DEMI-GODS AND SEMI-DEVILS 1996

CAST

Wong Yat Wah		Cheung Kwok Keung		Chan Ho Man		Fan Siu Wong		Poon Chi Man
Lau Kam Ling		Lee Yek Tung		Chiu Hok Yee		Wong Gei Ying		Lau Yuk Chui

BACKGROUND

Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", is another of Jin Yong's famous kung fu novels turned TVB Series. The original series was made in 1982 and consisted of two parts, "Lok Mut San Kim", and "Hoi Juk Sin Ji". Wong Yat Wah starred in the as Hoi Juk in the second part of the series. The 1982 Serial consisted of actors such as, Tong Chun Yip, Leung Ku Yan, Chan Yuk Lin, Sak Sau, Wong Yat Wah, Tse Yin, Yeung Pan Pan, Wong Hung Sau, and much more. Leung Chiu Wai also made a cameo appearance in that series.

In 1996 TVB made a reproduction of the series and it was only 45 episodes long. This time TVB deviated little from the novel. The cast included actors such as Wong Yat Wah, Fan Siu Wan, Lau Kam Ling, Lee Yuk Tung, and Chan Ho Man. This cast was fresher and this TVB Series contained many special effects, which made "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", one of the most popular and most watched serials during 1996. This TVB serial could be regarded as one of the classic TVB series of the 1990's.

HISTORY

Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is set during the Northern Sung Dynasty (969AD to 1126 AD). The Liu Dynasty of the Kithan people existed around 904 AD through to 1125 AD. The Kithans attacked and took control of Peking around 946 AD. They were given territory surrounding the area. This area contained a large population of Han people, and this was the land that Siu Fung was placed in charge of in the story. The Kithans formed links with Western Turkey, Persia, and Japan. The Kithans were fierce fighting warriors and were tactically superior in warfare. The Northern Sung Dynasty never really had any great military strength, so they frequently signed many treaties, which required them to pay tributes to the enemies they were fighting, to end the fighting. Around 1004 AD, the Northern Sung Dynasty signed a treaty known as the "Peace of Shan-yaun", to end the fighting with the Liu Dynasty. The Northern Sung was required to pay 100, 000 ounces of silver and 200, 000 rolls of silk to the Liu Dynasty each year. In 1042, the Kithans of the Liu Dynasty helped the Northern Sung Dynasty fend of an attack from forces of Sai Ha. After defending the Northern Sung Dynasty from the attack the Liu Dynasty raised the amount of the treaty by 100,000 ounces of silver and 100, 000 rolls of silk per year. The Northern Sung Dynasty was very economically sound during that period, and was able to met the demands of the Liu Dynasty.

Trough time the Kithans became less aggressive because the treaty with the Northern Sung Dynasty, provided them with great wealth. Soon Chinese influence spread into the Liu Dynasty. Power struggles amongst the Kithan nobility began to emerge. In 1125 AD an ethnic group know as the Jurchens (Gum people), took control of the Liu Dynasty, and formed the Chin Dynasty with the capital at Peking. The Chin Dynasty lost Peking to Genghis Khan and the Mongols in 1215 AD. Kithan nobility fled into Western Turkey and formed the Western Liu Dynasty in 1141 AD, near Sai Ha. In 1218 AD Genghis Khan flatten the Western Liu Dynasty.

Sai Ha existed from around 1038 AD to 1227 AD. Their attacked on the Northern Sung Dynasty in 1042 AD, was unsuccessful because of the treaty between the Northern Sung Dynasty and the Liu Dynasty. In 1044 AD the Northern Sung Dynasty signed a treaty with Sai Ha to prevent further invasion. In 1225 AD Sai Ha formed an alliance with the Chin Dynasty to fight against the Genghis Khan and the Mongols. Despite this Sai Ha was destroyed by the Mongols in 1227 AD.

CHARACTERS

KIU FUNG
HOI JUK
DIN YEE
MO YUN FOK
WONG YEE YIN
AH CHU
OTHERS

SERIES REVIEW

CREDITS

Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Homepage
MinMin's Home: TVB Series
Beautiful Asian Celebrities 2000
KangKang's Felix Wong Yat Wah Homepage
TVB owns the copyright to all of the pictures and the series cover

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