Wanyan Honglie (pinyin: Wányán Hóngliè, jyutping: Jyun4 Ngaan4 Hung4 Lit6, simplified: 完颜洪烈, traditional: 完顏洪烈) was the sixth prince of the Jin Empire.[^jinempire] Holding the title of Prince of Zhao, he orchestrated the tragic events at Niu Clan Village, ultimately raising Yang Kang as his foster son whilst pursuing his ambitions to strengthen the Jin Empire against both the Song Dynasty1 and Mongol2 threats.
Biography
Early life and imperial position
Born into the Wanyan imperial clan during the height of the Jin dynasty’s power, Wanyan Honglie was the sixth son of a Jin emperor, making him a prominent member of the royal family with considerable influence at court. As the sixth prince, he held the title Prince Zhao and maintained his own residence and household in the capital of Zhongdu.
Unlike many pampered royals, Wanyan Honglie demonstrated both political acumen and personal martial abilities. He served the Jin Empire in various capacities, including diplomatic missions and military operations against Song territories. His position allowed him access to extensive resources and commanded the loyalty of numerous martial artists and officials who formed his personal retinue.
The prince’s upbringing in the imperial court exposed him to the complexities of statecraft, military strategy, and the ongoing conflicts between the Jin dynasty and their Song neighbours to the south. This background would later influence his sophisticated approaches to political manipulation and his understanding of how to exploit the tensions between different factions.
The Niu Clan Village conspiracy
In 1205, Wanyan Honglie led Jin forces in pursuit of the Quanzhen Daoist priest Qiu Chuji to Niu Clan Village in Lin’an Prefecture.3 The priest had recently eliminated a corrupt official who collaborated with Jin forces, and Wanyan Honglie sought to capture him. However, Qiu Chuji’s superior martial arts quickly defeated the soldiers, leaving only Wanyan Honglie alive but severely wounded with an arrow through his shoulder.
Wanyan Honglie sought refuge in Yang Tiexin’s woodshed where he was discovered by Bao Xiruo, wife of Yang Tiexin. Despite not knowing his true identity, she nursed him back to health in her family’s woodshed. Her gentle care and natural kindness deeply impressed the prince, and her beauty and compassionate nature captivated him, sparking an obsession that would drive much of his subsequent actions.
Wanyan Honglie’s infatuation with Bao Xiruo led him to devise an elaborate scheme to win her. He secretly contacted Song traitor Duan Tiande and provided him with false intelligence claiming that Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin were rebels plotting against the Song court. This manipulation led to a military raid on Ox Village, during which Guo Xiaotian was killed defending his pregnant wife Li Ping, whilst Yang Tiexin was severely wounded and went missing.
Duan Tiande captured Li Ping as a hostage, whilst Bao Xiruo fled in terror. Following his plan, Wanyan Honglie staged a dramatic rescue, appearing at the perfect moment to help Bao Xiruo escape. He fabricated a story claiming that Yang Tiexin had died from his injuries.
To conceal his true identity as a Jin prince, he assumed the alias Yan Lie, removing the first and third characters of his name. During their subsequent journey, he presented himself as a righteous scholar who had risked his life to save her, gradually winning her trust and gratitude.
Marriage and family life
Believing her husband dead and feeling indebted to her apparent saviour, Bao Xiruo eventually agreed to marry Wanyan Honglie. However, their relationship remained complex—whilst genuinely grateful for his apparent rescue and kindness, she never fully loved him as she had Yang Tiexin. Recognising this, Wanyan Honglie built her a simple cottage on the palace grounds, decorated with mementos from Niu Clan Village, allowing her to live in the humble style she preferred rather than forcing her into palace luxury.
When Bao Xiruo gave birth to Yang Kang, Wanyan Honglie embraced the child as his own son, changing the boy’s name to Wanyan Kang and showering him with paternal affection. His treatment of Yang Kang appeared genuinely loving—he indulged the boy’s wishes, provided him with the finest education and martial arts training, and groomed him as a potential heir to political power.
Political intrigue in Mongolia
As a prince of the Jin Empire, Wanyan Honglie undertook important diplomatic missions, including travels to Mongolia with his older brother Wanyan Hongxi, the third prince. Their official purpose was to prevent Mongol tribal unification by granting titles to selected leaders, hoping to create jealousy and division among the khans.
However, during these visits, Wanyan Honglie demonstrated exceptional political acumen. Unlike his brother, who dismissed the Mongols as unsophisticated nomads, Wanyan Honglie recognised the true threat they posed. When he witnessed Temüjin’s forces defeating a numerically superior Naiman tribe through superior tactics and leadership, he understood that a unified Mongolia under an ambitious leader like Temüjin could easily conquer the Jin Empire.
