Origins of 倚天屠龙记

If J.R.R. Tolkien can be called one of the literary giants of the West, then 金庸 can be called the Tolkien of the East. (or maybe tolkien can be called 金庸 of the West, but since the former is dead but the latter is alive..then). Credit to Jerold, I've managed to produce these chinese words with ease.

Actually what is being shown on screen right now is the 3rd novel in the series. First was 射雕侠侣, followed by 神雕侠侣(made famous by Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, if you still remember Christopher Lee and Fann Wong). Though the plots may seem fanciful due to the myriad of kungfu skills, they do have a historical background behind it.

Still remembered being "forced" to read those books by Miss Yang, the infamous but respectable (because her command of English and Chinese can put anyone of us to shame :S). Then I dreaded to read, but found them more enjoyable as time passed. According to the story, 射雕侠侣 was set before the Mongol invasion, 神雕侠侣 was during the Mongol invasion, and finally the beloved show we see on the screen today was decades after the Yuan Dynasty, on the advent of the Ming Dynasty (hence the Ming rebels).
金庸 decided to glorify Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming peasant general that led to the downfall of the Mongols, and romanticise him as Zhang Wuji. Wondered how the story will end, though I must say one of my friend (Niloc) is really hardcore, already viewing episode 24 and maybe more.

Meanwhile, the Desert Rose hasn't come online yet...