Chu Liuxiang

Chu Liuxiang is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel series Chu Liuxiang Series (楚留香系列) by Taiwanese writer Gu Long. His given name "Liuxiang" literally means "lingering fragrance". He steals from the rich to help the poor and upholds justice in the jianghu. He is nicknamed "Dao Shuai" (literally "Chief of Bandits/Thieves") or more popularly, "Xiangshuai" (literally "Chief Xiang"). He is intelligent, observant, kind and compassionate.

Character description

Chu Liuxiang is a martial arts expert whose prowess in qinggong is one of the best – if not, the best – in the jianghu (martial artists' community). He wields a metal hand fan as his weapon and uses it only for self-defence. Despite his superb combat skills and impressive qinggong, one of his definitive traits is that he has never killed a person in his whole life – not even an enemy. Usually, he relies on his wit, experience and calm to solve mysteries and overcome enemies who are far more powerful than him. The identity of his martial arts master is unknown, and even the well-informed Shuimu Yinji (水母陰姬) could only deduce that he is an apprentice of Ye Di (夜帝), a character from Daqi Yingxiong Zhuan (大旗英雄傳), another of Gu Long's novels.^[1]

Although his age is not mentioned in any of the novels, Chu Liuxiang is probably around 30 years old when the events of the novels take place. In Bianfu Chuanqi, his childhood friend, Hu Tiehua (胡鐵花), is 33 years old. Chu Liuxiang is presumably around the same age as Hu Tiehua since they grew up together.

Chu Liuxiang lives on a houseboat, called "Xiang's Pavilion" (香榭), with three young maidens. They are the closest people to him apart from his best friends, Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan (姬冰雁). They come from pitiful backgrounds and have been following Chu Liuxiang on his adventures since they were 11 or 12. The first, Su Rongrong (蘇蓉蓉), is kind and understanding and specialises in the art of disguise. The second, Li Hongxiu (李紅袖), is very clear and alert and has a good memory. The third one, Song Tian'er (宋甜兒), is a good cook and is the most mischievous and adorable of the three. Chu Liuxiang also meets several other beautiful maidens on his adventures, such as Heizhenzhu (黑珍珠; "Black Pearl"), Shi Xiuyun (石繡雲), Hua Zhenzhen (華真真), Dong Sanniang (東三娘) and Xinyue (新月). He eventually marries Zhang Jiejie (張潔潔), whom he meets in Taohua Chuanqi.

A legendary and highly reputable figure in the jianghu, Chu Liuxiang has a wide network of friends, acquaintances and contacts. They include: Hu Tiehua, his childhood friend who has a penchant for alcoholic drinks; Ji Bingyan, who appears cold and indifferent but is actually very warm-hearted; Wuhua (無花), a Buddhist monk who turns out to be a villain; Zhongyuan Yidianhong (中原一點紅; literally "One Red Dot in the Central Plains"), a powerful swordsman and contract killer; Zuo Qinghou (左輕侯), the hospitable master of Zhibei Manor; "Swift Net" Zhang San ("快罔"張三), a marine expert and excellent chef of grilled fish.

Novels

Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi

楚留香傳奇; 楚留香传奇; Chǔ Líuxiāng Chuánqí; Co2 Lau4-hoeng1 Cyun4-kei4; "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang"

The three novels, Xuehai Piaoxiang, Da Shamo and Huameiniao, form a story arc and are collectively known as Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi.

Xuehai Piaoxiang (血海飄香; 血海飘香; Xuèhǎi Piāoxiāng; Hyut3-hoi2 Piu1-hoeng1; "Fragrance in the Sea of Blood")

Chu Liuxiang steals a rare flower from the imperial capital and brings it back to his boathouse. Feeling curious after seeing the corpses of several top martial artists in the jianghu (martial artists' community) drifting towards him, he decides to investigate their deaths. In the meantime, the Heaven's One Holy Water (天一神水), a deadly potion from the Holy Water Palace (神水宮), an all-female martial arts sect, is stolen. Chu Liuxiang immediately becomes the suspect because, given his prowess in qinggong and martial arts, he is the probably the only person capable of stealing something from the Holy Water Palace and getting away undetected. Faced with seemingly insurmountable odds and a pressing deadline, Chu Liuxiang manages to solve the mysteries and clear his name. His friend, Wuhua (無花), turns out to be the mastermind behind everything. Chu Liuxiang confronts Wuhua and defeats him in a fight, after which Wuhua commits suicide by consuming poison.

