Never Abstain

Never Abstain

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Never Abstain (simplified: 不戒, traditional: 不戒, pinyin: Bùjiè, jyutping: bat1 gaai3), also known as Monk Never Abstain (不戒和尚), was a Buddhist monk who became a monk to pursue a nun, eventually marrying her and having a daughter, Yilin. He was known for his eccentric logic, exceptional martial arts abilities, and deep devotion to his wife, despite her long absence.

Biography

Becoming a monk

Never Abstain was originally a butcher who fell in love with a nun (later known as Mute Granny). To pursue her, he shaved his head and became a monk, hence the name “Never Abstain” (不戒), meaning “not keeping the precepts” or “unrestrained.” The two eventually married and had a daughter, Yilin.

Separation from his wife

After Yilin was born, Never Abstain’s wife became jealous when he praised another woman’s beauty and left him. Never Abstain spent years searching for her, visiting convents throughout the jianghu, but was unable to find her. He eventually left Yilin at the North Hengshan School’s White Cloud Convent to be raised by Dingyi.

Meeting Linghu Chong

Never Abstain first encountered Linghu Chong when he learnt that Yilin was in love with him. Believing that Linghu Chong had caused Yilin to suffer from lovesickness, Never Abstain was initially angry with him, thinking Linghu Chong was blind not to see Yilin’s beauty.

However, when he learnt that Linghu Chong was seriously injured, Never Abstain attempted to help by injecting two streams of neili into Linghu Chong’s body to suppress the six streams of energy from the Six Immortals of the Peach Valley. Unfortunately, this only made Linghu Chong’s condition worse, as it added two more conflicting energies to his already troubled system.

Forcing Tian Boguang to become a monk

Never Abstain encountered Tian Boguang, the notorious lecher known as “Lone-traveller of Ten Thousand Li,” and forced him to become a monk with the dharma name “Cannot Never Abstain” (不可不戒), meaning “Must Not Be Unrestrained.” He made Tian Boguang serve Yilin as her protector, demonstrating his eccentric logic and his desire to protect his daughter.

Joining Hengshan School

When Linghu Chong became the leader of the Hengshan School, Never Abstain recognised that having a man lead an all-female school might damage the school’s reputation. He decided to join the school with Tian Boguang, creating the “Hengshan Branch School” (恒山别院) to provide male disciples and protect the school’s reputation. This eccentric solution demonstrated his unique way of thinking.

Reunion with his wife

With the help of Linghu Chong and the Six Immortals of the Peach Valley, Never Abstain was eventually reunited with his wife, Mute Granny. The two were reconciled, and Never Abstain’s long search finally came to an end.

Personality & traits

Never Abstain was portrayed as having extremely eccentric logic and a unique way of thinking. His actions often seemed bizarre to others but made perfect sense to him. For example, he believed that forcing Tian Boguang to become a monk and serve Yilin would protect her, and that joining the Hengshan School as a male disciple would help preserve the school’s reputation.

Despite his eccentricity, Never Abstain was deeply devoted to his wife. He spent years searching for her, visiting nunneries throughout the jianghu, and was willing to do anything to be reunited with her. His devotion demonstrated that true love transcends logic and convention.

He was also deeply protective of Yilin, though his methods were unconventional. He believed that forcing Linghu Chong to marry Yilin would make her happy, and he was willing to go to great lengths to ensure her happiness, even if it meant breaking social conventions.

Martial arts abilities

Never Abstain was an exceptionally skilled martial artist. He was able to easily subdue the Six Immortals of the Peach Valley, demonstrating that his martial arts were far superior to theirs. He was also able to intercept Yue Buqun’s sword throw using his monk’s shoes, showing that his martial arts were comparable to Yue Buqun’s before Yue learnt the Evil-Warding Swordplay.

His neili was profound, as demonstrated by his ability to inject two streams of energy into Linghu Chong’s body. However, his lack of medical knowledge meant that this attempt to help actually made Linghu Chong’s condition worse.

Relationships

Never Abstain’s relationship with his wife, Mute Granny, was central to his character. He was deeply devoted to her, spending years searching for her after she left. His devotion demonstrated that true love can overcome any obstacle, even years of separation.

His relationship with Yilin was one of deep paternal love. He was willing to do anything to ensure her happiness, even if it meant breaking social conventions or forcing others to serve her.

His relationship with Linghu Chong was complex. Initially, he was angry with Linghu Chong for causing Yilin’s lovesickness, but he eventually came to respect him and helped him by joining the Hengshan School.

Behind the scenes

Never Abstain represents the ideal of eccentric but genuine character. His actions may seem bizarre, but they come from a place of deep love and genuine concern for others. His character demonstrates that true virtue can exist in the most unconventional forms.

Literary significance

Never Abstain serves as a comic relief character while also demonstrating deep emotional complexity. His devotion to his wife and daughter shows that even the most eccentric characters can have profound emotional depth. His creation of the Hengshan Branch School represents a creative solution to a social problem, demonstrating that unconventional thinking can sometimes solve problems that conventional approaches cannot.

Portrayals

Never Abstain has been portrayed in various adaptations of Laughing in the Wind:

Laughing in the Wind

See also

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