Huang Yaoshi

Huang Yaoshi (pinyin: Huáng Yàoshī, jyutping: Wong4 Joek6 Si1, simplified: 黃药师, traditional: 黃藥師) was the master of Peach Blossom Island¹ and one of the Five Greats during the late Song Dynasty.² Known as the Eastern Heretic,³ he was revered as one of the most formidable martial artists of his era, renowned for his unorthodox methods and mastery of multiple disciplines beyond martial arts.

Beyond his martial prowess, Huang Yaoshi was an exceptional scholar, musician, diviner, and strategist who held “heretical” views that challenged traditional social norms. His eccentric personality and disdain for conventional moral ethics made him both feared and respected throughout the jianghu. He was the father of Huang Rong and father-in-law to Guo Jing.

Biography

Early life and background

Huang Yaoshi grew up in Yunnan Province, where his family had been banished several generations earlier after his grandfather, a government official, petitioned unsuccessfully for the innocence of General Yue Fei.⁴ Despite this disgrace, the family maintained their scholarly traditions, which profoundly influenced Huang Yaoshi’s development into a polymath with expertise spanning astronomy, geography, the Five Elements and Bagua,⁵ Qimen Dunjia,⁶ music, chess, calligraphy, painting, mathematics, military strategy, medicine, divination, and astrology.

Residence on Peach Blossom Island

Huang Yaoshi established his residence on Peach Blossom Island in the East Sea, where he created an elaborate garden with formations based on the Bagua and Five Elements that made navigation nearly impossible for uninvited visitors. The island had originally been inhabited by the Daoist monk Ge Hong,⁷ who had splashed ink on the shores that resembled peach blossoms. Huang Yaoshi later planted numerous peach blossom trees and cultivated various other plants, transforming the island into a paradise that reflected his aesthetic sensibilities.

On the island, he collected servants who were deaf and mute, providing refuge for people who were frowned upon in their communities. While the general public believed he had made them deaf and mute as punishment, Huang Yaoshi’s pride as the Eastern Heretic prevented him from correcting this misconception.

Marriage to Feng Heng

During his travels, Huang Yaoshi met and married Feng Heng,⁸ a beautiful and intelligent woman with a photographic memory. Their love was profound and transformative for the typically solitary martial artist. Feng Heng became his closest companion and confidante, supporting his scholarly pursuits and martial arts development.

The Nine Yin Manual incident

The most defining tragedy of Huang Yaoshi’s life began when Zhou Botong, seeking to hide the Nine Yin Manual⁹ following his master Wang Chongyang’s death, encountered the couple during his travels. Huang Yaoshi desperately wanted to examine the legendary martial arts text, and Feng Heng devised a plan to trick Zhou Botong into allowing her to see it.

She challenged Zhou Botong to a contest of stone-flicking, with the stakes being that if Zhou lost, he would let her examine the manual. Zhou agreed, not knowing that Feng Heng had memorised the entire text during her brief viewing. Two years later, when Huang Yaoshi’s disciples Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng eloped and stole their copy of the manual, Feng Heng, in her determination to help her husband, spent her pregnancy attempting to recreate the manual from memory. The mental strain proved too much—she died in childbirth, leaving behind their daughter Huang Rong.

Rage and punishment

Devastated by his wife’s death and furious at the betrayal of his disciples, Huang Yaoshi broke the legs of his remaining four disciples—Qu Lingfeng, Wu Mianfeng, Lu Chengfeng, and Feng Mofeng—and banished them from Peach Blossom Island. Though he showed mercy to the youngest, Feng Mofeng, by breaking only one leg, this act of rage left him with a terrible burden of guilt that haunted him for years.

When Zhou Botong realised he had been tricked and returned to confront Huang Yaoshi, the grief-stricken master broke Zhou’s legs and imprisoned him on the island using formations based on peach blossoms and his knowledge of the Bagua and Five Elements. Zhou remained trapped for fifteen years, during which time Huang Yaoshi refused to practise the Nine Yin Manual techniques out of shame over the circumstances of their acquisition.

Search for Huang Rong

Years later, when Huang Rong ran away from home after a quarrel with her father, Huang Yaoshi broke his self-imposed exile to search for her. This marked his re-entry into the jianghu and set in motion the events that would define the latter part of his life. During his search, he encountered many of his former disciples and began the long process of reconciliation and redemption.

