The fictional character Yang Guo (Traditional Chinese: 楊過; Simplified Chinese: 杨过) is the protagonist in the Chinese wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes (神鵰俠侶)(1959) by writer Jin Yong.

One of the best-loved characters in writer Louis Cha's list of fictional heroes, Yang Guo came to epitomize youthful rebellion. A reluctant hero, his love affair with his teacher Xiao Long Nuu remains one of the classic scenes in wuxia fiction.

Story Background

The background of the novel was set towards the end of Southern Song dynasty in the mid 13th century. The son of the villain, Yang Kang in Louis Cha's previous novel in the trilogy, Yang Guo was an orphan who was later brought up by his father's sworn brother, Guo Jing.

Midway in the novel, he fell in love with his teacher Xiao Long Nuu (小龍女). This relationship was highly controversial, in fact, such teacher-student love was forbidden in Confucian feudal Chinese society. At the end of the novel, they were able to overcome pressure and were accepted as a couple.

Yang Guo's Martial Arts

At the beginning of the story, Yang Guo meets a strange old man, who turns out to be the crazed Ou Yang Feng , known as the Western Poison. Ou Yang Feng teaches the boy the Divine Toad Stance (Ha Ma Gong).

Guo Jing, Yang Guo's surrogate uncle later brings the boy to the top of Zhong Nan mountain where the famed Taoist temple, Chong Yang Palace Shrine stands. Yang Guo is trained under two third-generation Quan Zhen Sect (All True Religion) Taoists, Yin Zhi Ping and Zhao Zhi Jing . The foundation of Yang Guo's martial arts is the orthodox kung fu of Quan Zhen Sect.

Later, Yang Guo expells himself from Quan Zhen Sect and comes to live in the Ancient Tomb with Xiao Long Nuu, who is the disciple of deceased Grand Ancestress Ling Chao Ying, the founder of secret Gumu Bai Sect (Ancient Tomb School). From Xiao Long Nuu, Yang Guo learns the elegant and graceful Jade Maiden Swordplay (Yu Nu Jian Fa), Fist of Beauties (Mei Nu Quan Fa), the Unparalleled Lightness of Ancient Tomb (Gumu Qing Gong), the Scriptures of Jade Maiden (Yu Nu Xing Jing) and all other martial arts.

Due to a misunderstanding, Xiao Long Nuu leaves Yang Guo. In his search for his master, Yang Guo meets a nine-fingered old man, Hong Qi Gong , who is known as the Northern Beggar (Bei Gai) and the former chief of Beggar Sect . From him, the young man learns the clever and ingenious variations of the Dog Beating Rod Techniques (Ta Gou Pang Fa)and also acquires a vengeful and malevolent techniques from Western Poison-the sole enemy of Northern Beggar and it is called Snake Staff Techniques (Ling She Zang Fa).

Later in the novel, Guo Fu , Guo Jing's spoiled daughter chops off Yang Guo's right arm in a fit of rage. This is also about the time when Yang Guo meet the legendary condor who is a companion of the great martial arts fighter, Dugu Bai . In order to wield Dugu Bai's sword with his one hand, Yang Guo trains relentlessly with the help of the bird.

His time away from his one love, Xiao Long Nuu greatly saddens him so that he is moved to create a set of palm techniques which he later calls as the Divine Melancholic Palms (Mo Ran Xiao Hun Zan Fa), the only technique that could defeat Guo Jing's powerful Dragon Subduing Palms (Xiang Long Shi Ba Zan).

Notable actors played Yang Guo

• Andy Lau
• Louis Koo