Lu Qingdu (simplified: 鹿清笃, traditional: 鹿清篤, Jyutping: luk6 cing1 dou2, pinyin: Lù Qīngdǔ) was an antagonist character in the martial arts world during the Southern Song period, whose story was recorded in the chronicles of The Return of the Condor Heroes. A disciple of the Quanzhen Order and apprentice of Zhao Zhijing, he developed a deep-seated hatred for Yang Guo after initial conflicts when Yang Guo first entered the Quanzhen Order.
Lu Qingdu was characterized as petty-minded and vindictive. In a martial arts contest with Yang Guo, despite Yang Guo having only learned the mental cultivation methods without actual martial techniques, Lu Qingdu was ultimately knocked unconscious when Yang Guo employed the Toad Skill. As a follower of Zhao Zhijing, Lu Qingdu participated in the rebellion that involved collusion with Jinlun Guoshi, and was ultimately executed when the conspiracy was exposed.
Biography
Early life and Quanzhen training
Lu Qingdu entered the Quanzhen Order as a young disciple and was eventually taken as an apprentice by Zhao Zhijing, one of the senior members of the order. His training followed the traditional Quanzhen curriculum, emphasizing both martial arts and Daoist philosophical principles.
His name “Qingdu” (清笃) combines the characters for “clear/pure” (清) and “sincere/earnest” (笃), reflecting the Quanzhen Order’s emphasis on moral cultivation and sincere practice. The surname “Lu” (鹿) means “deer,” an animal associated with longevity and spiritual pursuits in Chinese culture.
Initial Conflict with Yang Guo
Early Humiliation: When Yang Guo first entered the Quanzhen Order, he had conflicts with Lu Qingdu. During these early encounters, Yang Guo managed to embarrass Lu Qingdu and make him lose face, which planted the seeds of deep-seated resentment in Lu Qingdu’s heart.
Petty-Minded Nature: Lu Qingdu was characterized as extremely petty-minded (为人小心眼), unable to let go of perceived slights and harboring grudges. The initial humiliation at Yang Guo’s hands festered into intense hatred that would drive his subsequent antagonistic behavior.
Pattern of Bullying: As Zhao Zhijing’s apprentice and positioned within the Quanzhen hierarchy, Lu Qingdu used his status to bully and torment Yang Guo during Yang Guo’s time at the order. His treatment of Yang Guo reflected the corruption that could develop when personal vendettas were allowed to flourish within martial arts schools.
The Martial Arts Contest
Challenge to Yang Guo: Lu Qingdu arranged a martial arts contest with Yang Guo, expecting to dominate the newcomer and restore his damaged pride. At that time, Yang Guo had only learned the mental cultivation formulas (心法口诀) of the Quanzhen Order but had not yet studied the actual martial techniques (武功).
Initial Advantage: Due to Yang Guo’s lack of formal technique training, Lu Qingdu initially held the upper hand in the contest. He appeared to have the advantage, believing he would easily defeat the less-trained disciple.
Unexpected Defeat: However, the contest took an unexpected turn when Yang Guo employed the Toad Skill (蛤蟆功), a powerful martial art he had learned from Ouyang Feng. Despite having only mental cultivation methods from Quanzhen, Yang Guo’s mastery of this external technique allowed him to knock Lu Qingdu unconscious (打昏), delivering a humiliating defeat that only deepened Lu Qingdu’s hatred.
Participation in Zhao Zhijing’s Rebellion
Collusion with Foreign Powers: Later, when Zhao Zhijing sought to obtain the position of Quanzhen Order leader, he colluded with Jinlun Guoshi (金轮国师), conspiring with Mongol forces against the order’s interests. Lu Qingdu, as a loyal follower of his master, participated in this treasonous rebellion.
Final Execution: When the conspiracy was exposed and the rebellion failed, Lu Qingdu was executed (被诛杀) for his role in the betrayal. His death represented the ultimate consequence of allowing personal grudges and misplaced loyalty to lead him into treason against both his order and his nation.
Personality and Character
Petty-Minded and Vindictive: Lu Qingdu’s defining characteristic was his extremely petty nature (小心眼). He was unable to forgive perceived slights or insults, instead allowing minor grievances to grow into consuming hatred. This inability to rise above petty concerns marked him as fundamentally unsuited to the higher ideals of Daoist cultivation.