Reconciliation and redemption

At Lu Chengfeng’s manor on Lake Tai,¹⁰ Huang Yaoshi found both his daughter and evidence of his former disciples’ continued loyalty despite their banishment. This encounter began his transformation from a bitter, guilt-ridden master to someone seeking to make amends for his past actions. He forgave Lu Chengfeng and gave him a manual for the Whirlwind Leaves Sweeping Leg technique, specifically created to help his former disciples regain the use of their legs.

The trials on Peach Blossom Island

When Guo Jing came to Peach Blossom Island seeking Huang Rong’s hand in marriage, Huang Yaoshi initially opposed the match, considering Guo slow-witted and unworthy of his brilliant daughter. He set three trials to determine whether Guo Jing or Ouyang Ke would marry Huang Rong, designing them to favour the more sophisticated Ouyang Ke.

However, Guo Jing’s victory in the martial arts contest and his demonstration of genuine love for Huang Rong gradually changed the master’s opinion. The revelation of Ouyang Ke’s duplicitous nature and Guo Jing’s unwavering character eventually won Huang Yaoshi’s respect and blessing for their marriage.

The Second Huashan Summit

Huang Yaoshi participated in the Second Huashan Summit,¹¹ a martial arts contest to determine the new Five Greats following Wang Chongyang’s death. Despite his formidable skills, he was ultimately defeated by Ouyang Feng, who had gone mad after reverse-practising the Nine Yin Manual. This defeat served as a lesson in humility and demonstrated that even the most powerful martial artist could be undone by mental instability.

Defense of Xiangyang

In his later years, as described in The Return of the Condor Heroes, Huang Yaoshi joined his daughter and son-in-law in defending the strategic city of Xiangyang¹² against Mongol invasion. Here, his expertise in military strategy and the Five Elements proved invaluable, as he used his knowledge to arrange troops in formations that maximised their effectiveness against the superior Mongol forces.

This period marked his complete transformation from a feared hermit to a respected elder who fought for the greater good of his country. His tactical brilliance and martial prowess made him one of the key figures in the city’s prolonged resistance.

The Third Huashan Summit

At the conclusion of The Return of the Condor Heroes, Huang Yaoshi retained his position as the Eastern Heretic among the new Five Greats, alongside Yang Guo as the Western Eccentric, Guo Jing as the Northern Hero, Master Yideng as the Southern Monk, and Zhou Botong as the Central Divinity. This recognition confirmed his continued status as one of the preeminent martial artists of his generation.

Personality and traits

Character development

Huang Yaoshi’s character arc represents one of the most complex psychological journeys in Jin Yong’s works. Initially portrayed as a feared and unpredictable figure whose grief and guilt had made him dangerous, he gradually evolved into a wise and compassionate elder who used his abilities to protect rather than intimidate.

His transformation was driven by several factors: the influence of his honest and pure-hearted son-in-law Guo Jing, his overwhelming love for his daughter Huang Rong, his guilt over his treatment of his disciples, and the natural mellowing that came with age and the resolution of his long-held grief.

Intellectual brilliance

Huang Yaoshi’s most distinctive characteristic was his polymathic intelligence. He excelled in virtually every field of knowledge recognised in his era, from the highest levels of scholarly pursuits to practical skills like military strategy and medicine. This breadth of knowledge was reflected in his martial arts, which incorporated principles from multiple disciplines including astronomy, music, medicine, and mathematics.

His approach to learning was systematic and innovative. Rather than simply mastering existing knowledge, he constantly sought to create new synthesis and understanding. This intellectual curiosity extended to his martial arts, where he developed numerous original techniques that combined different fighting principles in novel ways.

Unconventional nature

The title “Eastern Heretic” reflected Huang Yaoshi’s fundamental rejection of conventional social norms and moral frameworks. He despised hypocrisy, rigid adherence to tradition, and the blind following of authority. Instead, he valued authenticity, genuine emotion, and personal integrity above social conformity.

This unconventional nature manifested in various ways: his willingness to help outcasts and social misfits, his disregard for traditional gender roles (as seen in his support for his daughter’s independence), and his refusal to participate in the political games and factional disputes that characterised much of jianghu life.

Emotional depth

Despite his reputation for coldness and unpredictability, Huang Yaoshi was capable of profound emotional attachment and loyalty. His love for his wife Feng Heng was absolute and transformative, while his devotion to his daughter bordered on the excessive. Even his harsh treatment of his disciples stemmed from emotional wounds rather than inherent cruelty.

