Kongjian

Kongjian (simplified: 空见, traditional: 空見, pinyin: Kōngjiàn, jyutping: hung1 gin3) was the most senior of the Four Holy Monks of the Shaolin Order, known throughout the jianghu as one of the era’s greatest martial artists. He was renowned for his profound wisdom, exceptional internal energy, and unwavering compassion. Kongjian attempted to redeem Xie Xun by allowing him to strike thirteen times with the Seven Injury Fist (七伤拳), hoping to resolve the conflict between Xie Xun and his master Cheng Kun. However, he was killed when Xie Xun tricked him into lowering his guard, making his death one of the most tragic events in the novel.

Biography

Status among the Four Holy Monks

Kongjian was the first and most senior of Shaolin’s Four Holy Monks, known in the jianghu by the saying “Shaolin Divine Monks: See, Hear, Wisdom, Nature” (少林神僧，见闻智性), with “See” referring to Kongjian. He was widely recognised as having both internal energy and external martial arts that were peerless in his generation, and his reputation for wisdom and compassion extended far beyond the Shaolin Order.

He was the designated successor to become the abbot of Shaolin Temple, but his untimely death prevented this from occurring. After his death, Kongwen became the abbot instead.

Taking Cheng Kun as a disciple

Cheng Kun, seeking to continue his schemes while remaining hidden, approached Kongjian and requested to become a disciple under the Shaolin Order. Unaware of Cheng Kun’s true identity as the Primordial Chaos Thunderbolt Hand (混元霹雳手) and his evil nature, Kongjian accepted him and gave him the dharma name Yuanzhen (圆真, Round Truth).

Kongjian taught Yuanzhen the Shaolin Nine Yang Skill, a powerful internal energy technique derived from the Nine Yang Manual (九阳真经). However, Cheng Kun’s true motives were hidden, and he had no intention of reforming or following Buddhist teachings.

The encounter with Xie Xun

When Kongjian learned of Xie Xun’s quest for revenge and the atrocities he was committing throughout the jianghu—killing innocent people in an attempt to draw Cheng Kun out of hiding—he sought to resolve the conflict between master and disciple. He travelled to Luoyang to meet Xie Xun, hoping to use his wisdom and compassion to bring about reconciliation.

Kongjian’s approach demonstrated his profound understanding of human nature and his commitment to Buddhist principles of redemption. He believed that by showing Xie Xun mercy and taking upon himself the suffering that Xie Xun wished to inflict upon Cheng Kun, he could break the cycle of violence and revenge.

The thirteen strikes

Kongjian proposed to Xie Xun that he would allow Xie Xun to strike him thirteen times—once for each member of Xie Xun’s family that Cheng Kun had murdered—with the Seven Injury Fist. He promised that if Xie Xun could injure him, he would step aside and allow Cheng Kun to meet with Xie Xun. If Xie Xun could not injure him, the conflict should end.

Xie Xun, desperate for revenge and sceptical of Kongjian’s abilities, agreed to this arrangement. The first three strikes were delivered with relatively light force, as Xie Xun was testing Kongjian’s defences. Kongjian allowed these strikes to land without activating his protective techniques, absorbing the blows and stepping back with each strike.

When Xie Xun began using the Seven Injury Fist with full force, Kongjian activated his Indestructible Vajra Body (金刚不坏体), one of Shaolin’s Seventy-Two Supreme Skills and considered one of the “Five Divine Skills Throughout History” (古今五大神功). This technique created an invisible protective aura that automatically repelled attacks, and when fully activated, it generated a counter-force that could injure attackers.

Xie Xun struck Kongjian with the fourth through twelfth strikes, and Kongjian, demonstrating extraordinary skill, redirected each attack back at Xie Xun with controlled force. However, the intensity of the strikes was such that Kongjian could not speak while maintaining his protective aura, as doing so would require him to disperse his internal energy.

The fatal deception

After the twelfth strike, Xie Xun realised that even with his full power, he could not break through Kongjian’s defences. Desperate and cunning, he exploited Kongjian’s compassionate nature by pretending to commit suicide, striking his own head with his palm. Kongjian, seeing this, immediately rushed to stop Xie Xun, dropping his defensive posture.

As Kongjian reached out to save Xie Xun, Xie Xun struck him with the thirteenth and final Seven Injury Fist blow to his chest and abdomen. Without his protective aura active, Kongjian had no defence against this attack. His internal organs were shattered by the force, and he collapsed, mortally wounded.

Final moments and legacy

In his dying moments, Kongjian showed no anger towards Xie Xun. Instead, he remained compassionate, realising that Cheng Kun had deceived him and would never appear. He told Xie Xun that to defeat Cheng Kun, he would need to find the Dragon-slaying Sabre (屠龙刀) and unlock its secrets.

Kongjian’s final words to Xie Xun were: “I only hope that when you kill in the future, you will sometimes remember this old monk.” This act of mercy deeply moved Xie Xun, who was overcome with guilt and remorse. After Kongjian’s death, Xie Xun vowed never to kill innocent people again.

