List of The Legend of the Condor Heroes characters

The following is a list of characters from Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes.

Main characters

• Guo Jing (郭靖) – the son of Guo Xiaotian and Li Ping. He is born in Mongolia under the care and protection of Genghis Khan. He learns martial arts from many teachers, namely the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan", Ma Yu of the Quanzhen Sect, Hong Qigong and Zhou Botong. Although he is slow-witted, he maintains good moral principles and possesses a strong sense of patriotism towards his country and race. Towards the end of the novel, his adventures and many encounters transform him into one of the greatest pugilists of his time.

• Huang Rong (黃蓉) – the daughter of Huang Yaoshi and Feng Heng. She meets Guo Jing by chance and they embark on their adventures together. They fall in love gradually and are eventually married. She is accepted as a disciple by Hong Qigong and later succeeds Hong as chief of the Beggars' Sect. She is intelligent and tactful, specializing in several other fields besides martial arts just like her father, and inheriting her mother's eidetic memory.

• Yang Kang (楊康) – the son of Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo. He is raised in the Jin Dynasty as the son of the sixth prince, Wanyan Honglie, and is also known as "Wanyan Kang" (完顏康). He is treacherous and manipulative, lusting for fame, wealth and power, to the extent of exploiting his own race. He is thus labelled as a race traitor for acknowledging Wanyan Honglie, who is responsible for the deaths of his parents, as his father. He meets his retributive end after being poisoned in the Temple of the Iron Spear.

• Mu Nianci (穆念慈) – the foster daughter of Mu Yi (Yang Tiexin). She meets Yang Kang when her foster father arranged a martial arts competition to seek a husband for her. Yang Kang won the competition and Mu Nianci falls in love with him. However, she leaves him after witnessing his treachery and brutal acts. She becomes pregnant with his child and gives birth to their son, Yang Guo.

• Wanyan Honglie (完顏洪烈) – the sixth prince of the Jin Dynasty and son of Emperor Zhangzong. He collaborates with Duan Tiande to kill Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin, in order to seize Yang's wife, Bao Xiruo, for himself. He makes her his princess consort and raises Yang Kang as his own son. He is also obsessed with finding the Book of Wumu, as he intends to use the knowledge acquired from the book to eliminate Jin's rivals and become a hero of his people. However, Guo Jing and Huang Rong interfere with his plans and they obtain the book instead. He travels to the Khwarezm Empire on a diplomatic mission to form an alliance between them and the Jin Dynasty, as part of a last-ditch effort to counter the Mongols. He is eventually captured by Mongol troops in Samarkand and meets his end.

• "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan" a.k.a. "Jiangnan Qiguai" (江南七怪) – a group of chivalrous and righteous pugilists who are famous in Jiangnan for their heroic acts. They are Guo Jing's first martial arts teachers. Ke Zhen'e lost his sense of sight a few years before the events of the novel during a battle with the "Twin Killers in the Dark Wind". Zhang A'sheng is killed by Chen Xuanfeng while the rest of them, except Ke Zhen'e, are murdered by Ouyang Feng and Yang Kang.
  • "Flying Bat" Ke Zhen'e ("飛天蝙蝠" 柯鎮惡)
  • "Marvelous Handed Scholar" Zhu Cong ("妙手書生" 朱聰)
  • "Horse Deity" Han Baoju ("馬王神" 韓寶駒)
  • "Southern Hill Woodcutter" Nan Xiren ("南山樵子" 南希仁)
  • "Laughing Buddha" Zhang A'sheng ("笑彌陀" 張阿生)
  • "Hidden Hero in the Busy City" Quan Jinfa ("鬧市俠隱" 全金發)
  • "Yue Maiden Sword" Han Xiaoying ("越女劍" 韓小瑩).

Supporting characters

Niu Family Village

• Guo Xiaotian (郭嘯天) – the father of Guo Jing and husband of Li Ping. He is the sworn brother of Yang Tiexin and the two have an agreement for their children to be sworn siblings if they are of the same sex and husband and wife if they are of opposite genders. He is killed by Duan Tiande's men.

• Li Ping (李萍) – the wife of Guo Xiaotian and mother of Guo Jing. She survives the massacre and is captured by Duan Tiande. She manages to escape and travels to Mongolia where she settles down and gives birth to Guo Jing. She lives in Mongolia for the rest of her life and never returned home. She commits suicide to remind her son of his heritage and not to aid foreigners in conquering his homeland.

