History Characters / GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivationMoDaoZuShiJinGuangyao

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: When Nie Mingjue tries to kill him due to how many Nie Clan Disciples and Retainers were killed while he was posing as Wen Ruohan's aide, he claims it was a NecessaryEvil to sell his act as a DoubleAgent before offering his own head to him. Jury's out on how sincere he was about this tough.

The current leader of the Jin Clan of Lanling and Jin Ling's paternal uncle. The illegitimate son of the late clan leader Jin Guangshan, his meteoric rise to the position of Cultivation Chief was not without its difficulties. He swore an [[BloodBrothers oath of brotherhood]] with Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, and is the third and youngest brother. Together, they were called the Venerated Triad.

* BloodBrothers: He became sworn brothers in Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue after the Sunshot Campaign, forming the Venerated Triad. Unfortunately, while he's close to the former, his relationship with Nie Mingjue was far more strained.

* LaserGuidedKarma: He experiences what Wei Wuxian went through after the Sunshot Campaign, from having his HundredPercentAdorationRating wither away, to getting wounded by the person he trusted most, and getting torn apart by a fierce corpse -- the corpse being someone he murdered, no less. The cherry on top is that he realizes too late that the mastermind behind it all is the person he never suspected. The karma factor hits home even more in ''Series/TheUntamed'', as the AdaptationalVillainy he underwent makes him ''directly and deliberately'' responsible for almost everything bad that happened to Wei Wuxian (with the sole exception of the Wen Clan's actions).

[[caption-width-right:250:[[labelnote:Click here to see Jin Guangyao before he became the Chief Cultivator]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mdzs_jgy_young.png[[/labelnote]]]]

The current leader of the Jin Clan of Lanling and Jin Ling's paternal uncle. The illegitimate son of the late clan leader Jin Guangshan, his meteoric rise to the position of Chief Cultivator was not without its difficulties. He swore an [[BloodBrothers oath of brotherhood]] with Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, and is the third and youngest brother. Together, they were called the Venerated Triad.

* AdaptationalWimp: Downplayed; while he is still skilled, the AnimatedAdaptation does not leave him with as much opportunities to show his repertoire of skills in the Guanyin Temple arc; and he is immediately subdued every time he tries to make any move. By comparison, it took some careful provocations and well-timed attacks in the novel (before Nie Mingjue showed up), for the others to start throwing Jin Guangyao off his tracks.

* AlasPoorVillain: Wei Wuxian can't stop himself from feeling some sympathy for Jin Guangyao and gain some understanding towards his character after using Empathy to look into his past. Jin Ling also mourns his death even after learning of his villainy, because he was still his uncle.

* AntiVillain: Despite his willingness to kill or hurt people for his own benefit and the shocking acts he's committed, he looks out for civilians and genuinely treats his loved ones with care. Additionally, although they don't excuse him, some of his misdeeds were triggered by other people mistreating or belittling him. When the story begins, he seems to be mostly focused on carrying out his Chief Cultivator duties and not much else -- he only acts up midway because the protagonists are on to him.

* BerserkButton: Insulting him for his status as a SonOfAWhore is not recommended if you wish to remain in good health.
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: In the finale, the only options left for him are either death (by punishment) or death (at the hands of a violent and vengeful fierce corpse). Instead of facing his punishment, he decides to die on his terms by angering Nie Mingjue's corpse into offing him. After all, Nie Huaisang ensured that Jin Guangyao would not receive the CruelMercy of lifetime imprisonment or exile.

* DeaderThanDead: Besides being killed so gruesomely by Nie Mingjue, both their bodies are kept sealed in a coffin, which is then put through a ritual that would ensure that their souls will never move on to the afterlife, let alone reincarnate.

* DependingOnTheArtist: Although everything else between the two designs is the same, his hairstyle prior to becoming the Chief Cultivator differs in the ''donghua'' and ''manhua''; in the former he wore it in a high half-ponytail, whereas in the latter he wore it in a bun.

* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: While he still dies at Nie Mingjue's hands in the ''donghua'', he's consumed and destroyed by the latter's resentful energy instead of getting choked until his neck is snapped in half like in the novel.

* HatOfAuthority: One of the most distinctive traits of his get-up is his gauze hat, which is worn by government officials in China. Although he began wearing this hat long before, when he was only a disciple of the Jin Clan, the trope fully comes to effect after he succeeds his father as the Jin Clan leader and becomes the first Chief Cultivator.

* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: In the beginning of the story, he's the well-respected Chief Cultivator and leader of the Jin Clan. Following the Second Siege, he's lost all credibility thanks to his misdeeds coming to light (including his incestuous marriage and his father's murder). On the run with no way back, all Jin Guangyao can do is go to Guanyin Temple to retrieve his mother's remains and attempt to flee to another country.

