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{{short description|Genre of Chinese fiction}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:HKHM 沙田 Shatin 香港文化博物館 HK Heritage Museum 金庸展廳館 Jin Yong Gallery August 2021 SS2 11.jpg|thumb|[[Folding screen]] tribute for the [[the Legend of Condor Heroes]] at Jin Yong Gallery.]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Chinese martial arts}}{{Cleanup lang|date=July 2025|iso=zh}}{{Infobox Chinese
|title = Wuxia
|t   = 武俠
|s   = 武侠
|p   = wǔxiá
|w   = wu<sup>3</sup>-hsia<sup>2</sup>
|bpmf = ㄨˇ  ㄒㄧㄚˊ
|mi  = {{IPAc-cmn|wu|3|.|x|ia|2}}
|j   = mou<sup>5</sup>-hap<sup>6</sup>
|y   = móuh-hahp
|ci  = {{IPAc-yue|m|ou|5|.|h|ap|6}}
|xej = وشيا
|zh-dungan=уся
|poj = bú-kiap
|tl  = bú-kiap
}}

'''{{lang|zh-Latn|Wuxia|italic=no}}''' ({{lang|zh|[[wikt:武俠|武俠]]}} {{IPAc-cmn|wu|3|.|x|ia|2}}, literally "martial arts and [[chivalry]]")<!-- Please DO NOT include the Chinese and Vietnamese terms (and their transcriptions) for "wuxia" in this section. We already have a box that contains them (see above), which will appear on the right side of this article below the Chinese martial arts template. --> is a genre of [[Chinese literature|Chinese fiction]] concerning the adventures of [[martial artist]]s in ancient China. Although {{lang|zh-Latn|wuxia|italic=no}} is traditionally a form of [[historical fantasy]] literature, its popularity has caused it to be adapted for such diverse art forms as [[Chinese opera]], [[manhua]], [[Drama (film and television)|television dramas]], [[Film|films]], [[Chinese animation|donghua]] and [[Video games in China|video games]]. It forms part of popular culture in many Chinese-speaking communities around the world. According to Hong Kong film director, producer, and movie writer [[Ronny Yu]], wuxia movies are not to be confused with [[Martial arts film|martial arts movies]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chud.com/7686/exclusive-interview-ronny-yu-fearless/|title=EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: RONNY YU (FEARLESS) &#124; CHUD.com}}</ref>

The word "{{lang|zh-Latn|wǔxiá}}" is a compound composed of the elements {{lang|zh-Latn|wǔ}} ({{lang|zh|[[wikt:武#Chinese|武]]}}, literally "martial", "military", or "armed") and {{lang|zh-Latn|xiá}} ({{lang|zh|[[wikt:俠#Chinese|俠]]}}, literally "chivalrous", "[[vigilante]]" or "hero"). A martial artist who follows the code of {{lang|zh-Latn|xia}} is often referred to as a {{lang|zh-Latn|xiákè}} ({{lang|zh|[[wikt:俠客|俠客]]}}, literally "follower of {{lang|zh-Latn|xia}}") or {{lang|zh-Latn|[[youxia|yóuxiá]]}} ({{lang|zh|[[wikt:遊俠|遊俠]]}}, literally "wandering {{lang|zh-Latn|xia}}"). In some translations, the martial artist is referred to as a {{lang|zh-Latn|jiànxiá}} ({{lang|zh|[[wikt:劍俠|劍俠]]}}) or {{lang|zh-Latn|jiànkè}} ({{lang|zh|[[wikt:劍客|劍客]]}}), either of which can be interpreted as a "swordsman" or "swordswoman", even though they may not necessarily wield a sword.

Heroes in wuxia fiction typically do not serve a lord, hold military rank, or belong to the aristocracy. They often originate from the lower social classes of ancient Chinese society. A code of [[chivalry]] usually requires wuxia heroes to right and redress wrongs, fight for righteousness, remove oppressors, and bring retribution for past misdeeds. Chinese {{lang|zh-Latn|xia}} traditions may be compared to martial codes from other cultures, such as the Japanese [[samurai]] {{lang|ja-Latn|[[bushido|bushidō]]|italic=no}}.

==History==
===Earlier precedents===
Even though the term "wuxia" as the name of a genre is a recent coinage, stories about xia date back more than 2,000 years. Wuxia stories have their roots in some early [[youxia]] tales from 300–200 BC. The [[Legalism (Chinese philosophy)|Legalist]] philosopher [[Han Fei]] spoke disparagingly of youxias in his book ''[[Han Feizi]]'' in the chapter ''On Five 'Maggot' Classes'' about five social classes in the [[Spring and Autumn period]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Han|first1=Fei|author-link1=Han Fei|title=韓非子 [Han Feizi]|edition=[Reproduced on Chinese Wikisource]|url=http://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E9%9F%93%E9%9D%9E%E5%AD%90/%E4%BA%94%E8%A0%B9|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|chapter=五蠹第四十九 [Chapter 49: Five 'Maggots']|quote=... 俠以武犯禁，而人主兼禮之，此所以亂也。夫離法者罪，而諸先生以文學取；犯禁者誅，而羣俠以私劍養。}}</ref> Some well-known stories include [[Zhuan Zhu]]'s assassination of [[King Liao of Wu]], and most notably, [[Jing Ke]]'s attempt on the life of the King of Qin (who later became [[Qin Shi Huang]]). In Volume 86 of the ''[[Records of the Grand Historian]]'' (''Shi Ji''), [[Sima Qian]] mentioned five notable assassins – Cao Mo, [[Zhuan Zhu]], [[Yu Rang]], Nie Zheng and Jing Ke – in the [[Warring States period]] who undertook tasks of conducting political assassinations of aristocrats and nobles.<ref name="Teo">{{cite book|last1=Teo|first1=Stephen|title=Chinese Martial Arts Cinema: The Wuxia Tradition|date=2009|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|location=Edinburgh|isbn=9780748632862}}</ref>{{rp|17–19}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sima|first1=Qian|author-link1=Sima Qian|title=Shi Ji [Records of the Grand Historian]|edition=[Reproduced on Chinese Wikisource]|url=http://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%8F%B2%E8%A8%98/%E5%8D%B7086#.E8.A9.95.E8.AB.96|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|chapter=卷八十六 刺客列傳 第二十六 [Volume 86: Biographies of Assassins]}}</ref> These assassins were known as ''cike'' (刺客; literally "stabbing guests"). They usually rendered their loyalties and services to feudal lords and nobles in return for rewards such as riches and women. In Volume 124 of the ''Shi Ji'', Sima Qian detailed several embryonic features of xia culture from his period. These popular phenomena were also documented in other historical records such as the ''[[Book of Han]]'' and the ''[[Book of the Later Han]]''.

