You Tanzhi

You Tanzhi (simplified: 游坦之, traditional: 遊坦之, pinyin: Yóu Tǎnzhī, jyutping: jau4 taan2 zi1), also known as Iron Iron Fool, was the son of You Ju and nephew of You Ji, and later became the seventh chief of the Beggars’ Guild under the alias Zhuang Juxian.

Biography

Early life and background

You Tanzhi was the son of You Ju, the second master of Heroes’ Manor. Unlike his father and uncle, who were skilled martial artists known as the You Brothers, You Tanzhi showed little aptitude for martial arts and was described as unlearnt in both literature and martial arts, spending his days in idleness.

His early life was marked by his inability to master the family’s martial arts techniques, which were too physically demanding for his weak constitution. Despite his father’s efforts to train him, You Tanzhi remained unskilled and was eventually encouraged to focus on literary studies instead.

Tragedy at Heroes’ Manor

You Tanzhi’s life changed dramatically during the battle at Heroes’ Manor when Xiao Feng destroyed his father’s and uncle’s refined steel shields. Witnessing his father’s suicide following the destruction of his shield, You Tanzhi was left orphaned and consumed by hatred for Xiao Feng.

This tragic event marked the beginning of You Tanzhi’s transformation from an ordinary young man to a figure driven by revenge and later by obsessive love. The loss of his family left him with no clear direction in life, making him vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation.

Failed revenge attempt

After his parents’ deaths, You Tanzhi blamed Xiao Feng for their tragedy and vowed revenge. He pursued Xiao Feng northward, but was captured by Khitan soldiers at the border. When Xiao Feng released all prisoners, You Tanzhi attempted to assassinate him using lime powder, but failed and was defeated.

After his failed assassination attempt, You Tanzhi decided to commit suicide, but Xiao Feng prevented him. As Xiao Feng’s party left, You Tanzhi noticed Azi for the first time and was immediately captivated by her beauty, forgetting his revenge.

Becoming Iron Fool

You Tanzhi discovered the [Magadha Kingdom Practicing Samadhi Attaining Divine Foot Scripture] that Xiao Feng had dropped and began practicing it. However, he was captured by Azi’s soldiers and subjected to cruel torture. Azi had a white substance applied to his face to create a mold, then had blacksmiths forge an iron mask that was heated and pressed onto his face, burning his flesh and causing him to lose consciousness multiple times.

Azi began calling him Iron Fool and subjected him to daily torture and humiliation. Despite the suffering, You Tanzhi was willing to endure anything just to see Azi every day, demonstrating his obsessive love for her.

Training with poison and the frost silkworm

When Azi began using poisonous insects like centipedes and scorpions to practice her poison techniques, You Tanzhi’s body suffered immense pain from the toxins. However, he accidentally learnt the neili methods from the Divine Foot Scripture, which helped him neutralize and dispel the deadly toxins in his body.

After obtaining a thousand-year frost silkworm, Azi ordered You Tanzhi to undergo another poison test. The frost silkworm bit him and injected its toxins, causing his entire body to become rigid. Azi mistakenly thought he was dead and ordered her servant to bury him outside the city. However, the servant simply abandoned him by a stream.

Under the influence of the Divine Foot Scripture, You Tanzhi accidentally converted the frost silkworm’s toxins into his own power, mastering the Frost Silkworm Poison Palms.

Wandering the jianghu

After gaining his new powers, You Tanzhi escaped and began wandering the jianghu. In a temple in Henan, he overheard conversations about Xiao Feng and the Beggars’ Guild election. When the guild clashed with Ding Chunqiu’s Xingxiu Sect, You Tanzhi helped Ding Chunqiu escape from poisonous snakes, but Ding Chunqiu attempted to kill him to preserve his reputation.

Thanks to his previous exposure to toxins and his training with the forst silkworm and Tendon-Transmuting Sutra, You Tanzhi gained immunity to all poisons. Realizing he was no match for Ding Chunqiu, he chose to become his disciple to save his life.

