🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Jin Yong
He was born in Haining, Zhejiang in Republican China, and was the second of seven kids. He hailed from the scholarly Zha family of Haining, the members of which included the notable literati of the late Ming and the early Qing dynasties. Cha was originally a journalist. When he got transferred to New Evening Post (of British Hong Kong) in the role of Deputy Editor, he met up with Chen Wentong. And it was under Chen’s influence that Cha started working on “The Book and the Sword” in 1955, his first serialized martial arts novel. Cha gained admission to the Department of Foreign Languages at the Central University of Political Affairs in Chongqing but dropped out of the school later on.
All Book Series by Jin Yong
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jin Yong?
He was born in Haining, Zhejiang in Republican China, and was the second of seven kids. He hailed from the scholarly Zha family of Haining, the members of which included the notable literati of the late Ming and the early Qing dynasties. Cha was originally a journalist.
Which Jin Yong series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Condor Heroes series, the earliest of Jin Yong's multi-book series: it opens with A Hero Born (1957) and runs to 4 books across 1957–2021, ending with A Heart Divided (2021).
How many books has Jin Yong written?
Jin Yong has 7 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1957 and 2026. 6 of them belong to 2 named series — the largest being the Condor Heroes series with 4 books — and 1 is a standalone title, collection or anthology.
In what order should Jin Yong's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Jin Yong's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Condor Heroes (1957–2021, 4 books) and The Return of the Condor Heroes (1958–2026, 2 books).
How are Jin Yong's books organised into series?
This guide splits Jin Yong's 7 books into 2 named series and 1 title that stands alone or appear only in collections: Condor Heroes (4 books, 1957–2021); The Return of the Condor Heroes (2 books, 1958–2026).