The Early Years: 1960 to 1963
* A Wuxiapedia Pictorial Special * on Gu Long's early wuxia novels -- 13 works that captured readers with bizarre plots -- featuring book covers, posters of movie adaptations and box-set covers from serialised television adaptations.
1960: 苍穹神剑 The Vault of Heaven and the Sword of Divinity
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| Mandarin: 苍穹神剑 Cang Qiong Shen Jian. Cantonese: 蒼穹神劍 Chong Hung San Gim. Chapters: 10. Gu Long's first wuxia work. |
A Reader's Comment:"The story was simple; the main character wanted to avenge his teachers. However, things were also complicated. The story had potential; but it came to an abrupt end, killing the story and the potential it had. It left me with the feeling: 'Why did I read this tragic and unfinished story in the first place?' " - Athena.
1960: 月异星邪 The Strange Moon and the Evil Star
Mandarin: 月异星邪 Yue Yi Xing Xie.
Cantonese: 月異星邪 Yut Yi Seng Che.
Chapters: 17.
Movie Adaptation:
Title: 月异星邪 / 月異星邪.
Year: 1980, Taiwan.
Main Cast: Wang Kuan-Hsiung / Wang Guanxiong (王冠雄).
1960: 湘妃剑 The Sword of Concubine Xiang
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| Mandarin: 湘妃剑 Xiang Fei Jian. Cantonese: 湘妃劍 Seung Fei Gim. Chapters: 30. |
Alternative Title:
- The Command of the Bone-Breaking Sword of Gold (pix: rightmost).
- Mandarin: 金剑残骨令 Jin Qian Can Gu Ling.
- Cantonese: 金劍殘骨令 Gam Gim Chaan Gwat Ling.
Movie Adaptation:
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| Title: The Revenger. Year: 1979. Main Cast: Ti Lung (狄龙). |
1960: 剑毒梅香 The Malicious Sword and the Fragrant Plum
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| Mandarin: 剑毒梅香 Jian Du Mei Xiang. Cantonese: 劍毒梅香 Gim Duk Mui Heung. Chapters: 13. |
A significant portion of the novel was ghost-written by Shangguan Ding, who eventually came up with a 24-chapter sequel called The Journey of the Pole [长干行 Chang Gan Xing / 長幹行 Cheung Gon Haang].
1960: 孤星传 The Legend of the Solitary Star
Mandarin: 孤星传 Gu Xing Zhuan.
Cantonese: 孤星傳 Gu Seng Chyun.
Chapters: 15.
Television Adaptation:
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| Title: The Lone Star Swordsman. Mandarin / Cantonese: 孤星剑 Gu Xing Jian / 孤星劍 Gu Seng Gim. Vietnamese: Cổ Tinh Kiếm / Co Tinh Kiem. Year: 1992, HK TVB. Main Cast: Ekin Cheng (郑伊健), Noel Leung (梁小冰). |
1960-61: 游侠录 The Record of a Wandering Swordsman
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| Mandarin: 游侠录 You Xia Lu. Cantonese: 游俠録 Yau Hap Luk. Chapters: 8. |
Movie Adaptation:
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| Title: Long Road to Gallantry. Mandarin / Cantonese: 游侠情 You Xia Qing / 游俠情 Yau Hap Cheng. Year: 1984. Main Cast: Kenny Ho (何家经), Rosamund Kwan (关之琳). |
1961: 失魂引 A Spark of Distraction
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| Mandarin: 失魂引 Shi Hun Yin. Cantonese: 失魂引 Sat Wan Yan. Chapters: 11. |
1961-62: 残金缺玉 Broken Gold, Flawed Jade
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| Mandarin: 残金缺玉 Can Jin Que Yu Cantonese: 殘金缺玉 Chaan Gam Kyut Yuk Chapters: 9. Originally the third among Gu Long's early works, this novel was published in book form only in 1961-62 due to the serialisation of the story in the Nanyang Daily of Hong Kong. |
1962: 护花铃 The Bell of Protection
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| Mandarin: 护花铃 Hu Hua Ling. Cantonese: 護花鈴 Wu Fa Ling. Chapters: 22. Also known as The Isle of Many Gods [诸神岛 Zhu Shen Dao / 諸神島 Jyu San Dou], after one of the places mentioned in the story. |
Movie Adaptation:
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| Title: Samurai Bells of Death. Alternate Title: Beauty Escort. Year: 1981. Main Cast: Nora Miao (苗可秀) and Michael Chan (陈惠敏) |
1962: 彩环曲 The Song of the Many-Coloured Ring
Mandarin: 彩环曲 Cai Huan Qu.
Cantonese: 彩環曲 Choi Waan Kuk.
Chapters: 11.
1962: 剑客行 The Way of the Swordsman
Mandarin: 剑客行 Jian Ke Xing.
Cantonese: 劍客行 Gim Haak Haang.
Chapters: 63
1963: 剑玄录 The Mystery of the Sword
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| Mandarin: 剑玄录 Jian Xuan Lu. Cantonese: 劍玄録 Gim Yun Luk. Chapters: 95. |
1963: 飘香剑雨 The Cyclone of Swords
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| Mandarin: 飘香剑雨 Piao Xiang Jian Yu. Cantonese: 飄香劍雨 Piu Heung Gim Yu. Chapters: 96. |
Television Adaptation:
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| Title: The Lost Swordship / 飘香剑雨 / 飄香劍雨. Year: 1978, Taiwan. Main Cast: Tian Peng (田鹏), Tang Baoyun (唐宝云). |
