Jin Yong’s wuxia fiction as seen through Lotus Huang in ‘Legends of the condor heroes’

Abstract

This dissertation explores Jin Yong's wuxia fiction by providing a deeper look into one of his most iconic female characters Lotus Huang from Legends of the Condor Heroes. The primary objective is to establish Lotus’ importance as a protagonist to the novel. A definition of Jin Yong's wuxia is formed by tracing the wuxia genre's development and key components. A historiographical approach was adopted, categorising scholarly reception of Jin Yong's wuxia to provide a better understanding of the cultural elements Jin Yong imbues into his characters. Lotus Huang is then contrasted to other important characters from the novel, highlighting the multiple facets of her personality. Ultimately, the analysis concludes that Lotus’ dynamic character and her pivotal role in driving the narrative forward confirm her status as the protagonist.