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Wuxia or Wǔxiá (traditional Chinese: 武俠; simplified Chinese: 武侠, Mandarin IPA: [ùɕiɑ̌], Hanyu Pinyin: Wǔxiá, Cantonese Pinyin: mou5 hap6), literally meaning "martial (arts) heroes", is a distinct quasi-fantasy sub-genre of the martial arts genre in literature, television and cinema. Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese Martial arts. The hundreds of different styles and schools of Chinese martial arts (中國武術 are collectively called Kung Fu (功夫 Wushu (武術 Kuoshu This article is specifically about the term "kung fu" This article is specifically about the word "Wushu" For the modern exhibition sport see Wushu (sport. San Soo is a form of Chinese martial arts also known as Kung Fu San Soo and San Soo Kung Fu The Shaolin Monastery or Shaolin Temple ( is a Chan Buddhist temple at Song Shan in Zhengzhou City Henan Province The Wudang Mountains ( also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang, are a small Mountain range in the Hubei province of China, just Biography Contemporary accounts There are two known extant accounts written by contemporaries of Bodhidharma Dong Haichuan (董海川 was born on the 13th of October 1797 (or 1813) in Zhu village Ju Jia Wu Township Wen An County, Hebei Province Huo Yuanjia ( Fok Yuen Gap (c1868-1910 was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of the Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai Wu Ch'uan-yu or Wu Quanyuo (吳全佑 (1834–1902 was an influential teacher of T'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial China. Yang Lu-ch'an or Yang Luchan, 楊露禪 also known as Yang Fu-k'ui (楊福魁 (1799-1872 born in Kuang-p'ing ( Guangping) was an influential teacher of the Hong Kong action cinema is the reason why Hong Kong film industry 's is so well known Wushu, also known as modern wushu or contemporary wushu, is both an exhibition and a full-contact Sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Standard Cantonese Pinyin ( is a Romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by Yu Bingzhao (余秉昭 in 1971, and subsequently modified Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting For other uses see Martial arts (disambiguation Martial arts film is a Film genre that originated in the Pacific Rim. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Wǔxiá has figured prominently in the popular culture of Chinese-speaking areas since ancient times to the present, and the most important writers have devoted followings.

The wǔxiá genre is a blend of the philosophy of xiá (俠, "honor code", "an ethical person", "knight-errant"), and China's long history in wǔshù ("kung fu" or "martial arts"). The xiá (俠 is a Chinese concept that refers to a righteous person who excels in Chinese martial arts and who uses their armed expertise to protect This article is specifically about the word "Wushu" For the modern exhibition sport see Wushu (sport. A male martial artist who follows the code of xiá is called a swordsman, or xiákè (俠客/侠客). Japan's samurai bushidō traditions, Western Europe's knight chivalry traditions, and America's gunslinger Western traditions all share some aspects with China's swordsman xiá traditions. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. Chivalric order Chivalry is a term related to the Medieval institution of Knighthood. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The swordsmen in wǔxiá need not serve a lord or hold any military power and they are not required to be from an aristocratic class, although some are.

