Family[]
Meng Shi[]
Meng Shi was Jin Guangyao's mother. Although they lived in an at-times violent brothel, she raised her son with love. She gifted him with books on cultivation and swordsmanship in the hopes that he would grow up to be a great cultivator [1] She often waited for Jin Guangshan, the father of her child, to return, buy her freedom, and accept Jin Guangyao into the Lanling Jin Clan.[2] Unfortunately, Jin Guangshan considered Meng Shi's education a sign of trouble, and chose to forget her instead.[3] Meng Shi died of illness when Jin Guangyao was a teenager.
Jin Guangyao deeply loves her, to the extent that he builds a statue of her likeness in the Guanyin Temple to ensure that she will have a better life through people's worship. He delays his escape and ultimately loses his life because of his desire to take her coffin with him.[4]
Jin Guangshan[]
Although Jin Guangshan is Jin Guangyao's biological father, he never loves Jin Guangyao. When Jin Guangyao first approaches his father after losing his mother, he happens to interrupt Jin Zixuan's birthday. Fearing his wife's wrath, Jin Guangshan orders his illegitimate son kicked down the stairs.[5][2]
Still, Jin Guangyao steadfastly hopes to join the Lanling Jin Clan and gain his father's approval. Despite Nie Mingjue's recommendation letter during the Sunshot Campaign, Jin Guangshan continues to ignore his son.[2] He only accepted Jin Guangyao into the clan once he had won acclaim for his actions as a spy in Nightless City,[6] and even then, Jin Guangyao is not given the courtesy name expected for his generation, which should be "Ziyao" instead of "Guangyao." In Jin Guangyao's own words, as long as Jin Guangshan wishes it, "whether it be to betray Clan Leader Wen or protect Xue Yang or remove anyone who disagreed, no matter how foolish it was, how hated I’d be, I’d obey regardlessly."[5] He even assassinates his sworn brother Nie Mingjue once Nie Mingjue becomes a political threat to Jin Guangshan.[7][5]
One day, Jin Guangyao finally overhears Jin Guangshan explain to a group of prostitutes why he did not redeem Jin Guangyao and Meng Shi – that a literate woman like Meng Shi was too much trouble. Jin Guangshan sums up his feelings to Jin Guangyao in two words: "Forget it."[5][3] Realizing that his father will never love him, Jin Guangyao hires old and disfigured prostitutes to come to his sickly father's bedchambers to "entertain" him. He has Xue Yang tie Jin Guangshan to the bed, as he watches from behind a curtain. He orders the prostitutes to continue even when his father dies, and then kills all of the prostitutes with the exception of Sisi. During his confession, Jin Guangyao demonstrates little regret for killing his father, declaring it a "fitting death."[5]
Qin Su[]
Qin Su falls in love with Jin Guangyao after he saves her life during the Sunshot Campaign. She pursues him, refusing to speak ill of his origins, and he eventually returns her affections.[8] Her father Qin Cangye is initially hesitant due to Jin Guangyao's background, but he eventually agrees to the match. Still, fearing further delays, they consummate their relationship before their marriage. From the outside, their marriage is envied, as Jin Guangyao never has affairs and cares deeply for his wife.[5]
In reality, shortly before their wedding, Qin Su's mother confesses to Jin Guangyao that Qin Su is not her husband's daughter, but the result of rape by Jin Guangshan, making Qin Su and Jin Guangyao half-siblings.[5] Though disturbed by the revelation, Jin Guangyao continues with the wedding, afraid to cause a falling-out between Jin Guangshan and Qin Cangye. Additionally, by the time he knew of their relationship, Qin Su is already pregnant – and, due to his childhood, Jin Guangyao is extremely familiar with the way the cultivation world scorns women and children for the sins of their fathers. He never touches her again after the wedding.[5]
Nie Huaisang eventually bribes Madam Qin's maid Bicao to give Qin Su a letter that reveals the truth. Qin Su is so horrified that she vomits and loses all composure. Jin Guangyao tries to calm her down, insisting that he had genuinely loved her, that he had wanted to hide the truth and treat her well. When she refuses to listen, he seals several of her meridians and takes her into their treasure vault to rest. Jin Guangyao begs Qin Su to tell him who gave her the letter, but she refuses. Jin Guangyao assures her that he would send her away to travel with Qin Cangye,[8] but she ultimately commits suicide in front of the other clans instead.[9]
