Friday, September 19, 2008

Huang Yaoshi

Huang Yaoshi is a fictional character in Jinyong's ''Condor Trilogy''.

Nicknamed the Eastern Heretic , Huang Yaoshi was one of the "" of Wulin during the Southern Song dynasty. He was a unorthodox radical, regarded as a cultural by his contemporaries, and loathed the dogma of cultural rites in Chinese society, admiring only genuine honour and pure love.

Biography


* Family name: Huang
* Given name: Yaoshi
* Nickname: The Eastern Heretic
* Gender: Male
* Wife: Feng Heng
* Children: Huang Rong
* Grandchildren: Guo Fu, Guo Xiang, Guo Polu

Huang Yaoshi's Martial Arts


Peach Flower Fallen Hero Palm


In later editions, it is known as ''Falling flower Divine Sword Palm''

Divine Flicking Finger


A technique of channeling a great amount of power into a single finger, and releasing it with a precise amount of control. Can also be used to propel objects with both force and accuracy.

Similar to Southern Emperor Yi Yang Zhe

Jade Flute Swordplay


A swordplay technique primarily focussed on attacking an opponent's acupoints.

Roles


''The Legend of the Condor Heroes''


His story in Louis Cha's novel begins not long after Zhou Botong acquired ''Jiu Yin Zhen Jing'' . Huang had recently married a beautiful and supremely intelligent lady, Feng Heng , who was born with an excellent memory. After reading it, she told Zhou Botong that he had been tricked as the manual was nothing more than a book of childish rites; to prove her point, she recited verbatim the first few sentences. Not knowing of Mrs. Huang's photographic memory , Zhou Botong became angry and destroyed it. Thus, the Peach Blossom Island had the only remaining copy of that volume of ''Jiu Yin Zhen Jing''.

Huang Yaoshi had six disciples: Chen Xuanfeng, Mei Chaofeng, Qu Lingfeng, Lu Chengfeng, Wu Mianfeng, and Feng Mofeng. Despite Huang's erratic personality, his six disciples loved him greatly. Huang appeared to have loved his disciples as well, but did not demonstrate his affection as visibly because of his erratic, mercurial moods. As it was, Huang would profess to like something very much one day, but the next would hate it ruthlessly without reason.

Two of his disciples, Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng, had fallen in love and, having no idea how he would view such a relationship, were very afraid of informing Huang Yaoshi. When they decided to elope, they stole their master's copy of ''Jiu Yin Zhen Jing'' in the hopes of developing their martial arts to a level at which they need no longer fear their master.

At that time, his wife, Feng Heng was pregnant . Upon discovering the theft, she decided to rewrite the manual from memory again, but the stress and effort added to the strain of her pregnancy, killing her during her birth labour. This drove Huang Yaoshi to near-insanity, and the consequences of it demonstrated the reason for his nickname: he shattered the leg bones of each of his remaining disciples , and drove them away from his island.

Though it was not mentioned, it is possible that the other servants became and deaf because of Huang. It is later made known that Huang Yaoshi had recruited the handicapped servants, who had been ostracized by their community, during his travels. However, in his bid to maintain his reputation, he did not publicize his good deed, instead, he spread rumours that the servants had been made deaf and mute by him.

Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng terrorised the Jianghu with their mastery of the terrible "Ninefold Yin White-Bone Claws" . Zhou Botong realised that he had been tricked by Huang, and returned to the Peach Flower Island to demand an explanation. Again, Huang Yaoshi demonstrated his personality by blaming Zhou for his wife's death, saying, "If you had not given the manual to my wife, she would not have memorised it, and felt the need to write it out for me."

Zhou Botong, because of his previous experience with Duan's consort, fueled the fury by saying, "I've done you a favour; now that your wife is dead, you'll have more time to improve your martial art skills!" The two broke out fighting, and Zhou Botong ended up being trapped inside the island's caverns. Huang Yaoshi then swore that he would kill Zhou Botong if he was able to force him out of the caverns. For the next twenty years, Huang Yaoshi preoccupied himself with this. Their animosity was largely resolved after Guo Jing's visit to Peach Blossom Island.

Huang Yaoshi also came to regret his banishment of the four innocent disciples and bade Mei Chaofeng find them and bring them back to Guiyun Mansion that belonged to his other disciple Lu Chengfeng so that they could learn the Cyclone Kicks which would heal their broken legs. However, Huang would never see any of his other disciples alive again as most of them had died. Qu Lingfeng was killed by an imperial guard; Wu Mianfeng had died of some illness; Chen Xuanfeng had been slain by Guo Jing. and Feng Mofeng was eventually slain by Jinlun Fawang.

''The Return of the Condor Heroes''


Huang Yaoshi makes several brief appearances, rescuing Cheng Ying from the clutches of Li Mochou, and teaching the protagonist Yang Guo two of his most famous skills. He also participates in the defense of Xiangyang 16 years later when the Mongolians under Kublai Khan invaded China.

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