Prince Zongzan

Prince Zongzan (simplified: 宗赞王子, traditional: 宗贊王子, pinyin: Zōngzàn Wángzǐ) was a Tibetan prince who participated in the Western Xia marriage selection contest. Despite his royal status and martial prowess, his rough manners and lack of refinement ultimately prevented him from winning the princess’s hand.

Biography

Early life and royal background

Prince Zongzan was the son of the Tibetan king, representing one of the major powers in the region. At twenty-eight years old, he appeared older due to his thick beard and imposing physique. His royal status granted him significant political influence and military resources, which he used to advance his interests throughout the story.

Physical appearance and royal demeanor

Prince Zongzan was described as having a “浓眉大眼” (thick-browed and big-eyed) appearance with a “身材魁梧” (robust, muscular build). His imposing physical presence was enhanced by his choice of clothing - he wore a bright red robe embroidered with a fierce, roaring tiger, symbolizing his martial nature and royal authority. Despite being only twenty-eight years old, he appeared significantly older due to his “满脸虬髯” (full face of thick beard), making it difficult for others to accurately judge his age.

Border control and political power

Prince Zongzan exercised significant political power by implementing strict border controls at strategic mountain passes. His “Four Passes and Four Non-Passes” policy (四过四不过) demonstrated his ability to control trade and movement in the region. The prince’s border policy was both strategic and symbolic:

Women may pass, men may not – Allowing female travelers while restricting male movement
Monks may pass, laypeople may not – Respecting religious figures while controlling secular traffic
Elderly may pass, young may not – Showing respect for age while restricting potential threats
The dead may pass, the living may not – A dramatic statement emphasizing his control

The prince’s border restrictions were enforced by armed guards armed with copper hammers and iron pestles. When challenged about the logic of these restrictions, the guards simply responded: “Prince Zongzan’s words are the reason”, demonstrating the absolute nature of his authority.

Journey to Western Xia

Prince Zongzan traveled to Western Xia to participate in the marriage selection contest for Princess Li Qinglu. His presence at the palace demonstrated the political importance of the event and the potential for forming alliances through marriage. He traveled with a retinue of eight Tibetan warriors, demonstrating his status and military power.

Border confrontation with Duan Yu

One of Prince Zongzan’s most significant appearances occurred when he enforced his border restrictions against Duan Yu and his companions. This confrontation demonstrated his political power and his willingness to use force to maintain control, though it also showed the limitations of his approach.

Participation in the marriage selection contest

At the Western Xia palace, Prince Zongzan participated in the various tests and challenges of the marriage selection. His performance in these tests revealed both his strengths and weaknesses, particularly his martial prowess versus his lack of cultural refinement.

The three questions test

Prince Zongzan demonstrated his straightforward approach by answering all three questions at once:

Most joyful place: Prince Zongzan declared that the happiest and most carefree place he could imagine was the bridal chamber where he would marry the princess and become her consort.
Most beloved person: He stated that the person he loved most was Princess Yin Chuan. He noted that while he did not yet know her given name, he was confident she would share it with him once they were married.
Princess’s appearance: He described the princess as possessing beauty so extraordinary that she was like an immortal—unmatched on earth and rarely seen even in heaven.

The prince’s responses showed that he understood the nature of the contest. Anticipating that most participants would give similar answers, he deliberately answered first to make it seem as though others were simply copying him. This demonstrated his political savvy, even if his manner was rough.

Conflict with Duan Yu

Prince Zongzan’s jealousy and irritation eventually boiled over into a direct confrontation with Duan Yu, whom he saw as a rival for the princess’s favor. The confrontation unfolded in two stages:

First attack: Prince Zongzan rushed at Duan Yu and threw a powerful punch at his chest. However, Duan Yu’s neili automatically rebounded the force, sending Zongzan flying backward into a tea table and smashing the tea set.
Second attack: Attempting a different tactic, the prince tried to kick Duan Yu in the lower abdomen, but once again, the energy rebounded and he was hurled over the heads of dozens of people, crashing into several more tea tables.

Despite being thrown around violently, Prince Zongzan was described as having thick skin and flesh, suffering no internal injuries. This demonstrated his physical resilience, even though his martial arts skills proved inadequate against truly skilled practitioners.

Martial arts abilities

Prince Zongzan demonstrates considerable martial prowess, though his skills are not at the highest level of the story’s protagonists. His combat abilities are sufficient to command respect and maintain his position, but he ultimately proves unable to overcome the superior martial arts of characters like Duan Yu.

The prince’s combat style is characterised by aggressive charging tactics, with his attacks described as fast as lightning, demonstrating both his speed and raw power. He relies primarily on direct physical strikes, favouring straightforward punches and kicks rather than sophisticated martial techniques. His physical resilience is notable—despite being thrown around violently during combat, he suffers no internal injuries due to his thick skin and flesh, which provides him with natural protection against physical damage.

Combat tactics and limitations

Prince Zongzan’s fighting approach reveals several key limitations that prevent him from achieving victory against more skilled opponents. He demonstrates a lack of defensive awareness, charging directly at opponents without considering their defensive capabilities or potential counterattacks. His attacks are purely physical, lacking the sophisticated neigongs that characterize skilled martial arts practitioners. Additionally, he shows an inability to adapt his strategy—after his first defeat, he only changes his attack method slightly from punch to kick rather than developing a fundamentally new approach to combat.

