List of Sword Stained with Royal Blood characters

The following is a list of characters from Jin Yong's wuxia novel Sword Stained with Royal Blood.

Main characters

• Yuan Chengzhi (袁承志) – the protagonist of the novel. He is tutored in martial arts by Mu Renqing and inherits the skills of Xia Xueyi by coincidence later, becoming one of the most powerful pugilists of his age. His adventures mould him into a young hero, who strives to uphold justice and defend his nation. He leaves China for good eventually and sails to a distant land with his companions.

• Yuan Chonghuan (袁崇煥) – the father of Yuan Chengzhi. He was a military commander, appointed by the Ming government to defend the northern border from Qing invaders. He is wrongly accused of treason and put to death by the Chongzhen Emperor.

• Xia Xueyi (夏雪宜) – a powerful swordsman with extraordinary skills. He is nicknamed "Golden Serpent Gentleman" (金蛇郎君). He appears attractive to women for his charming good looks and sense of chivalry, and becomes involved in two separate love affairs with He Hongyao and Wen Yi. He is only mentioned by name as he is already dead at the start of the novel, and is succeeded by Yuan Chengzhi, who inherits his possessions and skills.

• Xia Qingqing (夏青青), also known as Wen Qingqing (溫青青) – the daughter of Xia Xueyi and Wen Yi. She is first introduced as a member of a family of brigands. After having a conflict with the Wen elders, she has no option but to leave and follow Yuan Chengzhi on his adventures. Although she is jealous of several women who come into Yuan's company, she is arguably the closest to Yuan Chengzhi of all his female companions.^{[original research?]}

• A'jiu (阿九), also known as Princess Changping (長平公主) – the daughter of the Chongzhen Emperor. She first appears as a young lady who associates herself with the bandits, and develops a close relationship with Yuan Chengzhi. She has an arm sliced off by her father after the palace falls to the rebels, but is rescued by Yuan Chengzhi in time. At the end of the novel, she decides to give up her love for Yuan Chengzhi and becomes a nun known as "Jiunan" (九難).

• He Tieshou (何鐵手) – the leader of the Five Poisons Cult. She has a hook for her right hand, as implied by her name "Tieshou", which means "metal hand". She meets Yuan Chengzhi and plays several evil pranks on him to hinder his missions. She is attracted to Xia Qingqing, who is disguised as a young male scholar. Her crush on Xia Qingqing makes her betray her sect and she withdraws from the assassination plan on Chongzhen. Yuan Chengzhi succeeds in turning her back to goodness and she becomes his disciple. She is renamed to "He Tishou" (何惕守).

Yuan Chengzhi's companions

• Jiao Wan'er (焦婉兒) – the daughter of Jiao Gongli. She seeks vengeance on Min Zihua after thinking that he is responsible for the murder of her father. With Yuan Chengzhi's help, she discovers that the Taibai Sanying are the ones responsible and she kills them for revenge. She marries Luo Liru.

• Luo Liru (羅立如) - one of the disciples of Jiao Gongli. His right arm is sliced off by Sun Zhongjun in a misunderstanding. Yuan Chengzhi helps him overcome his disability by teaching him a set of left-handed saber techniques.

• Hong Shenghai (洪勝海) – a member of the Bohai Sect (渤海派). He is pursued by Gui Xinshu and his wife, who are after his life due to a misunderstanding. He decides to follow Yuan Chengzhi for protection and Yuan helps him resolve the conflict with the Guis.

• Cheng Qingzhu (程青竹) – the leader of the Blue Bamboo Sect (青竹幫) and the martial arts teacher of A'jiu. He is the only person in the jianghu who knows A'jiu's true identity as a princess before Yuan Chengzhi and his companions find out.

• Sha Tianguang (沙天廣) – the leader of a group of bandits who attempted to rob Yuan Chengzhi and his party of their treasure. However, Yuan Chengzhi is not angry with him and helps him defeat an attacking group of soldiers. He is impressed with Yuan Chengzhi's sense of righteousness and skill and pledges allegiance to him.

• Hu Guinan (胡桂南) – a pugilist nicknamed "Divine Thief" (聖手神偷). He is highly skilled in the art of thieving.