His relationships with his students revealed this emotional complexity. While he could be harsh and demanding, he also showed remarkable forgiveness and generosity when his disciples demonstrated genuine growth or need. His eventual reconciliation with his banished students demonstrated his capacity for growth and redemption.

Pride and humility

Huang Yaoshi struggled throughout his life with the tension between pride and humility. His exceptional abilities and achievements naturally fostered a sense of superiority, and his pride often prevented him from acknowledging mistakes or showing vulnerability. However, his genuine encounters with worthy opponents and his recognition of his own fallibility gradually taught him humility.

This evolution was most clearly seen in his changing attitude toward Guo Jing, whom he initially dismissed as unworthy but eventually came to respect and admire. His willingness to fight alongside his son-in-law in the defense of Xiangyang represented the complete transformation of his character.

Martial arts abilities

Comprehensive martial arts system

Unlike most masters who specialised in particular schools or techniques, Huang Yaoshi developed a comprehensive martial arts system that incorporated elements from multiple disciplines. His approach was eclectic and innovative, combining traditional Chinese martial arts with principles derived from his studies in astronomy, mathematics, music, and medicine.

This comprehensiveness made him an extremely versatile fighter who could adapt his style to counter different opponents and situations. He was equally skilled in armed and unarmed combat, internal energy cultivation, and external techniques, making him one of the most complete martial artists of his era.

Peach Blossom Island techniques

Fallen Hero Divine Sword Palm

The Fallen Hero Divine Sword Palm (落英神劍掌 – Luòyīng Shénjiàn Zhǎng)¹³ was one of Huang Yaoshi’s most sophisticated creations, derived from his swordsmanship and incorporating complex principles of deception and misdirection. The technique could employ “five illusions and one reality” or “eight illusions and one reality,” making it extremely difficult for opponents to distinguish between feints and genuine attacks.

The movements were characterised by their ethereal and graceful appearance, but any of the deceptive moves could instantly transform into real strikes with devastating power. This technique exemplified Huang Yaoshi’s approach to martial arts, combining beauty with lethality and emphasising intelligence over brute force.

Jade Flute Swordplay

The Jade Flute Swordplay (玉簫劍法 – Yùxiāo Jiànfǎ)¹⁴ represented a unique fusion of musical and martial arts. Using his jade flute as both a musical instrument and a weapon, Huang Yaoshi could focus his internal energy through the flute to attack opponents’ acupuncture points with sound waves while simultaneously engaging in physical combat.

This technique was particularly effective against multiple opponents, as the sonic attacks could affect everyone within hearing range while the physical techniques dealt with immediate threats. The most powerful move in this style was the Jade Leak Silver Arrow (玉漏催銀劍 – Yùloù Cuīyín Jiàn), which combined precise acupuncture point attacks with devastating internal energy projection.

Finger Flicking Skill

The Finger Flicking Skill (彈指神通 – Tánzhǐ Shéntōng)¹⁵ was perhaps Huang Yaoshi’s most famous technique, demonstrating his mastery of internal energy manipulation and precision control. By channelling tremendous amounts of internal energy into a single finger, he could propel small objects with both incredible force and pinpoint accuracy.

This technique was incredibly versatile, allowing him to attack from a distance, deflect incoming projectiles, or deliver precisely controlled strikes. Advanced practitioners could flick multiple objects simultaneously or hide the motion within their sleeves, making the attacks nearly impossible to detect or avoid.

Auxiliary martial arts

Holy Turtle Steps

The Holy Turtle Steps (靈鰲步 – Líng’áo Bù)¹⁶ was Huang Yaoshi’s signature qinggong¹⁷ technique, inspired by the legendary sea turtle Ao.¹⁸ When performing this lightness skill, the practitioner adopted a form resembling a fish swimming through water, with the head lowered, arms bent inward, and elbows forward.

This technique emphasised both defensive and offensive capabilities, allowing the practitioner to crash into opponents like an arrow while maintaining the ability to change direction rapidly. Among Huang Yaoshi’s disciples, the Black Wind Dual Evils (Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng) were most adept at this technique.

Complex Five Turns

The Complex Five Turns (奇門五轉 – Qímén Wǔzhuǎn)¹⁹ was Huang Yaoshi’s most sophisticated palm technique, based on his mastery of Qimen Dunjia. This technique represented the culmination of ten years of study and research, combining martial arts with divination and strategic principles.

The technique involved complex positioning and movement patterns that confused opponents while creating optimal attacking positions. It required not only martial skill but also deep understanding of the Five Elements theory and the ability to calculate optimal timing and positioning in real time.

