The Legend of the Condor Heroes locations

The Legend of the Condor Heroes locations

For a complete directory, see theThe Legend of the Condor Heroes locations List

Contents

The epic world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes spans from the Mongol steppes to the Southern Song capital, from the sacred Mount Hua to the mysterious Western Regions.1 The novel’s locations reflect the vast geopolitical landscape of 13th-century Asia, where Chinese civilization faced the rising Mongol Empire.

Cities and capitals

  • Lin’an (临安 — Lín’ān); also Lin’an Prefecture (临安府) — Capital of Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1276) known for its cultural refinement and West Lake scenery. Modern day Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
  • Bianliang (汴梁 — Biànliáng) — The Northern Song capital, modern-day Kaifeng.
  • Daliang (大梁 — Dàliáng) — The Jin capital, modern Kaifeng in Henan Province, earlier capital of the Warring States kingdom of Wei and of four of the Five Dynasties.
  • Zhongdu (中都 — Zhōngdū); also Yanjing (燕京), Daxing Prefecture (大兴府) — The Jin dynasty capital, in present-day Beijing.
  • Chang’an (长安 — Cháng’ān) — The capital of the Tang dynasty, modern-day Xi’an.
  • Xiangyang (襄阳 — Xiāngyáng) — A fortress city on the Han River, in modern Hubei, guarding the Song’s northern frontier.
  • Jiaxing (嘉兴 — Jiāxīng); also Jiaxing Prefecture (嘉兴府) — City to the northeast of Lin’an, in modern day Zhejiang Province.
  • Yangzhou (扬州 — Yángzhōu) — A major city on the Grand Canal in Jiangsu.
  • Pingjiang Prefecture (平江府 — Píngjiāng Fǔ) — The Song-era name for Suzhou, one of the wealthiest cities of the Southern Song.
  • Wuxi (无锡 — Wúxī) — A city in Jiangsu, famed since the Song for its painted clay figurines.
  • Yixing (宜兴 — Yíxīng) — A city in Jiangsu Province famed since antiquity for its purple-clay (zisha) pottery.
  • Quzhou (衢州 — Qúzhōu) — A city in western Zhejiang Province, seat of the southern branch of the Kong family, the descendants of Confucius who moved south with the Song court.
  • Yuezhou (岳州 — Yuèzhōu) — A prefecture on Dongting Lake, modern Yueyang in Hunan.
  • Dezhou (德州 — Dézhōu) — A city in north-western Shandong on the Grand Canal.
  • Linqing (临清 — Línqīng) — A city in western Shandong on the Grand Canal.
  • Xinyang (信阳州 — Xìnyáng Zhōu) — Xinyang Prefecture, in modern Henan Province.
  • Weizhou (卫州 — Wèizhōu) — A prefecture in northern China, in modern Henan Province.
  • Lijiang (丽江 — Lìjiāng) — A town in northwestern Yunnan Province.
  • Samarkand (撒麻尔罕 — Sāmá’ěrhǎn) — Samarkand, one of the oldest cities of Central Asia and a great centre of the Silk Road.
  • Gurganj (玉龙杰赤 — Yùlóng Jiéchì) — The capital of Khwarazm, today Konye-Urgench in Turkmenistan.

Towns and villages

  • Niu Family Village (牛家村 — Niújiā Cūn) — A village outside Lin’an.
  • Red Plum Village (红梅村 — Hóngméi Cūn) — A village five li from Niu Family Village.
  • Lotus Pond Village (荷塘村 — Hétáng Cūn) — A village some fifteen li from Niu Family Village.
  • Ke Family Village (柯家村 — Kējiā Cūn) — Ke Zhen’e’s home village.
  • Chang’an Town (长安镇 — Cháng’ān Zhèn) — A town in northern Zhejiang, between Lin’an and Jiaxing.
  • Wudun Town (乌墩镇 — Wūdūn Zhèn) — A market town between Chang’an Town and Jiaxing, the forerunner of modern Wuzhen in Zhejiang.
  • Liguo Town (利国镇 — Lìguó Zhèn) — A town by Weishan Lake in Shandong, on the Grand Canal.
  • Zhuxian Town (朱仙镇 — Zhūxiān Zhèn) — A town near Kaifeng, where Yue Fei won a great victory over the Jin in 1140.
  • Qinglongji (青龙集 — Qīnglóng Jí) — A market town three li from the Azure Dragon Shallows.
  • Taoyuan County (桃源县 — Táoyuán Xiàn) — A county in Hunan Province, traditionally held to be the setting of Tao Yuanming’s “Peach Blossom Spring”.
  • Zhangjiakou (张家口 — Zhāngjiākǒu) — A town in northern Hebei, a gateway between the grasslands and the lands within the Great Wall.

