List of The Return of the Condor Heroes characters

The Condor

Main characters

• Yang Guo
• Xiaolongnü

  Guo family and associates

• Guo Jing
• Huang Rong
• Guo Fu is Guo Jing and Huang Rong's elder daughter. Even though she is beautiful and attractive, she is spoiled and insolent. She has been unfriendly towards Yang Guo since her childhood. She slices off his right arm with a sword in a heated quarrel. In the end of the novel, she realized that she loved Yang Guo but he didn't care about her and she did wrong things towards Yang Guo.
• Guo Xiang is Guo Jing and Huang Rong's younger daughter. When she was a newborn baby, she was abducted by Li Mochou but was saved by Yang Guo, whom she has a crush on when she grows up. She is nicknamed "Little Eastern Heretic" after her maternal grandfather, "Eastern Heretic" Huang Yaoshi. When she reaches middle age, she becomes a Buddhist nun and establishes the Emei Sect.
• Guo Polu is Guo Xiang's twin brother. The sequel, The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, reveals that 14 years after the events of The Return of the Condor Heroes, he died with the rest of his family when the city of Xiangyang fell to the Mongol invaders.
• Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen are Wu Santong's sons. Li Mochou caused their mother's death and their father went berserk and disappeared after that. The brothers were raised by Guo Jing and Huang Rong, who taught them martial arts. Both of them have a crush on Guo Fu and almost fought each other to the death to win her love, but the dispute is resolved by Yang Guo. They marry Yelü Yan and Wanyan Ping respectively, and are said to be expecting children with their wives near the end of the novel.
• Yelü Qi is Zhou Botong's secret apprentice. He is a son of Yelü Chucai and a descendant of the imperial clan of the former Liao Empire. He marries Guo Fu and succeeds Lu Youjiao as the chief of the Beggars' Sect.
• Yelü Yan is Yelü Qi's younger sister. She marries Wu Dunru.
• Wanyan Ping is a descendant of the imperial clan of the former Jin Empire. Her parents died when the Jin Empire was conquered by the Mongols and she swears vengeance on Yelü Chucai, whom she blames for her losses. She fails to assassinate him and loses to his children in a fight. She eventually reconciles with the Yelüs and marries Wu Xiuwen.

  The Greats

• Zhou Botong
• Huang Yaoshi
• Hong Qigong
• Ouyang Feng
• Reverend Yideng

  Mongol Empire

• Jinlun Guoshi is one of the antagonists in the novel. Originally a Tibetan lama, he becomes the Imperial Adviser of the Mongol Empire and represents the Mongols in challenging the Han Chinese wulin. He is defeated by Yang Guo at Xiangyang and dies after a pillar collapses on him. He was known as Jinlun Fawang in the earlier editions of the novel. In the revised version, he died after saving Guo Xiang from being burnt alive. The "Golden Wheel" is a reference to his weapon, which resembles a gold-coloured chakram.
• Huodu is a Mongol prince and Jinlun's third apprentice. A cunning and witty person, he is not very loyal to his master. When Jinlun, Huodu and Da'erba are fighting with Yang Guo at Chongyang Palace, Huodu realises that they are losing so he betrays and abandons his master and flees. Later, he disguises himself as a beggar, He Shiwo, murders Lu Youjiao, and tries to become the chief of the Beggars' Sect. However, Yang Guo exposes his real identity and leads Da'erba to him. Da'erba defeats and kills him for betraying their master.
• Da'erba is a Tibetan monk and Jinlun's second apprentice. In contrast with Huodu, he is honest and loyal towards his master even though he is slow witted. He always thinks that Yang Guo is the reincarnation of Jinlun's first apprentice. When Jinlun, Huodou and Da'erba are fighting with Yang Guo at Chongyang Palace, Houdo abandons his master and flees while Da'erba tries his best to protect his master life, Yang Guo realizes that he is truly a good person so he spares his life. 16 years later, he helps Yang Guo eliminate Huodu. After that, to repay Yang Guo for sparing his life, he promises to return home and never step out of Tibet again.
• Möngke is the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. He personally leads his army to attack Xiangyang and is slain by Yang Guo in the final battle.
• Kublai is a Mongol prince and Möngke's younger brother. He is the chief commander of the Mongol army attacking Xiangyang. After Möngke's death, he eventually succeed his brother as Khagan after the Toluid Civil War.
• Yelü Chucai is the Premier of the Mongol Empire and a descendant of the imperial clan of the former Liao Empire.
• Yelü Jin is Yelü Chucai's elder son.

