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English
A colour woodblock-style frontispiece: in the hall of the Kaifeng court, dark-faced Lord Bao, a crescent mark on his brow, sits behind the judge's desk; his guard Zhan Zhao stands beside him with a sword, and tiny knights-errant stand on the rooftops beyond.

The Three Heroes and Five Gallants

三俠五義三侠五义Sanxia wuyi

By Shi Yukun 石玉昆石玉昆 · Qing dynasty · 1879

The courtroom-and-swordplay saga that wuxia grew out of, with Judge Bao, an imperial guard called the Southern Hero, and five sworn brothers of the rivers and lakes.

Start reading · Chapter One
Free to read
Chapters 1–24
Length
422,000 characters · 448,000 English words

Contents

Chapters 1–20
  1. 1A dark plot swaps the crown prince at the hour of his birth; A gallant heart dies in her stead to save the Emperor’s consort
  2. 2The Kui star sends a dream as a loyal and upright man is born; The Ministry of Thunder shows its might as a fox takes refuge
  3. 3At Jinlong Temple a hero makes his first rescue; At Yinyi Village the fox repays a kindness for the third time
  4. 4Driving out a demon, Lord Bao wins a bride; Graced by the Emperor, he sets out for his post in Dingyuan County
  5. 5An ink marker lays the truth bare and Pi Xiong’s crime comes to light; A black basin pours out its woes and the Odd Antique cries for justice
  6. 6Stripped of office, he meets a man of honour and an eminent monk; Matching the dragon portrait, he tries a wronged and grieving ghost
  7. 7Gaining the Basin of Past and Present, he weds a virtuous bride; Taking on Gongsun Ce, he seeks out the wicked in secret
  8. 8Saving a faithful servant, they rid Tiexian Temple of villains; Probing a puzzling case, he finds a lead in Qili Village
  9. 9Settling a strange injustice, he protests to the throne and is made an Academician; Forging the imperial guillotines, he sets out for Chenzhou to inspect the relief
  10. 10Buying a pig’s head, a young scholar meets with sudden disaster; Disguised as a beggar, a brave man catches a thief
  11. 11Questioning Ye Qian’er, Lord Bao settles the case; Meeting old Mrs. Yang, a knight-errant scatters his gold
  12. 12The gallant Zhan deftly swaps the Hidden Spring wine; The villainous Marquis Pang hatches a plot in the Ruanhong Hall
  13. 13At Anping Town one of the Five Rats does a good deed single-handed; At Miaojia Market two heroes split the gold down the middle
  14. 14Young Bao Xing secretly tries the Pillow of Immortal Journeys; Brave Zhan Zhao helps to seize the Marquis of Anle
  15. 15Executing Pang Yu, he puts the dragon-head guillotine to its first use; Meeting the mother of the realm, he spends the night at the Tianqi Temple
  16. 16Out of loyalty, the Academician claims a mother with false words; Out of filial duty, his lady prays for dew to heal a mother’s eyes
  17. 17At the Kaifeng yamen a eunuch steward calls on Minister Bao; At the Nanqing Palace the Empress Dowager makes herself known to Consort Di
  18. 18A grave illness is reported, and Renzong acknowledges the mother of the realm; A secret decree is proclaimed, and the good minister puts Guo Huai on trial
  19. 19A confession is cleverly obtained, and Guo Huai is put to death; A decree is openly proclaimed, and Consort Li returns to the palace
  20. 20Bewitched by a spell, a loyal and upright man meets with great disaster; Slaying a Taoist sorcerer, a bold hero performs a remarkable feat
Chapters 21–40
  1. 21Hurling a head, the Southern Hero strikes terror into the treacherous clique; With evil swept away, the Academician puts an old bawd on trial
  2. 22In the Hall of Golden Bells Minister Bao impeaches the Grand Preceptor; At the Yaowu Tower the Southern Hero is made a palace guard
  3. 23Liu Hongyi gives silver, and husband and wife meet with disaster; Bai Xiong beats off a tiger, and nephew and uncle find each other
  4. 24Under a rain of clubs, Fan the top graduate loses his wits; Over too many cups, Qu the Beard loses his life
  5. 25Madam Bai’s soul returns by a blunder between the worlds; Qu Shen’s soul takes her body: dead drunk, alive as in a dreamMembers
  6. 26By voice and by reason, the good and the bad are told apart at once; By face and by look, the man and the woman cannot be told apartMembers