Attempts at tribal manipulation
Recognising the danger, Wanyan Honglie engaged in sophisticated political manipulation, exploiting existing tensions between Temüjin, Ong Khan, Jamukha, and Senggum to prevent Mongol unification. He secretly provided intelligence and resources to Temüjin’s enemies, hoping to eliminate the future Genghis Khan before he could unite the tribes.
These efforts nearly succeeded during a coordinated attack, and only the unexpected intervention of Guo Jing—who overheard the plot and warned Temüjin—prevented Wanyan Honglie’s plan from succeeding. Following the failed assassination attempt, Wanyan Honglie was forced to flee Mongolia under the protection of the Four Ghosts of Yellow River, his political machinations exposed.
Quest for the Book of Wumu
Wanyan Honglie’s strategic thinking extended to seeking military advantages through ancient knowledge. He became obsessed with obtaining the Book of Wumu, a military treatise written by the Song general Yue Fei. He believed that mastering its strategic principles would provide the key to defeating both the Song Dynasty and the rising Mongol threat, allowing him to become a hero who saved the Jin Empire.
To obtain the manual, he enlisted several formidable martial artists including Ouyang Feng, Ouyang Ke, Peng Lianhu, Sha Tongtian, and Liang Ziweng. However, his plans were consistently foiled by Guo Jing and Huang Rong, who ultimately succeeded in obtaining the book themselves.
Family’s tragic end
Eighteen years after the Niu Clan Village incident, Yang Tiexin resurfaced, having survived his injuries and spent years searching for his family. Accompanied by his adopted daughter Mu Nianci, he unexpectedly encountered Bao Xiruo in the Jin capital. The reunion devastated Bao Xiruo, who finally learnt the truth about her husband’s survival and Wanyan Honglie’s deception.
When Bao Xiruo revealed Yang Kang’s true parentage and decided to leave with Yang Tiexin, Wanyan Honglie pursued them with his forces. Cornered and unwilling to endanger others, Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo chose to commit suicide rather than submit to recapture. This tragic conclusion exposed Yang Kang to the full truth of his origins as a commoner and ethnic Han amongst Jurchens.
Yang Kang’s internal conflict
Upon learning the truth about his parentage, Yang Kang experienced profound anguish and moral conflict. Though he killed Duan Tiande in revenge for his father’s death and became sworn brothers with Guo Jing, he ultimately could not bring himself to take vengeance against Wanyan Honglie, who had raised him with genuine affection for eighteen years.
Wanyan Honglie, recognising Yang Kang’s inner turmoil, employed both emotional manipulation and promises of wealth and status to retain his loyalty. He convinced Yang Kang that their bond transcended blood relations and that abandoning their relationship would be ungrateful and pointless. Despite knowing the truth, Yang Kang chose to continue regarding Wanyan Honglie as his father.
Abandoning Yang Kang
During the confrontation at Iron Spear Temple, Yang Kang was poisoned by Ouyang Feng’s venom and fell into a state of delirium. In his maddened condition, he became violent and unpredictable, lashing out at everyone around him, including Wanyan Honglie. Terrified by Yang Kang’s condition and unable to help him, the prince abandoned his adopted son and fled, prioritising his own safety over their relationship.
Alliance with Khwarezm and final defeat
As the Mongol threat intensified and Jin’s position became increasingly desperate, Wanyan Honglie undertook a final diplomatic mission to Samarkand, capital of the Khwarezmian Empire.4 His goal was to forge a military alliance between the Jin and Khwarazm empires to jointly resist Mongol expansion.
However, this mission coincided with Guo Jing’s service as a military commander in Genghis Khan’s forces. Using the strategic knowledge he had gained from the Book of Wumu, Guo Jing helped devise the tactics that led to the Mongol conquest of Samarkand. During the city’s fall, Wanyan Honglie was captured by Mongol forces and brought before Genghis Khan.
Death
Brought before Genghis Khan as a prisoner, Wanyan Honglie reportedly expressed regret at not having crushed the Mongols when they were still weak and divided. Recognising him as one of his most dangerous enemies, Genghis Khan ordered his immediate execution. Wanyan Honglie was beheaded in the Mongol camp, bringing an end to his long struggle to preserve the Jin Empire against the rising Mongol threat.
Personality and traits
Dual nature
Wanyan Honglie exhibited a complex personality characterised by stark contrasts. On one hand, he was calculating, ruthless, and manipulative, willing to orchestrate murder and deception to achieve his desires. His conspiracy at Niu Clan Village demonstrated his capacity for cold-blooded scheming and his willingness to destroy innocent lives for personal gain.
However, he also displayed genuine affection and loyalty toward those he considered family. His love for Bao Xiruo appeared sincere, and he treated her with consistent kindness and respect throughout their marriage. His devotion to Yang Kang was equally authentic—–he raised him as his own son, provided him with the finest education and training, and genuinely mourned when forced to abandon him.