• Yang Tiexin (楊鐵心) – the father of Yang Kang and husband of Bao Xiruo. He is an expert in the "Yang Family Spear Skill" (楊家槍法), which has been passed down for generations in his family. He survives the massacre at the village and travels in disguise under the alias "Mu Yi" (穆易), and adopts Mu Nianci as his foster daughter. He is reunited with his family but his son refuses to acknowledge him. He commits suicide together with his wife after being cornered by Wanyan Honglie and his men.

• Bao Xiruo (包惜弱) – the wife of Yang Tiexin and mother of Yang Kang. She is soft-hearted and empathetic by nature, as her name "Xiruo" (literally means "to pity the weak") implies. She survives the massacre and is rescued by Wanyan Honglie, who brings her back to Jin and marries her. She commits suicide to be with her first husband.

Five Greats

• Huang Yaoshi (黃藥師) – nicknamed "Eastern Heretic" (東邪). He is a loner who views himself highly and lives on Peach Blossom Island away from the mainland. His mannerism and behavior are considered by others as odd and heretical, which earn him his nickname. He has a strong disregard for societal laws and traditional customs, behaving as he wishes. Besides being a powerful pugilist, he is also talented in other areas as well, such as medicine, music, literature, and the art of laying formations.

• Hong Qigong (洪七公) – nicknamed "Northern Beggar" (北丐). He is the chief of the Beggars' Sect. He appears to be a lazy, happy-go-lucky person, but is in fact a righteous hero who upholds justice and helps the poor secretly. He meets Guo Jing and Huang Rong and imparts his skills to them.

• Ouyang Feng (歐陽鋒) – nicknamed "Western Venom" (西毒). He is the lord of White Camel Mountain (白駝山) in western China. He is extremely selfish and does not permit others to be better than him. Besides being an accomplished pugilist, he is also an expert in toxicology, as his nickname implies.

• Reverend Yideng (一燈大師) – nicknamed "Southern Emperor" (南帝), real name Duan Zhixing (段智興). He is the former ruler of the Kingdom of Dali. He is extremely obsessed with martial arts and refuses to save an infant from death. Later, he feels remorseful and abdicates to become a monk. He retains his prowess in martial arts and uses his powers to save others as a way of atoning for his past misdoings.

• Wang Chongyang (王重陽) – nicknamed "Central Divine" (中神通). He is the founder of the Quanzhen Sect and the teacher of the "Seven Immortals of Quanzhen". He is the most powerful and skilled of the Five Greats. He dies early and appears only in flashbacks.

Mongolia

• Temüjin (鐵木真) – an ambitious warlord who unites all the tribes of Mongolia under his rule and earns himself the title of "Genghis Khan" (成吉思汗). Guo Jing is raised under his care and he treats Guo like a son. At the end of the novel, before his death, he and Guo have a short debate about what constitute a hero.

• Genghis Khan's children
  • Jochi (術赤) - the oldest son
  • Chagatai (察合台) - the second son
  • Ögedei (窩闊台) - the third son
  • Tolui (拖雷) – the fourth son and the Khan's favourite. He becomes anda (安達) (sworn brother) with Guo Jing.
  • Huazheng (華箏) – the daughter of Genghis Khan. She is Guo Jing's childhood playmate and falls in love with him. Guo Jing only sees her as a younger sister. Her father betroths her to Guo Jing but they are not married eventually. She reports Guo Jing to her father after Guo decides to disobey her father's orders. She intends to make Guo Jing stay in Mongolia by doing so, but unknowingly brings great trouble for Guo. Overwhelmed by guilt over what happened to Guo Jing's mother, she moves to the western regions to become a recluse for the rest of her life. Before leaving, she sends Guo Jing a warning that the Mongols are planning an attack on Xiangyang.

• Genghis Khan's warriors
  • Jebe (哲別) – an expert archer who originally served a rival tribe of Temujin's. He becomes one of the Khan's best warriors. He teaches Guo Jing archery.
  • Muqali (木華黎)
  • Chilaowen (赤老溫)
  • Huduhu (忽都虎)
  • Zhelemi (者勒米)
  • Bo'erhu (博爾忽)

• Genghis Khan's rivals
  • Jamuqa (札木合) - Temujin's anda and ally. He becomes Temujin's rival in the war to unify Mongolia.
  • Wang Khan (王罕) - an anda of Temujin's father. He is originally Temujin and Jamuqa's ally. He allies with Jamuqa against Temujin in the war.
  • Sangkun (桑昆) - Wang Khan's son
  • Dushi (都史) - Sangkun's son. He is Huazheng's original fiance.