Da Shamo (大沙漠; Dà Shāmò; Daai6 Saa1-mok6; "The Vast Desert")

Chu Liuxiang returns to his boathouse and discovers that Su Rongrong (蘇蓉蓉), Li Hongxiu (李紅袖) and Song Tian'er (宋甜兒) have gone missing. The three maidens are among his closest companions, and he knows that they will not leave without notifying him. He travels a long journey in search of them and reaches the desert, where he meets his friends, Hu Tiehua (胡鐵花) and Ji Bingyan (姬冰雁). Through a series of adventures and strange encounters, Chu Liuxiang learns that a mysterious villainess, Shiguanyin (石觀音), is the mastermind behind a sinister plot. One of her accomplices is Wuhua, who has actually survived after attempting suicide. Chu Liuxiang foils Shiguanyin's plot, defeats her in combat, and she commits suicide. Even after everything is over, Chu Liuxiang has not found the three missing girls yet.

Huameiniao (畫眉鳥; 画眉鸟; Huàméiniǎo; Waak6-mei4-niu5; "The Thrush")

Chu Liuxiang has a series of encounters with Li Yuhan (李玉函) and his wife, Liu Wumei (柳無眉), who is a former apprentice of Shiguanyin. He also gets into conflict with Shuimu Yinji (水母陰姬), the mistress of the Holy Water Palace, and engages her in a dramatic one-on-one fight that shocks the entire jianghu. He eventually emerges victorious, exposes an evil scheme by Li Yuhan and Liu Wumei, and rescues the three missing maidens.

Chu Liuxiang Xinzhuan

楚留香新傳; 楚留香新传; Chǔ Líuxiāng Xīnzhuàn; Co2 Lau4-hoeng1 San1-zyun6; "New Legend of Chu Liuxiang"

The five novels, Bianfu Chuanqi, Guilian Xiaqing, Taohua Chuanqi, Xinyue Chuanqi and Wuye Lanhua, are collectively known as Chu Liuxiang Xinzhuan.

Bianfu Chuanqi (蝙蝠傳奇; 蝙蝠传奇; Biānfú Chuánqí; Bin1-fuk1 Cyun4-kei4; "Legend of the Bat")

There is a strange island called Bat Island rumoured to contain numerous treasures and luxuries. The island is actually a secret trading post for black market items in the jianghu, such as exclusive martial arts manuals. From time to time, the island's master, nicknamed "Bat Gongzi" (蝙蝠公子), will send out special invitations to a few "privileged" guests to visit and trade on the island. Trade deals are done inside a dark cave to maintain secrecy.

Through a series of serendipitous events, Chu Liuxiang and his friends Hu Tiehua (胡鐵花) and Zhang San (張三) make their way to Bat Island with other companions. Along the way, some of their companions are mysteriously murdered. Chu Liuxiang also encounters Yuan Suiyun (原隨雲), a blind but powerful martial artist from a reputable family. Eventually, on the island, they uncover a sinister plot by "Bat Gongzi", who turns out to be the alter ego of Yuan Suiyun. At the critical moment, Jin Lingzhi (金靈芝), Yuan Suiyun's girlfriend who has secretly fallen in love with Hu Tiehua, saves everyone by setting up a plan to stop Yuan Suiyun.

Guilian Xiaqing (鬼戀俠情; 鬼恋侠情; Guǐliàn Xiáqíng; Gwai2-lyun5 Hap6-cing4; "Phantom Love and Heroic Romance"); alternatively known as Guilian Chuanqi (鬼戀傳奇; 鬼恋传奇; Guǐliàn Chuánqí; Gwai2-lyun5 Cyun4-kei4; "Legend of Phantom Love") and Jieshi Huanhun (借屍還魂; 借尸还魂; Jièshī Huánhún; Ze3-si1 Waan4-wan4; "Borrowing a Corpse to Return a Soul to Life")

Zuo Qinghou (左輕侯) is a famous martial artist in the Jiangnan region and the master of Zhibei Manor (擲杯山莊). His beloved daughter, Zuo Mingzhu (左明珠), dies after contracting a strange disease. In the meantime, another young maiden, Shi Yin (施茵), also dies from illness. At the moment of Shi Yin's death, Zuo Mingzhu suddenly returns to life and claims she is Shi Yin. It seems as if Shi Yin's spirit has possessed Zuo Mingzhu's body. Zuo Qinghou gets his close friend, Chu Liuxiang, to help him resolve the bizarre case.

