Juedai Shuangjiao
Juedai Shuangjiao is a wuxia novel by Gu Long. In the story, two brothers are separated at birth because of a feud between two powerful martial artists, and raised by opposing sides. It has been consistently popular since its publication in 1966, and as of 2020 has been the subject of eight TV series and four films.
| Author | Gu Long |
|---|---|
| Original title | 絕代雙驕 |
| Country | China |
| Language | Chinese |
| Genre | Wuxia, romance, adventure |
Publication date | 1966 |
| Media type |
Plot
Eighteen years ago, a handsome young martial artist called Jiang Feng was injured by chance and saved by two sisters: Yaoyue and Lianxing, masters of Yihua Palace (the "Palace of Passing Flowers") and the deadliest warriors in jianghu (the community of martial arts fighters). Yaoyue falls in love with Jiang Feng, but her arrogance disgusts him and, despite her beauty and power, he rejects her and instead falls in love with her servant girl Hua Yuenu.
Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu are forced to flee from Yihua Palace after Yuenu becomes pregnant with Jiang's child, but are betrayed by Feng's servant Jiang Qin (who envies Jiang Feng's good looks and the attention paid to him by Yaoyue and Lianxiang). Jiang Qin alerts a group of bandits to the couple's route, and the bandits attack just as Yuenu is giving birth to a pair of twin boys. The couple are slain by the bandits, but their children are not hurt; Yaoyue and Lianxing soon catch up and find the couple dead and the newborn babies crying by the roadside. Yaoyue refuses to forgive Jiang Feng for rejecting her love and vows to take her revenge by making his two sons destroy each other.
The sisters adopt one of the boys as their own and abandon the other, who is rescued by Yan Nantian, Jiang Feng's sworn brother and generally regarded as the most powerful martial artist of the time. Unaware of the first boy's fate, Yan Nantian takes the second with him as he pursues Jiang Qin into the Villainous Valley, a remote settlement populated entirely by criminals. There he encounters five of the notorious Ten Great Villains, ten martial artists who have been outlawed for atrocities including murder and cannibalism, and defeats them easily in open battle. Before he can find Jiang Qin, however, he is tricked into lowering his guard, poisoned and captured. The villains torture him until he loses consciousness, but refrain from harming the second boy and instead decide to raise the child as their apprentice and groom him to become the greatest villain in history. Yan Nantian, meanwhile, is kept alive by the ministrations of Wan Chunliu, a skillful and kind-hearted physician who has concealed himself in the valley, under the pretendence of using the unconscious Yan Nantian as a test subject for medical experiments.
Years pass, and the twins grow up into a pair of handsome youths. Yaoyue and Lianxing name the boy they raised "Hua Wuque" (Flawless Flower), and teach him manners, refinement and the elegantly lethal martial arts style of Yihua Palace, raising him to be the perfect embodiment of a Confucian gentleman. The other boy, Xiaoyu'er (Little Fish), is trained by the Ten Great Villains in a wide range of martial arts and, perhaps more usefully, in a number of practical if not "villainous" skills such as theft, deception, the use of poison and the art of disguise, growing up to be a moderately powerful martial artist and an exceptionally streetwise young man. Xiaoyu'er heads out into the world alone, and relying on his combination of wits and some martial arts training, gets himself into and out of a series of adventures, in the course of which he becomes embroiled in complicated romantic relationships with a number of female martial artists such as Tie Xinlan, Murong Jiu, Su Ying and Zhang Jing.
While Xiaoyu'er is busy raising mischief, Yaoyue sends Hua Wuque to kill Xiaoyu'er, under the pretence that Xiaoyu'er is a dangerous threat. Against the backdrop of various escapades, they come to blows several times. Each encounter follows the same pattern: though Hua Wuque's martial arts powers are far greater than Xiaoyu'er's, the latter always manages to survive by using his wits to escape.
The twins are initially hostile towards one another and have wildly different personalities; Hua Wuque is righteous and intelligent but naive, while Xiaoyu'er is expedient, streetwise and cunning. However, the two of them develop a mutual friendship and respect after braving danger together. At the same time, they become entangled in a love triangle with the young martial artist Tie Xinlan.