Regions

  • Jiangnan (江南 — Jiāngnán) — Prosperous region south of the Yangtze River, encompassing modern-day southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang, and Shanghai.
  • Two Zhes (两浙 — Liǎng Zhè) — The Song circuits of Zhejiang East and Zhejiang West.
  • Zhejiang (浙江 — Zhèjiāng) — A coastal province in south-eastern China.
  • Hebei (河北 — Héběi) — The region north of the Yellow River, roughly modern Hebei Province.
  • Jinghu (荆湖 — Jīnghú) — A Song region covering parts of modern Hubei and Hunan.
    • Jinghu North Circuit (荆湖北路 — Jīnghú Běi Lù) — Song Dynasty administrative region (1127-1279) covering modern Hubei and Hunan borderlands.
  • Jiannan (剑南 — Jiànnán) — The Jiannan Circuit of the Tang, covering modern Sichuan and parts of Yunnan.
  • Lunan (泸南 — Lúnán) — The lands beyond the Lu River on the southwestern frontier of Tang China, where a Tang army was routed by Nanzhao in 751.
  • Qinghai (青海 — Qīnghǎi) — The region on the Tibetan plateau named after its great lake, Kokonor.
  • Ninghai Prefecture (宁海州 — Nínghǎi Zhōu) — A Song prefecture on the Shandong coast.
  • Baoying (宝应 — Bǎoyìng) — A county in Jiangsu, on the Grand Canal.
  • Western Regions (西域 — Xīyù) — Frontier territories west of Yumen Pass.
  • Mongol Steppes (蒙古大漠 — Ménggǔ Dàmò) — Eurasian steppe belt.
  • Tianzhu (天竺 — Tiānzhú) — The ancient Chinese name for India.
  • Xianluo (暹罗 — Xiānluó) — The Chinese name for Siam, modern Thailand.

Mountains and peaks

  • Mount Hua (华山 — Huáshān) — Mount Hua, the western of the Five Sacred Mountains, in Shaanxi.
  • Five Sacred Peaks (五岳 — Wǔyuè) — The Five Sacred Peaks: Mount Hua (west), Mount Tai (east), Mount Heng 衡山 (south), Mount Heng 恒山 (north) and Mount Song (centre).
  • Mount Tai (泰山 — Tài Shān) — Mount Tai, the eastern of the Five Sacred Mountains, in Shandong.
  • Zhongnan Mountains (终南山 — Zhōngnán Shān) — Sacred Daoist mountain range south of Xi’an, in Shaanxi Province, where Wang Chongyang established his Daoist temple.
  • Kunlun (昆仑 — Kūnlún) — A mountain range of the Western Regions, the axis mundi of Chinese myth.
    • White Camel Mountain (白驼山 — Báituó Shān) — Mountain within the Kunlun ranges in the Western Regions.
  • Iron Palm Mountain (铁掌山 — Tiězhǎng Shān) — Mountain range where the Iron Palm Keep was based. Wuxia Wiki.
    • Iron Palm Peak (铁掌峰 — Tiězhǎng Fēng) — Mountain peak where the Iron Palm Keep was based.
    • Middle Finger Peak (中指峰 — Zhōngzhǐ Fēng) — One of the five peaks of Iron Palm Mountain, named for its likeness to a middle finger.
  • Monkey Claw Mountain (猴爪山 — Hóuzhuǎ Shān) — A mountain near Luxi.
  • Changbai Mountains (长白山 — Chángbái Shān) — A range on the border between China and Korea, famous for wild ginseng.
  • Great Snow Mountain (大雪山 — Dàxuěshān) — A snow-capped mountain in the far west of Yunnan.
  • Ailao Mountain (哀牢山 — Āiláo Shān) — Ailao Mountain, in southern Yunnan.
  • Mount Jun (君山 — Jūnshān) — Mount Jun, a hilly island in Dongting Lake, Hunan.
  • Feilai Peak (飞来峰 — Fēilái Fēng) — A limestone peak by West Lake, said to have flown there from elsewhere.
  • Geling (葛岭 — Gělǐng) — A hill on the northern shore of West Lake, named for the fourth-century Daoist Ge Hong, who refined elixirs there.
  • Liubu Hill (六部山 — Liùbù Shān) — A hill within the imperial palace grounds at Lin’an.

