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59-468: The school is led by the abbot ( 方丈 ; fāngzhàng ) of the monastery. Shaolin members are ranked by generation. Each member of a certain generation has a prefix before his Buddhist name to indicate his position in the hierarchy. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils , the most senior generation is the Xuán ( 玄 ) generation. The abbot is Xuanci and the senior monks such as Xuanji, Xuannan, Xuandu, and Xuanku also have

118-475: A darughachi and a civilian official. He instituted a native chieftain system that came to be known as tusi which assigned ranks and posts to native chieftains. Under this institution of "rule based on native customs" the locals retained much of their autonomy with the exception of three obligations. One, they would provide surrendered troops to the Yuan government. Two, local chieftains would provide tribute to

177-595: A Xuán prefix in their names. One of the novel's three protagonists, Xuzhu, is from the Xū ( 虛 ) generation, which is two generations after the Xuán generation. In The Legend of the Condor Heroes , the Xianxia School ( 仙霞派 ) is a branch of Shaolin. Its base is at Yunxi Monastery ( 雲棲寺 ) in southern China. Its members include Reverend Jiaomu, Reverend Kumu, and Kumu's apprentice, Lu Guanying. The following

236-438: A Dali magician was said to have plotted a conspiracy to murder King Lý Nhân Tông . After the death of Nhân Tông in 1127, his adopted son (by concubine) named Zhizhi had escaped to Dali, changed his surname to Zhao, and assumed the title pingwang (peaceful king). When he learned that his older brother, King Lý Thần Tông , had died in 1137, Zhizhi returned to Đại Việt and attacked Lý Anh Tông with 3,000 Dali troops. However, he

295-405: A Shaolin monk and has no choice but to accept his fate. He also has a pitiful parentage: he is actually the illegitimate son of Xuanci, the abbot of Shaolin, and Ye Erniang, one of the "Four Evils". His reunion with his parents is fated to be the first and also the last. Later, by chance again, he becomes the prince consort of Western Xia due to his previous affair with Princess Yinchuan, to whom he

354-505: A crush on him but he does not reciprocate her feelings as he loved only her sister. They wander far into northeast China and settle down among the Jurchen tribes. By chance, Xiao Feng encounters the Liao emperor, Yelü Hongji , becomes sworn brothers with him, and helps him suppress a rebellion by a Liao prince. In return, Xiao Feng receives the prince's title and estate. Xiao Feng returns to

413-520: A dog. They easily climb steep terrain on command and possess both speed and agility in chase. They have been raised on bitter buckwheat, so they require little to maintain. How could a horse like this not be considered a good horse? In 1094, the former prime minister Gao Shengtai forced King Duan Zhengming to relinquish the throne to him and renamed the Dali Kingdom to "Dazhong Kingdom". Gao Shengtai ruled briefly until his death in 1096, after which

472-696: A fierce battle. The Duan family were then taken captive and escorted to the Ming capital of Nanjing . Under the influence of Chinese officials present from early times, the Dali elite used Chinese script supplemented by Bai characters, which were themselves constructed based on Chinese characters. The Dali court granted hereditary fiefs to pre-existing clan chiefs, in particular the Duan, Gao, Yang, and Dong clans, to win over their support. Some administrative units were designated semi-autonomous military divisions. Similarly to

531-506: A formidable martial artist. In addition, he acquires immunity to poison after accidentally consuming the Zhuha, a venomous toad. During his adventures, he encounters five young maidens – Zhong Ling, Mu Wanqing, Wang Yuyan, Azhu and Azi – and becomes romantically involved with the first three. However, at different points in the novel, he is led to believe that they are all his half-sisters due to Duan Zhengchun's secret affairs with other women in

590-470: Is a list of generation ranks in different eras: The school is subdivided into several groups, which take charge of different parts of the monastery or different aspects of the school's daily activities. They include: The Shaolin School is hailed as the origin of all Chinese martial arts and as a leading orthodox school in the wulin ( 武林 ; martial artists' community). In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils , it

