RIP Louis Cha (Jin Yong)

[Drunk Monk]

Cha was the most pivotal author of the wuxia genre.  He started publishing martial stories as a newspaper column, and created legends.  You may have not read any of his books (only a few have been properly translated into English) but his influence upon Kung Fu cinema is immeasurable.  So many movies spiraled out of his books.  Jack Ma, one of the richest men in the world, idolizes Cha so much that his Alibaba complex reflects his books with the names of buildings, statues, and the nicknames for the leaders of his companies.  I've only read a little of Cha - some of the Deer & Cauldron series - and it didn't quite work for me.  A new translation of Condor Heroes came out recently and I've had my eye on it, but haven't picked it up yet (been hoping I'd get a review copy, but that's unlikely as it came out a while ago).  Cha was 94.

[Greg]

I saw his name pop up. I figured you knew about him.

[cranefly]

Holy fuck...

I read pretty much what was available in English of his.
In the '80s I was good friends with a Vietnamese couple.  They had a whole bookcase of his work, translated into Vietnamese, from what I understand.  They could name the heroes and their battles and the techniques and weapons they used to win, and so forth.  I was so envious.

[Drunk Monk]

cf- Here's that new Condor Heroes translation - https://www.amazon.com/Hero-Born-Legends...0857053000

I saw his name pop up. I figured you knew about him.

Fair enough.  I don't know Dave Duncan tho.


Gigi told me a great story about how when she was young, Cha's works were banned in Taiwan because he was from Hong Kong.  She managed to read them illegally because she and her brother had some connection with the local bookseller, who kept some that he distributed covered in paper bags like porn.  She says she read everything he wrote and attributes her ability to get into Taiwan's best school (where you have to pass rigorous exams to get in) to having been literate as a youth, largely due to Cha.