Quanzhen Sect (全真教)

• Zhou Botong (周伯通) – Wang Chongyang's junior. Although he is one of the oldest characters in the novel, he still behaves in a childish and mischievous manner like an immature toddler, which earns him his nickname "Old Imp" (老頑童). Despite their large difference in age, Zhou Botong becomes sworn brothers with Guo Jing and he teaches him martial arts.

• "Seven Immortals of Quanzhen" (全真七子) – the seven disciples of Wang Chongyang. They lead Quanzhen after the death of their teacher.
  • "Danyangzi" Ma Yu ("丹陽子" 馬鈺) - teaches Guo Jing some of the basic Quanzhen-style martial arts and inner energy skills
  • "Changzhenzi" Tan Chuduan ("長真子" 譚處端) - killed by Ouyang Feng in a fight
  • "Changshengzi" Liu Chuxuan ("長生子" 劉處玄)
  • "Changchunzi" Qiu Chuji ("長春子" 丘處機) - befriends the Guo and Yang families in the first chapter. He becomes Yang Kang's teacher later.
  • "Yuyangzi" Wang Chuyi ("玉陽子" 王處一) - befriends Guo Jing after learning that Guo was taught by his senior, Ma Yu. He is injured by one of Wanyan Honglie's lackeys, Lingzhi Shangren, and Guo Jing helps him recover.
  • "Guangningzi" Hao Datong ("廣寧子" 郝大通)
  • "Qingjing Sanren" Sun Bu'er ("清靜散人" 孫不二).

• Yin Zhiping (尹志平) - a disciple of Qiu Chuji. He went to Mongolia to remind Guo Jing of his scheduled duel with Yang Kang when Guo was 16 years old.

• Cheng Yaojia (程瑤迦) – a disciple of Sun Bu'er. She is almost raped by Ouyang Ke and is saved by Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Even though she has a crush with Guo Jing, she marries Lu Guanying under Huang Yaoshi's arrangement.

Peach Blossom Island

Disciples of Huang Yaoshi

• "Twin Killers in the Dark Wind" (黑風雙煞) - two disciples of Huang Yaoshi who fall in love and decide to elope. They flee from the island, taking their teacher's copy of the Nine Yin Manual along with them. They master an evil version of the skills in the manual, known as the "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" (九陰白骨爪), as well as the "Heart-Shattering Palm" (摧心掌). In addition, Mei Chaofeng also masters the "White Boa Whip Skill" (白蟒鞭法) from the manual. They are notorious for committing numerous atrocities and are highly feared by pugilists in the jianghu.
  • Chen Xuanfeng (陳玄風) – the "Copper Corpse" (銅屍). He appears during the fight with the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan". When Chen Xuanfeng tries to grab the six-year-old Guo Jing, the boy instinctively stabs him in the abdomen with a dagger and kills him.
  • Mei Chaofeng (梅超風) – the "Iron Corpse" (鐵屍). Her birth name is Mei Ruohua (梅若華). She is blinded by Ke Zhen'e after her husband is killed by Guo Jing. Since then, she has been training hard in martial arts to avenge her husband. She meets Huang Yaoshi at Guiyun Manor, who forgives her and asks her to find his remaining disciples. Though Mei Chaofeng seeks to avenge her husband, she is killed by Ouyang Feng before being able to do so.

• Qu Lingfeng (曲靈風) – makes his first appearance as Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin's crippled neighbor, by the name of Qu San (曲三). He owns the rundown inn at Niu Family Village, while leading a double life as a thief who steals treasure from the palace. Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin discover his secret after witnessing him fighting with imperial guards. He is eventually killed by Shi Yanming, one of the guards. His skeleton is later discovered in the secret room of his inn several years later by Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

• Lu Chengfeng (陸乘風) – maimed by his teacher and driven away from Peach Blossom Island in anger after Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng's betrayal. He settles in Guiyun Manor (歸雲莊) on Lake Tai and nicknames himself "Handicap of Five Lakes" (五湖廢人). He once gathered a number of allies in a futile attempt to capture the "Twin Killers in the Dark Wind" for his teacher. He shares the same passion for the arts as Huang Yaoshi, and inherits his teacher's knowledge of medicine and the art of laying formations. He is also the leader of the Pirates of Lake Tai, who rob the rich (including corrupt government officials) to help the poor. He moves to Dasheng Pass (大勝關) with his family and followers after his home is destroyed by Ouyang Feng, but dies later due to illness.