Reunion with Azi

During a battle between Ding Chunqiu and Murong Fu, Azi was accidentally blinded by Ding Chunqiu’s poison. When Ding Chunqiu was about to attack again, You Tanzhi rescued Azi and took her away, adopting the alias Zhuang Juxian and staying by her side to protect her.

Becoming Beggars’ Guild Chief

As Zhuang Juxian, You Tanzhi became the seventh chief of the Beggars’ Guild through the machinations of Quan Guanqing. At the Junshan Conference, he killed eleven Beggars’ Guild experts and was installed as chief. Quan Guanqing also removed his iron mask and replaced it with a human skin mask to conceal his true appearance.

Battle at Shaolin

At Shaolin, Ding Chunqiu ordered You Tanzhi to challenge Abbot Xuanci to help him become the martial arts alliance leader. You Tanzhi displayed formidable neili and easily defeated the abbot, shocking the assembled masters.

When Xiao Feng arrived, he used the Eighteen Palms of Dragon Subduing to rescue Azi and return her to Duan Zhengchun, winning everyone’s respect. You Tanzhi, jealous of Xiao Feng due to Azi and the guild members’ praise, joined forces with Murong Fu and Ding Chunqiu to challenge Xiao Feng.

Xiao Feng’s sworn brothers Duan Yu and Xuzhu arrived to support him, engaging in battle with You Tanzhi and his allies. Ultimately, You Tanzhi was defeated by Xiao Feng, only escaping with Azi’s help.

Giving his eyes to Azi

You Tanzhi and Azi went to Lingjiu Palace to seek Xuzhu’s help in treating Azi’s blindness. Xuzhu said that fresh living human eyes would be needed for the transplant. Azi asked You Tanzhi to kidnap someone from the mountain, but he refused, fearing that once Azi regained her sight, she would no longer pay attention to him.

Later, You Tanzhi found Xuzhu and offered to give his eyes to Azi, but Xuzhu refused. You Tanzhi threatened to commit suicide if Xuzhu would not perform the operation, so Xuzhu had no choice but to transplant You Tanzhi’s eyes to Azi.

After Azi regained her sight and discovered that the Heroes’ Manor master was actually Iron Fool, she was extremely angry and refused to see him again.

Final sacrifice and death

After Azi angrily left, You Tanzhi searched everywhere for her. When he heard news of the Song-Liao war, he rushed to Yanmen Pass with the help of Wu Laoda. When Azi saw You Tanzhi, she stated that she wanted to spend her life with Xiao Feng and refused to see You Tanzhi again.

She even dug out her own eyes and returned them to You Tanzhi, then jumped off the cliff while holding Xiao Feng’s corpse. You Tanzhi also jumped off the cliff in grief, ending his tragic life.

Personality and traits

Naive and innocent

You Tanzhi’s most defining characteristic was his initial naivety and innocence, which made him vulnerable to the manipulations of more sophisticated characters like Azi. His lack of experience in the jianghu often led him into dangerous situations.

However, this naivety was not entirely negative; it also represented his genuine nature and his unwillingness to engage in the kind of deception and manipulation that was common in the jianghu. His innocence made him both vulnerable and attractive to characters who valued authenticity.

Immense love and devotion

Once You Tanzhi fell in love with Azi, his devotion became absolute and unwavering. His love for her was genuine and selfless, driving him to undergo various trials and transformations in his quest to be with her.

This devotion demonstrated the power of love to transform individuals and to provide meaning and purpose in difficult circumstances. His willingness to sacrifice everything for Azi showed the depth of his feelings and his commitment to their relationship.

Capable of growth and change

Despite his initial naivety, You Tanzhi demonstrated remarkable capacity for growth and change throughout the novel. His transformation from an ordinary young man to a skilled martial artist showed his ability to adapt to difficult circumstances and to find strength within himself.

This capacity for growth made him one of the most sympathetic characters in the novel, as readers could see his genuine development and his willingness to overcome various obstacles in pursuit of his goals.

