List of The Book and the Sword characters
The following is a list of characters from Jin Yong's novel The Book and the Sword. Some of the characters also appear in the novel Other Tales of the Flying Fox.
Main characters
- Chen Jialuo (陳家洛) is the protagonist of the novel and chief of the Red Flower Society.
- Huoqingtong (霍青桐) is Muzhuolun's older daughter. She falls in love with Chen Jialuo when he helps her tribe recover the Quran that was stolen from them. She is a martial arts expert and resourceful military tactician.
- Kasili (喀絲麗), also known as Princess Fragrance (香香公主), is Huoqingtong's younger sister. She meets Chen Jialuo and falls in love with him. She is captured by the Qianlong Emperor, who forces her to be his concubine. She agrees but commits suicide to warn Chen when she discovers that the emperor is going back on his word.
- The Qianlong Emperor (乾隆皇帝) is the ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He is actually Chen Jialuo's older brother. At birth he was exchanged with the Yongzheng Emperor's daughter and raised as a prince before succeeding to the throne.
Red Flower Society (紅花會)
- Taoist Wuchen (無塵道長), nicknamed "Soul-chasing, Life-taking Sword" (追魂奪命劍), is the second leader of the society. He is the most powerful in martial arts of all the leaders.
- Zhao Banshan (趙半山), nicknamed "Thousand Arms Buddha" (千臂如來), is the third leader of the society.
- Wen Tailai (文泰來), nicknamed "Thunderbolt Hand" (奔雷手), is the fourth leader of the society. At the start of the novel, he is ambushed and captured by forces sent by the Qianlong Emperor. His fellows make several attempts to rescue him before eventually succeeding.
- Chang Hezhi (常赫志), nicknamed "Black Guard of Impermanence" (黑無常), is the fifth leader of the society. His twin brother Chang Bozhi (常伯志), nicknamed "White Guard of Impermanence" (白無常), is the sixth leader of the society.
- Xu Tianhong (徐天宏), nicknamed "Military Zhuge" (武諸葛), is the seventh leader of the society. He serves as the society's de facto strategist and masterminds all their missions and activities. He was originally at odds with Zhou Qi and often argues with her, but eventually falls in love with her and marries her after they brave danger together.
- Yang Chengxie (楊成協), nicknamed "Iron Pagoda" (鐵塔), is the eighth leader of the society.
- Wei Chunhua (衛春華), nicknamed "Nine Lives Colourful Leopard" (九命錦豹子), is the ninth leader of the society.
- Zhang Jin (章進), nicknamed "Rock Daring" (石敢當), is the hunchbacked tenth leader of the society. He is killed in the battle in the palace at the end of the novel.
- Luo Bing (駱冰), nicknamed "Mandarin Ducks Saber" (鴛鴦刀), is Wen Tailai's wife and the 11th leader of the society.
- Shi Shuangying (石雙英), nicknamed "Feared by Ghosts" (鬼見愁), is the 12th leader of the society.
- Jiang Sigen (蔣四根), nicknamed "Copper Headed Crocodile" (銅頭鱷魚), is the 13th leader of the society.
- Yu Yutong (余魚同), nicknamed "Golden Flute Scholar" (金笛秀才), is the 14th leader of the society. He has a crush on Wen Tailai's wife Luo Bing and feels ashamed of having such immoral thoughts. At the same time, he is also aware that Li Yuanzhi has romantic feelings for him but he treats her coldly. In the middle of the novel he feels guilty for having hurt both of them emotionally and decides to become a monk to seek redemption. He returns to secular life later, accepts Li Yuanzhi's love and marries her eventually.
- Xinyan (心硯) is Chen Jialuo's page. Chen later appoints him as the 15th leader of the society.
- Yu Wanting (于萬亭) is Chen Jialuo's godfather and predecessor as chief of the society. He is only mentioned by name in the novel as he is already long dead.