  7. 27The immortal pillow shows a dream, and the old mirror sends the souls home; Fan Zhongyu takes first place, and Zhan Zhao sacrifices to his forebearsMembers
  8. 28A day is set at the lake pavilion, and help is gladly and freely pledged; The facts are probed in a tavern, and two men meet by happy chanceMembers
  9. 29Ding Zhaohui steals from Zheng Xin at the teahouse; Zhan Zhao meets Old Zhou at the lake pavilionMembers
  10. 30Help for the weak and the fallen: silver for Old Zhou; Friendship between kindred spirits: an invitation for the Southern HeroMembers
  11. 31Over crossed swords, Zhan Zhao is promised a worthy bride; Over stolen fish, the Sky Rat gladly makes amendsMembers
  12. 32An old servant saved by night, and Yan sets out for the examinations; A poor scholar met at dusk, and the stranger Jin blustersMembers
  13. 33A true scholar strikes up a friendship with Bai Yutang; A handsome hero puts Yan Chasan to the test three timesMembers
  14. 34Yan swears brotherhood and knows a hero when he sees one; Old Liu reads a letter and scorns a poor scholarMembers
  15. 35Old Liu reneges on a betrothal, his wolf’s heart beyond all fathoming; Young Feng matches verses, his dog-fart lines beyond all senseMembers
  16. 36In the garden a gift of silver costs a maid her life; Before the hall an ungrateful servant comes to rob the deadMembers
  17. 37The young lady’s soul returns, and the Niu boy gets his deserts; A little page waits on his master, and a knight-errant scatters his goldMembers
  18. 38Pleading his master’s wrong, a boy stops a sedan chair with his plaint; Braving danger for a friend, a hero leaves a note beneath a knifeMembers
  19. 39The guillotine falls on Junheng, and the scholar is cleared; A stone startles Zhao Hu, and two heroes cross bladesMembers
  20. 40Anxious for a sworn brother, the eldest sends three heroes to seek him; Out to seize ill-gotten gold, a stranger rallies the Five GallantsMembers
Chapters 41–60
  1. 41At the Loyal Martyr’s shrine a poem is written, and Guo An loses his life; Kaifeng receives the imperial command, and Zhao Hu puts on a disguiseMembers
  2. 42Taking false for true, a brave man seizes the wrong suspect; Turning a mistake to account, a judge shrewdly uncovers the hidden goldMembers
  3. 43A kingfisher-jade vase is fouled, a mutton-fat jade bowl defiled; The Grand Preceptor’s breath reeks, his lovely concubines lose their livesMembers
  4. 44At the Flower God’s temple a hero rescues a girl in distress; At the Kaifeng yamen gallant friends bring a true name to lightMembers
  5. 45Released in justice, Lu Fang goes free, and Shi Dan answers with his life; Ma Han is wounded by mistake, and Xu Qing is taken captiveMembers
  6. 46A ruse tricks out the antidote and drives Han Zhang away in anger; A stroll for pleasure and alms for the poor bring a glad meeting with Zhao QingMembers
  7. 47A petition handed to the wrong man: a scheming minister lays a poisonous plot; A case neatly settled: a young master clears a strange wrongMembers
  8. 48The schemers are tracked down, and the false young master pays with his life; The sycophants are degraded, and the true gallants come before the EmperorMembers
  9. 49In the golden hall their skills are tried, and three Rats are given office; At the Buddhist gate a petition is offered, and a pair of crows bring a complaintMembers
  10. 50In his kindness the Earth Rat rescues two constables; By his wits Bai Yutang steals the three treasuresMembers
  11. 51Hunting a fierce tiger, two bold men fall into a deep pit; The villains taken, three robbers are brought to Ping CountyMembers
  12. 52In gratitude for kindness, the young master agrees to wed old Mr. Fang’s daughter; In delivering a letter, old Mother Ning proves her worthMembers
  13. 53The gallant Jiang climbs Cuiyun Peak a second time; The Southern Hero Zhan reaches Xiankong Island for the first timeMembers
  14. 54In the Tongtian Grotto, the Southern Hero meets old Mr. Guo; On the north shore of the Luhua Marsh, Hu Qi is takenMembers
  15. 55Word slips out, and a guest is trapped in the Luosi Pavilion; A plan is laid, and by night a hero heads for Qiuyin RidgeMembers
  16. 56To save his sister’s betrothed, a ruse opens the Tongtian Grotto; With the three treasures won back, a shock sends Bai Yutang fleeingMembers