Contents

History

Earlier precedents

Wǔxiá stories have their roots in some early yóuxiá (游侠, "Chinese knight-errant") and cìkè (刺客, "assassin") stories around 2nd to 3rd century BC, such as the assassination attempts of Jing Ke (荊軻/荆轲) and Zhuan Zhu (專諸/专诸) listed in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. The Chinese knight-errant or Yóuxiá ( Traditional: 游俠 Simplified: 游侠 was a type of chivalrous hero similar to Europe 's Knight-errant Jing Ke ( was a guest residing in the estates of Dan crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed Assassination of the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang Zhuan Zhu (專諸 died in 515 BC was an Assassin in the Spring and Autumn Period. Early life and education Sima Qian was born and grew up in Longmen, near present-day Hancheng Shaanxi. The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name 史記 or Shiji, written from 109 BC to 91 BC In the section entitled "Assassins" (刺客列傳/刺客列传), Sima Qian outlined a number of famed assassins in the Warring States who were entrusted with the (then considered noble) task of political assassination. AssassiNation is the sixth album by Krisiun, released in 2006 on Century Media. The Warring States Period ( also known as the Era of Warring States covers the period from some time in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the These were usually cì kè (刺客, literally "stabbing guests") who resided in the residences of feudal lords and noblemen, rendering services and loyalties much in the manner of Japanese samurai. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan. In another section, "Roaming Xia" (游俠列傳/游侠列传), he detailed many embryonic features of the xia culture of his day. This popular phenomenon continues to be documented in historical annals like The Book of Han (漢書/汉书) and The Book of Later Han (後漢書/后汉书). The Book of Han ( is a classic Chinese Historical writing completed in 111 CE covering the history of Western Han from 206 BCE to The Book of the Later Han ( is one of the official Chinese Historical works which was compiled by Fan Ye in the 5th century, using

Xiákè stories made a strong comeback in the Tang dynasty in the form of Chuanqi (傳奇/传奇, literally "legendary") tales. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Stories like Nie Yin Niang (聶隱娘/聂隐娘), The Kunlun Slave (崑崙奴/昆仑奴), Jing Shi San Niang (荆十三娘), Red String (紅線/红线) and The Bearded Warrior (虬髯客) served as prototypes for modern wǔxiá stories, featuring fantastic, out-of-the-world protagonists, often loners, who performed daring heroic deeds. Kunlun Nu ( - "The K’un-lun Slave" or "The Negrito Slave" was a Wuxia romance written by P’ei Hsing ( (c

The earliest full-length novel that could be considered part of the genre was Water Margin, written in the Ming Dynasty, although some would classify parts of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms as a possible earlier antecedent. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Water Margin ( (also Outlaws of the Marsh, All Men Are Brothers or The Marshes of Mount Liang) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese Historical novel based upon events in The former was a political criticism of the deplorable socio-economical state of the late Northern Song Dynasty, whilst the latter was an alternative historical retelling of the post-Han Dynasty's state of three kingdoms. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Three Kingdoms period ( is a period in the History of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of Water Margin's championing of outlaws with a code of honor was especially influential in the development of Jianghu culture. Jiānghú (江湖 Cantonese: gong woo) is the milieu environment or sub-community often fictional in which many Chinese classical Wuxia Three Kingdoms contained many classic close combat descriptions which were later borrowed by wǔxiá writers.

Many works in this vein during the Ming and Qing dynasties were lost due to prohibition by the government. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The ethos of personal freedom and conflict-readiness of these novels were seen as seditious even in times of peace and stability. The departure from mainstream literature also meant that patronage of this genre was limited to the masses and not to the literati, and stifled some of its growth. Nonetheless, the genre continued to be enormously popular, with certain full-length novels such as The Strange Case of Shi Gong (施公案奇聞/施公案奇闻) and The Romance of the Heroic Daughters and Sons (兒女英雄傳/儿女英雄传) cited as the clearest nascent wǔxiá novels. Justice Bao stories seen in San Xia Wu Yi (三俠五義/三侠五义, which was later extended and renamed Qi Xia Wu Yi 七俠五義) and Xiao Wu Yi (小五義/小五义) incorporated much of social justice themes of later wǔxiá stories. Bao Zheng ( courtesy name Xiren 希仁，posthumous title Xiaosu 孝肅 (999&ndash1062 was a much-praised official who served during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song Social justice, sometimes called civil justice, refers to the concept of a Society in which Justice is achieved in every aspect of society rather than

20th century

The modern wǔxiá novel genre started in the early 20th century. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The early 20th century and the 1960s to 1980s are often regarded as two golden ages of wǔxiá writing.

