Fei Bin (simplified: 费彬, traditional: 費彬, pinyin: Fèi Bīn, jyutping: fai3 ban1), known as the Great Songyang Hand (大嵩阳手), was a member of the Songshan School’s Thirteen Great Protectors and a junior of Zuo Lengchan. He was known for his ruthless methods and was killed by Mo Da after attempting to murder Qu Yang, Liu Zhengfeng, and Qu Feiyan.
Biography
Role in Liu Zhengfeng’s golden basin hand-washing ceremony
Fei Bin was sent by Zuo Lengchan to Liu Zhengfeng’s golden basin hand-washing ceremony to prevent Liu Zhengfeng from retiring. He led the Songshan School’s attack on Liu Zhengfeng and his family, killing Liu Zhengfeng’s wife, children, and disciples.
Fei Bin was ruthless in his methods, showing no mercy to women and children. He was determined to eliminate Liu Zhengfeng and his family to prevent them from revealing the Songshan School’s schemes.
Pursuit of Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng
After Qu Yang rescued Liu Zhengfeng, Fei Bin pursued them to their hiding place, determined to eliminate all witnesses. He found them with Qu Feiyan, Qu Yang’s granddaughter, and decided to kill all three.
Fei Bin threatened to torture Qu Feiyan, saying he would first blind her left eye, then cut off her nose, then cut off her ears. However, before he could carry out his threats, Linghu Chong and Yilin intervened.
Death at Mo Da’s hands
Despite Linghu Chong’s intervention, Fei Bin was determined to kill Qu Yang, Liu Zhengfeng, and Qu Feiyan. However, Mo Da, the leader of the South Hengshan School, arrived and killed Fei Bin using the Hundred Transformations Thousand Illusions Hengshan Cloud Mist Thirteen Forms (百变千幻衡山云雾十三式).
Mo Da’s attack was swift and deadly, demonstrating his skill and his willingness to protect his friend Liu Zhengfeng, even if it meant killing a member of the Songshan School.
Personality & traits
Fei Bin was portrayed as ruthless and merciless, willing to kill women and children to achieve his goals. He was described as being cruel and showing no hesitation in committing atrocities.
His behaviour demonstrated the worst aspects of the Songshan School under Zuo Lengchan’s leadership, where loyalty to the school’s goals was valued above basic morality and human decency.
Martial arts abilities
Fei Bin was skilled in Songshan Swordplay and the Great Songyang Hand technique, which emphasised palm power and neili. He was described as being a skilled martial artist, though his exact techniques were not detailed in the novel.
However, his defeat by Mo Da demonstrated that even skilled martial artists could be overcome by superior techniques and surprise attacks.
Relationships
Fei Bin’s relationship with Zuo Lengchan was one of loyalty and service. He followed Zuo Lengchan’s orders without question, even when they involved killing innocent people.
His relationship with Liu Zhengfeng was one of enmity. Fei Bin saw Liu Zhengfeng as a traitor who needed to be eliminated to protect the Songshan School’s secrets.
Behind the scenes
Fei Bin represents the theme of ruthless pursuit of power and the ways in which loyalty to a faction can lead to moral corruption. His character demonstrates that even skilled martial artists can become tools of oppression when they lose sight of basic morality.
Literary significance
Fei Bin’s character serves to highlight the brutality of the Songshan School under Zuo Lengchan’s leadership. His death at Mo Da’s hands demonstrates that even ruthless villains can be defeated by those who are willing to stand up for what is right.
Portrayals
Fei Bin has been portrayed in various adaptations of Laughing in the Wind:
Laughing in the Wind
See also
- Laughing in the Wind characters
- Zuo Lengchan — Fei Bin’s leader
- Liu Zhengfeng — Fei Bin’s victim
- Qu Yang — Fei Bin’s victim
- Qu Feiyan — Fei Bin’s victim
- Mo Da — Fei Bin’s killer
- Songshan School — Fei Bin’s faction
External links
- Fei Bin (Chinese) on Chinese Wikipedia