Through his calm and wit, Chu Liuxiang gradually unravels the mystery and learns that it is tied to two pairs of star-crossed lovers. On one hand, Zuo Mingzhu is in love with Xue Bin (薛斌), but they can never be together because the Zuo and Xue families have a long history of bad blood. On the other hand, Shi Yin is in love with Ye Shenglan (葉勝蘭) but her parents have arranged for her to marry Xue Bin. Thus, both sides came up with an elaborate plan to trick their parents: Shi Yin fakes her death so that she can elope with Ye Shenglan; Zuo Mingzhu pretends to be possessed by Shi Yin's spirit so that she can marry Xue Bin. After uncovering the truth, Chu Liuxiang helps the two pairs of lovers get together and gives them his blessings.

Taohua Chuanqi (桃花傳奇; 桃花传奇; Táohuā Chuánqí; Tou4-faa1 Cyun4-kei4; "Legend of the Peach Blossom")

In the jianghu, there is a mysterious clan of unknown origin who practise a strange religion. In every generation, a girl will be chosen from within the clan to serve as their "Sacred Maiden", who must then take a vow of celibacy. The mother of the girl who has been selected to be the "Sacred Maiden" does not want her daughter to spend the rest of her life in solitude. She notices Chu Liuxiang and thinks he might be an ideal spouse for her daughter, so she sets up an elaborate plan to lure him into taking a series of challenges to assess his suitability. The story ends with a cliffhanger that resembles the famous paradox in the English short story The Lady, or the Tiger?.

Xinyue Chuanqi (新月傳奇; 新月传奇; Xīnyuè Chuánqí; San1-jyut6 Cyun4-kei4; "Legend of the New Moon")

The people living in the coastal areas are under constant threat from raids by pirates. The government enlists the help of a martial arts sect, Jade Sword Manor (玉劍山莊), to deal with the pirates. The elimination of the pirates, however, pave the way for the rise of a formidable pirate king, Shi Tianwang (史天王; "Heavenly King Shi"), who becomes the new threat on the seas and in the jianghu. He is not only powerful in martial arts, but also extremely elusive and unpredictable. For example, he has six decoys to help him mask his true identity.

"Mr. Du" (杜先生), the mysterious female leader of Jade Sword Manor, comes up with a plan to eliminate Shi Tianwang. She asks the government to bestow the title of a princess on her daughter, Xinyue (新月; literally "New Moon"), and pretends to offer her daughter's hand-in-marriage to the pirate king to appease him. Xinyue, now known as "Princess Jade Sword" (玉劍公主), will then find an opportunity to assassinate him.

By chance, Chu Liuxiang meets Xinyue's biological father, Jiao Lin (焦林), who seeks his help in finding his long-lost daughter. However, things become complicated when he learns that "Mr. Du" has recruited his best friend, Hu Tiehua, to help her escort Xinyue safely to the pirate king. As news of the planned marriage spread like wildfire throughout the jianghu, more parties get involved. Chu Liuxiang encounters Ishida Hitoshihiko-Saemon (石田齋彥左衛門), a Japanese ninja master seeking vengeance on Shi Tianwang for stealing his concubine, Baoji (豹姬). At the same time, Baoji, fearing that she will fall out of Shi Tianwang's favour after he marries Xinyue, has sent her assassins to kill Xinyue.

Although Chu Liuxiang starts a romance with Xinyue, who also pledges her love to him, she eventually marries Shi Tianwang. On their wedding night, she successfully distinguishes the real Shi Tianwang from his six decoys and assassinates him, thus completing her mission and restoring peace to the jianghu.

Wuye Lanhua (午夜蘭花; 午夜兰花; Wǔyè Lánhuā; Ng5-je6 Laan4-faa1; "The Midnight Orchid")

There are rumours in the jianghu that Chu Liuxiang is dead. A mysterious "Mr. Orchid" (蘭花先生) believes Chu Liuxiang is still alive so he/she sets up an elaborate plot to lure him out of hiding.

Adaptations

Films

Television

Video games

• Master Chu and the Drunkard Hu
• Chu Liuxiang Xinzhuan (楚留香新傳) is a RPG released in 2001 by Taiwan's UserJoy Technology. The game's story line is based on four novels in the series: Guilian Xiaqing, Taohua Chuanqi, Xinyue Chuanqi and Wuye Lanhua.

References