  17. 57At the Dulong Bridge an elder sworn brother captures the younger; At Kaifeng Prefecture Minister Bao vouches for a worthy heroMembers
  18. 58At the Dragon Tower the Sleek Rat is made a palace guard; At an inn Deng Jiuru meets his lucky starMembers
  19. 59Young Ni pays a debt in silver, and Bao Xing calls at the county yamen; Magistrate Jin gives a horse, and Jiuru sets out for the capitalMembers
  20. 60By design the Purple-Bearded Elder rids the world of Ma Gang; By chance Ding Zhaolan runs into a rough fellowMembers
Chapters 61–80
  1. 61Drinking at the Dafuju Tavern, he runs into a village bully; Stealing silver at Bianjia Hamlet, he puts the fear into the villainsMembers
  2. 62Running into kidnappers in the pine wood, he rescues Qiaojie; Hunting down a lecher at Tieling, he fights Hua ChongMembers
  3. 63Saving a rough fellow, he stabs Wu Daocheng by stealth; Seeking his sworn brother, by luck he finds him at Sanghua TownMembers
  4. 64Talking over the past, he wins round the Earth Rat; Seeking old sights, he sets out to tour Zhulong BridgeMembers
  5. 65The Northern Hero seeks out a wonder and finds no pleasure in it; The Butterfly slips out of sight with a scheme of his ownMembers
  6. 66Stealing the pearl lamp, the Butterfly is caught in a trap; Rescuing the villain, Zhang Hua steals away with him on his backMembers
  7. 67Before the hall the Purple-Bearded Elder holds off Deng Che; Beneath the bridge Jiang Zechang takes the ButterflyMembers
  8. 68The Butterfly is put to death by law, and Zhan Zhao is married; The Twin Heroes feast a parting friend, and Jingxiu divines by a written characterMembers
  9. 69Du Yong tutors a pupil, and a concubine tries to seduce him; Qin Chang makes amends, and a maid loses her lifeMembers
  10. 70Squire Qin offers no defence and willingly takes the blame; Magistrate Jin lays a plan and swiftly rights a wrongMembers
  11. 71Yang Fang, loyal at heart, makes his bow to a new household; Jizu, filial to the core, finds his mother at lastMembers
  12. 72A boy finds a true master and learns his art at the Zhaoxian Lodge; A governor hunts a bully and goes in secret to Bawang VillageMembers
  13. 73Wicked Yao Cheng sees through his old shipmate; Lovely Jiangzhen secretly frees the new GovernorMembers
  14. 74Lecherous Fang Diao saves the steadfast Miss Zhu by mistake; Greedy He Bao meets the Purple-Bearded Elder on a narrow roadMembers
  15. 75On the road, Governor Ni falls into danger once more; In the dungeon, the Black Fox secretly slays a villainMembers
  16. 76Cutting the bed-curtain cords, the Northern Hero seizes a local tyrant; matching the lotus petals, the Governor settles a happy marriageMembers
  17. 77Relieved of his post, Governor Ni goes to the capital; In disguise, Guard Bai meets a knight-errantMembers
  18. 78The Purple-Bearded Elder, the greater fighter, humbles one of the Five Rats; Bai Yutang, his pride brought low, bows to the Twin HeroesMembers
  19. 79Young Master Zhi lays a plan to steal the pearl crown; Old servant Pei dresses the part of a destitute greybeardMembers
  20. 80Posing as a labourer, he digs mud from the imperial canal; Taking his bearings, he catches a monkey in a tall treeMembers
Chapters 81–100
  1. 81Stealing the imperial crown, he entrusts it to Ding Zhaohui; Stopping the minister’s chair, he informs on Ma ChaoxianMembers
  2. 82Put to the imperial guillotine, the Young Hero comes through his first hearing; By imperial command, a palace eunuch joins a bench of fiveMembers
  3. 83Never swerving from his story: quick of heart and nimble of wit; Real loot and real culprits: short of argument, yet truly wrongedMembers
  4. 84Restored to his post, Ni Jizu takes a bride; Surveying the floods, Bai Yutang seizes a monsterMembers
  5. 85Sounding the waters, Gongsun Ce meets young Mao; Skirting the lake, Jiang Zechang runs into the bandit WuMembers
  6. 86Taming the waters by the map, father and son are honoured; Too fond of the cup, uncle and nephew meet againMembers
  7. 87Three champions, for a friend’s sake, go to call on Sha Long; The fourth gallant, saving a life, leaves Ai Hu behindMembers
  8. 88Seizing fish and snatching wine, a younger brother bows to his elder; Discussing prose and poetry, an old man chooses a son-in-lawMembers
