Shihouzi (simplified: 狮吼子, traditional: 獅吼子, pinyin: Shīhǒuzǐ, jyutping: si1 hau3 zi2), also known as Second Senior Disciple (二师兄), was a senior disciple of the Xingxiu Order under Ding Chunqiu. His name “Shihouzi” means “Lion Roar” and he was also known by the nickname “Lion Nose” (狮鼻人).
Biography
Position in Xingxiu Order
Shihouzi was the second senior disciple (二师兄) of the Xingxiu Order, serving under Master Ding Chunqiu. In the Xingxiu Order’s hierarchical system, disciples were ranked by their martial arts proficiency, and Shihouzi held the position of second-in-command among the senior disciples, behind Zhaixingzi, the first senior disciple (大师兄).
As a senior disciple, Shihouzi would have been involved in the faction’s operations and likely participated in various missions and conflicts. The Xingxiu Order’s structure emphasised power and ruthlessness, with disciples constantly competing for higher positions through martial arts challenges.
Role in the faction
Shihouzi, along with other senior disciples like Zhaixingzi, Moyunzi, Chuchenzi, Tianlangzi, and Zhuifengzi, formed the core leadership group under Ding Chunqiu. These disciples were known for their loyalty to their master and their mastery of the faction’s poison-based martial arts techniques.
Personality and traits
As a senior disciple of the Xingxiu Order, Shihouzi would have embodied the faction’s values of ruthlessness, ambition, and the use of poison-based techniques. The Xingxiu Order was notorious for its cruel methods and lack of traditional martial arts honour, characteristics that would have been expected of its senior members.
Martial arts abilities
Shihouzi was trained in the Xingxiu Order’s poison-based martial arts under Ding Chunqiu. As the second senior disciple, he would have possessed considerable martial arts skills, though the specific techniques he mastered are not detailed in the source material.
The Xingxiu Order specialised in poison techniques and the Greater Skill-ravaging Technique (化功大法), methods that focused on permanently crippling opponents rather than traditional combat skills.
Relationships
Ding Chunqiu
Shihouzi’s primary relationship was with his master Ding Chunqiu, the leader and founder of the Xingxiu Order. As a senior disciple, Shihouzi would have been one of Ding Chunqiu’s most trusted followers and would have participated in the faction’s activities under his direction.
Fellow disciples
Shihouzi worked alongside other senior disciples of the Xingxiu Order, including Zhaixingzi, Moyunzi, Chuchenzi, Tianlangzi, and Zhuifengzi. The hierarchical nature of the Xingxiu Order meant that relationships between disciples were often competitive, with each seeking to improve their position within the faction.
Behind the scenes
Shihouzi appears in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils as one of the senior disciples of the Xingxiu Order, representing the faction’s hierarchical structure and its emphasis on poison-based martial arts. His character, along with the other senior disciples, demonstrates the competitive and ruthless nature of the Xingxiu Order’s internal organisation.
Portrayals
Shihouzi has been portrayed in various adaptations of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.
See also
- Ding Chunqiu — Shihouzi’s master and leader of the Xingxiu Order
- Zhaixingzi — The first senior disciple
- Moyunzi — Another senior disciple
- Chuchenzi — Another senior disciple
- Tianlangzi — Another senior disciple
- Zhuifengzi — Another senior disciple
- Xingxiu Order — The faction Shihouzi belonged to
- Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils characters