List of The Return of the Condor Heroes characters

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

The Condor

The Condor (神鵰) is a giant eagle-like creature living alone in a valley. Its former companion is Dugu Qiubai. After roaming the land in search for someone to rival his great swordplay skills, Dugu Qiubai comes to a cave near a forest and lives there as a hermit with only the Condor as his companion. After his death, the Condor lives alone and encounters Yang Guo during a fight with a giant serpent.

From the Condor, Yang Guo learns the swordplay techniques of Dugu Qiubai. As his right arm has been severed by Guo Fu in a fit of anger, Yang Guo traines relentlessly with his single arm to wield the Heavy Iron Sword (玄鐵重劍) of Dugu Qiubai. Eventually, when he attains a high level of accomplishment in martial arts, he ventures out in search of Xiaolongnü with the Condor.

Although it is described as a rather unattractive or ugly bird, the Condor possesses human intelligence and fighting skills that can rival some of the best in the jianghu.^{[original research?]}

Main characters

• Yang Guo (楊過) (b. 1224) – the son of Yang Kang and Mu Nianci. He is handsome and intelligent, but unbridled and arrogant.^{[original research?]} As a youth, he opposes societal laws and traditional customs and ideas, and is determined to marry his teacher even though their marriage is seen as equivalent to incest. After the loss of his right arm, he becomes an even more powerful pugilist than before. He roams the jianghu and earns the respect of many through his acts of chivalry and righteousness, as well as the title of "Condor Hero" (神雕俠).

• Xiaolongnü (小龍女) (b. 1220) – Yang Guo's lover and teacher. She is a beautiful maiden independent of all worldly traits. After many years of living together, she gradually falls in love with Yang but they are unable to be together as lovers. They roam the jianghu and encounter all sorts of trials of their love before eventually being reunited as a couple at the end of the novel.

Supporting characters

Guo family and associates

• Guo Jing (郭靖) (1205–1273) – the sworn brother of Yang Guo's father. He is a formidable pugilist and highly respected in the wulin for his acts of righteousness and heroism. He takes the lead in the defence of the city of Xiangyang from the Mongol invaders. He dotes on Yang Guo and hopes that the boy will become a great hero one day.

• Huang Rong (黃蓉) (1208–1273) – the wife of Guo Jing. She is intelligent and resourceful, specializing in the art of laying formations and many other fields, besides being an accomplished pugilist herself. She is also the chief of the Beggars' Sect and plays a supportive role to her husband in the defence of Xiangyang. She does not like nor trust Yang Guo initially as she feels that Yang bears an uncanny resemblance to his late father.

• Guo Fu (郭芙) (b. 1228) – the older daughter of Guo Jing and Huang Rong. She is beautiful and attractive, but spoilt by her parents and behaves insolently. She is not on good terms with Yang Guo since childhood and slices off Yang's right arm in a heated argument at one point.

• Guo Xiang (郭襄) (b. October 1243) – the younger daughter of Guo Jing and Huang Rong. She is abducted as a newborn baby by Li Mochou and saved by Yang Guo, whom she has a crush on in the future. She is nicknamed "Little Eastern Heretic" (小東邪) after her maternal grandfather.

• Guo Polu (郭破虜) (1243–1273) – Guo Xiang's twin brother. In the sequel, it is revealed that 14 years after the events in this novel, he died together with his parents when Xiangyang falls to the Mongol invaders. He inherits the Dragon-slaying Saber before his death.

• Wu brothers - the sons of Wu Santong. Li Mochou is responsible for the death of their mother and their father goes berserk and missing after their mother died. The brothers are raised by Guo Jing as his disciples. Both of them develop a crush on Guo Fu and almost fight each other to the death to win Guo's love, but the dispute is resolved with Yang Guo's help. They are said to be expecting children with their respective wives near the end of the story.
  • Wu Dunru (武敦儒) (b. 1225) – the older of the duo. He marries Yelü Yan.
  • Wu Xiuwen (武修文) (b. 1226) – the younger of the duo. He marries Wanyan Ping.

• Yelü Qi (耶律齊) – a disciple of Zhou Botong. He is a descendant of the royal family of the Liao Dynasty and the younger son of Yelü Chucai. He marries Guo Fu and succeeds Lu Youjiao as chief of the Beggars' Sect.

