Evil-Warding Swordplay

The Evil-Warding Swordplay (simplified: 辟邪剑法, traditional: 辟邪劍法, pinyin: Bìxié Jiànfǎ, jyutping: pik1 ce4 gim3 faat3) was a powerful sword technique created by Lin Yuantu (林远图) based on the Sunflower Manual (葵花宝典) in Laughing in the Wind. The technique was renowned throughout the jianghu for its devastating power, but it required self-castration to master, making it both feared and desired by martial artists.

Overview

The Evil-Warding Swordplay consisted of seventy-two forms of sword techniques that were derived from the Sunflower Manual. Lin Yuantu created this technique after memorising the contents of the Sunflower Manual during his time as the Shaolin monk Duyuan (渡元), combining what he had learnt with his own understanding to develop a new martial art.

The technique was characterised by its strange and ruthless nature, with movements that were extremely fast and unpredictable. When executed properly, the Evil-Warding Swordplay could defeat even highly skilled opponents, making it one of the most feared techniques in the jianghu.

However, the technique’s power came at a terrible cost: to master the Evil-Warding Swordplay, practitioners had to castrate themselves, as the first line of the manual stated: “If you want to practice this technique, you must first castrate yourself” (欲练此功，必先自宫 — Yù liàn cǐ gōng, bì xiān zìgōng).

History

Creation by Lin Yuantu

The Evil-Warding Swordplay was created by Lin Yuantu, who was originally the Shaolin monk Duyuan. When Yue Su and Cai Zifeng of the Huashan School secretly copied the Sunflower Manual from Putian Shaolin Temple, Hongye (红叶) sent Duyuan to investigate.

At Huashan, Duyuan saw the Sunflower Manual and memorised its contents while providing explanations to Yue Su and Cai Zifeng. After staying at Huashan for eight days, Duyuan left and went to a cave, where he combined what he had learnt from the Sunflower Manual with his own understanding to create the Evil-Warding Swordplay, which he wrote on his monk’s robe.

Lin Yuantu’s mastery

After creating the technique, Duyuan’s worldly desires were awakened, and he left the monastery to return to secular life, taking the name Lin Yuantu. Using the seventy-two forms of the Evil-Warding Swordplay, along with the Sky-Turning Palm (翻天掌) and Silver Feather Arrows (银羽箭), Lin Yuantu defeated martial artists throughout the jianghu, including Changqingzi, the leader of the Qingcheng School.

Lin Yuantu founded the Fuwei Armed Escort (福威镖局), which became famous throughout the jianghu. However, because the Evil-Warding Swordplay was too strange and ruthless, Lin Yuantu did not teach its true essence to anyone, including his adopted sons. He only taught them a fake version that lacked the true technique’s power.

The hidden manual

Before his death, Lin Yuantu left behind a family instruction: “The ancestral items in the old house on Xiangyang Lane must not be casually examined.” This instruction referred to the true Evil-Warding Sword Manual hidden in the Lin family’s ancestral home, which would later become the object of desire for many martial artists.

The Lin family’s decline

After Lin Yuantu’s death, the Lin family continued to use a fake version of the Evil-Warding Swordplay, which lacked the true technique’s power. This led to the family’s decline, as their martial arts were no longer as formidable as they had been during Lin Yuantu’s time.

The Qingcheng School, seeking revenge for their previous defeat, eventually attacked and destroyed the Lin family, believing that the Lin family still possessed the powerful technique. However, they discovered that the Lin family only knew the fake version.

Lin Pingzhi’s discovery

Lin Pingzhi (林平之), Lin Yuantu’s descendant, eventually discovered the true Evil-Warding Sword Manual hidden in the ancestral home. After learning the technique’s requirement for self-castration, Lin Pingzhi made the terrible sacrifice to master the technique and gain the power to avenge his family.

Yue Buqun’s acquisition

Yue Buqun (岳不群), the leader of the Huashan School, also obtained the Evil-Warding Sword Manual and secretly practiced it, castrating himself to gain its power. This act demonstrated the technique’s corrupting influence, as even a respected martial arts master was willing to make such a sacrifice for power.

Requirements

Self-castration

The most significant requirement for mastering the Evil-Warding Swordplay was self-castration. The first line of the manual explicitly stated: “If you want to practice this technique, you must first castrate yourself.” This requirement was derived from the Sunflower Manual, from which the Evil-Warding Swordplay was created.

This terrible requirement meant that practitioners had to sacrifice their ability to have children and their masculine identity to gain the technique’s power. This cost made the technique both feared and desired, as many martial artists were unwilling to make such a sacrifice, while others were desperate enough to do so.

Understanding of the manual

Practitioners needed to understand the Evil-Warding Sword Manual, which contained the seventy-two forms of the technique. The manual was written by Lin Yuantu on his monk’s robe and later hidden in the Lin family’s ancestral home.

Techniques

The Evil-Warding Swordplay consisted of seventy-two forms of sword techniques. The technique’s movements were characterised by their speed and unpredictability, making it extremely difficult to defend against.

When executed properly, the Evil-Warding Swordplay could defeat even highly skilled opponents, as demonstrated by Lin Yuantu’s victories throughout the jianghu. However, the fake version taught to Lin Yuantu’s descendants lacked this power, leading to the family’s decline.

Practitioners

Lin Yuantu

Lin Yuantu was the creator and original master of the Evil-Warding Swordplay. He used the technique to defeat martial artists throughout the jianghu and founded the Fuwei Armed Escort. However, he did not teach the true technique to his descendants, only a fake version.

Lin Pingzhi

Lin Pingzhi discovered the true Evil-Warding Sword Manual and made the terrible sacrifice to master the technique. He used it to gain the power to avenge his family’s destruction, though this came at the cost of his ability to have children and his relationship with Yue Lingshan.

Yue Buqun

Yue Buqun, the leader of the Huashan School, secretly obtained and practiced the Evil-Warding Swordplay, castrating himself to gain its power. This act demonstrated the technique’s corrupting influence and led to his eventual downfall.

Behind the scenes

The Evil-Warding Swordplay serves as a central plot device in Laughing in the Wind, driving the conflict that leads to the Lin family’s destruction and Lin Pingzhi’s quest for vengeance. The technique’s requirement for self-castration represents the corrupting nature of power and the terrible sacrifices that some are willing to make to gain it.

The technique’s origin from the Sunflower Manual connects it to broader themes in the novel about the relationship between power, sacrifice, and corruption. The fact that Lin Yuantu did not teach the true technique to his descendants shows his awareness of its dangerous nature, though his decision to leave the manual hidden created the conditions for future tragedy.