The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (2009 TV series)

The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber is a Chinese television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel of the same title. It is a final instalment of a television trilogy produced by Zhang Jizhong, preceded by The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003) and The Return of the Condor Heroes (2006). Unlike the previous adaptations, this remake is the first to be primarily based on the third edition of the novel. The series was first broadcast on Wenzhou TV in China in October 2009.

Cast

 * Deng Chao as Zhang Wuji
 * Shi Lei as Zhang Wuji (young)
 * Ady An as Zhao Min
 * Liu Jing as Zhou Zhiruo
 * Guo Bailu as Zhou Zhiruo (young)
 * He Zhuoyan as Xiaozhao
 * Zhang Meng as Yin Li / Zhu'er
 * Jiang Yiyi as Yin Li / Zhu'er (young)
 * Lu Chen as Yang Buhui
 * Lu Ziyi as Yang Buhui (young)
 * Zang Jinsheng as Xie Xun
 * Ken Chang as Zhang Cuishan
 * Wang Yuanke as Yin Susu
 * Wang Jinghua as Miejue
 * Li Shun as Ding Minjun
 * He Jiayi as Ji Xiaofu
 * Yu Chenghui as Zhang Sanfeng
 * Li Tai as Song Qingshu
 * Chen Jiming as Song Yuanqiao
 * Wang Jiusheng as Yin Liting
 * Guo Jun as Zhang Songxi
 * Wang Jianguo as Yu Lianzhou
 * Zhang Hengping as Yu Daiyan
 * Wang Zhigang as Mo Shenggu
 * Tan Feiling as Cheng Kun
 * Tu Men as Chaghan Temur
 * Sun Zuyang as Wang Baobao
 * Zhou Xiaobin as Chen Youliang
 * Ma Ling as Golden Flower Granny
 * Bai Junjie as Lu Zhangke
 * Han Dong as He Biweng
 * Wu Xiaodong as Yang Xiao
 * Chen Zhihui as Yin Tianzheng / Jueyuan
 * Guan Xiaoyu as Yin Yewang
 * Hu Dong as Fan Yao
 * Li Ming as Wei Yixiao
 * Qiao Yu as Chang Yuchun
 * Liu Qiang as Xu Da
 * Yu Yu as Zhu Yuanzhang
 * Yang Niansheng as Zhou Dian
 * Zhou Gang as Shuobude
 * Hou Yueqiu as Peng Yingyu
 * Su Mao as Taoist Tieguan
 * Zhang Yuzhou as Leng Qian
 * Rocky Hou as Han Lin'er
 * Wang Weiguo as Kongwen
 * Tao Jixin as Kongzhi
 * Cao Zhanyong as Yuanye
 * Wu Kegang as Xihuazi
 * Wu Xiaodong as He Taichong
 * Bai Hailong as Du Dajin
 * Xia Yu as Zhu Jiuzhen
 * Wang Wei as Wu Qingying
 * Zou Zongsheng as Wei Bi
 * Xiao Zongling as Yin Wufu
 * Zhou Dianying as Yan Heng
 * Cecilia Liu as Yellow Dress Maiden
 * Yang Yi as Shi Huolong
 * Li Dan as A'san
 * Liu Ziyi as Xue Gongyuan
 * Lu Shaoqiang as Jian Jie
 * Wu Kegang as Xihuazi
 * Du Yuming as Hu Qingniu
 * Gao Baobao as Wang Nangu
 * Xing Minshan as He Zudao

Production
Shooting lasted five months, between 18 October 2008 and 16 March 2009. Locations include the Wudang Mountains, Peach Blossom Island, Longyou Grottoes, Wuyi Mountains and Hengdian World Studios.

Renaming of "Shaolin School" to "Monks' School"
In the series, the Shaolin School (or Shaolin Monastery) has been renamed to "Monks' School". The change is believed to be because the producers wanted to avoid trademark infringement, since Shaolin Monastery has officially registered "Shaolin" as a trademark and has been involved in lawsuits with commercial companies over the use of "Shaolin" as a brand name or trademark.