Shuobude (simplified: 说不得, traditional: 說不得, pinyin: Shuōbùdé, jyutping: syut3 bat1 dak1), known as the Bag Monk (布袋和尚), was one of the Five Wanderers of the Ming Order. His name meant “cannot be said” or “unspeakable,” reflecting his humorous and enigmatic nature. He was a close friend of Wei Yixiao, the Green-Winged Bat King.
Biography
Five Wanderers
Shuobude was one of the Five Wanderers, independent senior members of the Ming Order. He was known for his cheerful disposition and his skill with the Boundless Qi Bag (乾坤一气袋), a magical bag made of unusual material that was difficult to cut or pierce.
Encountering Zhang Wuji
Shuobude encountered Zhang Wuji on the way to Bright Peak and captured him using the Boundless Qi Bag. When Zhang Wuji asked his name, Shuobude replied “Shuobude” (cannot be said), and when Zhang Wuji asked why, he answered “Shuobude means shuobude—what more explanation is needed?” This playful exchange demonstrated his humorous character.
Boundless Qi Bag
The Boundless Qi Bag was Shuobude’s signature weapon and tool. He used it to capture enemies, including Zhang Wuji. When Zhang Wuji’s Nine Yang Divine Skill reached completion inside the bag, the internal energy burst the bag apart—an event that helped Zhang Wuji achieve full mastery of the technique.
Ming Order activities
Shuobude participated in various Ming Order activities, including the defense of Bright Peak and the rescue of the Six Major Sects. He was one of the few Five Wanderers who did not enjoy killing, preferring to capture enemies rather than kill them.
Personality and traits
Shuobude was cheerful, humorous, and principled. He was known for his tolerance and ability to endure insults without retaliation—when Zhou Dian struck him for criticizing Zhou Dian’s refusal to go to Bright Peak, Shuobude simply smiled and said nothing, embodying the saying “a great belly can contain what is hard to contain.”
Behind the scenes
Historical and cultural reference
The character is based on the historical Bag Monk (布袋和尚), also known as Budai or Qici, a legendary Chinese Buddhist monk who lived during the Later Liang dynasty. He is often considered an incarnation of Maitreya Buddha and is depicted as a laughing, rotund figure carrying a bag. The name “Shuobude” (cannot be said) may also reference restrictions on speech during certain historical periods.
Source
Character information was drawn from docs/fetched-data/HSDS_20251027_082242/人物/说不得_20251027_000734.json and the novel.
See also
- Five Wanderers
- Ming Order
- Wei Yixiao — Close friend
- Zhou Dian — Fellow Five Wanderer
- Zhang Wuji — Captured and later served under him
- The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Sabre