Are Women Inferior in terms of Internal Power?

[Son of Light]

This is because most WuXia writers do not understand the Moe of powerful girls.

[goodrick]

This is because most WuXia writers do not understand the Moe of powerful girls.

Whats MOE of powerful girls?

[bliss]

I have been wondering about this question for a while now...

In JinYong novels, it seems, there are no top-tier female fighters (or, at least, not that many) (although there's always A Qing although this, too, is debatable)

Not debatable.

[Son of Light]

Whats MOE of powerful girls?

Powerful pretty girls are awesome and cute.

[Guo Xiang]

Powerful pretty girls are awesome and cute.

Agreed. Unless they have rippling muscles... :\

[snowflakesdance]

I haven't really read a lot of wuxia novels and most of those that I read are JY's (I think Legendary Siblings was the only novel I've read that is non-JY). But let me just share my opinion about this. Based on what I know from the little novels I've read/wuxia series I've seen, internal power is attained through training (at least generally speaking, although there were some exceptions) and the longer the training is, the more powerful the internal energy is (correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, just to differentiate, most of men in wuxia tends to search for ways to increase their "power" and kungfu skills while girls tend to want to get a husband (and c'mon! this thing about the girls looking for "true love" happened in real life -although not as much as on ancient times - and men wanting to be the best is still happening until today). So I think its not really because women are biologically inferior but because they don't have that much focus/interest on kungfu as much as finding "true love". I guess this is one of the things that is true to real life in wuxia.

But then, I could be totally wrong

[Yuet Thi]

Anyway, just to differentiate, most of men in wuxia tends to search for ways to increase their "power" and kungfu skills while girls tend to want to get a husband (and c'mon! this thing about the girls looking for "true love" happened in real life -although not as much as on ancient times - and men wanting to be the best is still happening until today). So I think its not really because women are biologically inferior but because they don't have that much focus/interest on kungfu as much as finding "true love".

Actually, I agree with this. Take Huang Rong for example. She was smart and a fast learner. However, she wasn't really interested in learning martial arts. She had a father who people feared just for hearing his name, Beggar Sect leader Hong Qigong as a shifu, a powerful husband, and Mei Chaofeng and many others were always there to protect her. She could've known no martial arts and still be able to survive. As for men, they always wanted to be on the top and would do anything to lay their hands on the best martial arts manuals (Dongfang Bubai, Jiumozhi). Most women in wuxia, however, either learned martial arts because they were members of a sect since they were little or did it to take revenge on their cold lover.

[Guo Xiang]

I haven't really read a lot of wuxia novels and most of those that I read are JY's (I think Legendary Siblings was the only novel I've read that is non-JY). But let me just share my opinion about this. Based on what I know from the little novels I've read/wuxia series I've seen, internal power is attained through training (at least generally speaking, although there were some exceptions) and the longer the training is, the more powerful the internal energy is (correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, just to differentiate, most of men in wuxia tends to search for ways to increase their "power" and kungfu skills while girls tend to want to get a husband (and c'mon! this thing about the girls looking for "true love" happened in real life -although not as much as on ancient times - and men wanting to be the best is still happening until today). So I think its not really because women are biologically inferior but because they don't have that much focus/interest on kungfu as much as finding "true love". I guess this is one of the things that is true to real life in wuxia.

But then, I could be totally wrong

Actually, I agree with this. Take Huang Rong for example. She was smart and a fast learner. However, she wasn't really interested in learning martial arts. She had a father who people feared just for hearing his name, Beggar Sect leader Hong Qigong as a shifu, a powerful husband, and Mei Chaofeng and many others were always there to protect her. She could've known no martial arts and still be able to survive. As for men, they always wanted to be on the top and would do anything to lay their hands on the best martial arts manuals (Dongfang Bubai, Jiumozhi). Most women in wuxia, however, either learned martial arts because they were members of a sect since they were little or did it to take revenge on their cold lover.

I don't want to make a long post on this... but there's something called social conditioning in real life which will spill over to literature works. I mean, switch the gender roles and we will be arguing about 'are men inferior in terms of internal power' and how men tend to only want to get married instead.

[S Beaver]

I don't want to make a long post on this... but there's something called social conditioning in real life which will spill over to literature works. I mean, switch the gender roles and we will be arguing about 'are men inferior in terms of internal power' and how men tend to only want to get married instead.

I think it's pretty established that Jin Yong is somewhat of a sexist in that he's got defined gender roles in his mind...so it's of no surprise that his characters turned out such.

though, biologically, the only thing that could point to an explaination of inferior internal power in women could be that childbirth could harm one's internal power. but then again, we've got plenty of childless ladies in JY's world and none of them seem to surpass anything either...

[kidd]

snowflakesdance's and Yuet Thi's assessment is so true. In wuxia story, especially JY's, the women are more focus on love. Even in GL's story, the men are the ones always obsessing with martial arts and trying to reach the peak of perfection in their martial art achievement.

[Son of Light]

Well, at least there are still plp like Wo LongSheng that gives their girls strong internal str. ^^