Zhang Wuji's History
Early life
Zhang Wuji was born on Ice Fire Island. His father, Zhang Cuishan, was the fifth apprentice of Zhang Sanfeng, founder of the Wudang Sect. His mother, Yin Susu, was the daughter of Yin Tianzheng, leader of the Heavenly Eagle Cult. He was named by his godfather, Xie Xun, in memory of Xie Xun's deceased son, Xie Wuji. He spent his childhood on the island and learned some basic survival skills, martial arts, and literacy skills from his parents and godfather. When he turned nine, he returned to the mainland with his parents, though Xie Xun refused to leave and remained on the island. Upon their return to the mainland, the Zhang family attracted much attention from the martial arts community due to the coveted Dragon Slaying Saber, which was in Xie Xun's possession. The Xuanming Elders kidnapped Zhang Wuji and severely injured him with their 'Xuanming Divine Palm.' Zhang Sanfeng rescued the boy, but was unable to cure him of his injuries. Zhang Wuji's parents committed suicide after refusing to reveal Xie Xun's whereabouts.
After two years, Zhang Sanfeng and Zhang Wuji sought treatment elsewhere, and they encountered Chang Yuchun and Zhou Zhiruo. Zhang Sanfeng saved them from some Yuan soldiers and entrusted Zhang Wuji to Chang Yuchun's care. Chang Yuchun brought Zhang Wuji to Butterfly Valley to seek help from the eccentric physician Hu Qingniu, who partially succeeded in healing Zhang Wuji by slowing down the effects of his injuries, and indirectly imparts his medical knowledge to the boy. Zhang Wuji also learns some toxicology from Wang Nangu, Hu Qingniu's wife.
Discovering the Nine Yang Manual
While recuperating in Butterfly Valley, Zhang Wuji meets Ji Xiaofu of the Emei Sect and her daughter, Yang Buhui, and becomes close to them. After Ji Xiaofu is killed by Abbess Miejue, Zhang Wuji brings Yang Buhui to her father, Yang Xiao, in the Kunlun Mountains. He encounters Zhu Jiuzhen later and has a crush on her. Her family accepts him and agrees to let him marry her. However, he discovers later that the Zhu family and others are actually planning to trick him into revealing his godfather's whereabouts. He narrowly escapes from death and ends up in Nameless Valley. Zhang Wuji lives in the valley for the next five years. Once, he performs surgery on a white ape suffering from abdominal pain and finds a bundle containing the Nine Yang Manual inside the ape's abdomen. He masters the skills in the manual and fully heals himself in the process. At the same time, he builds up immense inner energy and learns to use the Nine Yang Divine Skill.
Becoming the leader of the Ming Cult
Zhang Wuji returns to civilization and meets a disfigured girl, Zhu'er. Through a series of encounters, he reunites with Zhou Zhiruo, who is now a member of the Emei Sect. He also learns that the six major orthodox sects in the wulin are planning to attack the Ming Cult on Bright Peak. He ventures to the peak ahead of the attackers and uncovers an evil plot by Cheng Kun, his godfather's sworn enemy, to stir up conflict between the Ming Cult and the other sects. He escapes death again narrowly with Xiaozhao, a servant of Yang Xiao's family, whom he meets there. He finds the manual of the 'Heaven and Earth Great Shift' in a secret chamber and masters the skill, which allows him to reach a near-superhuman level of martial arts prowess. Zhang Wuji resolves the conflict between the Ming Cult and the six sects by representing the cult in fighting challengers from the other sects. He exposes Cheng Kun's evil plot and earns the respect of the orthodox sects. At the same time, he is also reunited with his father's fellows from the Wudang Sect and his maternal grandfather, Yin Tianzheng. The Ming Cult's members are grateful to Zhang from saving them and want him to take the cult's leadership position, which has been vacant since the death of the previous leader, Yang Dingtian. Zhang Wuji reluctantly agrees and reforms the cult to improve its relations with the other sects. Eventually, after Zhang Wuji after reunites with Zhang Sanfeng, and under his father's teacher's tutelage, he refines all the martial arts he had learned.
Adventures
While departing to fetch his godfather back to the mainland, Zhang Wuji learns that the members of the six sects have been captured by the Yuan military after they left Bright Peak. The Yuan forces are led by the Mongol princess Zhao Min, who is attracted to Zhang Wuji after encountering him in a few skirmishes. Zhang Wuji succeeds in rescuing the captives and earns further respect from them. The sects finally resolve their animosity with the Ming Cult and become its allies. Meanwhile, Zhao Min has fallen in love with Zhang secretly and she frees the martial artists after an agreement with Zhang, telling him that he must fulfil three conditions. The first one is to allow her to follow him on his adventures, and she will tell him the other two conditions later. Zhang Wuji returns to Ice Fire Island with Zhao Min, Zhou Zhiruo and Xiaozhao, with Golden Flower Granny and her apprentice Yin Li (Zhu'er) secretly tracking them. When Zhang Wuji reunites with his godfather Xie Xun, their reunion is filled with danger as their enemies are coveting the Dragon Slaying Saber. They also meet members of the Persian Ming Cult. Xiaozhao agrees to leave with the Persians to be their leader to replace her mother. Meanwhile, Zhou Zhiruo secretly murders Yin Li and knocks out Zhang Wuji, Zhao Min and Xie Xun with drugs so that she can seize the Dragon Slaying Saber and Heaven Reliant Sword.
