Xiaoli Feidao Series

The Xiaoli Feidao Series is a wuxia novel series by Gu Long.

Weapon

The Little Li Flying Dagger (小李飛刀) is the weapon of Li Xunhuan, Ye Kai, Ding Lingzhong and Li Huai.

The blade of the dagger is three cun and seven fen long. It was forged from ordinary steel and iron unlike other fictional weapons that were forged from special types of materials. It ranks third on the Bingqipu (兵器譜), a fictional book of weapons.

Novels

Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian

Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian (多情劍客無情劍; literally: Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword) is the first novel in the series, first published in 1968. It details the adventures of Li Xunhuan and his friend A'fei.

Li Xunhuan rises to prominence as a pugilist in the jianghu for the expert use of his signature weapon, Little Li Flying Dagger. He is in love with Lin Shiyin but decides to give up on her to repay his sworn brother Long Xiaoyun's kindness towards him. Long Xiaoyun marries Lin Shiyin eventually.

Li Xunhuan retires from the jianghu for the next ten years after being hurt emotionally. When he comes out of his reclusive life ten years later, he meets A'fei and befriends him. Both of them are drawn into the mysterious Case of the Plum Flower Bandit and Li Xunhuan is wrongly accused of being the bandit. He clears his name eventually. Meanwhile, he is also drawn into the complex feuds between Lin Xian'er, Shangguan Jinhong and Long Xiaoyun. He defeats and kills Shangguan Jinhong. He marries Sun Xiaohong and retires from the jianghu again to lead a new life with her far away from society.

Biancheng Langzi

Biancheng Langzi (邊城浪子; literally: Bordertown Prodigal) is the sequel to the first novel and the first part of the Biancheng Langzi Trilogy. It was first published in 1972. The novel begins with the murder of Bai Tianyu and his family. Ye Kai and Fu Hongxue set forth to solve the mysterious case and embarks on their adventures.

Jiuyue Yingfei

Jiuyue Yingfei (九月鷹飛; literally: Eagle Soaring in the Ninth Month) is the second part of the Biancheng Langzi Trilogy and the third installment of the Xiaoli Feidao Series. It is often regarded as the prequel to Biancheng Langzi although it was published a year later in 1973.

Tianya Mingyue Dao

Tianya Mingyue Dao (天涯‧明月‧刀; literally: Horizon, Bright Moon, Saber) is the third part of the Biancheng Langzi Trilogy and the fourth installment of the Xiaoli Feidao Series. It was first published in 1974.

Feidao Youjian Feidao

Feidao Youjian Feidao (飛刀，又見飛刀; literally: Flying Dagger, Flying Dagger Appears Again) is the fifth and last installment in the Xiaoli Feidao Series. It was first published in 1981. The novel focuses on the adventures of Li Xunhuan's grandson, Li Huai. Li Huai inherits his grandfather's "Little Li Flying Dagger" technique and roams the jianghu as a wandering pugilist to help the poor and uphold justice.

Characters

Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian

• Li Xunhuan (李尋歡) - the protagonist of the novel. He was born in a family of distinguished scholars and earns the position of tanhua (探花) in the imperial examination. He serves as a government official in his early days but retires later and becomes a roaming pugilist in the jianghu. He becomes famous for the use of his signature weapon "Little Li Flying Dagger" (小李飛刀).

• Sun Xiaohong (孫小紅) - meets Li Xunhuan and follows him on his adventures. She becomes his wife eventually.

• A'fei (阿飛) - a pugilist nicknamed "Flying Swordsman" (飛劍客) for his excellent swordplay skills. He befriends Li Xunhuan and follows him on his adventures.

• Long Xiaoyun (龍嘯雲) - Li Xunhuan's sworn brother

• Lin Shiyin (林詩音) - Li Xunhuan's first love interest and original fiancee. She is married to Long Xiaoyun.

• Shangguan Jinhong (上官金虹) - the evil chief of the Gold and Money Sect (金錢幫). He is slain by Li Xunhuan.

• Lin Xian'er (林仙兒) - Shangguan Jinhong's lover

• Jing Wuming (荊無命)
• Guo Songyang (郭嵩陽)
• Lü Fengxian (呂鳳先)
• Yi Ku (伊哭)

Biancheng Langzi

• Ye Kai (葉開) - the protagonist of the novel. He is the student of Li Xunhuan and inherits Li's "Little Li Flying Dagger" technique.

• Ding Linglin (丁靈琳) - Ye Kai's love interest

• Fu Hongxue (傅紅雪) - a member of the Demon Sect (魔教). He is Ye Kai's best friend and follows him on his adventures.

• Cui Nong (翠濃) - Fu Hongxue's love interest. She dies while trying to save Fu Hongxue's life and her death causes Fu to become emotionally disturbed.

