Xiaolongnü

Xiaolongnü (simplified: 小龙女, traditional: 小龍女, Jyutping: siu2 lung4 neoi5, pinyin: Xiǎolóngnǚ) was the third-generation leader of the Ancient Tomb School and both master and wife to Yang Guo. Known as the Little Dragon Maiden, she was renowned for her ethereal beauty and extraordinary martial arts skills. Together with Yang Guo, they became known as the legendary Divine Condor Heroes (神雕侠侣).

Xiaolongnü was renowned for her ethereal beauty, extraordinary martial arts skills, and pure, otherworldly nature. Raised in isolation within the Ancient Tomb beneath Zhongnan Mountain, she possessed an innocent and detached personality that made her seem almost divine to those who encountered her.

Background

Early Life

Xiaolongnü was abandoned as an infant outside Chongyang Palace on Zhongnan Mountain. Because she was a girl, the Quanzhen disciples could not take her in. A middle-aged woman, who was Lin Chaoying’s maidservant and the sole disciple of the Ancient Tomb School founder, took pity on the child and brought her to the Ancient Tomb.

The infant was found with a jade pendant bearing a dragon design, which led to her being called “Little Dragon Maiden.” She grew up in the tomb’s darkness, raised and trained by Lin Chaoying’s maidservant alongside Granny Sun.

Becoming the Tomb’s Master

At age eighteen, Xiaolongnü inherited the leadership of the Ancient Tomb School after her master’s death. According to the school’s rules, the leader must vow never to leave the tomb unless a man who is unaware of this restriction is willing to die for her, thus allowing her to break the vow.

Her senior sister Li Mochou, jealous and resentful of being passed over for leadership, spread rumors that Xiaolongnü would hold a martial arts competition to choose a husband, drawing numerous martial artists to Zhongnan Mountain seeking to win her hand and the tomb’s treasures.

Character and Appearance

Physical Description

Xiaolongnü was described as possessing otherworldly beauty. She typically wore flowing white robes that made her appear as if shrouded in mist. Her skin was pale as snow, and apart from her black hair, everything about her was white. Her face was exquisitely beautiful but lacked the rosy complexion of ordinary people, giving her an ethereal, almost ghostly appearance.

Her beauty was said to be so extraordinary that people naturally thought of the phrase “beautiful as a celestial fairy” upon seeing her. She moved with an otherworldly grace that made her seem more like a spirit than a mortal woman.

Personality

Having grown up in the isolated tomb, Xiaolongnü developed a cold, detached personality. She was innocent of worldly matters and social conventions, viewing relationships and emotions with a pure, uncomplicated perspective. Her isolation made her seem aloof and difficult to approach, though she possessed a fundamentally kind heart.

She was extremely loyal and devoted to those she cared about, willing to sacrifice everything for Yang Guo’s wellbeing. Her love was pure and unconditional, unmarred by jealousy or possessiveness.

Martial Arts

Skills and Techniques

Xiaolongnü was a master of the Ancient Tomb School’s martial arts, which were specifically designed to counter Quanzhen techniques:

Internal Arts:

Jade Maiden Heart Sutra (玉女心经) - The school’s supreme internal energy cultivation method
Portions of the Nine Yin Manual discovered in the tomb

External Techniques:

Jade Maiden Swordplay (玉女剑法) - Elegant and flowing sword techniques
Jade Maiden素心 Swordplay (玉女素心剑法) - Combined technique meant to be performed with a partner
Beautiful Women Boxing (美女拳法) - Each move imitates a famous beauty from history
Heaven and Earth Net Formation (天罗地网势) - Eighty-one palm techniques and light body movements

Unique Abilities:

Bee Keeping Arts - Ability to control and command jade bees as weapons
Night Vision - Perfect sight in darkness from living in the tomb
Ambidextrous Combat - Learned from Zhou Botong, allowing her to use different martial arts with each hand simultaneously

Weapons

Golden Silk Gloves - Protective handwear
Golden Bells and Silver Chains (金铃银索) - Flexible weapons used with the Beautiful Women Boxing
Gentleman and Lady Swords (君子淑女剑) - Twin swords discovered in Passionless Valley

Story Role

Meeting Yang Guo

Xiaolongnü first encountered Yang Guo when Granny Sun rescued the injured boy and brought him to the Ancient Tomb. Despite the school’s prohibition against men entering the tomb, Granny Sun took pity on the orphaned child. When Granny Sun was killed by Hao Datong in a misunderstanding, she entrusted Yang Guo’s care to Xiaolongnü with her dying breath.

Breaking centuries of tradition, Xiaolongnü accepted Yang Guo as the Ancient Tomb School’s first male disciple, teaching him the school’s martial arts and treating him with motherly care.

Growing Relationship

As Yang Guo matured, their master-student relationship gradually evolved into romantic love. This transformation was complicated by their age difference, their master-student bond, and the disapproval of the martial arts world. Their relationship faced numerous obstacles, including interference from Guo Jing, Huang Rong, and various other characters who viewed their union as inappropriate.

Trials and Separation

Their love was tested by many trials:

Violation by Yin Zhiping - While unconscious, Xiaolongnü was assaulted by the Quanzhen disciple, though she initially believed Yang Guo was responsible
Poisoning in Passionless Valley - Both were poisoned by Passion Flowers, leading to life-threatening situations
The Sixteen-Year Promise - Believing she was dying and not wanting to burden Yang Guo, Xiaolongnü threw herself from a cliff, leaving behind a promise to meet again in sixteen years

Reunion and Resolution

After sixteen years of separation, during which Yang Guo searched tirelessly for her, they were reunited at the bottom of the Heartbreak Cliff. Xiaolongnü had survived the fall and lived in seclusion, using the time to perfect her martial arts and heal from her injuries.

Together, they emerged to help Guo Jing and Huang Rong defend Xiangyang against the Mongol invasion, earning fame as the Divine Condor Heroes. After the crisis passed, they retired to the Ancient Tomb to live in peaceful seclusion.

Relationships

Master: Lin Chaoying’s maidservant Senior Sister: Li Mochou Disciple/Husband: Yang Guo Servant: Granny Sun (deceased)

Legacy

Xiaolongnü represents one of Jin Yong’s most iconic female characters, embodying purity, devotion, and otherworldly beauty. Her story with Yang Guo became one of the most beloved romance narratives in wuxia literature, exploring themes of unconventional love, social expectations, and personal sacrifice.

Her descendants are hinted at in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber through the mysterious Yellow-Dressed Woman, suggesting the Ancient Tomb School’s legacy continued through her lineage.