Ouyang Feng

Ouyang Feng is a fictional 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). As the "Western Venom" (西毒) of the Five Greats (五绝), the top five champions of the first martial arts contest on Mount Hua, Ouyang is best known for his signature martial arts technique, the 'Toad Skill' (蛤蟆功), and his expertise in toxicology. In the first novel, Ouyang is depicted as a ruthless villain who resorts to all sorts of unscrupulous means to achieve his goal of becoming the most powerful martial artist in the jianghu. He attempts to seize the Nine Yin Manual, a book detailing powerful martial arts and inner energy techniques, but is tricked into practising skills based on an edited version of the manual. He becomes insane eventually as a consequence, but ironically, his prowess in martial arts also increases tremendously. In the sequel, Ouyang dies amidst laughter and forgotten past feuds together with his rival Hong Qigong. He is buried on Mount Hua beside Hong by his godson Yang Guo, who succeeds him as the "Western Eccentric" of the new generation of the Five Greats.

The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Ouyang is the master of a manor on Mount White Camel in western China. He specialises in toxicology and rears venomous snakes as pets. He participated in the first martial arts contest held on Mount Hua and emerged as one of the top five champions, earning himself the nickname of "Western Venom" (西毒). He makes his first appearance while visiting Huang Yaoshi on Peach Blossom Island with his nephew Ouyang Ke. He wishes to arrange for a marriage between his nephew and Huang's daughter Huang Rong. However, Guo Jing is also present and he contends with Ouyang Ke for Huang Rong's hand-in-marriage, with Zhou Botong and Hong Qigong supporting him. After a competition involving three rounds of tests between the two young men, Guo wins the contest, incurring the displeasure of the Ouyangs.

Later in the novel, Hong Qigong, Zhou Botong and Guo Jing are stranded at sea and are picked up by Ouyang's ship. When Ouyang realises that Guo has memorised the Nine Yin Manual, he attempts to con and coerce the latter into writing a copy for him. However, as instructed by Hong Qigong, Guo deliberately writes a wrong version of the manual for Ouyang, with verses written in reverse manner. Ouyang believes that he has gotten what he wants and tries to kill Guo and Hong. Hong and Ouyang fight on the ship, which sinks. Hong was poisoned by Ouyang during the fight and he lost all his inner energy after using it to purge the venom from his body. The now powerless Hong, accompanied by Guo Jing and Huang Rong, are at the mercy of the Ouyangs, as the five of them are stranded on an island. Huang Rong tricks Ouyang Ke into loosening a boulder, which falls and crushes his leg. Ouyang Feng coerces the three of them to look after his nephew and provide them with food, and in return, he promises not to harm them as long as they are still on the island. At one point, Ouyang reveals that he is actually Ouyang Ke's biological father after having an affair with his sister-in-law. He is eventually picked up by Wanyan Honglie's ship.

After leaving the island, Ouyang practises the Nine Yin Manual's skills obsessively, believing it to be genuine. He kidnaps Huang Rong and tries to force her to interpret the verses for him, but she provides him with wrong information, without him knowing that he has been deceived. Before the novel ends, Ouyang is seen to have become insane due to practising the manual's skills wrongly, but ironically, his prowess in martial arts has also improved tremendously.

The Return of the Condor Heroes

Ouyang makes a few brief appearances in the sequel. He is now insane and meets the young Yang Guo, whom he likes and accepts as a godson. Yang learns the 'Toad Skill' from Ouyang and uses it on two occasions for self-defence against bullies, and he refuses to tell the truth when Guo Jing and Huang Rong question him on how he learnt the skill. Ouyang appears again when Yang and Xiaolongnü are practising martial arts on Mount Zhongnan. Ouyang wants to teach Yang some skills but does not want Xiaolongnü to overhear him so he immobilises her. He enters a fit of insanity later and leaves.

Ouyang appears for one last time on Mount Hua, where he meets Yang and Hong Qigong again. Ouyang and Hong engage each other in a fierce battle again, which lasted four days. The fight is only interrupted when Yang comes at intervals to serve them meals. The animosity between the two rivals is too strong for them to bear and they continue to pit their inner energies against each other for a full day. Both of them suffer from exhaustion but they are unwilling to back down. They decide to use Yang, who has been an observer for the past few days, as an intermediate. Ouyang and Hong teach Yang their respective skills and ask Yang to perform for each other to see.

Hong teaches Yang his 'Dog Beating Staff Technique'. Ouyang had apparently lost after Yang performed the last stance 'No Dogs Under Heaven'. Ouyang spends the following night thinking of a counter-move and the next morning he asks Yang to perform for Hong to see. Hong is shocked when he sees that Ouyang has managed to overcome his most powerful skill. Hong finally realises that there will be no eventual victor between the two of them. He laughs hysterically and embraces Ouyang in defeat. At the same time, Ouyang seems to have recovered from his insanity as he finally recognises Hong. The two rivals die together amidst laughter and forgotten past feuds. Yang buries them side by side on Mount Hua.

Martial arts and skills

• 'Toad Skill' (蛤蟆功) is Ouyang's signature martial arts technique. Its greatest weakness is that it can be overcome by a combination of Wang Chongyang's 'First Heaven Skill' and Duan Zhixing's 'Yiyang Finger'.

• Fake Nine Yin Manual skills (九陰「假」經). Ouyang is tricked into practising the conventional version of the skills in a reverse manner. He becomes insane as a consequence, but ironically, his prowess in martial arts improves tremendously.

• 'Divine Serpent Fist' (靈蛇拳) is a type of fist style that involves snake-like twirling and curling movements to strike an opponent from various angles.

• 'Divine Serpent Staff Skill' (靈蛇杖法). Ouyang wields an iron staff that has a poisonous snake perched on it. His staff movements will cause the snake to bite his opponent at will and the snake's venom can cause immediate death.

• 'Thousand Li in One Moment' (瞬息千里) is Ouyang's qinggong.

• 'Force Reverse Meridian' (逆轉經脈) is Ouyang's inner energy cultivation technique.

• 'Divine Camel Snowy Mountain Palm' (神駝雪山掌)

• 'Bone Penetrating Dianxue Skill' (透骨打穴法) is a type of acupuncture point sealing technique.

References

• (Chinese) 欧阳锋：机关算尽太聪明 - extract about Ouyang Feng from Rankings of Characters in Jin Yong's Works (金庸人物排行榜) by Tan Xianmao (覃贤茂)