Daiqisi

Daiqisi (simplified: 黛绮丝, traditional: 黛綺絲, pinyin: Dàiqǐsī, jyutping: daai6 gei2 si1), known as the Purple-Robed Dragon King (紫衫龙王), was one of the Ming Order’s Four Guardian Kings and originally a Sacred Maiden of the Persian Ming Order. She was renowned as one of the most beautiful women in the martial arts world in her youth. After falling in love with Han Qianye and leaving the Ming Order, she disguised herself as Golden Flower Granny (金花婆婆, Jinhuapopo) to evade persecution from the Persian Ming Order for breaking her vow of chastity. Her complex history included her role as Xiaozhao’s mother and her eventual return to Persia with her daughter.

Biography

Origins and early life

Daiqisi was of mixed Persian and Han Chinese heritage. Her father was a Pure Goodness Messenger (净善使者) of the Persian Ming Order, originally a Han Chinese who had lived in Persia for many years and achieved significant accomplishments within the Order. He married a Persian woman, and their daughter Daiqisi became one of the Three Sacred Maidens of the Persian Ming Order.

As a Sacred Maiden, Daiqisi was expected to remain chaste for life and was sent to the Central Plains Ming Order with a secret mission: to retrieve the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth (乾坤大挪移), a supreme martial arts technique that had been lost by the Persian Ming Order. She became the adopted daughter of Yang Dingtian, the 33rd leader of the Ming Order, and lived at Bright Peak.

The Purple-Robed Dragon King

Daiqisi’s exceptional beauty earned her the reputation as the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world. Xie Xun, the Golden-Haired Lion King, later recalled that when she first entered the hall at Bright Peak, “her radiance filled the entire hall, and she was so beautiful that words could not describe it” (那少女一进厅堂，登时满堂生辉，但见她容色照人，明艳不可方物).

When Han Qianye, also known as Silver Leaf Gentleman (银叶先生), came to Bright Peak seeking revenge against Yang Dingtian for his father’s death, he challenged Yang Dingtian to a duel in the Cold Water Pool (碧水寒潭). However, Yang Dingtian was not skilled in aquatic combat, so Daiqisi volunteered to fight in his place, pretending to be the leader’s daughter.

Daiqisi’s exceptional aquatic abilities allowed her to defeat Han Qianye in the cold water. However, during their underwater combat, the two developed feelings for each other despite their initial adversarial relationship. After the duel, Daiqisi frequently visited Han Qianye while he recovered from his injuries, and their relationship deepened.

Yang Dingtian’s wife was so impressed by Daiqisi’s performance that she granted her the title Purple-Robed Dragon King. The other three Guardian Kings—Xie Xun, Yin Tianzheng, and Wei Yixiao—acknowledged Daiqisi’s status and agreed that she should be considered first among them, addressing each other as sworn siblings.

However, the duel in the Cold Water Pool left both Daiqisi and Han Qianye with injuries from the cold water. Daiqisi suffered lighter injuries but developed a chronic cough that would plague her for the rest of her life. Han Qianye’s injuries were more severe, with the cold poison entering his body and eventually becoming incurable.

Love and exile

Despite opposition from the Ming Order and the threat of execution from the Persian Ming Order for breaking her vow of chastity, Daiqisi chose to marry Han Qianye. When other Ming Order members insulted Han Qianye, Daiqisi publicly declared: “Shut up, all of you. I will only marry Lord Han in this lifetime. If you continue to insult him, either you die or I die” (都给我住口。我此生只嫁韩爷一人，你们要是再妄加侮辱，要么你死，要么我亡).

To avoid persecution from the Persian Ming Order, Daiqisi and Han Qianye disguised themselves as an elderly couple—she as Golden Flower Granny (金花婆婆) and he as Silver Leaf Gentleman (银叶先生). They lived together on Spirit Snake Island (灵蛇岛), where they gave birth to their daughter Xiaozhao.

Attempts to retrieve the Great Shift

Before leaving the Ming Order, Daiqisi secretly entered the Order’s hidden passages, hoping to find the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth technique. If she could recover this lost technique for the Persian Ming Order, she might be able to redeem herself and avoid execution for breaking her vow. However, she was discovered by Fan Yao, the Bright Right Messenger, who found her in the secret passages.

Daiqisi refused to reveal her purpose, saying she would take responsibility for her actions alone. Through the intercession of Xie Xun and Fan Yao, Daiqisi was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment. However, Daiqisi declared that since Yang Dingtian was not present, no one could control her, and she left the Ming Order.

