Wu Sanniang

Wu Sanniang (simplified: 武三娘, traditional: 武三娘, Jyutping: mou5 saam1 noeng4, pinyin: Wǔ Sānniáng) was the wife of Wu Santong and the mother of Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen. She was a devoted wife and mother who made the ultimate sacrifice by absorbing poison to save her husband’s life, dying from the Ice Soul Silver Needles’ venom in the process.

Background

Marriage to Wu Santong

Wu Sanniang married Wu Santong, one of the Four Disciples of Great Master Yideng in the Dali Kingdom. Her marriage connected her to the prestigious martial arts lineage of the Dali Kingdom, though she herself remained focused primarily on family life and domestic responsibilities.

Her name “Sanniang” (三娘) follows a traditional Chinese naming pattern where “San” (三, meaning “third”) indicates birth order among siblings, and “niang” (娘) is an affectionate term for a young woman or lady. This suggests she was the third daughter in her birth family.

Motherhood and Family Life

Wu Sanniang’s most significant role was as the mother of Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen. She was responsible for their early upbringing and moral education, instilling in them the values that would guide them throughout their lives.

Despite her husband’s martial arts background and the dangerous world they inhabited, Wu Sanniang worked to provide her sons with a stable and nurturing home environment. She hoped they would choose scholarly pursuits over the dangerous path of martial arts.

Character and Values

Maternal Strength

Wu Sanniang exemplified the strength and resilience of women in traditional Chinese society. She managed household affairs, raised her children, and supported her husband’s endeavors while maintaining her own dignity and principles.

Her approach to motherhood was characterized by:

Protective Love: Deep concern for her sons’ safety and well-being
Moral Guidance: Teaching proper values and behavior
Practical Wisdom: Understanding the realities of life in the martial arts world
Sacrificial Devotion: Putting family needs before personal desires

Hope for Peace

Like many mothers in the martial arts world, Wu Sanniang hoped her children would avoid the dangers and conflicts that characterized jianghu life. She wanted Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen to pursue scholarly careers rather than martial arts, believing this would lead to safer and more stable lives.

This desire reflected her understanding of both the honor and the perils that came with martial arts involvement, and her preference for the security of civilian life over the excitement but danger of the jianghu.

Role in the Family

Support for Wu Santong

Wu Sanniang provided crucial support for Wu Santong’s service to Great Master Yideng. While he fulfilled his duties as one of the Four Disciples, she maintained the household and cared for their children, allowing him to focus on his martial and spiritual responsibilities.

Her support was essential to the family’s stability, especially given the demands placed on Wu Santong by his position in the Dali Kingdom’s martial hierarchy.

Influence on Her Sons

Despite her hopes that her sons would avoid martial arts, Wu Sanniang’s influence on Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen was profound. The values she instilled in them - loyalty, filial piety, courage, and compassion - served them well when they did enter the martial arts world.

Her teachings provided them with the moral foundation that guided their decisions and actions throughout their lives, even when they chose paths different from what she had hoped.

Legacy and Significance

Representation of Family Values

Wu Sanniang represents the importance of family stability and maternal influence in the martial arts world. Her story illustrates how women, even when not directly involved in martial arts themselves, played crucial roles in supporting and shaping the heroes of the jianghu.

Her dedication to family values provided a counterbalance to the violence and conflict that characterized much of the martial arts world, demonstrating that love, care, and moral guidance were equally important as martial skills.

Influence on the Next Generation

Through her sons Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen, Wu Sanniang’s influence extended beyond her immediate family. Her values and teachings were passed on through them to their wives - Yelü Yan and Wanyan Ping - and to future generations.

This demonstrates how the wisdom and strength of women like Wu Sanniang continued to shape the martial arts world even when their direct involvement was limited.