• Lu Xiaojia (路小佳)
• Ding Lingzhong (丁靈中)
• Ma Fangling (馬芳鈴)
• Shen Sanniang (沈三娘)
• Ma Kongqun (馬空群)
• Xiao Bieli (蕭別離)

Jiuyue Yingfei

• Ye Kai (葉開) - the protagonist of the novel. He is the heir of Li Xunhuan and inherits Li's "Little Li Flying Dagger" technique.

• Ding Linglin (丁靈琳) - Ye Kai's love interest

• Shangguan Xiaoxian (上官小仙) - the leader of the Gold and Money Sect (金錢幫). She is the daughter of Shangguan Jinhong and Lin Xian'er.

• Guo Ding (郭定) - a pugilist nicknamed "Guo Ding of Songyang" (嵩陽郭定). His weapon "Songyang Iron Sword" ranks fourth on the Bingqipu. He is the cousin of Guo Songyang.

• Cui Yuzhen (崔玉貞)

Tianya Mingyue Dao

• Fu Hongxue (傅紅雪) - the protagonist of the novel. He is from the Demon Sect (魔教) and the best friend of Ye Kai. He suffers from epilepsy and has a disabled right leg. He appears cold and unfeeling but is still nonetheless a powerful exponent in using his saber. He is emotionally disturbed by the loss of his love interest Cuinong in the earlier novel.

• Zhuo Yuzhen (卓玉貞)

• Yan Nanfei (燕南飛) - the "replacement" of Gongzi Yu. He is originally Fu Hongxue's friend but becomes enemies with him later and dies under Fu's saber.

• Gongzi Yu (公子羽) - the heir of Shen Lang. He wishes to rule the wulin. However, he looks old and feeble and chooses Yan Nanfei to act as his "replacement".

• Zhou Ting (周婷) - a prostitute who takes care of Fu Hongxue when he is injured. They are reunited at the end of the novel.

• Mrs Zhuo (卓夫人)
• Ni Hui (倪慧)

Feidao Youjian Feidao

• Li Huai (李壞) - the protagonist of the novel. He is the illegitimate son of Li Manqing and grandson of Li Xunhuan. He inherits his grandfather's famous "Little Li Flying Dagger" technique and becomes a powerful pugilist. He also uncovers the treasure left behind by his deceased mother and uses his wealth to help the poor and uphold justice with his skills.

• Xue Caiyue (薛採月) - Li Huai's love interest. Her father Xue Qingbi was killed by Li Manqing in a duel. Although she loves Li Huai, the feud between their fathers cause their relationship to become strained. She is forced to settle the feud in a final duel with him.

• Fang Keke (方可可) - Li Huai's second love interest. Li Huai changes her life from that of a beggar to a rich girl and she feels indebted to him. She is spoiled, arrogant and rude.

• Li Manqing (李曼青) - the son of Li Xunhuan. He is famous in the jianghu for putting his "Little Li Flying Dagger" technique to good use. He is also an influential aristocrat as well.

Adaptations

• The Sentimental Swordsman (多情劍客無情劍) (1977) - a Hong Kong film adaptation of Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian. It was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chor Yuen. Ti Lung and Derek Yee starred as Li Xunhuan and A'fei respectively.

• The Romantic Swordsman (小李飛刀) (1978) - a Hong Kong television series adapted from Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword. The theme song Siu Lei Fei Dou (小李飛刀) for the series was composed by Joseph Koo and performed by Roman Tam. Paul Chu and Wong Yuen-sun starred as Li Xunhuan and A'fei respectively.

• The Romantic Swordsman (小李飛刀) (1995) - a Hong Kong remake of the 1978 television series. Eddie Kwan and Chin Kar-lok starred as Li Xunhuan and A'fei respectively.

• Legend of Dagger Li (小李飛刀) (1999) - a Taiwanese television series adapted from Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword. It starred Vincent Jiao as Li Xunhuan, Wu Jin as A'fei, Alyssia Chia as Sun Xiaohong and Stephanie Hsiao as Lin Shiyin. This series re-used the original theme song in the 1978 television series, though re-mastered. The ending theme for the series was performed by Peter Ho.

• Flying Daggers (飛刀又見飛刀) (2003) - a Taiwanese television series adapted from Flying Dagger, Flying Dagger Appears Again. Starring Julian Cheung, Ruby Lin and Dong Jie.

• Xiaoli Feidao (小李飞刀) (2008) - a Chinese television series adapted from Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword. Huang Ziteng starred as Li Xunhuan.

External links

• (Chinese) Li Xunhuan on Baidu Baike
• (Chinese) Xiaoli Feidao on Baidu Baike
• (Chinese) Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian on Baidu Baike
• English translation of Duoqing Jianke Wuqing Jian at Wuxiapedia
• English translation of Biancheng Langzi at Wuxiapedia