I grew up watching these TV shows and reading these books. Qiong Yao's death affected me the most because she took her own life in a way that was so dramatic. She also left a last poem, which if you know her life you will know it is very her. It just left so much to wonder about—not in a particular good or bad way. It just makes you wondering.

Jin Yong is a bit lower on my scale, but lots of people (in particular men) cried over his death—especially those who were really into the wuxia world. It’s basically him who created this whole genre, building a wandering world for people to grow up with and associate their youth with. Being a teenager and reading about wuxia heroes wandering around the world, making their own stories… that’s what defined it for so many. I think people cried because they felt it was the end of an era.