649-522: Is a reference to the eight races of demi-gods and semi-devils described in Buddhist cosmology as the major characters are based on the eight races. In Buddhism, these demi-gods and semi-devils are markedly different from the human race but are still bound to Saṃsāra by their own desires. Jin Yong originally modelled each major character after one of the races but, as he continued writing, the complexity of

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708-625: Is at war with the Khitan-led Liao Empire . Qiao Feng's relations with the Han Chinese martial artists worsen due to the Song–Liao conflict, and also because he is now seen as a murderer and a threat to the wulin . He is forced to sever ties with them and engage them in a one-against-several battle, during which he single-handedly kills many opponents, including some of his old friends and acquaintances. Qiao Feng leaves to verify

767-486: Is deeply in love. Avoid repeating his father's mistakes, Xuzhu forsakes his monastic life to be with the princess and happily married. Dali Kingdom The Dali Kingdom , also known as the Dali State ( simplified Chinese : 大理国 ; traditional Chinese : 大理國 ; pinyin : Dàlǐ Guó ; Bai : Dablit Guaif), was a dynastic state situated in modern Yunnan province, China from 937 until 1253. In 1253, it

826-683: Is famous throughout Asia and among collectors of gemstones all over the world. For a few square inches of Shuimohuashi, a particularly precious type of marble, dealers in Hong Kong or Shanghai can charge up to $ 20,000. For more than 1,000 years Dali has been known as the town of marble; indeed, the Chinese word dali means “marble.” Nanzhao was overthrown in 902 and three dynasties followed in quick succession before Duan Siping seized power in 937, establishing himself at Dali . The Duan clan professed to have Han ancestry. Yuan dynasty records said

885-495: Is referred to as Lingjiu Monastery ( 靈鷲寺 ; 'Divine Eagle Monastery'). Although some viewers have expressed dissatisfaction over the changes, the reasons behind the renaming are not made clear to the public. Some people believe that the producers wanted to avoid trademark infringement , since Shaolin Monastery has officially registered "Shaolin" as a trademark and has been involved in lawsuits with commercial companies over

944-498: Is said to house 72 powerful forms of martial arts and no one has managed to master all of them since the founding of the school. These martial arts have Buddhist names, such as " Bodhidharma 's Palm" and " Arhat 's Fist". It is also home to the Yijin Jing ( 易筋經 ), a manual instructing the user how to master a certain technique that improves the user's prowess in all types of martial arts. It has also powerful healing properties if

1003-581: Is the "Leading Big Brother", and challenges him to a one-to-one fight. However, the event turns into a tragedy when Azhu finds out she is Duan Zhengchun's daughter and she disguises herself as her father and allows Xiao Feng to kill her. It is too late when Xiao Feng realises his mistake. Before dying, Azhu tells Xiao Feng that Duan Zhengchun is actually her father, and she hopes that her sacrifice will satisfy his thirst for vengeance. Feeling regret and sorrow, Xiao Feng leaves Song territory with Azi, Azhu's younger sister, whom he has promised to take care of. Azi has

1062-521: Is the charismatic chief of the Beggars' Sect who possesses strong leadership qualities and exceptional prowess in martial arts. He falls from grace after he is revealed to be a Khitan , and after he is wrongly accused of murdering his adoptive parents and some fellow martial artists. He becomes an outcast of the wulin (martial artists' community) of the Han Chinese -dominated Song Empire , which

1121-541: The 1970s. Set in 11th-century China, the plot is made up of separate yet intertwining storylines revolving around three protagonists – Qiao Feng, Duan Yu and Xuzhu – and other characters from various empires ( Song , Liao , Dali , Western Xia and Tibet ) and martial arts sects . The novel examines the cause and effect that form and break the inherent bonds underlying each major character's struggles on five uniquely corresponding levels: self, family, society, ethnic group, and country (dominion). The novel's Chinese title