* KarmicDeath: He gets killed by the fierce corpse of Nie Mingjue, who he killed years ago. On top of that, his own death was orchestrated by the latter's younger brother.

* LonelyAtTheTop: Downplayed and implied. While he attained the title of Chief Cultivator, which nets everything that he's striven for, the price Jin Guangyao pays is that he can never be safe around anyone. While he does have loved ones -- a wife, a nephew, a close sworn brother -- and achieved the rank and recognition he had always sought, to ensure his safety he has to keep ''everyone'' at arm's length and always look behind his shoulder.

* OffingTheOffspring: Heavily hinted to have arranged for the death of his son Jin Rusong to cover any loose ends in regards to his and his wife's SurpriseIncest.

* ShorterMeansSmarter: At 170cm, he's the shorter than several of the other members of the main cast, including his own nephew Jin Ling who is 172cm tal, but is also a ruthless and cunning schemer.

* SlaveToPR: This is both a strength and a weakness of Jin Guangyao. On one hand, his need for recognition drove him to outperform his half-siblings and seize control of the Jin Clan, rising to get the highest position of Chief Cultivator amongst the cultivator families. On the other hand, his need to maintain his power, if not his good reputation in the cultivation world, has driven him to several unscrupulous acts which eventually come back to bite him in the ass.

* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: In the novel, he's killed by a zombified Nie Mingjue via a NeckSnap before being buried alongside him. In ''Series/TheUntamed'', he gets crushed by falling debris when Nie Mingjue's spirit causes the Guanyin Temple to collapse.

* NeverFoundTheBody: His corpse isn't seen after the Guanyin Temple crumbles down and caves in on him, but the disappearance of the final scar on Wei Wuxian's arm proves that Jin Guangyao is truly dead.

* StaircaseTumble: His first meeting with his father in an attempt to be part of the Jin Clan resulted in him being kicked down the stairs of the Golden Carp Tower while being mocked for being a SonOfAWhore. Nie Minjue later on did the same thing to him while arguing about Xue Yang's fate, [[TraumaButton which is what broke the camel's back and had him decide to arrange his death.]]

* VillainousIncest: When it's revealed that Jin Guangyao knowingly married Qin Su and had a child with her even after finding out they're half-siblings, the cultivators are disgusted and consider it even more proof that the man is morally corrupt. However, the situation is more complex: Jin Guangyao had genuine feelings for Qin Su before he found out the truth, and he married her purely out of fear of the political consequences that would come with backing out. He never slept with her again -- Qin Su was already pregnant when he made the horrific discovery, and said child may have been killed in order for his potential defects to remain undiscovered. Although Jin Guangyao meant well with how he handled the situation, Qin Su is understandably horrified that she was deceived this whole time nevertheless and calls him out on it.

* WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency: He's furious at Lan Xichen's betrayal because Jin Guangyao genuinely cared for him and was one of the few people he never thought of killing... which conveniently ignores the fact that he still treated Lan Xichen like a pawn and betrayed him in almost every other way.
* WeakButSkilled: His cultivation isn't nearly as high as most of the other characters', but he has his PhotographicMemory and knows how to fight both smart and dirty.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: If there's one immoral thing he's ''not'' proud of doing, it's incest. He was horrified to learn that Qin Su is also his half-sister mere days before their marriage and never touched her again afterward.

* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Downplayed. Jin Guangyao knew exactly what kind of person Jin Guangshan was, and yet he thought that he could still gain a bit of his father's favor and affection when even the most simple-minded of people could pick up the hint that his father was only concerned with his own ambitions and would never care about him. Jin Guangyao would only realize this after he had dug himself too deep.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Jin Guangyao's anger and indignation at his friends betraying him is rather rich considering how he betrayed almost everyone who trusted him in some way.

** After he was caught killing his commander by Nie Mingjue in Langya, he stabbed himself with his sword going all the way through his stomach and out his back. When Nie Mingjue tried to tend to him, he freezed his qi and sprinted away. Wei Wuxian assumes that he probably knew how to avoid "vital areas" while stabbing himself, but it's still surprising that he could do so much with such a wound.

* ManipulativeBastard: He's very good at manipulating others to gain their support, put the blame on someone else or go forward with his schemes.
* MasterActor: Xue Yang calls him an even better actor than himself, and Jin Guangyao proves to be capable of putting up an innocent front or play the fool if needed.
* MeaningfulName: Jin Guangyao's title means "to hold back/restrain fragrance". Fragrance here is a common metaphor for virtue, so his title means to embody virtue in restraint, but it can also be a possible allusion to his [[FauxAffablyEvil two-faced nature]].