• Yelü Yan (耶律燕) – the younger sister of Yelü Qi

• Wanyan Ping (完顏萍) (b. 1224) – a descendant of the royal family of the Jin Dynasty. Her parents were killed when Jin was conquered by the Mongol Empire and she swears revenge on Yelü Chucai, whom she blames for her losses. She fails to assassinate him and is defeated by his children subsequently. She eventually reconciles with the Yelüs.

Family tree

Guo Xiaotian

Guo Jing

Guo Polu

Li Ping

Guo Xiang

Huang Yaoshi

Huang Rong

Guo Fu

Feng Heng

Yelü Qi

Yelü Chucai

Yelü Zhu

Yelü Yan

Wu Santong

Wu Dunru

Wu Sanniang

Wu Xiuwen

Wanyan Ping

The Greats

• Zhou Botong (周伯通) – nicknamed "Old Imp" (老頑童). Although he is one of the oldest characters in the novel, he still behaves in a childish and mischievous manner like an immature toddler. He forges a close friendship with Xiaolongnü.

• Huang Yaoshi (黃藥師) – nicknamed "Eastern Heretic" (東邪). He is a loner who views himself highly and his mannerism and behavior are considered by others as odd and heretical. He has a strong disregard for societal laws and traditional customs, behaving as he wishes. He likes Yang Guo, who shares the same views as him, and they become friends.

• Ouyang Feng (歐陽鋒) (d. 1242) – nicknamed "Western Venom" (西毒). He meets the young Yang Guo and makes Yang his godson and teaches him martial arts. He dies with Hong Qigong amidst laughter and forgotten past feuds on Mount Hua.

• Reverend Yideng (一燈大師) – nicknamed "Southern Emperor" (南帝), real name "Duan Zhixing". He is formerly the ruler of the Kingdom of Dali and becomes a monk after feeling guilty for his past misdoings. He uses his powers to help others as a way of atoning for his sins.

• Hong Qigong (洪七公) (d. 1242) – nicknamed "Northern Beggar" (北丐). He is the chief of the Beggars' Sect and leads the sect well. He regains his powers after having lost them previously in the prequel novel. He dies with Ouyang Feng amidst laughter and forgotten past feuds on Mount Hua.

Mongolia

• Jinlun Guoshi (金輪國師; literally: Golden Wheel Royal Advisor) (d. 1260) – one of the most powerful pugilists in the novel. Originally a Tibetan lama, he is appointed as the Royal Advisor of Mongolia and represents Mongolia in challenging the pugilists of Song. He is defeated by Yang Guo sixteen years later at the Battle of Xiangyang and dies after a pillar falls on him. He is known as "Jinlun Fawang" (金輪法王; literally: Golden Wheel Guardian King) in the second edition of the novel.

• Huodu (霍都) (d. 1259) – a Mongol prince and Jinlun's third disciple. He is cunning and witty by nature and not very loyal to his teacher. When faced with danger, he will be the first to escape and abandon his teacher. He is killed by Da'erba while in disguise as a beggar named He Shiwo (何師我) in his attempt to seize control of the Beggars' Sect.

• Da'erba (達爾巴) – a Tibetan monk and Jinlun's second disciple. In contrast with Huodu, he is honest and loyal to their teacher but very low-witted. He submits to Yang Guo and helps him eliminate Huodu.

• Kublai Khan (忽必烈) – the younger brother of Möngke Khan. An ambitious and aspiring leader, he aims to conquer and rule an empire. He is one of the commanders of the invading Mongol army.

• Möngke Khan (蒙哥汗) – the Mongol ruler who personally leads his army to attack the city of Xiangyang. He is slain by Yang Guo.

• Yelü Chucai (耶律楚才) - the chancellor of Mongolia. He is a descendant of the royal family of the Liao Dynasty. He is the father of Yelü Jin, Yelü Qi and Yelü Yan.

• Yelü Jin (耶律晉) - the older son of Yelü Chucai

Mercenaries

• Xiaoxiangzi (蕭湘子) – a pugilist from Xiangxi. He steals the Nine Yang Manual from Shaolin Monastery with Yin Kexi and hide it inside the stomach of a white gorilla. They become suspicious and kill each other eventually.

