Boxing King

Huanzhulouzhu (Li Shoumin)Nanhai Publication Company · ChinaFeb 2017

3.5

Word count: 140K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

A martial arts novel. The first installment was published in March 1951 by Shanghai Wuling Bookstore, with the third installment appearing in May. Unfinished.

Editor's review

Huanzhulouzhu's The Boxing King is an unusual presence in the history of wuxia fiction: published in 1951, it stops after only three installments, yet already reveals the author's attempt to move beyond traditional chivalric narrative into new subject matter. The title points to boxing and the tournament ring, but Huanzhulouzhu's characteristic bizarre imagination, sweeping vistas, and legendary character techniques still flicker through. Because the work is unfinished, readers should not judge it by the standard of a complete story; it is better treated as a textual specimen from wuxia's transitional period—a chance to see how a writer famous for immortal-chivalry fiction handles close-quarters combat and jianghu grudges. For readers studying Huanzhulouzhu's creative genealogy or the transition from Republican-era wuxia to Hong Kong and Taiwan wuxia, this fragment has unique documentary value. Ordinary readers opening it in expectation of a complete full-length novel may feel something is missing; but those who enter with the mindset of seeing Huanzhulouzhu write fist and foot combat in a different register can find considerable interest.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Longtime Huanzhulouzhu readers seeking to complete the lesser-known titles in his bibliography
Scholars studying the transformation of Republican-era wuxia fiction and the publishing of wuxia periodicals
Readers interested in the combination of boxing-champion subject matter with old-school wuxia
Wuxia enthusiasts who accept fragments and read them with a documentary eye

Not a good fit for

Ordinary readers who expect a complete arc and dislike unfinished works
Readers who prefer the mature wuxia narrative structures of Jin Yong and Gu Long
Beginners unaccustomed to the language and pacing of Republican-era old-school wuxia

Reading tips

Read the preface or publication notes first to understand the unfinished three-installment state and adjust expectations.
Focus on the boxing descriptions and the way characters are introduced, comparing them with the technique in Huanzhulouzhu's immortal-chivalry works.
Read alongside other Republican-era wuxia short stories to observe how the boxing-champion subject appeared in its time.
After finishing, note the unresolved suspense as a clue to understanding the publishing ecology of serialized wuxia.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
第一回大盗出豪门孤身投虎穴
第二回踏刀断索老武师强冲恶饯举牛过顶小英雄苦练神功
第三回一雨便成灾如此苍生曷其有极再来防不敌速投明路匆味先机
第四回神力显英威幸有朋交怀远虑清修坚苦志全施庙产事躬耕
第五回野寺寄孤身鸡酒迎师惊逢怪异柳林寻旧约瓜田歇暑喜得知音
第六回形踪奇诡的疯人
第七回暑夜杯觞谈往事廿年薪胆痛深仇
第八回大鹏十八式擒拿手
第九回逢四害老武师丧命报亲仇小双侠探山
第一○回山腹中的笑声
第一一回古洞飞尸初惊异事
第一二回燃灯取宝再戮凶顽
第一三回绝处喜逢生甫得知音又飞劳燕

FAQ

Why does The Boxing King end after only three installments?

According to available information, the first installment was published by Shanghai Wuling Bookstore in March 1951, and the third appeared in May; no further installments were published, so it is an unfinished work. The sources do not record the specific reason for stopping, and readers should treat it as a fragment rather than insist on a complete ending.

Can I read The Boxing King without having read other works by Huanzhulouzhu?

Yes, but it is advisable first to know that Huanzhulouzhu is famous for immortal-chivalry works such as The Legend of the Shu Mountain Swordsmen. Entering with curiosity about how this famous immortal-chivalry author writes a fist-and-foot story will make it easier to enjoy than reading it with the expectations of an ordinary full-length wuxia novel.

Is this novel suitable as an introduction to wuxia?

Not very. It is unfinished and short, and its subject matter is relatively obscure within Huanzhulouzhu's oeuvre; it does not represent the typical complete structure of wuxia fiction. Beginners would do better to start with complete classic wuxia novels and return to fragments like this later.

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About the author

Huanzhulouzhu (Li Shoumin) Author · Chinese · 1902–1961

Huanzhulouzhu, originally named Li Shanji and later renamed Li Shoumin, was a native of Changshou, Sichuan (now part of Chongqing). Living from 1902 to 1961, he was a master of Republican-era wuxia fiction. He rose to fame in 1932 with The Legend of the Shu Mountain Swordsmen, a series he continued for years; the library holds more than four hundred related works. His novels blend sword immortals, strange tales, and Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist thought into a singular vision, marked by bold imagination and vast scope. As one of the Five Masters of the Northern School, he wrote over forty million characters in his lifetime and left a profound mark on the history of wuxia fiction. Public information about his life is limited, and many biographical details remain uncertain; readers may best approach him through his works and their distinctive narrative style and fantastical worlds.