Xiaolongnü

Xiaolongnü is the fictional female protagonist of Jin Yong's wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes. The author describes her physical appearances as "skin as white as snow, beautiful and elegant beyond convention and cannot be underestimated, but appears cold and indifferent" (全身雪白，面容秀美絕俗，清麗秀雅，莫可逼視，神色間卻是冰冷淡漠).[1]

Name

Xiaolongnü's name (literally "Little Dragon Maiden") is based on the year she was born, the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac. Her real name is unknown and is never mentioned in the novel; she is referred to as Xiaolongnü by other people, and "Long'er" by Yang Guo, her teacher and Granny Sun.

Early life

Xiaolongnü was abandoned as an infant outside Chongyang Palace (Quanzhen Sect's headquarters) by an unknown figure. Her cries broke the silence of the night and drew the attention of Quanzhen's priests. Before they could decide what to do with the baby girl as the sect does not accept female members, a middle-aged woman called Granny Sun appeared and took Xiaolongnü away to the nearby Ancient Tomb.

Xiaolongnü was raised as a disciple of the Ancient Tomb Sect by the student of the sect's founder Lin Chaoying. As a child, she was taught all the sect's martial arts and mastered all of them after many years. She starts learning the sect's highest order skill from the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, but since her teacher's understanding of the skill was incomplete, her own understanding is even more limited.

Xiaolongnü has a senior Li Mochou, who was expelled from the sect for poor conduct. Unlike Li Mochou, Xiaolongnü had never left the tomb and grows up to be an innocent, seemingly vulnerable great beauty with inborn calmness, coldness (to the point of being unsociable), apathetic and emotionless characteristics.[original research?] She wears white long dresses which makes her pale and bloodless features appear even paler and distinctively prettier.[original research?]

Xiaolongnü inherited the sect's leadership position when she was 14 after her teacher died. She is accompanied by Granny Sun only. Meanwhile Li Mochou spread rumours in the jianghu that when Xiaolongnü turned 18, she will offer her hand in marriage to any man who can defeat her. In addition, the lucky man will claim possession of the tomb, said to house great treasures and martial arts scriptures. The Mongol prince Huodu believes the tale and journeys to the Ancient Tomb, hoping to meet Xiaolongnü. He brings his lackeys and they raid Chongyang Palace along the way. Coincidentally Guo Jing arrives at Chongyang Palace together with Yang Guo and he drives away Huodu and his men.

As Yang Guo's teacher and lover

Xiaolongnü meets Yang Guo for the first time when he ventures into the Ancient Tomb while escaping from the bullies at Quanzhen Sect. She does not allow him to stay and asks Granny Sun to send him back to Quanzhen and tell the priests not to mistreat him anymore. However the Quanzhen priests begin insulting Yang when they see him return. The furious Granny Sun fights with them and is mortally wounded by Hao Datong. Xiaolongnü appears at the critical moment, defeats Hao and saves Yang. Before her death, Granny Sun makes Xiaolongnü promise to take care of Yang. She wants both of them, orphans, to have each other as companions after her death. The Quanzhen priests oblige and allow Yang to leave with Xiaolongnü.

Xiaolongnü accepts Yang as her apprentice and they live together in the Ancient Tomb for several years. During these years, Xiaolongnü imparts most of her martial arts and skills to Yang. Yang does not like to address her as "Teacher" or "Master" and prefers to call her "Aunt" (姑姑) instead. Both of them fall in love with each other but their romance is viewed as taboo and equivalent to incest in the Confucianist Chinese society of that era. They encounter several tribulations after leaving the tomb and numerous tests of their love. Although they are eventually married in Chongyang Palace, they are again separated, this time for 16 years, until their final reunion at the end of the novel.

White-silver gloves

Xiaolongnü wears a pair of gloves made from white-silver that are impenetrable by sharp weapons. Xiaolongnü can grab hold of enemies' weapons and break them while wearing these gloves.
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Long sash of gold bells

Xiaolongnü's weapon. She uses her skills to manipulate this long and flexible weapon for both long and short distance attacks. Two gold bells are tied at each end of the sash and hidden in the sleeves. The bells are only unsheathed by flapping the sleeves. The rhythmic and random ringing sound of the bells serve as distraction while the bells are used to attack the enemy's exposed acupuncture points and stun them.
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Gold needles of jade bee

This dart throwing technique is one of the fundamental skills of the Ancient Tomb Sect. The poison of a rare breed of bee, known as the jade bee, is carefully coated onto needles made from heavy gold and steel. The needles are thrown at enemies like darts. The degree of poison is higher than Li Mochou's Soul Freezing Needles as the venom causes excruciating pain and eventual death after a long time. The only cure to the poison is the Jade Bee's honey, which has health benefits too.
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Jade bees

The Jade bees (玉蜂) are Xiaolongnü's only "living" weapon. This special breed of bees can make formations and attack enemies when instructed by playing a musical instrument, rhythmic whistles and honey. Xiaolongnü plays the guqin to instruct the bees and she also carries a bottle of honey with her.