Biao Ren
A Chinese manhua set in the late Sui dynasty.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
**Biao Ren** (Chinese: 镖人), also known as *Blades of the Guardians*, is a Chinese manhua by Xianzhe Xu. It launched in July 2015 and takes place near the end of the Sui dynasty, blending wuxia with historical fiction. The story centers on Dao Ma, a traveling bodyguard, navigating the political and military chaos of the dynasty’s final years.
By 2023, twelve collected volumes had been released. A 2023 Phoenix profile noted the series had surpassed two billion reads across over fifty online platforms in mainland China. It has also been published internationally, including in Japan and South Korea.
An animated adaptation debuted on Tencent Video on June 1, 2023, produced by Tencent Video and New Comics, with Colored Pencil Animation handling production. As of 2025, no second season has been confirmed or released.
A live-action television adaptation is in development at Youku, but no live-action film has been announced or released.
**Plot**
Set during the Sui dynasty’s collapse, *Biao Ren* follows Dao Ma, a hardened escort who transports people and goods across China’s dangerous western frontier. After taking a routine job, he gets pulled into a web of political intrigue, rival factions, bandits, and shifting power dynamics.
Dao Ma meets Xiao Qi, a young boy whose fate is tied to the surrounding political and military struggles. Initially driven by survival and payment, Dao Ma gradually takes responsibility for Xiao Qi’s safety. Their bond develops amid a violent frontier where escorts, soldiers, bandits, merchants, and local rulers clash over conflicting interests.
As they travel west, Dao Ma and Xiao Qi encounter warriors and factions whose personal ambitions mirror the wider upheaval. The story shifts between large-scale conflicts and personal struggles, exploring loyalty, survival, revenge, and violence’s consequences. Dao Ma’s reputation as a formidable fighter draws him into confrontations, while his past and reasons for being an escort slowly emerge.
The narrative combines wuxia conventions with historical fiction and frontier adventure. Late Sui historical events and figures provide the backdrop, while character-driven conflicts propel the story.
- field
- Manhua (Chinese comics)
- nationality
- Chinese
- known_for
- Biao Ren (Blades of the Guardians)
- creator
- Xianzhe Xu
- first_publication
- July 2015
- collected_volumes
- 12 (as of 2023)
Lore & Background
Biao Ren follows Dao Ma, a skilled bodyguard escorting people and goods across the dangerous western frontier of China during the final years of the Sui dynasty. After accepting a seemingly ordinary escort assignment, Dao Ma becomes entangled in political intrigue, rival factions, and bandits, and gradually becomes responsible for the safety of a young boy named Xiao Qi. Their journey brings them into contact with warriors and factions whose ambitions are intertwined with the wider political upheaval.
Creator Xianzhe Xu spent more than four years preparing the series, with no formal training in fine arts. He practiced drawing skills while developing the story and researching its historical setting, producing more than 2,000 pages of discarded drafts before completing the first volume. Xu cited influences from Hong Kong films, Italian Westerns, Japanese sword-fighting films, and manga artists such as Takehiko Inoue and Hiroshi Hirata.
An animated television adaptation premiered on Tencent Video on June 1, 2023, produced by Tencent Video and New Comics, with Colored Pencil Animation as the studio. A second season aired from June 11 to July 23, 2026. A live-action film, Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert, directed by Yuen Woo-ping and starring Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse, Yu Shi, and Jet Li, was released in China on February 17, 2026.
Reader's Guide
Biao Ren is significant as a Chinese manhua that gained substantial readership, accumulating more than two billion readings across over 50 online platforms in mainland China by 2023. Its international publication in Japan and South Korea reflects its cross-cultural appeal. The series combines historical fiction with wuxia and cinematic influences, distinguishing it within the Chinese comics landscape. The work's legacy includes multiple adaptations: an animated series on Tencent Video and a live-action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping. The series' historical grounding in the late Sui dynasty, combined with its focus on a wandering escort's personal journey, has contributed to its popularity and critical attention. Xu's self-taught development process and emphasis on sincerity over commercial expectations have been noted in profiles of the creator.
Did You Know?
- The series had accumulated more than two billion readings across over 50 online platforms in mainland China as of a 2023 Phoenix profile.
- Creator Xianzhe Xu produced more than 2,000 pages of discarded drafts before completing the first volume.
- The live-action film adaptation was directed by Yuen Woo-ping and released in China on February 17, 2026.
- Dao Ma's visual appearance was influenced in part by Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-fai.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Biao Ren?
Biao Ren (镖人), also called Blades of the Guardians, is a Chinese manhua created by Xianzhe Xu that began serialization in July 2015. It blends wuxia martial-arts storytelling with historical fiction set during the final years of the Sui dynasty.
Who is the main character of Biao Ren?
The narrative follows Dao Ma, a wandering bodyguard who moves through the political and military turmoil marking the Sui dynasty's collapse. His work as a hired protector drives the story's central conflicts.
How many volumes of Biao Ren have been released?
As of January 2026, thirteen collected volumes have been published. The series continues to be serialized across multiple online platforms.
How popular is Biao Ren in China?
A 2023 Phoenix profile reported the series had crossed two billion reads spread over more than fifty digital platforms in mainland China. That readership scale makes it one of the most widely consumed manhua titles in the country.
Is Biao Ren available outside of China?
Yes, the series has seen international publication, with editions released in markets such as Japan. This has given readers beyond mainland China access to the full story.
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