• Yin Kexi (尹克西) – a merchant from Persia

• Nimoxing (尼摩星) (d. 1259) – a pugilist from India. He has his legs amputated after falling into Li Mochou's poison needles trap set by Yang Guo. He is slain by Yang sixteen years later.

• Ma Guangzuo (麻光佐, formerly 馬光佐) – a pugilist from Xinjiang. He is considerably the most lawful one of the four mercenaries.^{[original research?]} Yang Guo persuades him to leave the Mongols.

Passionless Valley (絕情谷)

• Gongsun Zhi (公孫止) (d. 1244) – the master of the valley. Although he appears extraordinary, noble and gentlemanly, he is in fact cold-hearted, ruthless and lecherous. He is skilled in martial arts and wields a sword and a saber on each hand in combat. He attempts to force Xiaolongnü to marry him but fails and his true colours are revealed when his wife returns to take her revenge. He is blinded in one eye and forced to flee from the valley. He returns later to take revenge on his wife and plunges to his death together with her eventually.

• Qiu Qianchi (裘千尺) (d. 1244) – the younger sister of Qiu Qianren and wife of Gongsun Zhi. She is insolent and domineering, which causes her to fall out of her husband's favour. She has her limbs broken and cast into an underground pit by her husband and presumed to be dead. She masters a skill that overcomes her disability while struggling to survive, allowing her to suck distant objects into her mouth using inner energy and fire them as projectiles at enemies with extreme force and accuracy.

• Gongsun Lü'e (公孫綠萼) (1224–1244) – the daughter of Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi. She is kind hearted and compassionate unlike her parents and is in love with Yang Guo. She suffers in the midst of the struggle between her parents and sacrifices herself to help Yang Guo.

• Fan Yiweng (樊一翁) - the oldest disciple of Gongsun Zhi. He has a long white beard and becomes the "Long Bearded Ghost" later.

• Rou'er (柔兒) - a servant girl whom Gongsun Zhi falls in love with. Qiu Qianchi discovers their illicit relationship and forces her husband to kill Rou'er.

Ancient Tomb Sect (古墓派)

Further information: Ancient Tomb Sect

• Li Mochou (李莫愁) (d. 1244) – nicknamed "Red Fairy" (赤練仙子). She is the senior of Xiaolongnü and considerably more powerful than Xiaolongnü at the start of the novel in terms of martial arts. Although she is beautiful in appearance, she morphs into a vicious killer after her lover betrayed her. However, she appears as a motherly figure to the baby Guo Xiang, whom she kidnaps from her parents. She is seen trying to take the "Jade Maiden Sutra" from Xiaolongnü on several occasions at the beginning of the novel, but has never been successful. She commits suicide by throwing herself into the fire at Passionless Valley.

• Lin Chaoying (林朝英) – the founder of the Ancient Tomb Sect. She is both a rival and lover of Wang Chongyang and equals him in terms of martial arts prowess.

• Granny Sun (孫婆婆) (d. 1238) – an old woman who lives together with Xiaolongnü inside the Ancient Tomb. She saves Yang Guo from the bullies at Quanzhen Sect and wants to help him fend off the Quanzhen priests. She is killed unintentionally by Hao Datong. Before her death, she makes Xiaolongnü promise her to take care of Yang for the rest of his life.

• Hong Lingbo (洪凌波) (d. 1244) – the disciple of Li Mochou. She is rather sympathetic to Lu Wushuang, who was Li Mochou's slave then. She is used as a cushion by her teacher to escape from the love flowers and dies after being pricked by the poisonous flowers.

Lu family

• Cheng Ying (程英) (b. 1228) – the niece of Lu Liding and cousin of Lu Wushuang. Her uncle and his family are killed by Li Mochou and she is saved by Huang Yaoshi, who accepts her as his disciple. She maintains a strong crush on Yang Guo but becomes his sworn sister eventually.

• Lu Wushuang (陸無雙) (b. 1228) – the daughter of Lu Liding and cousin of Cheng Ying. She is abducted by Li Mochou, who killed her family. She is crippled by Li Mochou and becomes her slave. She escapes from Li with the help of Yang Guo and develops a crush on him, but becomes his sworn sister eventually.