* MurderIsTheBestSolution: By default, he resorts to murder if forced into circumstances beyond his control, and then running away once things get too hot.

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Even though she was a prime witness in his indirect murder of Jin Guangshan, Jin Guangyao spared Sisi because she was the only prostitute who showed kindness to him and his mother. This would backfire on him when Sisi is rescued and tells her story to the other clans, which hastens his downfall.

* BigBad: While not apparent at first, he's revealed to be the biggest thorn in Wei Wuxian's side both then and now.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: While he acts polite in the outside, secretly he may be already plotting someone's demise. Even with the person he himself claims to have never thought of harming, he still takes advantage of their kindness for his benefit. This is played up more in ''Series/TheUntamed'', as he gleefully plots the demise of almost ''anybody'' who even slightly inconveniences him when he isn't putting up his formal and friendly facade.

* BloodBrothers: He became sworn brothers in Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue after the Sunshot Campaign, forming the Venerated Triad. Unfortunately, while he's close to the Lan clansman, his relationship with Nie Mingjue was far more strained and is what influenced some of the plot.

* TheChessmaster: He's very thorough with planning out his schemes and manipulating events into his favour.

* ConsummateLiar: For Jin Guangyao, lying is as natural as breathing.

* CrocodileTears: Jin Guangyao can make himself cry at a second's notice if he needs to, even if he's not feeling the emotions that would normally induce the tears he would shed.

* BelievingTheirOwnLies: He lies so much that it's implied even he seems to be convinced that some of these lies are actually the truth.

** Lan Xichen befriended him, vouched for him and taught him his techniques. Despite Jin Guangyao considering him a close friend, he betrays him in almost every way and leaves him a broken version of his former self.

'''Voiced by (Japanese):''' Creator/AkiraIshida (animation, audio drama)\\

The current leader of the Jin Clan of Lanling and Jin Ling's paternal uncle. The illegitimate son of the late clan leader Jin Guangshan, his meteoric rise to the position of Chief Cultivator was not without its difficulties. He swore an [[BloodBrothers oath of brotherhood]] with Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, and is the third and youngest brother. Together, they were called the Venerated Triad. On the surface everything is smooth-sailing for him, but if you look deeper, he was involved in Wei Wuxian's death 13 years ago... and if you investigate some more, the trail of violence and tragedy doesn't stop there.

The current leader of the Jin Clan of Lanling and Jin Ling's paternal uncle. He swore an [[BloodBrothers oath of brotherhood]] with Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, and is the third and youngest brother. Together, they were called the Venerated Triad.

The illegitimate son of the late clan leader Jin Guangshan, Jin Guangyao's meteoric rise to the position of Chief Cultivator was not without its difficulties. On the surface everything is smooth-sailing for him, but if you look deeper, he was involved in Wei Wuxian's death 13 years ago... and if you investigate some more, the trail of violence and tragedy doesn't stop there.

Because of the role he serves in the overall story, '''be warned thatall spoilers are unmarked.'''

'''All spoilers are unmarked.'''
----

* AdaptationalVillainy: While the novel often leaves it ambiguous how malicious his intentions are, the AnimatedAdaptation's incarnation of Jin Guangyao is portrayed to be more ruthless and extreme in tying up loose ends and removing any potential threats to his ambitions. He has a more active or clear role in hurting some victims (Jin Rusong, Qin Su, Sisi), he's more vengeful especially towards Nie Mingjue, and it's clearer that he (initially) wants to [[TakingYouWithMe drag Lan Xichen with him to his death]]. At the climax he even tries to unleash an army of fierce corpses around the area using the Yin Tiger Tally, whereas in the novel all he wants to do is escape punishment and flee to another country.
* AdaptationalWeaponSwap: Jin Guangyao's sword, Hensheng, is described to be a "soft sword", which makes its function similar to that of a single-bladed ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urumi urumi]]''. In the ''manhua'', his sword is shown to function like a typical ''jian'' sword instead. However, the AnimatedAdaptation shows that Hensheng can function as both a typical sword and a whip-sword, with its form changing depending on how Jin Guangyao intends to use it at the moment.

* AmbitionIsEvil: It's not hard to see why Jin Guangyao wanted to rise above his origins, but the lengths he goes to in order to gain and keep his place in the Jin Clan are extreme, such as killing the entire Tingshan He Sect for his father.

