Chu Liuxiang

Chu Liuxiang is the fictional protagonist of the wuxia novel series Chu Liuxiang Series (楚留香系列) by Gu Long. He robs the rich to help the poor and upholds justice in the jianghu. He is nicknamed "Daoshuai" (盜帥; Bandit Chief) or more popularly, "Xiangshuai" (香帥; Chief Xiang). He is intelligent and observant, kind and compassionate. His name "Liuxiang" literally means "lingering fragrance".

Character description

Chu is a martial arts expert whose prowess in qinggong is unmatched. He wields a fan as his weapon and uses it only for self-defence. He relies on his wit, experience and calm to solve several mysteries and overcome several enemies who are more powerful than him. The identity of Chu's martial arts teacher is unknown, and even the well-informed Shuimu Yinji could only deduce that he is a student of Ye Di (夜帝), a character from Daqi Yingxiong Zhuan (大旗英雄傳).^[1]

Chu's age is not specified in the novels, but he is estimated to be around 30 years old. In Bianfu Chuanqi, Chu's childhood friend Hu Tiehua is said to be 33 years old. Chu's age is assumed to be close to Hu's.

Chu resides on a houseboat called Xiang's Houseboat (香榭)built by Hu Tiehua, which also functions as his headquarters. Living together with him are three women, who are the closest people to him apart from his best friends Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan. They accompany him together in Tiexue Chuanqi. They come from pitiful backgrounds and have been following Chu on his adventures since they were 11 or 12. The first, Su Rongrong, is kind and understanding and specialises in the art of disguise. The second, Li Hongxiu, is very clear and alert and has a good memory. The third one, Song Tian'er, is a good cook and is the most mischievous and adorable of the three. Chu also meets several other beautiful maidens on his adventures, such as Heizhenzhu, Shi Xiuyun, Hua Zhenzhen, Dong Sanniang and Xinyue. He eventually marries Zhang Jiejie, whom he meets in Taohua Chuanqi.

Chu has a wide network of friends. They include: Monk Wuhua, who is later revealed to be a foe; Ji Bingyan, who appears cold and indifferent but is actually very warm-hearted; Zhongyuan Yidianhong, a powerful swordsman; Zuo Qinghou, the hospitable master of Zhibei manor; "Swift Net" Zhang San.

Characters

• Shuimu Yinji (水母陰姬; 水母阴姬; Shuímǔ Yīnjī; Seoi2-mou5 Jam1-gei1)
• Hu Tiehua (胡鐵花; 胡铁花; Hú Tiěhuā; Wu4 Tit3-faa1)
• Ji Bingyan (姬冰雁; Jī Bīngyàn; Gei1 Bing1-ngaan6)
• Su Rongrong (蘇蓉蓉; 苏蓉蓉; Sū Róngróng; Sou1 Jung4-jung4)
• Li Hongxiu (李紅袖; 李红袖; Lǐ Hóngxìu; Lei5 Hung4-zau6)
• Song Tian'er (宋甜兒; 宋甜儿; Sòng Tián'ér; Sung3 Tim4-ji4)
• Heizhenzhu (黑珍珠; Hēizhēnzhū; Hak1-zan1-zyu1; "Black Pearl")
• Shi Xiuyun (石繡雲; 石绣云; Shí Xìuyún; Sek6 Sau3-wan4)
• Hua Zhenzhen (華真真; 华真真; Huà Zhēnzhēn; Waa4 Zan1-zan1)
• Dong Sanniang (東三娘; 东三娘; Dōng Sānniáng; Dung1 Saam1-noeng4)
• Xinyue (新月; Xīnyuè; San1-jyut6; "New Moon")
• Zhang Jiejie (張潔潔; 张洁洁; Zhāng Jiéjié; Zoeng1 Git3-git3)
• Monk Wuhua (無花和尚; 无花和尚; Wúhuā Héshàng; Mou4-faa1 Wo4-soeng6; "Flowerless Monk")
• Zhongyuan Yidianhong (中原一點紅; 中原一点红; Zhōngyuán Yīdiǎnhóng; Zung1-jyun4 Jat1-dim2-hung4; "One Red Spot in the Central Plains")
• Zuo Qinghou (左輕侯; 左轻侯; Zuǒ Qīnghóu; Zo2 Hing1-hau4)
• Zhang San (張三; 张三; Zhāng Sān; Zoeng1 Saam1)
• Shiguanyin (石觀音; 石观音; Shí Guānyīn; Sek6 Gun1-jam1; "Stone Guanyin")
• Li Yuhan (李玉函; Lǐ Yùhán; Lei5 Juk6-haam4)
• Liu Wumei (柳無眉; 柳无眉; Lǐu Wúméi; Lau5 Mou4-mei4)
• Li Guanyu (李觀魚; 李观鱼; Lǐ Guānyú; Lei5 Gun1-jyu4)
• Xue Yiren (薛衣人; Xuē Yīrén; Sit3 Ji1-jan4)
• Xue Xiaoren (薛笑人; Xuē Xiàorén; Sit3 Siu3-jan4)
• Heavenly King Shi (史天王; Shǐ Tiānwáng; Si2 Tin1-wong4)
• Princess Jade Sword (玉劍公主; 玉剑公主; Yùjiàn Gōngzhǔ; Juk6-gim3 Gung1-zyu2)

Novels

Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi

楚留香傳奇; 楚留香传奇; Chǔ Líuxiāng Chuánqí; Co2 Lau4-hoeng1 Cyun4-kei4; "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang"

The three novels, Xuehai Piaoxiang, Da Shamo and Huameiniao, are collectively known as Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi novel series.