Although Wei Wuxian initially suspects that Jin Guangyao had convinced Qin Su to kill herself,[9] he later suspects that Qin Su chose her fate on her own.[10] Nevertheless, Jin Guangyao lists Qin Su among the people he killed, implying that he still considers himself indirectly responsible.[11]
Jin Rusong[]
Jin Guangyao is said to have dearly loved his son, and to have torn down the clan of the man who killed Jin Rusong in revenge.[8] However, Jin Guangyao later admits that he shivered in fright at the sight of Jin Rusong,[5] and that even if their son had not been killed, he would have had to die.[8] Clan Leader Yao speculates that Jin Guangyao feared his son would have severe disabilities due to his incestuous relationship with Qin Su, and had directly murdered Jin Rusong as a result. The man who killed Jin Rusong had been framed, as he was a political opponent of Jin Guangyao's.[10]
Jin Guangyao does list Jin Rusong among the people he killed, but he also lists Qin Su, whom he had not murdered. Thus, it is unknown whether Jin Guangyao actually killed his son, or merely felt responsible for his death.[11]
Jin Zixuan[]
Although Jin Guangyao and Jin Zixuan are half-brothers born on the same day, they receive starkly different treatment. While Jin Zixuan is loved by both his parents, Jin Guangshan never once demonstrates love to Jin Guangyao, even ordering him kicked down the stairs of Golden Carp Tower when the boy first approaches the Lanling Jin Clan on the day of Jin Zixuan's birthday.[2][5] Additionally, Jin Zixuan has a happy family and loving marriage, a sharp contrast to Jin Guangyao's son born of incest with a wife who turned out to be his sister. Jin Guangyao is therefore intensely jealous of Jin Zixuan, as Jin Zixuan is praised despite his arrogant and condescending behavior, while Jin Guangyao is disparaged despite his smiles and kind actions.[5]
Jin Guangyao confesses to inadvertently instigating Jin Zixuan's death by informing his half-brother of the ambush on Qiongqi Path. However, he maintains that he merely wished to increase difficulties for Jin Zixuan, as the conflict was between his wife's shidi and his cousin. Jin Guangyao did not expect Wei Wuxian's loss of control that killed Jin Zixuan and Jin Zixun.[5] After becoming Clan Leader, Jin Guangyao allows Jin Zixuan's murals to stand alongside his own. As prior precedent decreed that he should denigrate the deeds of his late brother to render himself more impressive, his actions indicate that, at the very least, he likely does not harbor hatred towards his half-brother.[8]
Jin Ling[]
Jin Guangyao helps raise his nephew alongside Jiang Cheng. Whenever Jiang Cheng is too strict with Jin Ling, Jin Ling relies on Jin Guangyao to comfort him.[8]
Once Jin Guangyao is captured, Jin Ling is horrified to discover Jin Guangyao's role in Jin Zixuan's death. He rushes at his uncle, screaming to know why, and Jin Guangyao seizes the opportunity to escape by taking Jin Ling hostage.[5] Even then, Jin Guangyao assures his nephew that he will be released without harm so long as he obeyed his commands.[12] He holds a guqin string to Jin Ling's neck, but is stopped by the arrival of Nie Mingjue's fierce corpse. [5] Despite his horror, Jin Ling shouts at his uncle to run,[13] and sheds considerable tears after Jin Guangyao's death.[4]
Remembering how Jin Guangyao once gave him his dog Fairy, Jin Ling cannot believe Jin Guangyao's kindness was all a lie.[4]
Mo Xuanyu[]
Mo Xuanyu is another half-brother of Jin Guangyao, brought to Golden Carp Tower by Jin Guangshan sometime after the death of Jin Zixuan, an act Jin Guangyao perceives as a threat.[6] At first, the two seem to have a close relationship, as Jin Guangyao allowed him inside his secret treasure room.[9] Unfortunately, Mo Xuanyu develops romantic feelings towards his brother Jin Guangyao.[8] As a result, Jin Guangyao expels Mo Xuanyu back to Mo Village, where the Mo family's abuse worsens Mo Xuanyu's mental health.[14]
