The martial world is often parallel to or hidden from the mundane world (红尘 hóngchén), where ordinary people live under the rule of law and morality.
The martial world is also influenced by the supernatural forces of heaven (天 tiān) and earth (地 dì), which can reward or punish the actions of martial artists.
Wuxia novel usually features a protagonist who is either a martial artist or an aspiring one.
The protagonist often undergoes a journey of self-cultivation (修炼 xiūliàn), which involves learning martial arts skills (武功 wǔgōng), internal energy (气 qì), techniques (招式 zhāoshì), weapons (兵器 bīngqì), and secrets (秘籍 mìjí) from various sources such as masters (师父 shīfu), manuals (秘笈 mìjí), relics (遗物 yíwù), or encounters (奇遇 qíyù).
The protagonist also faces various challenges such as enemies (敌人 dírén), rivals (对手 duìshǒu), friends (朋友 péngyǒu), lovers (恋人 liànrén), mentors (恩师 ēnshī), or fate (命运 mìngyùn) that test his or her moral values, loyalty, courage, wisdom, and love.
Wuxia novel often incorporates elements from other genres such as romance (言情 yánqíng), mystery (悬疑 xuányí), comedy (喜剧 xǐjù), tragedy (悲剧 bēijù), horror (恐怖 kǒngbù), fantasy (幻想 huànxiǎng), or science fiction (科幻 kēhuàn).
Wuxia novel also reflects the cultural diversity of China by featuring characters from different regions, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds.
Wuxia novel also explores various themes such as heroism (英雄 yīngxióng), justice (正义 zhèngyì), freedom (自由 zìyóu), loyalty (忠诚 zhōngchéng), friendship (友情 yǒuqíng), love (爱情 àiqíng), revenge (复仇 fùchóu), honor (荣誉 róngyù), or destiny (天命 tiānmìng).
The Difference between Wuxia Novel and Other Related Genres
Wuxia novel is sometimes confused with other related genres such as xianxia (仙侠 xiānxiá) and xuanhuan (玄幻 xuánhuàn).
Xianxia literally means “immortal heroes” and is a genre of Chinese fiction that features the adventures of immortal cultivators who seek eternal life and the pinnacle of strength.
Xianxia is heavily influenced by Daoism and often involves elements such as magic, demons, ghosts, gods, and other realms.
