By Orsiris
If Legend of the Condor Heroes centers around “honesty and loyalty,” echoing the virtues of Zhong Fu (Inner Truth) and Qian/Kun (Heaven/Earth), then Return of the Condor Heroes turns inward—toward a deeper exploration of solitude and cosmic integration. It moves from worldly love to heavenly destiny, from personal attachment to the natural flow of Dao. The journey of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü is a life exploration of “change and communication,” “emptiness and form,” “severance and continuity”—a modern interpretation of the I Ching’s spirit: “observe change” and “achieve harmony.”
This article explores three dimensions of resonance between Return of the Condor Heroes and the I Ching:
- The alignment of character personalities and hexagrams
- Plot development through the logic of hexagram sequences
- The convergence of thematic spirit with Daoist philosophy.
II. Character Traits and Corresponding Hexagrams
(1) Yang Guo: The Da Guo Tree — Leaning But Unfallen
Yang Guo is born into adversity—his father Yang Kang was a feared man in the martial world, and Yang Guo himself was misunderstood and displaced. His defiant and solitary character reflects the Da Guo (Great Exceeding) hexagram:
“The ridgepole sags, but it is advantageous to move forward. Success.”
Da Guo symbolizes both great loss and great potential—thriving in adversity and breaking convention to create new paths. Yang Guo bears society’s rejection but finds a unique balance between justice and love, walking a singular path of “bending without breaking.”
(2) Xiaolongnü: The Stillness of Guan, the Elegance of the Orchid
Xiaolongnü, raised in the Ancient Tomb, is accustomed to solitude and serenity. She acts with detachment and restrained emotion, corresponding to the Guan (Contemplation) hexagram:
“Washing but not presenting offerings, there is sincerity and dignity.”
The contemplator observes heaven and earth, and reflects upon the self. Xiaolongnü is both a pure being and a mirror to the world—embodying the ideal of “stillness and emptiness to observe change.”
(3) Guo Xiang: A Traveler of the Lu Hexagram — Wandering Without Settling
Young Guo Xiang roams the martial world with sensitivity and curiosity, harboring unspoken feelings for Yang Guo without clinging. She aligns with the Lu (Travel) hexagram:
“Traveling brings minor success; persistence brings good fortune.”
The traveler has no fixed abode but moves with purpose. Though not the protagonist, she symbolically represents a bridge—bidding farewell to the old chivalrous era and transforming personal longing into compassion, becoming one who rescues herself.
(4) Golden Wheel Monk: Excessive Firmness Breaks — A Man of Wei Ji
The Golden Wheel Monk is strong and aggressive, his martial prowess matched by overbearing ambition. His fate symbolizes the transition between Bo (Peeling) and Wei Ji (Not Yet Completed): in the midst of prosperity and decline, rashness leads to ruin. His defeat by Yang Guo stems not only from martial inferiority, but from the I Ching’s principle:
“Excessive firmness leads to breaking.”
(5) Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang: Parallel Paths of Xun Wind and Kan Water
Cheng Ying is steady and composed, like a tree in the wind—gentle but determined, reflecting the Xun (Wind) hexagram. Lu Wushuang is more emotionally direct and volatile, resembling the Kan (Water) hexagram:
“Life within danger, finding balance through hardship.”
Both women love Yang Guo, yet choose growth and letting go—demonstrating the power of yin virtues within the hexagrams.
III. Plot Development and Hexagram Metaphors
(1) Xian → Heng → Dun: Awakening Love, Holding Fast, Retreating from the World
The central thread of Return of the Condor Heroes is the love between Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü. It begins with Xian (Attraction), evolves into Heng (Constancy), and concludes with Dun (Retreat), as they withdraw into nature amidst worldly resistance.
“When the petty way flourishes, the noble path recedes”—so the noble one chooses withdrawal.
(2) The Dao of Loss and Gain: Martial Arts and Life Cultivation
After losing his arm, Yang Guo gains the soul-shattering Melancholy Palm technique. Its essence is not in attack, but in the Dao of “gain through loss.” It reflects the cycle between Sun (Decrease) and Yi (Increase):
“Decreasing the above to benefit below—this is the path of great light.”
Yang Guo’s breakthroughs come not through accumulation, but sacrifice—losing his arm, yet gaining pure qi.
“Loss and gain depend on each other; firmness and gentleness harmonize.”
(3) Ji Ji and Wei Ji: The End That Is Not an End
The story’s ending reunites Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü in apparent bliss, yet their reclusion in Zhongnan Mountain is not a true return to the mundane. It symbolizes the incomplete fulfillment of Ji Ji (Completion), mirroring Wei Ji (Not Yet Completed):
“When something is about to be complete, it is still incomplete.”
This is both a plot design and a reflection of the I Ching’s principle:
“Ending gives birth to a new beginning.”
(4) Sheng and Kun: Rising from Difficulty
When Yang Guo is trapped in Passionless Valley, he is externally constrained but internally enlightened, resembling the Kun (Oppression) hexagram. His spiritual ascent mirrors Sheng (Rising):
“Great success. See the great man. Do not be troubled. Southern expedition brings good fortune.”
Even in hardship, he ascends toward transcendence.
IV. Theme and Dao: Unity of Love and Way
(1) The Dialectic of Love and Dao
The love in Return of the Condor Heroes defies social norms and traditional morality. Yet it is sincere and restrained—aligning with the I Ching’s idea:
“Sincerity is the Dao of Heaven.”
Even if unconventional, their sincerity fulfills the natural way.
(2) Rebellion and Transcendence: Breaking Hexagrams to Forge Fate
The I Ching teaches that change is the root of renewal. The entire novel challenges traditional martial orders, patriarchy, and rigid lineages—seeking freedom beyond the “teaching of names,” and returning to the spontaneity of the Dao.
(3) Unity of Heaven and Humanity: The Final Retreat
Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü’s choice to leave the martial world is both the wisdom of Dun and a prelude to Fu (Return). Living with eagles and clouds, they embody:
“Heaven and I were born together; all things and I are one.”
This is a martial-arts-style realization of the I Ching’s ideal: unity of Heaven and humanity.
(4) Feminine Virtue and the Return of Yin Wisdom
Xiaolongnü shatters the masculine myth of the martial world. Her gentle strength reflects the I Ching’s reverence for yin virtues, especially in Kun:
“Great virtue supports all things.”
She is no weakling; her calm and compliance conceal strength and clarity—symbolizing the wisdom of Eastern femininity.
V. Conclusion: From Severed Arm to Enlightenment, From Lone Crane to Flying Dragon
Unlike Legend of the Condor Heroes, which centers on a group of heroes and national affairs, Return of the Condor Heroes focuses on a couple preserving true love in adversity and finding independence in solitude. Their every choice echoes a hexagram from the I Ching—their story is a living tapestry of Da Guo, Guan, Dun, and Wei Ji.
Through Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü, Jin Yong redirects the I Ching’s philosophy from statecraft to personal fate and soul cultivation—deepening the meaning of wuxia and giving modern voice to the enduring spirit of Chinese culture.
Suggested Illustrations:
- Image 1: Yang Guo paired with the Da Guo hexagram, with a sketch of him and the eagle
- Image 2: Xiaolongnü meditating in the tomb, with the Guan hexagram and original Yao text
- Image 3: Plot hexagram sequence flowchart (Xian → Heng → Dun → Wei Ji)
- Image 4: Guo Xiang’s emotional map with the Lu hexagram (background: martial world map)
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