Liang Yusheng

Chinese writer

Chen Wentong (5 April 1924 – 22 January 2009), better known by his pen name Liang Yusheng, was a Chinese born Australian novelist best known for being a pioneer of the "new school" of the wuxia genre in the 20th century. Along with Jin Yong and Gu Long, he was one of the best known wuxia writers in the later half of the 20th century. Throughout his career, he published a total of 35 wuxia novels – the more notable ones include Baifa Monü Zhuan, Yunhai Yugong Yuan, Qijian Xia Tianshan and Pingzong Xiaying Lu – and some have been adapted into films and television series, including The Bride with White Hair (1993) and Seven Swords (2005).

Chen's given name "Wentong" means "literary tradition". He chose Liang as the surname of his pen name to remind himself that he was inheriting the literary tradition of his ancestors in the same way the Chen dynasty (557–589) succeeded the Liang dynasty (502–557) during the Northern and Southern dynasties period (420–589). He chose "Yusheng" as the given name of his pen name to pay homage to Gong Baiyu, one of his favourite wuxia writers and sources of influence, because "Yusheng" means "born from (Gong Bai)yu". On 17 January 1954, two martial arts masters – Chan Hak fu of the White Crane School and Wu Kung i of the Tai Chi School – challenged each other to a lei tai match in Macau and attracted much attention in Hong Kong. Luo Fu, the chief editor of New Evening Post, wanted to take advantage of the sensationalism surrounding the lei tai match, so he asked Chen to write a wuxia story based on the match and publish it as a serial in the newspaper. This became Chen's debut wuxia novel – Longhu Dou Jinghua – and marked the start of a "new school" in the wuxia genre. During this time, he met Jin Yong, who was also working at New Evening Post and writing wuxia novels. From 1954 to 1983, Chen wrote a total of 35 wuxia novels, of which most were originally published as serials in newspapers. Among his works, Baifa Monü Zhuan, Yunhai Yugong Yuan, Qijian Xia Tianshan and Pingzong Xiaying Lu are some of the better known ones and have been adapted into films and television series, including The Bride with White Hair (1993) and Seven Swords (2005). Besides wuxia novels, Chen also wrote columns, critiques and essays under different pen names, including "Liang Hueru" and "Fong Yuning".

Chen migrated to Australia with his family in 1987. At the time, he was a member of the China Writers Association and had been offered the position of honorary president of the Yinglian Society of China (YSC) in Shenzhen. On 30 November 2004, Chen received an honorary Doctor of Arts from his alma mater, Lingnan University, which has moved to Hong Kong, for his contributions to the development of literature. In December 2006, while attending an event in Hong Kong to celebrate Cosmos Books Ltd.'s 30th anniversary, Chen suffered a stroke. Among those who wrote tributes to Chen were his mentor Rao Zongyi, his former boss Luo Fu, fellow wuxia writer Jin Yong, and professor Chan Yiu nam.

Title Published Historical setting Connection to other works Nüdi Qiying Zhuan女帝奇英傳 1961–1962 c. late 7th century(Wu Zhou dynasty / Tang dynasty) Datang Youxia Zhuan大唐游俠傳 1963–1964 c. 8th century(Tang dynasty) The first part of the Datang trilogy. Longfeng Baochai Yuan龍鳳寶釵緣 1964–1966 c. 8th century(Tang dynasty) The second part of the Datang trilogy. Huijian Xinmo慧劍心魔 1966–1968 c. 8th century(Tang dynasty) The third part of the Datang trilogy. Wulin Tianjiao武林天驕 1978–1982 c. 13th century(Song dynasty) The first part of the Tianjiao series. Feifeng Qianlong飛鳳潛龍 1966 c. 13th century(Song dynasty) The second part of the Tianjiao series. Kuangxia Tianjiao Monü狂俠·天驕·魔女 1964–1968 c. 13th century(Song dynasty) The third part of the Tianjiao series. Hanhai Xiongfeng瀚海雄風 1968–1970 c. 13th century(Song dynasty) The fourth part of the Tianjiao series. Mingdi Fengyun Lu鳴鏑風雲錄 1968–1972 c. 13th century(Song dynasty) The fifth part of the Tianjiao series. Fengyun Leidian風雲雷電 1970–1972 c. 13th century(Song dynasty) The sixth part of the Tianjiao series. Huanjian Qiqing Lu還劍奇情錄 1959–1960 c. 14th century(Ming dynasty) The first part of the Pingzong series. Pingzong Xiaying Lu萍蹤俠影錄 1959–1960 c. 15th century(Ming dynasty) The second part of the Pingzong series. Sanhua Nüxia散花女俠 1960–1961 c. 15th century(Ming dynasty) The third part of the Pingzong series. Lianjian Fengyun Lu聯劍風雲錄 1961–1962 c. 15th century(Ming dynasty) The fourth part of the Pingzong series. Guangling Jian廣陵劍 1972–1976 c. 15th century(Ming dynasty) The fifth part of the Pingzong series. Wulin Sanjue武林三絕 1972–1976 c. 15th century(Ming dynasty) Wudang Yijian武當一劍 1980–1983 c. 17th century(Ming dynasty) Baifa Monü Zhuan白髮魔女傳 1957–1958 c. 17th century(Ming dynasty) The first part of the Tianshan series. Saiwai Qixia Zhuan塞外奇俠傳 1956–1957 c. 17th century(Qing dynasty) The second part of the Tianshan series. Qijian Xia Tianshan七劍下天山 1956–1957 c. 17th century(Qing dynasty) The third part of the Tianshan series. Jianghu San Nüxia江湖三女俠 1957–1958 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The fourth part of the Tianshan series. Bingpo Hanguang Jian冰魄寒光劍 1962 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The fifth part of the Tianshan series. Bingchuan Tiannü Zhuan冰川天女傳 1959–1960 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The sixth part of the Tianshan series. Yunhai Yugong Yuan雲海玉弓緣 1961–1963 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The seventh part of the Tianshan series. Binghe Xijian Lu冰河洗劍錄 1963–1965 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The eighth part of the Tianshan series. Fenglei Zhen Jiuzhou風雷震九州 1965–1967 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The ninth part of the Tianshan series. Xiagu Danxin俠骨丹心 1967–1969 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The tenth part of the Tianshan series. Jianwang Chensi劍網塵絲 1976–1980 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) A companion piece to Huanjian Lingqi. Huanjian Lingqi幻劍靈旗 1980–1981 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) A companion piece to Jianwang Chensi. Youjian Jianghu遊劍江湖 1969–1972 c. 18th century(Qing dynasty) The first part of the Muye Liuxing tetralogy. Muye Liuxing牧野流星 1972–1975 c. 19th century(Qing dynasty) The second part of the Muye Liuxing tetralogy. Tanzhi Jinglei彈指驚雷 1977–1981 c. 19th century(Qing dynasty) The third part of the Muye Liuxing tetralogy. Juesai Chuanfeng Lu絕塞傳烽錄 1975–1978 c. 19th century(Qing dynasty) The fourth part of the Muye Liuxing tetralogy. Caomang Longshe Zhuan草莽龍蛇傳 1954–1955 c. 19th century(Qing dynasty) Longhu Dou Jinghua龍虎鬥京華 1954 c. 19th century(Qing dynasty)