The story deals with several separate yet intertwining story lines, revolving around the protagonists Kiu Fung, Duen Yu and Hui Juk. Duen Yu is a young, naive prince of the Kingdom of Dali. Despite the long tradition of the practice of martial arts in the royal family, he refuses to learn martial arts due to Buddhist influence and his disdain for bloodshed. When his father tries to force him to learn martial arts, he runs away from home. Ironically, he acquires three of the most powerful skills in the novel and becomes immune to poison after consuming the Zhuha, a poisonous toad known as the "king of all venomous creatures". During his adventures, he encounters several beautiful young maidens, who all fell in love with him. Kiu Fung is the charismatic chief of the Beggars' Sect, who possesses strong leadership qualities and exceptional prowess in martial arts.
丐帮帮主乔峰（黄日华 饰）英雄盖世、义薄云天，与燕王后裔慕容复（张国强饰）并称“北乔峰，南慕容”。时值江湖上突发多起命案，乔峰在帮助慕容复洗刷嫌疑的同时，却不想被丐帮的阴谋党揭发了自己的身世之谜，更因此被逐出丐帮。乔峰在追寻江湖命案和自己身世之谜时，与慕容复的婢女阿朱（刘锦玲饰）患难见真情，结下共度一生的盟约，却最终因为两人误解阿朱的生父就是乔峰一直要寻找的“带头大哥”，而酿下不可挽回的悲剧……另一方面，大理镇南王世子段誉（陈浩民 饰）外出游玩，阴差阳错掉下悬崖进入琅嬛福地，段誉在洞中偶得“北冥神功”和“凌波微步”两部武功秘笈，也对洞中一幅画像中的“神仙姐姐”一见钟情。其后他闯入曼陀山庄，发现慕容复的表妹王语嫣（李若彤饰）长相与“神仙姐姐”一模一样，无奈王语嫣一直钟情于表哥慕容复。在步步跟随王语嫣和慕容复的同时，段誉不慎发现了慕容复的阴谋，而王语嫣也逐渐被段誉的深情所打动。与此同时，少林寺小沙弥虚竹（樊少皇 饰）偶遇了遭仇家追杀受了重伤的天山童姥，善良的虚竹背着童姥一起逃难，更演绎了一段武林奇遇……
《天龍八部》（英語：The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils 1997）是香港電視廣播有限公司根據金庸所著的武俠小說《天龍八部》改編而拍攝製作的古裝武俠劇集，全劇共45集，監製李添勝，此劇為無綫電視拍攝製作第二部同名劇集。是由黃日華、陳浩民、樊少皇及李若彤領銜主演。雖然97版天龍八部當年在香港反響一般，但該劇引進內地後，在內地掀起收視熱潮。多年後，更被香港人認為此劇為唯一一部無線在90年代金庸小說能夠勝過80年代首次翻拍的版本。該劇在2006年9月4日於無線電視翡翠台重播。
