Louis Cha 'Jin Yong'
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Louis Cha 'Jin Yong'

Louis Cha 'Jin Yong'
Louis Cha 'Jin Yong'
Hong Kong martial arts novelist Louis Cha Leung-yung, the world’s most popular Chinese writer, died on October 30, 2018, after a long illness. He was 94. In 1955, he published his first martial arts novel, The Book and the Sword, in the New Evening Post, under the pen name Jin Yong. It was an instant success and he went on to write 14 hugely popular martial arts novels, ending with The Deer and the Cauldron in 1972.
Born
10 Mar 1924
Industry
Literature
Job Title
Author
last updated:
7 October, 2024
Dr Louis Cha Leung-yunk is one of the most talented writers in Hong Kong. His popular martial arts novels are devoured by Chinese people across the world, the social spectrum and all ages. Jin Yong is the pen-name used by Dr Cha. This quietly-spoken, quintessentially Chinese man is renowned not only as the author of fifteen best-selling martial arts novels, written between 1955 and 1972, but also as a publisher, editor and political commentator. He is also the founder of the Ming Pao newspaper and its sister publications. Lately his famous martial arts novels have been translated into English and published. However, Dr Cha admits that Western readers may find his novels hard to appreciate, as the adventures are being so intricately interwoven with Chinese idioms, folklore and culture. 14MAR94
Chinese culture

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A century after wuxia novelists Louis Cha and Liang Yusheng were born in 1924, their influence on martial arts culture – from TV series and movies to books and radio – is as big as when they were alive.

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Hong Kong culture

Letters | Dub TVB’s wuxia classics into English for the world

Readers discuss the value of making English versions of television series based on novels by Jin Yong, the potential for collaboration between Western and Chinese medicine, and China’s tech advancement.

A picture of Barbara Yung, Lau Dan and Felix Wong, in character as Huang Rong, Hong Qigong and Guo Jing in TVB’s The Legend of the Condor Heroes, is shown at the Jin Yong Gallery at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin in 2018. Photo: Nora Tam
Art

Missing Art Month already? 6 more cultural happenings to catch around Hong Kong

TeamLab has scattered giant light-emitting ovoids from Tamar Park into the harbour, while the Hong Kong Heritage Museum has a sculpture exhibition that brings to life characters from Jin Yong’s novels

Hong Kong culture

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Hong Kong society

Opinion | Forget Instagram spots. What’s Hong Kong doing to nurture the next Jin Yong?

As the government continues to promote Hong Kong as an art and cultural hub in the region, it has much to learn about what truly constitutes art. Jin Yong’s wuxia novels, with their wide appeal, manage to be both escapist entertainment and a vast cultural phenomenon.

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A visitor takes a photo of the sculptures of Xiaolongnu and Yang Guo, the central couple of the Jin Yong novel, “The Return of the Condor Heroes”, at Edinburgh Place in Central on March 15. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Hong Kong culture

My Take | Hong Kong should cherish its open culture that nurtured Jin Yong

Without Hong Kong’s thriving entertainment industry and open culture, the genius and creativity of the literary giant and his martial arts epics would have no chance to shine.

Hong Kong culture

Novelist Louis Cha’s characters come to life in Hong Kong sculpture exhibitions

Two-metre-tall statues of characters from the works of Cha, also known as Jin Yong, on display at Edinburgh Place in Central and Heritage Museum in Sha Tin.

Intellectual property in China

Hong Kong author Louis Cha ‘Jin Yong’ gets posthumous win in copyright lawsuit

The Guangzhou Intellectual Property Court ruled that mainland Chinese writer Yang Zhi’s 2002 novel There They Were constituted copyright infringement and unfair competition.

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Hong Kong wuxia author Louis Cha Leung-yung, known by his pen name Jin Yong, holds a copy of his novel “Book and Sword, Gratitude and Revenge” at his office in the city on July 29, 2002. Photo: Reuters
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Sakra: Donnie Yen plays tragic hero in action-packed Louis Cha adaptation

Hong Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen plays Qiao Feng in Sakra, an action-packed adaptation of Louis Cha’s epic wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

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Donnie Yen as Qiao Feng in a still from Sakra.
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Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho, who passed away in May, was buried in Chiu Yuen Cemetery – but what about other Hong Kong celebrities? Photos: SCMP
Chinese authors

Review | ‘Chinese Tolkien’ Louis Cha’s second Condor Heroes book out in English

Having entranced generations of Asian readers, with this latest release Western audiences can discover why ‘Jin Yong’ was so revered in Asia; his novel continues the story of Guo Jing, 13th century kung fu fighting hero.

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The collection will go on general sale to public on December 6 and feature the likes of Guo Jing, Chen Jialuo and Zhang Wuji.

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The life and legacy of Louis Cha ‘Jin Yong’

Zhou Xin talks about the cultural impact of Louis Cha's wuxia novels in mainland China as well as his pivotal role as founder and editor of Ming Pao.

Friends and family pay final respects to literary giant Louis Cha

The legendary writer and publisher was cremated on Tuesday at Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. Earlier in the day figures from Hong Kong society attended a private funeral service at Quarry Bay funeral home.

Chinese authors

Hong Kong’s elite pay tribute at private vigil for Louis Cha ‘Jin Yong’

The guestbook at a private service for Louis Cha Leung-yung at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point read like a who’s who of the city’s media, business, showbiz and political elite featuring lawmakers, officials, tycoons and actors.

Books and literature

4 of Louis Cha ‘Jin Yong’s’ most iconic TV and film characters

The Chinese literary giant died last month aged 94 after a long battle with illness

Andy Lau as Yang Guo and Idy Chan as the “little dragon maiden” in TVB’s adaptation of Louis Cha's The Return of the Condor Heroes.
Books and literature

Chinese vice-premier Han pays tribute to author Louis Cha

Recently deceased writer praised for his contribution to drafting Hong Kong’s Basic Law.

Louis Cha, who died last week, was universally regarded as the most influential Chinese novelist of the 20th century. Photo: SCMP
China Briefing

China Briefing | Louis Cha’s life as a journalist was as thrilling as his novels

Editorials in the newspaper he co-founded, Ming Pao, put the novelist known as Jin Yong on an assassination list. But he found the courage to stand up to the threat, taking inspiration from the characters he created

Chinese authors

13 current and past leaders of China mourn passing of Louis Cha ‘Jin Yong’

Liaison office director Wang Zhimin visits Cha’s home and relays leaders’ condolences to the novelist’s widow May Lam.

My Take

My Take | Television, not the Brits, made Louis Cha a household name

The death of the legendary martial arts novelist has been met with tributes from all sections of society and not a little political point-scoring.

Legendary martial arts novelist Louis Cha Leung-yung. Photo: SCMP

On Reflection | Louis Cha asked me if The Straits Times would buy Ming Pao

Leslie Fong remembers one of his contemporaries in journalism – the celebrated wuxia novelist known as Jin Yong, a literary great who taught him not only Chinese, but ethics, too

Louis Cha signs a book for a reader at the Hong Kong Book Fair. Photo: AP
China society

Opinion | Why Louis Cha never caught on in the West

His works are deeply reflective of Chinese culture, with deep roots in Chinese history, language and nuance, with culturally specific plot developments that wouldn’t necessarily make sense to those who did not grow up in the culture.

Hong Kong culture

Why cultural giants such as Louis Cha may not be welcomed today

During the 1950s and 60s, ‘coming from the mainland’ did not have any derogatory connotations, historian says.

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