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Ren Yingying

Ren Yingying

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Ren Yingying (simplified: 任盈盈, traditional: 任盈盈, pinyin: Rén Yíngyíng, jyutping: jam6 jing4 jing4) was the only daughter of Ren Woxing, leader of the Sun Moon Order, and later became the Holy Maiden of the order. She was a complex figure who combined ruthless capability with gentle refinement, eventually marrying Linghu Chong and choosing a life of freedom over power.

Biography

Early life and rise to Holy Maiden

Ren Yingying was born into the Sun Moon Order as the daughter of Ren Woxing. When she was seven years old, her father was secretly imprisoned beneath West Lake by Dongfang Bubai, who then usurped control of the order. Raised under Dongfang Bubai’s authority, Ren Yingying grew up in an environment of power, intrigue, and corruption on Blackwood Cliff.

Despite her privileged position, which placed her second only to Dongfang Bubai before Yang Lianting gained influence, Ren Yingying maintained her moral integrity. She earned the respect of order members and jianghu figures alike, who addressed her as “Holy Maiden” (圣姑). Her reputation extended beyond the order’s ranks, with orthodox martial artists referring to her as a “demoness” while unorthodox practitioners revered her.

Meeting Linghu Chong

Ren Yingying first encountered Linghu Chong in Luoyang, where she lived in seclusion in Green Bamboo Lane, disguising herself as an elderly “Granny” behind a bamboo curtain. She taught him to play the qin and became his confidante, listening to his troubles and offering comfort during his darkest period when he suffered from severe internal injuries and heartbreak over Yue Lingshan.

Their relationship developed gradually, beginning with mutual understanding and respect before deepening into romantic love. When Linghu Chong discovered her true identity and appearance, he was struck by her beauty and began to develop genuine feelings for her, distinct from his lingering attachment to Yue Lingshan.

Rescuing Ren Woxing

Ren Yingying played a crucial role in helping Xiang Wentian and Linghu Chong rescue her father from his imprisonment at Plum Manor. After Ren Woxing regained control of the Sun Moon Order, he attempted to arrange Ren Yingying’s marriage to Linghu Chong and offered him the position of deputy leader. However, Linghu Chong refused to join the order, leading to another separation between the couple.

The battle against Dongfang Bubai

During the climactic battle on Blackwood Cliff, when Linghu Chong, Ren Woxing, and Xiang Wentian struggled against Dongfang Bubai’s superior martial arts, Ren Yingying demonstrated her tactical brilliance. Recognising that direct combat would fail, she instead attacked Yang Lianting, Dongfang Bubai’s lover, causing the invincible master to become distracted and reveal a fatal weakness. This strategic intervention turned the tide of battle and allowed the three men to strike the decisive blow.

Later years and marriage

After Ren Woxing’s sudden death, Ren Yingying inherited leadership of the Sun Moon Order. However, like Linghu Chong, she had no interest in power or political ambition. She peacefully resolved conflicts with the orthodox schools and, after three years of mourning, transferred leadership to Xiang Wentian.

Ren Yingying married Linghu Chong, and the couple chose to withdraw from jianghu politics entirely. Four months after their wedding, while walking on Mount Hua, Ren Yingying remarked to her husband: “I never imagined that I, Ren Yingying, would be tied together with you, this big monkey, never to be separated again.” They sealed their swords and retired from the martial arts world, living as wandering xia who laughed proudly in the jianghu.

Personality & traits

Character traits

Ren Yingying embodied a complex combination of seemingly contradictory qualities. She possessed both ruthless capability and gentle refinement, combining the authority of a powerful leader with the modesty of a traditional woman. Despite growing up surrounded by flattery, corruption, and power struggles, she remained uncorrupted, maintaining her moral compass and refusing to be seduced by empty praise or worldly ambitions.

Her personality reflected that of a natural hermit who valued personal freedom over political power. Jin Yong wrote in the novel’s afterword: “Linghu Chong is a natural hermit with no interest in power. Yingying is also a hermit; she held the power of life and death over jianghu heroes, yet preferred to live in seclusion in a humble lane in Luoyang, amusing herself with music. In her life, she only valued personal freedom and the expression of individuality. The only thing that mattered was love.”