Xiake stories made a turning point in the [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907) and returned in the form of ''chuanqi'' (傳奇; literally "legendary tales"). Stories from that era, such as ''[[Nie Yinniang]]'' (聶隱娘),<ref>{{cite web|title=唐人傳奇 – 聶隱娘 [Tang Dynasty Legends – Nie Yinniang]|url=http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cul_kungfu/c/2-1-21.htm|website=中華武俠文化網 [Chinese Wusia [sic] Knight-errant]|publisher=Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission Taiwan, Republic of China|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|archive-date=15 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015030837/http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cul_kungfu/c/2-1-21.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Kunlun Nu|The Kunlun Slave]]'', ''Thirteenth Madame Jing'' (''荊十三娘''),<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sun|first1=Guangxian|author-link1=Sun Guangxian|title=北夢瑣言 [Beimeng Suoyan]|edition=[Reproduced on Chinese Wikisource]|url=http://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%8C%97%E5%A4%A2%E7%91%A3%E8%A8%80/%E5%8D%B7%E5%85%AB|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|chapter=卷八 [Chapter 8]|quote=進士趙中行家於溫州，以豪俠為事。至蘇州，旅止支山禪院。僧戶有一女商荊十三娘， ... 至期，荊氏以囊盛妓兼致妓之父母首歸於李。後與趙進士同入浙中，不知所止。}}</ref> ''Red String'' (紅線)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Yuan|first1=Jiao|title=甘澤謠 [Gan Ze Yao]|edition=[Reproduced on Chinese Wikisource]|url=http://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E7%94%98%E6%BE%A4%E8%AC%A0#.E7.B4.85.E7.B7.9A|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|quote=紅線，潞州節度使薛嵩家青衣，善彈阮鹹，又通經史，嵩遣掌箋，表號曰「內記室」。 ... 歌畢，嵩不勝悲，紅線拜且泣，因偽醉離席，遂亡其所在。}}</ref> and ''The Bearded Warrior'' (虬髯客),<ref>{{cite book|last1=Du|first1=Guangting|author-link1=Du Guangting|title=虯髯客傳 [Qiu Ran Ke Zhuan]|edition=[Reproduced on Chinese Wikisource]|language=zh|url=https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/虯髯客傳}}</ref> served as prototypes for modern wuxia stories.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Liang|first1=Yusheng|author-link1=Liang Yusheng|title=筆花六照 [Bi Hua Liu Zhao]|date=February 2008|publisher=Guangxi Normal University Press|location=China|edition=revised|language=zh|quote=唐代著名的武俠小說有《紅線傳》、《虯髯客傳》、《劉無雙傳》、《崑崙奴傳》、《聶隱娘傳》，等等（空空兒、精精兒則是附在《聶隱娘傳》中）。}}</ref> They featured fantasies and isolated protagonists – usually loners – who performed daring heroic deeds. During the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279), similar stories circulated in the ''[[huaben]]'', short works that were once thought to have served as prompt-books for ''[[shuochang]]'' (traditional Chinese storytelling).<ref name="Teo"/>{{rp|19–20}}<ref name="Liu">{{cite book|last1=Liu|first1=Damu|last2=Lau|first2=Shing-hon|last3=Leong|first3=Mo-Ling|title=A Study of the Hong Kong Swordplay Film (1945–1980)|date=1996|publisher=Urban Council of Hong Kong|location=Hong Kong|isbn=9627040517}}</ref>{{rp|47–48}}

The genre of the martial or military romance also developed during the Tang dynasty. In the [[Ming dynasty]] (1368–1644), [[Luo Guanzhong]] and [[Shi Nai'an]] wrote ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' and ''[[Water Margin]]'' respectively, which are among the [[Classic Chinese Novels|Great Classical Novels]] of Chinese literature. The former is a romanticised historical retelling of the events in the late [[Eastern Han dynasty]] and the [[Three Kingdoms]] period, while the latter criticises the deplorable socio-economic status of the late Northern Song dynasty. ''Water Margin'' is often seen as the first full-length wuxia novel: the portrayal of the 108 heroes, and their code of honour and willingness to become outlaws rather than serve a corrupt government, played an influential role in the development of [[jianghu]] (Jianghu is the setting that wuxia stories inhabit. Literally meaning "rivers and lakes", Jianghu settings are fictionalized versions of China which focus on social underworlds and the marginalized figures which inhabit them."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://oberlin.digication.com/jianghu-national-identity-hong-kong-cinema/home | title=Jianghu & National Identity in Hong Kong Cinema – Wuxia & Jianghu }}</ref>) culture in later centuries. ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' is also seen as a possible early antecedent and contains classic close-combat descriptions that were later emulated by wuxia writers in their works<ref name="Teo"/>{{rp|20}}<ref name="Hamm">{{cite book|last1=Hamm|first1=John Christopher|title=Paper Swordsmen: Jin Yong and the Modern Chinese Martial Arts Novel|date=2006|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|location=Honolulu|isbn=082482895X|edition=Paperback}}</ref>{{rp|17, 263}}

In the [[Qing dynasty]] (1644–1911), further developments were the ''[[gong'an fiction|gong'an]]'' (公案; literally "public case") and related detective novels, where xia and other heroes, in collaboration with a judge or magistrate, solved crimes and battled injustice. The [[Bao Zheng|Justice Bao]] stories from ''Sanxia Wuyi'' (三俠五義; later extended and renamed to ''[[The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants|Qixia Wuyi]]'') and ''[[Xiaowuyi]]'' (小五義), incorporated much of social justice themes of later wuxia stories. Xiayi stories of chivalrous romance, which frequently featured female heroes and supernatural fighting abilities, also surfaced during the Qing dynasty. Novels such as ''Shi Gong'an Qiwen'' (施公案奇聞) and ''[[Ernü Yingxiong Zhuan]]'' (兒女英雄傳) have been cited as the clearest nascent wuxia novels.<ref name="Teo"/>{{rp|20–21}}<ref name="Hamm"/>{{rp|19}}

The term "wuxia" as a genre label itself first appeared at the end of the Qing dynasty, a [[calque]] of the Japanese "bukyō", a genre of oft-militaristic and [[bushido]]-influenced adventure fiction. The term was brought to China by writers such as [[Liang Qichao]] and students who hoped that China would modernise its military and place emphasis on martial virtues, and it quickly became entrenched as the term used to refer to xiayi and other predecessors of wuxia proper. In Japan, however, the term "bukyō" faded into obscurity.<ref name="Teo"/>{{rp|2–3}}<ref name="Hamm"/>{{rp|11, 262}}