• Yisheng (義生) – a monk nicknamed "Iron Arhat" (鐵羅漢)

• Shui Jian (水鑒) – a military officer in charge of escorting some prisoners. The soldiers under his command are defeated by Yuan Chengzhi and his bandit followers. He is captured by them and pledges allegiance to Yuan, who spares his life. He helps Yuan Chengzhi train the group of pugilists and former bandits and organize them to form an army.

Rebels

• Li Zicheng (李自成) – nicknamed "Dashing King" (闖王). He leads the rebels to overthrow the corrupt Ming Dynasty. After his victory, he gradually loses popularity as he failed to deliver his promises of leading the common people out of poverty and chaos. His rebel army is eventually defeated by Qing forces.

• Li Yan (李岩) – a trusted advisor of Li Zicheng and a general of the rebel army. He befriends Yuan Chengzhi. After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, he is forced to commit suicide after Li Zicheng believes slanderous rumours that he is plotting a rebellion.

• Red Maiden (紅娘子) - Li Yan's wife. She is famous for her bravery and selfless acts. She commits suicide with her husband.

• An Daniang (安大娘) – An Jianqing's wife. She takes care of Yuan Chengzhi for a brief period of time when he was still a child. She serves the rebel army as a spy and messenger.

• An Xiaohui (安小彗) – the daughter of An Jianqing and An Daniang. She is Yuan Chengzhi's childhood friend and serves the rebel army as a spy. Yuan Chengzhi helps her recover the lost gold from the Wen family. She marries Cui Ximin.

• Shanzong (山宗) - a secret organization formed by the former followers of Yuan Chonghuan. They take care of Yuan Chengzhi after his father's death and send him to Mount Hua for martial arts tutelage. They suggested writing a petition to the emperor to seek redress for Yuan Chonghuan initially but decide to join the rebels eventually.
  • Ying Song (應松)
  • Luo Daqian (羅大千)
  • Zhu Anguo (朱安國)
  • Sun Zhongshou (孫仲壽)
  • Tian Jianxiu (田見秀)
  • Cui Qiushan (崔秋山)

Mount Hua Sect (華山派) and associates

Further information: Mount Hua Sect

• Mu Renqing (穆人清) – the leader of the Mount Hua Sect. Nicknamed "Holy Sword Divine Ape" (神劍仙猿), his prowess in martial arts and swordplay is legendary.

• Huang Zhen (黃真) – the oldest disciple of Mu Renqing. He is nicknamed "Copper Brush and Iron Abacus" (銅筆鐵算盤).

• Disciples of Huang Zhen
  • Feng Nandi (馮難敵)
  • Cui Ximin (崔希敏)

• Gui Xinshu (歸辛樹) – the second disciple of Mu Renqing. He is nicknamed "Invincible Divine Fists" (神拳無敵).

• Gui Erniang (歸二娘) – Gui Xinshu's wife. She is extremely protective of her son, a sickly infant. The couple roam the jianghu to search for a cure for their son.

• Disciples of Gui Xinshu
  • Mei Jianhe (梅劍和)
  • Liu Peisheng (劉培生)
  • Sun Zhongjun (孫仲君)

• Taoist Musang (木桑道長) – the leader of the Iron Sword Sect (鐵劍門) and a close friend of Mu Renqing. He instructs Yuan Chengzhi in martial arts during the latter's childhood. He is obsessed with weiqi and willing to spend an entire day playing with Yuan Chengzhi.

• Yuzhenzi (玉真子) – Musang's junior. He betrays his sect and aids the Manchus in sabotaging the Ming government after their teacher's death. He is slain by the combined efforts of Yuan Chengzhi, A'jiu, Sun Zhongjun and He Tishou.

Manchus

• Nurhaci (努爾哈赤) – the Manchu leader. He leads his army to attack the declining Ming Dynasty and is killed in action during a battle against the Ming army led by Yuan Chonghuan.

• Hong Taiji (皇太極) – Nurhaci's successor. As an expert militarist and tactician, he uses a scheme to trick the Chongzhen Emperor into believing that Yuan Chonghuan is a traitor and succeeded in eliminating Yuan. Yuan Chengzhi attempts to assassinate him but fails.

