Wisely Series Explained

Wesley Series
Books:see list of novels
Author:Ni Kuang
Title Orig:衛斯理系列
Country:Hong Kong
Language:Chinese
Genre:Adventure fiction, detective fiction, science fiction
Pub Date:1963–2004
Media Type:Print

The Wisely Series is a series of Chinese-language adventure-science fiction novels written by the Hong Kong novelist Ni Kuang. The protagonist of the series is Wisely (sometimes also spelt "Wesley"). In total, there are 161 stories about Wisely recorded in 156 novels. Of these, only 150 stories in 145 novels are written by Ni Kuang; the remaining ones are written by other writers with Ni Kuang's permission. Some of these stories have been adapted into media, such as the films The Legend of Wisely (1987), The Cat (1992) and The Wesley's Mysterious File (2002), and the television series The New Adventures of Wisely (1998) and The 'W' Files (2004).

Publishing history

Ni Kuang wrote 150 Wisely stories in the form of 145 novels, most of which have a serial number to reflect the chronological order of their year of publication. There are 11 other Wisely stories written by other writers with Ni Kuang's permission. There are a total of 161 Wisely stories in 156 novels. The first 94 stories (excluding the prequel Young Wisely with serial number 0), were first published in serial form in the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao from 1963–92 (with a discontinuation from 1973–78). The stories written from 1992–2004 were published in the form of printed books.

According to Ni Kuang, when he decided to publish the Wisely Series as a collection in the 1970s, he discovered that Ming Pao did not retain all the copies of his previous works. Luckily for him, he encountered a reader, Wen Naijian (溫乃堅), who collected all the copies of his stories published in Ming Pao. He was thus able to have his works republished and released in a multi-volume collection. He expressed his gratitude to Wen in the preface, "These books would not have been published without Mr Wen Naijian's help."

In Hong Kong, books 1–80 were published by Ming Chuang Publishing Company (明窗出版社; under Media Chinese International) while books 81–131 were published by Qin+Yuan Publishing Company (勤+緣出版社). In Taiwan, the books before book 67 were initially published by Yuanjing Publishing Company (遠景出版社) and later by Storm & Stress Publishing Company (風雲時代出版社). The books after book 67 were published by Crown Publishing Company (皇冠出版社).

Ni Kuang announced his decision to stop writing the Wisely Series after book 131 was published. His friend, Taiwanese writer Yeh Lee-hwa, wrote the Wisely Memoirs (衛斯理回憶錄) as an epilogue to the series, and to explain Wisely's life and clarify ambiguities in the stories.

Wisely Series has been banned in Mainland China.[1]

Overview of the stories

The novels are narrated from the point of view of Wisely (sometimes also spelt "Wesley"), the protagonist in the series. They are set in a modern era (1960s–2000s) in a city that is evidently based on Hong Kong. According to Ni Kuang, the character's name was inspired by Wesley Village (衛斯理村) along Tai Hang Road near Jardine's Lookout in Hong Kong. The village was named after John Wesley (1703–91), an English cleric who founded the Methodist movement within Anglican Christianity.

Wisely was born in a wealthy family who run a trading company. Little is known about his parents; it is assumed that they died early. The head of the family is Wisely's grandfather. Wisely is the chairman of the company's board of directors. He lets his general manager run the company and spends his time travelling around the world and solving mysteries. He has several extraordinary adventures throughout his life, including encounters with aliens and supernatural beings.