Many wuxia works produced during the Ming and Qing dynasties were lost due to the governments' crackdown on and banning of such works.<ref name="HeroicCinema">{{cite web|url=http://www.heroic-cinema.com/eric/xia.html|title=An Introduction to the Wuxia Genre|publisher=Heroic-cinema.com|access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> Wuxia works like ''Water Margin'' were deemed responsible for brewing anti-government sentiments, which led to rebellions in those eras.<ref>{{Cite web |last=陈卫星 |title=明清时期《水浒传》禁毁情况考论 – 国学网 |url=http://www.guoxue.com/?p=14929 |access-date=2023-03-01 |language=zh-CN}}</ref> The departure from mainstream literature also meant that patronage of this genre was limited to the masses and not to the literati, which led to the stifling of the development of the wuxia genre. Nonetheless, the wuxia genre remained enormously popular with the common people.<ref name="Liu"/>{{rp|49–50}}

===20th century===
The modern wuxia genre rose to prominence in the early 20th century after the [[May Fourth Movement]] of 1919. A new literature evolved, calling for a break with Confucian values, and the xia emerged as a symbol of personal freedom, defiance to Confucian tradition, and rejection of the Chinese family system.<ref name="HeroicCinema"/>

Xiang Kairan (pen name Pingjiang Buxiaosheng) became the first notable wuxia writer, with his debut novel being ''The Peculiar Knights-Errant of the Jianghu'' (江湖奇俠傳).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Doleželová-Velingerová|first1=Milena|title=Selective Guide to Chinese Literature 1900–1949: The Novel|date=1988|publisher=E.J. Brill|location=Leiden|isbn=9004078800|pages=176–177}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Liu |first1=James J. Y. |title=The Chinese Knight Errant |date=1976 |publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul |isbn=9781032257792 |location=London |pages=135–136}}</ref> It was serialised from 1921 to 1928 and was adapted into the first wuxia film, ''[[The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple]]'' (1928).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Xu|first1=Yaping|title=平江不肖生的传奇生涯(二) [The Life of Pingjiang Buxiaosheng (Part 2)]|url=http://www.confucianism.com.cn/html/wenxue/13753100.html|website=中国国学网 [confucianism.com.cn]|publisher=Hunan Daily|access-date=25 December 2014|location=China|language=zh|date=9 November 2011|archive-date=14 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514181439/http://www.confucianism.com.cn/html/wenxue/13753100.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Zhao Huanting (趙煥亭), who wrote ''Chronicles of the Loyal Knights-Errant'' (奇俠精忠傳, serialised 1923–27), was another well-known wuxia writer based in Shanghai.<ref>{{cite web|title=北趙: 趙煥亭 [Zhao of the North: Zhao Huanting]|url=http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cul_kungfu/c/2-2-12.htm|website=中華武俠文化網 [Chinese Wusia [sic] Knight-errant]|publisher=Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission Taiwan, Republic of China|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|archive-date=16 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016082659/http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cul_kungfu/c/2-2-12.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Starting from the 1930s, wuxia works proliferated and its centre shifted to Beijing and [[Tianjin]] in northern China. The most prolific writers there were collectively referred to as the ''Five Great Masters of the Northern School'' (北派五大家): [[Huanzhulouzhu]], who wrote ''[[Legend of the Swordsmen of the Mountains of Shu|The Swordspeople from Shu Mountains]]'' (蜀山劍俠傳); [[Gong Baiyu]] (宮白羽), who wrote ''Twelve Coin Darts'' (十二金錢鏢); [[Wang Dulu]], who wrote ''The Crane-Iron Pentalogy'' (鹤鉄五部作); Zheng Zhengyin (郑証因), who wrote ''The King of Eagle Claws'' (鹰爪王); Zhu Zhenmu (朱貞木), who wrote ''The Seven 'Kill' Stele'' (七殺碑).<ref>{{cite web|title=民初舊派武俠作家 ['Old School' Wuxia Writers of the Early Republican Era]|url=http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cul_kungfu/c/2-2.htm|website=中華武俠文化網 [Chinese Wusia [sic] Knight-errant]|publisher=Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission Taiwan, Republic of China|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|archive-date=21 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221184356/http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/culture/chinese/cul_kungfu/c/2-2.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Wuxia fiction was banned at various times during the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republican era]] and these restrictions stifled the growth of the genre.<ref name="HeroicCinema"/> In 1949, China also banned martial arts novels as vulgar reading. In Taiwan, the government banned several wuxia works in 1959.<ref>{{Cite news |title=從被禁到暢銷 金庸文學在台灣的非凡影響 |language=zh-hant |work=BBC News 中文 |url=https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-46042197 |access-date=2023-07-29}}</ref> Despite this, wuxia prevailed in other Chinese-speaking regions. In Hong Kong, between the 1960s and 1980s, the genre entered a [[golden age]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Qin |first=Amy |date=2 November 2018 |title=Jin Yong, 94, Lionized Author of Chinese Martial Arts Epics, Dies |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/obituaries/jin-yong-dead.html |access-date=2023-03-01 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Writers such as [[Liang Yusheng]] and Louis Cha ([[Jin Yong]]) spearheaded the founding of a "new school" of the wuxia genre that differed largely from its predecessors. They wrote serials for newspapers and magazines. They also incorporated several fictional themes such as mystery and romance from other cultures. In Taiwan, [[Wolong Sheng]], [[Sima Ling]], Zhuge Qingyun (諸葛青雲), [[Shiao Yi]] (萧逸) and [[Gu Long]] became the region's best known wuxia writers. After them, writers such as [[Woon Swee Oan]] and [[Huang Yi (author)|Huang Yi]] rose to prominence in a later period. [[Chen Yu-hui]] is a contemporary female wuxia novelist who made her debut with the novel ''The Tian-Guan Duo Heroes'' (天觀雙俠).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Li|first1=Junjie|title=台湾"女金庸"坐月子写巨著 [Taiwan's "Female Jin Yong" wrote her masterpiece in her post-pregnancy period]|url=http://gb.cri.cn/12764/2007/08/29/2905@1737819.htm|website=世界新闻报 [World News Journal]|access-date=25 December 2014|language=zh|date=29 August 2007}}</ref>

There have also been works created after the 1980s which attempt to create a post-wuxia genre. [[Yu Hua]], one of the more notable writers from this period, published a counter-genre short story titled ''[[Blood and Plum Blossoms]]'', in which the protagonist goes on a quest to avenge his murdered father.