Wǔxiá fiction was banned by the Chinese Communist Party when they came to power in the People's Republic of China. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the (The ban was lifted in the 1980s, with China's liberalization. ) As a result wǔxiá writing continued in earnest only in 1960s in Taiwan and especially Hong Kong, headed by pioneers Liang Yusheng and Louis Cha, who founded the 'new school'. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Liang Yusheng ( (born 5 April 1926) is the penname of Chen Wentong ( a famous Wuxia novelist born in Mengshan, Guangxi Louis Cha, GBM, OBE ( born 6 February 1924) known with his pen name Jin Yong ( is one of the most influential modern Chinese-language Writing serially for papers and magazines, they incorporated many fictional techniques from the West. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. Although Cha declared the genre effectively dead in the 1990s, its fiction is facing a resurgence, as seen in the sci-fi wǔxiá novels of Huang Yi and countless amateur Internet writers. An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit study or science without formal training or pay The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks

Theme, Plot and Settings

The modern wǔxiá stories are basically adventure stories set in ancient China. An adventure is an activity that comprises Risky dangerous and uncertain experiences Plot differs largely from writer to writer, but there are very clear similarities with wǔxiá protagonists and those of the modern Western fantasy genre. Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting The fantasy element is not a prerequisite; it is possible for wǔxiá fiction to be largely realistic, such as Louis Cha's Swordswoman Riding West on White Horse or The Book and the Sword. Louis Cha, GBM, OBE ( born 6 February 1924) known with his pen name Jin Yong ( is one of the most influential modern Chinese-language The White Horse in the West Wind ( is a Wuxia Novella written by Jinyong. The Book and the Sword ( literally "Book Sword Love Hate Record" or more figuratively "Chronicles of Gratitude Feud the Book and the Sword" is the But as the genre requires, some, perhaps most, of its characters should know martial arts. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat.

A common plot typically features a young male protagonist in ancient China, who experiences a tragedy (e. g. the loss of a family or an old master) and goes through exceeding hardship and arduous trials to learn. Eventually the protagonist emerges as a supreme martial arts master unequalled in all of China, who then proffers his skills chivalrously to mend the ills of the "Jianghu" world.

Another common thread would involve a mature, extremely skillful hero with an equally powerful nemesis with whom he has had misgivings, and the storyline would meander to a final showdown between the protagonist and his nemesis.

Other novels, especially those by Gu Long, create detective-type and romance stories in the setting of ancient China. Xiong Yaohua ( (1937 – September 21, 1985) who wrote under the Pen name Gu Long ( was a Taiwanese writer of Wuxia

The Code of Xia

To understand the concept of xia from a Western perspective, consider the Robin Hood mythology: an honourable and generous person who has considerable martial arts skills which he puts to use for the general good rather than towards any personal ends, and someone who does not necessarily obey the authorities. Robin Hood is an archetypal figure in English folklore, whose story originates from medieval times but who remains significant in popular culture where Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat.

Foremost in the xia's code of conduct are yi and xin, righteousness and honour, which emphasize the importance of gracious deed received or favours (恩 ēn) and revenge (仇 chóu) over other ethos of life. Nevertheless, this code of the xia is simple and grave enough for its adherents to fiercely defend.

The importance of revenge is disputed, since a considerable number of wǔxiá fiction are influenced by Buddhist idea of pacifism, which stresses forgiveness, compassion and prohibits killing. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices

The Use of Wushu

Although wǔxiá stories are based on true-life wushu techniques, or martial arts, the genre elevates the mastery of this art to fictitious levels of attainment (wushu being the art; wǔxiá being the people who practice the art. This article is specifically about the word "Wushu" For the modern exhibition sport see Wushu (sport. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. ) Combatants may be portrayed as having any or all of the following skills:

These skills are usually described as being attainable by those who devote themselves to diligent study and practice. The details of the most powerful skills are often to be found in manuals known as mìjí (秘笈). In some stories, specific techniques can be learned by spending several years either in seclusion with a master or cloistered with the Buddhist monks at a Shaolin temple. The Shaolin Monastery or Shaolin Temple ( is a Chan Buddhist temple at Song Shan in Zhengzhou City Henan Province