• Lu Liding (陸立鼎) (d. 1237) – the younger brother of Lu Zhanyuan. He is slain by Li Mochou along with the rest of his family at the start of the novel.

• Lu Zhanyuan (陸展元) (d. 1234) – the older brother of Lu Liding. He is Li Mochou's ex-lover but reneges his promise to marry her and marries He Yuanjun instead.

• He Yuanjun (何沅君) - the wife of Lu Zhanyuan

Quanzhen Sect (全真教)

• "Seven Immortals of Quanzhen" (全真七子) – the seven disciples of Wang Chongyang. They lead Quanzhen after the death of their teacher. One of them, Tan Chuduan (譚處端), was killed by Ouyang Feng in the first novel.
  • "Danyangzi" Ma Yu ("丹陽子" 馬鈺)
  • "Changshengzi" Liu Chuxuan ("長生子" 劉處玄)
  • "Changchunzi" Qiu Chuji ("長春子" 丘處機)
  • "Yuyangzi" Wang Chuyi ("玉陽子" 王處一)
  • "Guangningzi" Hao Datong ("廣寧子" 郝大通)
  • "Qingjing Sanren" Sun Bu'er ("清靜散人" 孫不二)

• Zhao Zhijing (趙志敬) – the most senior of all Quanzhen disciples. He is Yang Guo's teacher while Yang is still in Quanzhen. He dislikes Yang Guo and does not teach him any practical martial arts and allows his other disciples to bully Yang. He collaborates with the Mongols to take over the position of leader of the sect. His plans are foiled and he is killed by Xiaolongnü's jade bees.

• Zhen Zhibing (甄志丙) (d. 1243) – a senior student of Quanzhen. He has a crush on Xiaolongnü and is unable to restrain himself and blindfolds and rapes Xiaolongnü. Xiaolongnü is unaware that Zhen Zhibing was the one who raped her and she accuses Yang Guo wrongly until the truth is revealed several years later. He sacrifices himself to save Xiaolongnü from death. He is called Yin Zhiping (尹志平) in the previous edition. The amendment is due to Jin Yong's reluctance to vilify Yin Zhiping, whose historical namesake is a notable Taoist.^{[citation needed]}

Kingdom of Dali

• Liu Ying (劉瑛; aka Yinggu 瑛姑) – nicknamed "Divine Mathematician" (神算子). She is originally Duan Zhixing's favourite concubine. She has an extra-marital affair with Zhou Botong. She leads a reclusive life in the Black Swamp with only a pair of Nine-tailed Divine Foxes (九尾靈狐) to keep her company.

• Wu Santong (武三通) – a disciple of Yideng and father of the Wu brothers. After the death of his wife, he goes berserk and missing, only to return when his boys have grown up.

• Wu Sanniang (武三娘) - the wife of Wu Santong and mother of the Wu brothers. Her husband is attacked and poisoned by Li Mochou. She saves her husband's life by sucking the venom out from the wound but is poisoned as well and dies.

• Zhu Ziliu (朱子柳) – a disciple of Yideng. He participates in the martial arts contest at Dasheng Pass and defence of Xiangyang.

Peach Blossom Island

• Ke Zhen'e (柯鎮惡) – the sole survivor of the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan". He lives with the Guos and is regarded as an elder in the family. Despite holding a grudge against Yang Guo's father for the murder of his five fellow Freaks, he treats the boy like the rest of the Guo children. Years later, Ke Zhen'e relates the story of Yang Kang to Yang Guo at the Temple of Iron Spear. Ke Zhen'e admires Yang Guo for his chivalry, and is also grateful to Yang for saving his life from Sha Tongtian and company. He decides to forgive Yang Guo's father and promises to help Yang reconstruct his father's tomb.

• Shagu (傻姑) – the orphaned daughter of Qu Lingfeng. She is taken into Huang Yaoshi's care and becomes his grand disciple. Upon learning that she was present at the scene of his father's death, Yang Guo attempts to force her to tell him the details about the incident. However, her unclear answers cause Yang Guo to mistakenly believe that Guo Jing and Huang Rong murdered his father.

• Feng Mofeng (馮默風) (d. 1243) – the sole surviving disciple of Huang Yaoshi. He is maimed and banished from Peach Blossom Island by his teacher in anger and becomes a blacksmith. He sacrifices himself to buy time for Guo Jing and Yang Guo to escape from the Mongols' camp.

