Chinese martial arts novelist Shiao Ching-jen dies at 83

Chinese Wuxia (martial arts) novelist Shiao Ching-jen, more widely known by his pen name Xiao Yi, died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, the U.S. on Monday, according to the Chinese Writers Association of North America. He was 83.

His death is only 20 days after the Chinese literary world lost another guru in wuxia novels, Cha Leung-yung (known by his pen name as Jin Yong) on October 30.

For many Chinese wuxia novel readers, Shiao, who was born in Beijing, enjoyed equivalent fame with Jin Yong. He was often mentioned with Cha as the "Nan Jin Bei Xiao" (Jin of the south and Shiao of the north).

During the past decades, Shiao wrote at least 55 wuxia novels, including several novellas. Many of them have been adopted into TV series and films, with their influences spreading across the country.

His novel "Gan Shijiu Mei" ("Sister Gan 19") depicting the love tragedy of chivalrous hero Yin Jianping and heroine Sister Gan 19, was adapted into a TV series by Shandong Television in 1995, earning him nationwide popularity. The TV series remains a part of the collective memory of a generation.

Shiao was the good friend of wuxia novelist Xiong Yaohua (known by his pen name Gu Long), and the two started to write at about the same time. However, compared with the wuxia novelists who tended to imitate Gu Long's writing style, Shiao maintained his own style.

He put a lot of focus on creating the atmosphere while at the same time depicting conflicts in humanity.