Wuxia: Difference between revisions

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One of the oldest genres in Chinese literature, wǔxiá'''Wǔxiá''' (武侠 - literally "martial-arts chivalry" or "martial arts heroes", and pronounced ''roughly'' [http://tinyurl.com/wuxia woo-seeah] in [[Chinese Language|Mandarin]]) stories are tall tales of honourable warriors (侠 ''xiá'') fighting against evil, whether it be an individual villain, or a corrupt government. Notable for [[Melodrama]], [[Implausible Fencing Powers|spectacular swordplay]], and [[Wire Fu|high-flying]] [[Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting|martial arts]].

Although some ''wuxia'' stories are set in modern times, or even the future, most take place in the "Martial Arts World" of ''Jiānghú'' (江湖 -- literally—literally "rivers and lakes") a [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture]] of [[Imperial China]]. The ''Jianghu'' is a "shared universe", populated by martial-artists and monks, [[Knight Errant|wandering knights]] and beautiful princesses, thieves and beggars, priests and healers, merchants and craftsmen. The best ''wuxia'' writers draw a vivid picture of the intricate relationships of honour, loyalty, love and hate between individuals and between communities in this milieu. It is implicit that law and government are unjust, ineffective and/or corrupt, requiring the ''xia'' to settle differences by force moderated only by their chivalrous code, and often forcing them to live as outlaws despite their noble characters. In modern Chinese, perhaps as a result of these connotations of a separate world with its own rules, the term ''jianghu'' has taken on other meanings, including [[The Triads and Thethe Tongs|the underworld or criminal gangs]].

A more romantic term known as ''Wulin'' (武林 -- literally—literally "Warrior's Forests") is used when one wants to talk specifically about the world of martial artists and warriors ''specifically'', divorced from the ugly connotations of criminality that ''jianghu'' has come to embody. ''Wulin'' is basically a majestic way of saying "The World of Warriors."

Compare [[High Fantasy]], [[Heroic Fantasy]], and [[Swashbuckler]]. For the 2011 movie titled ''Wu Xia'', see ''[[Swordsmen (Film)|Swordsmen]]''.

* [[Cast Fromfrom Hit Points]]

* [[Dragons Up the Yin -Yang]]

* [[Driven Byby Envy]]

* [[Hot Chick Withwith a Sword]]

* [[Lonely Atat the Top]]: A problem that plagues every ''shī​fu'', good or evil. Some of them will raise disciples just so they can have someone to spar with as equal.

* [[Three -Point Landing]]

* [[Training Fromfrom Hell]]

* [[Wax On, Wax Off]]

== [[Anime]] &, [[Manga]]/, [[Manhua]]/, and [[Manhwa]] ==

* ''[[G Gundam]]'' was heavily inspired by ''wuxia''. In fact the director, Yasuhiro Imagawa, [[Author Appeal|rather likes ''wuxia'']], which also shows up to a greater degree in ''[[Giant Robo]]'' and less so in ''[[Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-hen]]''.

** Master Asia (well, his name, anyway) is a [[Shout -Out]] to the [[Villain Protagonist]] of ''Swordsman II''.

* ''[[DragonballDragon Ball]]'', which was loosely based on ''[[Journey to Thethe West]]''.

* ''[[Kenichi: theThe Mightiest Disciple]]'', though originally more of a simple high school fighting shounen/satire, as the plot gradually moves forward it becomes more and more like a modern-day wuxia, as Kenichi becomes increasingly involved in his masters relationships and rivalries, as well as the rivalries/friendships Kenichi himself builds with their rivals and their rivals disciples. The world Kenichi lives in has also been shown to have a well-developed and complicated secret martial arts world, which most of the more "normal" cast are entirely ignorant of at the start, much like the Wulin concept.

* ''[http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_Tales:Hero Tales|Hero Tales]]'', a manga by Huang Jin Zhou (a unit composed of [[Hiromu Arakawa]], Genco and Studio Flag), is inspired by wuxia drama and novels.

* ''[[The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple]]'', one of the earliest ''wuxia'' films, released in 1928.