Political acumen
Wanyan Honglie demonstrated exceptional political intelligence and strategic thinking throughout his career. Unlike many of his contemporaries who underestimated emerging threats, he possessed the foresight to recognise the Mongol danger before it became overwhelming. His detailed intelligence gathering—including careful mapping of Song territory, assessment of local officials, and analysis of military capabilities—showed a sophisticated understanding of statecraft and military preparation.
His ability to manipulate complex tribal politics in Mongolia, nearly succeeding in eliminating Temüjin before the unification of the Mongol tribes, demonstrated his skill in diplomatic intrigue. Even his enemies, particularly Temüjin himself, acknowledged Wanyan Honglie as one of the most formidable opponents they had encountered.
Complex morality
While serving as the novel’s primary political antagonist, Wanyan Honglie was portrayed with considerable moral complexity. His treatment of Yang Kang appeared genuinely affectionate—he provided the boy with excellent education, martial arts training, and emotional support that seemed to transcend mere political calculation. This paternal care created real bonds that persisted even after Yang Kang learnt the truth about his origins.
Similarly, his relationship with Bao Xiruo, though founded on deception, evolved into what appeared to be genuine love and consideration. He accommodated her preferences for simple living and showed patience with her emotional distance, suggesting that his feelings developed beyond mere physical attraction or political advantage.
Ruthless pragmatism
Despite these more sympathetic qualities, Wanyan Honglie’s willingness to orchestrate murder and destroy innocent families to achieve his goals marked him as fundamentally ruthless. His decision to have Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin killed was made without apparent remorse, viewing their lives as acceptable casualties in pursuit of his personal and political objectives.
This pragmatic ruthlessness extended to his political activities—he was prepared to manipulate, deceive, and eliminate any obstacles to his goals of strengthening the Jin Empire and advancing his own position within it.
Cultural sophistication
Wanyan Honglie displayed considerable cultural refinement and appreciation for talent. When he encountered members of the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan, particularly Han Baoju’s exceptional horsemanship, he immediately recognised their abilities and attempted to recruit them for the Jin military. This showed both strategic thinking and genuine respect for skill, regardless of its source.
His treatment of servants and subordinates generally demonstrated aristocratic magnanimity—when Zhu Cong pickpocketed his money as a prank, Wanyan Honglie showed more amusement than anger, even appreciating the thief’s skill. This behaviour suggested a confident, sophisticated personality comfortable with his own status and power.
Martial arts abilities
While not portrayed as one of the supreme martial artists of his era, Wanyan Honglie possessed considerable combat skills befitting a prince of the Jin Empire. His martial arts training would have included both armed and unarmed combat techniques suited to his royal status and military responsibilities.
Swordsmanship
As a prince and military leader, Wanyan Honglie was skilled in traditional swordsmanship. His weapon of choice appeared to be a straight sword appropriate to his noble rank, and he demonstrated competence in combat situations, though he was clearly outmatched by masters like Qiu Chuji.
Military strategy
Perhaps more importantly than his personal combat abilities, Wanyan Honglie excelled in military strategy and battlefield command. His attempts to obtain the Book of Wumu reflected his understanding that strategic knowledge could be more valuable than individual martial prowess. His success in nearly eliminating Temüjin through political manipulation rather than direct confrontation showed his preference for intellectual over physical solutions to conflicts.
Leadership and command
His ability to recruit and command formidable martial artists like the Yellow River Four Demons and to coordinate complex political and military operations demonstrated considerable leadership skills. While he relied on others for the highest levels of martial arts expertise, his ability to direct and coordinate their efforts made him a formidable opponent.
Relationships
Bao Xiruo
Wanyan Honglie’s relationship with Bao Xiruo formed the emotional centre of his character development. What began as physical attraction evolved into what appeared to be genuine love and consideration. He accommodated her preferences for simple living, allowed her to maintain her own residence rather than forcing her into palace life, and showed remarkable patience with her emotional reserve.
However, the foundation of their relationship—built on his orchestrated murder of her first husband and systematic deception about his identity—ultimately doomed any possibility of true intimacy. Bao Xiruo’s discovery of the truth about Yang Tiexin’s survival and Wanyan Honglie’s role in the Niu Clan Village tragedy destroyed whatever genuine affection might have developed between them.
Yang Kang
The relationship between Wanyan Honglie and his foster son Yang Kang represented perhaps the most complex emotional dynamic in his life. His treatment of the boy appeared genuinely paternal—providing education, martial arts training, political preparation, and emotional support that created real bonds of affection.
