Feng Tiannan (simplified: 凤天南, traditional: 鳳天南, pinyin: Fèng Tiānnán, jyutping: fung6 tin1 naam4) was a cruel tyrant and local despot in Foshan, Guangdong, during the Qing dynasty. He was the leader of the Wuhu School (五虎门) and was known by the epithet “Southern Overlord” (南霸天). He was the father of Yuan Ziyi, having raped her mother Yuan Yingu, and was eventually killed by Tang Pei at the Wulin Leader Conference.
Biography
Tyranny in Foshan
Feng Tiannan was a wealthy and powerful figure in Foshan who used his position to oppress the common people. He operated restaurants, pawnshops, and gambling houses, extorting money from the local population through various means. His reputation for cruelty and exploitation earned him the nickname “Southern Overlord.”
The Zhong Asi incident
Feng Tiannan’s most notorious crime was the murder of Zhong Asi and his family. To build a “Seven Phoenix Tower” (七凤楼) for his seventh concubine, Feng Tiannan attempted to forcibly purchase two mu and four fen of vegetable land that Zhong Asi relied on for his livelihood. When Zhong Asi refused, Feng Tiannan falsely accused Zhong Asi’s two sons, Xiao Erzi and Xiao Sanzi, of stealing a goose from his household.
The local authorities subjected Zhong Asi to severe torture. Zhong Si’s wife, unable to find justice, was forced to cut open her four-year-old son Xiao Sanzi’s stomach in the Beidi Temple to prove his innocence. The child died, and Zhong Si’s wife went insane from the trauma. Feng Tiannan, enraged, then claimed that since Xiao Sanzi had not eaten the goose, it must have been Xiao Erzi, and ordered his men to search for and capture Zhong Erzi, driving the entire Zhong family to despair.
Relationship with Yuan Ziyi
Feng Tiannan had raped Yuan Yingu, a fisherman’s daughter, resulting in the birth of Yuan Ziyi. Despite being her biological father, Feng Tiannan had no relationship with his daughter, who grew up hating him for his crimes against her mother. Yuan Ziyi resolved to save Feng Tiannan three times to settle their father-daughter relationship, then kill him to avenge her mother.
Pursuit by Hu Fei
When Hu Fei learned of Feng Tiannan’s crimes, he was outraged and determined to kill Feng Tiannan and his son to bring justice. However, Yuan Ziyi repeatedly prevented Hu Fei from killing Feng Tiannan, allowing him to escape. Feng Tiannan attempted to buy Hu Fei’s forgiveness with gold and property, but Hu Fei refused to accept.
Death
At Fukanggan’s Wulin Leader Conference, Feng Tiannan colluded with Tang Pei to cheat in the competition. However, Tang Pei eventually killed Feng Tiannan, bringing an end to the tyrant’s reign of terror.
Personality
Feng Tiannan was depicted as cruel, greedy, and ruthless. He was willing to use any means necessary to achieve his goals, including false accusations, murder, and extortion. He showed no remorse for his crimes and used his wealth and power to oppress the common people.
Relationships
- Feng Yiming (Son): His son, who was also involved in his father’s crimes.
- Yuan Ziyi (Daughter): His illegitimate daughter, born from his rape of Yuan Yingu.
- Yuan Yingu (Victim): The fisherman’s daughter he raped, resulting in Yuan Ziyi’s birth.
- Zhong Asi (Victim): The vegetable farmer whose family he destroyed.
- Tang Pei (Associate/Enemy): Initially an associate at the Wulin Leader Conference, but eventually killed Feng Tiannan.
- Hu Fei (Enemy): The young hero who pursued him to bring justice.
Martial Arts
Feng Tiannan was skilled in martial arts and was the leader of the Wuhu School. He was known for his strength and was said to wield a golden rod (黄金棍) that weighed a hundred jin and shone with a golden light. However, his martial arts skills were not sufficient to protect him from Tang Pei’s attack.
Legacy
Feng Tiannan serves as a representation of the corrupting influence of power and wealth. His crimes against the Zhong family and Yuan Yingu illustrate the suffering that tyrants can inflict on the common people. His eventual death at the hands of Tang Pei represents a form of poetic justice, though it came too late to save his victims.