Yang Kang

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Yang Kang (simplified Chinese: 杨康; traditional Chinese: 楊康; pinyin: Yáng Kāng; Jyutping: Joeng4 Hong1) is the fictional antagonist in Jin Yong^[1]'s Wuxia novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes.

Biography

Birth and heritage

Yang Kang is the son of Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo. His father was apparently killed when soldiers raided his hometown. His mother, who was heavily pregnant then, was saved by Wanyan Honglie, the sixth prince of the Jin Empire and she gave birth to him later. Yang is raised as a Jurchen noble and he adopts his foster father's family name "Wanyan". Thus, he was initially known as "Wanyan Kang" before his real heritage is revealed.

Yang's given name "Kang" (康) is the complimentary of his sworn brother's "Jing" (靖). Together, their given names made up "Jing Kang" (靖康). Their fathers named them as such to remind them of the Humiliation of Jing Kang and to be loyal subjects to their homeland of Song. He is also a descendant of Yang Zaixing, a famous subordinate of Yue Fei, who participated actively in the war between Jin and Song.

Treachery and Retribution

Yang Kang discovers his true heritage when his biological father Yang Tiexin, who had been apparently killed several years ago before his birth, appears to his mother Bao Xiruo. Bao tries to explain to her son that Yang Tiexin is his father. However, Yang Kang refuses to acknowledge Yang Tiexin as his father. In his eyes, Wanyan Honglie is a fatherly figure to him, who showers love and care on him and provides him with everything he wants. Actually, Wanyan Honglie is responsible for the deaths of his parents, as Yang's parents commit suicide subsequently after being cornered by Wanyan Honglie and his soldiers.

When Yang Kang finally meets his sworn brother, Guo Jing, Guo attempts to persuade him to join his side and serve their homeland of Song. Yang Kang refuses as he is tempted by the wealth, fame and power of being a Jurchen noble. He collaborates with the Jurchens to exploit the Han Chinese of Song, his own race. He becomes a "traitor to his own race" in the eyes of the Han Chinese. Yang is also cunning, witty and manipulative by nature. He lies to Guo Jing that he is willing to join Guo's side, but in the dark he makes his evil plans. He even attempts to kill Guo Jing once by stabbing him with a dagger.

Yang Kang is also responsible for the deaths of five of the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan", as well as the murder of Ouyang Ke. Yang wants to become Ouyang Feng's disciple and he murders Ouyang Ke secretly so he can take his place. He lures the Freaks into a trap on Peach Blossom Island and kills them together with Ouyang Feng. He attempts to frame "Eastern Heretic" Huang Yaoshi for the murders.

Yang Kang meets his retributive end in the Temple of the Iron Spear. Huang Rong is about to reveal the truth behind the deaths of Ouyang Ke and the Freaks when Yang Kang hits her with his palm in an attempt to silence her. However, Yang hits the spikes on Huang Rong's armour instead. The armour is stained with venom from one of the Freaks' corpses after Huang Rong checked the corpse. The poison seeps through the wounds on Yang's palm into his body and kills him eventually. Ironically, the venom which killed Yang was used by him to kill the Freak. Ouyang Feng, who is the only person who can save Yang Kang, refuses to do so when he learns that Yang is the one who murdered his nephew.

Yang dies a slow and painful death in the temple as the poison works its way through his body. It is said that after Yang's death, his corpse is devoured by hungry crows and ravens as no one wants to give him a proper burial for all the evil deeds he had committed.

Love relationship with Mu Nianci

Yang Kang meets his love interest Mu Nianci for the first time in a martial arts contest for a spouse. He defeats her but refuses to marry her after his victory. He is unaware that Mu's foster father Mu Yi is actually his biological father Yang Tiexin, who had been apparently killed several years ago. Yang Kang truly loves Mu Nianci and she feels the same way towards him. However, their love relationship is often strained as they have conflicting views over where their loyalties lie. Yang Kang wants to remain as a Jurchen noble and indulge in wealth, fame and power while Mu Nianci remains loyal to their homeland of Song.

Mu Nianci is disappointed with Yang Kang when she recognises his treachery and stubborn refusal to acknowledge his ethnicity. Yang becomes the "traitor to his own race" in her eyes and she leaves him for good. Mu Nianci never saw Yang Kang again, even until his death. However, Mu Nianci is already pregnant with Yang's child. She gives birth to a baby boy, who is named Yang Guo by Yang Kang's sworn brother Guo Jing.

Martial arts and skills

Quanzhen Sect (全真派)

Qiu Chuji of the Quanzhen Sect finds Yang Kang and accepts him as a disciple upon learning that Yang is the son of his friend Yang Tiexin, who had been tragically killed. Qiu teaches Yang the skills and martial arts of Quanzhen to train him for an upcoming martial arts contest with Guo Jing.

Nine Yin White Bone Claw (九陰白骨爪)

Yang learns the "Nine Yin White Bone Claw", an evil derivation of the Nine Yin Manual, from Mei Chaofeng. He stumbles upon her hiding place and agrees to provide her with food and shelter. In return, Mei teaches Yang the evil skill.

Film and TV adaptations

• List of actors who played Yang Kang
  • Lam Kau (1958)
  • Bruce Leung (1976)
  • Lee I-Min (1977-1978)
  • Yu Tai-Ping (1981)
  • Long Tianxiang (1982)
  • Michael Miu (1983)
  • Poon Wang Ban (1988)
  • Gallen Lo (1994)
  • Zhou Jie (2003)
  • Yuan Hong (2006)

See also

• Mu Nianci
• Yang Guo
• List of characters from The Legend of the Condor Heroes

Notes and references