Life as Golden Flower Granny

After leaving the Ming Order and settling on Spirit Snake Island with Han Qianye, Daiqisi continued to search for ways to obtain the Great Shift technique. She sent Xiaozhao to infiltrate Bright Peak as a servant, hoping her daughter could locate the technique manual, but these efforts were unsuccessful.

When Han Qianye’s condition worsened due to the cold poison from the Cold Water Pool, Daiqisi sought help from Hu Qingniu, the “Butterfly Valley Immortal Physician” (蝶谷医仙), one of the most skilled doctors in the martial arts world. However, since Daiqisi had been expelled from the Ming Order, Hu Qingniu refused to treat Han Qianye, citing his rule that he would only treat Ming Order members.

Seven years later, Han Qianye died from the poison. Daiqisi blamed Hu Qingniu for his death and became consumed with revenge. She set a trap in Fengyang City, injuring fifteen people from nine different factions and forcing them to seek treatment from Hu Qingniu, testing whether he would truly only treat Ming Order members.

When Hu Qingniu and his wife Wang Nangu faked their deaths to escape her revenge, Daiqisi discovered their deception. She killed both of them and hung their bodies from trees as a warning.

Encounter with Miejue

Daiqisi encountered Miejue, the leader of the Emei Order, at Butterfly Valley, where she was defeated in combat. Seeking revenge, Daiqisi travelled extensively to find a powerful weapon. She learned from her disciple Yin Li (also known as Zhuer, the Spider) that Zhu Changling was the only person who knew Xie Xun’s location. Using her exceptional navigation skills, Daiqisi successfully brought Xie Xun from Ice Fire Island to Spirit Snake Island.

On Spirit Snake Island, Daiqisi set a trap to kill Xie Xun and steal his Dragon-slaying Sabre, hoping to use it against Miejue. She laid silver needles on the ground to exploit Xie Xun’s blindness, but her plan was foiled by Zhang Wuji. When Yin Li revealed Daiqisi’s trap, Daiqisi attempted to kill her disciple as well, but Zhang Wuji intervened to save both Xie Xun and Yin Li.

Return to Persia

Daiqisi was eventually captured by the Three Messengers (风云三使) of the Persian Ming Order, who came to execute her for breaking her vow of chastity and marrying. During her execution, Zhang Wuji and others came to her rescue.

However, the Persian Ming Order demanded that someone return to Persia to serve as the new Order Leader. To save the lives of Zhang Wuji and the others, Daiqisi persuaded Xiaozhao to return to Persia and become the Persian Ming Order Leader. Daiqisi accompanied her daughter back to Persia, ending her long exile and finally returning to the land of her birth.

Personality & traits

Beauty and pride

In her youth, Daiqisi was renowned as the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world. Her Persian-Chinese mixed heritage gave her distinctive features—black hair, black eyes, a high nose, deep-set eyes, and skin as white as snow. Her beauty was so extraordinary that it “illuminated the entire hall” when she entered.

Daiqisi possessed a proud and determined character. She was willing to stand up for what she believed in, even when it meant defying powerful forces like the Persian Ming Order and the Ming Order itself. Her declaration that she would only marry Han Qianye demonstrated her fierce independence and commitment to her choices.

Love and revenge

Daiqisi’s love for Han Qianye was profound and unwavering. Despite the many obstacles they faced—her status as a Sacred Maiden, opposition from the Ming Order, and the threat of death from the Persian Ming Order—she chose love over duty and tradition. This decision defined the rest of her life, leading to her exile, disguise, and eventual return to Persia.

However, after Han Qianye’s death, Daiqisi became consumed with revenge. She showed little mercy to those she perceived as responsible for her husband’s death, particularly Hu Qingniu, whom she killed along with his wife despite their attempts to escape.

Complexity and contradiction

Daiqisi’s character embodies significant complexity and contradiction. On one hand, she showed deep love and devotion to her family, particularly to Xiaozhao. Despite sending her daughter on dangerous missions, she demonstrated genuine care and affection when they were together.

On the other hand, she was capable of great cruelty, as evidenced by her killing of Hu Qingniu and Wang Nangu, her attempts to kill Xie Xun and Yin Li, and her ruthless pursuit of revenge. She was willing to use deception and violence to achieve her goals, even when it meant betraying former friends and associates.

Adaptation and survival

Throughout her life, Daiqisi demonstrated remarkable ability to adapt and survive. Her decision to disguise herself as Golden Flower Granny allowed her to evade persecution and continue her search for the Great Shift technique. Her skills in disguise, navigation, and martial arts enabled her to survive for many years despite being hunted by the Persian Ming Order.

