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Eighteen Whips of Huyan

Eighteen Whips of Huyan

Eighteen Whips of Huyan (simplified: 呼延十八鞭, traditional: 呼延十八鞭, pinyin: Hūyán Shíbā Biān) was a legendary iron whip technique passed down from Song Dynasty1 general Huyan Zan. Despite its name suggesting eighteen techniques, only seventeen moves survived transmission to later generations, with the eighteenth and ultimate technique known as “One Whip Breaks Ten Spears” remaining lost to all but the most exceptional masters.

The technique earned notoriety through its association with the phrase “Iron Whip that Quells Eight Directions”, representing the supreme authority of the iron whip over conventional weapons in skilled hands.

Description

Eighteen Whips of Huyan was an iron whip technique passed down from Song Dynasty general Huyan Zan. The technique featured seventeen preserved moves with one ultimate lost technique.

Techniques

Horizontal Army Sweep

Horizontal Army Sweep (横扫千军, Héng Sǎo Qiānjūn) was one of the techniques within the Eighteen Whips of Huyan system. Zhou Weixin used this move during his confrontation with Zhuo Tianxiong.

Iron Whip Flies Eight Directions

Iron Whip Flies Eight Directions (铁鞭飞八方, Tiěbiān Fēi Bāfāng) was a technique where the iron whip could be projected away from the practitioner through internal energy. During his encounter with Zhou Weixin, Zhuo Tianxiong used this move to disarm his opponent, projecting the iron whip with such force that it knocked Zhou’s weapon from his hands, leaving Zhou’s tiger’s mouth bleeding.

One Whip Breaks Ten Spears

One Whip Breaks Ten Spears (一鞭断十枪, Yībiān Duàn Shíqiāng) represented the legendary eighteenth and ultimate technique of the system. This move originated from General Huyan Zan’s battlefield experience when, surrounded by enemy spearmen, he used a single iron whip to simultaneously destroy ten spear shafts.

By the Qing Dynasty, only Zhuo Tianxiong amongst living masters possessed sufficient skill to perform this ultimate technique.

History

Origins

The technique was created by General Huyan Zan during the Northern Song Dynasty2.

Development

The technique was passed down through martial lineages. The eighteenth technique “One Whip Breaks Ten Spears” became lost to most practitioners due to its extreme difficulty. By the Qing Dynasty,3 only exceptional masters could perform this ultimate move.

Notable uses

The technique gained prominence during the Qing Dynasty through Zhuo Tianxiong, who served as chief amongst the Seven Great Imperial Guards. His mastery of all eighteen moves, including the lost ultimate technique, demonstrated the art’s continued relevance.

Zhou Weixin, disciple of a master who had learned from Zhuo Tianxiong’s junior, inherited seventeen of the eighteen moves but never witnessed the ultimate technique until his confrontation with his grand-master.

Notable practitioners

Zhou Weixin

Zhou Weixin inherited the Eighteen Whips of Huyan tradition through his martial lineage, learning seventeen of the eighteen techniques from his shifu4. His shifu had studied under Zhuo Tianxiong’s martial junior. Zhou was known for using the “Iron Whip that Quells Eight Directions” style and wielded a sixteen-catty iron whip.

During his confrontation with the disguised Zhuo Tianxiong, Zhou discovered he had never learnt the ultimate eighteenth technique.

Zhuo Tianxiong

Zhuo Tianxiong, serving as chief amongst the Qing Dynasty’s Seven Great Imperial Guards, was the only contemporary master who had mastered all eighteen moves, including the legendary eighteenth technique. He resided deep within the imperial palace and rarely appeared in public.

During his encounter with Zhou Weixin, Zhuo demonstrated superior mastery by using the same “Horizontal Army Sweep” technique but with far greater skill, ultimately disarming Zhou with “Iron Whip Flies Eight Directions”.

Behind the scenes

Jin Yong’s creation of Eighteen Whips of Huyan drew inspiration from Chinese martial traditions featuring flexible weapons and historical accounts of Song Dynasty military innovations. The technique’s emphasis on iron whips reflected the author’s interest in distinctive weapon systems beyond the commonly portrayed sword and sabre arts.

The concept of seventeen preserved moves with one ultimate lost technique established a recurring theme in Jin Yong’s works—the gradual degradation of martial knowledge across generations and the exceptional individuals who preserve complete transmissions.

The Huyan family name appeared in Song military contexts, providing foundation for Jin Yong’s fictional martial lineage. The author’s incorporation of this historical connection enhanced the technique’s credibility within the novel’s broader framework.

See also

Footnotes

  1. 宋 – Sòng. The Song dynasty, lasting from 960 to 1279 CE. See Wikipedia. ↩

  2. 北宋 – Běi Sòng. Period of the Song Dynasty that lasted from 960 to 1127 CE, with its capital in Bianjing, modern-day Kaifeng. See Wikipedia. ↩

  3. 清朝 – Qīng Cháo. Dnasty ruled by the Manchu people under the House of Aisin-Gioro from 1644 to 1912 CE. See Wikipedia. ↩

  4. 师父 – shīfū. Literally martial father. Teacher or master responsible for technical instruction and moral guidance. See Wuxia Wiki. ↩