Yaoyue is determined to make the twins fight to the death, and ultimately forces Hua Wuque to challenge Xiaoyu'er to mortal combat. Xiaoyu'er is seemingly killed by Wuque during the duel, after which Yaoyue exposes her true intentions to Wuque and tells him about her plan to make their father pay the ultimate price for scorning her. Wuque is horrified when he hears this, and shocked to learn that Xiaoyu'er is actually his twin brother. However, Xiaoyu'er reveals that he had one last trick to play - he had feigned his death earlier by consuming a special drug. The twins finally recognise and acknowledge each other as brothers, defeating the plan of the Palace of Passing Flowers and ending the story happily.
Characters
Protagonists
- Jiang Xiaoyu (江小魚; 江小鱼; Jiāng Xiǎoyú; Gong1 Siu2-jyu4), better known as Xiaoyu'er (小魚兒; 小鱼儿; Xiǎoyú'ér; Siu2-jyu4-ji4) aka Little Fish or Small Fry, is Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu's son. When they died, Xiaoyu'er was initially saved by Yan Nantian, Jiang Feng's sworn brother. After Yan Nantian was injured by the Five of the Ten Great Villains, he was spared and subsequently raised by the Five Villains who intended to train him into a great villain. Though his body is covered in scars due to his brutal upbringing, Xiaoyu'er possesses considerable charm and rugged good looks which allow him to leave a lasting impression on every woman he meets. Although his tough upbringing causes him to adopt a callous and hedonistic persona in public, Xiaoyu'er actually has a strong moral compass and is naturally kind and protective of others. While he was trained to be a respectable fighter, Xiaoyu'er prefers to rely on his intelligence, cunning, and a variety of skills such as thievery and deception that were imparted to him by his villainous tutors to overcome challenges. However, when he encounters the lethally effective Hua Wuque, Xiaoyu'er realizes that tricks alone cannot be relied upon to keep him alive, and devotes himself to improving his fighting abilities. He ultimately finds a martial arts manual and learns the advanced styles set out in it, growing into a formidable martial artist in his own right. He manages to grow close to Hua Wuque despite them having to duel to the death orchestrated by Yaoyue, and is elated to learn they are twins.
- Hua Wuque (花無缺; 花无缺; Huā Wúquē; Faa1 Mou4-kyut3) is Xiaoyu'er's twin brother. He is raised by the two masters of the Yihua Palace to be the heir and given the last name "Hua" which represents Yihua Palace. He bears a striking resemblance to his father and has a more androgynous beauty than his brother. Wuque is highly respected by in the jianghu for his formidable prowess in martial arts and is gentlemanly, poised and courteous. He often dresses in white and carries a noble and peaceful charisma. Even Xiaoyu'er is impressed by his skills and elegance, admitting that his name which means "flawless" suits him well. However, he has a tendency to suppress his emotions and has a pessimistic outlook towards life. He would rather hold back his feelings than let them trouble the ones he loves, such as with Tie Xinlan. He grows throughout the story through his many encounters, becoming smarter and managing to trick some of the enemies, in addition to experiencing worry, disappointment and heartbreak during his time spent with the friends he gains along the way. He grows close to Xiaoyu'er despite their predestined duel to the death orchestrated by Yaoyue, leading to a dilemma between protecting his new friend and obeying his masters. Right before the final duel, he makes the decision to never hurt Xiaoyu'er and secretly plans to sacrifice himself. When all is revealed, he is happy to learn that he is twins with Xiaoyu'er and reaffirm their bond as brothers.
