Paul Giamatti, Kate Mara, and James Purefoy in Ironclad (2011)

Wuxia Movies

Wuxia is sub-genre of the martial arts film and is defined by specific features. The word translates literally as “martial chivalry” or “martial hero”; and the main elements that make up the wuxia film are the warrior, xia, whose actions (and swordsmanship) are governed by specific codes and the world which they inhabit, known as jianghu (‘rivers and lakes’). Xia warriors often embody what is known as the wen-wu dyad. Wu represents physical strength and martial power, while wen represents mental, civic and literary accomplishment. Similar in form to the yin-yang, the two opposing masculinities work in harmony to create the masculine ideal. Although the martial arts of wuxia film share some ground with the more recognized subgenre of the kung fu film, there are significant differences that separate the two. The wuxia film features fantastic elements and has a basis in mythology, with the films often described as ‘epics’. This is particularly evident when considering the xia warrior, whose abilities and skill range far beyond the human boundaries that limit the kung fu protagonist; the xia warrior is often able to fly or run on water, for example. As Stephen Teo argues “the essential marker of difference distinguishing the kung fu film from the wuxia film was the emphasis on ‘real fighting’." 

Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, and Ziyi Zhang in House of Flying Daggers (2004)

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