Despite their history, Jin Guangyao treats "Mo Xuanyu" politely upon his return to Golden Carp Tower for the Discussion Conference,[8] until he realizes that "Mo Xuanyu" is actually Wei Wuxian.[9]
Jin Zixun[]
Jin Zixun initially considers his cousin's origins an embarrassment, and in a fit of fury, he even throws liquor on Jin Guangyao's robes.[15] However, the two's relationship improved considerably before his death, to the point that Jin Zixun refers to him as "A-Yao."[16]
Madam Jin[]
Madam Jin seems to dislike her husband's bastard son, as she seizes the opportunity to criticize him harshly during the tense night-hunt on Mount Baifeng.[17] After Jin Zixuan's death, she takes her rage over Jin Guangshan's infidelity out on Jin Guangyao,[3] leaving lacerations on his head[6] and bruises so severe that Xue Yang assumes Nie Mingjue had done it.[3]
Venerated Triad[]
Lan Xichen[]
“Lan Xichen! In this life, I’ve lied countless times, killed countless times. Like you said, I killed my father, my brother, my wife, my son, my teacher, my friend—of all the evil in the world, what haven’t I done?!...But I’ve never even thought of harming you!” [11]
Overall, Jin Guangyao's relationship with Lan Xichen appears have been a light in Jin Guangyao's life. They meet when Jin Guangyao rescues Lan Xichen after the latter escapes the burning of the Cloud Recesses,[11] and they become very close friends. Lan Xichen does not hold his roots as a prostitute's son against him,[2] Jin Guangyao repays his kindness many times over, helping him rebuild the Cloud Recesses and using his position as Chief Cultivator to support the Gusu Lan Clan.[11] They spent hours together talking and night hunting.[18]
Until discovering the missing pages from Collection of Turmoil, Lan Xichen has complete faith in Jin Guangyao – as he claims, "it was not that I did not know what you did, but that I believed you had your reasons behind doing them.”[1] After Jin Guangyao's confession in the Guanyin Temple, Lan Xichen believes he has come to understand him again, but then loses that after the latter's death.[19] When Lan Xichen is tricked into delivering a mortal wound to Jin Guangyao, Jin Guangyao reacts with outrage and despair. He insists he would never hurt Lan Xichen and rants that Lan Xichen thinks him unfit to live, just like Nie Mingjue had.[11] As Jin Guangyao lurches away, Lan Xichen attemptes to grab him, but Jin Guangyao has already used his blood to free Nie Mingjue's fierce corpse from the coffin it had been sealed in. However, Jin Guangyao changes his mind and uses the last of his strength to push Lan Xichen out of the way of Nie Mingjue's corpse, allowing Nie Mingjue to kill him before he bled out from Lan Xichen's wound.[11]
After Jin Guangyao's death, Lan Xichen retreats into seclusion,[20] and appears to be fairing poorly during his appearance at a clan banquet several months later.[21]
Nie Mingjue[]
In Hejian, Nie Mingjue takes pity on Jin Guangyao's circumstances and treats him as an apprentice. When others badmouth Jin Guangyao despite the chores he does for them, Nie Mingjue harshly reprimands them for their ingratitude. Eventually, Jin Guangyao is appointed Nie Mingjue's second-in-command due to his formidable intelligence and capabilities. Despite his usefulness, after overhearing Jin Guangyao's wishes to return to the Lanling Jin Clan and obtain his father's approval, Nie Mingjue does not hesitate to send him to his father with a recommendation letter.[2]
However, Nie Mingjue's opinion of Jin Guangyao quickly sours when he catches Jin Guangyao murdering his commanding officer for stealing credit for his accomplishments. When Nie Mingjue attempts to convince Jin Guangyao to turn himself in, Jin Guangyao expresses fear of execution, eventually feigns suicide to escape, and freezes Nie Mingjue's qi. Nie Mingjue is extremely distressed that he had opened himself up to a person who does not share his moral ideals, and subsequently loses all trust for him.[2] After his escape, Jin Guangyao successfully integrates himself as a spy in Nightless City. He sends Lan Xichen battle details to share with Nie Mingjue. In fact, Nie Mingjue admits that his success against the Qishan Wen Clan is largely owed to those letters.[2][6] Their relationship worsens when Nie Mingjue is captured by Wen Ruohan, and the undercover Jin Guangyao kills several subordinates to allay Wen Ruohan's temper, taunts Nie Mingjue with his worst memory – his father's death – and even suggests torture . This is revealed to be an act to lower Wen Ruohan's guard, as Jin Guangyao then kills Wen Ruohan to save Nie Mingjue. Still, Nie Mingjue is disgusted that Jin Guangyao killed his subordinates, and even chases him with his saber Baxia until Lan Xichen intervenes.[6]
