Qiao Feng

Qiao Feng
Created by	Jin Yong
Appearances	Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
Information
Nickname(s)	"Northern Qiao Feng" (北喬峰)
Alias(es)	Xiao Feng (蕭峰) (birth name)
Gender	Male
Family	Xiao Yuanshan (father), Qiao Sanhuai (adoptive father)
Spouse(s)	A'zhu (fiancee)
Sworn siblings	Xuzhu, Duan Yu, Yelü Hongji
Affliations
Sects and organisations	Beggars' Sect, Shaolin Sect
Teachers	Xuanku, Wang Jiantong
Skills and abilities
Unarmed combat skills	Twenty Eight Dragon Subduing Palms, Taizu's Long Fist Evil Subduing Palm, Dragon Claw Hand, Dragon Capturing Skill
Armed combat skills	Dog Beating Staff Technique
Weapons	Dog Beating Staff

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Qiao / Xiao.

Qiao Feng
Traditional Chinese	喬峰
Simplified Chinese	乔峰
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Qiáo Fēng Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping Kiu4 Fung1

Qiao Feng, born Xiao Feng (蕭峰), is one of the three protagonists in Jin Yong's wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

Biography

Background

Xiao is a Khitan by birth and he is from the same clan as the empress of the Liao Dynasty. When he was still an infant, his parents brought him on a trip to Song territory, but the family was ambushed by a group of masked assailants at Yanmen Pass. Xiao's mother was killed while his father Xiao Yuanshan continued to battle the attackers but suffered grave wounds. Xiao Yuanshan carved a message in the Khitan language on a rock before committing suicide by leaping off a cliff, carrying his wife and child with him. However he regretted as he fell and tossed his son up before plunging to his death below. The infant Xiao Feng was saved by the surviving assailants, who were reluctant to kill an innocent child, and they entrusted him to the care of a peasant called Qiao Sanhuai. Qiao and his wife adopted the infant and named him "Qiao Feng".

When Qiao became older, he was accepted as a disciple by a Shaolin monk called Xuanku. Xuanku taught the boy martial arts and ethics of Han Chinese society. Qiao joined the Beggars' Sect later and helped defend Song by fighting invaders from Liao, and upheld justice within Song. As his fame and popularity grew, Qiao earned himself the nickname "Northern Qiao Feng" (北喬峰). Upon the death of the Beggars' Sect chief Wang Jiantong, Qiao was nominated by his fellows to succeed Wang.

Becoming an outcast

Qiao's life is affected by a series of incidents after a meeting in Apricot Forest. Qiao is accused of murdering the Beggars' Sect's deputy chief Ma Dayuan in order to hide a secret about his origins. Qiao is revealed to be a Khitan (considered an enemy by the Han Chinese) and a number of his fellows turn against him. Qiao willingly gives up his position as chief and leaves. He attempts to find out the identity of "Leading Big Brother", the man who led the attack on his parents at Yanmen Pass. However as he tries to track down the people who know the truth and find clues, his trail always leads him to dead ends. The only few people who know the "Leading Big Brother"'s identity are found dead before Qiao Feng can contact them. Qiao's teacher Xuanku and his adoptive parents are not spared by the murderer either. Qiao is blamed for their deaths and becomes a common enemy of the Han Chinese wulin (martial artists' community).

Qiao finds the company of A'zhu, a servant of the Murong family, who is attracted to him for his heroic traits. When A'zhu is critically wounded after attempting to steal the Yijin Jing from Shaolin Monastery, Qiao risks his life to save her, braving danger at Heroes Gathering Manor; the masters of the manor were hosting a feast for the wulin to discuss plans to counter Qiao. Qiao shows up to find the physician Xue Muhua to heal A'zhu, and also toasts to break ties with his old friends and acquaintances, thereafter he engages dozens of pugilists in a battle and slays many. While Qiao is cornered, he is rescued by a masked man in black and they successfully escape. After recovering, Qiao makes a long journey to Yanmen Pass to find the carvings left behind by his father.

Relationship with A'zhu

Qiao is reunited with A'zhu at Yanmen Pass. While Qiao is troubled over his heritage, A'zhu stands by him and comforts him. They gradually develop a romantic relationship. Qiao later confirms that he is indeed a Khitan and starts to use his ancestral name "Xiao Feng".

With A'zhu accompanying him, Xiao seeks clues from Ma Dayuan's widow Kang Min, the last known surviving person who knows the "Leading Big Brother"'s identity. A'zhu disguises herself and tries to trick Kang into revealing the truth, but Kang sees through the guise and directs Xiao and A'zhu wrongly to Duan Zhengchun. Xiao mistakenly believes that Duan is the "Leading Big Brother" and plans to kill Duan.

