One of Jin Yong's most popular novels, it tells the story Lin Wu Chong and Ren Yin Ying's forbidden love. It is also a tale about the nature of good and evil.

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State of Divinity 2000
Starring: Richie Ren, Anita Yuen Wing Yee, Vivian Chen Da Rong, Tatmun Song, Lau Shuet Wai, Suen Hing, Chen Sasa

Lin Wu Chong is the oldest disciple of Wah Shan. A playful, gregarious character, he lives in a world where there are good clans and bad. At the 'good' side, there are 5 clans. Wah Shan is one of them. The `bad' side - the Sun and Moon sect, is considered the 'lost' side. Its members have done despicable things, apparently.

Ren Yin Ying is the daughter of the deceased leader of the Sun and Moon sect, now headed by the odd Tung Fong But Bai, who has become a woman because of some kung fu he practiced. Yin Ying is to step up to become leader soon.

Wu Chong's adventure begins when he saves the nun Yi Ling from Tin Bak Kuang. He is badly injured and saved by Khuk, a venerable man from the evil sect. Khuk is a friend to a leader of one of the 'good' clans - they met when both robbed the same tomb of a music manuscript. Both are excellent musicians, and they end up playing music and composing a masterpiece together. When their friendship was discovered, the 5 clans (now united) hunts them down and kills them. Before he died, Khuk begged Wu Chong to pass their musical score to someone who will appreciate it.

Eventually, Wu Chong meets Ren Ying Ying, Khuk's foster daughter. Grateful that he returned a part of her foster father's memory, she sets out to heal him of the serious internal injuries inflicted (accidently) by the Peach Twins. Eventually they fall in love. But their love is forbidden, for she is 'evil' and he is 'good'.

But central to this story is the obsession of kung fu manual, said to be the greatest kung fu ever. Everyone wants it - even if the kung fu recruires self-castration to be practiced.

Why I love this: My first version of the State of Divinity (or The Legendary Swordsman, as it is known in Singapore) is TCS' version. Since I have not read Jin Yong's novel (and since I can't, because I don't know how to read Chinese) I have no idea whether the 2000 AD version of "The Proud Smiling Wanderer" (also another name) is true to the book or not.

All I have to compare with is Singapore's The Legendary Swordsman and I'd have to say that this is a much better version.

For one, it is a more detailed version. In The Legendary Swordsman I was puzzled by a lot of the story elements - what State of Divinity did for me is explain and define the puzzling parts clearly for me. For example, I wondered why Ren Yin Ying sent people to heal Lin Wu Chong of his serious internal injuries. In State I realised that she did so because she felt grateful to him for returning her foster father's music manuscript to her (and yeah, also because she is starting to like him). And in State, you really feel sorry for Lin Wu Chong when Yue Lin Shang (his foster sister) left him for Lim Ping Zhi. In Swordsman, Lin Shang merely told him that she didn't like him as a potential lover, but as a brother. Here, it is pretty obvious that both loved each other at first. However, because Lin Shang suspects him of stealing the Lim family's swordmanual (and partly, I believe, because of Ping Zhi's influence), she dumps him.

And she does so in a spoilt, cruel way too. You really feel for Wu Chong alright!

But what fascinates me most about this story is how Jin Yong highlights the fact that it is pointless to categorize people as 'good' and 'evil'. In this story, the one with the most evil reputation - Khuk, Ren Yin Ying - are actually good in nature. Ironically, the one that is known as the most honourable and moral is the most cunning and conniving character!

There is so much depth to the story and characters that it'll take forever to write it down here. No wonder State of Divinity has been made over and over again. It's a tale that could be read again and again, and the interpretation will always be different.

The Actors: A reviewer complained that Richie Ren is simply unsuitable as Lin Wu Chong. I disagree. As Wu Chong, Ren has a streak of mischivieousness in him that is very endearing. Each time he smiles, you see his eyes dance with mischief. I didn't really like Ma Jing Tao's exaggerated portrayal of Wu Chong. Here, Wu Chong has a nice balance - though at the point I'm watching now, he's rather melancholy over the breakup of his relationship with Ling Shan.

Personally, I like Fann Wong's Ren Yin Ying. The fantastic costumes aside, she portrays Ren Yin Ying as both cruel and kind-hearted as well, something which Anita Yuen can't seem to do very well. Not that she sucked in this - she's great as well. Her Ren Yin Ying is very intelligent, yet with a streak of nastiness in her that makes you wonder about her 'evil' nature. She is a woman on the road to redemption - and Wu Chong is leading the way.

Rating: * * * * * Simply excellent. A great version of State, with a good cast.