Jiang Hu: "The World of Martial Arts"

Jiang Hu (江湖) (Cantonese: Gong Woo), literally means "rivers and lakes" and is translated as "The World of Martial Arts" or "the martial (arts) world". Jiānghú (江湖 Cantonese: gong woo) is the milieu environment or sub-community often fictional in which many Chinese classical Wuxia

The Jiang Hu is a "shared world", an alternate universe, made up of martial artists and pugilists gathered in wulin (武林), usually congregrating in sects, clans, disciplines and schools of martial arts learnings. A shared universe is a Literary technique in which several different authors create works of Fiction that share aspects such as settings or characters and that are It is inhabited by wandering knights and princes, thieves and beggars, priests and healers, merchants and craftspeople. The best wǔxiá writers draw a vivid picture of the intricate relationships of honor, loyalty, love and hatred between individuals and between communities in this milieu.

A common aspect to jiang hu is the tacit suggestion that the courts of law are dysfunctional. Differences can only be resolved by way of force, predicating the need for xia and their chivalrous ways. Law and order is maintained by the alliance of wulin or wulin mengzhu, the society of martial artists. They are elected and commanded by the most able xia, who is usually (but not always) the protagonist of that novel (in some versions, such as the TV miniseries Paradise, the position is hereditary). This alliance leader is an arbiter, who presides and adjudicates over inequities and disputes. He is a de jure chief justice of the affairs of the jiang hu.

The term jiang hu (江湖) is linked to cultures other than those pertaining to martial arts. It can be used in any situation where laws are dysfunctional. For example, Chinese Mafia people use this term to describe their world. In Mandarin, jiang hu now means any circle of interest such as show business, sports, etc. Retirement is referred to as getting "out of jianghu" (退出江湖).

Popular Comics

Although new and original wǔxiá writings have dwindled significantly in the last twenty five years, particularly so as patronage and readerships of the genre decimated due to the readily available alternatives in entertainment like DVDs, affordable gaming-consoles and so forth, the genre has proliferated in kinds in comic strips in places like Hong Kong and Taiwan, with the core essentials of the wǔxiá living on in weekly editions equivalent of the Japanese manga comic books.

Films

The earliest wǔxiá films date back to the 1920s. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada Films created by King Hu and Shaw Studio featured sophisticated action choreography using wire and trampoline assisted acrobatics combined with sped up camera techniques. King Hu ( April 29, 1931 - January 14, 1997) was a Hong Kong and Taiwan -based Chinese Film director The Shaw Brothers Studio ( Chinese 邵氏片場 owned by Shaw Brothers (HK Ltd The storylines in the early films were loosely adapted from existing literature.

Cheng Pei-Pei and Jimmy Wang-Yu were two of the biggest stars in the days of Shaw Studio and King Hu. Cheng Pei-pei ( born December 4 1946 in Shanghai, China) is an actress best known for her performance in the seminal 1966 King Hu Jimmy Wang Yu (王羽 born March 28, 1943, also known as Wong Yu-lung and Wang Yue Cantonese screen idol Connie Chan Po-chu grew up starring in wǔxiá films and was famous for her male roles. Connie Chan Po-chu was born in 1947 in Guangdong, China to impoverished parents and at least 8 other siblings Jet Li is a more recent star of wǔxiá films, having appeared in the Swordsman series and Hero amongst others. Li Lianjie (born April 26 1963 better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese martial artist (Kung fu Actor, Wushu champion Hero ( is a 2002 Chinese Martial arts film, directed by Zhang Yimou with music by Tan Dun. Yuen Woo Ping was a choreographer who achieved fame by crafting stunning action-sequences in films of the genre. Yuen Woo Ping ( born 1945 in Guangzhou, China) is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and Film director, renowned Mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou's foray into wǔxiá films was distinguished by the imaginative use of vivid colours and breathtaking background settings. Zhang Yimou (born November 14 1951 is an internationally acclaimed Chinese Filmmaker and former Cinematographer.

