Shaolin vs. Mo Dong in HSDS

[Ken Cheng]

The Shaolin vs. Mo Dong sect rivalry is perhaps the most storied in wuxia fiction, but in Jin Yong's stories, this rivalry came up big only in HSDS.

In the story of HSDS, which of the two schools' martial arts impressed you more? I don't mean the characters, but the skills.

[CFT]

On an individual basis: the Shaolin Vajra skills (finger and invincible body) stand out for me.

The 7-section Zhenwu formation sounds awesome, but I can't remember how extensively it was used, if at all. However, I trust the old Taoist's martial intuition.

[Ken Cheng]

On an individual basis: the Shaolin Vajra skills (finger and invincible body) stand out for me.

The 7-section Zhenwu formation sounds awesome, but I can't remember how extensively it was used, if at all. However, I trust the old Taoist's martial intuition.

The Jen Mo 7 Section Formation was never actually used because at no point in HSDS were all seven Mo Dong Heroes active together. Yu Doi Nam was crippled before we ever got to see all seven brothers together, and then Cheung Chui San disappeared for a decade before returning home to die. This was a great martial art that unfortunately, we only got to see partially.

[pannonian]

The Jen Mo 7 Section Formation was never actually used because at no point in HSDS were all seven Mo Dong Heroes active together. Yu Doi Nam was crippled before we ever got to see all seven brothers together, and then Cheung Chui San disappeared for a decade before returning home to die. This was a great martial art that unfortunately, we only got to see partially.

We never got to see it at all, as the Zhang couple killed themselves before the fight happened, and the meeting broke up afterwards. It was because Yu Daiyan was supposed to instruct Yin Susu in her part in the formation that the secret got out, as Zhang Cuishan suspected something was wrong and Yin Susu owned up with exactly what she did. The 86 adaptation got that bit pretty much spot on.

[CFT]

The Zhenwu formation could be performed by a minimum of 2 people, though obviously with less power, and I guess less coverage. Z3F was initially disappointed that he couldn't reduce it to one person, but then realised the folly of that endeavour and laughed at himself.

[Ken Cheng]

We never got to see it at all, as the Zhang couple killed themselves before the fight happened, and the meeting broke up afterwards. It was because Yu Daiyan was supposed to instruct Yin Susu in her part in the formation that the secret got out, as Zhang Cuishan suspected something was wrong and Yin Susu owned up with exactly what she did. The 86 adaptation got that bit pretty much spot on.

HSDS '86 did show us a version featuring six of the seven brothers, which was good enough to battle the Shaolin Hung-generation triumvirate to a draw, but could not defeat the monks.