Baifa Monü Zhuan
Author | ISBN 9789861465098 | |
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Followed by | Saiwai Qixia Zhuan |
Baifa Monü Zhuan | |
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Hanyu Pinyin | Bái Fà Mó Nǚ Zhuàn |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Jyutping | Baak6 Faat3 Mo1 Neoi5 Zyun6 |
Baifa Monü Zhuan is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng first published as a serial between 5 August 1957 and 10 December 1958 in the Hong Kong newspaper Sin Wun Pao. Considered the first part of the Tianshan series of novels by Liang Yusheng, it is closely related to the second and third parts of the series: Saiwai Qixia Zhuan and Qijian Xia Tianshan. The novel has also been loosely adapted into films and television series, such as The Bride with White Hair (1993) and The Romance of the White Hair Maiden (1995), and The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (2014).
The novel has been variously translated as Biography of the White-Haired Succuba[1] and Romance of the White-Haired Maiden.[2]
Plot
The story is set in 17th-century China towards the end of the
On the journey home, Zhuo Yihang passes by Mount Hua, where he meets a beautiful young maiden and falls in love with her. The following night, when he agrees to combine forces with some martial artists to deal with a dangerous foe, he is shocked to learn that the woman he met earlier is actually their target: the "Jade Rakshasa". More startlingly, he finds out that the martial artists he is helping are actually spies working for the Manchus, so he quickly switches sides and helps Lian Nichang defeat the spies. Zhuo Yihang and Lian Nichang also meet and befriend a formidable swordsman, Yue Mingke, who is serving as a military attaché under the general Xiong Tingbi. Yue Mingke and Lian Nichang spar with each other and realise that their respective masters used to be a loving couple, but have separated due to a rivalry over achieving supremacy in swordsmanship.
In the meantime, the
During this time, Zhuo Yihang and Lian Nichang develop a romance, and Zhuo Yihang is poised to succeed his master as the leader of the Wudang School. However, as Lian Nichang has had past misunderstandings and conflicts with the Wudang School, the elders of the Wudang School strongly oppose his relationship with Lian Nichang. During a duel between Lian Nichang and the Wudang elders, Zhuo Yihang intervenes and accidentally attacks Lian Nichang, causing her to mistakenly believe that he has betrayed her. Heartbroken, Lian Nichang leaves Zhuo Yihang and her hair turns white after she awakes from a long sleep. Depressed by her new looks, she travels to Mount Heaven to join Reverend Humming in leading a reclusive life there.
Some years later, Lian Nichang makes her name in the Mount Heaven region by slaying villains and defeating several martial arts experts. However, as she still retains her aggressive personality, the locals call her the "White Haired Demoness". Meanwhile, Zhuo Yihang suffers from an emotional breakdown after losing Lian Nichang, and he leaves the Wudang School to search for his lover. After a long journey, Zhuo Yihang finally meets Lian Nichang on Mount Heaven, but she remains cold and indifferent towards him, refusing to accept his apologies. Zhuo Yihang learns that there is a rare flower that can turn white hair black again, but the flower only blooms once every six decades. He finds it and waits, hoping that it will bloom one day and help him mend his relationship with Lian Nichang.
Characters
Adaptations
Films
Year | Title | Production | Main cast |
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1959 | Story of the White-Haired Demon Girl | Emei Film Company (Hong Kong) |
Law Yim-hing, Cheung Ying, Lin Chiao, Law Lan, Shih Kien |
1980 | White Hair Devil Lady | Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd (Hong Kong) |
Paw Hee-ching , Henry Fong, Leanne Liu, Chiang Ping
|
1993 | The Bride with White Hair | Hong Kong | Brigitte Lin, Leslie Cheung |
The Bride with White Hair 2 | Brigitte Lin, Leslie Cheung, Christy Chung, Sunny Chan, Joey Meng | ||
2014 | The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom | Bona Film Group (China) |
Fan Bingbing, Huang Xiaoming, Vincent Zhao |
2020 | The White Haired Witch | iQiyi (China) | Huang Yi, Shi Junzhe, Zhang Chunzhong, Du Yuming |
2020 | White Haired Devil Lady | Youku (China) | Zhang Weina, Shi Junzhe, Norman Chui, Zhang Qi |
Television
Year | Title | Production | Main cast |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Romance of the White Hair Maiden (1986 TV series) | ATV (Hong Kong) | Bonnie Ngai, Savio Tsang, Chen Kuan-tai, Wong Jo-see, Amy Yip |
1995 | Romance of the White Haired Maiden (1995 TV series) | TVB (Hong Kong) |
Ada Choi, Timmy Ho, Gary Chan, Joanna Chan, Jason Pai |
1996 | Legend of the White Hair Brides | Shanghai Oriental TV (Singapore) | Huang Biren, Lina Ng, Ann Kok, Jason Oh |
1999 | Romance of the White Haired Maiden (TV series) | TTV (Taiwan) | Jiang Qinqin, Julian Cheung, Lin Fangbing, Chen Chun-sheng, Zhang Heng, Li Hui-ying |
2012 | The Bride with White Hair (TV series) | Phoenix Legend Films (China) | Nicky Wu, Ma Su, Louis Fan, Liu Sitong, Li Jie, Guo Zhenni, Dai Jiaoqian |
References
- ISBN 978-0810876149.
- ISBN 978-1-78660-903-8.