Ding Dian (simplified: 丁典, traditional: 丁典, pinyin: Dīng Diǎn, jyutping: ding1 din2) was Di Yun’s fellow prisoner who possessed the secret of the Liancheng Swordplay. He was skilled enough in the Divine Light Skill to revive the dead.
Biography
Possession of the Liancheng Swordplay
Ding Dian came into possession of the Liancheng Swordplay manual, which contained the secret to finding a great treasure. This made him a target for Ling Tuisi, the cruel magistrate of Jingzhou, who imprisoned him to extract the secret.
Imprisonment
Ding Dian was imprisoned in Jiangling prison, where he met Di Yun. Despite being tortured and kept in chains for years, Ding Dian refused to reveal the secret of the Liancheng Swordplay to Ling Tuisi.
Relationship with Ling Shuanghua
Ding Dian was deeply in love with Ling Shuanghua, Ling Tuisi’s daughter. Their love story was one of the most tragic in the novel, as they were separated by her father’s cruelty and greed.
Teaching Di Yun
Over the years in prison, Ding Dian taught Di Yun the Divine Light Skill (神照经), an extremely powerful internal martial art. Through this training, Di Yun became exceptionally skilled, and Ding Dian’s teachings proved crucial to Di Yun’s survival and eventual success.
Death
Ding Dian eventually died in prison, but not before passing on his knowledge and the secret of the Liancheng Swordplay to Di Yun. His death was a great loss, as he was one of the most powerful and principled martial artists in the jianghu.
Martial arts
Ding Dian was a master of the Divine Light Skill (神照经), an internal martial art so powerful that it could revive the dead. He was considered one of the top martial artists in Jin Yong’s novels.