Three of the "CONDOR HEROES TRILOGY". This story has three parts actually:
i) The story of the young Cheung Gwun Bo who later became Cheung Sam Fung, the great martial artist (founder of Wudang Sect and creator of Taiji). This part is a direct continuation from "Return of the Condor Heroes" and shows Gwok Jing's second daughter Gwok Sheung travelling all over China looking for Yeung Gor and how she met up with Cheung Gwun Bo instead.
ii) The second part of the story is set about 60 years after the events in the first part. Cheung Gwun Bo is now the 80 year-old Cheung Sam Fung. He has seven disciples. The main protagonist in this part is Cheung Sam Fung's fifth disciple, Cheung Chui Shan who married the daughter of an "evil sect's"  leader (Yan So So) and became sworn brothers with the "Golden Maned Lion", Tse Shun who "owned" the Dragon Sabre.
iii) The third part as well as main part of the story is set towards the last days of the Yuan Dynasty. The main protagonists here are actually the members of Ming Sect (the Zoroastrian Religion in China) led by Cheung Chui Shan's son Cheung Mokei. It also tells the love story of Cheung Mokei with 4 different girls. The Condor Heroes trilogy finally ends with the fall of the Yuan Dynasty and the establishment of the Ming Dynasty by Zhu Yuen Cheung.

This story was adapted by TVB into a TV series in the late 1970s starring Adam Cheng and remade in the 1980s starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Kitty Lai and Sheren Teng. It will soon be adapted by TVB for the third time starring Lawrence Ng (?!?) as the Cheung Mokei for the new millennium!!!!! There was also a Taiwanese adaptation starring Steven Ma, Cecilia Yip Tung and Kathy Chow. The movie version stars Jet Li, Samo Hung and Chingmy Yau. Ma Weng Seng, creator of the famous "Fung Wan" (Wind and Cloud) comic in Hong Kong has also adapted this story into comic book form.

  1. DEMI-GODS AND SEMI-DEVILS

This huge martial arts epic set in the early days of the Sung Dynasty is said by many to be Jin Yong's greatest work. In terms of literary brilliance, it is only surpassed by "Duke of Mount Deer" but in terms of its huge scope of storyline, characters and grandeur, it is supreme in modern literature.

The story revolves around the lives of:
i) Kiu Fung - the head of the beggar clan who later discovered that he was actually not a Han Chinese but a Khitan. This seemingly "god-like" perfect being is the greatest tragic hero created by Jin Yong.
ii) Duen Yu - the prince of Dali whose "bookworm/nerdy" behaviour got him into all sorts of troubles, adventures and romance. His love stories with many women had to be among the funniest stories in the Jin Yong canon. Especially when he start discovering that all those girls who love him are really his sisters ... or are they?
iii) Hui Juk - a Shaolin monk who, by chance, inherited the internal powers of many great martial artists and, by chance also, married the Xixia Princess! His story is the most "fairy-tale"-like story that Jin Yong has ever written.
iv) Moyung Fuk - a man who had everything (looks, reputation, intelligence, skills, charisma and the love of the most beautiful girl in the world) but lost it all because of his obsession with power.

The most outstanding aspect of the novel is how Jin Yong shows the connection between each and every character in the novel; illustrating the Buddhist precept of "you reap what you sow". One character's good (Kiu Fung's sacrifice, for example) benefits many others (peace between two peoples). One character's evil (Moyung Bok's ambitious plots, for example) destroys the lives of many individuals (Kiu Fung's family, for example).

This novel was adapted into two very well-received TVB series. The 1980s version starred Patrick Tse Yin, Leung Ka Yan, Ken Tong and a very young Felix Wong. The 1996 version starred a middle-aged Felix Wong with martial artist Terry Fan and newcomer Benny Chan. The story of Hui Juk, the monk, was made into a movie starring Frankie Lam, Gong Li, Bridgette Lin and Cheung Man. A comic version by famed "King of Hong Kong Comics", Tony Wong ran from 1996 to 1999 and is now recollected in paperback format by Ming Ho Publications.

  1. ODE TO GALLANTRY

A shorter work about the story of two men who looked alike. One is lecherous, naughty and lazy. The other is heroic, dull-witted and hardworking. Needless to say, the story is actually about twin brothers separated at birth. The story involves a strange invitation to a mysterious island once every 10 years. Just happened that none who visit the island ever return. What exactly is on that island? How will the secret of the island affect the lives of these two brothers?

This work was made into a TVB series starring Tony Leung as both the brothers. It is also a comic by Li Zhi Qing.

  1. SMILING, PROUD WANDERER

This novel is also among the most popular novels written by Jin Yong. Although it was set in the Ming Dynasty, very little reference was made to its historical backgrounds. This was because Jin Yong was concentrating on the pugilistic world in this novel, i.e. their ambitions, hypocrisies, heroism, etc. The hero is a happy-go-lucky young orphan from the Wah Shan Sect named Ling Wu Chong. The value of this work is in how Jin Yong portrayed Ling Wu Chong as a man who transcends the base natures of ambitious/vicious/greedy man by living a lyrical, aesthetic, fun-loving life.

This major work became the basis for the "Swordsman"-trilogy of films by Tsui Hark. It was also adapted in the 1980s by TVB starring Chow Yun Fat and Jamie Chik. The better 1990s version starred Jackie Lui and Fiona Leung. It will soon be adapted by Television Corporation of Singapore into another TV series. The comic version by Li Zhi Qing was published originally in Japanese.

  1. DUKE OF MOUNT DEER

Jin Yong's greatest work bar none. The "hero" in the story is a character who is everything that all the other Jin Yong heroes is not! The protagonist of the story is a guy called Wai Siu Bo. He is the son of a prostitute who grew up in a brothel. He does not know any martial arts, is unbelievably lecherous, a big-time liar and boot-licker, greedy, sneeky and possesses an amazing amount of luck! In short, a born politician!!! His only redeeming factors are his courage, his loyalty to friends, his filial-piety towards his mum and his irresistible charm!

This story is somewhat like the Chinese version of "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court". It tells the story of how Wai Siu Bo, from a lowly ruffian in the streets of Yangzhou ended up as the most powerful man in the courts of Emperor Kang-Hsi. The twist in the story is that Wai Siu Bo is at the same time one of the "leaders" of the Heaven & Earth Society, bent on toppling the Qing Dynasty.

In short, this is Jin Yong's most experimental and literary work. The critic/novelist Ni Kuang calls it the single greatest Chinese novel since ancient times.

The 1980s TVB adaptation starred Tony Leung Chiu Wai and the 1990s version starred Jordan Chan. Both versions were well-received. It was also the basis of the movie "Royal Tramp" starring Stephen Chow. An English translation by the Australian scholar John Minford is available.

  1. YUEN YANG DAGGERS

Another novella. About two daggers which gives its wielder ultimate power over the pugilistic world. Significant features include the Four Taiji Warriors who were all very lowly skilled and funny.

  1. WHITE HORSE NEIGHING AT THE WEST WIND

Another novella. I haven't read this yet. Can anyone fill me in on this?

  1. THE FENCING SKILLS OF LADY YUEH

This is the only short story by Jin Yong. You can find the English translation online at:
http://www.best.com/~zhuge/jinyong/jinlist.htm

AUTHOR : Edmund Lau
DATE : 2 October 1999