Martial arts abilities

Aquatic combat

Daiqisi’s exceptional aquatic abilities were her most distinctive martial arts skill. Having grown up by the sea, she was an expert swimmer who could move through water like a fish and could even keep her eyes open underwater. Her victory over Han Qianye in the Cold Water Pool demonstrated her superior aquatic combat abilities.

Cold Ice True Qi

Daiqisi possessed a unique internal energy technique known as Cold Ice True Qi (玄冰真气), which allowed her to channel bone-chilling cold energy through her palms into her opponents. This technique could cause severe pain and make the opponent’s joints crack, demonstrating the power of her internal energy cultivation.

Golden Flower Acupoint Strike

Daiqisi’s Golden Flower Acupoint Strike (金花打穴手) was a highly unusual and difficult-to-counter technique. Those struck by this technique would cry out in pain, and the strikes were extremely difficult to remove, indicating the sophistication of her martial arts knowledge.

Disguise and deception

Daiqisi was highly skilled in disguise techniques, allowing her to transform herself from a beautiful young woman into an elderly, hunchbacked crone. This ability was essential for her survival and for evading detection by the Persian Ming Order.

Overall martial arts level

Daiqisi’s overall martial arts abilities were considerable, placing her on par with Xie Xun when he was blind. However, she was not a match for top-tier masters like Miejue when they wielded powerful weapons like the Heavenly Sword.

Weapons and equipment

Coral-Gold Staff

Daiqisi’s staff, known as the Coral-Gold Staff (珊瑚金), was a unique treasure. It was formed from a combination of rare metals and coral that had been fused together over millions of years in the deep sea. This staff was extremely hard and could cut through iron like cutting tofu and break stone like hitting cotton. No matter how sharp a weapon might be, it would break immediately upon contact with this staff.

Golden Flower

Daiqisi used Golden Flowers (金花) as hidden weapons. These were crafted from pure gold in the shape of plum blossoms, with white gold wire used for the stamens. They were about the same size as real plum blossoms and were highly effective when thrown unexpectedly.

Long Sword

In her youth, Daiqisi used a long sword, particularly during her famous duel with Han Qianye in the Cold Water Pool.

Relationships

Han Qianye

Daiqisi’s relationship with Han Qianye was the central defining element of her life. Despite their initial adversarial relationship—he came to seek revenge against her adoptive father—their encounter in the Cold Water Pool led to mutual attraction and love. Daiqisi’s decision to marry him despite all obstacles demonstrated the depth of her feelings and her willingness to sacrifice everything for love.

Xiaozhao

Daiqisi’s relationship with her daughter Xiaozhao was complex. While she loved Xiaozhao deeply and showed genuine care and affection when they were together, she also sent her daughter on dangerous missions to infiltrate Bright Peak. This contradiction reflects the tension between Daiqisi’s love for her daughter and her desperate need to recover the Great Shift technique to save herself from execution.

Yang Dingtian

Daiqisi’s relationship with Yang Dingtian, her adoptive father, was significant. He accepted her as his adopted daughter and granted her the title of Purple-Robed Dragon King. However, when she chose to marry Han Qianye and leave the Ming Order, she effectively severed this relationship.

Xie Xun

Daiqisi’s relationship with Xie Xun was marked by both friendship and betrayal. As fellow Guardian Kings, they were sworn siblings who addressed each other with respect. However, after Han Qianye’s death, Daiqisi was willing to kill Xie Xun to obtain the Dragon-slaying Sabre, demonstrating how her pursuit of revenge could override former friendships.

Yin Li (Zhuer)

Daiqisi took Yin Li as her disciple and taught her martial arts. However, when Yin Li revealed Daiqisi’s trap on Spirit Snake Island, Daiqisi was willing to kill her, showing that her relationships were conditional and could be severed if they interfered with her goals.

Behind the scenes

Daiqisi represents one of Jin Yong’s most complex and tragic female characters. Her story explores themes of love versus duty, the consequences of breaking religious vows, the lengths people will go to for revenge, and the complexity of human relationships. Her transformation from a beautiful, respected Guardian King to a disguised, vengeful figure reflects the impact of love, loss, and persecution on an individual’s character.

Her character also highlights the connections between the Central Plains Ming Order and the Persian Ming Order, demonstrating the international scope of Jin Yong’s martial arts world. Her status as a Sacred Maiden and her mission to retrieve the Great Shift technique add depth to the political and religious dimensions of the novel.

Daiqisi’s story is ultimately one of survival and adaptation. Despite facing persecution, the loss of her husband, and the threat of execution, she managed to survive for many years through disguise, deception, and determination. Her eventual return to Persia with Xiaozhao represents a form of resolution, though it came at the cost of her daughter’s freedom and her own continued subjugation to the Persian Ming Order’s authority.