Chapter 10 postscript

At first, I aspired to be a martial arts novelist. I think this is the most natural thing: if you like to read something, you will naturally want to write about it. I still remember very clearly that the first time I read a martial arts novel from beginning to end was in the sixth grade of primary school.The little book was called "The Last Seven Strikes", one of Long Chengfeng's "Snow Sword Prodigal Son Longcheng Bi" series.It was a novel in a bag published by Universal Books under Xinbao—it published many works by Gu Long, Ni Kuang, Huang Ying, Feng Jia, etc., and there were often advertisements for "Jasper Beads" or "Purple Golden Pill" on the back cover.To put it bluntly, it was the out-and-out Pulp Fiction at that time.

——I still own a copy of this book, and it is grandly kept in the bookcase at home. Then came junior high school, Huang Ying's "Celestial Change".It should be the first martial arts novel in Hong Kong history that was rewritten from a TV script. I heard that Huang Ying himself is one of the screenwriters. I read the novel "The Change of the Silkworm", which was actually several years after the TV series was broadcast.Whether it is a drama or a novel, I still have an unforgettable impression today. I kept listening to the theme song of "The Change of Silkworms" while I was writing this book.

Lu Guozhan's lyrics: "Although I know this mountain is full of tigers; cowardice is not a hero, and I will never stop"; "I will be a hero in my life, and I will never believe in fate... Let me climb the dangerous peak and compare myself with the sky!" The feelings fit well with the story of "The Poetry of Martial Arts Madness". ——Now that I think about it, this is no coincidence.The profound influence of lyrics on me has actually existed for a long time. The middle school I went to had an open school ethos. A row of bookshelves in the school library were filled with popular popular novels, and martial arts books accounted for more than half of them. At that time, the project of studying Jin Yong and Gu Long's novels began.

How great these two names are, of course I don't need to describe them. Writing this pile of old things is nothing more than trying to explain: I am able to write this book today because of the milk provided by many martial arts predecessors.Famous or not so famous; novelist, screenwriter or lyricist. I salute you all.I am a warrior.At least, it used to be. In the world of traditional martial arts novels, "martial arts" is often just a specific symbol of the characters' ability or even power in the book, and force is just a tool or means for them to achieve their goals (such as personal grievances, ethnic struggles, fame and power).

I know many real martial artists, and their ideas are much simpler: they practice martial arts because they like it—the satisfaction of mastering their skills, and the sense of existence that pushes their potential to the limit. Of course, there is also the pursuit of the "strongest" dream. It sounds like writing a novel.But it is true in reality: among all the warriors who have really worked hard, there is probably no one who has not imagined that he will become the "strongest".Even if it's just a short thought.Even in the end, only a handful of elites can stick to this narrow path.

——The world champion is the one who is finally eliminated among thousands of people who have dreamed of being "the strongest". This book is titled "Poetry of Martial Arts Madness", and it is precisely to describe this very human feeling.Although the proposition of "revenge" runs throughout the book, the cause of hatred is still the obsession of the warriors who pursue the "strongest". The setting of the story chose to start from the most classic world of martial arts schools, also in order to match this theme: In my mind, martial arts should be like this.

In retrospect, I am actually a little fortunate that when I first entered the industry, I did not insist on writing martial arts novels.Otherwise, I am afraid that I may fall into the path of seriously imitating some predecessors. Over the years, I have written many self-contained genres, and I have gradually found a little bit of my own style; now that I have gone around in circles and looked back, I am finally more confident in writing "Jiao Jingfu's martial arts novels". ——Although, I still write on the shoulders of the great giant of "martial arts tradition". (The seniors mentioned above, the honorifics are omitted.)

Qiao Jingfu October 10, 2008