After the war, the two become sworn brothers, as Nie Mingjue hopes to discipline Jin Guangyao back to a moral path. With Lan Xichen's guidance, Jin Guangyao learns to play Purification Tone to mitigate the influence of Nie Mingjue's saber spirit. At first, they seem to grow closer again. Unfortunately, Jin Guangyao's loyalty to his father ultimately outweighs his loyalty to his sworn brother. Furious at Jin Guangshan's protection of Xue Yang, Nie Mingjue became increasingly suspicious of Jin Guangyao's role in the matter, a tension which culminates in kicking Jin Guangyao down the stairs of Golden Carp Tower while calling him the "son of a prostitute," a repetition of Jin Guangyao's own worst memory. Nie Mingjue then attempts to kill him, declaring him "beyond redemption," until Lan Xichen again intervenes.[6] In the Guanyin Temple, Wei Wuxian strongly hints that those words are the turning point at which Jin Guangyao decides to kill Nie Mingjue.[22]
Though Jin Guangyao seems to make peace in the aftermath of their fight, he also integrates a melody from Collection of Turmoil to slowly poison his sworn brother.[22] As a result, Nie Mingjue encounters a qi deviation and dies at a young age.[6] His unusually strong Fierce Corpse is carved into pieces and scattered, as his vengeful spirit cannot rest due to his rage at Jin Guangyao's betrayal. Jin Guangyao divides up his body and scatters the pieces across the cultivation world, keeping the head in his secret treasure room.[19] Once Nie Mingjue's corpse finds its parts and Jin Guangyao is mortally wounded by Lan Xichen, tricked by Nie Huaisang, Jin Guangyao turns himself over to Nie Mingjue's fierce corpse, shouting "Fuck you, Nie Mingjue! You think I'm scared of you?" before Nie Mingjue breaks his neck.[11]
Allies[]
Su She[]
Su She is utterly devoted to Jin Guangyao, due to the fact that Jin Guangyao merely remembers his name and treats him kindly.[11]
Once Jin Guangyao realized that Nie Mingjue's Demonic Left Arm has been recovered and that Lan Wangji is searching for the remaining body parts, Su She disguises himself as the gravedigger to recover the remaining body parts, though his attempts are ultimately unsuccessful. He also recovers Xue Yang's dying body to retrieve the Yin Tiger Tally for Jin Guangyao.[7][23]
Su She joins the Second Siege of the Burial Mounds as Jin Guangyao's accomplice. He purposefully leads his clan to play a melody that suppresses the other cultivators' spiritual powers, leaving them nearly defenseless against the onslaught of fierce corpses. When his plans are revealed by Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, he flees using a Transportation Talisman, leaving his disciples to face the consequences.[24]
Su She accompanies Jin Guangyao to the Guanyin Temple, ironically kidnapping Nie Huaisang as a valuable hostage. He ultimately gives his life to protect Jin Guangyao from Nie Mingjue's fierce corpse, causing tears to spring to Jin Guangyao's eyes.[11]
Xue Yang[]
Shortly after the Sunshot Campaign, Jin Guangyao recommends Xue Yang as a potential demonic cultivator to his father. He is delighted when Xue Yang displays talent. Jin Guangyao is thus tasked with providing Xue Yang whatever he needs to study demonic cultivation, and watching over his frequently delinquent behavior.[3] Jin Guangyao also gives Xue Yang his courtesy name, "Chengmei."[25] Xue Yang seems to have some sort of respect and affection for Jin Guangyao, as he does not allow people to call him the son of a prostitute without severe retaliation.[3]Once Jin Guangyao takes over as leader of the Lanling Jin Clan, he has Xue Yang severely beaten[26] and declares that he had executed him.[7] Whether Xue Yang escaped a true attempt on his life, or Jin Guangyao purposefully released him, is unknown.