- Tie Xinlan (鐵心蘭; 铁心兰; Tiě Xīnlán; Tit3 Sam1-laan4) is the daughter of Tie Zhan, one of the Ten Great Villains, and extremely beautiful in appearance. She appears to be softhearted but is actually strong-willed and brave, although she could also be quick-tempered and stubborn at times. She is a decent fighter and was trained in the skill 'Berserk Hundred Hits' (瘋狂一百零捌打) by her father. At the beginning of the story, she crosses paths with Xiaoyu'er while traveling alone to look for her missing father. When they first meet, Xiaoyu'er treats her badly like he does to all women, but they grow closer over time and Tie Xinlan falls madly in love with him. She later meets Hua Wuque who deeply admires her and is willing to risk his own life defending her. She becomes entangled in a love triangle between the brothers and often has to intervene to prevent them from fighting. She is the first person to notice the resemblance between the two brothers, saying that they have similar-looking eyes and eyebrows. Even after falling for Hua Wuque, she retains a close bond with Xiaoyu'er and ultimately cares for him as a close friend and fears for his safety. In the end, she is happy that the duel between the brothers does not end in either deaths and eventually marries Hua Wuque.
- Yan Nantian (燕南天; Yàn Nántiān; Jin3 Naam4-tin1), nicknamed "Best Divine Swordsman Under Heaven" (天下第一神劍), is the most powerful martial artist in the novel. He is Jiang Feng's sworn brother. His prowess in swordplay is unmatched in the jianghu and his "swordsman aura" can be even felt from a distance. He is said to be so powerful that he can shave a man bald in a single move without the person noticing. He is massive in stature and dresses like a pauper. He is ambushed by the Ten Great Villains and enters a coma, but is revived by the physician Wan Chunliu, who keeps him alive under the pretext of using his comatose body to test new drugs. He awakens only to find that he has lost most of his original abilities, and trains for long months to regain them, eventually even surpassing his previous level of power. He serves as Xiaoyu'er's role model and trains him in martial arts.
- Su Ying (蘇櫻; 苏樱; Sū Yīng; Sou1 Jing1) is Wei Wuya's foster daughter. She is spoiled, arrogant, scheming and anti-social. She is well-versed in medicine and extremely cunning but has no significant martial arts skills. Her intelligence enables her to manipulate many martial artists throughout the novel. Her beautiful appearance and indifferent personality are similar to those of Yaoyue and Lianxing – which was why Wei Wuya adopted her. When she meets Xiaoyu'er, she falls in love with him and decides to follow him until she wins his heart, risking her life twice to save him. She is more intelligent than him and knows how to adapt her behaviour according to his mood, making her different from the other girls in Xiaoyu'er's life, as he finally reciprocates her feelings in the end and becomes a couple with her.
Yihua Palace
- Yaoyue (邀月; Yāoyuè; Jiu1-jyut6) is the first master of Yihua Palace (the "Palace of Passing Flowers"). According to Lianxing, before Yaoyue and Yan Nantian mastered all their respective skills, Yaoyue was slightly better than Yan, making her the most powerful martial artist at the beginning of the novel. Although she possesses beauty, charisma and skill, she is described by Jiang Feng as "not a living person or human being, but fire, a block, ice or a sword instead". Jiang Feng rejects her and elopes with one of Yihua Palace's servant girls, Hua Yuenu. Yaoyue is angered and she pursues and hunts down the couple. After Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu die, Yaoyue intends to kill their twin boys but Lianxing stops her. The sisters choose one of the twins and raise him as their son and groom him to be the heir to Yihua Palace. After all the years, she refuses to forgive Jiang Feng, as the thought of him, Hua Yuenu, and their two sons pains her deeply. Throughout the story, Yaoyue is determined to have Hua Wuque and Xiaoyu'er fight to death without revealing the real reason to either of them. This revenge plot appears to be the only thing that has kept her going. When Xiaoyu'er emerges from death, foiling her plan, Yaoyue suffers a mental breakdown and runs away with her sister's body.
- Lianxing (憐星; 怜星; Liánxīng; Lin4-sing1) is the second master of Yihua Palace and Yaoyue's younger sister. She is described to be a sweet and pretty woman whose beauty surpasses that of a flower blooming in spring. According to Xiaoyue'er, in comparison to Yaoyue, Lianxing is warmer in character than her sister. This is confirmed by Tie Pinggu, because Lianxing, like Yaoyue, had also fallen in love with Jiang Feng, but was afraid to express her feelings for fear of her sister. After Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu die, Lianxing saves the twins by suggesting making them kill each other when they are grown up instead of killing them now. Throughout the novel, it is hinted that Lianxing, unlike Yaoyue, does not take the revenge plot seriously. Hua Wuque sees Lianxing as a mother-figure and treats her with love and respect. Compared with Yaoyue and Yan Nantian, Lianxing is slightly weaker in martial arts than her sister, but equal to Yan. During the final duel, Lianxing attempts to talk Yaoyue out of the revenge plot in order to save Hua Wuque and Xiaoyu'er; however, Yaoyue refuses and instead kills Lianxing for intervening.
