Gan Guanghao

Gan Guanghao (simplified: 干光豪, traditional: 干光豪, pinyin: Gān Guāngháo, jyutping: gon1 gwong1 hou4) was the eldest disciple of Zuo Zimu, leader of the Wuliang Sword School’s Eastern Branch. He developed a romantic relationship with Ge Guangpei, a disciple of the Western Branch, and eloped with her during the Shennong Guild’s attack on the school. The two were later killed by Mu Wanqing when they attempted to murder Duan Yu to silence him.

Biography

Early life and training

Gan Guanghao was trained as a disciple under Zuo Zimu, the leader of the Wuliang Sword School’s Eastern Branch. As the eldest disciple, he would have been expected to take on greater responsibilities within the faction and potentially succeed his master in the future.

He trained in the Wuliang Sword School’s swordplay techniques and participated in the regular sword competitions held at Sword Lake Palace every five years, where the Eastern and Western branches competed for the right to reside there.

Relationship with Ge Guangpei

Five years before the events of the novel, Gan Guanghao participated in a sword competition at Sword Lake Palace, where he was matched against Ge Guangpei, a disciple of the Western Branch. During the match, Gan Guanghao deliberately feigned exhaustion and allowed himself to be defeated, though Ge Guangpei later recognised that he had intentionally lost to her.

This act of chivalry sparked the beginning of their romantic relationship. The two continued to develop feelings for each other despite belonging to rival branches of the school, maintaining a secret relationship that violated faction rules.

Elopement during Shennong Guild attack

When the Shennong Guild launched an attack on the Wuliang Sword School, Gan Guanghao and Ge Guangpei saw an opportunity to escape together. During the chaos of the attack, they abandoned their faction and fled, effectively betraying their masters and fellow disciples.

The two fled far from Mount Wuliang, hoping to escape to a remote location where they could live together without being discovered. They planned to find a secluded place to hide from both their former factions and any pursuing enemies.

Encounter with Duan Yu

While fleeing, Gan Guanghao and Ge Guangpei encountered Duan Yu, who had accidentally stumbled upon their secret. Fearing that Duan Yu would expose their betrayal and elopement, they decided to kill him to ensure their secret remained safe.

The two pursued Duan Yu, who was unable to use martial arts and could only flee. During the chase, Duan Yu fell from a cliff, but he survived the fall. Gan Guanghao and Ge Guangpei believed he had perished and continued their escape.

Death at Mu Wanqing’s hands

Later, at a small restaurant near the Lancang River, Gan Guanghao and Ge Guangpei encountered Duan Yu again, who had survived his fall. Realising he was still alive and could expose them, they prepared to kill him once more.

However, Mu Wanqing, who was also present at the restaurant, intervened. She killed both Gan Guanghao and Ge Guangpei using her sleeve arrows (袖箭), shooting Gan Guanghao in the throat and Ge Guangpei in the back of the neck before they could harm Duan Yu.

Personality and traits

Selfish and cowardly

Gan Guanghao’s actions throughout the story demonstrated his selfish nature. He chose to abandon his faction and fellow disciples during a time of crisis, prioritising his personal relationship over his duties and loyalties. His willingness to kill an innocent person like Duan Yu to protect his secret further revealed his lack of moral principles.

His cowardly nature was evident in his decision to flee rather than face the consequences of his actions or defend his faction during the Shennong Guild’s attack. This contrasted with the values of loyalty and honour that were expected of martial artists in the jianghu.

Passionate but misguided

Despite his negative traits, Gan Guanghao’s relationship with Ge Guangpei demonstrated genuine passion and commitment. He was willing to sacrifice his position, reputation, and safety for their relationship, showing that he was capable of deep feelings.

However, this passion was misguided, as it led him to make choices that violated the principles of the martial arts world and ultimately resulted in his death.

Relationships

Zuo Zimu

Gan Guanghao was the eldest disciple of Zuo Zimu, leader of the Eastern Branch of the Wuliang Sword School. His betrayal by eloping during the Shennong Guild attack represented a significant breach of the master-disciple relationship and faction loyalty.

Ge Guangpei

Gan Guanghao’s romantic relationship with Ge Guangpei was the central focus of his story. The two began their relationship after he intentionally lost to her in a sword competition, and they eventually eloped together, abandoning their factions and fleeing together.

Their relationship demonstrated both genuine affection and poor judgement, as their choices led to their eventual deaths.

Gong Guangjie

Gong Guangjie was Gan Guanghao’s fellow disciple under Zuo Zimu. The two would have trained together and worked alongside each other as members of the Eastern Branch.

Behind the scenes

Role in the narrative

Gan Guanghao serves as a minor antagonist whose story illustrates the consequences of betraying faction loyalty and prioritising personal desires over martial arts principles. His character demonstrates how poor choices and selfish actions can lead to tragic outcomes.

His encounter with Duan Yu and subsequent death at Mu Wanqing’s hands also serves to introduce Duan Yu’s early adventures and demonstrate Mu Wanqing’s protective nature and skill with hidden weapons.

Character analysis

Gan Guanghao’s character represents the conflict between personal desires and faction obligations in the martial arts world. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of abandoning one’s duties and betraying one’s master and faction.

His death, along with Ge Guangpei’s, demonstrates the harsh realities of the jianghu, where betrayal and poor choices often lead to tragic endings, regardless of one’s intentions or the depth of one’s feelings.

Portrayals

Gan Guanghao has been portrayed in various adaptations of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils:

1982 TV series: Portrayed by Mak Tsz-wan (麦子云), though the character was named “Yu Guanghao” (于光豪) in this adaptation
2013 TV series: Portrayed by Guo Ziyu (郭子渝)
2021 TV series: Portrayed by Hua Cheng (华程)