The Seven Killings Stele 1
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Summary
Within Sichuan's city walls flow four great rivers—Ba, Luo, Lu, and Min—and from them the province takes its name. Sichuan teems with heroes, and this novel chiefly tells of seven outstanding figures of southern Sichuan in the late Ming: Yang Zhan, the Earl of Huayang; Chen Yaoshuang, the Snow-Clad Maiden; Yu Jinwen, the Flying Guardswoman; the monk-warrior Xirong, known as the Seven Treasures Monk; Chen Denghao, the Iron-Soled Beggar; Yu Fei, the Merchant Hero; and Liu Daozhen, the Rival of Bo Wen. Banding together, they ranged across southern Sichuan to resist Zhang Xianzhong and preserve the lives of countless people. Because Zhang Xianzhong was repeatedly thwarted by these seven heroes of southern Sichuan, he set up a stele and swore an oath; the Seven Slaughter Stele is the inscription vowing to kill the seven champions.
Editor's review
"Seven Kill Stele 1" opens Zhu Zhenmu's late-Ming southern Sichuan wuxia tale, first laying out the geography of Sichuan ringed by the four rivers Ba, Luo, Lu, and Min, then bringing on stage one by one the seven heroes: Yang Zhan, the Earl of Huayang; Chen Yaoshuang, the Snow-Clad Maiden; Yu Jinwen, the Female Flying Guard; the monk-hero Qibao Monk Xirong; the beggar-hero Iron Sole Chen Denghao; the merchant-hero Yu Fei; and Liu Daozhen, the Rival of Bo Wen. The value of this volume lies in establishing the character genealogy and the starting point of conflict: the seven heroes differ in identity, specialty, and temperament, and their motives and division of labor for joining forces take shape in the opening, while the suspense is planted of Zhang Xianzhong erecting the Seven Kill Stele after repeated defeats, vowing to kill the seven heroes. Zhu Zhenmu's approach carries the flavor of old-school wuxia chapter novels: striking nicknames, a dense cast, and alternating dialogue and action, suited to readers who enjoy traditional Jianghu ensembles. Do not rush to memorize every name; first grasp each hero's skills and relationships, then see how the author uses regional customs and Jianghu rules to support the background of a chaotic age. As the opening of a series, this volume is best entered in order, since the later escalation of conflict and character coordination build on the groundwork laid here.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who want to read Zhu Zhenmu's wuxia systematically from the series start
- Readers who enjoy traditional chapter-novel structures with heroes appearing one by one
- Those interested in the late-Ming southern Sichuan regional background and Jianghu hero themes
- Wuxia readers who prefer distinctive nicknames and rich character genealogies
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer a single protagonist's growth arc and tight structure
- Those unaccustomed to the dense cast and chapter-novel narration of old-school wuxia
- Readers expecting strict historical research or a modern wuxia pace
Reading tips
- The opening has a dense cast; note the seven heroes' names and specialties as you read.
- First grasp the main thread of Yang Zhan's confrontation with Zhang Xianzhong, then examine the other heroes' subplots.
- Pay attention to the descriptions of Sichuan's four rivers and regional customs, which provide the story's spatial framework.
- After finishing this volume, continue with the second for more coherent character relationships and escalating conflict.
Contents
- 作者简介
- 原著序跋
- 第一章 新娘子步步下蛋
- 第二章 陈大娘的纸捻儿
- 第三章 铁脚板
- 第四章 巫山双蝶与川南三侠
- 第五章 七星蜂符
- 第六章 玉龙街单身女客
FAQ
What is "Seven Kill Stele 1" mainly about?
This volume opens the series, laying out the regional background of late-Ming Sichuan among the four rivers Ba, Luo, Lu, and Min and bringing on stage one by one the seven heroes Yang Zhan, Chen Yaoshuang, Yu Jinwen, Xirong, Chen Denghao, Yu Fei, and Liu Daozhen, establishing the character genealogy and starting point of conflict as the seven unite to resist Zhang Xianzhong and protect the people.
What distinctive markers do the seven heroes have?
The materials give each hero a title: Yang Zhan, the Earl of Huayang; Chen Yaoshuang, the Snow-Clad Maiden; Yu Jinwen, the Female Flying Guard; the monk-hero Qibao Monk Xirong; the beggar-hero Iron Sole Chen Denghao; the merchant-hero Yu Fei; and Liu Daozhen, the Rival of Bo Wen. The nicknames themselves hint at identity and specialty, and can be used to distinguish the ensemble without needing to memorize every relationship at first.
Why does Zhang Xianzhong erect the Seven Kill Stele?
According to the materials, Zhang Xianzhong is repeatedly thwarted by the seven heroes of southern Sichuan and therefore erects a stele with an oath; the inscription is the Seven Kill Stele vowing to kill the seven heroes. It is the story's central suspense and symbol of confrontation, elevating the conflict between the seven heroes and Zhang Xianzhong from specific clashes to a series-spanning oath and pressure.
Is this opening suitable for reading in one sitting?
This volume has a dense cast and a traditional chapter-novel rhythm, so whether to read it in one sitting depends on your habits. It is best to proceed chapter by chapter and slow down where the heroes gather, first clarifying their identities and the main conflict before moving into later plot.
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About the author
Zhu Zhenmu
Author · Chinese · 1895–1955
Zhu Zhenmu (1895–1955), originally named Zhu Zhenyuan and styled Shizhuan, was a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and a modern Chinese wuxia novelist who was also skilled in painting and seal carving. He is grouped with Huanzhulouzhu, Bai Yu, Zheng Zhengyin and Wang Dulu as the "Five Masters of the Northern School." His wuxia fiction draws on a variety of subjects, often weaving together feuds of the jianghu, exotic romances and frontier customs into intricate plots with vivid characters. Thirty-one of his works are held in the collection, including such representative titles as Hu Xiao Long Yin, Qi Sha Bei, Miaojiang Fengyun and Yulong Gang. Hailed as the "forefather of the new-school wuxia novel," he exerted a profound influence on later wuxia writing. He died in Tianjin in the winter of 1955 from asthma complicated by heart disease.
