The LOCH "first martial arts teacher" generation - your preference?
Independent of who their students were (Gwok Jing and Yeung Hong), which of their first martial arts teachers did you find more interesting/likeable - the Gong Nam 7 Freaks or Yau Chui Gei?
Note: this is not a martial arts comparison, but a personality comparison.
Qiu Chuji: Less Likeable, More Interesting
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Cheng
Independent of who their students were (Gwok Jing and Yeung Hong), which of their first martial arts teachers did you find more interesting/likeable - the Gong Nam 7 Freaks or Yau Chui Gei?
The Jiangnan Seven were probably nicer people on average, and their tragic ending deserves some sympathy - they were just a bunch of local heroes who got drawn into something a bit too big for them. Meanwhile, Qiu "Changchunzi" Chuji was rash, irresponsible, and full of himself. But personally I find him quite interesting, and a lot of the criticism of him in the other thread ("Which JIN YONG characters did not deserve their good outcomes?") is a bit unfair. His character is quite representative of jianghu in general, but perhaps unlike the typical jianghuista, he's clearly shown reflecting - often with remorse - on his failings. There are quite a few characters who feel no such compunction about the harm they've caused to others.
On the basis I'd much rather read about QCJ than the Seven, I vote (in protest) for the former.