Return to the mainland
Zhou Zhiruo frames Zhao Min for Yin Li's murder by casting her adrift while she was unconscious. When Zhang Wuji awakes, he is shocked to see that Yin Li is dead and believes that Zhao Min is responsible. He returns to the mainland with Zhou Zhiruo and his godfather. Xie Xun and Zhou Zhiruo are captured by Cheng Kun and Chen Youliang, who are planning to stir up conflict in the wulin again. Zhang Wuji finds Zhao Min and wants to kill her to avenge Yin Li, but refrains from doing so as he still loves her and thinks she might be innocent. Zhang Wuji saves Zhou Zhiruo from Chen Youliang's clutches and foils Song Qingshu's attempt to take over the Wudang Sect. A love triangle gradually develops between him, Zhao Min and Zhou Zhiruo. He decides to marry Zhou Zhiruo to prove his loyalty to her. Zhao Min disrupts the wedding by saying that she knows where his godfather is held captive and telling him that her second condition (per their earlier agreement) is that he cannot marry Zhou Zhiruo. Zhou Zhiruo hates Zhao Min for disrupting the wedding and attacks her viciously with the 'Nine Yin White Bone Claw'.
Saving Xie Xun
Zhou Zhiruo swears to make Zhang Wuji pay for betraying her love and vows to kill Zhao Min. Zhang Wuji saves Zhao Min and they attend the Lion Slaying Ceremony at Shaolin Monastery, which is actually part of Cheng Kun's plot to destroy the wulin. Xie Xun is used as bait to lure everyone into a trap – as his fate will be decided by the champion of the martial arts contest. Zhou Zhiruo appears at the ceremony and defeats all challengers. Zhang Wuji almost defeats her but he hesitates at the critical moment and loses. Zhou Zhiruo agrees to allow Zhang Wuji to help her fight the three Shaolin elders guarding Xie Xun, as defeating them will clear the last obstacle to claiming the prisoner. Zhang Wuji succeeds in rescuing his godfather while Zhou Zhiruo meets her match at the hands of the Yellow Dress Maiden.
Retirement
Zhang Wuji becomes a key figure in leading the Ming Cult and other rebel forces to overthrow the Yuan dynasty. The rebels defeat the Yuan forces numerous times and draw closer to achieving victory. Meanwhile, he discovers that Yin Li has survived and returned to take her revenge on Zhou Zhiruo. By then, it is clear to him that Zhou Zhiruo was behind the mysterious events on the island. Zhou Zhiruo feels guilty for her deeds and explains to Zhang Wuji that she has been bound by her oath to do so. Meanwhile, Zhang Wuji announces his plans to marry Zhao Min, whom he has finally decided is his true love. Zhang Wuji leaves the Ming Cult after mistakenly believing that the cult members are plotting to assassinate him. However, he is unaware that it is actually Zhu Yuanzhang's plan to take control of the cult's military. Zhang Wuji permanently retires from the jianghu and names Yang Xiao as his successor. In the last chapter, Zhao Min tells Zhang Wuji that her third condition is for him to help her paint her eyebrows.
Jin Yong's evaluation of Zhang Wuji
Zhang Wuji has a more complicated personality as compared to Guo Jing and Yang Guo. He possesses less heroic traits than them and has an equal balance of strengths and weaknesses. The presence of these humanly traits in him makes him more realistic as compared to the other two protagonists in the Condor Trilogy. Zhang Wuji's personality is strongly influenced by social factors and the people around him. He is often placed in situations in which he has no other choice but to adapt to. He has no chance of escaping from harsh reality. His relationships with his four love interests (Zhao Min, Zhou Zhiruo, Xiaozhao and Yin Li) are extremely complicated. He is very hesitant and indecisive on who his true love is. Apparently, he loves Zhao Min the most and makes that clear to Zhou Zhiruo at the end of the novel. However, one can really speculate whether, deep inside his heart, he really knows who his true love is.
Although Zhang Wuji is a formidable martial artist and probably one of the best of his age, he is not a suitable candidate to be a leader. Undeniably, he maintains a morally upright character and adopts an altruistic approach to his fellows. However, he lacks the qualities and prerequisites of becoming a great leader. On a personal level, he is reluctant to become a leader and only obliges to take up the Ming Cult's leadership position to please his subordinates. He lacks strong power hungry ambitions that a typical leader must have in order for him/her to remain in power. The absence of this important trait in him clearly indicates that he will not become a strong leader and may eventually fail as one.
