Binghe Xijian Lu (), literally Chronicle of Washing the Sword in the Icy River, is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng. It was first published as a serial in the Hong Kong newspaper New Evening Post from 24 August 1963 to 22 August 1965. The novel is the eighth instalment in the Tianshan series and forms the concluding part of a trilogy that follows Bingchuan Tiannü Zhuan and Yunhai Yugong Yuan.
Binghe Xijian Lu is regarded as a lesser-known but significant entry among Liang Yusheng's wuxia novels, notable for extending the universe of the Tianshan series and reflecting his mid-1960s creative phase.
Binghe Xijian Lu was first published as a serial in the Hong Kong newspaper New Evening Post from 24 August 1963 to 22 August 1965. Subsequent reprints include a 1985 edition by Lhasa People's Publishing House, a 1988 edition by Huaxia Publishing House, a 1996 two-volume edition by Guangdong Travel and Tourism Press, a 2000 four-volume edition by Cosmos Books, and a 2012 three-volume edition by the Sun Yat-Sen University Press.
Set in 18th-century China during the Qing dynasty, the story follows Jiang Haitian, the son of minor characters from the earlier novels. In his childhood, Jiang Haitian was kidnapped by the Heavenly Demonic Cult before being saved by Jin Shiyi, who trained him in martial arts.
While exploring the wulin, Jiang Haitian meets his master's old flame Gu Zhihua and her adoptive daughter Gu Zhonglian, whom he falls in love with. During his adventures, he faces schemes by Li Fusheng, the Heavenly Demonic Cult's deputy leader who holds a grudge against Jin Shiyi for letting down his aunt Li Shengnan.
Later, Jiang Haitian participates in a wulin gathering in the Masar Kingdom and navigates a series of challenges, including impersonators, kidnappings, and hostile factions. With assistance from his allies, he saves Gu Zhonglian from danger and discovers that she is actually a Masar princess. He helps her reunite with her long-lost family members and avenge her murdered father.
During these events, Jiang Haitian helps the Masar Kingdom avert war, resolves conflicts caused by the Heavenly Demonic Cult, and assists other martial artists in reconciling past grudges. Li Fusheng also forgives Jin Shiyi after getting to understand him better, and convinces the cult leader Kalanni to disband the cult.
In the finale, the heroes return to Mount Mang to counter an invasion by Qing government forces, emerging triumphant against overwhelming odds. After two decades of trials, Jin Shiyi and Gu Zhihua marry and retire to a remote island, while Jiang Haitian and Gu Zhonglian become the new leading figures in the wulin to continue their predecessors' legacy.
Binghe Xijian Lu has garnered a mixed but enduring place among Liang Yusheng's wuxia novels. While it has its admirers among fans of the Tianshan series, it also draws criticism for its narrative and structural weaknesses.
According to an online essay, "for Liang Yusheng's old fans, the author's wuxia novels remain unforgettable classics... yet many newer readers feel the story in Binghe Xijian Lu is somewhat flat, the characters less vivid, and the didactic tone pronounced."
On Douban, reader commentaries are generally negative for Binghe Xijian Lu. One review titled "Binghe Xijian Lu is the worst in the trilogy" argues that the novel's internal logic is weak â such as inconsistencies in martial arts descriptions â and that the novel fails to maintain the strengths of Yunhai Yugong Yuan.
At the same time, the novel is integral to the Tianshan series, functioning as the eighth instalment and linking earlier protagonists such as Jin Shiyi to a new generation of heroes represented by Jiang Haitian. In this way, the novel expands the universe of the Tianshan series and contributes to its continuity.
More broadly speaking, Liang Yusheng is regarded as a trailblazer of the "new school" of wuxia fiction that emerged in Hong Kong in the 1950s. Although Binghe Xijian Lu is hardly mentioned in academic studies, its place within Liang Yusheng's mid-1960s works makes it relevant to discussions of this transitional phase in his writing style.