=== Influence and dissemination ===
{{More citations needed|section|date=October 2025}}
As works from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China gained popularity in Asia in the 20th and 21st centuries, creators in Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia began to draw influence from them, including from Wuxia and other martial arts genres.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}

==== Works influenced by, remade, or adapted from Chinese wuxia and martial arts ====

=====Korea=====
* [[Warrior Baek Dong-soo]]
* [[Arthdal Chronicles]]
* [[Memories of the Sword]]
* [[Gu Family Book]]
* [[Iljimae]]
* [[The Return of Iljimae]]
=====Japan=====
* [[Thunderbolt Fantasy]]
* [[Ranma ½ ]]
* [[YuYu Hakusho]]
* [[Kenji (manga)]]
* [[Fist of the North Star]]
* [[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple]]

==Themes, plots and settings==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2017}}
[[File:Kunlun Nu print.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A 17th-century woodblock print of a scene from a play on the ''[[Kunlun Nu]]'' story.]]

Modern wuxia stories are largely set in [[ancient China|ancient]] or [[medieval China|pre-modern China]]. The historical setting can range from being quite specific and important to the story, to being vaguely defined, anachronistic, or mainly for use as a backdrop. Elements of fantasy, such as the use of magic powers and appearance of supernatural beings, are common in some wuxia stories but are not a prerequisite of the wuxia genre. However, the martial arts element is a definite part of a wuxia tale, as the characters must know some form of martial arts. Themes of romance are also strongly featured in some wuxia tales.

A typical wuxia story features a young male protagonist who experiences a tragedy – such as the loss of his loved ones – and goes on to undertake several trials and tribulations to learn several forms of martial arts from various fighters. At the end of the story, he emerges as a powerful fighter whom few can equal. He uses his abilities to follow the code of xia and mends the ills of the [[jianghu]]. For instance, the opening chapters of some of Jin Yong's works follow a certain pattern: a tragic event occurs, usually one that costs the lives of the newly introduced characters, and then it sets events into motion that will culminate in the primary action of the story.<ref name="McNeil">{{cite web|last1=McNeil|first1=Simon|title=The Anatomy of a Wuxia Novel|url=http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=873|website=Kung Fu Magazine|access-date=25 December 2014}}</ref>

Other stories use different structures. For instance, the protagonist is denied admission into a martial arts school. He experiences hardships and trains secretly and waits until there is an opportunity for him to show off his skills and surprise those who initially looked down on him. Some stories feature a mature hero with powerful martial arts abilities confronting an equally powerful antagonist as his nemesis. The plot will gradually meander to a final dramatic showdown between the protagonist and his nemesis. These types of stories were prevalent during the era of anti-[[Qing dynasty|Qing]] revolutionaries.<ref>{{cite web |title=China – Reformist and revolutionist movements at the end of the dynasty |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/China/Reformist-and-revolutionist-movements-at-the-end-of-the-dynasty |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=3 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

Certain stories have unique plots, such as those by [[Gu Long]] and [[Huang Yi (author)|Huang Yi]]. Gu Long's works have an element of mystery and are written like detective stories. The protagonist, usually a formidable martial artist and intelligent problem-solver, embarks on a quest to solve a mystery such as a murder case. Huang Yi's stories are blended with science fiction.

Despite these genre-blending elements, wuxia is primarily a historical genre of fiction. Notwithstanding this, wuxia writers openly admit that they are unable to capture the entire history of a course of events and instead choose to structure their stories along the pattern of the protagonist's progression from childhood to adulthood instead.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ng |first=Jeannette |date=29 June 2021 |title=The History and Politics of Wuxia |url=https://www.tor.com/2021/06/29/the-history-and-politics-of-wuxia/ |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Tor.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The progression may be symbolic rather than literal, as observed in Jin Yong's ''[[The Smiling, Proud Wanderer]]'', where [[Linghu Chong]] progresses from childish concerns and dalliances into much more adult ones as his unwavering loyalty repeatedly thrusts him into the rocks of betrayal at the hands of his inhumane master.<ref name="McNeil"/>

===Code of xia===
The eight common attributes of the xia are listed as benevolence, justice, individualism, loyalty, courage, truthfulness, disregard for wealth, and desire for glory. Apart from individualism, these characteristics are similar to Confucian values such as ''[[Ren (Confucianism)|ren]]'' ({{lang|zh|仁}}; "benevolence", "kindness"), ''zhong'' ({{lang|zh|忠}}; "loyalty"), ''yong'' ({{lang|zh|勇}}; "courage", "bravery") and ''[[Yi (Confucianism)|yi]]'' ({{lang|zh|義}}; "righteousness").<ref name="HeroicCinema"/> The code of xia also emphasises the importance of repaying benefactors after having received deeds of ''en'' ({{lang|zh|恩}}; "grace", "favour") from others, as well as seeking ''chou'' ({{lang|zh|仇}}; "vengeance", "revenge") to bring villains to justice. However, the importance of vengeance is controversial, as a number of wuxia works stress Buddhist ideals, which include forgiveness, compassion and a prohibition on killing.  While borrowing ideas from the better known Confucian values, the root of xia originated from the lesser known [[Mohism]], which in the [[Warring States period]] saw a few Mohists stood up to defend kingdoms being attacked by other kingdoms.

In the [[jianghu]], martial artists are expected to be loyal to their master ([[shifu]]). This gives rise to the formation of several complex trees of master-apprentice relations as well as the various schools such as [[Shaolin School|Shaolin]] and [[Wudang School|Wudang]]. If there are any disputes between fighters, they will choose the honourable way of settling their issues through fighting in duels.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chung |first1=Barry C. |title=A matter of style |url=https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3062732/matter-style |website=[[South China Morning Post]] |access-date=28 November 2021 |date=11 July 2022}}</ref>

===Skills and abilities===
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2016}}

The martial arts in wuxia stories are based on [[Wushu (sport)|wushu]] techniques and other real life [[Chinese martial arts]]. In wuxia tales, however, the mastery of such skills are highly exaggerated to superhuman levels of achievement and prowess.