  Mercenaries hired by the Mongols

• Xiaoxiangzi is a martial artist from Xiangxi. He steals the Nine Yang Manual from Shaolin Monastery with Yinkexi and hide it inside the stomach of a white gorilla. They become suspicious and kill each other eventually.
• Yinkexi is a merchant from Persia.
• Nimoxing is a martial artist from India. He has his legs amputated after falling into a trap set by Yang Guo using Li Mochou's poison needles. He is slain by Yang Guo in Xiangyang 16 years later.
• Ma Guangzuo is a martial artist from Xinjiang. Unlike other mercenaries, he isn't a bad guy and he always sides with Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü. Yang Guo later persuades him to leave the Mongols.

  Passionless Valley

• Gongsun Zhi is the master of Passionless Valley. Although he appears extraordinary, noble and gentlemanly, he is in fact cold-hearted, ruthless and lecherous. He is skilled in martial arts and wields a pair of blades in combat. He attempts to force Xiaolongnü to marry him but fails and his true colours are revealed when his wife returns. He is blinded in one eye and forced to flee from the valley. He returns later to take revenge on his wife and dies with her after falling off a cliff.
• Qiu Qianchi is Qiu Qianren's younger sister and Gongsun Zhi's wife. An insolent and domineering woman, she gradually falls out of her husband's favour. He breaks her limbs and casts her into an underground pit. She was assumed to be dead. While struggling to survive, she masters a skill which allows her to overcome her disability by using her inner energy to suck distant objects into her mouth and fire them as projectiles towards enemies with extreme force and accuracy. She falls off a cliff to her death along with Gongsun Zhi.
• Gongsun Lü'e is Gongsun Zhi and Qiu Qianchi's daughter. Unlike her parents, she is kind-hearted and compassionate. She has a crush on Yang Guo and eventually sacrifices herself to help him.
• Fan Yiweng is Gongsun Zhi's most senior apprentice. He has a long white beard and becomes the "Long Bearded Ghost" later.
• Rou'er was a servant girl whom Gongsun Zhi fell in love with. Qiu Qianchi discovered their illicit relationship and forced her husband to kill Rou'er.

  Ancient Tomb Sect

• Li Mochou, nicknamed "Red Fairy", is Xiaolongnü's senior. She was more powerful in martial arts than her junior at the start of the novel. Although she is beautiful in appearance, she morphs into a vicious killer after her lover betrayed her. However, she appears as a motherly figure to the baby Guo Xiang, whom she kidnaps from her parents. She is seen trying to take the Jade Maiden Sutra from Xiaolongnü on several occasions at the beginning of the novel, but has never been successful. She commits suicide by throwing herself into the fire in Passionless Valley.
• Lin Chaoying was the sect's founder. She was both a rival and lover of Wang Chongyang, and equalled him in martial arts prowess.
• Granny Sun is an old woman who lives with Xiaolongnü in the Ancient Tomb. She saves Yang Guo from the bullies at Quanzhen Sect and wants to help him fend off the priests. She is accidentally killed by Hao Datong during the scuffle. Before her death, she makes Xiaolongnü promise her to take care of Yang for the rest of his life.
• Hong Lingbo is Li Mochou's apprentice. She is rather sympathetic to Lu Wushuang, who was Li's slave then. She is used as a cushion by her master to escape from the love flowers and dies after being pricked by the poisonous flowers.