List of Wisely novels by Ni Kuang

Serial number Title Published
1 Diamond Flower (鑽石花) 11 March – 21 July 1963
2 Underground Legends (地底奇人)22 July 1963 – 12 February 1964
3 Wicked Fire (妖火)13 February – 4 August 1964
4 Blue Blood Being (藍血人)5 August 1964 – 19 February 1965
5 Transparentizing Light (透明光)20 February – 22 July 1965
6 Furnace inside the Earth (地心洪爐)23 July – 19 October 1965
7 Bee Cloud (蜂雲)20 October 1965 – 6 February 1966
8 Mystic Jade (奇玉)7 February – 22 March 1966
9 Atomic Space (原子空間)23 March – 11 July 1966
10 Golden Globe from Beyond (天外金球) 12 July – 2 December 1966
11 Detachable Man (支離人)3 December 1966 – 16 March 1967
12 Immortality Drug (不死藥)17 March – 4 June 1967
13 Crimson Moon (紅月亮)1 August – 15 November 1967
14 Head Transplant (換頭記)16 November 1967 – 15 February 1968
15 Bewitched, Bewildered (蠱惑)16 February – 7 April 1968
16 Uncanny Gate (奇門)30 June – 21 September 1968
17 Zombified (屍變)22 September – 24 November 1968
18 Synthesis (合成)25 November 1968 – 21 January 1969
19 Pen Pal (筆友)22 January – 10 March 1969
20 Deity in the Jungle (叢林之神)11 March – 29 April 1969
21 Once again (再來一次)30 April – 20 June 1969
22 The End (盡頭)21 June – 16 August 1969
23 In the lake (湖水)17 August – 15 September 1969
24 Vanishing (消失)16 September – 15 October 1969
25 The Shadow (影子)16 October – 4 December 1969
26 The Extra One (多了一個)5 December 1969 – 14 January 1970
27 Wonderland (仙境)15 January – 16 March 1970
28 A Transmuting Fox (狐變)17 March – 10 May 1970
29 Archaic Sound (古聲)11 May – 14 June 1970
30 Virtual Image (虛像)15 June – 9 August 1970
31 The Visitor (訪客)10 August – 18 September 1970
32 Feng Shui (風水)19 September – 29 October 1970
33 The Ring (環)30 October – 27 December 1970
34 Treasure Bowl (聚寶盆)27 December 1970 – 30 January 1971
35 Rain Flower Stone (雨花台石)4 February – 23 March 1971
36 Stone Forest (石林, new name: 魔磁)24 March – 9 June 1971
37 Creation (創造) 10 June – 27 July 1971
38 Jap (鬼子)28 July – 10 September 1971
39 Aged Cat (老貓) 11 September – 1 December 1971
40 Seashell (貝殼) 2 December 1971 – 7 February 1972
41 The Map (地圖) 8 February – 4 May 1972
42 Pattern (規律) 5 May – 23 June 1972
43 Shipwreck (沉船) 24 June – 21 September 1972
44 The Mansion (大廈) 22 September 1972 – 1 January 1973
45 New Year (新年) 2 January – 22 February 1973
46 Hair (頭髮)1 March – 25 June 1978
47 The Eyes (眼睛)26 June – 25 September 1978
48 Hide and Seek (迷藏)26 September – 25 December 1978
49 Enigmatic Book (天書)26 December 1978 – 10 April 1979
50 The Charcoal (木炭)11 April – 8 August 1979
51 Toys (玩具)9 August – 27 November 1979
52 Interlocking (連鎖)13 February 1979 – 30 May 1980
53 Searching a Dream (尋夢)31 May – 13 October 1980
54 Human of the Second Kind (第二種人)14 October 1980 – 11 March 1981
55 The Backup (後備)12 March – 22 June 1981
56 Tomb Raiding (盜墓)23 June – 26 November 1981
57 Soul Seeking (搜靈)27 November 1981 – 17 April 1982
58 Blurred Spot (茫點)18 April – 20 September 1982
59 Immortals (神仙)21 September 1982 – 30 January 1983
60 Tracking the Dragon (追龍)31 January – 23 May 1983
61 Tunnel to the Heaven (洞天)24 May – 14 September 1983
62 Terracotta Warrior Alive (活俑)15 September 1983 – 7 January 1984
63 Rhino Illumination (犀照)8 January – 9 May 1984
64 Destiny (命運)10 May – 10 July 1984
65 17 Years (十七年)11 July – 13 August 1984
66 A Peculiar Gem (異寶)14 August – 17 November 1984
67 Extreme Penalty (極刑) 18 November 1984 – 4 March 1985
68 Home elestricus (電王)5 March – 24 June 1985
69 The Game (遊戲)25 June – 3 October 1985
70 The Key to the Bardo (生死鎖)4 October 1985 – 15 January 1986
71 Story of Gold (黃金故事)16 January – 2 May 1986
72 The Ruin (廢墟)3 May – 13 August 1986