When Xiao and A'zhu arrive at Ruan Xingzhu's house, they witness a fight between Duan Zhengchun's subjects and the "Four Evils". Xiao admires Duan's selflessness and strong camaraderie with his men, after seeing how Duan risked his life to save Chu Wanli. He decides to spare Duan's family and confronts Duan about the wrongs he had committed many years ago. Duan misunderstands and thinks that Xiao is referring to his philandering ways, and the abandoning of the children he fathered with his mistresses. He admits to those "mistakes", and Xiao challenges him to a midnight duel. However, A'zhu also makes a stunning discovery that Duan Zhengchun is actually her father, and she is torn between her father and lover. She disguises herself as her father and takes his place in the duel. Xiao inflicts A'zhu with a mortal blow, thinking that she is Duan Zhengchun, and bitterly regrets after realising the truth. Before dying, A'zhu tells Xiao to take care of her younger sister A'zi. Xiao leaves Song territory with A'zi and journeys to northeastern China, where Xiao befriends a Jurchen chieftain's son, Wanyan Aguda. Xiao meets the Liao emperor Yelü Hongji by coincidence later and they become sworn brothers. Yelü makes Xiao a noble after the latter helps him suppress a rebellion.

Revelation

Xiao returns to Song territory later to attend the heroes' gathering at Shaolin Monastery. He confronts his foes together with Duan Yu and Xuzhu. After the battle, Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo appear and reveal the truth behind the mysterious murders. Xiao Yuanshan had survived the fall three decades ago and he swore vengeance on the attackers. He was the one who killed the people who know the "Leading Big Brother"'s identity, because he did not want his son to know the truth early and because he wants to publicly disgrace the "Leading Big Brother", who is revealed to be Shaolin's abbot Xuanci. Xiao Feng's name is cleared and he is invited by his Beggars' Sect fellows to become chief again but declines.

Xiao continues to join his sworn brothers on their adventures briefly before returning to Liao. By then, Yelü Hongji is planning an invasion on Song and he wants Xiao to lead his army. Xiao refuses, as he still feels indebted to Han Chinese society, where he was raised and educated. In anger, Yelü Hongji has Xiao imprisoned, but Xiao's sworn brothers and fellows rescue him out of admiration for his chivalry. The heroes are cornered at Yanmen Pass by Liao forces but Xiao manages to capture Yelü Hongji and hold him hostage, and he forces Yelü to swear that he will never invade Song territory for as long as he lives. Yelü agrees and keeps his promise. However Xiao feels guilty for holding the emperor hostage, as he sees it as an act of treason. He commits suicide to keep his honour and prove that his actions are for the greater good.

Personality

Qiao possesses several traits that wulin pugilists might regard as "heroic" in his time. He is observant, thoughtful, charismatic and righteous. He adheres to the code of xia, by upholding justice and holding on to his moral principles firmly and doing anything necessary to keep his honour. He is fond of befriending other pugilists and becomes sworn brothers with Duan Yu and Xuzhu after meeting them for the first time. Qiao's affinity with alcohol is legendary as he can hold his liquor very well. (He remains sober after having more than 30 bowls of wine in his contest with Duan Yu.)

Martial arts and skills

Qiao is one of the most powerful fighters in the jianghu, having studied under Xuanku of the Shaolin Sect and Wang Jiantong of the Beggars' Sect. He mastered the "Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms" and the "Dog Beating Staff Technique", the two most powerful skills of the Beggars' Sect. There are no detailed descriptions about his qinggong and neigong, but his formidable prowess is demonstrated in the descriptions of his fights against opponents.

Qiao's repertoire include:

• • Twenty Eight Dragon Subduing Palms (降龍廿八掌). The latest revision of the novel states that there were originally 28 stances. Qiao made adjustments and the skill evolved to become the well known "Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms" (降龍十八掌).
  • Dog Beating Staff Technique (打狗棒法) is a set of staff techniques. This skill is known only to the chief of the Beggars' Sect.
  • Taizu's Long Fist (太祖長拳) is a fundamental of Chinese martial arts. The skill is said to be invented by Emperor Taizu of Song.
  • Evil Subduing Palm (降魔掌)
  • Dragon Capturing Skill (擒龍功)
  • Dragon Claw Hand (龍爪手)

References

• (Chinese) 萧峰：近乎完美的第一大英雄 (1) (2) (3) (4) - extracts about Qiao Feng from Rankings of Characters in Jin Yong's Works (金庸人物排行榜) by Tan Xianmao (覃贤茂)

External links

• (Chinese) Qiao Feng on Baidu Baike