  Lu family

• Cheng Ying is Lu Zhanyuan's niece and Lu Wushuang's cousin. Her uncle and his family were killed by Li Mochou. She is saved by Huang Yaoshi and becomes his apprentice. She has a crush on Yang Guo but becomes his sworn sister eventually.
• Lu Wushuang is Lu Zhanyuan's niece and Cheng Ying's cousin. She was abducted in her childhood by Li Mochou, who killed her family. Li made her a slave and later became her student. She escapes later and meets Yang Guo. She also has a crush on Yang but becomes his sworn sister eventually.
• Lu Zhanyuan was Li Mochou's former lover. He reneged his promise and married He Yuanjun instead. He died of illness 3 years before the events take place.
• He Yuanjun was Lu Zhanyuan's wife. She committed suicide after Lu Zhanyuan passed away.
• Lu Liding is Lu Zhanyuan's younger brother. He and his family are murdered by Li Mochou at the start of the novel.

  Quanzhen Sect

• The "Seven Immortals of Quanzhen" are the seven apprentices of Wang Chongyang. They lead the sect after their master's death. One of them, Tan Chuduan, was killed by Ouyang Feng in the first novel. The other six are:
• * Ma Yu, Taoist name Danyangzi.
• * Liu Chuxuan, Taoist name Changshengzi.
• * Qiu Chuji, Taoist name Changchunzi.
• * Wang Chuyi, Taoist name Yuyangzi.
• * Hao Datong, Taoist name Guangningzi.
• * Sun Bu'er, Taoist name Qingjing Sanren.
• Zhao Zhijing is the most senior of all Quanzhen members after the "Seven Immortals". He was Yang Guo's master when Yang was in Quanzhen. He dislikes the boy, does not teach him any practical martial arts, and allows his other apprentices to bully him. Later in the novel, he collaborates with the Mongols to seize the leadership position of his sect, but his plans are foiled and he is killed by Xiaolongnü's jade bees.
• Zhen Zhibing is a senior member of Quanzhen. He has a crush on Xiaolongnü and is unable to restrain himself and blindfolds and rapes Xiaolongnü when the latter was immobilised by Ouyang Feng. Xiaolongnü is unaware that Zhen was the one who raped her and she wrongly accused Yang Guo until the truth is revealed several years later. He sacrifices himself to save Xiaolongnü from death. He was called Yin Zhiping in earlier editions. The amendment is due to Jin Yong's reluctance to vilify Yin Zhiping, whose historical namesake is a notable Taoist.

  Dali Kingdom

• Liu Ying, also known as Yinggu, is nicknamed "Divine Mathematician". She was originally Duan Zhixing's concubine when he was still the emperor of Dali. She had a secret affair with Zhou Botong and bore him a son, but their son died at the hands of Qiu Qianren. After her son's death, she leads a reclusive life in the Black Swamp with only a pair of Nine Tailed Divine Foxes to keep her company.
• Reverend Yideng's close aides:
• * Chu Dongshan, nicknamed "Reclusive Fisherman of Diancang".
• * Zhang Shaoshou
• * Wu Santong is the father of the Wu brothers. He went mad and disappeared when his wife sacrificed herself to save him after he was poisoned by Li Mochou. He only appears again several years later when his boys have grown up.
• * Zhu Ziliu. He participates in the martial arts contest at Dasheng Pass, and later appears to help the protagonists in defending Xiangyang from the Mongols.
• Wu Sanniang was Wu Santong's wife and the mother of the Wu brothers. Her husband was injured and poisoned by Li Mochou, and she saved his life by sucking out the venom from his wound. However, she died from poisoning and Wu Santong was so traumatised that he went berserk and disappeared for many years, only to return when his sons have grown up.

  Peach Blossom Island

• Ke Zhen'e is the sole surviving member of the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan" from the first novel. He lives with the Guos and is respected as an elder in the family. Despite holding a grudge against Yang Guo's father for the deaths of his fellows, he treats the boy like the rest of the Guo children after sensing that Yang is not corrupt and likes him. Years later, he relates the story of Yang Kang to Yang Guo at the Temple of the Iron Spear. He admires Yang Guo for his chivalry, and is also grateful to Yang for saving his life from Sha Tongtian and company. He forgives Yang Guo's father and promises to help Yang reconstruct his father's tomb.
• Shagu is the orphaned daughter of Qu Lingfeng. Huang Yaoshi took her under his care and trained her as his apprentice. Upon learning that she was present at the scene of his father's death, Yang Guo attempts to force her to tell him the details about the incident. However, her ambiguous and unclear answers cause him to mistakenly believe that Guo Jing and Huang Rong murdered his father.
• Feng Mofeng is a former apprentice of Huang Yaoshi and the sole survivor among Huang's original six apprentices. He was maimed and banished from Peach Blossom Island by his master when his seniors, Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng, betrayed their master. He becomes a blacksmith after leaving the island and he still respects Huang Yaoshi. He sacrifices himself to buy time for Guo Jing and Yang Guo to escape from the Mongol camp.