Enemies[]
Wei Wuxian[]
“At best, you’re the untamed hero; at worst, you offend people wherever you go. Unless all those whom you’ve offended lived their lives safely, as soon as something happened to them or someone did something to them, the first person they suspect would be you and the first person they seek revenge on would also be you. And this is something you have no control over.”[22]
Despite their respective roles as antagonist and protagonist, Jin Guangyao and Wei Wuxian can be understood as foils of each other. Both came from low origins – Wei Wuxian as the son of a servant, Jin Guangyao as the son of a prostitute – yet both received very different treatment in life. Jin Guangyao was ignored and abused, while Wei Wuxian enjoyed relative freedom as the eldest disciple of Jiang Fengmian in the Yunmeng Jiang Clan.
Wei Wuxian initially has a positive impression of Jin Guangyao, declaring that he is vastly superior to his brother Jin Zixuan.[27] Even when they begin to suspect that he had killed Nie Mingjue and scattered his body, Wei Wuxian says that he does not think poorly of Jin Guangyao.[18] During the confrontation in the Guanyin Temple, Jin Guangyao strongly implies that he helped arrange Wen Ning's attack during his surrender at Golden Carp Tower, one of the events during Wei Wuxian's downfall. When Wei Wuxian confronts him, Jin Guangyao remarks that even if Wei Wuxian was not an unwitting pawn and scapegoat in his schemes, he was still so hated that sooner or later someone would have had a siege against him.[22]
Wei Wuxian, for his part, still displays empathy for Jin Guangyao, as he realizes that the statue in the temple was for Meng Shi,[4] not Jin Guangyao's vanity, and that Jin Guangyao spared Sisi because she had once saved him and his mother.[28] At the end of the novel, he recognizes that Jin Guangyao has simply replaced him as society's scapegoat.[29]
Nie Huaisang[]
Nie Huaisang is initially affectionate towards Jin Guangyao, enjoying the fans and art Jin Guangyao brought him. Jin Guangyao seems to care for him, too, as he encourages Nie Mingjue to appreciate his little brother's talents in the arts, and holds Nie Huaisang back once Nie Mingjue burns his things to prevent the frantic Nie Huaisang from burning himself.[6]
Once his brother dies, Nie Huaisang often relies on Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen's assistance.[30] However, once he realizes his brother's body had been scattered, his investigations leads him to uncover Jin Guangyao as the culprit. From there, he develops an elaborate and intricate plan to expose all of Jin Guangyao's misdeeds.[19] In the end, when it seems that Jin Guangyao will survive the Guanyin Temple, Nie Huaisang tricks Lan Xichen into mortally wounding him. Jin Guangyao expresses shock that Nie Huaisang was his undoing, and mockingly apologizes for not noticing his true intelligence.[11]
Jiang Cheng[]
Jiang Cheng holds a frank view of Jin Guangyao's status as a prostitute's son, stating no matter how great his accomplishments, his status will still be a reflection upon him.[27] The two both cooperate in raising Jin Ling, and Jin Guangyao attempts to pacify Jiang Cheng's harsh discipline of his nephew.[8]
Jiang Cheng is infuriated once Jin Guangyao's crimes were revealed, and his fury only intensifies when he discovered that Jin Guangyao had directed Jin Zixuan to Qiongqi Path, where Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning to accidentally murdered Jin Zixuan. He then mocks Jin Guangyao's status as a prostitute's son, and in retaliation, Jin Guangyao reminds Jiang Cheng that he was also responsible for Wei Wuxian's downfall.[22]
Lan Wangji[]
Lan Wangji trusts Wei Wuxian's word over the word of Jin Guangyao, despite the fact that Jin Guangyao is his brother's closest friend.[31] For his part, Jin Guangyao is aware of Lan Wangji's feelings for Wei Wuxian, as he remarks that he finds Lan Wangji's years of pining without a happy ending difficult to watch.[12] After Jin Guangyao's death, Lan Wangji declares his intent to comfort Lan Xichen by revealing the reason behind Jin Guangyao's sparing of Sisi.[28]
Others[]
Sisi[]
Sisi is a prostitute who worked in the same brothel as Meng Shi. She was a good friend of Meng Shi, protecting her and her son from insults and humiliation. At one point, she even engaged in a brutal fight with a fellow prostitute, Anxin, who had repeatedly mocked Meng Yao and Meng Shi.[1]
By coincidence, Sisi is also one of the prostitutes forced to participate in the sexual assault that kills Jin Guangshan. Though she can identify him as the culprit, Jin Guangyao allows her to live – albeit locked away – because of the kindness she showed him in the past.[28]