Mount Heaven Sect

This article is about the fictional martial arts sect featured in Wuxia fiction. For the actual martial arts school, see Tien Shan Pai.

Mount Heaven Sect
Traditional Chinese	天山派
Simplified Chinese	天山派
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Tiān Shān Pài Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping Tin1 Saan1 Paai3

The Mount Heaven Sect, also known as the Tianshan Sect, is one of the major Chinese martial arts sects in the jianghu in some wuxia stories, most notably Liang Yusheng's Qijian Xia Tianshan. It is featured in Jin Yong's Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils as a minor sect which plays an important role in Xuzhu's storyline. Its home base is in the Tian Shan mountain range in the western regions of China. It is not related to the martial arts school Tien Shan Pai at all except that they share the same name.

History

In Liang Yusheng's Baifa Monü Zhuan, the Mount Heaven Sect is founded by one of the three protagonists, Yue Mingke.^[1] Yue became a monk under the alias "Reverend Huiming" after having attained enlightenment. He resides on Mount Heaven for several years and spends his time studying martial arts there, becoming a powerful reclusive swordsman. Yue has three disciples (Yang Yuncong, Chu Zhaonan and Ling Weifeng) who are the pioneers of the first generation of the Seven Swords in Seven Swords of Mount Heaven.^[2] By then, Huiming is hailed as the most powerful pugilist alive and his disciples are famous swordsmen in the jianghu as well.^[2]

In Jin Yong's Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, the Mount Heaven Sect has a different history and plays an important role in the protagonist Xuzhu's story.^[3] The Mount Heaven Sect is founded by Tianshan Tonglao from the Carefree Sect and its headquarters is in Lingjiu Palace on the Piaomiao Peak of Mount Heaven.^[3] The sect is a mysterious and seldom heard of in this novel, in contrary to Seven Swords of Mount Heaven. Its members are all female until Xuzhu becomes its leader. Tianshan Tonglao forces several other sects into submission through the use of the "Life and Death Talisman" (生死符) and they are bound to serve her for eternity.^[3] Xuzhu frees all these sects after he becomes the leader and earns allegiance from them.^[3]

List of fictional Mount Heaven Sect martial arts

• Mount Heaven Swordplay (天山劍法)
• Divine Light of Mount Heaven (天山神芒)
• Six Suns Palm of Mount Heaven (天山六陽掌)
• Plum-twisting Hand of Mount Heaven (天山折梅手)
• Life and Death Talisman (生死符)

See also

• Tian Shan
• Tien Shan Pai

Notes

1. ^ Liang, Yusheng. Baifa Monü Zhuan (白髮魔女傳). 1957.
2. ^ ^{a b} Liang, Yusheng. Qijian Xia Tianshan (七劍下天山) 1956.
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Cha, Louis. Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龍八部). Ming Pao, 1963.

External links

• (Chinese) Mount Heaven Sect on Baidu Baike