Good Characters
- Wan Chunliu (万春流; 萬春流) is an old physician with excellent medical skills who resides in the Villainous Valley. He is righteous and kind in nature, but puts on a poker face in front of the Great Villains. He is an early teacher to Xiaoyu'er and treats him like a grandson. He lets Xiaoyu'er hang around while he practices; as a result, Xiaoer'yu becomes quite knowledgeable about medicine and poison at an early age. Wan Chunliu tells Xiaoyu'er about Yan Nantian's fight with the Five Villains that led to Yan's injuries and coma. Yan Nantian ultimately recovers after almost two decades under Wan Chunliu's continuous care. Before Xiaoyu'er and Hua Wuque's final duel, Wan Chunliu helps Xiaoyu'er make a special drug to fake his death.
- Gu Renyu (顧人玉; 顾人玉; Gù Rényù; Gu3 Jan4-juk6) is nicknamed "Jade Faced Divine Fist" (玉面神拳). He is honest, simple and easily embarrassed. He practises his family's martial art 'Gu Family Divine Fist' (顧家神拳), which blends in well when combined with Zhang Jing's palm skills. He tends to be referred to as Ms. Gu due to his beauty. He is shown to be kind and gentle in nature, even managing to easily befriend Xiaoyu whom he places great trust in and vice versa. He is initially ordered by his mother to woo Murong Jiu, but falls in love with Zhang Jing instead and eventually marries her.
- Black Spider (黑蜘蛛; Hēizhīzhū; Hak1-zi1-zyu1) is a martial artist who dresses in a tight black suit and has a mechanical device strapped to his wrist capable of shooting spider web fluid at enemies. He is an expert in qinggong and is capable of scaling walls with his 'Flying Silver Threads' (銀絲飛渡) skill. He considers Xiaoyu a "jerk" due to his scheming nature but the two ultimately become close friends. He has a strong personal ego and likes to play the role of an older sibling to his friends but is reserved, wearing a mask and later a black veil to hide his identity. He is in love with Murong Jiu but is afraid of confessing to her so he always watches her from a distance. When Murong Jiu ventures into the jianghu, he follows her closely and protects her with his life. He marries Murong Jiu eventually.
- Shen Xi (神锡; 神錫) is the clan master of E'mei clan and a martial artist of high renown. He is one of the most honorable martial artists in the story and not blinded by lies or wealth. Unlike most characters, he sees the good in Jiang Xiaoyu and trusts him, even aiding him in revealing Jiang Biehe's crimes.
Villains
- Jiang Biehe (江別鶴; 江别鹤; Jiāng Biéhè; Gong1 Bit6-hok6) is Xiaoyu'er's primary nemesis. He was originally Jiang Feng's servant and was previously known as Jiang Qin (江琴; Jiāng Qín; Gong1 Kam4). He betrayed his master for monetary rewards and became an influential nobleman and martial artist. He is brutal and ruthless by nature, but also intelligent and adept at deception. He is hailed as a "Hero of Jiangnan" for pretending to perform heroic and kind acts, while secretly conducting wicked deeds such as extortion and assassinations. When Xiaoyu'er attempts to expose his hypocrisy in public, he attacks Xiaoyu'er verbally and accuses him of committing the very atrocities he is responsible for. However, this backfires when he is tricked into revealing his involvement in those atrocities. He is eventually captured and crippled by Yan Nantian, which disables his martial art skills. Yan Nantian sends him to Xiaoyu'er for punishment but Xiaoyu'er ultimately decides to spare his life.
