Well, it took a while, but I finally finished it: Heartbroken Arrow《傷情箭》by Taiwan wuxia author Liu Canyang 柳殘陽. It was first serialized in The China Times from January 10 – March 17, 1971. A short novel, only seven chapters, yet its somber tone and lively writing make it a quick, satisfying read. It also has all the main characteristics of Liu Canyang’s unique “iron and blood” writing style: Lots of dialogue with characters trading barbs, a focus on the seamy side of the jianghu, gangs rather than lofty martial arts sects (you will rarely see Wudang or Shaolin in a Liu Canyang novel), graphic violence, and a hard-edged protagonist who never yields. Heartbroken Arrow is a good introduction to Liu Canyang’s work, and is his first work to be translated into English.

I started this translation September 21, 2012 on my old, short-lived wuxia forum, Among Rivers and Lakes. Back then I translated the first chapter and a half and then stopped, for whatever reason. There is sat for about eight years. Then in August 2020 I thought to finish it. I got about a chapter and a half from the end before losing steam and setting it aside, planning to come back to it after a break. Then I forgot about it until now. It’s not very long, maybe around 35k words or so. Good-sized novella length. Really shouldn’t have taken me this long. But so it goes.

In the reprint copy I have there are fifty illustrations. I have included them in my translation, inserting them at the same place they occur in my print copy. Four of them are in color.

So yeah, here’s a new wuxia novel for everyone to read! I really like Liu Canyang’s novels. He’s probably my second favorite, behind Yun Zhongyue. I like his more down-to-earth, “blue collar” style. The jianghu feels like it ought to, rough and tough and gritty. What really struck me translating Heartbroken Arrow was how creative his figurative language is. It’s not just stock phrases used over and over, Liu Canyang describes things in new, interesting ways. His fight scenes I found difficult to translate because the moves are detailed and not all that simple at times. Hopefully my clumsy renditions come through okay. Also the protagonist’s weapon, a gold arrow with a black cord, is one of the coolest weapons I’ve encountered in a some time.

Anyway, here it is! It’s a quick read, so give it a shot: HEARTBROKEN ARROW