Han Qianye

Han Qianye (simplified: 韩千叶, traditional: 韓千葉, pinyin: Hán Qiānyè, jyutping: hon4 cin1 jip6), known as the Silver Leaf Gentleman (银叶先生), was the husband of Daiqisi (the Purple-Robed Dragon King) and the father of Xiaozhao. He was the lord of Spirit Snake Island (灵蛇岛). He never formally appeared in the novel, only being mentioned in the recollections of Hu Qingniu and Xie Xun, but he was an important figure whose actions shaped the lives of Daiqisi and Xiaozhao.

Biography

Family background and revenge

Han Qianye’s father had once fought with Yang Dingtian, the 33rd leader of the Ming Order, over a disagreement. Yang Dingtian had struck Han Qianye’s father with a palm strike from the Great Nine Heavens Hand (大九天手), severely injuring him and forcing him to kneel on the ground, unable to stand.

Before leaving, Han Qianye’s father vowed that his descendants would one day seek revenge. He told Yang Dingtian that he would either send his son or daughter, and Yang Dingtian agreed, promising to yield three moves to whomever came. However, Han Qianye’s father specified that no yielding was necessary, but that the method of combat should be chosen by his descendant. Yang Dingtian agreed to this condition.

Challenge at Bright Peak

More than ten years after his father’s vow, Han Qianye travelled alone to Bright Peak (光明顶) on Mount Kunlun, the headquarters of the Ming Order, to challenge Yang Dingtian. When he arrived, he publicly reminded Yang Dingtian of the agreement, ensuring that Yang Dingtian could not back out of the commitment.

Han Qianye then revealed his chosen method of combat: he wanted to fight Yang Dingtian in the Cold Water Pool (碧水寒潭) at Bright Peak. This shocked everyone present, as the Cold Water Pool was extremely cold, freezing even in the heat of summer, and it was winter at the time. Moreover, while Yang Dingtian was a master of exceptional martial arts, he did not know how to swim. Fighting in the Cold Water Pool would mean that Yang Dingtian would freeze to death or drown without even needing to fight.

Yang Dingtian, considering this a matter of mere pride, was willing to admit defeat and resolve the conflict peacefully. However, Han Qianye then produced a gleaming dagger, pointing it at his own heart, and said: “This dagger is my late father’s relic. I only ask that Yang Dingtian kowtow three times to this dagger.”

This demand was unacceptable to Yang Dingtian, as it would humiliate the Ming Order leader. However, according to jianghu rules, if Yang Dingtian admitted defeat, he would have to accept whatever punishment Han Qianye chose. It was clear that Han Qianye intended to force Yang Dingtian into this humiliation, and then immediately commit suicide with the dagger to avoid being killed by the Ming Order members present.

Duel in the Cold Water Pool

Just as the situation seemed hopeless, Daiqisi, a Sacred Maiden of the Persian Ming Order who was Yang Dingtian’s adopted daughter, stepped forward and volunteered to fight in Yang Dingtian’s place, claiming to be the leader’s daughter. Han Qianye, seeing that Yang Dingtian would not fight personally, agreed to the substitution.

The two fought in the Cold Water Pool, where Daiqisi’s exceptional aquatic abilities allowed her to defeat Han Qianye. However, during their underwater combat, despite their initial adversarial relationship, the two developed feelings for each other.

After the duel, Han Qianye was injured, and Daiqisi frequently visited him while he recovered. Their relationship deepened during this time, and they fell in love. Eventually, Daiqisi asked permission from Yang Dingtian to marry Han Qianye, despite the opposition this would face from the Ming Order.

Marriage and life on Spirit Snake Island

Daiqisi chose to marry Han Qianye despite the opposition from the Ming Order and the threat of execution from the Persian Ming Order for breaking her vow of chastity. To avoid persecution, the two disguised themselves as an elderly couple—Daiqisi as Golden Flower Granny (金花婆婆) and Han Qianye as Silver Leaf Gentleman (银叶先生). They lived together on Spirit Snake Island, where they gave birth to their daughter Xiaozhao.