Comparison with other contestants

The prince’s martial abilities place him above average among the marriage selection contestants, but significantly below the level of characters like Duan Yu, whose automatic internal energy rebound demonstrates the vast gap in cultivation levels.

Combat Style

The prince’s fighting style appears to be direct and forceful, reflecting his personality and background. He relies on physical strength and aggressive tactics rather than refined technique, which serves him well against most opponents but proves inadequate against truly skilled martial artists.

Personality and traits

Impatience and Directness

Prince Zongzan is characterized by his impatience and direct approach to problems. He frequently expresses frustration with formal procedures and prefers immediate action to diplomatic patience. This trait, while sometimes effective in martial situations, proves to be a disadvantage in the refined atmosphere of the Western Xia court.

The prince’s personality is vividly demonstrated through his direct speech patterns. Prince Zongzan shows little patience for ceremonial customs, making it clear that he is eager to see the princess and considers any extra steps or formalities to be a waste of time. He laughs off concerns about being tired or inconvenienced, preferring to get straight to the point.

He openly dismisses the value of art and calligraphy, questioning why anyone would care about paintings or written works. In his view, pictures of beautiful women are no match for real people, since you can’t touch or experience them directly, so he considers such things meaningless.

Zongzan urges everyone around him to eat quickly and energetically, downplaying the importance of the tea being served and treating it as nothing special. His speech is blunt and straightforward, with no attempt at politeness or subtlety.

Cultural differences in tea drinking

Prince Zongzan’s tea-drinking habits further highlight his background: he prefers to add salt and cheese to his tea and consumes both the liquid and the leaves together, as is customary among Tibetans. This approach is in stark contrast to the refined and ritualized tea ceremonies of the Western Xia court.

Political Awareness

Despite his rough exterior, the prince demonstrates significant political awareness and strategic thinking. His border control policies and his participation in the marriage contest show his understanding of power dynamics and his willingness to use various means to advance his interests.

Pride and Authority

Prince Zongzan’s royal background has instilled in him a strong sense of pride and authority. He expects his commands to be obeyed and is quick to assert his position when challenged. This pride sometimes leads to conflicts with others who do not recognize his authority.

Relationships

Duan Yu

Prince Zongzan’s competitive streak and jealousy were especially clear in his interactions with Duan Yu:

Perceived favoritism: When a palace maid treated Duan Yu with special respect, Zongzan was irritated, thinking to himself that he was also a prince and that his Tibetan kingdom was far more powerful than Dali. He wondered if Duan Yu’s good looks were giving him an unfair advantage.
Misinterpretation of letters: On two occasions, the prince mistook letters intended for Duan Yu as personal invitations from the princess, which led to violent confrontations. The first time, he reacted to a message expressing happiness, and the second time, he was provoked by a letter warning of danger to their fathers.

Palace staff

The prince’s impatience with palace protocol was evident as he repeatedly asked if the current procedures were sufficient and grew frustrated with the delays caused by others finishing their tea and refreshments before the princess’s next instructions.

Behind the scenes

Literary significance

Prince Zongzan represents the political complexity of the martial world, where royal figures from different regions compete for influence and alliances. His character demonstrates how martial arts and politics are intertwined in Jin Yong’s world. The prince serves as a contrast to the more refined characters in the story, highlighting the cultural differences between different regions and social classes. His rough manners emphasize the sophistication of other characters while adding diversity to the story’s world.

Tibetan cultural representation

Prince Zongzan embodies several aspects of Tibetan culture and character: his method of drinking tea with salt and cheese reflects authentic Tibetan tea culture, his straightforward speech patterns contrast with the refined, indirect communication style of the Central Plains, his thick beard and robust build represent the stereotypical image of Tibetan warriors, and his “四过四不过” border policy demonstrates a practical, rule-based approach to governance.

Character foil function

The prince serves as an effective foil to highlight the qualities of other characters: his rough manners emphasize Duan Yu’s cultured background and gentle nature, his disdain for art and calligraphy contrasts with the aesthetic appreciation shown by other characters, and his impatience highlights the diplomatic skills and patience demonstrated by characters like Duan Yu and the palace staff. His character illustrates the limitations of political power and martial prowess when faced with truly exceptional individuals.

Character representation

Prince Zongzan serves primarily as a supporting character who adds political complexity and cultural diversity to the story. His presence helps establish the broader political context in which the main characters operate. Through Prince Zongzan, readers learn about the political landscape of the martial world and the various powers that exist beyond the main characters’ immediate concerns. His character helps create a sense of a larger, more complex world.

Martial arts assessment

Based on the available information, Prince Zongzan’s martial arts level places him in the upper-middle tier of practitioners in the jianghu. His physical strength and aggressive fighting style make him formidable against most opponents, but his lack of qi cultivation and sophisticated techniques places him below truly skilled practitioners. Despite his current limitations, his physical resilience and political acumen suggest he could develop into a more formidable martial artist if he were to receive proper training in qi cultivation and sophisticated techniques.