State of Divinity 1996 is a pretty underrated series. Apart from the opening scenes of the series and some added material at the end for Yue Ling Shan, it was a pretty faithful adaptation to the Smiling Proud Wanderer novel by Jin Yong. It's actually the most accurate adaptation to date. I loved how they took some of the dialogue straight from the book. It's 43 episodes long so is pretty easy to watch. When its faithful to the novel the series does not lag. I hated the additional scenes they created and added for Yue Ling Shan at the end. So draggy... Jacky Lui played the character of Linghu Chong to perfection I thought. A pretty carefree lad with a heroic heart. Wong Wai put in a stunning effort as Yue Bu Qun. The rest of the cast were suitable without standing out. I actually liked that each Sect had its own unique costume as it help differentiate between a person of one Sect versus another. This is important which such a huge cast and variety of characters. It is what it is for a 90's series. I really wished the 90's series had the songs and music of the old 80's version. It adds greatly to the feel of the series. I didn't think much of the opening song... This series is a hidden gem and I've watched it many times because its faithful to the novel. I don't like the newer adaptations of the Smiling Proud Wanderer because they stray too far from the novel. New Jin Yong adaptations feel too 'modern' for me. I cant put my finger on why this is.