Ling Wu Chung - the Capped Crusader?

[Ken Cheng]

Check out that title more carefully...I'm *not* suggesting that Ling Wu Chung is the Batman.

In various film and TV adaptations of THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER, Ling Wu Chung is often depicted as wearing a hat or cap. Sam Hui and Jet Li in the 1990s SWORDSMAN film series and Jackie Lui in the 1996 TVB series all portrayed LWC with this capped look, as do some Chinese comics adaptations of SPW. One of the rare exceptions is Chow Yun Fat's 1984 version, who eschewed the cap/hat.

Jin Yong was never one to usually describe his characters' attire in great detail, but the overall consistency in Ling Wu Chung's capped look (which the other Jin Yong protagonists never really sport in assorted adaptations) makes me wonder if this was a kind of look popular among wulin adventurers during that time of the Ming Dynasty (but not during earlier periods such as Sung and Yuan), or if this was an actual unique idiosyncrasy that Jin Yong deliberately ascribed to Ling Wu Chung.

[CC]

Check out that title more carefully...I'm *not* suggesting that Ling Wu Chung is the Batman.

In various film and TV adaptations of THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER, Ling Wu Chung is often depicted as wearing a hat or cap. Sam Hui and Jet Li in the 1990s SWORDSMAN film series and Jackie Lui in the 1996 TVB series all portrayed LWC with this capped look, as do some Chinese comics adaptations of SPW. One of the rare exceptions is Chow Yun Fat's 1984 version, who eschewed the cap/hat.

Jin Yong was never one to usually describe his characters' attire in great detail, but the overall consistency in Ling Wu Chung's capped look (which the other Jin Yong protagonists never really sport in assorted adaptations) makes me wonder if this was a kind of look popular among wulin adventurers during that time of the Ming Dynasty (but not during earlier periods such as Sung and Yuan), or if this was an actual unique idiosyncrasy that Jin Yong deliberately ascribed to Ling Wu Chung.

I am just pulling this from thin air:

1. Some of the original printed illustrations from 1st edition used a hat wearing LHC.

2. HK entertainment industry was experimenting with the headgear look around the 'Chinese Ghost Story' time and it kinda stuck on LHC.