Originally published August 1971 | ||
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Similar Juedai Shuangjiao, Ode to Gallantry, The Heaven Sword an, The Deer and the Cauldron, The Book and the Sword | ||
Meteor, Butterfly, Sword (traditional Chinese: 流星·蝴蝶·劍; simplified Chinese: 流星·蝴蝶·剑; pinyin: Liúxīng Húdié Jiàn) is a 1973 wuxia novel by Gu Long. It is the basis of a 1976 film Killer Clans, a 1978 television series produced by Hong Kong's CTS, the 1993 film Butterfly and Sword, a 2003 mainland Chinese television series and a franchise of video games.
"A shooting star burns but briefly, but while it burns what other star in the heavens is as bright, as brilliant. When a shooting star appears not even the stars in the enduring constellations can match its light. The life of a butterfly is delicate even more fragile than flowers, but alas it lives only in the spring. It is beauty, it is freedom, it is flight. Although its life is short it is fragrant. Only swords, in comparison are eternal. A swordsman holds his light, his brilliance and light in his hands, but should the sword feel emotion will its brilliance be as short as that of a meteor."
The novel touches on the themes of life, love and ambition and what is endured, betrayed and sacrificed to achieve each.