Wudang Sect (武當派)
- Zhang Zhaozhong (張昭重), nicknamed "Fiery Hand Judge" (火手判官), is one of the key antagonists in the novel. He is tempted by wealth and fame, and decides to leave Wudang and serve the Qing government. A trusted henchman of the Qianlong Emperor, he executes his lord's orders ruthlessly. He is defeated by Chen Jialuo and his companions in the middle of the story and taken back to Wudang by Ma Zhen for rehabilitation. He murders Ma Zhen later and escapes from Wudang to rejoin Qing forces. He is eventually defeated by Chen Jialuo in northwestern China and killed by ravenous wolves.
- Ma Zhen (馬真) is the leader of Wudang and the senior of Lu Feiqing and Zhang Zhaozhong. He is also Yu Yutong's teacher. When Zhang Zhaozhong was defeated by Chen Jialuo and his friends in the middle of the novel, he pleads with them to spare Zhang's life, promising that he will reform his junior. Zhang murders him and escapes from Wudang.
- Lu Feiqing (陸菲青) is Ma Zhen's junior and Zhang Zhaozhong's senior. To evade from his enemies, he disguises himself as a scholar and becomes a private tutor to Li Yuanzhi. By chance, Li discovers his skill in dart throwing and learns that he is actually a Wudang swordsman. He agrees to teach Li martial arts after she keeps pestering him.
Shaolin Sect (少林派)
- Tianhong (天虹) is the abbot of Shaolin. He sparred with Chen Jialuo once when the latter visited Shaolin. He is later killed when Qing soldiers burn down Shaolin Monastery.
- Tianjing (天镜) is Tianhong's junior. He also sparred with Chen Jialuo.
- Dachi (大痴), Dadian (大癲) and Daku (大苦) are another three Shaolin monks who sparred with Chen Jialuo.
Qing forces
- Fukang'an (福康安) is a military general. He is actually an illegitimate son of the Qianlong Emperor and he resembles his uncle Chen Jialuo in appearance. The emperor appoints him as chief of security forces in the capital Beijing. In the final battle at the palace, he is captured by the Red Flower Society's members, who use him as a hostage to force Qianlong to come to a truce with them.
- Bai Zhen (白振), nicknamed "Golden Claw Iron Hook" (金爪鐵鉤), is the Qianlong Emperor's chief bodyguard and top henchman. He was originally a jianghu pugilist from the Songyang Sect (嵩陽派).
- Zhaohui (兆惠) is a general leading a Qing army garrisoned in northwestern China. A calculative, ruthless and experienced military commander, he uses tough means to enforce discipline in his army. He attacks the Islamic tribes and annihilates them.
- Heshen (和珅) is a high ranking official and close aide of the Qianlong Emperor.
Scholars, poets and artists
Allies and associates of the Red Flower Society
Iron Courage Manor (鐵膽莊)
- Zhou Zhongying (周仲英) is the master of the manor and a reputable pugilist in the jianghu. He kills his only son in anger after learning that the boy has disgraced him, but later deeply regrets and tries to hide his remorse to contain his pride. He becomes a close ally of the Red Flower Society.
- Zhou Qi (周綺) is Zhou Zhongying's daughter. She was originally at odds with Xu Tianhong and often bickers and argues with him. The two of them forge close ties after braving danger and narrowly escaping death together, and are married eventually.
- Zhou Yingjie (周英傑) is Zhou Zhongying's 10-year-old only son. Zhang Zhaozhong taunts him when he refuses to reveal Wen Tailai's hiding place. The indignant boy responds to the insults and unsuspectingly spills the beans. Wen Tailai and Luo Bing have no choice but come out and fight with Zhang Zhaozhong and his men. They are outnumbered and Wen is injured and captured. Zhou Zhongying was not at home when these events took place. When he returns later and learns that his son had disgraced him by (unintentionally) betraying a fellow pugilist, he is so overwhelmed by fury that he kills his son.