1180-687: The Bai. The earliest references to "Bai people", or the "Bo", are from the Yuan dynasty . During the Ming dynasty , the Bai were also known as "Minjia" (civilians). A Bai script using Chinese characters was mentioned during the Ming dynasty . According to Stevan Harrell, while the ethnic identity of Nanzhao's ruling elite is still disputed, the subsequent Yang and Duan dynasties were both definitely Bai. A version of Buddhism known as Azhali existed in Yunnan since

1239-538: The Buddhist code of conduct and refuses to break it even when he faces life-threatening situations. He follows his elders to a meeting, which marks the start of his adventures. By coincidence and sheer luck, he breaks a weiqi formation and inherits the powers and position of Wuyazi, the leader of the Carefree Sect. Later, he encounters Tianshan Tonglao, learns martial arts from her, and eventually succeeds her as

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1298-513: The Dali army. In late 1253, the three columns converged on the city of Dali. The king of Dali, Duan Xingzhi, fled to the town of Shanchan (near modern Kunming ) and rallied pro-Dali forces to oppose the Mongol invasion. It took another two years of fighting before the Mongols captured the cities of Dali and Shanchan. However the resistance against the Mongols continued to the east of Shanchan with

1357-552: The Duan family came from Wuwei in Gansu: Yuan records claim that the Dali kingdom’s Duan rulers originally came from Wuwei Commandery in modern-day Gansu Province, but this is not confirmed by Song or Dali sources. A significant change from Nanzhao is apparent in Dali rulers’ naming practices, which generally do not follow the patronymic linkage system. This suggests that the Dali elites presented themselves as more “Chinese” than their Nanzhao counterparts. Dali's relationship with

1416-416: The Mongols feared the power of Duan Gong and killed him. Duan Sengnu raised Duan Bao to take revenge against Basalawarmi for the killing of Duan Gong. A play was made based on these events. According to Yuan documents, the Duan family were originally ethnic Han from Wuwei commandery, Gansu. Other Duan families also originated from Wuwei. In 1381, the Ming dynasty dispatched 300,000 troops to crush

1475-477: The Nanzhao military, the Dali military consisted of a standing army, townsfolk peasant-soldiers and indigenous militia. The rulers of Dali continued the traditions of Nanzhao, such as the royal title piaoxin (Lord of Pyu ), the use of the same tall crowns, and taking Acuoye Guanyin as their tutelary deity. They also used the title emperor ( huangdi ). Extant sources from Nanzhao and the Dali Kingdom show that

1534-564: The Shanchan region in support of an anti-Mongol rebellion led by Sheliwei. At the same time, Uriyangkhadai was called away to invade Đại Việt under the Trần dynasty . Fierce fighting continued between the Mongol-Dali forces and the Shanchan resistance until Sheliwei was killed in a Mongol ambush in 1274. The Duan family governed Yunnan's various indigenous peoples for eleven generations until

1593-502: The Song Empire and wants Xiao Feng to support him, but the latter refuses and attempts to dissuade him to prevent bloodshed. The Liao emperor imprisons Xiao Feng and leads his army to attack Song. In the meantime, Azi escapes from Liao and seeks help from Duan Yu, Xuzhu and their allies. Impressed by Xiao Feng's righteousness, they manage to rally martial artists from throughout the wulin to join them in rescuing Xiao Feng. Even though

1652-413: The Song Empire later to find Azi and attend a wulin gathering at Shaolin Monastery , where he combines forces with Duan Yu and Xuzhu to overcome their foes. At Shaolin, the truths behind all the murders are revealed and the guilty parties receive their just deserts; Xiao Feng also successfully proves his innocence and makes peace with the wulin . Towards the end of the novel, Yelü Hongji plans to invade

1711-516: The Song and Dali was minimal. Song records show reluctance to engage with Dali directly in any way, even through the standard tributary relationship of vassal (Dali) and lord (Song). Because of Song officials’ wariness, Dali was only allowed to offer tribute at the Song court on three occasions. Their requests to offer tribute were repeatedly rejected on the grounds that they would cause trouble for Song, as Nanzhao had for Tang. Dali's primary importance to