* AnArmAndALeg: At Guanyin Temple, Lan Wangji cuts off Jin Guangyao's right arm to force him to release Jin Ling, whom he was holding hostage. In ''Series/TheUntamed'', it's the left arm that goes off instead. In the ''donghua'', it's to stop him from using the Yin Tiger Tally.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: While he acts polite in the outside, secretly he may be already plotting someone's demise. Even with the person he himself claims to have never thought of harming, he still takes advantage of their kindness for his benefit. This is played up more in ''Series/TheUntamed'', as he gleefully plots the demise of almost ''anybody'' who so slightly inconveniences him when he isn't putting up his formal and friendly facade.

* DependingOnTheArtist: Although everything else between the two designs is the same, his hairstyle prior to becoming the Chief Cultivator differs in the ''donghua'' and ''manhua''; in the former he wore it in a high ponytail, whereas in the latter he wore it in a bun.

* EvenTheGuysWantHim: Allegedly, the reason Mo Xuanyu got kicked out of the Jin Clan was because he was making passes at Jin Guangyao who is not only married but is his ''half-brother''.

* FakeDefector: During the Sunshot Campaign, Jin Guangyao pretended to defect to the Wens and secretly sent Lan Xichen intel. This culminated in him successfully killing Wen Ruohan by stabbing him from behind. Nie Mingjue was still angered by his actions, however, as his former right-hand had also resorted to killing or capturing many of their allies (including himself) during his ruse.

* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: In the beginning of the story he's the well-respected Chief Cultivator and leader of the Jin Clan. Following the Second Siege, he's lost all credibility thanks to his misdeeds coming to light (including his incestuous marriage and his father's murder). On the run with no way back, all Jin Guangyao can do is go to Guanyin Temple to retrieve his mother's remains and attempt to flee to another country.

* MeaningfulName: Jin Guangyao's title means "to hold back/restrain fragrance". Fragrance here is a common metaphor for virtue, so his title means to embody virtue in restraint, but possibly also alludes to his [[FauxAffablyEvil two-faced nature]].
* MeaningfulRename: Downplayed. He initially only goes by his birth name Meng Yao, but he takes his father's surname and adopts the courtesy name Jin Guangyao to symbolize the recognition of him as part of the Jin Clan.

* NonActionBigBad: Although a capable fighter who killed many during the Sunshot Campaign, most of his BigBad behaviour involves him BreakThemByTalking, lying through his teeth and manipulation. If he does have to resort to violence then he uses more subdued methods, such as secretly playing music that triggers Nie Mingjue's qi deviation instead of soothing it. His cultivation isn't as impressive as other big-name cultivators, so he knows better than to directly go against them in that area.

* PerpetualSmiler: Often see with a polite, customer service smile on his face.

** He acts as the gentle uncle to Jin Ling, and even gifted Fairy to him when he saw that his nephew was feeling lonely. Unfortunately he's not above ordering his men to kill said dog when it threatens to become a nuisance to his plans.

* PhotographicMemory: He has an excellent memory and picks up details within first meeting/glance. This proves to be extremely useful in building relations in his quest of ascending to power, as he's stated to have never forgotten a face, along with the preferences, social circumstances and other information of the person behind the face. This also enables him to copy the Collection of Turmoil passages from the Lan Clan's secret library just by looking at them once.

** When he mentions how Jin Guangshan deserved to die the way he did, he's so agitated about that his choice of words are uncharacteristically vulgar.

* SurpriseIncest: He fell for Qin Su and was set to marry her when he found out that she's actually his half-sister, thanks to Jin Guangshan's womanizing ways. Wanting to avoid political backlash, he went ahead with the marriage but never touched her again.

--->'''Jin Guangyao''': ''[to Jiang Cheng]'' Clan Leader Jiang, if only your attitude towards your ''shixiong'' was just a bit better, showing everyone that your bond was too strong to be broken for them to have a chance, or if you exhibited just a bit more tolerance after what happened, things wouldn't have become what they were.

* VillainousIncest: When it's revealed that Jin Guangyao knowingly married Qin Su and had a child with her even after finding out they're half-siblings, the cultivators are disgusted and consider it even more proof that the man is morally corrupt. However, the situation is more complex: Jin Guangyao had genuine feelings for Qin Su before he found out the truth, and he married her purely out of fear of the political consequences that would come with backing out. He never slept with her again -- Qin Su was already pregnant when he made the horrific discovery, and said child may have been killed in order for his potential defects to remain undiscovered. Although Jin Guangyao meant well with how he handled the situation, Qin Su is understandably horrified that she was deceived this whole time nevertheless and calls him out.

* WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency: He's furious at Lan Xichen's betrayal because Jin Guangyao genuinely cared for him and was one of the few people he never thought of killing. Which conveniently ignores the fact that he still treated Lan Xichen like a pawn and betrayed him in almost every other way.

