Sword Stained With Royal Blood A.K.A. Bik Hyut Gim • 碧血劍 (1981)

The Sword Stained With Royal Blood (1981), also known as Sword Stained with Royal Blood and originally released as 碧血劍 (Bi Xue Jian / Bì Xuè Jiàn / Bik Hyut Gim), is a Shaw Brothers wuxia classic directed by Chang Cheh. Adapted from the celebrated novel by Louis Cha (Jin Yong), the film stars Philip Kwok (Kuo Chui), Candy Wen Hsueh-Erh, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng, Ching Li, Wang Li, Lung Tien-Hsiang, and other familiar Shaw Brothers performers. Combining swordplay, secret martial arts techniques, clan rivalries, treasure, political intrigue, and the mystery surrounding the legendary Golden Snake swordsman, this adaptation remains an important literary wuxia production from the later Shaw Brothers era. Available from ClassicKungFuMovies.com for collectors seeking authentic Shaw Brothers classics on DVD.

STORY OVERVIEW

During the final years of the Ming Dynasty, young swordsman Yuan Cheng-Chih completes his martial arts training and discovers a cave containing the skeleton and belongings of the legendary Golden Snake swordsman. Among the treasures are a distinctive sword, a martial arts manual, a treasure map, and a final message. After mastering the Golden Snake techniques, Yuan sets out to fulfill the dead swordsman's final wishes and locate Wen Yi, the woman named in his message.

Yuan's search leads him to the Wen family, where he meets Wen Qing, a young martial artist traveling in disguise, and becomes caught in a bitter dispute between the Wens and members of his own Hua Shan school. As the conflict over stolen gold develops, Yuan's knowledge of the Golden Snake techniques raises suspicions within the Wen household. He gradually learns that Wen Yi was once the Golden Snake's lover, that Wen Qing is her daughter, and that the Wen family's long-standing feud with the Golden Snake holds the key to the mystery surrounding his death. Yuan must use both his swordsmanship and his judgment as the truth finally brings the rival factions into open conflict.

MARTIAL ARTS HIGHLIGHTS

The Sword Stained With Royal Blood combines traditional wuxia swordplay with imaginative martial arts techniques, hidden weapons, acrobatic movement, and the elaborate Five Elements Formation used by the Wen family. Philip Kwok leads the action as Yuan Cheng-Chih, while fellow Venom Mob performers including Chiang Sheng and Lu Feng contribute to the film's distinctive Shaw Brothers fight choreography. The climactic battles give the performers plenty of room to display their speed, precision, and athletic abilities.

WHY COLLECTORS PICK IT

Collectors value The Sword Stained With Royal Blood for its adaptation of Jin Yong's novel, its strong ensemble of Shaw Brothers performers, and the opportunity to see Philip Kwok in a central heroic role. The film is also notable for bringing several members of the Venom Mob together in a wuxia setting, with Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng, and Wang Li among the familiar faces. Its combination of mystery, family conflict, swordplay, and martial arts gives it a distinctive place among the studio's later wuxia productions.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Released in Hong Kong on March 6, 1981, The Sword Stained With Royal Blood is one of Shaw Brothers' later adaptations of a Louis Cha novel and one of the relatively rare wuxia films featuring the Venom Mob. It was directed by Chang Cheh and adapted from Jin Yong's novel by screenwriters Chang Cheh and Ni Kuang. The film is particularly notable within Chang Cheh's later work for combining his familiar martial arts style with the more literary and intricate plotting of Jin Yong's wuxia fiction.

• Verified AKAs:
  • The Sword Stained With Royal Blood – English title
  • Sword Stained with Royal Blood – Alternate English title
  • 碧血劍 – Original Traditional Chinese title
  • 碧血剑 – Simplified Chinese title
  • Bi Xue Jian – Mandarin romanization
  • Bì Xuè Jiàn – Mandarin pinyin
  • Bik Hyut Gim – Cantonese romanization
  • Bi xie jian – Alternate romanized title listing
  • 벽혈검 – Korean title
  • Ân Tình Bích Huyết Kiếm – Vietnamese alternate title
  • เพ็กฮวยเกี่ยม – Thai alternate title
  • Das blutige Schwert des Königstigers – German alternate title
• Director: Chang Cheh
• Producer: Run Run Shaw
• Screenplay: Chang Cheh, Ni Kuang
• Based On: The Sword Stained with Royal Blood by Louis Cha (Jin Yong)
• Action / Stunts: Chiang Sheng, Philip Kwok, Lu Feng
• Music: Eddie H. Wang
• Cinematography: Cho Wai-Kei
• Editors: Chiang Hsing-Lung, Lee Yim-Hoi
• Art Director: Johnson Tsao
• Studio: Shaw Brothers
• Distributor: Shaw Brothers
• Country: Hong Kong
• Language: Mandarin
• Starring: Philip Kwok, Wen Hsueh-Erh, Chiang Sheng, Lu Feng, Wang Li, Ching Li, Lung Tien-Hsiang, Wong Lik, and others
• Genre: Wuxia, Martial Arts, Action, Drama
• Martial Arts Focus: Wuxia Swordplay, Golden Snake Style, Five Elements Formation
• Format: DVD
• Subtitles: None
• Region: All Regions
• Running Time: 104 Minutes
• Release Date: March 6, 1981
• Release Year: 1981

Carefully researched and prepared for collectors of classic martial arts cinema by ClassicKungFuMovies.com.