Death from cold poison

During the duel in the Cold Water Pool, both Daiqisi and Han Qianye suffered injuries from the cold water. Daiqisi’s injuries were lighter, resulting in a chronic cough that plagued her for the rest of her life. However, Han Qianye’s injuries were more severe because Daiqisi had wounded him during the fight, allowing the cold poison to enter his body. This cold poison eventually became incurable.

Daiqisi attempted to seek treatment from Hu Qingniu, the Butterfly Valley Medical Immortal, who was a member of the Ming Order. However, Hu Qingniu had made a vow not to treat anyone who was not a member of the Ming Order, and since Daiqisi had left the Order to marry Han Qianye, he refused to treat him. This led to Han Qianye’s death from the cold poison, and he died in Daiqisi’s arms.

(In the revised edition, Han Qianye and Daiqisi were poisoned by a Western Regions mute monk (possibly Fan Yao in disguise). Han Qianye was more severely poisoned and could not be saved. They went to seek treatment from Hu Qingniu, but since Daiqisi had left the Ming Order, Hu Qingniu refused to treat them, leading to Han Qianye’s death.)

Han Qianye’s death caused Daiqisi to develop an irreconcilable hatred for the Ming Order, blaming them for her husband’s death.

Personality & traits

Determination and honour

Han Qianye demonstrated remarkable determination in carrying out his father’s wish for revenge. He travelled alone to Bright Peak, the heart of the Ming Order’s power, knowing the risks involved. His choice of combat venue showed his strategic thinking, selecting a method that would give him a clear advantage due to Yang Dingtian’s lack of swimming skills.

Pride and honour

Han Qianye’s demand that Yang Dingtian kowtow to his father’s dagger demonstrated his sense of honour and his desire to restore his family’s dignity. His willingness to die after achieving this goal showed that he valued honour above his own life.

Relationships

With Daiqisi

Han Qianye’s relationship with Daiqisi began as adversarial—he came to seek revenge against her adoptive father. However, their encounter in the Cold Water Pool led to mutual attraction and love. Despite the many obstacles they faced, including Daiqisi’s vow of chastity and the opposition from the Ming Order, they chose to marry and live together.

Their marriage was genuine and loving, as evidenced by Daiqisi’s willingness to sacrifice everything for Han Qianye. His death left a lasting impact on Daiqisi, who blamed the Ming Order for his death and developed an irreconcilable hatred for the organisation.

With Xiaozhao

Han Qianye was the father of Xiaozhao, though he died before she could know him. His death and Daiqisi’s subsequent need to hide from the Persian Ming Order meant that Xiaozhao could not be raised by her parents, leading to her being sent to Bright Peak as a servant.

With Yang Dingtian

Han Qianye’s relationship with Yang Dingtian was one of revenge. His father had been severely injured by Yang Dingtian, and Han Qianye sought to avenge this injury. Although Daiqisi fought in Yang Dingtian’s place, Han Qianye’s goal was to restore his family’s honour, which he achieved through the duel, even though it ultimately led to his own death.

Behind the scenes

Narrative significance

Han Qianye’s story serves as background for Daiqisi and Xiaozhao’s characters. His death and Daiqisi’s blame of the Ming Order explain Daiqisi’s actions throughout the novel, including her attempts to retrieve the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth and her use of Xiaozhao as a spy.

His character represents the themes of honour, revenge, and the consequences of past actions. His death demonstrates how conflicts and grudges can have lasting consequences that affect future generations, as seen in Xiaozhao’s complicated relationship with the Ming Order.

Connection to other characters

Han Qianye’s story connects to several important plot threads in the novel:

His duel with Daiqisi led to their marriage and Xiaozhao’s birth
His death created Daiqisi’s hatred of the Ming Order
His daughter Xiaozhao’s mission to Bright Peak was motivated by Daiqisi’s need to recover the Great Shift to save herself from execution, which was ultimately related to her marriage to Han Qianye