The following is a list of skills and abilities a typical fighter in a wuxia story possesses:

* [[Chinese martial arts|Martial arts]]: Fighting techniques in a codified sequence called ''zhaoshi'' ({{Lang|zh|招式}}), which are based on real life Chinese martial arts.
* Weapons and objects: Combatants use a wide range of weapons in combat. The most commonly used ones are the ''[[Dao (Chinese sword)|dao]]'' (broadsword or saber), ''[[jian]]'' (sword), ''[[Gun (staff)|gun]]'' (staff), and ''[[Qiang (spear)|qiang]]'' (spear). Everyday objects such as [[abacus|abaci]], benches, fans, ink brushes, smoking pipes, sewing needles, or various musical instruments, are also used as weapons as well.
* ''[[Qinggong]]'': A form of real Chinese martial arts.<ref>{{cite web|author=Elizabeth Reninger|url=http://taoism.about.com/od/taoismglossaryq/g/Qing_Gong.htm|title=Qing Gong|website=About.com|access-date=11 September 2015|archive-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907073516/http://taoism.about.com/od/taoismglossaryq/g/Qing_Gong.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In wuxia fiction, however, its use is exaggerated to the point that characters can circumvent gravity to fly, cover tremendous distances in a single stride, run across surfaces of water, mount trees, and jump over or scale high walls.
* ''Neili'' (内力; lit "internal force" or "internal strength")/''[[Neigong]]'': The ability to build up and cultivate inner energy known as [[qi]] and use it for offensive or defensive purposes. Characters use this energy to attain skills such as superhuman strength, speed, stamina, endurance, and healing, as well as the ability to project energy beams and elemental forces from their bodies.
* ''[[Touch of Death|Dianxue]]'' (literally "touching [[acupuncture point]]s"): Characters use various [[acupuncture]] techniques to kill, paralyse, immobilise or even manipulate opponents by attacking their [[acupressure]] points with their bare hands or weapons. Such techniques can also be used for healing purposes, such as halting excessive bleeding. Real life martial artists do use such techniques to paralyse or stun their opponents. However, their effectiveness is highly exaggerated in wuxia stories.

In wuxia stories, characters attain the above skills and abilities by devoting themselves to years of diligent study and exercise, but can also have such power conferred upon them by a master who transfers his energy to them. The instructions to mastering these skills through training are found in secret manuals known as ''miji'' (秘笈). In some stories, specific skills can be learned by spending several years in seclusion with a master or training with a group of fighters.

==''Menpai''==
''Menpai'' ({{Lang|zh|门派}}) is often translated as sect, school, society, church, house, or cult. Members of the same ''menpai'' follow the guidance and train under the same leader. If the members of the ''menpai'' are related, then it can be translated as clan. Since some of the ''menpai'' are religiously affiliated, "sect" has come to be a common translation for the non-family based ''menpai''. However, it would be inaccurate to use sect to denote ''menpais'' that are not associated with religion.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bai |first=Jeremy |year=2020 |title=Understanding Chinese Fantasy Genres: A Primer for Wuxia, Xianxia, and Xuanhuan |edition=Kindle |publisher=Independently published |page=22 |isbn=979-8577559489 |language=en}}</ref>

==Literature==
Notable modern wuxia writers include:
{| class="wikitable sortable" wikitable
|-
! style="width:20%;"| Name !! style="width:15%;"| Pen name !! style="width:10%;"| Active years !! style="width:25%;"| Some works !! style="width:25%;"| Brief description
|-
| align=center| Louis Cha Leung-yung <br /> Zha Liangyong <br /> 查良鏞 || align=center| [[Jin Yong]] <br /> 金庸 || 1955–72 ||''[[The Book and the Sword]]'', ''[[Condor Trilogy]]'', ''[[Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils]]'', ''[[The Smiling, Proud Wanderer]]'', ''[[The Deer and the Cauldron]]'' || The most popular, and regarded by some as the most accomplished, writer to date. His works have been adapted into films and television series numerous times.
|-
| align=center| Chen Wentong <br /> 陳文統 || align=center| [[Liang Yusheng]] <br /> 梁羽生 || 1954–83 || ''[[Qijian Xia Tianshan]]'', ''[[Datang Youxia Zhuan]]'', ''[[Baifa Monü Zhuan]]'', ''[[Saiwai Qixia Zhuan]]'', ''Yunhai Yugong Yuan'', ''[[Xiagu Danxin]]'' || The pioneer of the "new school" wuxia genre. Some of his works were adapted into films and television series.
|-
| align=center| Xiong Yaohua <br /> 熊耀華 || align=center| [[Gu Long]] <br /> 古龍 || 1960–85 || ''[[Chu Liuxiang]] Series'', ''[[Juedai Shuangjiao]]'', ''Xiao Shiyi Lang'', ''[[Xiaoli Feidao (novel series)|Xiaoli Feidao Series]]'', ''[[Lu Xiaofeng]] Series'' || A writer who blends elements of mystery in his works. He writes in short paragraphs and is influenced stylistically by Western and Japanese writers. Some of his works were adapted into films and television series.
|-
| align=center| Shiao Ching-Jen <br /> 萧敬人 || align=center| [[Shiao Yi]] <br /> 萧逸 || 1960–2017 || ''Iron Geese, Wings of Frost, Princess Wuyou, Sister Gan Nineteen, Beautiful Swordswoman, Chronicles of the Immortal Swordsmen'' || Pioneered a Taoist-infused, emotionally rich style that emphasized the moral code of xia (chivalry) over martial prowess. Shiao Yi's narratives often featured transcendent heroes, including strong female protagonists, and integrated romantic and philosophical depth.
|-
| align=center| Woon Liang Geok <br /> Wen Liangyu <br /> 溫涼玉 || align=center| [[Woon Swee Oan]] <br /> Wen Rui'an <br /> 溫瑞安 || 1973–present || ''Si Da Ming Bu'', ''Buyi Shenxiang'', ''Jingyan Yi Qiang'' || His works were adapted into the television series ''[[The Four (2008 TV series)|The Four]]'' and ''[[Face to Fate]]'', and the film ''[[The Four (film)|The Four]]''.
|-
| align=center| Huang Zuqiang <br /> 黃祖強 || align=center| [[Huang Yi (author)|Huang Yi]] <br /> 黃易 || 1987–2017 || ''Xunqin Ji'', ''Fuyu Fanyun'', ''Datang Shuanglong Zhuan'' || Combines wuxia with science fiction in his works. His works were adapted into the television series ''[[A Step into the Past]]'', ''[[Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion]]'' and ''[[Twin of Brothers]]''.
|-
| align=center| Lau Wai Ming <br /> 劉偉明 || align=center| [[Jozev Kiu]] <br /> 喬靖夫 || 1996–present || ''Blood and Steel'' || Redefined Wuxia fiction from the traditional emphasis on the code of chivalry and Chinese culture.
|}