Serial number Title Published
73 The Cipher (密碼)14 August – 24 November 1986
74 Bloodline (血統)25 November 1986 – 16 March 1987
75 Mystifying Tracks (謎蹤)17 March – 4 July 1987
76 The Plague Demon (瘟神)5 July – 19 October 1987
77 Evocation (招魂)20 October 1987 – 30 January 1988
78 Betrayal (背叛)31 January – 15 May 1988
79 A Hybrid Ghost (鬼混)16 May – 27 August 1988
80 Retribution (報應)28 August – 11 December 1988
81 Err (錯手)12 December 1988 – 6 April 1989
82 The Truth (真相)7 April – 22 July 1989
83 Death Oath (毒誓)23 July – 6 November 1989
84 Bet on It (拼命)7 November 1989 – 23 February 1990
85 Monsters (怪物)24 February – 8 June 1990
86 Proding (探險)9 June – 23 September 1990
87 Probing Deeper (繼續探險)24 September 1990 – 11 January 1991
88 Pitfall (圈套)12 January – 28 April 1991
89 Females in Flame (烈火女)29 April – 9 August 1991
90 The Great Secret (大秘密)10 August – 22 November 1991
91 Canker (禍根)23 November 1991 – 29 January 1992
92 From the Netherworld (從陰間來)25 July 1991
93 To the Netherworld (到陰間去)25 July 1991
94 Young Wesley Chronicles (少年衛斯理)2 August 1991
95 Errands and Errancy (陰差陽錯)17 December 1991
96 Lingering Soul (陰魂不散)3 March 1992
97 Make a wish (許願)23 May 1992
98 Resurrection (還陽)16 August 1992
99 Live Atmosphere (運氣)26 October 1992
100 Open Core Surgery (開心)6 February 1993
101 Reincarnation Signs (轉世暗號)11 April 1993
102 The Future (將來)9 July 1993
103 The Change (改變)12 September 1993
104 Reincarnation Signs II (暗號之二)Late 1993
105 A Fatal Deed (闖禍)11 January 1994
106 Doomed (在數難逃)27 February 1994
107 Extrication (解脫)16 April 1994
108 Inheritance (遺傳)16 May 1994
109 The Explosion (爆炸)30 September 1994
110 Palace under the Sea (水晶宮)20 December 1994
111 Past Life (前世)16 February 1995
112 The New Weapon (新武器)11 April 1995
113 Virus (病毒)26 May 1995
114 Do the Accounts (算帳)9 August 1995
115 The True Form (原形)2 November 1995
116 Way Out (活路)20 January 1996
117 Two-Way (雙程)2 March 1996
118 Primeval Chaos (洪荒)10 May 1996
119 Life Quota Wanted (買命)4 July 1996
120 Life Quota for Sale (賣命) 28 October 1996
121 The Trial (考驗)30 January 1997
122 A Tale (傳說)23 February 1997
123 The Bid Gamble (豪賭)17 May 1997
124 Concrete Cloudland (真實幻境)30 July 1997
125 Humanward Metamorphosing (成精變人) 2 November 1997
126 Future Identity (未來身份)Early 1998
127 Body Snatching Monsters (移魂怪物)24 March 1998
128 Face Combination (人面組合)20 August 1998
129 Inherence Dies Hard (本性難移)6 December 1998
130 Lightening of Justice (天打雷劈)23 March 1999
131 Different Kind of Cloning (另類複製)15 May 1999
132 The Cipher Demystified (解開密碼)16 August 1999
133 Alternative Life (異種人生)31 October 1999
134 An Immeasurable Fraud (偷天換日)8 April 2000
135 In and Out of the Retreat (閉關開關)22 May 2000
136 Taking Action for the Planet (行動救星)9 August 2000
137 Knowledge Transplant (乾坤挪移)24 December 2000
138 Mammon's Treasury (財神寶庫)16 March 2001
139 Half and Half (一半一半)4 May 2001
140 Replicant Surrogates (身外化身)6 October 2001
141 Extraordinary Incident (非常遭遇)22 January 2002
142 Somewhere (一個地方)20 May 2002
143 A World in a Grain of Sand (須彌芥子)7 December 2002
144 Hovering between Life and Death (死去活來)4 June 2003
145 For Old Pals Only (只限老友)Late February 2004

Adaptations

The novel series has been adapted into comic series, radio dramas, films and television series since the 1980s.

Comics

Radio dramas

Films

Television series

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 獨家開箱倪匡鐵粉書櫃!一整面牆都是小說還有親筆簽名 . Exclusive "unboxing" of the bookcase of a Ni Kuang stan! An impressive array of Ni's novels and autographs . Hung . I-ting . Hsiao . Ming-cheng . July 4, 2022 . . zh-hant . April 18, 2023.