Common Things in Wuxia genre.

In the last article I went a little bit about meaning of Wuxia genre. For this one, I will go over common term  that are usually in the genre.

To put it bluntly, this is what separate 'Couching Tiger' and the likes of 'Ip man'. So if you watch a movie that mention anything of these term, feel free to throw 'realistic' out of your head.

Still, please note that some of these term are actually exist in real world but it is very exaggerated.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.

================================================================

1) Inner energy(Qi).

A source of hero/heroine power. It's an energy that flow our around your body. It can increase user psychical ability such as toughness and agility.  In most novel/movie, wuxia hero usually gain more inner energy by practice kung fu, meditate, and/or channel breath around body.

Not real life example.

Those who have inner energy will gain enhance strength, agility, and sense at very least. May have other additional effect depend on writer.

2) Floating skill/Lightness kungfu(Qinggong)

A skill to make wuxia go faster beyond normal human, usually use as a gauge on how 'fast' each character are. In real life, it is probably similar to parkour or free running. But in wuxia genre, especially after the wire technique have been introduce their feat are usually exaggerated.

Courtesy of wire work.

Still, aside from popular believe, please note that the lightness kung fu is not the same as flying. The main concept is that the user is skillful (and light) enough to jump really high and glide along the wind or walk on the water. It's more like floating and gliding, not actually flying like Superman does.

Dead, absolutely dead.

3) Acupuncture/Meridian strike.

In Chinese medicine theory, our body have an inner energy(qi) flow around the body. Ancient Chinese doctor believe that disease happen when one of body point(meridian) that the inner energy pass around has been disrupted. Therefore, Chinese doctor create an art of acupuncture, a knowledge to fix sickness by manipulate those maridian, either by penetration skin with silver needle or electric shock.

Real life acupuncture chart

Acupuncture strike is a play on those concept. In the novel/movie, the hero/villain will usually stunned their target by jamming finger on those point(usually shoulder/chest in movie).

Just like that.

Sometime, in a rare case, they can even kill their opponent by those attack.

4) Qi blast.

A blast that generate by inner power from any strike. Usually exaggerated in TV series that make them shoot it like laser beam.

5) Fire deviation.

The self inflict injury that happen when inner energy cause disastrous effect to user. Usually happen when the hero/villian make a mess of their inner power either by practice by using wrong method, or overrush their training. It usually cause internal bleeding, insanity, or death at very worst.

6) Jianghu.

Literally means "Rivers and lakes". Jianghu is a common term for community of martial artist. It usually compose of sects, clans and various kungfu school. It also include many wandering martial artist(youxia) who came from variety of occupation such as aristocrat, nobles, thieves, beggars, monks, healers, merchants, etc.

Those who are in Jianghu may or may not working against society. They might be vigilante(which most hero of the story does), criminal(which most of villain also seems to be). But they rarely make impact on society as a whole except if the author 'clearly' want to (Eg: Zhang Yimou's Hero).

Also, I want to differentiated that the word Jianghu does not reflect 'real-life' martial artist community in anyway possible. In real-life it's means to any circle of interested. If you practice any martial art( karate, wushu, boxing, krav maga, muey thai, etc.) and try to repeat the exploit of your wuxia hero like playing vigilante or beat some other martial artist on the street, You will go to jail. No exception.


And that's all I can think of for now. Hope this might explain the Wuxia weirdness a bit.