The Shaolin Order, unaware of the arrangement between Kongjian and Xie Xun, believed that Xie Xun had killed Kongjian without provocation. This created deep enmity between Shaolin and both Xie Xun and the Ming Order, contributing to the conflicts that would continue for decades.

Personality and traits

Profound wisdom and compassion

Kongjian embodied the highest ideals of Buddhist practice, combining profound martial arts mastery with deep spiritual wisdom. His characteristics included:

Extraordinary Compassion: Willingness to sacrifice his own life to save others and redeem those who had committed wrongs
Deep Wisdom: Understanding of human nature and the causes of suffering, particularly the destructive nature of revenge
Moral Integrity: Absolute commitment to Buddhist principles, even at the cost of his own life
Humility: Despite his extraordinary abilities, he remained humble and focused on serving others

The price of trust

Kongjian’s tragic flaw was his willingness to trust others, particularly those who appeared to seek redemption. His acceptance of Cheng Kun as a disciple, despite Cheng Kun’s hidden evil nature, demonstrated both his compassionate nature and his vulnerability to deception. However, even in death, his actions demonstrated that true compassion transcends self-preservation.

Martial arts abilities

Indestructible Vajra Body

Kongjian’s most famous technique was the Indestructible Vajra Body (金刚不坏体), one of Shaolin’s Seventy-Two Supreme Skills and considered one of the “Five Divine Skills Throughout History.” This technique represented the highest level of internal energy cultivation within the Shaolin Order.

When fully activated, the technique created an invisible protective aura that automatically repelled attacks. Enemies’ weapons and projectiles would be deflected before they could touch the practitioner’s body. The technique could also generate counter-forces that reflected attacks back at opponents, making it both defensive and offensive.

Kongjian’s mastery of this technique was so profound that he could withstand twelve full-power strikes from Xie Xun’s Seven Injury Fist, a technique that could shatter organs and bones. His ability to control the counter-force demonstrated extraordinary internal energy control and martial arts skill.

Shaolin Nine Yang Skill

Kongjian had mastered the Shaolin Nine Yang Skill (少林九阳功), a powerful internal energy technique derived from the Nine Yang Manual. This technique provided him with exceptional internal energy and was the foundation for his other martial arts abilities. He passed this technique on to his disciple Yuanzhen (Cheng Kun).

Dragon Claw Hand

Kongjian was skilled in the Dragon Claw Hand (龙爪手), one of Shaolin’s Seventy-Two Supreme Skills. This technique involved thirty-six forms of gripping techniques that mimicked dragon talons, targeting acupoints and tendons with incredible precision and power.

Overall skill level

Kongjian was recognised throughout the jianghu as having both internal energy and external martial arts that were peerless in his generation. Xie Xun, himself a formidable martial artist, acknowledged that Kongjian’s abilities far exceeded his own, describing the difference as “heaven and earth” apart. Zhang Cuishan of the Wudang Order, upon hearing Xie Xun’s account, initially doubted that any martial artist could be so far superior to Xie Xun, suggesting that Kongjian’s skills might have even rivalled those of Zhang Sanfeng.

Relationships

Master-disciple relationships

Kongjian’s most significant relationship was with his disciple Yuanzhen, whom he believed to be a sincere seeker of redemption. Unbeknownst to Kongjian, Yuanzhen was actually Cheng Kun, the Primordial Chaos Thunderbolt Hand, who had infiltrated Shaolin for his own malicious purposes. This deception would ultimately contribute to Kongjian’s death, as Cheng Kun manipulated events to ensure that Kongjian would meet Xie Xun under circumstances that led to tragedy.

Brotherhood with fellow monks

As the most senior of the Four Holy Monks, Kongjian maintained respectful relationships with his fellow monks, including Kongwen, Kongzhi, and Kongxing. He was highly respected within the Shaolin Order, and his death was deeply mourned by all members of the temple.

Behind the scenes

Significance in the narrative

Kongjian’s death serves as a pivotal moment in the novel, demonstrating the tragic consequences of revenge and the power of compassion. His sacrifice, while ultimately unsuccessful in preventing further violence, had a profound impact on Xie Xun, who was deeply moved by Kongjian’s mercy and vowed never to kill innocent people again.

Kongjian’s story also highlights the theme of deception and trust, showing how even the wisest and most powerful individuals can be deceived by those with malicious intent. His acceptance of Cheng Kun as a disciple and his attempt to redeem Xie Xun both demonstrate the vulnerability that comes with genuine compassion.

Comparison with other characters

Kongjian’s approach to conflict resolution stands in contrast to that of other characters in the novel. While many characters respond to violence with violence, Kongjian sought to break cycles of revenge through compassion and self-sacrifice. His methods, while ultimately leading to his death, demonstrate an alternative approach to conflict resolution that emphasises understanding and redemption over punishment and revenge.

Portrayals

Kongjian has been portrayed in various adaptations of The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Sabre, though his role is typically brief due to his early death in the narrative. His character often emphasises the wisdom and compassion that made him such a respected figure within the Shaolin Order.