• Wu Mianfeng (武眠風) - dies after contracting an illness

• Feng Mofeng (馮默風) – maimed and banished from Peach Blossom Island by his teacher in anger.

Others

• Feng Heng (馮衡) – the wife of Huang Yaoshi and mother of Huang Rong. She has an eidetic memory, which allows her to memorise the entire second volume of the Nine Yin Manual after reading it once. She falls ill after giving birth to Huang Rong and dies.

• Shagu (傻姑) – the daughter of Qu Lingfeng. Her name literally means "foolish girl". She is first spotted in the rundown inn of the Niu family village by Guo Jing and Huang Rong as a mentally handicapped young lady. She is taken to Peach Blossom Island and becomes Huang Yaoshi's disciple later.

• Lu Guanying (陸冠英) – the son of Lu Chengfeng and young master of Guiyun Manor. His father refuses to teach him martial arts without getting permission from Huang Yaoshi, and he becomes a disciple of Reverend Kumu instead. He marries Cheng Yaojia after falling in love with her on first sight, with Huang Yaoshi as the matchmaker. He also received Huang Yaoshi's permission to learn Peach Blossom Island's martial arts from his father.

Iron Palm Sect (鐵掌幫)

• Qiu Qianren (裘千仞) – the chief of the Iron Palm Sect. He is nicknamed "Iron Palm Skimming on Water" (鐵掌水上飄) for his prowess in martial arts and qinggong. He is considered to be one of the more powerful pugilists after the Five Greats. He is responsible for committing all sorts of atrocities, including killing an infant and collaborating with Jurchen soldiers to terrorize Song citizens. He is saved from death by Yideng and repents. He becomes a monk known as "Ci'en" (慈恩) and Yideng's disciple.

• Qiu Qianzhang (裘千丈) – the twin brother of Qiu Qianren. He is inferior in terms of moral character and martial arts prowess as compared to his brother. He relies on impersonating his brother to con and deceive others for a living. He falls to his death from Iron Palm Peak.

• Yashaogong (啞艄公)
• Stronghold chiefs
  • Chief Qiao (喬寨主)
  • Chief He (賀寨主)
  • Chief Shi (石寨主)

Kingdom of Dali

• Liu Ying (劉瑛; a.k.a. Yinggu 瑛姑) – nicknamed "Divine Mathematician" (神算子). She is originally Duan Zhixing's favourite concubine but Duan neglects her due to his obsession for martial arts. She has an extra-marital affair with Zhou Botong and bears him a child. The child is severely wounded by a masked assassin (Qiu Qianren) and on the verge of dying. She pleads with Duan Zhixing to save the child but he refuses and the child dies. Since then, she leads a reclusive life in the Black Swamp and plots revenge against Duan Zhixing while searching for Zhou Botong and her child's killer. During this time she tutors herself in mathematics and martial arts.

• Yideng's four great disciples
  • Diancang Yuyin (點蒼漁隱) – the former naval commander of Dali. He is disguised as a fisherman.
  • Zhang Shaoshou (張少守) – the former commander-in-chief of Dali's army. He is disguised as a woodcutter.
  • Wu Santong (武三通) – the former chief of Dali's palace guards. He is disguised as a farmer.
  • Zhu Ziliu (朱子柳) – the former premier of Dali. He is disguised as a scholar.

• Indian Monk (天竺僧人) - Yideng's junior. He is an expert in medicine and healing. He translates the part of the Nine Yin Manual that was written in Sanskrit for Guo Jing.

Beggars' Sect (丐幫)

Further information: Beggars' Sect

• Four Great Elders
  • Lu Youjiao (魯有腳) – befriends Guo Jing and Huang Rong.
  • Elder Peng (彭長老) – rebels against the sect and joins the Mongols at the end of the novel. He is also a lecherous fiend and lusts for Mu Nianci.
  • Elder Jian (簡長老)
  • Elder Liang (梁長老)

• Li Sheng (黎生) - a brave member of the sect who fights with Ouyang Ke to rescue Ouyang's victims, even though he is aware that he is no match for Ouyang. Guo Jing and Huang Rong come to help him and he recognizes them as Hong Qigong's disciples and people of righteousness. Hong Qigong once taught him one of the "Eighteen Dragon-subduing Palms". He refuses to kill Guo Jing and Huang Rong when ordered by Yang Kang to do so, choosing to commit suicide instead.
• Yu Zhaoxing (余兆興)

