Datang Youxia Zhuan
| Author | Liang Yusheng |
|---|---|
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Chinese |
| Genre | Wuxia |
| Publisher | Ta Kung Pao |
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Publication date
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1 January 1963 - 14 June 1964 |
| Media type | |
| Followed by | Longfeng Baochai Yuan |
| Datang Youxia Zhuan | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 大唐游俠傳 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 大唐游侠传 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Story of the Wandering Hero of Great Tang | ||||||||||
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| Transcriptions | |
|---|---|
| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Dà Táng Yóu Xiá Zhuàn |
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Jyutping | Daai6 Tong4 Jau4 Haap6 Zyun6 |
Datang Youxia Zhuan is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng. It was first serialised between 1 January 1963 and 14 June 1964 in the Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao. The novel is the first part of a trilogy, and is followed by Longfeng Baochai Yuan and Huijian Xinmo.
The story is set in the Tianbao era of the Tang dynasty during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. The emperor appoints the incompetent Yang Guozhong as chancellor because Yang's cousin, Yang Yuhuan, is the emperor's favourite concubine. Nepotism and cronyism prevail as Yang Guozhong places his relatives and supporters in high-ranking posts in the Tang government, which becomes increasingly corrupt over time. The power-hungry barbarian An Lushan wins the emperor's trust through flattery and is promoted to the position of jiedushi (military governor) of Fanyang. An Lushan wields great power in his hands and secretly builds up his military forces in preparation for a rebellion.
In the wulin (martial artists' community), the outlaw leaders Dou Lingkan and Wang Botong compete fiercely for the position of chief of the wulin. Dou Lingkan and his brothers have the support of Duan Guizhang, a renowned swordsman who is also Dou's brother-in-law. On the other hand, Wang Botong cooperates with An Lushan to achieve his goal, recruits several followers, and sends his children to be tutored by martial arts experts.
Duan Guizhang maintains a close friendship with Shi Yiru, a former bureaucrat. Their wives give birth to a boy, Duan Keye, and a girl, Shi Ruomei, respectively. An Lushan sends his men to bring Duan Guizhang to meet him but Duan was not in then, so Shi Yiru went in his place and ends up being held hostage in An's residence. Duan Guizhang and Tie Mole, Dou Lingkan's godson, go to rescue him. They fail and Shi Yiru dies while Duan Guizhang is seriously injured. They are saved from An Lushan's men by Nan Jiyun and Huangfu Song.
Kongkong'er, one of Wang Botong's henchmen, shows up and steals the baby Duan Keye in order to force Duan Guizhang not to side with Dou Lingkan. Dou Lingkan is killed by Wang Botong's daughter, Wang Yanyu, in a fight and loses his title as the chief of the wulin. Tie Mole escapes with Nan Jiyun's help when the Dou family is destroyed and he vows to avenge his godfather. Duan Guizhang sends Tie Mole to learn martial arts from a reclusive master. Seven years later, after Tie Mole has achieved a certain level of prowess in martial arts, he returns to civilisation but finds himself stranded in the chaos of the An Shi Rebellion.
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