Martial arts abilities

Frost Silkworm Poison Palms

You Tanzhi’s most powerful martial art was the Frost Silkworm Poison Palms, which he developed after being bitten by an frost silkworm. This technique combined the cold poison of the frost silkworm with the neili from the Divine Foot Scripture, creating one of the most formidable neili techniques in the world.

The technique allowed him to project freezing cold energy through his palms, capable of instantly freezing opponents into ice statues. Even Xiao Feng, one of the most powerful martial artists in the jianghu, felt the cold poison affecting his body during their battle.

Divine Foot Scripture

You Tanzhi practiced the Magadha Kingdom Practicing Samadhi Attaining Divine Foot Scripture, which he discovered after Xiao Feng dropped it. This qi cultivation method was crucial for his survival, as it allowed him to resist the poisonous insects that Azi forced him to collect.

The combination of the Divine Foot Scripture with the frost silkworm’s cold poison created a unique neili that was both powerful and deadly, making You Tanzhi one of the most formidable martial artists in the jianghu.

Rotting Flesh Poison

You Tanzhi also learnt the Rotting Flesh Poison technique from Ding Chunqiu. This technique involved using the poison from rotting corpses to attack enemies, making it nearly impossible for opponents to avoid the attack.

Adaptation and survival

Despite his lack of traditional martial arts training, You Tanzhi demonstrated remarkable ability to adapt to various situations and survive in the dangerous world of the jianghu. His unconventional methods for dealing with challenges showed that martial arts ability was not limited to traditional training methods.

His physical transformation, including the iron mask that Azi placed on his head, demonstrated the relationship between physical and mental development in martial arts practice.

Relationships

Azi

You Tanzhi’s relationship with Azi was the central focus of his character arc and represented one of the most complex dynamics in the novel. His deep love for her, despite her cruel treatment, demonstrated the power of genuine affection to overcome even the most difficult circumstances.

Their relationship was complicated by Azi’s cruel nature and her inability to reciprocate You Tanzhi’s genuine feelings. However, his love for her remained constant, creating a dynamic that would ultimately lead to his transformation and redemption.

Behind the scenes

Character significance

You Tanzhi represents one of Jin Yong’s most complex explorations of the power of love to transform individuals and the possibility of finding meaning through genuine connection. His character demonstrates how even the most ordinary individuals can undergo remarkable development when motivated by genuine feelings.

The character serves as an example of how love can provide purpose and meaning in difficult circumstances, and how genuine devotion can lead to personal growth and transformation.

Transformation themes

You Tanzhi’s character arc explores various themes related to transformation and personal development, including the relationship between physical and mental change, the power of motivation to drive development, and the possibility of finding strength in unexpected places.

His development of the Iron Head technique demonstrates how necessity can drive innovation and how individuals can develop unique abilities when traditional methods are unavailable.

Literary function

You Tanzhi’s character serves multiple narrative functions within Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. He provides a contrast to more sophisticated characters, demonstrates the power of love and devotion, and contributes to the story’s exploration of transformation and personal growth.

His relationships with other characters create additional complexity and drive various plot developments throughout the novel. His unique martial arts development also contributes to the story’s exploration of how different types of characters can navigate the complex world of the jianghu.

Character analysis

You Tanzhi’s tragic story represents one of Jin Yong’s most complex explorations of the power of love to transform individuals and the possibility of finding meaning through genuine connection. His character demonstrates how even the most ordinary individuals can undergo remarkable development when motivated by genuine feelings.

According to literary analysis, You Tanzhi’s tragedy lies in the fact that fate was never under his own control, making him a symbol of “non-humanity.” His miserable experiences caused him to lose himself, and Azi’s appearance filled the emptiness in his heart. His love for Azi became his only reason for living, but this love lacked emotional and moral support, being merely a one-sided infatuation based on the temptation of feminine beauty.

The character serves as an example of how love can provide purpose and meaning in difficult circumstances, and how genuine devotion can lead to personal growth and transformation, even when that transformation ultimately leads to destruction.

External links

You Tanzhi (Chinese) on Baidu Baike