Wanyan Honglie's followers

• Ouyang Ke (歐陽克) – the nephew of Ouyang Feng. He is in fact Ouyang Feng's illegitimate son. He is a lecherous fiend who enjoys preying on young and beautiful maidens, especially Huang Rong, Mu Nianci, and Cheng Yaojia. He initially wants Guo Jing's rare Ferghana horse for himself, but eventually becomes Guo's rival for Huang Rong's affection. His attempts on Huang Rong have ended up in failure and humiliation for himself each time, and also has his legs crushed after falling into a booby trap set by her on Mingxia Island. He is murdered by Yang Kang eventually after attempting to molest both Mu Nianci and Cheng Yaojia at Niu Family Village. Another motivation for the murder is that Yang Kang will become the most likely person to succeed Ouyang Feng if Ouyang Ke dies.

• Sha Tongtian (沙通天) – nicknamed "Devil's Gate Dragon King" (鬼門龍王). He is the master of the "Four Devils of the Yellow River" and senior of Hou Tonghai. He has his left arm amputated by Peng Lianhu after being indirectly infected with poison by Yang Kang at the Temple of the Iron Spear.

• "Four Devils of the Yellow River" (黃河四鬼) – the disciples of Sha Tongtian
  • "Soul-Severing Sabre" Shen Qinggang ("斷魂刀" 沈青剛)
  • "Life-Chasing Spear" Wu Qinglie ("追命槍" 吳青烈)
  • "Soul-Capturing Whip" Ma Qingxiong ("奪魄鞭" 馬青雄)
  • "Death's Axe" Qian Qingjian ("喪門斧" 錢青健).

• Hou Tonghai (侯通海) – nicknamed "Three-Headed Dragon" (三頭蛟). Sha Tongtian's incompetent junior.

• Liang Ziweng (梁子翁) – nicknamed "Ginseng Immortal Old Demon" (參仙老怪). He is from the Changbai Mountains. 20 years ago, he attempted to rape many young maidens, but the women were rescued by Hong Qigong and he suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Hong. He rears a pet serpent that is meant to be used for one of his experiments. The snake almost kills Guo Jing, who has been immobilized, but Guo bites its neck in self-defence, killing the snake and drinking its blood in the process. Since then, he has been stalking Guo Jing and wanting to suck Guo's blood, believing that he will become more powerful in doing so. At one point, Hong Qigong appears to help Guo Jing and Liang Ziweng shuns away in fear when he recognizes Hong. Towards the end of the novel, Liang Ziweng loses his footing during his final attempt on Guo Jing at Mount Hua and falls to his death.

• Lingzhi Shangren (靈智上人) – a Tibetan monk. He poisons Wang Chuyi in a fight.

• Peng Lianhu (彭連虎) – nicknamed "Thousand Hands Human Butcher" (千手人屠). He is notorious for killing many innocents to satisfy his avarice.

Miscellaneous characters

• Duan Tiande (段天德) – a military officer who leads soldiers to arrest Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin. He is actually following Wanyan Honglie's orders as part of the plan for Wanyan to win Bao Xiruo's heart. He reveals the truth unsuspectingly later while held captive on Lake Tai and is eventually killed by Yang Kang.

• Reverend Kumu (枯木大師) – the abbot of Yunxi Monastery (雲棲寺) and a member of the Xianxia Sect (仙霞派). He is Duan Tiande's uncle and Lu Guanying's teacher. Duan Tiande lies to him that Qiu Chuji is a villain and is after his life. Kumu believes Duan Tiande and enlists the help of the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan" to fight Qiu Chuji.

• Reverend Jiaomu (焦木大師) - died incidentally during a fight between Qiu Chuji and the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan".

• Wanyan Hongxi (完顏洪熙) - Wanyan Honglie's brother. He is sent to Mongolia as an envoy with his brother in an early chapter.

• Lü Wende (呂文德) (d. 1269) - the commander-in-chief of Xiangyang's armed forces. Guo Jing and Huang Rong warn him about the Mongols' invasion at the end of the novel.

• Shi Yanming (石彦明) - a high-ranking imperial guard. He and Qu Lingfeng killed each other in a fight in the secret room of Qu's inn. His skeleton is later discovered by Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

• Huang Shang (黃裳) - the creator of the Nine Yin Manual

• Ala ad-Din Muhammad II (阿拉烏丁·摩訶末) - the ruler of the Khwarezm Empire. He dies of pleurisy after his empire falls to the Mongols.

• Tang Zude (湯祖德)
• Jiang Yuncong (姜運聰)
• Jiang Wen (姜文)