  9. 89Naive Jinjian hides a white jade hairpin away; Silly Jiahui lets a purple-gold pendant fallMembers
  10. 90Fleeing a stern father, Mudan sets out for Magistrate He; Posing as the young lady, Jiahui bows to Lord ShaoMembers
  11. 91Back from the dead, a precious daughter takes Zhang Li as her father; Merry amid hardship, the Young Hero wins over Shi YunMembers
  12. 92The Young Hero flings his silver about and drinks himself senseless; Old Ge grabs a pheasant, asks for trouble and gets hurtMembers
  13. 93Taking leave of Lüya Shoal, fishermen and hunters join forces; Coming home to Wohugou, the sisters open their heartsMembers
  14. 94An honest heart sets out to find his master and his father; A small man has his day and throws off all friendship and feelingMembers
  15. 95A man of dark deeds comes to a dark end after all; A gallant hero is ever stirred by a gallant heartMembers
  16. 96At the Liansheng Inn the constables seize a scholar; At Cuifang Pond the magistrate holds an inquest on a drunkardMembers
  17. 97In Changsha Prefecture, Shi Jun meets a maidservant; On Heilang Mountain, Jin Hui falls among banditsMembers
  18. 98Sha Long is hemmed in, and mother and daughter meet again; Zhi Hua lays the plans, and his sworn brothers fight bravelyMembers
  19. 99Jin Hui sees Mudan and bitterly repents; Jiao Chi raises Ai Hu’s match and holds them to their wordMembers
  20. 100Spying out their movements, he sees the prince’s palace send out assassins; Pressing on down the road, he questions a page boy in a wine houseMembers
Chapters 101–120
  1. 101Of two young ladies, it is settled which was true and which was false; Of a pair of assassins, it is plain which of the two was handsome and which was homelyMembers
  2. 102The Sleek Rat makes his first probe of the Chongxiao Tower; The Black Fox comes once more to the Copper Net ArrayMembers
  3. 103In the Inspector’s yamen, wounded pride drives Bai Yutang away; At the Nishui Spring, a search begins for the golden sealMembers
  4. 104A village woman is rescued, and Liu Libao lets the secret slip; Heroes are met, and at Chenqiwang the news comes outMembers
  5. 105A third raid on the Chongxiao Tower, and Yutang meets his doom; A single sealed dispatch, and Zhao Jue takes frightMembers
  6. 106Mr. Gongsun plays the Inspector in disguise; The Divine-Handed Great Sage meets a scheme laid in the darkMembers
  7. 107The madcap Xu Qing goes down on his knees to Zhan Zhao; The ailing Jiang Ping points the way to ChenqiwangMembers
  8. 108Murder for gain is the trade of a wayside inn; A fit match for the daughter is the proper care of the women’s quartersMembers
  9. 109A greedy man sells out a hero for ten thousand taels; A matchmaker’s errand brings two young ladies to lightMembers
  10. 110The Imperial Cat is trapped; a bamboo wall is cut to enter the water; The Third Rat is freed; bones are stolen from the mountaintopMembers
  11. 111A day is fixed to steal a hairpin: a show put on where a stage is found; Birthday wishes go ahead of time, and two men change into disguiseMembers
  12. 112Seeking worthy men, he welcomes those who come to join him; Of one heart and one mind, why should they not swear brotherhood?Members
  13. 113Guardian Zhong sends a letter to win a man of worth; Jiang Zechang braves the rain to call on a friendMembers
  14. 114Bearing his hunger, a guest goes into a temple and kills a monk; Pouring no tea, a host opens his door and bows in a thiefMembers
  15. 115Playing at his ease, he wins over Liu Qing by his wits; Keeping watch with care, he makes a friend of Jiang KaiMembers
  16. 116A plan that leaves nothing to chance makes the deed easy indeed; A single move overlooked makes the matter hard indeedMembers
  17. 117Young Master Zhi, wounded, goes after the son and daughter; Wu Bonan, in flight, falls among jackals and wolvesMembers
  18. 118Punishing a lewd pair, he blunders into a great timber yard; Helping a man in need, he hurries on to Shenshu RidgeMembers
  19. 119At Shenshu Ridge the Young Hero rescues a little boy; At Chenqiwang the gallant band wins over a heroMembers
  20. 120Jun Mountain is set at peace, and all return to the great Way; Their work in Hubei done, the tale finds its ending elsewhereMembers
Editions and sources

