Novel
The Book and the Sword
書劍恩仇錄
Jin Yong · 1955
Synopsis
Under the reign of Qianlong, the Red Flower Society, a secret brotherhood of fifteen heroes, wants to overthrow the Manchu Qing dynasty and return power to the Han. Chen Jialuo has just taken its lead when the emperor's soldiers arrest one of its own, Wen Tailai, because he holds a secret about the sovereign. The heroes try to free him while he is escorted to Beijing; on the way, they meet Uyghurs in pursuit of those who stole their sacred book, and Chen lends them a hand.
Context
The novel appeared as a serial in the New Evening Post of Hong Kong, from 8 February 1955 to 5 September 1956; it was its author's first. The Yellowbridge review specifies that the plot rests on a legend that made Qianlong a Han child swapped in the cradle, and that a large part of it takes place in Xinjiang, among the Uyghurs, where the Fragrant Concubine, a historical figure, appears. Graham Earnshaw translated it into English, first online in 2001, then for Oxford University Press under the title The Book and the Sword. No French translation has been found; three other novels by the author have been published by You Feng.
Who it is for
Long novel of adventure and combat, the first milestone of the body of work; it can be read in English, not yet in French.
Prizes and reception
Four films and seven television series have been based on the novel, from 1960 to 2023, in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.
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