List of The Book and the Sword characters

Main characters

• Chen Jialuo is the protagonist of the novel and the chief of the Red Flower Society.
• Huoqingtong is Muzhuolun's elder daughter. She falls in love with Chen Jialuo when he helps her tribe recover the Quran that was stolen from them. She is a martial arts expert and a resourceful military strategist.
• Kasili, also known as Princess Fragrance, is Huoqingtong's younger sister. She meets Chen Jialuo and falls in love with him. After being captured by the Qianlong Emperor, she initially agrees to be his concubine on the condition that he spares Chen and the Red Flower Society. However, when she discovers that the emperor is going back on his word, she commits suicide to warn Chen and the heroes. This character is based on the Fragrant Concubine.
• The Qianlong Emperor is the ruler of the Qing Empire. He is actually Chen Jialuo's elder brother. Shortly after he was born, he switched places with the Yongzheng Emperor's daughter and was raised as a prince before eventually inheriting the throne.

  Red Flower Society

• Taoist Wuchen, nicknamed "Soul-chasing, Life-taking Sword", is the second leader of the society. He is the most powerful of all the leaders in terms of martial arts.
• Zhao Banshan, nicknamed "Thousand Arms Buddha", is the third leader of the society.
• Wen Tailai, nicknamed "Thunderbolt Hand", is the fourth leader of the society. At the start of the novel, the Qianlong Emperor sends his men to ambush and arrest him to prevent him from revealing the secret behind the emperor's origin. His fellows make several attempts to rescue him before eventually succeeding.
• Chang Hezhi, nicknamed "Black Impermanence", is the fifth leader of the society. He and his twin brother often disguise themselves as the Black and White Guards of Impermanence respectively.
• Chang Bozhi, nicknamed "White Impermanence", is Chang Hezhi's twin brother. He is the sixth leader of the society.
• Xu Tianhong, nicknamed "Martial Zhuge", is the seventh leader of the society. He serves as the society's de facto strategist and plans all their missions and activities, and is hence nicknamed "Martial Zhuge". He was originally at odds with Zhou Qi and often argues with her, but later falls in love with her and marries her after they escape from danger together.
• Yang Chengxie, nicknamed "Iron Pagoda", is the eighth leader of the society.
• Wei Chunhua, nicknamed "Nine Lives Colourful Leopard", is the ninth leader of the society.
• Zhang Jin, nicknamed "Rock Daring", is the tenth leader of the society. He is a hunchback. He is killed during the battle in the palace at the end of the novel.
• Luo Bing, nicknamed "Mandarin Ducks Saber", is Wen Tailai's wife and the 11th leader of the society.
• Shi Shuangying, nicknamed "Ghosts Fret When They See Me", is the 12th leader of the society.
• Jiang Sigen, nicknamed "Copper-headed Crocodile", is the 13th leader of the society.
• Yu Yutong, nicknamed "Golden Flute Scholar", is the 14th leader of the society. He has a crush on Luo Bing. When she feels upset after her husband was captured, he tries to comfort her and confesses his love to her, but she immediately rejects him and scolds him for having such immoral thoughts, causing him to feel ashamed of himself. At the same time, Yu Yutong is also aware that Li Yuanzhi has romantic feelings for him but he has been treating her coldly all this while because he still maintains his crush on Luo Bing. In the middle of the novel, he feels guilty for having hurt both Luo Bing and Li Yuanzhi emotionally, so he becomes a Buddhist monk to escape from the vicissitudes of life. However, when he learns that the society is in trouble, he decides to return to secular life to help them. With help from his fellows, he eventually accepts Li Yuanzhi's love and marries her.
• Xinyan is Chen Jialuo's servant. He becomes the 15th leader of the society later.
• Yu Wanting is Chen Jialuo's godfather and predecessor as the chief of the society. He is only mentioned by name in the novel as he is already dead before the events of the novel take place.

  Wudang Sect

• Zhang Zhaozhong, nicknamed "Fiery Hand Judge", is one of the antagonists in the novel. Tempted by wealth and fame, he decides to leave the Wudang Sect and serve the Qing government. He becomes a trusted henchman of the Qianlong Emperor and executes his lord's orders ruthlessly. He is defeated by Chen Jialuo and his companions in the middle of the story and taken back to Wudang by Ma Zhen for rehabilitation. He murders Ma Zhen later and escapes from Wudang to rejoin Qing forces. He is eventually defeated by Chen Jialuo in western China and falls into a valley, where he is killed by ravenous wolves.
• Ma Zhen is the leader of the Wudang Sect and the senior of Lu Feiqing and Zhang Zhaozhong. He is also Yu Yutong's teacher. When Zhang Zhaozhong was defeated by Chen Jialuo and his friends in the middle of the novel, he pleads with them to spare Zhang's life and promises that he will reform his junior. However, Zhang murders him later and escapes from Wudang.
• Lu Feiqing is Ma Zhen's junior and Zhang Zhaozhong's senior. To evade from his enemies, he disguises himself as a scholar and becomes a private tutor to Li Yuanzhi. By chance, Li discovers his skill in dart-throwing and learns that he is actually a Wudang swordsman. He agrees to teach Li martial arts after she keeps pestering him. He becomes a key ally of the Red Flower Society.

  Shaolin Sect

• Tianhong is the abbot of Shaolin Monastery. He sparred with Chen Jialuo when Chen visited Shaolin. He is killed when the Qing soldiers attack and burn down the monastery.
• Tianjing is Tianhong's junior. He also sparred with Chen Jialuo.
• Dachi, Dadian and Daku are three Shaolin monks who sparred with Chen Jialuo.

