The Return of the Condor Heroes

The Return of the Condor Heroes (traditional Chinese: 神鵰俠侶; simplified Chinese: 神雕侠侣; pinyin: shén diāo xiá lǚ) is a classic wuxia novel written by Jin Yong, first published on May 20, 1959 in the first issue of Ming Pao and ran for about three years. This is the second novel of the Condor Trilogy. The story revolves around Yang Guo and his lover Xiaolongnü in their adventure in an unfamiliar world that does not approve of their taboo love between master and apprentice.

Jin Yong revised the novel in 1970 and again in 2004. There are 40 chapters in the 2nd and 3rd revisions of the novel. Each chapter has a 4-character title. Most of the revisions are either clarifications or minor alterations of character motivations. These are the titles for 3rd revision, slightly different from 2nd revision of the novel.

1. 風月無情 — No Love Under the Wind and the Moon
2. 故人之子 — A Friend’s Son
3. 投師終南 — Seeking Tutelage at Mount Zhongnan
4. 全真門下 — Under the Teaching of Quanzhen Sect
5. 活死人墓 — The Tomb of Living Dead
6. 玉女心經 — Manual of the Jade Maiden
7. 重陽遺刻 — Chongyang’s Markings
8. 白衣少女 — Girl in White
9. 百計避敵 — Escaping from the Enemy
10. 少年英俠 — Young Heroes
11. 風塵睏頓 — A Pause from Roaming
12. 英雄大宴 — The Heroes’ Feast
13. 武林盟主 — The Chancellor of Martial Clans Wulin
14. 禮教大防 — Defending against Custom and Tradition
15. 東邪門人 — The Disciples of Eastern Heretic
16. 殺父深仇 — Avenging a Father’s Death
17. 絕情幽谷 — The Secluded Passionless Valley
18. 公孫谷主 — Valley Master Gongsun
19. 地底老婦 — The Old Woman of Underground
20. 俠之大者 — A Hero’s Top Imperative
21. 襄陽鏖兵 — Battle at Xiangyang
22. 危城女嬰 — A Baby Girl Born in a Falling City
23. 手足情仇 — Sibling Rivalry
24. 意亂情迷 — Turbulent Emotions
25. 內憂外患 — Domestic Strife, Foreign Aggression
26. 神雕重劍 — Divine Eagle’s Heavy Sword
27. 鬥智鬥力 — Fighting Strength with Wisdom
28. 洞房花燭 — Wedding Festivities
29. 劫難重重 — Ultimate Disasters
30. 離合無常 — Strange Encounters
31. 半枚靈丹 — The Other Half of the Antidote
32. 情是何物 — What Entity is Love
33. 風陵夜話 — Tales in the Night
34. 排難解紛 — Settling a Dispute
35. 三枚金針 — The Three Golden Needles
36. 生辰大禮 — The Birthday Celebration
37. 三世恩怨 — Gratitudes and Grudges of Three Generations
38. 生死茫茫 — Life and Death are Boundless
39. 大戰襄陽 — Great Battle of Xiangyang
40. 華山之巔 — The Summit of Mount Hua

The main characters are Yang Guo (楊過) and Xiaolongnü (小龍女). Yang Guo is the orphaned son of Yang Kang (楊康) and Mu Nianci (穆念慈), both characters of the prequel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. He never knew his father and could barely remember his mother. But their legacy, especially his father’s, made him an outsider in the Martial World.

Xiaolongnü is a mysterious girl of unknown origin and whose past is slowly revealed in the plot.

Raised briefly by Guo Jing and Huang Rong, Yang Guo was later sent to train under the Quan Zhen Sect martial arts (All True Religion). Fleeing from bullying and abuse at Quanzhen School, he met Xiaolongnü of Ancient Tomb Sect (Gumu Pai), who became his teacher. When they first met, Yang Guo was an impetuous and mischievous 14-year-old while Xiaolongnü was a cold, unemotional 18-year-old. After years of living and training martial arts together in the Ancient Tomb, they eventually fell in love with each other.