Supporting techniques

Huang Yaoshi mastered numerous other martial arts that supported his primary skills:

Jade Waves Palm (碧波掌法 – Bìbō Zhǎngfǎ): An introductory technique of Peach Blossom Island, flowing and continuous like waves
Whirlwind Leaves Sweeping Leg (旋風掃葉腿 – Xuánfēng Sǎoyè Tuǐ): A leg technique created to help his crippled disciples regain mobility
Orchid Acupuncture Point Brushing Hand (蘭花拂穴手 – Lánhuā Fǔxué Shǒu): A precise acupuncture point sealing technique
Five Elements Boxing (五行拳 – Wǔxíng Quán): A boxing method based on the Five Elements theory

Strategic and scholarly applications

Huang Yaoshi’s martial arts were distinguished by their integration with his scholarly knowledge. His formations and tactical applications drew from his understanding of astronomy, geography, and military strategy. During the defense of Xiangyang, he demonstrated how martial arts principles could be scaled up to organise large military formations, using Five Elements theory to maximise the effectiveness of troops against superior numbers.

His medical knowledge informed his development of healing techniques and his understanding of acupuncture points, while his musical training enhanced his ability to use sound as both a weapon and a tool for internal energy cultivation.

Relationships

Family relationships

Feng Heng

Huang Yaoshi’s relationship with Feng Heng represented the deepest and most transformative love of his life. Her intelligence and beauty captivated him, but it was her understanding and support of his unconventional nature that created their profound bond. She was the only person who could truly challenge his intellect while accepting his heretical views.

Her death became the defining tragedy of his life, fundamentally changing his personality from eccentric but generally benevolent to bitter and dangerous. His grief was so profound that he could not bear to practise the Nine Yin Manual techniques that had indirectly caused her death, even though mastering them would have increased his power significantly.

Huang Rong

Huang Yaoshi’s relationship with his daughter was characterised by excessive love that bordered on spoiling. Having lost his wife, he poured all his affection into Huang Rong, teaching her everything he knew and allowing her complete freedom to develop her own personality and interests.

This indulgent approach created a daughter who was brilliant, confident, and independent, but also willful and sometimes arrogant. Huang Rong’s intelligence and mischievous nature reminded him constantly of her mother, deepening both his love for her and his sense of loss.

When she ran away from home, his immediate abandonment of his self-imposed exile to search for her demonstrated that she had become the most important thing in his life. His eventual acceptance of Guo Jing as a son-in-law, despite his initial reservations, showed his willingness to prioritise his daughter’s happiness over his own preferences.

Guo Jing

Initially, Huang Yaoshi deeply disliked Guo Jing, considering him slow-witted and unworthy of his brilliant daughter. This prejudice led him to design marriage trials specifically intended to favour the more sophisticated Ouyang Ke over the straightforward Guo Jing.

However, Guo Jing’s demonstration of genuine love for Huang Rong, combined with his unwavering moral character and surprising resilience, gradually changed Huang Yaoshi’s opinion. The relationship evolved from antagonistic to respectful, particularly as Huang Yaoshi observed how Guo Jing’s simple honesty and pure heart brought out the best in his daughter.

By the time of The Return of the Condor Heroes, their relationship had developed into genuine mutual affection and respect. Huang Yaoshi came to appreciate Guo Jing’s moral clarity and steadfast character, while Guo Jing’s influence helped moderate some of Huang Yaoshi’s more extreme tendencies.

Master-disciple relationships

The six original disciples

Huang Yaoshi’s relationships with his original six disciples—Chen Xuanfeng, Mei Chaofeng, Qu Lingfeng, Wu Mianfeng, Lu Chengfeng, and Feng Mofeng—were profoundly shaped by tragedy and his subsequent guilt. Before the theft of the Nine Yin Manual, he was a demanding but fair teacher who recognised and nurtured each disciple’s unique talents.

His harsh punishment of the innocent disciples following Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng’s betrayal became one of his greatest regrets. The fact that these disciples continued to revere him despite their suffering demonstrated both the strength of their loyalty and the quality of his earlier teaching.

Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng

The relationship between Huang Yaoshi and the “Black Wind Dual Evils” was particularly complex. As his second and third disciples, they had received intensive training and showed great promise. However, their elopement and theft of the Nine Yin Manual triggered the chain of events that led to Feng Heng’s death.