  Qing forces

• Fuk'anggan is a Manchu military general. He is actually an illegitimate son of the Qianlong Emperor and he resembles his uncle, Chen Jialuo, in appearance. The emperor appoints him as the Nine Gates Infantry Commander. In the final battle at the palace, he is captured by the Red Flower Society's members, who use him as a hostage to force the emperor to come to a truce with them.
• Bai Zhen, nicknamed "Golden Claw Iron Hook", is the Qianlong Emperor's chief bodyguard and top henchman. He was originally a martial artist from the Songyang Sect.
• Li Kexiu is the provincial military commander of Zhejiang. He is Li Yuanzhi's father.
• Zhaohui is a Manchu military general leading a Qing army garrisoned in western China. A calculative, ruthless and experienced military commander, he uses tough means to enforce discipline in his army. He attacks the Islamic tribes and annihilates them.
• Heshen is a high-ranking Manchu aristocrat and close aide of the Qianlong Emperor.
• Ji Yun
• Zheng Xie

  Scholars, poets and artists

• Yuan Mei
• Shen Deqian
• Zhao Yi
• Jiang Shiquan
• Li E

  Allies and associates of the Red Flower Society

Iron Courage Manor

• Zhou Zhongying is the master of the manor and a reputable martial artist. He kills his only son in anger after learning that the boy has disgraced him, but he deeply regrets later even though he constantly tries to hide his remorse to contain his pride. He becomes a close ally of the Red Flower Society and intends to let his son-in-law, Xu Tianhong, become his successor.
• Zhou Zhongying's wife is the mother of Zhou Qi and Zhou Yingjie. She resents her husband and leaves him after he killed their son in anger. Zhou Zhongying deeply regrets his action later and tries to patch up with his wife. With help from Zhou Qi and the Red Flower Society, the Zhou couple eventually reconcile with each other.
• Zhou Qi is Zhou Zhongying's daughter. She was originally at odds with Xu Tianhong and often bickers and argues with him. The two of them forge close ties after braving danger and narrowly escaping death together. They are married eventually.
• Zhou Yingjie is Zhou Zhongying's 10-year-old son. Zhang Zhaozhong taunts him when he refuses to reveal Wen Tailai's hiding place. The indignant boy responds to the insults and unsuspectingly spills the beans. Wen Tailai and Luo Bing have no choice but to come out and fight with Zhang Zhaozhong and his men. They are outnumbered and Wen is injured and captured. Zhou Zhongying was not at home when these events took place. When he returns later and learns that his son had disgraced him by betraying a fellow martial artist, he is so overwhelmed by fury that he kills his son.

  Others

• Li Yuanzhi is Li Kexiu's daughter and Lu Feiqing's student. She develops romantic feelings for Yu Yutong but he often gives her the cold shoulder because he has a crush on Luo Bing. Towards the end of the novel, Yu Yutong finally accepts her love and marries her.
• Yuan Shixiao, nicknamed "Eccentric Hero of the Heavenly Pool", is an eccentric martial artist living on Mount Heaven. He teaches Chen Jialuo martial arts and imparts his famous skill, "Hundred Flowers Fist", to Chen. He has a crush on Guan Mingmei and has never given up on her even after she married Chen Zhengde. He often bickers and argues with her husband.
• The "Twin Eagles of Mount Heaven" are a couple living on Mount Heaven. They came to Hangzhou and attempted to assassinate the Qianlong Emperor.
• * Chen Zhengde, nicknamed "Bald Vulture".
• * Guan Mingmei, nicknamed "Snow Condor", is Chen Zhengde's wife and Huoqingtong's teacher.
• Muzhuolun is the chief of the Islamic tribe and the father of Huoqingtong and Kasili.
• Huo'ayi is Muzhuolun's son and an elder brother of Huoqingtong and Kasili.

  Other characters

• The "Six Devils of Guandong" are a group of six martial artists from Guandong. They are hired by Bai Zhen to carry out the Qianlong Emperor's secret order to eliminate the Red Flower Society.
• * Teng Yilei is the most fearsome of the six. He is determined to slay any enemy at the expense of his life.
• * Gu Jinbiao is a former bandit. His movements cannot be traced and he appears unpredictably.
• * Jiao Wenqi was killed by Lu Feiqing. His fellows mistakenly think that the Red Flower Society is responsible for his death and start seeking vengeance on the society.
• * Hahetai is a former shepherd from Mongolia.
• * Yan Shizhang is killed by Huoqingtong.
• * Yan Shikui is Yan Shizhang's younger brother. He is killed by Huoqingtong when the Islamic tribesmen and the Red Flower Society team up to attack Yan Shikui's convoy to take back the Qur'an.
• Luo Yuantong, nicknamed "Holy Saber", is Luo Bing's father.
• Bei Renlong is a martial artist nicknamed "Jade Judge".
• Wang Weiyang, nicknamed "My Might Trembles Heshuo", is the leader of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.
• Han Wenchong is a martial artist who owns a swift steed. The horse is stolen by Luo Bing when he stops to take a break.
• Yang Pengju, nicknamed "Golden Wings Brushing Against the Clouds", is the leader of the Wuhui Escort Agency.
• Sixth Master Tang is a martial artist nicknamed "Candy with Frosted Arsenic".
• Chu Yuan is a martial artist nicknamed "A Reed Crossing the River".
• Luo Xin is a martial artist nicknamed "Iron Armed Arhat".
• Wu Guodong is a constable from Beijing.
• Yuruyi is a courtesan from Hangzhou. She entertains the Qianlong Emperor during his meeting with Chen Jialuo and seduces him with her charms. Later, she lures the emperor into a trap, where he is captured by the Red Flower Society's members and held hostage in the Liuhe Pagoda.
• Effendi is a weird and funny bearded old man who rides on a donkey. This character is believed to be based on Nasreddin.
• "Four Tigers of Hulun"