The Legend of the Condor Heroes

I have been reading some classic Chinese wu xia novels lately. My brother has the entire collection by the most famous kung fu novel writer, Jin Yong. Both my brother and I were fans of Jin Yong as kids. But reading these novels now, when I no longer focus on the storyline, I can read into why the characters were as brave, angry, stubborn, evil, naive..... as they were.

I picked The Legend of the Condor Heroes 射鵰英雄傳 from my brother's bookshelf and enjoyed those 8 mini books very much.

Here to share with you, are 4 guiding principles a senior kung fu master gave to a very important young child in the legend. Just like how Harry Potter was born by 2 legendary parents and was given some unknown power, this boy, as a relunctant hero, learned these 4 principles and became the main character of this legend of the condor heros.

思定則情忘 With a solid mind, your emotions control nothing.

體虛則氣順 With an empty body, your Chi runs smoothly.

心死則神活 When your heart is dead, your spirit lives.

陽盛則陰衰 When the Yang prospers, the Yin goes away.

Shortly after I read these, the young kid learned another very important advice from one of his "teachers" before he left to fight on his own for the first time. Worrying that the kid might get killed in a battle that was impossible for him to win, the teacher said, "if you can't win, RUN AWAY! 打不贏 逃!"

This one is pretty good, too.