Did Genghis Khan see a little bit of his younger self in Gwok Jing?

[Ken Cheng]

Genghis Khan had a great fondness for Gwok Jing for most of LOCH, and treated Gwok Jing almost as if he were another son. I wonder if part of such feelings didn't arise from the notion that Gwok Jing's youth paralleled Temujin's own in several ways. Like Temujin, Gwok Jing lost his father at an early age and had to flee in the care of his mother from their family's enemies. Temujin must have seen a reflection of his own youth in Gwok Jing's predicament.

[tape]

I believe he liked him for his bravery as a child, and admired his skills as a grownup.

Even as a child, it was clear that Guo Jing was nothing like Temujin. He was quiet, inarticulate, and dumb in the traditional sense while Genghis was the epitome of charisma and intelligence. Most of Guo Jing's positive traits (loyalty, bravery, courage) were likely present in most Mongolian warriors, and their lifestyle breeds people that will lose their fathers and sons to war. What set Guo Jing apart was probably his friendship with Toulei, but more importantly, the high skills of Guo Jing that allowed him do things such as saving him and his men early in the novel.

I don't find their close relationship to be very realistic though, considering the huge numbers of brave men that must have sacrificed their lives and performed similar merits that Guo Jing (in the beginning of LOCH -- by the end of LOCH Guo Jing is quite the overachiever) has done over the years, yet he dotes over Guo Jing the most it seems, which is made even stranger considering he was not even Mongolian.

[Ken Cheng]

I believe he liked him for his bravery as a child, and admired his skills as a grownup.

Even as a child, it was clear that Guo Jing was nothing like Temujin. He was quiet, inarticulate, and dumb in the traditional sense while Genghis was the epitome of charisma and intelligence. Most of Guo Jing's positive traits (loyalty, bravery, courage) were likely present in most Mongolian warriors, and their lifestyle breeds people that will lose their fathers and sons to war. What set Guo Jing apart was probably his friendship with Toulei, but more importantly, the high skills of Guo Jing that allowed him do things such as saving him and his men early in the novel.

I don't find their close relationship to be very realistic though, considering the huge numbers of brave men that must have sacrificed their lives and performed similar merits that Guo Jing (in the beginning of LOCH -- by the end of LOCH Guo Jing is quite the overachiever) has done over the years, yet he dotes over Guo Jing the most it seems, which is made even stranger considering he was not even Mongolian.

Temujin and Gwok Jing's personalities were different, but I noticed certain parallels in their early lives. I think it's possible that Temujin sympathized with Gwok Jing and his mother Lee Ping because their predicament was an echo of his own childhood and adolescence.

[tape]

Temujin and Gwok Jing's personalities were different, but I noticed certain parallels in their early lives. I think it's possible that Temujin sympathized with Gwok Jing and his mother Lee Ping because their predicament was an echo of his own childhood and adolescence.

Quite possible, though I think that as an aspiring warlord, you come across enough such people that you kind of have to push sentiment aside for fear of weakening your mental fortitude.

[Ken Cheng]

Quite possible, though I think that as an aspiring warlord, you come across enough such people that you kind of have to push sentiment aside for fear of weakening your mental fortitude.

I didn't notice the similarities myself until I read a little bit of Genghis' biography and found that his childhood and adolescence were not so different from Gwok Jing's.

[tape]

I don't know much about him, aside from his wife being taken by a warlord, and him biding his time before conquering and taking back his wife. By then she had a child with the warlord but he treated him as his own without discrimination. I don't know how much of that is based on history, but if it is, he's one heck of a guy to be able to do that considering how merciless he is to enemies.

[Banh Mi]

I doubt the real Genghis would have warmed to GJ's character. Genghis is on the opposite spectrum to GJ in many ways. He's bloodthirsty, ruthless and ambitious. Having similar life circumstances is unlikely to warm Genghis to anyone. His treatment of his son Jochi is very harsh, he killed his own brother when they were exiled fugitives. The way Jin Yong portrayed Genghis is much softer than the man as described through these actions.

GJ is passive, doesn't have the stomach for genocide and intimidation, has no ambition for glory nor natural military genius. As tape said, his qualities are a dime a dozen.

[ChronoReverse]

Doubt GK saw himself much in GJ.

However, the reason why the Khan was impressed with GJ was because of his achievements. He took in GJ in the first place because he was brave (even for Mongolians) as a child and because Jebeh protected GJ. But later on, GJ's many great accomplishments was what led him to be a hero even among the Mongolians.

[pannonian]

Don't forget Tolui swearing andahood with Guo Jing, which reminded Temujin of his own relationship with Jamuka, but rather than Jamuka being the senior who protected Temujin, Tolui was the senior who lent status to Guo Jing. When Tolui was late for assembly, Temujin was furious, until he learned that Tolui and Guo Jing had sowrn andahood, on which he softened and reminded them of the responsibilities of such a relationship. When Genghis ordered Guo Jing's execution, it was Tolui's intercession for his anda that made Genghis look for an alternative solution. When Genghis felt he was dying, he ordered Tolui to find and bring his anda if possible. Right at the end, his thoughts were of Jamuka and Guo Jing. In Genghis's eyes, Guo Jing was a younger Jamuka in an alternative world where Temujin and his anda didn't fall out, but conquered and ruled the world together.

[Ren Wo Xing]

Don't forget Tolui swearing andahood with Guo Jing, which reminded Temujin of his own relationship with Jamuka, but rather than Jamuka being the senior who protected Temujin, Tolui was the senior who lent status to Guo Jing. When Tolui was late for assembly, Temujin was furious, until he learned that Tolui and Guo Jing had sowrn andahood, on which he softened and reminded them of the responsibilities of such a relationship. When Genghis ordered Guo Jing's execution, it was Tolui's intercession for his anda that made Genghis look for an alternative solution. When Genghis felt he was dying, he ordered Tolui to find and bring his anda if possible. Right at the end, his thoughts were of Jamuka and Guo Jing. In Genghis's eyes, Guo Jing was a younger Jamuka in an alternative world where Temujin and his anda didn't fall out, but conquered and ruled the world together.

Exactly this, and his final admonition to Tolui and Guo Jing was to never forget that they were anda, and never to kill each other (at which both of them were uncomfortable, as they had been on the verge of doing just that). I think pannonian is absolutely right; Genghis saw Guo Jing as Tolui's Jamuka, and his own lingering regret over how his brotherhood with Jamuka devolved was the reason behind his special fondness towards Guo Jing.

[pannonian]

An interesting historical tidbit here. The famous Russian hero Alexander Nevsky was the anda of Sartaq son of Batu (son of Jochi son of Genghis), and was treated as an adopted son by Batu. Shades of Guo Jing, Tolui and Genghis.

[Ken Cheng]

An interesting historical tidbit here. The famous Russian hero Alexander Nevsky was the anda of Sartaq son of Batu (son of Jochi son of Genghis), and was treated as an adopted son by Batu. Shades of Guo Jing, Tolui and Genghis.

Mongolian politics were traditionally defined by anda brotherhood ties.