* ''[[Once Upon a Time Inin China]]'', set in the twilight years of Imperial China, chronicling the saga of historical hero Wong Fei Hong (played marvelously by Jet Li), greatest Doctor and Warrior of Canton. Singlehandedly revitalized the genre as one worthy of artistic respect and capable of conveying political meaning.

* ''[[Hero (Filmfilm)|Hero]]'' is notable for coming out a few years later than ''Crouching Tiger'', with a lot more controversy. It was a big Wuxia production relatively soon after the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong, which made some critics see the [[Historical Hero Upgrade]] of the king as a way to win the approval of the Chinese government, while others insisted that variants of this "Emperor And Assassin" story had been told in China for centuries, even in Hong Kong under British rule.

* ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warriors_of_Heaven_and_Earth [Warriors Ofof Heaven Andand Earth]]''

* ''[[Kung Pow! Enter the Fist]]'' is a straight up [[Widget Series|exceptionally weird]] parody.

* ''[[The Bride Withwith White Hair]]''

* ''[[Curse of the Golden Flower (Film)|Curse of the Golden Flower]]'' has elements of this during fight scenes.

* ''[[Detective Dee]]''

* ''[[Water Margin (Literature)|Water Margin]]'', a novel dating from the fourteenth century, is probably the earliest example, although it is clearly based on even earlier folk stories. Especially influential in defining the ''Jiānghú'' world.

* ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Literature)|Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'', again probably written during the fourteenth century, but based on earlier histories.

* ''[[Journey to The West (Literature)|Journey to Thethe West]]'', still another classic novel, probably fifteenth century in this case, also based on earlier folk stories.

* The novels and short stories of [[Jin Yong]], [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_Long:Gu Long|Gu Long]], and [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Liang_Yusheng:Liang Yusheng|Liang Yusheng]], the great masters of modern ''wuxia'' literature.

* Despite martial arts not being the center of their plots, ''[[Bridge of Birds]]'' and the other Master Li & Number Ten Ox novels by Barry Hughart are set in, "an ancient China that never was," that is a clear homage to Chinese mythology and the Wuxia genre. He lists ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Literature)|Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' among his main influences.

* The ''[[Dragon Series (Literature)|Dragon Series]]'' by Laurence Yep.

== [[Live-Action TV]] ==

* [[Short Sabre Story (TV)|Short Sabre Story]]: A comedy variant.

* 武林外传 or ''[[My Own Swordsman]]'' is a very successful 80-episode Wuxia [[Sit ComSitcom]], that sends up the whole genre in an [[Affectionate Parody]].

* The [[Dungeons and& Dragons|AD&D]]-derived game ''Dragon Fist'' has ''wuxia'' as its primary genre, again leaning toward fantasy.

** 3.5 edition had the ''Tome of Battle'' sourcebook, with new classes (similar to the fighter, monk and paladin) which drew on Wuxia influences to soften the effects of [[Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards]]. Often regarded as the best 3.5 book ever printed.

* The 69 juncture of ''[[Feng Shui (Tabletop Game)|Feng Shui]]'' lends itself quite well to ''wuxia'' stories, particularly those of a more fantastic bent.

* As do the Period Martial Arts and Bizarre Fantasy genres from ''[[Hong Kong Action Theatre (Tabletop Game)|Hong Kong Action Theatre]].''

* The world setting and short stories connected to ''[[Zodiacs (Literature)|Zodiacs]]'' are heavily and openly influenced by wuxia, [[The Western]], [[Samurai]] and [[Norse Mythology|the Viking Sagas]].

== [[Theatre]] ==

* ''[[Legend of Kay]]'' is the mixture with this, ''[[The Legend of Zelda (Videovideo Gamegame)|The Legend of Zelda]]'', and [[Furry Fandom|furry.]]

=== Visual Novels ===

* ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender (Animation)|Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' and its sequel, ''[[The Legend of Korra (Animation)|The Legend of Korra]]''.

[[Category:Trope Names Fromfrom Other LanguagesChinese]]