==Comics==
New and original wuxia writings have dwindled significantly in modern times,<ref>{{Cite web |last=高澄天 |date=19 September 2021 |title=「言武俠，必金庸」讓武俠小說的路愈走愈窄，直到今天已無路可走 |url=https://www.thenewslens.com/article/156495 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=The News Lens 關鍵評論網 |language=zh-Hant-TW}}</ref> particularly so as patronage and readerships of the genre decimated due to readily available alternatives in entertainment such as DVDs, gaming consoles, and other newer forms of entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=吳尚軒 |date=13 October 2019 |title=讀者飄向何方？租書店雪崩式倒閉後「阿哥進了圖書館，俠客棄劍歸山林」-風傳媒 |url=https://www.storm.mg/article/1812109 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=www.storm.mg |language=zh-TW}}</ref> However, the genre has persisted in the form of [[manhua]] (Chinese comics) in places like Hong Kong and Taiwan, with the core essentials of the wuxia genre living on in weekly editions equivalent to the Japanese [[manga]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=衛爾良 |date=28 October 2021 |title=鏢人｜世界水準中國硬派武俠漫畫 隋末西域荒涼肅殺躍然紙上 |url=https://www.hk01.com/武備志/694342/鏢人-世界水準中國硬派武俠漫畫-隋末西域荒涼肅殺躍然紙上 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=香港01 |language=zh-HK}}</ref>
Some notable comic artists are listed as follows:
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:20%;"| Name !! style="width:15%;"| Pseudonym !! style="width:10%;"| Active years !! style="width:25%;"| Some works !! style="width:25%;"| Brief description
|-
| align=center| Wong Jan-lung <br /> Huang Zhenlong <br /> 黃振隆 || align=center| [[Wong Yuk-long]] <br /> Huang Yulang <br /> 黃玉郎 || 1970–present || ''[[Oriental Heroes]]'', ''[[Weapons of the Gods (comics)|Weapons of the Gods]]'', ''[[Legend of Emperors]]'', ''Buddha's Palm'' || Some of his works were adapted into films and television series like ''[[Dragon Tiger Gate]]'', ''[[Kung Fu VS Acrobatic]]'', and ''[[The Buddhism Palm Strikes Back]]''.
|-
| align=center| [[Ma Wing-shing]] <br /> Ma Rongcheng <br /> 馬榮城 || align=center| Ma Wing-shing <br /> Ma Rongcheng <br /> 馬榮成 || 1975–present || ''[[Fung Wan]]'', ''[[Chinese Hero]]'', ''Black Leopard'' || Some of his works were adapted into films and television series such as ''[[The Storm Riders]]'', ''[[Wind and Cloud]]'', ''[[The Blood Sword]]'', and ''[[A Man Called Hero]]''.
|-
| align=center| [[Khoo Fuk-lung]] <br /> Qiu Fulong <br /> 邱福龍 ||  || 1980–present || ''[[Saint (manhua)|Saint]]'', ''Solar Lord'' || 
|}

==Film and television==
{{See also|Category: Wuxia films|Category: Wuxia television series|Category: Fantasy genres}}
The earliest wuxia films date back to the 1920s. Extant early wuxia films produced in China include ''Red Heroine'' (1929),<ref>{{cite web|title=Red Heroine 紅俠 (1929)|website=Chinese Film Classics|date=24 February 1929 |url=https://chinesefilmclassics.org/red-heroine-1929/|access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> ''[[The Valiant Girl White Rose|Woman Warrior White Rose]]'' (1929),<ref>{{cite web|title=Woman Warrior White Rose 女俠白玫瑰 (1929)|website=Chinese Film Classics|url=https://chinesefilmclassics.org/woman-warrior-white-rose-%e5%a5%b3%e4%bf%a0%e7%99%bd%e7%8e%ab%e7%91%b0-1929/|access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> and ''Woman Warrior of the Wild River 6: Rumble at Deerhorn Gully'' (1930),<ref>{{cite web|title=Woman Warrior of the Wild River 6 荒江女俠 第六集 (1930)|website=Chinese Film Classics|date=13 July 1930 |url=https://chinesefilmclassics.org/woman-warrior-of-the-wild-river-1930/|access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> the sixth film in a series. ''Hua Mu Lan'' (1939), another surviving film,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hua Mu Lan 木蘭從軍 (1939)|website=Chinese Film Classics|date=17 February 1939 |url=https://chinesefilmclassics.org/hua-mu-lan-1939/|access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> is considered a representative of the second wave of wuxia films, during the Anti-Japanese War.<ref name="cfc2249">{{cite book|last1=Rea |first1=Christopher G.|last2=Professor|first2=UBC |title=Chinese Film Classics 1922–1949|publisher=Columbia University Press|date=June 2021|chapter=9|access-date=24 February 2022|isbn=9780231188135 |url=https://cup.columbia.edu/book/chinese-film-classics-19221949/9780231188135 |quote=Contents}} Chapter 9</ref> Films directed by [[King Hu]] and produced by the [[Shaw Brothers Studio]] featured sophisticated action choreography using wire and trampoline assisted acrobatics combined with sped-up camera techniques.<ref>{{Cite thesis|title=Hong Kong New Wave Wuxia Pian Films and their Contribution to Hong Kong's National Agency During the 1980s and Early 1990s|url=https://etd.auburn.edu/handle/10415/865|date=15 August 2007|degree=Thesis|language=en-US|first=Mark|last=Walters|publisher=Auburn University}}</ref> The storylines in the early films were loosely adapted from existing literature.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhouxiang |first1=Lu |last2=Zhang |first2=Qi |last3=Hong |first3=Fan |title=Projecting the 'Chineseness': Nationalism, Identity and Chinese Martial Arts Films |journal=The International Journal of the History of Sport |date=11 February 2014 |volume=31 |issue=3 |pages=320–335 |doi=10.1080/09523367.2013.866093 |s2cid=154825458 |issn=0952-3367|url=http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/7673/1/ZL_Martial%20Arts%20Films%20preprint.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis|last1=Kolstee |first1=Hugo|title=Righting Wrongs: A Study of Certain Socio-Legal Phenomena in Wuxia Films|date=31 August 2018|degree=Master|publisher=[[Leiden University]]-East Asian Studies|hdl=1887/64383|hdl-access=free|url=https://studenttheses.universiteitleiden.nl/handle/1887/64383}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Jing-Lan |title=Wuxia Film: A Qualitative Perspective of Chinese Legal Consciousness |url=https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/4589|hdl=1773/4589|hdl-access=free|website=[[University of Washington]] ResearchWorks |access-date=16 May 2019 |date=7 November 2008}}</ref>

[[Cheng Pei-pei]], [[Jimmy Wang (actor)|Jimmy Wang]] and [[Connie Chan (actor)|Connie Chan]] are among the better known wuxia movie stars in the 1960s–70s, when films made by King Hu and the Shaw Brothers Studio were most prominent. More recent wuxia movie actors and actresses include [[Jet Li]], [[Brigitte Lin]], [[Michelle Yeoh]], [[Donnie Yen]], [[Tony Leung Chiu-wai|Tony Leung]] and [[Zhang Ziyi]]. [[Yuen Woo-ping]] is a choreographer who achieved fame by crafting action-sequences in wuxia films.