Others
- Li Yuanzhi (李沅芷) is Li Kexiu's daughter and Lu Feiqing's student. She develops romantic feelings for Yu Yutong but he often gives her the cold shoulder as he has a crush on Luo Bing. Towards the end of the novel, Yu Yutong finally accepts her love and they are married.
- Yuan Shixiao (袁士宵), nicknamed "Eccentric Hero of the Heavenly Pool" (天池怪俠), is an eccentric pugilist living on Mount Heaven. He teaches Chen Jialuo martial arts and imparts his famous skill "Hundred Flowers Fist" (百花錯拳) to Chen. He has a crush on Guan Mingmei and has never given up on her even after she married Chen Zhengde. He often bickers and argues with her husband.
- The "Twin Eagles of Mount Heaven" (天山雙鷹) are a pugilist couple living on Mount Heaven. They once came to Hangzhou and attempted to assassinate the Qianlong Emperor. They are:
- Chen Zhengde (陳正德), nicknamed "Bald Vulture" (禿鷲).
- Guan Mingmei (關明梅), nicknamed "Snow Condor" (雪鵰), is Chen Zhengde's wife and Huoqingtong's teacher.
- Muzhuolun (木卓倫) is the chief of the Islamic tribe and father of Huoqingtong and Kasili.
- Huo'ayi (霍阿伊) is Muzhuolun's son and Huoqingtong's older brother.
Other characters
- "Four Tigers of Hulun" (忽倫四虎)
- The "Six Devils of Guandong" (關東六魔) is a group of six pugilists from Guandong. They are hired by Bai Zhen to carry out the Qianlong Emperor's secret order to eliminate the Red Flower Society.
- Teng Yilei (滕一雷) is the most fearsome of the six. He is determined to slay any enemy at the expense of his own life.
- Gu Jinbiao (顧金標) is a former bandit. His movements cannot be traced and he appears unpredictably.
- Jiao Wenqi (焦文期) is killed by Lu Feiqing. The Red Flower Society is thought to be responsible for his death.
- Hahetai (哈合台) is a shepherd from Mongolia
- Yan Shizhang (閻世章) is killed by Huoqingtong
- Yan Shikui (閻世魁) is Yan Shizhang's younger brother. He is killed by Huoqingtong during the fight for the Quran.
- Luo Yuantong (駱元通), nicknamed "Holy Saber" (神刀), is Luo Bing's father.
- Bei Renlong (貝人龍) is a pugilist nicknamed "Jade Judge" (玉判官).
- Wang Weiyang (王維揚), nicknamed "My Might Trembles Heshuo" (威震河朔), is the leader of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. "Heshuo" refers to an area north of the Yellow River that includes parts of modern Shanxi, Hebei and Shandong.
- Han Wenchong (韓文沖) is a pugilist who owns a swift steed. The horse is stolen by Luo Bing when he stops to take a break.
- Yang Pengju (楊鵬舉), nicknamed "Golden Wings Brushing Against the Clouds" (摩雲金翅), is the leader of the Wuhui Escort Agency.
- Sixth Master Tang (唐六爺) is a pugilist nicknamed "Candy with Frosted Arsenic" (糖裡砒霜).
- Chu Yuan (褚圓) is a pugilist nicknamed "A Reed Crossing the River" (一葦渡江).
- Luo Xin (羅信) is a pugilist nicknamed "Iron Armed Arhat" (鐵臂羅漢).
- Wu Guodong (吳國棟) is a constable from Beijing.
- Yu Ruyi (玉如意) is a courtesan from Hangzhou. She entertains the Qianlong Emperor during his meeting with Chen Jialuo and seduces him with her charms. Later she lures Qianlong into a trap and the emperor is captured by the Red Flower Society's members and held hostage in the Liuhe Pagoda.
See also
|
|
|
| Characters |
List of characters
|
|
| Film adaptations |
|
|
| Television adaptations |
|
|