• Dorgon (多爾袞) – the younger brother of Hong Taiji. He murders his older brother to seize power.

Ming Dynasty

• Chongzhen Emperor (崇禎皇帝) – the last ruler of the Ming Dynasty. He suspects that Yuan Chonghuan harbours the intention of rebelling against him and has Yuan put to death on charges of treason. He commits suicide by hanging himself after the Forbidden City falls to rebel forces.

• An Jianqing (安劍清) – a Jinyi Wei (secret police) commander. His wife left him in anger to join the rebel army after he decides to serve the emperor to gain wealth and fame. They have since remained on opposing sides.

• Prince Hui (惠王) – a noble who attempts to seize power as the rebel army closes in on the capital city. He hires a group of pugilists as assassins to aid him in his plot to overthrow Chongzhen but fails.

• Wu Sangui (吳三桂) – the military commander in charge of guarding Shanhai Pass. He is furious with Li Zicheng for taking away his concubine, Chen Yuanyuan, and opens the pass to allow Qing forces to enter Ming China.

• Chen Yuanyuan (陳圓圓) – Wu Sangui's concubine

• Taibai Sanying (太白三英; literally "Three White Heroes") – three treacherous swordsmen who serve the Qing Dynasty as spies. They murder Jiao Gongli and attempt to push the blame to Min Zihua. However, Yuan Chengzhi uncovers the truth and they are all slain by Jiao Wan'er.
  • Shi Bingguang (史秉光)
  • Shi Bingwen (史秉文)
  • Li Gang (黎剛)

Five Poisons Cult (五毒教)

• He Hongyao (何紅藥) – the aunt of He Tieshou and one of the cult's elders. She has a past affair with Xia Xueyi and seeks vengeance on him after he betrays her love. She vents her anger on Xia Qingqing after learning that Xia Xueyi had died. She is killed in an explosion in the cave where Xia Xueyi was buried.

• Qi Yun'ao (齊雲璈) – a member of the cult who dresses as a beggar. He is an expert in the use of snake poison. He is killed by He Hongyao during an internal conflict.

Wen family and associates

• Five Wen Elders (溫家五佬) – the five patriarchs of the Wen family and leaders of a group of brigands. They are expert pugilists and their deadly Five Elements Formation (五行陣) proves a challenge to Yuan Chengzhi.
  • Wen Fangda (溫方達)
  • Wen Fangyi (溫方義)
  • Wen Fangshan (溫方山)
  • Wen Fangshi (溫方施)
  • Wen Fangwu (溫方悟)

• Wen Yi (溫儀) – Wen Fangshan's daughter. She is in love with Xia Xueyi, who was a sworn enemy of her family. She conceives a daughter, Qingqing, with Xia Xueyi. After Xia Xueyi disappears, her family treat her and her daughter coldly, seeing them as outsiders.

• Zhang Chunjiu (張春九) - a pugilist who seeks the whereabouts of Xia Xueyi. He is killed by Xia Xueyi after finding the Golden Serpent Manual on Mount Hua.

Miscellaneous characters

• Min Zihua (閔子華) – a member of the Xiandu Sect (仙都派). He is tricked into believing that Jiao Gongli is responsible for his brother's death, and confronts Jiao with a group of pugilists. Yuan Chengzhi helps to clear Jiao Gongli's name and resolve the conflict. As part of an earlier agreement, Min Zihua hands over his villa to Yuan Chengzhi and promises never to bother Jiao Gongli again.

• Jiao Gongli (焦公禮) – the leader of the Golden Dragon Sect (金龍幫). He is murdered by the Taibai Sanying, who attempt to push the blame to Min Zihua.

• Meng Bofei (孟伯飛) – a reputable elderly pugilist nominated to be the leader of the pugilists gathered on Mount Tai. He loses the position to Yuan Chengzhi.

• Officials from Brunei
  • Zhang Chaotang (張朝唐)
  • Yang Pengju (杨鹏举)
  • Zhang Kang (張康)

• Foreigners - oversee the trading of cannons to the Ming army. They present Yuan Chengzhi with a map of the Far East after losing in a duel with him.
  • Raymond (雷蒙)
  • Peter (彼得)
  • Rooklyn (若克琳)

See also

• List of organisations in Wuxia fiction