依天屠龙记 - 2000

[Song You Shen]

So have any of you seen this series (this is the series with Alec Su as Wu Ji)? How true is it to the 依天屠龙记 novel? I really enjoyed watching it, and the story line is great, but it left me with a few questions that maybe one of you who read the novel could answer.

Who is the "lady in green dress"? She only appears a couple times in the series but it doesn't give any explanation of who she is.

How did Li Yin (i.e. Chu Er) stay alive? It never really said how she got out of her grave.

Youshen

[skylee]

It is 倚天.

I have watched the TV series but can't really remember it. I am not sure who the lady in green is. But IIRC there is one mysterious lady dressed in yellow who comes from 終南山後,活死人墓. She is supposed to be the descendant of 楊過 (Yang Guo) and 小龍女 (Xiao Long Nu). (Whenever the Tomb of the Living Dead is mentioned, it has to do with these two characters, who are the hero and heroine of another novel.)

As to Yin Li, since she did not really die, of course she could somehow climb out of her grave . IIRC, in the book, Wuji is afraid that the stones/sand would hurt her body so her grave is not that properly made. This is what I find on the web -

张无忌到山冈之阴去挖墓，岛上浮泥甚浅，挖得两尺，便遇上坚硬的花岗石，手边又无锄铲，只得将殷离的尸身放入浅穴，待要将泥土堆上，见到她脸上的肿胀与血痕，心想：“碎石泥块堆在脸上，可要擦伤了她。”折了些树枝架在她尸身上，再轻轻放上石块，似乎她死后尚有知觉，生恐她给石块压痛了。

Yin Li's grave was shallow because Wuji did not dig deep into the hard granite. And the mould on top was loose as Wuji was afraid that the stones would hurt her.

[skylee]

BTW, I used to hate Zhang Wuji's indecisive personality. He is about the most indecisive (and the best looking and the strongest) hero in Jin Yong' novels. But now I think he is just very human. Margaret Ng (a HK columnist) says that he is by nature a doctor, not a fighter. He is just too kind.

[Song You Shen]

Yeah, i woul agree. His indecisiveness was very frustrating, but as the story continues, it becomes more and more apparent why he is so indecisive. His morals, wants and cultural-restrictions all become intertwined and fight with each other. By the end of the story it becomes very interesting to see what his final decision is.

Does anyone have any other recommendations for other good Jin Yong novels?

Youshen

[skylee]

There are only about 15 wuxia novels written by Jin Yong, and most of them are good. You can find the complete collection here -> http://www.shuku.net/novels/jinyong/jinyong.html

Many consider his last novel 鹿鼎記 to be the best of all. I myself prefer 天龍八部 and 笑傲江湖.

If you like to watch TV adaption of his works, the recent version of Tian Long Ba Bu is not bad. Take a look at these threads ->

央视: 天龙八部

CCTV tian long ba bu

To many readers' dismay he is again revising his own works. But I have not read any one of the new versions yet.

[Song You Shen]

yes, I actually already have the TV adaptation of 天龍八部. I really enjoyed watching it, although I might have to watch it again to get everything. Thanks for the link with the list of novels.

Youshen

[studentyoung]

BTW, I used to hate Zhang Wuji's indecisive personality. He is about the most indecisive (and the best looking and the strongest) hero in Jin Yong' novels. But now I think he is just very human. Margaret Ng (a HK columnist) says that he is by nature a doctor, not a fighter. He is just too kind.

Hehe, please don’t forget one thing that Jin Yong loves Dostoyevsky ‘s (陀思妥耶夫斯基) novels very much. If you have read Dostoyevsky’s “The Idiot 白痴”，you will understand that Zhang Wuji is the copy of Prince Myshkin（梅什金公爵）. What’s more, Jin Young has tactfully “stolen” some famous plots from “The Idiot”. Xixi.

www.litfix.com/Dostoyevsky/theidiot.htm

Thanks!

[skylee]

This is interesting. Talking about the image of a "positively good man", somehow the name "Christopher Newman" comes to mind. (I have almost no knowledge on russian literature, but have read some of Henry James' novels. ) Well strictly speaking Newman is not that good.

[tluroc76]

First time I read the novels I was still in Jr. high school. I think I've read it (all 4 books) about 15 ~ 20 times. I have also seen different versions of the TV/movie series, I guess the one by Taiwanese actor, 苏有朋 is the best.

As much as I like all 金庸 novels, I found that there are quite a few errors. For example, the part where 张无忌 and 杨不悔 were searching for 杨逍? They were captured and about to be eaten? If the drought was so severe that no crops were yielded, where in the world could 张无忌 find poisonous mushrooms? Mushrooms grow in damp, dark areas, don't they?

[skylee]

I've just heard this song on TV. This is a song of the first TV version (produced in HK) of 倚天屠龍記. The singer 鄭少秋, who also played the role of Wuji, has a good voice (in his own way) IMHO. He was once very popular in Taiwan.

And the lyrics are good. They are about 明教, which worshipped fire/light.

熊熊聖火

熊熊聖火　憐我苦痛多　(憐我在世上　如許苦痛多)

明明亮光　爲我消災去禍　(憐我在世上　如許苦痛多)

炎炎聖火　焚化苦楚　(憐我在世上　如許苦痛多)

紅紅焰光　助我消災去禍　(憐我在世上　如許苦痛多)

烈焰解憂傷　熱力滅災禍

願將俗世上　嗔笑愛恨　一切歸聖火　(憐我在世上　如許苦痛多)

Listen -> http://www.xkera.com/media/huang/m7/73.rm

BTW, 楊不悔 is a superb name. And what happens to her mother 紀曉芙 is so tragic (and very unnecessarily so).

[Song You Shen]

That is a pretty fun song.

Are you talking about actor Alec Su?

Youshen