From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The monk Yideng(一灯) is a fictional character that appears in the wuxia novels The Legend of the Condor Heroes and Return of the Condor Heroes by Chinese author Louis Cha. He was originally a prince in the southern kingdom of Dali in China, but eventually renounced his royalty to become a monk.

Duan Zhixing was born into the royal family that ruled over the small southern kingdom of Dali or Great Li (literally meaning "Great Reason"). In the Jin Yong universe Duan Zhixing like his predecessors was not only heir apparent to the Dali throne, but also a prominent participant in the affairs of the bohemian world of Jianghu.

The Duan family awed the martial arts world with their Yi Yang Finger（一阳指), a martial art which had evolved through the Duan family's own unique way of striking acupuncture points. The highest level of the Yi Yang Finger could emit lethal qi from one's fingers.

Duan Zhixing was extraordinarily proficient in his art and became one of the Five Supreme Martial Artists. So great was his power and integrity that he was entrusted by the aging Wang Chong Yang with the task of controlling the evil Western Venom. The other Champions were either too mercurial in nature or could not be trusted with the task, and furthermore there was only two martial arts in the world which could definitively curb the techniques of Western Venom: Wang Chong Yang's First Heaven Art and Duan's Yi Yang Finger. Wang took his younger martial-brother Zhou Botong with him to the Dali palace where he spent several months exchanging arts with the royal pugilist.

However, during this time Zhou Botong had an affair with Duan's consort. Zhou did not know that this woman was the king's consort and fled the palace out of shame. The consort Lin Yinggu became pregnant with Zhou's child and despite being confined to quarters by the king was still very happy to have had a child by Zhou.

After the child's birth Qiu Qianren (裘千仞), believing the child to be the royal heir, attacked him at night. Qiu sadistically left the child mortally wounded (but still partly alive) in the hopes that Duan would spend his prodigious energies in the act of restoring the baby's life. Lin begged the King to save her child. At that time he was due to go to a duel that would determine the fate of many, yet out of his love for Lin he relented. Just as he was about to begin the rescue operation he saw the love poem that Lin had embroidered onto the little clothing of her baby. Jealousy and anger filled Duan who then refused to save the baby, shouting how unfair it was for him to save the baby of an adulterous affair and allow Lin and Zhou to spend the rest of their lives in happiness, while he would spend his in exhaustion and solitude. The baby died that night and Lin's hair turned white overnight out of grief. She declared her undying hatred for Duan and swore to kill him one day.

Duan woke up from his jealousy afterwards and realised what he had done. The Duan family were traditionally deeply devoted Buddhists and once Duan Zhixing realised what he had done he was shaken to the core of his being. He therefore tidied up his affairs and decided to follow an ancient tradition of the royal family - becoming a monk. His Buddhist name was Yideng, meaning Solitary Light, possibly an allusion to his art. For decades afterwards Yideng did not involve himself in any affairs outside of his monkish contemplation. His good friend Hong Qigong was present at his initiation so word was spread out to Jianghu not to disturb the Southern Emperor anymore.

Duan Zhixing inspired such devotion from his subjects that four of his most trusted ministers resigned their posts to become Duan's monkish disciples. They could thus continue protecting and serving the man who would always be their lord and master. Their former posts include Chancellor of State and Commander of the Royal Guard.

Years later the dispute between Lin and Duan would end through the interference of Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Duan would also become master to the repentant Qiu Qianren. Still later, Yang Guo would help mend the rifts between Lin Yinggu and Cien (Qiu Qianren), as well as between Lin and Zhou Botong.