Ren Yingying demonstrated remarkable intelligence and tactical thinking. During the battle on Blackwood Cliff, when her father and lover’s lives were in danger, she found an alternative strategy rather than joining the losing fight directly. In the chaotic cave on Mount Hua’s Cliff of Reflection, she alone thought to leap to higher ground to escape danger, demonstrating her calm and resourceful nature.

Values and principles

Ren Yingying showed great tolerance and understanding in her relationship with Linghu Chong. She fell in love with him during his most difficult period, when he was heartbroken over Yue Lingshan. Rather than becoming jealous or demanding, she was moved by his genuine feelings and patiently waited for him to come to terms with his past. Even after doing so much for him, when Linghu Chong still thought of Yue Lingshan, she said nothing, choosing instead to wait patiently and continue giving selflessly.

She was also known for her compassion toward order members. Many jianghu heroes who had been poisoned with the Three Corpse Brain Pills came to her seeking antidotes, which she obtained from Dongfang Bubai through intercession. Her willingness to help others, even at personal cost, earned her widespread respect and gratitude throughout the jianghu.

Martial arts abilities

Ren Yingying’s martial arts skills were formidable, though not extensively detailed in the novel. She wielded a pair of long and short swords and demonstrated significant combat ability. She once engaged in battle with Fangsheng, a senior monk of the Shaolin Order, killing four Shaolin disciples and holding her own against the master himself, indicating her martial arts were far from ordinary.

At Mount Heng School’s Hanging Temple, she fought evenly with Jia Bu, a Sun Moon Order elder, further demonstrating her combat prowess. During the Five Mountains Sword Schools merger ceremony on Mount Song, she used her internal energy to transmit messages through sound to the Six Immortals of the Peach Valley, manipulating them to disrupt Zuo Lengchan’s plans, showing her mastery of advanced neigong techniques.

Fish Intestine Swordplay

Ren Yingying was skilled in Fish Intestine Swordplay (鱼肠剑法), a technique that complemented her dual sword fighting style. This martial art emphasised precision and adaptability, matching her intelligent and resourceful character.

Relationships

Family

Ren Yingying’s relationship with her father Ren Woxing was central to her character development. Despite being separated from him for most of her childhood after his imprisonment, she remained loyal and worked tirelessly to secure his freedom and restoration to power. However, she also demonstrated independence of thought, choosing her own path when her father’s ambitions conflicted with her values.

Romantic relationships

Ren Yingying’s relationship with Linghu Chong developed gradually from friendship and mutual understanding into deep romantic love. She fell in love with him during his most difficult period, moved by his genuine feelings for Yue Lingshan rather than threatened by them. Her patience, understanding, and selfless devotion eventually won his heart, and their marriage represented the union of two kindred spirits who both valued freedom over power.

Friendships

Ren Yingying maintained good relationships throughout the Sun Moon Order and the broader jianghu. Her reputation as the Holy Maiden earned her respect from both orthodox and unorthodox martial artists. She was particularly close to Lan Fenghuang, leader of the Five Immortals Order, and maintained positive relationships with various jianghu figures who appreciated her compassion and integrity.

Behind the scenes

Ren Yingying represents Jin Yong’s ideal of the perfect wife, as the author himself described her. Her character combines strength and gentleness, capability and modesty, power and humility. She embodies the Daoist ideal of the hermit who possesses great ability but chooses simplicity and freedom over worldly success.

Literary significance

The character broke from traditional wuxia female archetypes by combining political power with personal modesty, martial capability with cultural refinement. Unlike many female characters who served primarily as love interests or damsels in distress, Ren Yingying was a fully realised character with her own agency, intelligence, and moral compass.

Her relationship with Linghu Chong exemplified the novel’s theme that true love transcends factional boundaries and social expectations. Their eventual choice to withdraw from power and live as wandering xia together represented the ultimate expression of personal freedom and authentic love.

Portrayals

Ren Yingying has been portrayed by numerous actresses in film and television adaptations of Laughing in the Wind:

Laughing in the Wind

Other adaptations

Xu Qing’s portrayal in the 2001 television series is widely regarded as one of the most successful interpretations, capturing both Ren Yingying’s authority and her gentle refinement. Her performance helped establish the character’s complex personality and became a reference point for subsequent adaptations.

See also

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