Lakes, rivers and marshes

  • Lake Tai (太湖 — Tàihú); also Five Lakes (五湖) — Lake Tai, on the border of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. 1st and 2nd editions: the Lake Tai stronghold of Ethereal Mist Peak (缥缈峰) stands where the 3rd edition has Western Dongting (西洞庭).
  • West Lake (西湖 — Xīhú) — The lake at Lin’an, modern Hangzhou.
  • South Lake (南湖 — Nán Hú) — A lake in Jiaxing.
  • Dongting Lake (洞庭湖 — Dòngtíng Hú) — Second largest freshwater lake in China (2,680 km²) located in northeastern Hunan Province.
  • Weishan Lake (微山湖 — Wēishān Hú) — The largest freshwater lake in Shandong, on the Grand Canal.
  • Yellow River (黄河 — Huánghé); also Nine Bends of the Yellow River (黄河九曲) — China’s second-longest river, flowing through the north.
  • Yangtze River (长江 — Chángjiāng) — China’s longest river (6,300 km) serving as vital trade corridor between Sichuan and Jiangnan regions.
  • Qiantang River (钱塘江 — Qiántáng Jiāng) — The Qiantang River of Zhejiang, known for its tidal bore.
  • Yuan River (沅江 — Yuán Jiāng) — The Yuan River, a major river of Hunan.
  • Azure Dragon Shallows (青龙滩 — Qīnglóng Tān) — Rapids on the river route to Hunan.
  • Onon River (斡难河 — Wònán Hé) — The Onon, a river of the Mongolian steppe.
  • Nami River (那密河 — Nàmì Hé) — A river in the Western Regions.
  • Black Marsh (黑沼 — Hēi Zhǎo)
  • Liangshan Marsh (梁山泊 — Liángshān Bó) — Liangshan Marsh, the marshland stronghold of the 108 outlaws of the late Northern Song celebrated in the classic novel Water Margin.
  • Mingxia Island (明霞岛 — Míngxiá Dǎo)

Gates, passes and bridges

  • Tong Pass (潼关 — Tóngguān) — Tong Pass, a strategic pass on the border of Shaanxi and Henan.
  • Yongjin Gate (涌金门 — Yǒngjīn Mén) — Historic water gate of Lin’an, modern day Hangzhou.
  • Lizheng Gate (丽正门 — Lìzhèng Mén) — The main southern gate of the Southern Song imperial palace in Lin’an.
  • Broken Bridge (断桥 — Duànqiáo) — One of the most famous sights of West Lake.
  • Twenty-Four Bridge (二十四桥 — Èrshísì Qiáo) — A bridge of Yangzhou made famous by Du Mu’s Tang poem; Huang Rong names a dish after its line.
  • Tianjin Bridge (天津桥 — Tiānjīn Qiáo) — A bridge over the Luo River at Luoyang, named in the woodcutter’s song.
  • Xiaoshang Bridge (小商桥 — Xiǎoshāng Qiáo) — A bridge in modern Linying, Henan, where Yang Zaixing fell fighting the Jin in 1140.

Palaces and halls

  • Danei (大内 — Dànèi) — The imperial palace.
    • Cuihan Hall (翠寒堂 — Cuìhán Táng) — A hall in the Southern Song imperial palace at Lin’an.
    • Hall of Bright Illumination (嘉明殿 — Jiāmíng Diàn) — A hall of the imperial palace at Lin’an, where the Emperor’s meals were presented.
    • Hall of Diligent Governance (勤政殿 — Qínzhèng Diàn) — A hall of the imperial palace in Lin’an, the emperor’s private quarters.
    • Hall of Green-Flowered Immortals (萼绿华堂 — Èlǜhuá Táng) — A hall of the imperial palace at Lin’an, planted with plum trees.
  • Golden Tent (金帐 — Jīnzhàng) — The Great Khan’s great tent, the seat of his court.
  • Fragrant Snow Hall (香雪厅 — Xiāngxuě Tīng) — A reception hall in the Jin prince’s mansion in Zhongdu.
  • Hall of Chastity and Filial Piety (节孝堂 — Jiéxiào Táng) — A hall honouring chaste widows and filial children.
  • Liu Family Ancestral Hall (刘氏宗祠 — Liúshì Zōngcí) — The ancestral hall of the Liu clan in Baoying.