1770-527: The Song dynasty was its horses, which were highly prized and sought after as military assets, especially after the fall of the Northern Song. They were described by a Song official in the following passage: These horses possess a shape [that is] quite magnificent. They stand low with a muscular front, very similar to the shape of a chicken. The diaphragm is broad, shoulders thick, waist flat, and back round. They are trained to squat on their rear ends like

1829-492: The Song was cordial throughout its entire existence. Dali congratulated the Song dynasty on the conquest of Later Shu in 965 and voluntarily established tribute relations in 982. It was however essentially an independent state. At times the Song even declined offers of tribute. The Song founder Song Taizu declared all land south of the Dadu River to be Dali territory and did not desire to pursue any further claims to avoid

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1888-616: The Tang dynasty's disastrous efforts against Nanzhao. Dali relations with the Song differed markedly from Nanzhao-Tang relations. When the first Song emperor, Taizu, came to power, he declared that, in light of Tang difficulties in the Southwest, he would forfeit the Yue and Sui Commanderies and use the Dadu River as the border with Dali. His successors followed this policy, so contact between

1947-441: The Yuan court. Three, they would follow the rules of appointment, succession, promotion, degradation, reward, and punishment of native chieftains created by the Yuan court. In the Shanchan region of central Yunnan, Sayyid' Ajall created eight routes: Zhongqing, Dengjiang, Lingan, Yuanjiang, Guangxi, Qujing, Wuding, and Weichu. They were ruled by a new post, the tuguan (native official). The tuguan were official representatives of

2006-418: The Yuan dynasty but retained much autonomy, including the right of passing their hereditary post to their offspring, and autonomy to govern so long as they did not harbour criminals or behave in an anti-Yuan manner. The tuguan were obligated to pay taxes in the form of horses, precious metals, and finished goods. They also had to provide military support when requested. The Yi kingdoms to the east were assigned

2065-472: The Yuan remnants in Yunnan. The Duan clan, who helped the Yuan dynasty against a Red Turban Rebellion attack from Sichuan, also fought against the Ming army. Duan Shi , the 13th and the last hereditary Governor-General of Dali, refused to surrender by writing to Fu Youde, making it clear that Dali could only be a tributary to the Ming. In 1382 Lan Yu and Mu Ying's forces attacked and crushed Duan's realm after

2124-462: The assistance of the Yi kingdoms and the Song dynasty. In 1256, Duan Xingzhi surrendered and presented to Möngke with maps of Yunnan . Duan Xingzhi of Dali was enfeoffed as Maharaja (摩诃罗嵯), and the Duan imperial family continued to hold the title of Maharaja in Yunnan as vassals to the Mongols under the supervision of Borjigin imperial princes and Muslim governors. The Duan family reigned in Dali while

2183-454: The claims that he is a Khitan and investigate the murders. He is accompanied by Azhu, who loves him and stands by him when the wulin turns against him. After a long journey in disguise, he concludes that he is indeed a Khitan and changes his name to Xiao Feng to reflect his ancestry. In tracking down a mysterious "Leading Big Brother", whom he believes is responsible for the murders and his parents' deaths, he mistakenly thinks that Duan Zhengchun

2242-526: The eastern column through Sichuan . Wang's column rejoined Kublai's middle column at Jianchang in southern Sichuan. Kublai planned to engage Dali's main army at the Jinsha River , leaving Dali vulnerable to Uriyangkhadai's forces to the northwest. After several skirmishes where Dali forces turned back Mongol raids across the Jinsha River, Kublai's army crossed the river during the night and routed

2301-498: The end of Mongol rule. They willingly contributed soldiers to the Mongol campaign against the Song dynasty. In 1271, they aided the Yuan dynasty in putting down a Mongol rebellion in Yunnan. In 1274, Ajall Shams al-Din Omar was assigned by Kublai to stabilize Yunnan. He repaired the road connecting Dali and Shanchan and a network of 78 postal relay stations was established from Dali to the town of Shicheng (modern Qujing ). Instead of