  Shaolin Sect

• Jueyuan is the librarian of Shaolin. He was forbidden to practise martial arts but he builds up immense inner energy after reading the Nine Yang Manual.
• Zhang Junbao is Jueyuan's apprentice. He renames himself Zhang Sanfeng later and founds the Wudang Sect. He memorises part of the Nine Yang Manual from his master.
• Tianming is the abbot of Shaolin.
• Wuse is the head of the Arhat Hall.
• Wuxiang is the head of the Bodhidharma Hall.

  Guo Xiang's friends

• The "Ghosts of the Western Mountain Cave" are a group of martial artists who dress up as phantoms and ghosts to scare people. They befriend Guo Xiang and become allies of her and Yang Guo. Some of them are:
• * Long Bearded Ghost was Gongsun Zhi's eldest apprentice, Fan Yiweng. He is killed by Jinlun Guoshi.
• * Big Headed Ghost is killed by Jinlun Guoshi.
• * Hanged Ghost
• * Life Taking Ghost
• * Impermanence Ghost
• * Debt Collecting Ghost
• * Fearsome Ghost
• * Death Ghost
• * Pretty Ghost
• * Smiling Ghost
• The five Shi brothers live in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Manor. They are known for their abilities to tame all kinds of wild beasts. They befriend Guo Xiang and become Yang Guo's allies. The five are:
• * Shi Bowei, nicknamed "Mountain King with a White Forehead".
• * Shi Zhongmeng, nicknamed "Guanjianzi".
• * Shi Shugang, nicknamed "Golden Armoured Lion King".
• * Shi Jiqiang, nicknamed "God of Great Strength".
• * Shi Mengjie, nicknamed "Eight Handed Immortal Ape".
• Zhang Yimang
• Abbess Shengyin
• Human Cook
• Hundred Herbs Fairy

  Others

• Qiu Qianren was the chief of the Iron Palm Sect. He is nicknamed "Iron Palm Skimming on Water" for his prowess in martial arts and qinggong. He was notorious for committing heinous crimes in the past but was saved from death by Yideng and repents. He becomes Yideng's apprentice and renames himself Ci'en. He dies in peace after Zhou Botong and Yinggu forgive him for killing their infant son.
• Lu Youjiao is Huang Rong's successor as the chief of the Beggars' Sect. He is slow witted but honest and loyal. He is lured into a trap and slain by Huodu, who takes the Dog Beating Staff from him. Guo Xiang, who regarded him as a close friend, was devastated by his death.
• Lu Guanying is the son of Lu Chengfeng, one of Huang Yaoshi's original six apprentices. He becomes the master of Guiyun Manor and leader of the pirates of Lake Tai after his father's death. He plays host to the Heroes' Feast at Dasheng Pass.
• Cheng Yaojia is Sun Bu'er's apprentice and Lu Guanying's wife.
• Sha Tongtian, Hou Tonghai, Lingzhi Shangren, and Peng Lianhu were previously the followers of Wanyan Honglie in the first novel. They were defeated on Mount Hua and captured by Zhou Botong and imprisoned in Quanzhen Sect's headquarters, Chongyang Palace. They manage to escape later, encounter Ke Zhen'e in Jiaxing, and attempt to kill him for fear that he would alert Guo Jing of their whereabouts. Yang Guo comes to Ke's aid and defeats them in a brief fight. They later relate the story of Yang Kang to Yang Guo.
• Lü Wende is the commander of Xiangyang's military forces. He dies ten years after the events of the novel.
• Lü Wenhuan is Lü Wende's brother. He takes over his brother's command of Xiangyang's military forces.