- Jiang Yulang (江玉郎; Jiāng Yùláng; Gong1 Juk6-long4) is Jiang Biehe's son, who was named after Jiang Feng's nickname. He is trained by his father in martial arts and groomed to support his father in his quest to dominate the jianghu. He has a pale complexion and appears feminine. He is deceitful and calculative with decent martial art skills. He and Xiaoyu'er have many encounters throughout the story and even Xiaoyu'er is not able to outwit him easily. He is also an expert in charming and seducing women, and his many "trophies" include Tie Pinggu, who eventually succeeds in getting revenge and murdering him with poison.
- The Ten Great Villains (十大惡人; 十大恶人; Shí Dà È Rén; Sap6 Daai6 Ngok3 Jan4) are ten notorious criminals in the jianghu. In spite of their collective nickname, they are not an official group per se because they often operate independently. Furthermore, their fame is due more to their various eccentricities and quirks rather than actual villainy. Most of the ten are not even evil at all. The five who raised Xiaoyu'er are Du Sha, Haha'er, Tu Jiao Jiao, Li Dazhui and Yin Jiuyou. They develop an emotional attachment to the boy and treat him with a degree of affection. As such, Xiaoyu'er respects them as his surrogate parents and manages to convince Yan Nantian to spare them. By the end of the novel, all of the original ten are dead except for San Guang, who has become a close friend with Xiaoyu'er, and Tie Zhan, who reunites with his daughter Tie Xinlan.
- The Twelve Zodiac (十二星相; Shí Èr Xīngxiàng; Sap6 Ji6 Sing1-soeng3) are a group of bandits named according to the twelve Chinese zodiac signs. They are led by the "Rat" Wei Wuya, a paraplegic yet incredibly dangerous martial artist. Eighteen years ago, a few of them conspired with Jiang Qin (aka Jiang Biehe) and attacked Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu for a big amount of money that they thought the couple were carrying. When Lianxing, the second master of Yihua Palace, arrives at the fight scene, she immediately killed the "Chicken" and "Pig" zodiac members who had badly injured the couple. Wei Wuya does not participate in the fight himself, but knows about Jiang Qin's betrayal of Jiang Feng. Towards the end of the story, Wei Wuya attempts to kill Xiaoyu'er, Su Ying, Yaoyue and Lianxing by trapping them in his cave. The group almost dies from dehydration but manages to escape when Xiaoyu'er discovers a secret path that leads them outside.
Xiaoyu'er's Love Interests
- Taohua (桃花; Táohuā; Tou4-faa1) is a nomadic girl living on the plains. She is the first maiden Xiaoyu'er meets on his adventures. She plays a hospitable host to him.
- Zhang Jing (張菁; 张菁; Zhāng Jīng; Zoeng1 Zing1) is nicknamed "Little Fey" (小仙子). Although beautiful in appearance, she is extremely brutal. She has a fiery temper and hates evil to the core. Although not a very powerful martial artist, her moves are very fast, making her a formidable challenge even to more powerful opponents. Once, to comfort her mother, she decides to find the treasure left behind by her mother's ex-lover, Yan Nantian. She follows Tie Xinlan, who finds the treasure and meets Xiaoyu'er along the way. Xiaoyu'er even kiss her in the cheek. Ultimately marries Gu Renyu.
- Murong Jiu (慕容九; Mùróng Jǐu; Mou6-jung4 Gau2) is a member of the Murong family. She seems very cold towards people because she practises the 'Rock Altering Divine Skill' (化石神功), a form of martial arts that cultivates inner strength by suppressing the emotions. Once, Xiaoyu'er disguises himself as a vengeful ghost to scare her and captures her. She falls in love with him afterwards but ultimately marries Hei Zhizu, who known as Black Spider. In the end, she and Xiaoyu'er became friends.
- Tie Pinggu (鐵萍姑; 铁萍姑; Tiě Pínggū; Tit3 Ping4-gu1) is a servant in Yihua Palace. She helps Xiaoyu'er escape from Yaoyue. She is deceived by Jiang Yulang and loses her virginity to him, and is used as a bait to lure Xiaoyu'er into a trap. After she is abandoned by Jiang Yulang, she feels dejected and chooses to join Hu Yaoshi and the Twelve Zodiac. She is the daughter of the "cannibalistic" Great Villain Li Dazui.
