Chengguan (simplified: 澄观, traditional: 澄觀, pinyin: Chéngguān, jyutping: cing4 gun1) was a Shaolin Order (少林派) monk who interacts with Wei Xiaobao in The Deer and the Cauldron. Despite being much older and more experienced in martial arts, he serves as Wei Xiaobao’s junior nephew (师侄 — shīzhí) due to the latter’s special status at Shaolin Monastery.
Biography
Encounter with Wei Xiaobao
Chengguan meets Wei Xiaobao when the latter is sent to Shaolin Monastery as part of the Kangxi Emperor’s arrangements. Due to Wei Xiaobao’s special status and his relationship with the emperor, he is given an honorary position at the temple that makes him senior to monks who have been there for decades.
Despite Chengguan’s advanced age and extensive martial arts knowledge, he becomes Wei Xiaobao’s junior nephew in terms of temple hierarchy, creating an amusing reversal of the typical master-disciple relationship.
Teaching Wei Xiaobao
Chengguan attempts to teach Wei Xiaobao martial arts, including the Flower Plucking Grappling Hands (拈花擒拿手 — Niānhuā Qínná Shǒu), a technique he uses to help Wei Xiaobao deal with challenges from Ake (阿珂) and her companions.
However, as with all of Wei Xiaobao’s martial arts instructors, Chengguan’s efforts are largely in vain. Wei Xiaobao’s laziness and lack of dedication mean he never truly masters any of the techniques, though Chengguan’s patient instruction does provide some assistance.
Helping with martial arts challenges
When Wei Xiaobao faces challenges from Ake and the green-robed girl, Chengguan uses his knowledge to analyze their techniques and develop counters. He teaches Wei Xiaobao the Flower Plucking Grappling Hands as a way to deal with these opponents, demonstrating his expertise and willingness to help.
Personality
Chengguan is characterized by his patience, scholarly approach to martial arts, and strict adherence to temple hierarchy. Despite the unusual situation of being junior to someone much younger and less knowledgeable, he accepts this arrangement with good humor and continues to serve faithfully.
His character represents the traditional values of respect for hierarchy and dedication to martial arts study, providing a contrast to Wei Xiaobao’s pragmatic and often irreverent approach.
Significance
Chengguan’s character highlights the absurdity and humor that runs throughout the novel. The situation where a learnt, experienced monk becomes the junior nephew of a lazy, uneducated teenager reflects the novel’s satirical approach to hierarchy and tradition.
His attempts to teach Wei Xiaobao martial arts, despite the latter’s complete lack of interest and dedication, demonstrate the persistence of traditional values even in the face of someone who fundamentally doesn’t respect them.
Chengguan also represents Shaolin Monastery’s place in the broader world of the novel, showing how even this revered institution must navigate political realities and accommodate the whims of those in power.