Wǔxiá was introduced to the Hollywood studios in 2000 by Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Ang Lee ( (born October 23, 1954) is an Academy Award -winning Film director from Taiwan. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon ( is a Chinese-language Film in the Wuxia ( chivalric and martial arts) style Following Ang Lee's footsteps, Zhang Yimou made Hero, targeted for the international market, in 2003, and House of Flying Daggers in 2004. Ang Lee ( (born October 23, 1954) is an Academy Award -winning Film director from Taiwan. Zhang Yimou (born November 14 1951 is an internationally acclaimed Chinese Filmmaker and former Cinematographer. Hero ( is a 2002 Chinese Martial arts film, directed by Zhang Yimou with music by Tan Dun. House of Flying Daggers ( is a 2004 Chinese action / Romance film directed by Zhang Yimou. American audiences are also being introduced to wǔxiá through Asian-television stations in larger cities, which feature well-produced miniseries such as Warriors of the Yang Clan and Paradise, often with English subtitles. With complex, almost soap-opera storylines, lavish sets and costumes, and veteran actors in pivotal roles, these tales can appeal to a variety of audiences.

Significant wǔxiá films include:

Books

Wǔxiá novels constitute a highly popular genre of their own throughout Greater China, Singapore and Chinese speaking communities around the world. House of Flying Daggers ( is a 2004 Chinese action / Romance film directed by Zhang Yimou. Zhang Yimou (born November 14 1951 is an internationally acclaimed Chinese Filmmaker and former Cinematographer. Takeshi Kaneshiro ( Japanese and Chinese: ja 金城 武 romaji: Kaneshiro Takeshi, Pinyin: Jīnchéng Wǔ) born October Zhang Ziyi (born February 9, 1979, in Beijing) is one of the best-known Golden Globe -nominated Chinese Film Actresses Kung Fu Hustle ( is a 2004 Hong Kong martial arts Comedy film co-written co-produced directed by and starring Stephen Chow Stephen Chow Sing-Chi, born June 22 1962 is a Hong Kong Scriptwriter, Film director, producer and actor The Promise ( is a 2005 Chinese epic Fantasy film directed by Chen Kaige and starring Jang Dong-gun, Hiroyuki Chen Kaige ( (born August 12, 1952) is a Chinese Film director and a leading figure of the fifth generation of Chinese cinema. Seven Swords ( is a 2005 Hong Kong film directed by Tsui Hark and adapted from a novel by renowned Wuxia writer Liang Yusheng ( 徐) Tsui Hark, born Tsui Man-Kong (徐文光 on February 15, 1950, is a New Wave Film director in Hong Kong Liang Yusheng ( (born 5 April 1926) is the penname of Chen Wentong ( a famous Wuxia novelist born in Mengshan, Guangxi Curse of the Golden Flower ( also known literally as When Golden Armour Covers the Entire City, is a 2006 Chinese historical Zhang Yimou (born November 14 1951 is an internationally acclaimed Chinese Filmmaker and former Cinematographer. Gong Li ( (born December 31, 1965) is a Chinese-American two-time Golden Rooster, two-time Hundred Flowers Award, Berlinale Chow Yun-Fat SBS ( born May 18, 1955) is a Chinese Actor. He is one of the most famous actors in Asia and a The Banquet (released on DVD in the US as Legend of the Black Scorpion) is a 2006 Chinese Wuxia - Drama film Zhang Ziyi (born February 9, 1979, in Beijing) is one of the best-known Golden Globe -nominated Chinese Film Actresses Daniel Wu Yin-Cho ( Jyutping: Ng Yin Jou is an American film Actor, director, and producer, known for his work in Hong Kong Greater China ( is a term referring collectively to both the territories administered by the People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau) Wǔxiá novels, especially by eminent authors like Louis Cha and Gu Long, have a devoted following. Important wǔxiá novelists include:

Video games

Comics

Further reading

See also

External links

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