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Guo Xiaotian 郭啸天
Wuxia Wiki | The Legend of the Condor Heroes | Characters

Guo Xiaotian 郭啸天

Guo Xiaotian (pinyin: Guō Xiàotiān, jyutping: Gwok3 Siu3 Tin1, simplified: 郭啸天, traditional: 郭嘯天) was a Song dynasty1 martial artist and father of Guo Jing. Originally from Shandong,2 he settled in Ox Village in Lin’an Prefecture3 with his sworn brother Yang Tiexin after fleeing Jin rule.4 He died defending his family and principles against corrupt officials in 1205.

His name literally means roaring to Heaven, suggesting grand ambitions while evoking imagery of someone whose martial prowess or spirit reaches towards Heaven.

Biography

A descendant of Guo Sheng,5 the Star of Earthly Blessing from the Liangshan heroes, Guo Xiaotian inherited his family’s martial legacy including their renowned halberd techniques. Unable to endure Jin rule in their native Shandong, he and Yang Tiexin relocated to Ox Village in the south, where he married Li Ping and lived peacefully alongside Yang Tiexin’s family.

Encounter with Qiu Chuji and the fateful night

In 1205, Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin shared drinks with the wandering Quanzhen Order Daoist priest Qiu Chuji at a tavern in their village. During their conversation, they discovered the Daoist had recently eliminated a corrupt official who collaborated with Jin forces. Their shared anti-Jin sentiments quickly forged a bond of friendship among the three.

That same evening, Jin prince Wanyan Honglie arrived in Ox Village searching for Qiu. A confrontation ensued, during which the prince was injured by one of Qiu’s hidden weapons and secretly took refuge in Yang’s woodshed, where Bao Xiruo unknowingly tended to his wounds.

Before departing, Qiu suggested meaningful names for both families’ unborn children—–Guo Jing and Yang Kang——referencing the humiliating Jingkang Incident6 when Jin forces captured two Song emperors. The families made a pact that their children would either marry if of opposite sexes or become sworn brothers if both were boys.

Death

Days later, their peaceful existence was shattered when Minister Han Tuozhou7 falsely accused them of rebellion. In the violent clash with official troops led by Duan Tiande, Guo fought valiantly despite being bound, but ultimately suffered a fatal wound while protecting Yang Tiexin. He died from blood loss after having his right arm severed.

Personality and traits

Guo Xiaotian embodied traditional virtues of loyalty and righteousness. He was outspoken against corruption, particularly criticising Han Tuozhou’s appeasement policies toward the Jin Dynasty4. Despite living in dangerous times, he maintained his principles and refused to submit to corrupt authority.

His strong sense of brotherhood was evident in his relationship with Yang Tiexin, with whom he shared not just martial arts training but also daily life and political views. Their families lived as one, sharing meals and supporting each other through difficulties.

Martial arts abilities

Guo Xiaotian was highly skilled in his family’s halberd technique8, which he could adapt from long to short forms and transform from single to dual weapons. Even when bound and fatally wounded, his leg techniques remained formidable enough to seriously injure Duan Tiande.

He was also proficient in archery and possessed considerable strength and agility, traits that would later be inherited by his son Guo Jing.

Relationships

Li Ping

His wife Li Ping was pregnant with their son Guo Jing when he died. Their marriage, though brief, was loving and supportive.

Yang Tiexin

Yang Tiexin was his sworn brother and closest friend, with whom he shared both martial arts training and daily life. Their brotherhood remained unbroken until Guo’s death defending Yang.

Bao Xiruo

Bao Xiruo was Yang Tiexin’s wife and regarded as a sister-in-law. Their families lived in close harmony, sharing meals and supporting each other.

Behind the scenes

Guo Xiaotian’s character serves several important narrative functions in The Legend of the Condor Heroes. His death early in the novel establishes themes of loyalty, justice and resistance against corruption that run throughout the story. His martial arts legacy and principled nature strongly influence his son Guo Jing’s character development.

Portrayals

Chu Tit-Wo as Guo Xiaotian in 1983 series Chu Tit-Wo (1983)Ren Tianye as Guo Xiaotian in 2008 series Ren Tianye (2008)

Footnotes

  1. 宋朝 – Sòng Cháo. A Chinese dynasty that ruled from 960 to 1279. See Wikipedia. ↩

  2. 山东 – Shāndōng. A coastal province in Eastern China. See Wikipedia. ↩

  3. 临安 – Lín’ān. Modern-day Hangzhou, capital of the Southern Song dynasty. See Wikipedia. ↩

  4. 金 – Jīn. A dynasty ruled by the Jurchen people under the Wanyan clan from 1115 to 1234. See Wikipedia. ↩ ↩2

  5. 郭胜 – Guō Shèng. One of the 108 Heroes of Water Margin. See Wikipedia. ↩

  6. 靖康事变 – Jìngkāng Shìbiàn. A humiliating incident in 1127 when the Jin Empire captured two Song emperors. ↩

  7. 韩侂胄 – Hán Tuōzhòu. A corrupt minister of the Southern Song Dynasty. See Wikipedia. ↩

  8. 长柄刀法 – Chángbǐng Dāofǎ. Literally “long-handled blade technique”. ↩