Wuxia vs Xianxia

[theSwordoftheWest]

For those who frequently visit Wuxia Translation, there is a booming interest in Xiaxia recently. This new garner of interest has help tremendously. Be it in sparking new interest of old translator, or luring new translator. All start by our great hero He-man who introduce Stellar Transformation, since then new title have been introduce regurlarly. Even Wuxia genre get the benefit to share the limelight. All is good.

But this post is about themes. I may have not be in positions to say this, but I feel like I want to share my thoughts. The Xiaxia book that I have read only Stellar Transformation, Coiling Dragon, Zhuxian and Nixian.

But I feel like most Xianxia genre lack the themes of Kindness and justice. Even though family theme is strong, but the path of immortality in this genre are all reflect selfishness. Making the MC themselves are just like that. Maybe family theme were strong, but the kindness towards life are lacking.

Maybe exception can be place on Zhuxian, because even though the theme talking about humans are dog, the MC persist to persevere his mortality by being melancholy, I know some hate the story for being to mushy mushy. But we still can sees, the MC stand against for all that is unjust, and stand on path of humanity despite the lack thereof in his world. But again, since I didn't get to finish his life, I do not know what happens to his principal when he discover it is the good guys that eradicate all his village. I know he turned rogue, but that another story.

Unlike Wuxia, whose theme we still can sees kindness in them. We see the theme of human, good and bad of a person, and the grey area lies between. We also sees forgiveness in Bordertown wonderer, justice and many complex theme that made us humans.

Maybe it is just the generation who writes the story. I mean those wuxia were written in 1970ish, they just more nicer I guess. While the present writer, write in modern age were people view are more materialistic in nature. Or I'm just not expose enough to all the Xianxia out there to really understand what the heck I'm talking here. But in time maybe I understand. For now, this is just what I felt.

[Avidfan]

But I feel like most Xianxia genre lack the themes of Kindness and justice. Even though family theme is strong, but the path of immortality in this genre are all reflect selfishness. Making the MC themselves are just like that. Maybe family theme were strong, but the kindness towards life are lacking.

No, that is not the true as the Xianxia that I have read; the Chinese Paladin (仙剑奇侠传), 飘渺之旅 (Baidu wiki actually uses this book to define the 修真 genre also, 仙侠 baidu wiki is also using this novel as a introduction), 飘渺神之旅 etc.

The Investiture of the Gods (封神演义) is not xianxia.

Xianxia (仙侠) is a new genre. When I write AMO, i thought that I am touching a rare genre.

What is wuxia? It comes from doctrines of Mo Zhe and Confucius 2500 years ago.

侠之墨子，
仁之仁者

Wuxia is based on the Mo Zhe and his followers who go around righting wrongs and the benevolent heart of the followers of Confucius.

So in Wuxia, the MC has characteristics of the doctrines of Mozhe and Confucius.

仙侠 Xianxia is the same as Wuxia, the MC also has characteristics of the doctrines of Mozhe and Confucius but has supernatural elements in it or surreal stuff.

The truth is that when people are looking for Xianxia to read, they are looking for high fantasy, fantasy stuff and not really Xianxia.

It is kind of sad that Xianxia got so misrepresented with so many people mixing it up or having confusion