Seven Swordsmen

Seven Swordsmen (七剑下天山) is a 2006 Chinese wuxia television series directed by Clarence Fok and produced by Tsui Hark. The series is loosely adapted from the novels Qijian Xia Tianshan and Saiwai Qixia Zhuan by Liang Yusheng. It is also the television series counterpart to the 2005 film Seven Swords, which was also directed and produced by Tsui Hark. This series was originally planned to be the first season of a longer television series but the project has been abandoned.

The series takes place in 17th-century China during the early Qing dynasty. Fearing resistance from the wulin, the Qing government bans the practice of martial arts and possession of weapons. Dokado, a Qing prince, leads troops to enforce the order and attacks a village sheltering an anti-Qing rebel group. Two rebels – Han Zhibang and Wu Yuanying – escape with help from Fu Qingzhu, a former executioner seeking redemption, and the three travel to Mount Heaven to request aid from the reclusive swordmaster Huiming.

Huiming sends his four apprentices – Chu Zhaonan, Yang Yuncong, Xin Longzi and Mulang – to join the trio on their heroic quest and gives each of them a unique sword. Calling themselves the "Seven Swords", the seven swordsmen return to fend off an attack by Qing forces and protect the villagers as they evacuate. While hiding in a cave system, they discover a spy in their midst who repeatedly sabotages them and frames Yang Yuncong. After fighting their way out of the caves, the Seven Swords separate. Han Zhibang and Mulang stay with the villagers to protect them, while Fu Qingzhu, Xin Longzi, and Wu Yuanying head to Beijing.

Meanwhile, Chu Zhaonan is captured by the Qing general Fenghuo Liancheng and falls in love with the general's slave, Lüzhu, who later dies helping him escape. In the northwest, Chu Zhaonan reunites with Yang Yuncong, now aligned with an anti-Qing tribal group led by Feihongjin. Yang Yuncong is wounded in battle and rescued by Nalan Minghui, a Qing general's daughter. They fall in love and secretly have a daughter even though Nalan Minghui is already promised in marriage to Dokado.

In Beijing, Fu Qingzhu, Xin Longzi and Wu Yuanying attempt to assassinate the Shunzhi Emperor but end up saving him from a palace coup instead. Meanwhile in Hangzhou, Han Zhibang becomes the rebel group's new leader for his heroism in rescuing his captured comrades.

When the Seven Swords reunite, Chu Zhaonan feigns defection to get close enough to assassinate Dokado, but the plan collapses when Dokado exposes him and forces him to kill rebel captives. His actions create suspicion among the rebels and his fellow swordsmen, especially after he accidentally kills the village chief.

To prove his loyalty, Chu Zhaonan challenges Dokado to a duel at the Qiantang River and calls the other swordsmen to join him. Dokado is defeated, but the Seven Swords fall apart as a result: Yang Yuncong is killed, Xin Longzi loses his sanity and disappears, Mulang returns to Mount Heaven in guilt after carelessly allowing a spy into the rebels' base, and Chu Zhaonan wanders off deeply traumatised. Fu Qingzhu and Wu Yuanying search for the missing members, while Han Zhibang remains with the surviving rebels.

• Seven Swords
• Legend of the White Hair Brides

• Seven Swordsmen at IMDb
• (in Chinese) Seven Swordsmen on Sina.com
• Seven Swordsmen on wu-jing.org