Wuxia: Difference between revisions

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One of the oldest genres in Chinese literature, 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 "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 the Tongs|the underworld or criminal gangs]].

A more romantic term known as ''Wulin'' (武林—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."

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* [[Blood Brothers]]

* [[Byronic Hero]]: Some stories have "heroes" with barely-controlled vices. Expect them to kill people in a fit of rage, and then lament upon it when their clarity return.

* [[Cast ~~From~~ Hit Points]]

* [[Cast from Hit Points]]

* [[Cast From Lifespan]]

* [[Charles Atlas Superpower]]

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* [[Kung Fu Wizard]]

* [[Lady of War]]

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

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

* [[Love Dodecahedron]]

* [[Love Triangle]]

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* [[Sweet Polly Oliver]]

* [[Three-Point Landing]]

* [[Training ~~From~~ Hell]]

* [[Training from Hell]]

* [[Treacherous Advisor]]: A must-have in stories of palace intrigue.

* [[Tsundere]]: If [[The Hero]] is a guy, expect every martial-arts-capable lady he meets to be like this. ''Every single one of them''.

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* ''[[Heroic Trio]]'' is this genre mixed with the [[Superhero]] genre.

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

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

* ''[[Detective Dee]]''

* ''[[~~Legend~~ ~~of the Black Scorpion~~]]''

* ''[[The Banquet]]''

== [[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]]'', again probably written during the fourteenth century, but based on earlier histories.

* ''[[Journey to the 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]], [[wikipedia:Gu Long|Gu Long]], and [[wikipedia:Liang Yusheng|Liang Yusheng]], the great masters of modern ''wuxia'' literature.

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== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

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

* The [[Dungeons & 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.

** 4th Edition mentions this as one of the various campaign styles you can run.

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[[Category:Literature Genres]]

[[Category:Useful Notes/China]]

[[Category:~~Wuxia~~]]

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]