- Hai Hongzhu (海紅珠; 海红珠; Hǎi Hóngzhū; Hoi2 Hung4-zyu1) is the only child of Hai Laodie, the leader of a wandering performance troupe. Xiaoyu'er disguises himself as "Hai Xiaodai" and sneaks into the troupe. She meets him and falls in love with him. Xiaoyu'er refuses to admit that he is actually Hai Xiaodai after he saves her from danger in subsequent events.
- Duan Sangu (段三姑; Duàn Sāngū; Dyun6 Saam1-gu1) is Duan Hefei's daughter. She dresses up as a man to help her father with his business. She appreciates Xiaoyu'er's talents and recruits him to be in charge of the medicine shop. She helps Xiaoyu'er once in solving a mystery case. Xiaoyu'er influences her to dress like a woman.
Adaptations
Films
| Year | Title | Production | Main cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Jade Faced Assassin | Shaw Brothers Studio (Hong Kong) | Lily Ho, Kao Yuen, Ku Feng, Lin Chia |
| 1979 | The Proud Twins | Alexander Fu, Ng Wai-kwok, Wong Yung, Wen Hsueh-erh, Susanna Au-yeung, Kitty Meng, Tang Ching | |
| 1992 | Handsome Siblings | Hong Kong | Andy Lau, Brigitte Lin, Sharla Cheung, Michael Miu, Francis Ng, Anita Yuen |
| 2013 | Kung Fu Divas | Philippines | Ai-Ai Delas Alas, Marian Rivera |
Television
| Year | Title | Production | Main cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Juedai Shuangjiao | TTV (Taiwan) | Hsia Ling-ling, Chiang Ming, Chang Lu, He Szu-min, Betty Pei, Yin Pao-lien, Wu Heng |
| 1979 | The Twins | TVB (Hong Kong) | Wong Yuen-sun, Shek Sau, Michelle Yim, Wong Hang-sau, Wong Wan-choi, Idy Chan |
| 1986 | Xin Juedai Shuangjiao | Taiwan | Sharon Yeung, Huang Hsiang-lien, King Doi-yum, Wong Wai-man, Tien Feng, Chang Fu-mei, Ku Cheng |
| 1988 | Two Most Honorable Knights | TVB (Hong Kong) | Tony Leung, Hugo Ng, Kitty Lai, Shallin Tse, Maggie Chan, Michael Miu, Elliot Ngok |
| 1999 | The Legendary Siblings | TTV (Taiwan) | Jimmy Lin, Alec Su, Vivien Chen, Theresa Lee, Yu Li, Chang Jui-chu, Lin Jui-yang |
| 2002 | The Legendary Siblings 2 | CTS (Taiwan) | Jimmy Lin, TAE, Li Xiaolu, Lawrence Ng, Yu Li, Elvis Tsui, Zheng Guolin |
| 2005 | The Proud Twins | Hong Kong | Dicky Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Fan Bingbing, Yuan Quan, Elvis Tsui, Wu Qingzhe, Kong Lin |
| 2020 | Handsome Siblings | Huace Film & TV (China) | Chen Zheyuan, Hu Yitian, Liang Jingxian, Liang Jie, Gallen Lo, Tay Ping Hui, Mao Linlin, Zhou Junchao |
Comics
In 1997, Hong Kong cartoonist Ho Chi-man drew a manhua series for the novel.
Wong Yuk-long's comic, Force of Buddha's Palm (如來神掌) has a long story arc which reproduces much of Gu Long's novels. This story arc was included in an English translation published in the United States by Jademan Comics from 1989 to 1993.
Artist Ho Che Wen makes 3 series of comics based on this story (title: The Impeccable Twins). The first series follow the novels' plot but the second and the third series have mostly same characters but tell new continuity after the novels end. Some fans don't like the new series because they gave many characters, who already get their happy ends in original, grisly deaths or other bad fates. Topped when third series, characters switch their moral allegiances at monthly interval and ends abruptly.
Video games
- 新絕代雙驕 (1999)
- 新絕代雙驕 II (2000)
- 新絕代雙驕 III (2002)
- 新絕代雙驕online (2005)
- 新絕代雙驕前傳 (2006)