Temples and monasteries

  • Chongyang Palace (重阳宫 — Chóngyáng Gōng) — The seat of the Quanzhen Order in the Zhongnan Mountains.
  • Yunqi Monastery (云栖寺 — Yúnqī Sì) — A Buddhist monastery near West Lake in Hangzhou.
  • Fahua Monastery (法华寺 — Fǎhuá Sì) — A Buddhist monastery in Jiaxing.
  • Tianlong Temple (天龙寺 — Tiānlóng Sì) — A famous Buddhist temple in Dali.
  • Iron Spear Temple (铁枪庙 — Tiěqiāng Miào) — A temple to Wang Yanzhang, the Iron Spear general of the Five Dynasties, its tower home to crows.
  • Zhou Wang Temple (周王庙 — Zhōu Wáng Miào)
  • Wuyue Temple (五岳祠 — Wǔyuè Cí) — The “Record of the Oath at the Wuyue Temple” is a piece attributed to Yue Fei.
  • Cave of Smoke and Mist (烟霞洞 — Yānxiá Dòng) — The cave on Mount Kunyu in Shandong where Hao Datong became Wang Chongyang’s disciple.
  • Shanjuan cave (善卷洞 — Shànjuǎn Dòng) — A limestone cave near Lake Tai, celebrated since antiquity for its stalactites.

Pavilions, towers and landmarks

  • Misty Rain Pavilion (烟雨楼 — Yānyǔ Lóu) — Misty Rain Pavilion, on South Lake in Jiaxing.
  • Yueyang Tower (岳阳楼 — Yuèyáng Lóu) — Yueyang Tower, overlooking Dongting Lake at Yuezhou, immortalised by Fan Zhongyan’s Record of Yueyang Tower.
  • Xuanyuan Terrace (轩辕台 — Xuānyuán Tái)
  • Fengbo Pavilion (风波亭 — Fēngbō Tíng) — The pavilion in the prison of the Court of Judicial Review at Lin’an where Yue Fei was put to death in 1142.
  • Cuiwei Pavilion (翠微亭 — Cuìwēi Tíng) — A pavilion on Feilai Peak by West Lake.
  • Jian-Testing Pavilion (试剑亭 — Shì Jiàn Tíng) — A pavilion within the bamboo grove of Peach Blossom Island.
  • Chess-Wager Pavilion (赌棋亭 — Dǔqí Tíng) — A stone pavilion on Mount Hua.
  • Shansun Pavilion (山荪亭 — Shānsūn Tíng) — A pavilion at the southern gate of Mount Hua.
  • Cliff of Self-Sacrifice (舍身崖 — Shēshēn Yá) — A precipice on Mount Hua.
  • Return-Heart Stone (回心石 — Huíxīn Shí) — A boulder on the path up Mount Hua, where travellers traditionally turn back.
  • Black Pine Forest (黑松林 — Hēisōng Lín) — A pine wood ten li west of Zhangjiakou.

Inns, wineshops and shops

  • Drunken Immortal Wineshop (醉仙楼 — Zuìxiān Lóu) — The Drunken Immortal Wineshop, on the shore of South Lake in Jiaxing.
  • Avoiding-Qin Wineshop (避秦酒楼 — Bìqín Jiǔlóu)
  • Three Primes Wineshop (三元楼 — Sānyuán Lóu) — A wine-house in Lin’an.
  • Canopy and Crown Lodge (冠盖居 — Guāngài Jū) — An inn in the West Market of Lin’an.
  • Jinhua Lodge (锦华居 — Jǐnhuá Jū) — An inn on Imperial Street in Lin’an.
  • Merchant-Welcoming Inn (招商安寓 — Zhāoshāng Ānyù) — An inn in Huzhou.
  • Xiushui Inn (秀水客栈 — Xiùshuǐ Kèzhàn) — Xiushui is an old name for the Jiaxing area.
  • Tongren Lao Dang (同仁老当 — Tóngrén Lǎo Dàng)
  • Zhongwa marketplace (中瓦子 — Zhōng Wǎzi) — A market and entertainment quarter of Lin’an; the wazi were the city’s pleasure districts.

Military posts

  • Xiongjie Eighth Command Post (雄节第八指挥所 — Xióngjié Dì-Bā Zhǐhuī Suǒ) — A Song military post.

Events

  • Huashan Sword Summit (华山论剑 — Huàshān Lùnjiàn) — Use of discussion is key as the participants were engaged in a martial arts exchange and a philosophical debate on mastery, rather than just a physical contest.

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See also

Footnotes

  1. 蒙古大漠 — Ménggǔ Dàmò. Literally Mongol great desert. Eurasian steppe belt. See Wikipedia. ↩

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