Grudge-Holding: When Yang Guo embarrassed him during their first encounters, Lu Qingdu fixated on this humiliation and allowed it to define his subsequent relationship with Yang Guo. Rather than accepting his failures as opportunities for growth, he nurtured his resentment into active hostility.
Abuse of Authority: Positioned within the Quanzhen hierarchy as Zhao Zhijing’s disciple, Lu Qingdu used his status to bully and torment those he perceived as vulnerable or outside the protection of powerful patrons. His treatment of Yang Guo demonstrated how hierarchy within martial arts schools could be corrupted into instruments of personal vengeance.
Misplaced Loyalty: Lu Qingdu’s loyalty to his master Zhao Zhijing ultimately led him down a path of treason. Rather than maintaining loyalty to the higher principles of the Quanzhen Order and his nation, he followed his master into conspiracy with foreign powers, demonstrating that personal bonds without ethical foundation could become destructive.
Failed Cultivation: His personality reflected the fundamental failure of martial arts training when divorced from genuine moral cultivation. Despite the Quanzhen Order’s emphasis on ethical development alongside martial skill, Lu Qingdu embodied the opposite—technical training without corresponding spiritual growth.
Martial arts abilities
Quanzhen foundation
Lu Qingdu’s martial arts training was grounded in the traditional Quanzhen system, which emphasized qi cultivation, swordplay, and the integration of martial practice with Daoist principles of harmony and balance.
Training under Zhao Zhijing
As Zhao Zhijing’s apprentice, Lu Qingdu received instruction in advanced Quanzhen martial techniques, sword fighting methods, and qi cultivation practices. His level of achievement depended on his natural talent, dedication to practice, and the quality of instruction he received from his master.
Weapons mastery
He was proficient with the long sword, using classical Quanzhen sword techniques that combined practical combat effectiveness with philosophical principles.
Relationships
Master-disciple relationships
Lu Qingdu’s relationship with Zhao Zhijing was central to his identity within the Quanzhen Order. This relationship provided him with martial arts instruction and positioned him within the order’s hierarchy, but also exposed him to Zhao Zhijing’s eventual corruption and rebellion.
Antagonistic relationships
His antagonistic relationship with Yang Guo was characterized by bullying and harassment, reflecting his inability to transcend petty jealousies and embrace the higher ideals that the Quanzhen Order was supposed to represent.
Portrayals
Lu Qingdu has been portrayed in multiple television adaptations of The Return of the Condor Heroes:
| Year | Series | Actor |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Return of the Condor Heroes | Long Tiansheng (龙天生) |
| 1984 | The Return of the Condor Heroes | Gao Sheng (高升) |
| 1995 | The Return of the Condor Heroes | Luo Junzuo (罗君左) |
| 2006 | The Return of the Condor Heroes | Tian Zhong (田重) |
| 2014 | The Return of the Condor Heroes | Luo Weicong (罗伟聪) |
| 2018 | The Return of the Condor Heroes | Li Zhan (李展) |
Behind the scenes
Character variations
Serial Version: In the serial publication version of the novel, the character was named “Jingguang” (净光) rather than “Lu Qingdu.”
Adaptation Differences: In the 2014 television adaptation starring Chen Xiao, Lu Qingdu was modified to be Zhen Zhibing’s apprentice rather than Zhao Zhijing’s apprentice, representing a significant change in the character’s allegiances and relationships.
Thematic significance
Lu Qingdu represents the younger generation of Quanzhen practitioners who came of age during a period of significant change in the martial arts world. His story illustrates how even within respected martial arts schools, individual character flaws could lead to corruption and destructive behavior.
His relationship with Zhao Zhijing provides insight into how master-disciple relationships, while fundamental to the transmission of martial arts knowledge, could also perpetuate negative behaviors and attitudes when the master himself was flawed. His trajectory from petty grievance to treasonous rebellion demonstrates the dangers of allowing personal resentments to override ethical principles.
External links
- Zhao Zhijing - His master and teacher
- Yang Guo - His antagonistic target
- Quanzhen Order - The martial-religious order he belonged to
- The Return of the Condor Heroes - The novel in which he appears