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Yin Zhiping

Yin Zhiping

Yin Zhiping (simplified: 尹志平, traditional: 尹志平, Jyutping: wan5 zi3 ping4, pinyin: Yǐn Zhìpíng) was a disciple of the Quanzhen Order. As a disciple of Qiu Chuji, he represented the younger generation of practitioners within the organisation.

Biography

Early life and entry into Quanzhen

Yin Zhiping was Qiu Chuji’s second disciple, with the Daoist name Qinghe. He was one year older than Yang Kang but had entered the Order two years later than him. His early character was described as heroic, straightforward, and proud, bearing similarities to his master Qiu Chuji.

Mission to Mongolia

Sixteen years after the Seven Eccentrics of Jiangnan and Qiu Chuji made their agreement for the Jiaxing duel, Yin Zhiping was sent by his master to Mongolia to deliver news and test Guo Jing’s martial arts abilities. During this mission, he engaged in a brief martial arts exchange with Guo Jing, revealing that Guo Jing had no internal energy foundation. This discovery led to Ma Yu’s later decision to teach Guo Jing Quanzhen internal energy techniques.

However, Yin Zhiping’s attack was too heavy-handed, and he was disciplined by the Seven Eccentrics for his lack of restraint.

Encounter at Niujia Village

When Qiu Chuji heard that Huang Yaoshi intended to kill the Six Eccentrics, he sent Yin Zhiping to warn them. Yin Zhiping arrived at Niujia Village and found Guo Jing at Qu Lingfeng’s inn. When he heard Hou Tonghai insulting the Seven Zis of Quanzhen, he immediately confronted him alongside Lu Guanying and Cheng Yaojia, forming a friendship with them.

When Huang Yaoshi arrived at Niujia Village, he heard that Yin Zhiping had been dismissive of Peach Blossom Island’s martial arts and decided to teach him a lesson, knocking out half of his teeth. Despite this, Yin Zhiping remained proud and refused to submit, maintaining his stubbornness to the end. His unyielding character impressed Huang Yaoshi, who let him go.

Battle at Yanyu Tower

During the battle at Yanyu Tower, Yin Zhiping took the “Tianxuan” position in the Big Dipper Formation alongside Ke Zhen’e, replacing the deceased Tan Chuduan. Yin Zhiping was responsible for directing Ke Zhen’e’s attacks, but due to his lower martial arts cultivation, he fainted from watching the intense battle and was thrown onto the roof of Yanyu Tower by Huang Yaoshi.

Journey to Mongolia

When Qiu Chuji received Genghis Khan’s invitation to visit Mongolia, he brought eighteen disciples with him, including Yin Zhiping.

Martial arts abilities

Mastery of Quanzhen techniques

Yin Zhiping was skilled in Quanzhen martial arts techniques, demonstrating his dedication to mastering the organisation’s fighting methods and his understanding of the philosophical principles that underlay these techniques. His training reflected the Quanzhen Order’s emphasis on the integration of physical training with spiritual and philosophical development.

Integration of martial arts and philosophy

Yin Zhiping’s training emphasized the integration of martial arts with philosophical understanding, reflecting the Quanzhen Order’s belief that true martial arts mastery required both physical skill and philosophical understanding. His ability to understand and apply the philosophical principles that underlay the order’s martial arts demonstrated his intellectual development.

Relationships

Qiu Chuji

Yin Zhiping maintained a close teacher-disciple relationship with Qiu Chuji, who served as his master and mentor. This relationship was characterized by mutual respect and Qiu Chuji’s trust in Yin Zhiping’s abilities, as evidenced by his assignment of important missions to his disciple.

Yang Kang

Yin Zhiping was one year older than Yang Kang but had entered the Quanzhen Order two years later than him. Despite this difference in seniority, they were fellow disciples under Qiu Chuji’s guidance.

Cheng Yaojia

Yin Zhiping formed a friendship with Cheng Yaojia when they worked together to subdue Hou Tonghai at Niujia Village. This friendship was based on their shared commitment to defending the honor of the Seven Zis of Quanzhen.

Behind the scenes

Character revision

In Jin Yong’s first and second editions of The Return of the Condor Heroes, Yin Zhiping played a significant role in the story’s most controversial plot development. However, due to concerns about using the name of a historical Daoist figure for such a controversial character, Jin Yong made significant changes in the revised edition, removing Yin Zhiping from that novel entirely.

The character’s role and storyline were transferred to a new fictional character named Zhen Zhibing (甄志丙), who was created specifically to avoid controversy with the historical Yin Zhiping. This change was made because the historical Yin Zhiping was a respected Daoist master and the third patriarch of the Quanzhen Order, and using his name for a character involved in morally questionable actions could be seen as disrespectful to his historical legacy.

Edition differences

First and Second Editions: The character appears as Yin Zhiping and plays the controversial role described in this article.

Third Edition: The character is renamed Zhen Zhibing but maintains identical storylines, relationships, and character development. All plot elements remain the same, including his violation of Xiao Longnü, his resistance against Mongol forces, and his final act of atonement through suicide.

Historical context

The historical Yin Zhiping (1169–1251) was a significant figure in Daoist history, serving as the third patriarch of the Quanzhen Order and contributing to the development of Daoist philosophy and practice. The fictional character’s controversial actions in the novel were completely different from the historical figure’s reputation and achievements.

See also