Read the original

  • Chinese Wikisource: 三俠五義Complete text

    三俠五義, 120 chapters, attributed to Shi Yukun (the 1879/1883 text; the page does not name its base edition)

    All 120 chapters are linked and transcribed (spot-checked chapters 1, 2, 22, 44, 101). This is the text before Yu Yue’s 1889 revision, not the Seven Heroes itself; Wikisource has no page for Yu Yue’s 七俠五義. Links Hu Shi’s preface.

About the text

Chinese text from Chinese Wikisource: 三俠五義. The 120-chapter text from before Yu Yue’s 1889 revision. The page names no base edition and marks the text as not yet proofread; it has OCR and conversion errors. Each chapter lists the obvious errors we corrected, with the reason; the text has not yet been checked against an independent printed edition.

The story

The Song dynasty, under Emperor Zhenzong. At court a jealous consort and her eunuch plot against a pregnant rival and her child, and a man of honour dies so that the wronged mother can live. Years later Bao Zheng is born amid omens: his father dreams of the Kui star, and thunder drives off the fox spirits. On his way to the capital examinations he is saved from murderous monks at Jinlong Temple by a swordsman, Zhan Zhao.

Bao becomes a magistrate and then the judge of Kaifeng, and he hears cases no one else will touch: a murdered man files his complaint from inside a black earthen basin, and the son of the powerful minister Pang Ji meets Bao’s ‘dragon-head guillotine’. Zhan Zhao, known as the Southern Hero, is made a palace guard and given the nickname ‘Imperial Cat’. A secretary plans for them and constables make the arrests, while Pang Ji never forgives the loss of his son.

Then the book leaves the courtroom for the rivers and lakes. Five sworn brothers, the Five Rats of Xiankong Island, live by their own code. The fifth of them, Bai Yutang, steals three treasures from the court, and the Cat must go to the Rats’ island.

Characters