Years later, when Huang Yaoshi encountered the blinded Mei Chaofeng, he set her three seemingly impossible tasks as conditions for forgiveness: retrieve the stolen Nine Yin Manual and kill all who had read it, find and heal all her crippled martial brothers, and nullify the martial arts she had learned without permission. These tasks were designed more as expressions of his lingering anger than realistic expectations.

Ultimately, Mei Chaofeng’s sacrifice of her life to save her master from Ouyang Feng’s attack led to her complete forgiveness in her final moments, demonstrating that Huang Yaoshi’s love for his disciples had never truly died despite his harsh treatment.

Lu Chengfeng and Feng Mofeng

Among his disciples, Lu Chengfeng received perhaps the most meaningful reconciliation. When Huang Yaoshi found him living as a reformed bandit leader by Lake Tai, he not only forgave his former student but provided him with the Whirlwind Leaves Sweeping Leg technique specifically designed to help him regain mobility.

This gesture represented more than mere forgiveness—it was an acknowledgment of his own wrongdoing and a practical attempt to repair the damage he had caused. His acceptance of Lu Chengfeng’s son Lu Guanying as a grand-disciple further cemented this reconciliation.

Later disciples

In The Return of the Condor Heroes, Huang Yaoshi accepted several new disciples who benefited from his transformed character. His rescue and training of Cheng Ying demonstrated his continued commitment to helping talented young people, while his relationship with Shagu showed his willingness to care for those with special needs.

Most significantly, his brief but impactful teaching of Yang Guo revealed a master who had learned to recognise and nurture unconventional talent. His decision to teach Yang Guo advanced techniques despite knowing him only briefly showed a wisdom and generosity that had been absent during his bitter years.

Peer relationships

Zhou Botong

The relationship between Huang Yaoshi and Zhou Botong evolved from deception and conflict to eventual friendship and mutual respect. Their initial encounter, where Zhou was tricked into revealing the Nine Yin Manual, led to fifteen years of imprisonment and conflict on Peach Blossom Island.

However, both men eventually came to understand the other’s perspective. Zhou recognised that Huang Yaoshi’s actions stemmed from grief rather than malice, while Huang Yaoshi appreciated Zhou’s fundamental honesty and loyalty to his principles. Their reconciliation represented Huang Yaoshi’s ability to move beyond past grievances.

The other Five Greats

Among the Five Greats, Huang Yaoshi maintained varied relationships that reflected his complex personality. His rivalry with Hong Qigong was characterised by mutual respect despite their different approaches to martial arts and life philosophy.

With Ouyang Feng, the relationship was more adversarial, particularly given Ouyang’s role in Mei Chaofeng’s death and his generally amoral approach to martial arts. However, even here, Huang Yaoshi showed some pity for Ouyang’s eventual madness rather than mere triumph.

His relationship with Duan Zhixing (later Master Yideng) was perhaps the most cordial among his peers, as both shared scholarly interests and philosophical depth that went beyond mere martial prowess.

The Mongol threat

During the defense of Xiangyang, Huang Yaoshi demonstrated his ability to subordinate personal preferences to larger causes. His decision to actively participate in the defense of the Song Empire showed his evolution from a self-centered hermit to someone willing to engage with the broader world for the greater good.

His strategic contributions to the defense effort drew upon his comprehensive knowledge of military tactics, astronomy, and the Five Elements, proving that his scholarly pursuits had practical applications beyond personal enrichment.

Behind the scenes

Literary significance

Huang Yaoshi represents one of Jin Yong’s most complex character creations, embodying the archetype of the brilliant but troubled genius whose intellectual gifts are both blessing and curse. His character arc from bitter hermit to wise elder provides one of the most satisfying redemption stories in the Condor Trilogy.

The character serves multiple literary functions: as a representation of the scholarly tradition in Chinese culture, as an exploration of how grief and guilt can corrupt even the most gifted individuals, and as a demonstration that true wisdom comes from balancing intellectual achievement with emotional maturity and moral responsibility.

Cultural impact

Huang Yaoshi has become one of the most beloved and recognisable characters in Chinese popular culture. His title “Eastern Heretic” and his unconventional approach to both martial arts and social conventions have made him a symbol of individualism and intellectual independence.

The phrase “Eastern Heretic” has entered common usage in Chinese culture to describe someone who challenges conventional wisdom or approaches problems from unique angles. His character has influenced numerous other fictional works and has become a cultural touchstone for discussions about the tension between individual brilliance and social responsibility.