Wuxia was introduced to Hollywood studios in 2000 by [[Ang Lee]]'s ''[[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon]]'', though influence of the genre was previously seen in the United States in the 1970s television series ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]''. Following in Lee's footsteps, [[Zhang Yimou]] made ''[[Hero (2002 film)|Hero]]'', targeted for the international market in 2002, ''[[House of Flying Daggers]]'' in 2004, ''[[Curse of the Golden Flower]]'' in 2006 and ''[[Shadow (2018 film)|Shadow]]'' in 2018. Western audiences were also introduced to wuxia through Asian television stations in larger cities, which featured miniseries such as ''[[Warriors of the Yang Clan]]'' and ''Paradise'', often with English subtitles.

''[[Ash Is Purest White]]'' (Chinese: 江湖儿女; 'Sons and Daughters of Jianghu'), a 2018 Chinese drama directed by Jia Zhangke, is a modern film that refers to the underworld interpretation of jianghu. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. The story is loosely based on the leader of a gang from Jia Zhangke's childhood, whom he had admired as a role model. Like the rest of Jia's films, it opened to widespread acclaim.

There have been Western attempts at the genre, such as the 2008 film ''[[The Forbidden Kingdom]]'', which starred [[Jackie Chan]], [[Jet Li]] and [[Michael Angarano]]; other movies including wuxia elements are the first three in ''[[The Matrix (franchise)|The Matrix]]'' [[The Matrix (franchise)|film series]] (1999–2003, the fourth film from 2021 was choreographed by Joshua Grothe<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3615382/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr1087 |title=Joshua Grothe |publication-date=2022 |access-date=10 July 2022 |publisher=IMDb }}</ref>) and the ''[[Kill Bill: Volume 1|Kill Bill]]'' [[Kill Bill: Volume 1|films]] from 2003 to 2004, all of which were choreographed by [[Yuen Woo-ping]]. Perhaps the most successful example was [[DreamWorks Animation]]'s media franchise ''[[Kung Fu Panda (franchise)|Kung Fu Panda]]''. Created as an earnest, if humorous, emulation by producers who were knowledgeable admirers of the genre, the series has been particularly hailed in China as an excellent contribution to the form.<ref>{{cite news |last=Barboza |first=David |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/technology/30iht-panda.1.14091235.html |title=''Kung Fu Panda'' is a success at the box office in China |work=[[International Herald Tribune]] |date=30 June 2008 |access-date=9 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lee |first=Min |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-07-03-kungfupanda_N.htm |title=''Kung Fu Panda'' reaches Chinese box office milestone |work=[[USA Today]] |date=3 July 2008 |access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref> From the 1990s–2000s, Hong Kong stars [[Daniel Wu]] and [[Stephen Fung]] have worked with [[AMC Networks]] to bring wuxia to a US television audience with ''[[Into the Badlands (TV series)|Into the Badlands]]'', which premiered in 2015 and ran for three seasons.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/11/23/into_the_badlands_daniel_wu_interview_he_s_the_asian_action_hero_that_bruce.html |title=Into the Badlands' Daniel Wu Is the Asian American Action Hero That Bruce Lee Should've Been |first=Jeff |last=Yang |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=23 November 2015 |access-date=9 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jetli.com/2017/05/into-the-badlands-interview-daniel-wu |title=''Into the Badlands'' – Interview with Daniel Wu |first=Sean |last=Tierney |publisher=[[Jet Li|JetLi.com]] |date=18 May 2017 |access-date=9 July 2017}}</ref>

In 2013, [[Keanu Reeves]] directed and starred as the main antagonist in ''[[Man of Tai Chi]]'', with [[Tiger Chen]] as a martial artist attending underground fights. The [[Mulan (2020 film)|''Mulan'']] remake in 2020 was [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]'s attempt in making a wuxia movie.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Francisco |first=Eric |title=Disney's Live-Action 'Mulan': Why Mushu Is Missing, Intro to Wuxia Movies |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/57447-disney-mulan-wuxia-movies-why-mushu-is-missing-live-action |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Inverse |date=8 July 2019 |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, [[Marvel Studios|Marvel]]'s [[Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings|''Shang-Chi'']] opens with a wuxia sequence and has action sequences inspired by Jackie Chan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Eliza |date=11 November 2021 |title=Shang-Chi: A Diasporic Love Letter to Asian Cinema |url=https://www.tor.com/2021/11/11/shang-chi-a-diasporic-love-letter-to-asian-cinema/ |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Tor.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Swann |first=Erik |date=4 September 2021 |title=Simu Liu Opens Up About The Jackie Chan Tribute He Pulls Off In Shang-Chi |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2573063/simu-liu-opens-up-about-jackie-chan-tribute-shang-chi-brad-allan |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=CINEMABLEND |language=en}}</ref>

==Video games==
Some notable wuxia video games of the [[action RPG]] genre include ''[[The Legend of Sword and Fairy]]'', ''[[Xuan-Yuan Sword]]'', ''[[Jade Empire]]'', and ''[[Kingdom of Paradise]]'', all of which blend wuxia with elements of [[Chinese mythology]] and fantasy. ''The Legend of Sword and Fairy'', in particular, expanded into a franchise of eight video games, two of which were adapted into the television series ''[[Chinese Paladin (TV series)|Chinese Paladin]]'' (2005) and ''[[Chinese Paladin 3 (TV series)|Chinese Paladin 3]]'' (2009). There are also [[MMORPG]]s, such as ''JX Online 3'',{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} ''Heroes of Kung Fu''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hero.webmmo.com/ |title=Heroes of Kung Fu, Free Browser Game, Online Game, RPG Game, Flash Game |access-date=2016-11-14 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115161315/http://hero.webmmo.com/ |archive-date=15 January 2011}}</ref> and ''[[Age of Wulin]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wulin.gpotato.eu/|title=Age of Wulin – Legend of the Nine Scrolls is set in medieval China and based on the lore surrounding martial arts|publisher=Wulin.gpotato.eu|access-date=28 December 2013|archive-date=13 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113082741/http://wulin.gpotato.eu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[hack and slash]] games, such as ''[[Bujingai]]''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bujingai: The Forsaken City |url=https://videogamegeek.com/videogame/116091/bujingai-forsaken-city |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=VideoGameGeek |language=en-US}}</ref> and ''[[Heavenly Sword]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Purchese|first=Robert|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/enslaved-interview|title=Eurogamer Enslaved Interview|website=Eurogamer|date=19 November 2009|access-date=15 March 2015}}</ref>

