Qiao Sanhuai

Qiao Sanhuai (simplified: 乔三槐, traditional: 喬三槐, pinyin: Qiáo Sānhuái, jyutping: kiu4 saam1 wui4) was a Han Chinese farmer who, together with his wife, raised Xiao Feng (then known as Qiao Feng) as their adoptive son. He was later killed by Xiao Yuanshan as part of Xiao Yuanshan’s quest for revenge.

Biography

Adopting Xiao Feng

When Xiao Feng was still an infant, his parents were ambushed at Yanmen Pass by a group of masked assailants. In the ensuing battle, Xiao Feng’s mother was killed, and his father, Xiao Yuanshan, was gravely injured. Before attempting suicide, Xiao Yuanshan leapt from a cliff with his son, but at the last moment, he could not bear to kill his child and tossed the infant upward before his descent.

The surviving attackers caught the infant Xiao Feng and, showing mercy, decided to spare his life. They entrusted the child to Qiao Sanhuai and his wife, a Han Chinese peasant couple living near Mount Shaoshi. The couple named the child Qiao Feng and raised him as their own son.

Life as a farmer

Qiao Sanhuai lived a simple life as a farmer near Mount Shaoshi, where Shaolin Monastery was located. Together with his wife, he provided a loving home for the young Qiao Feng, treating him as their own child despite not being his biological parents.

Death

When Qiao Feng was thirty-one years old, his heritage as a Khitan was revealed, and he became an outcast in the jianghu. During this period of crisis, Qiao Sanhuai and his wife were found murdered. Initially, suspicion fell upon Qiao Feng himself, as many believed he had killed his adoptive parents out of anger or to hide his true identity.

However, it was later revealed that the true killer was Xiao Yuanshan, Xiao Feng’s biological father. Xiao Yuanshan had survived the fall at Yanmen Pass and had been hiding at Shaolin Monastery for over thirty years, secretly studying the temple’s martial arts and plotting his revenge. He killed Qiao Sanhuai and his wife, along with Xuanku and others who knew the identity of the “Leading Brother” who had orchestrated the ambush at Yanmen Pass.

Personality and traits

Kind and compassionate

Qiao Sanhuai demonstrated kindness and compassion by taking in the infant Xiao Feng and raising him as his own son. Despite not being the child’s biological father, he provided a loving home and cared for him throughout his childhood.

Simple and honest

As a farmer, Qiao Sanhuai lived a simple, honest life. He had no connection to the jianghu and had no knowledge of Xiao Feng’s true heritage or the complex web of relationships that would eventually lead to his death.

Relationships

Adoptive father to Xiao Feng

Qiao Sanhuai’s most significant relationship was with Xiao Feng, whom he raised as his adoptive son. Despite the revelation of Xiao Feng’s true heritage, Qiao Sanhuai had provided him with a loving childhood and a sense of family.

Husband

Qiao Sanhuai was married, and together with his wife, they raised Xiao Feng. Both were killed by Xiao Yuanshan as part of his quest for revenge.

Behind the scenes

Role in the narrative

Qiao Sanhuai serves as a tragic figure in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, representing the innocent victims caught in the cycle of revenge and ethnic conflict. His death, along with that of his wife, highlights the destructive consequences of vengeance and the way innocent people can be harmed by conflicts they have no part in.

His character also demonstrates the contrast between the simple, honest life of ordinary people and the complex, violent world of martial arts. His kindness in adopting Xiao Feng stands in stark contrast to the violence and revenge that ultimately claimed his life.

Symbolism

Qiao Sanhuai represents the theme of found family and the bonds that can form between adoptive parents and children. His death serves as a reminder of how cycles of revenge can harm even those who are innocent and unrelated to the original conflict.

Portrayals

Qiao Sanhuai has been portrayed in various adaptations of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, including:

2013 version: Played by Zheng Xiaozhong (郑晓钟)