Historical and mythological influences

According to literary scholar Yan Xiaoxing, Huang Yaoshi’s character draws from several sources in Chinese culture and history. His polymathic abilities and strategic brilliance echo legendary figures like Zhuge Liang and Liu Bowen, while his unconventional nature and disdain for social norms reflect the “wind and moon” figures of the Wei and Jin dynasties.

Most significantly, Huang Yaoshi appears to be partially inspired by the Tang dynasty general Li Jing, whose courtesy name was also Yaoshi. Li Jing was portrayed in The Legend of the Curly-Bearded Hero²⁰ as a sophisticated, talented man who mastered both martial and scholarly arts. The historical Li Jing’s expertise in military strategy and his legendary treatises on warfare parallel Huang Yaoshi’s comprehensive knowledge and innovative approaches to combat.

Here’s the updated Huang Yaoshi portrayals section following the established format:

Portrayals

Huang Yaoshi has been portrayed by numerous distinguished actors across various adaptations of Jin Yong’s works:

Kenneth Tsang’s 1983 portrayal is particularly revered for capturing both the character’s intellectual arrogance and underlying emotional depth. His performance established the visual and emotional template that many subsequent adaptations have referenced.

Michael Miu’s 2017 interpretation brought additional gravitas to the role, emphasising the character’s scholarly nature and the weight of his past mistakes. Having previously played Yang Kang in the 1983 series, Miu’s casting as Huang Yaoshi created an interesting generational connection for longtime fans.


Kenneth Tsang (1983)	Felix Lok (1994)
Cao Peichang (2003)	Anthony Wong (2008)
Michael Miu (2017)	Eddie Kwan (2024)

External links

Huang Yaoshi on Wikipedia
Huang Yaoshi (Chinese) on Chinese Wikipedia

桃花島 – Táohuā Dǎo. An island in the East Sea known for its peach blossoms and as Huang Yaoshi’s residence. ↩
宋 – Sòng. The Song dynasty, lasting from 960 to 1279 AD. See Wikipedia. ↩
東邪 – Dōng Xié. The Eastern Heretic, Huang Yaoshi’s title among the Five Greats, indicating his unorthodox approach to martial arts and social conventions. ↩
岳飛 – Yuè Fēi. A famous Song dynasty general who was executed for treason on trumped-up charges. See Wikipedia. ↩
五行八卦 – Wǔxíng Bāguà. The Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, fundamental concepts in Chinese philosophy and metaphysics. ↩
奇門遁甲 – Qímén Dùnjiǎ. An ancient Chinese divination system involving astronomy, geography, and military strategy. See Wikipedia. ↩
葛洪 – Gé Hóng. A famous Eastern Jin dynasty alchemist and philosopher who supposedly previously inhabited the island. ↩
馮衡 – Féng Héng. Huang Yaoshi’s beloved wife who died shortly after giving birth to Huang Rong. ↩
九陰真經 – Jiǔyīn Zhēnjīng. The most coveted martial arts manual in Jin Yong’s novels, containing supreme internal energy cultivation methods. See Wikipedia. ↩
太湖 – Tài Hú. A large freshwater lake in the Yangtze River Delta. See Wikipedia. ↩
華山論劍 – Huàshān Lùnjiàn. The martial arts contest held on Huashan to determine the supreme martial artist. ↩
襄陽 – Xiāngyáng. A strategic city on the northern frontier of the Song Empire. See Wikipedia. ↩
落英神劍掌 – Luòyīng Shénjiàn Zhǎng. Literally “Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm,” a sophisticated palm technique created by Huang Yaoshi. ↩
玉簫劍法 – Yùxiāo Jiànfǎ. Literally “Jade Flute Sword Technique,” a unique martial art that combined music and swordplay. ↩
彈指神通 – Tánzhǐ Shéntōng. Literally “Finger Flicking Divine Skill,” a technique for projecting objects with great force and accuracy. ↩
靈鰲步 – Líng’áo Bù. Literally “Spiritual Turtle Steps,” a qinggong technique inspired by the legendary turtle Ao. ↩
輕功 – qīnggōng. Literally “lightness skill,” the ability to move swiftly and lightly. See Wikipedia. ↩
鰲 – Áo. A legendary turtle or turtle-like creature from Chinese mythology. ↩
奇門五轉 – Qímén Wǔzhuǎn. Literally “Strange Gates Five Turns,” a palm technique based on the Qimen Dunjia system. ↩
虬髯客傳 – Qiúránkè Zhuàn. A Tang dynasty tale featuring Li Jing as one of the “Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust.” ↩