Critics have debated whether this care was primarily motivated by his love for Bao Xiruo or represented genuine paternal feelings. The evidence suggests both elements were present—initial kindness motivated by his feelings for the boy’s mother evolved into authentic affection as Yang Kang grew. However, some interpretations suggest that his indulgent treatment of Yang Kang may have been deliberately calculated to ensure Bao Xiruo’s gratitude while avoiding the more demanding work of preparing the boy for real leadership responsibilities.
The relationship’s tragic culmination came during Yang Kang’s final illness, when Wanyan Honglie abandoned the dying young man out of fear of infection, revealing the ultimate limitations of his parental devotion.
Political rivals and enemies
Temüjin/Genghis Khan
Wanyan Honglie’s relationship with the future Genghis Khan represented his most significant political challenge. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he immediately recognised Temüjin’s exceptional abilities and the threat he posed to the Jin Empire. Their interactions were characterised by mutual respect for each other’s capabilities, even as they worked toward each other’s destruction.
Temüjin acknowledged Wanyan Honglie as one of his most dangerous enemies, noting his intelligence and political skill. Conversely, Wanyan Honglie recognised Temüjin’s superior leadership and military genius, regretting only that he had failed to eliminate the threat before it became overwhelming.
Guo Jing and Huang Rong
His relationship with Guo Jing and Huang Rong evolved from initial encounter to persistent opposition. Guo Jing’s role in thwarting his assassination attempt against Temüjin and subsequent interference with his plans to obtain the Book of Wumu made the young man a consistent obstacle to his goals.
However, Wanyan Honglie appeared to recognise Guo Jing’s martial abilities and moral character, even as he opposed him. The final irony of his career was being defeated by strategic knowledge that Guo Jing had mastered from the very Book of Wumu that Wanyan Honglie had so desperately sought.
Behind the scenes
Jin Yong based Wanyan Honglie on the historical figure Wanyan Telin,5 the sixth son of Jin Zhangzong6 who lived from 1202 to 1203. While the historical figure died in infancy, Jin Yong used the name and basic familial position as the foundation for his fictional character.
His name in the novel means “vast and fierce”, reflecting both his grand ambitions and ruthless methods in pursuing them. Though presented as an antagonist, Wanyan Honglie was portrayed as a complex character driven by genuine love for Bao Xiruo and paternal affection for Yang Kang, even as his political machinations brought tragedy to multiple families.
Literary significance
The character serves multiple important narrative functions in The Legend of the Condor Heroes. As the primary antagonist, he provides the political framework for the novel’s conflicts between Jin, Song, and Mongol powers. His role in orchestrating the Niu Clan Village tragedy establishes the fundamental backstory that drives both Guo Jing and Yang Kang’s character development throughout the series.
Character archetype
Jin Yong’s portrayal of Wanyan Honglie as a complex antagonist rather than a simple villain reflected his sophisticated approach to character development. His love for Bao Xiruo and Yang Kang humanises him while never excusing his crimes, creating moral complexity that enriches the narrative, and a character whose actions could be simultaneously understandable and condemnable.
Portrayals
Wanyan Honglie has been portrayed by numerous actors across different adaptations of The Legend of the Condor Heroes:
Television series
- 1976 series – Kenneth Tsang
- 1983 series – Liu Jiang
- 1988 series – Wang Zheng
- 1994 series – Wu Yunlong
- 2003 series – Bao Dazhi
- 2008 series – Guo Liang
- 2017 series – Zong Fengyan
Films
Notable portrayals
Kenneth Tsang’s portrayal in both the 1976 and 1988 series established the character’s dual nature of charming sophistication and underlying ruthlessness. Li Liqun’s 2003 interpretation emphasised the character’s political intelligence and complex emotional relationships, particularly with Yang Kang.
Liu Jiang’s portrayal in the 1983 TVB series is often considered the definitive interpretation of the character, establishing the standard for subsequent adaptations. His performance balanced the character’s political cunning with genuine emotional complexity, particularly in scenes involving his relationships with Yang Kang and Bao Xiruo.
External links
- Wanyan Honglie on Wikipedia
- 完颜洪烈 (Chinese) on Chinese Wikipedia
Footnotes
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南宋 – Nán Sòng. Period of the Song Dynasty that lasted from 1127 to 1279 CE, forced to move its capital south after the loss of northern China to the Jin Empire. See Wikipedia. ↩
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蒙古帝国 – Ménggǔ Dìguó. Rising nomadic empire under Genghis Khan that would eventually conquer both Jin and Song. ↩
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临安 – Lín’ān. Modern-day Hangzhou, capital of the Southern Song dynasty. See Wikipedia. ↩
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花剌子模国 – Huālàzǐmó Guó. Central Asian empire destroyed by Genghis Khan in 1220, spanning modern Iran/Uzbekistan. See Wikipedia. ↩
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金章宗 – Jīn Zhāngzōng. An emperor of the Jin dynasty who ruled from 1189 to 1208. See Wikipedia. ↩