2360-466: The fall of the Nanzhao kingdom. The Gao served as the Native Officials of Beisheng sub-prefecture for eleven generations during the Ming dynasty. The Ming appointed the first Gao Ce 高策 in recognition of his meritorious military service in 1389, and the eleventh Gao Shichang 高世昌 inherited the position of Vice Magistrate of rank four in 1630. According to a Vietnamese stone inscription , in 1096

2419-610: The governors served in Kunming . After the Ming conquest of Yunnan , the members of the Duan clan were scattered in various distant areas of China by the Hongwu Emperor . Uriyangkhadai remained in Yunnan to oversee Duan's rule of Dali and to push further east into the Song dynasty. By mid-1256, 20 military brigades had been established throughout Dali and military units had been sent to attack Ziqi . Mongols and Central Asians filled brigade commander positions while members of

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2478-502: The highway and its postal stations for the government. Yuan rule also introduced a significant Muslim influence into Yunnan. The 10th Governor-General of Dali Duan Gong was married to the Mongol Borjigin Princess Agai , daughter of the Yuan dynasty Prince of Liang , Basalawarmi . They had a son and a daughter, Duan Sengnu. their children were also called Duan Qiangna and Duan Bao . However

2537-529: The initial perspective of Duan Yu to those of the other protagonists and back. Duan Yu is a young and naïve prince of the Dali Kingdom . His reverence for Buddhist teachings and disdain for bloodshed prompt him to defy his family's tradition of practising martial arts. When his father, Duan Zhengchun , tries to force him to learn martial arts, he runs away from home. Ironically, for the sake of survival, he ends up mastering three powerful skills and becomes

2596-540: The local elite staffed the subbrigade battalions. Uriyangkhadai rewarded locals who had supported the Mongol invasion and created a new elite to rival the old pro-Dali elite. In late 1256, Uriyangkhadai forced the local collaborators in Shanchan to attack the Yi kingdoms in eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou . Those who refused were killed. The Song supported the Yi kingdoms by sending them 10,000 taels of silver and instructing them to defending Ziqi. The Song backed forces invaded

2655-458: The military brigades established by Uriyangkhadai, Sayyid' Ajall established political units similar to those in China with circuits, routes, prefectures, and counties. The Yunnan Branch Secretariat was divided into ten circuits, each headed by a pacification commissioner ( xuanwei shi ). Prefectures and counties were governed by a route commander. Directives by each administrative unit was cosigned by

2714-490: The mission is successful, they are ultimately outnumbered and trapped by Liao forces at Yanmen Pass . Xiao Feng takes Yelü Hongji hostage and forces him to promise that there will be no war between Song and Liao for as long as he lives. He then commits suicide while Azi follows suit. Xuzhu is a monk from the Shaolin Sect who is described to have a kind-hearted and submissive personality. He strongly believes in following

2773-481: The original ending, his love life ends on a happy note when Wang Yuyan finally realises that he truly loves her and decides to marry him. However, after the book was published, many readers disliked this ending as it relegated Mu Wanqing to a minor role in the story. In the latest revision of the novel, Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan's romance is marred by a series of incidents which eventually cause them to be separated and Duan Yu ends up with Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling. Qiao Feng

2832-407: The past. Of these maidens, he is extremely obsessed with Wang Yuyan, who resembles a statue of a fairy-like lady he chanced upon before. He relentlessly tries to win her heart but she does not reciprocate because she has a crush on her cousin, Murong Fu. Towards the end of the novel, Duan Yu finds out that he is actually not Duan Zhengchun's biological son, hence he can marry all the three maidens. In

2891-501: The region. In Shanchan, he oversaw hydraulic projects such as dam and reservoir construction, river and canal dredging for transportation purposes, and draining swamps for land reclamation. He established 55 schools in Yunnan based on a Chinese curriculum and hired Han Chinese instructors to staff them. However most of them were defunct by the beginning of the 14th century. Farming households and garrisons were set up as far south as Dechang to expand agricultural production and to maintain

