The Sun rises from the East

[426mak]

Could the Eastern Heretic have been Japanese?

The other 4 Greasts all came from famous martial arts schools/families, but we know next to nothing about WYS background.

If a school/family existed in Eastern China capable of producing such a martial arts prodigy surely people would have known about it.

WYS personality and action also gives hints.

His drive for perfection seems very similar to the Samurai way.

His disdain for Chinese conventions indicates a foreign sensibility.

Although he professed some patriotic sentiments he did very little to oppose the Mongol/Jin invaders despite his formable martial arts and intellect.

Could the hostility from other characters be a sign of racial discrimination as well as disapproval of his personality?

[yangguo_]

His island was an hour away from the coast of China.
Chinese name.
Not sure if Ouyang Feng came from a "famous" family nor if beggar clan is considered famous.
Chinese people don't strive for perfection?
Does Yang Guo's actions indicate foreign sensibility?
IMO there could be a slim possibility, but Huang Rong never said anything about it. And none of your observations could suggest Huang Yaoshi be japanese.
Sorry.

[426mak]

I had this theory because both OYF and 1D were of non Chinese descent.

The beggars guild was already famous even during DGSD era, along with the Duan family.

Wasn't White Hump Mountain supposed to be quite famous in Turkey (OYF was said to be of Turkish descent).

I agree that WYS behaviour cannot be used as definitive proof of foreign descent but it does tally with the image of an outsider.

Coupled with his extensive educational and expensive taste he must have come from a wealthy family, so I am surprised the could remain so discrete if they lived in China.

[yangguo_]

Sure Beggar Clan was famous, but arguably as famous was the Peach Blossom Island.

Also Huang Yaoshi grew up in the Yunnan province. His grandfather was a government official that got banished. He felt his family was wronged by the government which might have lead towards his beliefs about tradition and culture.

White Camel Mountain was in western China, close to Turkey but still in Western China. It was far, but I don't know if discrete would be the word to describe his home.

[426mak]

Sure Beggar Clan was famous, but arguably as famous was the Peach Blossom Island.

Also Huang Yaoshi grew up in the Yunnan province. His grandfather was a government official that got banished. He felt his family was wronged by the government which might have lead towards his beliefs about tradition and culture.

White Camel Mountain was in western China, close to Turkey but still in Western China. It was far, but I don't know if discrete would be the word to describe his home.

Didn't know that WYS grandfather was from Yunnan. Guess I need to find a translation of the book.

[yangguo_]

IIRC he was mad at the government and did graffiti on the walls of government buildings?

[Ken Cheng]

I don't think there's any canonical connection between Peach Blossom Island and Japan, but in TVB's 1993 series MYSTERY OF THE CONDOR HEROES (completely noncanonical), some of the imagery associated with East Heretic and Peach Blossom Island suggests ties to Japanese culture (again, noncanonical).

[Ian Liew]

I don't think there's any canonical connection between Peach Blossom Island and Japan, but in TVB's 1993 series MYSTERY OF THE CONDOR HEROES (completely noncanonical), some of the imagery associated with East Heretic and Peach Blossom Island suggests ties to Japanese culture (again, noncanonical).

That series was a bit bland, but with a beautiful themesong! That's the trouble with all these prequel serials - they are bound to end badly because the Greats have to end up where they start in LOCH. According to that serial, Feng Heng was Jin, making Huang Rong half-Jin, which would have been interesting.

[426mak]

That series was a bit bland, but with a beautiful themesong! That's the trouble with all these prequel serials - they are bound to end badly because the Greats have to end up where they start in LOCH. According to that serial, Feng Heng was Jin, making Huang Rong half-Jin, which would have been interesting.

Your kidding. Was Feng Heng royalty. Is so then HR would have been related the the Jin prince that destroyed GJ's family.

[Ken Cheng]

Your kidding. Was Feng Heng royalty. Is so then HR would have been related the the Jin prince that destroyed GJ's family.

Only in that particular TV series, however. It had nothing to do with Jin Yong's novel canon or even other TVB adaptations of LOCH.