Li Mochou

Li Mochou (Chinese: 李莫愁; pinyin: Lǐ Mòchóu) is a fictional character from the Chinese wuxia novel The Return of the Condor Heroes (Shen Diao Xia Lü) by Jinyong. She is Xiaolongnü's senior. She was more powerful in martial arts than her junior at the start of the novel. Although she is beautiful in appearance, she morphs into a vicious killer after her lover betrays her. However, she appears as a motherly figure to the infant Guo Xiang, whom she kidnaps from her parents. She is seen trying to take the Jade Maiden Sutra from Xiaolongnü on several occasions at the beginning of the novel, but has never been successful. She commits suicide by throwing herself into the fire in Passionless Valley.

Li Mochou is considered one of the central characters in the novel, where the narrative begins with her. Within the story, she also sings the novel's theme song, "What Is Love?". She is the subject of the chronicle The Philosophy of Life of Li Mochou (李莫愁的人生哲學) written by Guo Mei. This work delves into Li Mochou's life from diverse perspectives, encompassing her birth, upbringing, experiences with love and hatred, and overall worldview. Guo Mei's analysis aims to elucidate and explore the philosophical aspects embedded in Li Mochou's life journey.

Li Mochou was a third-generation disciple of the Ancient Tomb School, recruited by the young maid who later ascended to Masterhood after the demise of Lin Chaoying (林朝英), the sect's founder. As the inaugural disciple, she held seniority over Xiaolongnü (小龍女), the principal protagonist of the novel.

In her early years, Li Mochou encountered Lu Zhanyuan (陸展元) from the renowned martial arts family, the House of Lu. Smitten by him, she defied her master, leaving the Gumu Sect to be with him, resulting in her expulsion. Despite her attempts to disrupt the marriage of Lu Zhanyuan to He Yuanjun (何沅君), she was thwarted by a powerful monk who compelled her to set aside her grudge for a decade. Vowing vengeance, she embraced Taoism and distanced herself from love.

The novel begins by describing Li Mochou's exact vengeance on the Lu family some years after her ex-lover, Lu Zhanyuan, and his wife died. Following her act of murder, she kidnaps Lu Zhanyuan's niece, Lu Wushuang (陸無雙).

Li Mochou gained notoriety for her ferocious and merciless cruelty, earning her the moniker "Serpent Demon" (赤練蛇). Yet, owing to her beauty and apparent youth, some also dubbed her the "Serpent Fairy" (赤練仙子). Armed with her fearsome techniques, such as the "Palm of the Divine Serpent" (赤練神掌), the "Silver Needles of Freezing Soul" (冰魄銀針), and the "Fly Whisk" (塵拂), she became unhinged in her killings, targeting anyone with the names Lu and He.

Although initially one of the most potent female characters in the novel, she proved no match for Huang Rong and later Xiaolongnü, who mastered the "Yunuu Xinjing" in the latter part of the story.

Li Mochou took on a disciple named Hong Lingbo (洪淩波) and tasked her with obtaining the Jade Maiden Heart Manual of Gumu Pai (Yu Nü Xin Jing, 玉女心經). The plan failed when Xiaolongnü, with the assistance of Yang Guo (楊過), triggered a trap burying the tomb underground. Nevertheless, Li and Hong managed to escape, and Li persisted in her vengeful pursuits.