2950-417: The ruler of Lingjiu Palace, which commands allegiance from a loose assembly of martial artists. Feeling overwhelmed by the sudden influx of responsibilities and a major leap in martial prowess, Xuzhu desires to detach himself from these duties and return to his former monastic life. However, he is unable to wrench himself free from the various tribulations and dangers that lie ahead. He is no longer regarded as

3009-485: The ruling elite used Chinese script. The vast majority of Dali sources are written in Classical Chinese . However the ruling elite also used Bai language for communication, but no attempt was made to standardize or popularize the script, and it remained an unofficial writing system. Today, most Bai people trace their ancestry to Nanzhao and the Dali Kingdom, but records from those kingdoms do not mention

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3068-510: The same posts and given similar terms. The tuguan were given a certificate of appointment ( gaochi ) that was publicly displayed at the tuguan' s administrative headquarters. They were also given a seal ( yinzheng ) to issue orders as representatives of the Yuan state. A tiger tally was granted to authorize maintenance of horses for military mattes. Gold and silver tallies were issued to mobilize military resources. Sayyid 'Ajall introduced new agricultural techniques and published handbooks in

3127-556: The skills in the manual to heal his internal wounds. The term "Shaolin School" was not used in two television series adapted from Jin Yong's wuxia novels. In The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber , a 2009 TV series adaptation of the novel of the same title , the Shaolin School is referred to as the Monks' School ( 僧人派 ). In Swordsman , a 2013 TV series adaptation of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer , Shaolin Monastery

3186-529: The story made it impossible for such a simplistic mapping. The novel's title has been a challenge for translators for years before it was decided to be Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils . An alternative English title is Eight Books of the Heavenly Dragon . The plot is made up of separate yet intertwining storylines revolving around three protagonists – Qiao Feng, Duan Yu and Xuzhu – who become sworn brothers in chapter 41. The complex narrative switches from

3245-466: The throne was returned to the Duan family. Duan Zhengming's younger brother, Duan Zhengchun, became the new ruler and restored the kingdom's former name. The Gao of Beisheng claimed descent from Gao Shengtai 高昇泰, who usurped the throne of the Dali kingdom c.1094 for approximately one year. According to the Yuan History, Gao Zhisheng 高智升 sent his grandson, Gao Dahui 高大惠, to administer the area after

3304-631: The use of "Shaolin" as a brand name or trademark. In the 2019 television series Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre , the Shaolin School is referred to by its proper name again. Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). It was first serialised concurrently from 3 September 1963 to 27 May 1966 in the newspapers Ming Pao in Hong Kong and Nanyang Siang Pau in Singapore. It has been adapted into films and television series in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China numerous times since

3363-405: The user manages to master the skill. In Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils , You Tanzhi acquires the manual by chance and uses its skills to purge poison in his body after he is bitten by venomous creatures. The sutra also increases his inner energy and stamina, allowing him to deliver an ordinary palm stroke with force several times the original impact. In The Smiling, Proud Wanderer , Linghu Chong uses

3422-455: Was conquered by the Mongols but members of its former ruling house continued to administer the area as tusi chiefs under the auspices of the Yuan dynasty until the Ming conquest of Yunnan in 1382. Today the former capital of the Dali Kingdom is still called Dali in modern Yunnan Province. The Dali Kingdom takes its name from Dali City . Famed for its high quality marble, Dali (dàlǐ 大理) literally means "marble" in Chinese. Dali marble

3481-436: Was defeated and executed. Möngke Khan sent envoys requesting the surrender of Dali. The king of Dali murdered the envoys and when Möngke received word of this, he placed his brother Kublai in charge of invading Dali. Kublai split his army into three columns. The western column was led by Uriyangkhadai , who was the son of Subutai , and he was instructed to march from Lintao through Kham into Dali. Wang Dezhen led

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