Xuehai Piaoxiang

血海飄香; 血海飘香; Xuèhǎi Piāoxiāng; Hyut3-hoi2 Piu1-hoeng1; "Fragrance in the Sea of Blood"

Chu Liuxiang steals a rare flower from the capital and brings it back to his boathouse to take care of it himself. He sees the corpses of several top fighters in the jianghu drifting towards him. This arouses his interest and he decides to investigate their deaths. Meanwhile, the Heaven's One Holy Water (天一神水), a deadly potion from the Holy Water Palace (神水宮), is stolen and Chu is accused of being the thief. Monk Wuhua is eventually revealed to be the mastermind behind all the mysterious events and murders. Chu confronts Wuhua and defeats him in a fight. Wuhua commits suicide.

Da Shamo

大沙漠; Dà Shāmò; Daai6 Saa1-mok6; "The Vast Desert"

Chu Liuxiang returns to his boathouse and discovers that Su Rongrong, Li Hongxiu and Song Tian'er are missing in Gobi Desert Mongolia. The three maidens are the closest to him apart from his friends and he knows that they will not leave without notifying him. He sets forth on a long journey in search of them and reaches the desert. He meets his friends Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan there. Through a series of adventures, Chu defeats Shiguanyin and Wuhua (who actually survived). Shiguanyin commits suicide after her defeat. However, Chu has not found the missing girls yet.

Huameiniao

畫眉鳥; 画眉鸟; Huàméiniǎo; Waak6-mei4-niu5; "The Thrush"

Chu Liuxiang has a series of adventures with Li Yuhan and his wife Liu Wumei. Liu was previously a student of Shiguanyin. He engages Shuimu Yinji in a dramatic battle that shocks the entire jianghu and emerges victorious. Chu exposes an evil scheme in front of Li Yuhan's father Li Guanyu and rescues the three missing maidens.

Chu Liuxiang Xinzhuan

楚留香新傳; 楚留香新传; Chǔ Líuxiāng Xīnzhuàn; Co2 Lau4-hoeng1 San1-zyun6; "New Legend of Chu Liuxiang"

The five novels, Bianfu Chuanqi, Guilian Xiaqing, Taohua Chuanqi, Xinyue Chuanqi and Wuye Lanhua, are collectively known as the Chu Liuxiang Xinzhuan novel series.

Bianfu Chuanqi

蝙蝠傳奇; 蝙蝠传奇; Biānfú Chuánqí; Bin1-fuk1 Cyun4-kei4; "Legend of the Bat"

Guilian Xiaqing

鬼戀俠情; 鬼恋侠情; Guǐliàn Xiáqíng; Gwai2-lyun5 Hap6-cing4; "Phantom Love and Heroic Romance"

Chu Liuxiang encounters a pair of lovers who are forbidden to be together by their parents. The lovers pretend to have lost their souls after feigning illness so that they can trick their parents. Chu unravels the mystery behind the case and helps the lovers be together.

Taohua Chuanqi

桃花傳奇; 桃花传奇; Táohuā Chuánqí; Tou4-faa1 Cyun4-kei4; "Legend of the Peach Blossom"

The end of this story resembles the famous paradox in the English short story The Lady, or the Tiger?.

Xinyue Chuanqi

新月傳奇; 新月传奇; Xīnyuè Chuánqí; San1-jyut6 Cyun4-kei4; "Legend of the New Moon"

The people living near the sea face constant raids from pirates. The imperial court dispatches the most famous sect in the jianghu, Jade Sword Manor (玉劍山莊), to eliminate the pirates. Unexpectedly, the elimination of the pirates leads to the emergence of a new pirate lord, Heavenly King Shi, who becomes the new threat on the high seas. To make peace with King Shi, the imperial court asks the Jade Sword Manor's leader to offer her daughter Princess Jade Sword's hand-in-marriage to King Shi. This arouses the attention of several martial artists and sects in the jianghu. It is apparent that the jianghu is about to experience some turmoil soon. Chu Liuxiang seems to be the only one who can save them.

Wuye Lanhua

午夜蘭花; 午夜兰花; Wǔyè Lánhuā; Ng5-je6 Laan4-faa1; "The Midnight Orchid"

After ten months of Chu Liuxiang "death", a war between two sects , which known as "Operation Fei ng", has begin. The storyline continue with actions of participants, confrontation of two martal artists, analysis of a pair of master and disciple. It is the most passive story and most fearsome operation ever in the fiction world.

Adaptations

Films

Television

Video games

• Master Chu and the Drunkard Hu
• Chu Liuxiang Xinzhuan (楚留香新傳) is a RPG released in 2001 by Taiwan's UserJoy Technology. The game's story line is based on four novels in the series: Guilian Xiaqing, Taohua Chuanqi, Xinyue Chuanqi and Wuye Lanhua.

References