Shaolin Sect (少林派)

Further information: Shaolin Sect

• Jueyuan (覺遠) - the librarian of Shaolin. He is forbidden to practise martial arts but builds up immense inner energy after reading the Nine Yang Manual.

• Zhang Junbao (張君寶) (b. 1246) - the disciple of Jueyuan. He renames himself "Zhang Sanfeng" later and founds the Wudang Sect. He memorises part of the Nine Yang Manual from his teacher.

• Tianming (天鳴) - abbot of Shaolin

• Wuse (無色) - head of the Arhat Hall

• Wuxiang (無相) - head of the Bodhidharma Hall

Other characters

• Qiu Qianren (裘千仞) (d. 1259) – chief of the Iron Palm Sect (铁掌帮). He is nicknamed "Iron Palm Skimming on Water" (鐵掌水上飄) for his prowess in martial arts and qinggong. He is notorious for committing all sorts of atrocities in the past but is saved from death by Yideng and repents. He becomes a monk called "Ci'en" (慈恩) and Yideng's disciple.

• Lu Youjiao (魯有腳) (d. 1259) – Huang Rong's successor as chief of the Beggars' Sect. He is low-witted but honest and patriotic. He is lured into a trap and slain by Huodu, who takes the Dog Beating Staff from him.

• Lu Guanying (陸冠英) – the son of Lu Chengfeng, a disciple of Huang Yaoshi. Lu Guanying becomes the master of Guiyun Manor (歸雲莊) and leader of the Pirates of Lake Tai after his father's death. He plays host to the Heroes' Feast at Dasheng Pass (大勝關).

• Cheng Yaojia (程瑤珈) – a disciple of Sun Bu'er and wife of Lu Guanying.

• Former followers of Wanyan Honglie - after their defeat at Mount Hua in the prequel novel, they are captured by Zhou Botong and imprisoned in Chongyang Palace for years until they manage to escape one day. They encounter Ke Zhen'e in Jiaxing and attempt to silence him for fear that he would alert Guo Jing and his allies of their whereabouts. Yang Guo comes to Ke Zhen'e's aid and defeats them in a brief fight, after which they relate every detail of Yang Kang's past to Yang Guo.
  • Sha Tongtian (沙通天)
  • Hou Tonghai (侯通海)
  • Lingzhi Shangren (靈智上人)
  • Peng Lianhu (彭連虎)

• Lü Wende (呂文德) (d. 1269) - the commander-in-chief of Xiangyang's armed forces. He dies ten years after the events of the novel. His brother, Lü Wenhuan (呂文煥), takes over his command of Xiangyang's military.

Guo Xiang's friends

• "Ghosts of the Western Mountain Cave" (西山一窟鬼) – a group of pugilists who dress up as phantoms and ghosts
  • "Long Bearded Ghost" (長鬚鬼) - killed by Jinlun Guoshi
  • "Big Headed Ghost" (大頭鬼) - killed by Jinlun Guoshi
  • "Hanged Ghost" (弔死鬼)
  • "Life-taking Ghost" (催命鬼)
  • "Wuchang Ghost" (無常鬼)
  • "Debt-collecting Ghost" (討債鬼)
  • "Fearsome Deity Ghost" (煞神鬼)
  • "Death Ghost" (喪門鬼)
  • "Pretty Ghost" (俏鬼)
  • "Smiling Ghost" (笑臉鬼)

• Five Shi brothers (史家五兄弟) – five brothers who live in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Manor (萬獸山莊). They are known for their abilities to tame all kinds of wild beasts.
  • "Mountain King with a White Forehead" Shi Bowei ("白額山君" 史伯威)
  • "Guanjianzi" Shi Zhongmeng ("管見子" 史仲猛)
  • "Golden-armoured Lion King" Shi Shugang ("金甲獅王" 史叔剛)
  • "God of Great Strength" Shi Jiqiang ("大力神" 史季強)
  • "Eight-handed Immortal Ape" Shi Mengjie ("八手仙猿" 史孟捷)

• Zhang Yimang (張一氓)
• Abbess Shengyin (聖因師太)
• Renchuzi (人廚子)
• Baicaoxian (百草仙)