Duan Zhixing

Duan Zhixing (Chinese: 段智興; temple name Xuanzong; posthumous name Gongji) was the 18th^[1] ruler of the Kingdom of Dali (present-day Yunnan, China) between 1172 and 1200. Duan's reign was marred by the power struggles within the influential Gao family, whose power had long eclipsed the ruling Duan family.

Reign

In 1173, Duan sent a party of 23 envoys, led by Li Guanyinde (李觀音得), to trade with the Song Dynasty in Hengshan Fort (橫山砦; in present-day Nanning, Guangxi). Li later removed Gao Shouchang (高壽昌), the Duke of Zhong (中國公), from power and replaced him with Gao Zhenming (高貞明; Gao Shouchang's nephew). Aji (阿機) rebelled and ousted Gao Zhenming, restoring Gao Shouchang back in his duke position. Gao Zhenming then occupied Heqing (鶴慶) and proclaimed himself the Duke of Ming (明國公) and gave himself a temple name, effectively declaring independence from the Kingdom of Dali. Another member of the Gao clan, Gao Miaoyin (高妙音), also rebelled in Baiya (白崖) and occupied Shanchan (鄯闡). He made a pact with his nephews, Gao Chengxian (高成賢) and Gao Chengzheng (高成正), to prevent them from taking over Shanchan. However, Gao's nephews betrayed him later and started a war with their uncle. It is unknown if these developments had any long term consequences.

Duan initiated several construction projects in Dali. Being a devout Buddhist like his predecessors, he repaired 16 Buddhist temples in 1190. In 1195, he ordered the building of defensive infrastructure at crucial entry points into Dali. Five years later, he died and was succeeded by his son, Duan Zhilian (段智廉).

Era names

Duan Zhixing had five era names in the twenty-eight years of his reign.

• Lizhen (利貞; 1172—1175)
• Shengde (盛德; 1176—1180)
• Jiahui (嘉會; 1181—1184)
• Yuanheng (元亨; 1185—1196?)
• Anding (安定; 1197—1200)

In fiction

Duan appears as a character in the wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes and its sequel The Return of the Condor Heroes, both written by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). Duan is depicted as a formidable martial artist and is named as one of the Five Greats (the five most powerful martial artists in the jianghu), alongside Wang Chongyang, Huang Yaoshi, Ouyang Feng, Hong Qigong. In the first novel, Duan emerges as one of the Five Greats after the first martial arts contest on Mount Hua and earns himself the title of "Southern Emperor" (南帝). Duan is famous for his signature martial arts technique, the 'Yiyang Finger' (一陽指).

The Legend of the Condor Heroes

In his early life as Dali's ruler, Duan was extremely obsessed with martial arts and neglected his concubine Liu Ying. Liu had an extramarital affair with Zhou Botong and conceived a son with him. However, the infant was critically wounded by a masked man in black (later revealed to be Qiu Qianren). Liu pleaded with Duan Zhixing to save her child's life but Duan refused and the infant died. Liu swore vengeance on Duan and left him to lead a reclusive life in the Black Swamp. Duan felt remorseful later and abdicated to become a Buddhist monk, adopting the alias "Reverend Yideng" (一燈大師). His top four ministers (Diancang Yuyin, Zhang Shaoshou, Wu Santong and Zhu Ziliu) follow him to practise Buddhism and they disguise themselves as a fisherman, a woodcutter, a farmer and a scholar respectively .

Guo Jing brings Huang Rong to Dali to seek help after the latter was wounded by Qiu Qianren. They encounter Liu Ying (renamed to Yinggu), who directs them to Yideng. Yideng uses his immense inner energy and the 'Yiyang Finger' to cure Huang Rong, at the expense of his life. Shortly after, Yinggu appears to kill Yideng, as she knows that he is now weakened and deprived of energy, but Guo and Huang intervene and stop her. Yideng recovers after Guo imparts the Nine Yin Manual skills to him. Yideng appears in the final chapters during the second martial arts contest on Mount Hua. Qiu Qianren is present there too and he falls off a cliff after losing his footing but Yideng rescues him. Qiu is ashamed of his past misdeeds and grateful to Yideng for saving his life, such that he agrees to become a Buddhist monk to atone for his sins, with Yideng as his master.

The Return of the Condor Heroes

Yideng makes brief appearances in the sequel. By then, Dali has been conquered by the Mongols under Kublai Khan, and they are forming a two-pronged attack on the Song Empire from the north and south. Yideng participates in the Battle of Xiangyang and helps Song's people fight the Mongol invaders. Yideng is also present at the battle in Passionless Valley, where he helps Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü deal with Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi.

Martial arts and skills

• 'Yiyang Finger' (一陽指) is Yideng's signature martial arts technique. The skill allows him to channel inner energy into his fingers and propel towards enemies and deal a great amount of damage. Yideng also uses this technique to save the lives of people who have been poisoned or have sustained internal injuries, by using his inner energy to purge venom from their bodies or clearing their meridians to improve blood and energy circulation.

• 'First Heaven Skill' (先天功) is Yideng's inner energy cultivation technique.

Notes

References

• Yang Zhen and Hu Wei, Zengding Nanzhao Yeshi vol. 1 (『増訂南詔野史』（明・楊愼輯，清・胡蔚訂正）)
• Cha, Louis. The Legend of the Condor Heroes.
• Cha, Louis. The Return of the Condor Heroes.