** Implied with Qin Su. It's amibiguous if he meant for her to die, but he takes advantage of her suicide to make himself a victim rather than actually feeling any remorse for triggering her SanitySlippage. He admits in his final moments that his wife is one of the many he's killed, suggesting he at least feel responsibles for her death.

* AxCrazy: Due to AdaptationalVillainy, his live-action incarnation is more deranged and violent which is demonstrated best at Guanyin Temple. When he tells Wei Wuxian why compassionate and selfless people like him are bound to have short lives and lays into Jiang Cheng about how he failed to trust his brother, his physical and verbal mannerisms are rather unhinged and wild. Contrast that with how cold yet composed he gives said speeches in the the sound adaptations, and the audience can get the hint that Jin Guangyao here is only wearing a MaskOfSanity and he (or at least part of him) has some deep-seated mental issues that were left unchecked.

* VillainousIncest: In this adaptation he and Qin Su consummated after their marriage ''and'' after he found out they were related, driving home how disturbing he is as the BigBad.

''Five Great Clans'': [[Characters/GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivationMoDaoZuShiLanClanOfGusu Lan Clan of Gusu]] | [[Characters/MoDaoZuShiYunmengJiangClan Jiang Clan of Yunmeng]] ([[Characters/MoDaoZuShiYunmengJiangClanJiangCheng Jiang Cheng]]) | [[Characters/GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivationMoDaoZuShiJinClanOfLanling Jin Clan of Lanling]] ('''Jin Guangyao''') | [[Characters/GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivationMoDaoZuShiNieClanOfQinghe Nie Clan of Qinghe]] | [[Characters/GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivationMoDaoZuShiWenClanOfQishan Wen Clan of Qishan]]\\

* HatOfAuthority: He is the leader of the Jin Clan and also the Chief Cultivator, and he's distinguished by his gauze hat which is worn by government officials in China.

!!Jin Guangyao (金光瑶) né Meng Yao (孟瑶) - Lianfang-Zun (敛芳尊)

* BigBadFriend: Lan Xichen is a close friend of Jin Guangyao, so he's understandably unsettled when he finds out that the latter has been up to no good and is troubling the protagonists. By the climactic arc, he can no longer deny the truth about Jin Guangyao and consequently loses any faith and admiration he had left for his sworn brother. It gets worse from there, to the extent that he himself is left broken and in doubt of himself and everyone else.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Jin Guangyao has doted and been protective of Nie Huaisang ever since becoming sworn brothers with Nie Mingjue. After the latter's death, he helps Lan Xichen look after Nie Huaisang and manage some of his problems for him.

* HatOfAuthority: He is the leader of the Jin Clan and also the Chief Cultivator, and he's distinguished by his gauze hat which is worn by government officials in China.

* SignatureHeadgear: His most iconic feature is his gauze hat, better known in China as a ''futou'' (but without the wing flaps). It's typically worn by government officials, making it an appropriate hat for the well-respected Chief Cultivator. In ''Series/TheUntamed'' he also wears it because he was given a similar hat by his mother when he was little. After Nie Huaisang successfully ousts him, he takes the hat as a BattleTrophy.

* ThenLetMeBeEvil: When he became a cultivator and was slowly making his way in the rankings, everyone expected him be up to no good because he's a prostitute's son. This negative attitude pushed Jin Guangyao to be evil and betray everyone because nothing he does is viewed in a good light, so he might as well take the easy path and get something out of it.

* VillainousIncest: When it's revealed that Jin Guangyao knowingly married Qin Su and had a child with her even after finding out they're half-siblings, the cultivators are disgusted and consider it even more proof that the man is morally corrupt. However, the situation is more complex: Jin Guangyao had genuine feelings for Qin Su before he found out the truth, and he married her purely out of fear of the political consequences that would come with backing out. He never slept with her again -- Qin Su was already pregnant when he made the horrific discovery, and said child was killed in order for his potential defects to remain undiscovered. Although Jin Guangyao meant well with how he handled the situation, Qin Su is understandably horrified that she was deceived this whole time nevertheless and calls him out.

* YankTheDogsChain: After all the unfortunate events that befell him, Jin Guangyao saw his marriage to Qin Su as something that he hoped to be one of the few good things in his life and thought he finally had everything going for him. Unfortunately he was then suddenly informed by his bride-to-be's mother that he and Qin Su are [[SurpriseIncest brother and sister]]. He went ahead with the wedding anyways due to fear of political backlash, but never touched his wife afterward and also felt the need to kill their son to avoid letting the truth leak.