Games adapted from the works of wuxia writers include ''[[Heroes of Jin Yong]]'', an RPG based on characters in [[Jin Yong]]'s novels; ''[[Dragon Oath]]'', an MMORPG inspired by Jin Yong's ''[[Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils]]''; and ''[[Martial Kingdoms]]'', a [[Strategy video game|strategy game]] featuring several martial arts schools which commonly appear in wuxia fiction.

The wuxia genre continues to be drawn as a pool of inspiration or source material for Chinese video game studios. In June 2022, [[Tencent Games|Tencent's Lightspeed Studio]] released a demo trailer on ''Code: To Jin Yong''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Says |first=0kensai0 |date=27 June 2022 |title=Wuxia Martial Arts Game Looks Slick As Hell |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2022/06/wuxia-martial-arts-game-looks-slick-as-hell/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627235408/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2022/06/wuxia-martial-arts-game-looks-slick-as-hell/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 June 2022 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Kotaku Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref> In the following month, Everstone Studio unveiled ''[[Where Winds Meet]]'', a game compared to ''[[Ghost of Tsushima]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Matt |date=23 August 2022 |title=Where Winds Meet Is Like Ghost of Tsushima in Medieval China – Gamescom Opening Night Live |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/where-winds-meet-is-like-ghost-of-tsushima-in-medieval-china-gamescom-opening-night-live |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> 2023 saw the release of ''Hero's Adventure: Road to Passion'' in November, a wuxia-inspired open world RPG,{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}} as well as ''Wandering Sword'' in September, a RPG featuring an art style reminiscent of [[HD-2D]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vitale |first=Adam |date=January 14, 2024 |title=Wandering Sword Review {{!}} RPG Site |url=https://www.rpgsite.net/review/15320-wandering-sword-review |access-date=2025-09-07 |website=www.rpgsite.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nolan |first=Liam |date=2023-08-25 |title=HD-2D RPG Wandering Sword Gets Release Date |url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/wandering-sword-octopath-release-date/ |access-date=2025-09-07 |website=The Escapist |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
<!--The word does not yet have an entry in Wiktionary
{{wiktionarypar|wuxia}}
-->
*[[List of organisations in wuxia fiction]]
*[[Martial arts film]]
*[[Chivalric romance]] and [[historical fantasy]] — [[Western world|Western]] fantasy genres similar in concept to ''wuxia''
*''[[Xianxia]]'' — a subgenre of ''wuxia'' novel
**[[Sword and sorcery]] — a Western fantasy genre similar to ''xianxia''
*[[Zhou Tong (archer)]]
*{{Transliteration|zh|[[Guzhuang]]}}  ancient Chinese-style costume, typically used in {{Transliteration|zh|[[Xianxia]]}} and {{Transliteration|zh|Wuxia}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Jenner, WJF. [http://www.eastasianhistory.org/sites/default/files/article-content/12/EAH12_01.pdf "Tough Guys, Mateship and Honour: Another Chinese Tradition"]. ''East Asian History'' 12 (1996): 1–34.
* Liu, Petrus. ''Stateless Subjects: Chinese Martial Arts Fiction and Postcolonial History''. Ithaca: Cornell University East Asia Series. ({{ISBN|978-1933947624}})
* McCloud, Aaron Matthew Gordon (2010). ''Papercuts: The Literary and the Martial in the Genre of Wuxia Fiction''. Thesis (B.A.). Reed College. {{oclc|643126927}}.
* 汪涌豪 《中国游侠史》 上海：上海文化出版社，1994 [Wang, Yonghao (1994): "History of Chinese Knight-errantry". Shanghai: Shanghai Wenhua Chubanshe]. {{oclc|726816835}}. {{in lang|zh}}

==External links==
* Early silent wuxia film with English subtitles: [https://chinesefilmclassics.org/woman-warrior-white-rose-%e5%a5%b3%e4%bf%a0%e7%99%bd%e7%8e%ab%e7%91%b0-1929/ ''Woman Warrior White Rose'' (1929)]
* Early silent wuxia film with English subtitles: [https://chinesefilmclassics.org/red-heroine-1929/ ''Red Heroine'' (1929)]
* Early silent wuxia film with English subtitles: [https://chinesefilmclassics.org/woman-warrior-of-the-wild-river-1930/ ''Woman Warrior of the Wild River 6: Rumble at Deerhorn Gully'' (1930)]
* Early musical wuxia film with English subtitles: [https://chinesefilmclassics.org/hua-mu-lan-1939/ ''Hua Mu Lan'' (1939)]
* [http://members.tripod.com/~journeyeast/wuxia_pian.html "HK Martial Arts Cinema"] by David Bordwell—An article about wuxia films
* [http://cialo-umysl-dusza.pl/kino-wewnetrzne/495-wuxia-sztylety-i-wielka-milosc-o-filmie-dom-latajacych-sztyletow Wuxia, sztylety i wielka miłość. O filmie "Dom Latających Sztyletów"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225004941/http://cialo-umysl-dusza.pl/kino-wewnetrzne/495-wuxia-sztylety-i-wielka-milosc-o-filmie-dom-latajacych-sztyletow |date=25 February 2014 }} {{in lang|pl}}
* [http://csc.ziyi.org/filmography/cthd/wuxiafiction/index.html Information on the wuxia genre from a website about actress Zhang Ziyi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820060257/http://csc.ziyi.org/filmography/cthd/wuxiafiction/index.html |date=20 August 2014 }}

{{Martial arts}}
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{{Film genres}}
{{Fantasy fiction}}

[[Category:Wuxia| ]]
[[Category:Martial arts fiction]]
[[Category:Chinese literary genres]]
[[Category:Chinese martial arts terminology]]
[[Category:Chinese warriors]]
[[Category:Fantasy genres]]
[[Category:Film genres]]
[[Category:Television genres]]