Difference Between Wuxia & Xianxia Battle Scenes

[Discount_Blade]

Like the title says. Now, I know Xianxia would be like some Dragon Ball Z kinda stuff, throwing giant beams of power at each other or wave attacks that obliterate entire villages or something. But what about Wuxia?

What constitutes as a Wuxia battle scene? Any examples available?

 

[Draconite]

Try reading Jin Yong novel's he is the maker of the wuxia genre

 

[UYScuti]

It’s more about technique against technique right? Like 15,000 petal technique of the semi-liquid sword cloaked in dark webs of infernal mantra countered by the 12-armed snow ape wave-breaker-stance of the 8-layered gold-bodied Buddha.

For me, though, the best battles are verbal. A little bit of “I, your father” countered by “I, your grandfather” with interruptions of “I, your grandmother” for no reason.

 

[CL]

Like the title says. Now, I know Xianxia would be like some Dragon Ball Z kinda stuff, throwing giant beams of power at each other or wave attacks that obliterate entire villages or something. But what about Wuxia?

What constitutes as a Wuxia battle scene? Any examples available?

I wasn't aware there existed a difference. Thanks for making me aware.

 

[Mephi]

The only difference between wuxia and xianxia is that wuxia is somewhere between historical fiction and low fantasy, whereas xianxia is high fantasy. There's just more magic in xianxia than wuxia.

Fight scenes are going to largely depend on the author in question, but again, xianxia will generally have more magical attacks while wuxia will be little to no magic in the fight.

 

[Discount_Blade]

The only difference between wuxia and xianxia is that wuxia is somewhere between historical fiction and low fantasy, whereas xianxia is high fantasy. There's just more magic in xianxia than wuxia.

Fight scenes are going to largely depend on the author in question, but again, xianxia will generally have more magical attacks while wuxia will be little to no magic in the fight.

I recently started reading something called GOSU. It has people punching holes in mountains, and things like kicks or sword swings just plain deforesting entire swathes of trees, but no magic. Basically superhuman martial arts. No flying either.

Would you consider this Wuxia?

 

[Discount_Blade]

It’s more about technique against technique right? Like 15,000 petal technique of the semi-liquid sword cloaked in dark webs of infernal mantra countered by the 12-armed snow ape wave-breaker-stance of the 8-layered gold-bodied Buddha.

For me, though, the best battles are verbal. A little bit of “I, your father” countered by “I, your grandfather” with interruptions of “I, your grandmother” for no reason.

Them names always bugged the hell out of me XDDDD

 

[UYScuti]

Them names always bugged the hell out of me XDDDD

I think they’re just cobbled together to sound mystical or something. But seriously, the best part about those novels are the insults and face slaps. No matter how recycled they are, they never bore me.

I’ve even written them myself just because they’re fun.

 

[Legi0n]

Wuxia = Low Fantasy
Xianxia = High Fantasy

 

[NotaNuffian]

I think they’re just cobbled together to sound mystical or something. But seriously, the best part about those novels are the insults and face slaps. No matter how recycled they are, they never bore me.

I’ve even written them myself just because they’re fun.

I used to wonder wtf is 八荒六合 because it kept popping up as a sword name. Turns out, 八荒 means the four cardinal directions plus their in betweens and 六合 is just "up down left right front back"... and the sword can be translated to omnidirectional sword... and it is just Byakuya's Zanpakuto Death by Thousands Paper Cuts, except the sword does not follow the conventional mass translation and more like Naruto's clone technique. Oh, and it can get affected by male virgin blood.

Then there are all the martial techniques like Pangu's (the guy who "created" the world) Axe Swipe! They most likely just add a deity's name to their attack for no apparent reason, so for me, it is probably Jesus Surplex!

 

[NotaNuffian]

I recently started reading something called GOSU. It has people punching holes in mountains, and things like kicks or sword swings just plain deforesting entire swathes of trees, but no magic. Basically superhuman martial arts. No flying either.

Would you consider this Wuxia?

To differentiate between wuxia and xianxia, it is whether the characters are trying to attain godhood/ deity status.

So yes, very wuxia, the whole thing is balls to the walls for me.

 

[UYScuti]

translated to omnidirectional sword

Honestly, I’d be more impressed if someone had a sword called, “Trout Slayer.” At least then I know that sword doesn’t fuck around. There are no in betweens with Trout Slayer.

 

[Discount_Blade]

Honestly, I’d be more impressed if someone had a sword called, “Trout Slayer.” At least then I know that sword doesn’t fuck around. There are no in betweens with Trout Slayer.

Can't decide whether to take this serious or not XDD

 

[MarkofWisdom]

Can't forget the peanut gallery/hype men watching from the sidelines and commentating on every punch and trying to out exaggerate each other
"My guy totally beats up your guy! He can punch 12 moons out of the sky without even looking at them!"
"Oh yeah? Well my guy can punch those 12 moons back into the sky and 13 other moons out of the sky with his eyes closed! See! He just punched your guy in the face!"

 

[Discount_Blade]

Can't forget the peanut gallery/hype men watching from the sidelines and commentating on every punch and trying to out exaggerate each other
"My guy totally beats up your guy! He can punch 12 moons out of the sky without even looking at them!"
"Oh yeah? Well my guy can punch those 12 moons back into the sky and 13 other moons out of the sky with his eyes closed! See! He just punched your guy in the face!"

My guy can eat 6 spoon-fulls of peanut butter without wanting even ONE sip of water!!! HA!! Beat that!!

 

[CheertheDead]

I made a little google search.

The Wu in Wuxia is ‘martial art’ and xia is words that describes chivalrous people.
Xian is a category of divine being in Chinese mythology, they can be translated as god or immortal.

So wuxia is a story about mortal characters while xianxia has its setting in godly realm or something like that.

 

[MarkofWisdom]

Thinking about it, it might be like the difference between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball does have a lot of magic/mystic techniques and the meetings with Kami and old Piccolo, but it also has a lot of actual martial artists around and relevant in it, plus actual techinques beyond just punching or kicking people. DBZ moves power levels to the range where they leave Earth and starting interacting with people on/above the level of deities, plus the battles become just random punching and kicking each other in between throwing mountain or planet destroying energy beams at each other. Frieza's tantrum of destroying Namek and Kid Buu's potential universe wide genocide are definitely in xianxia villain territory

The titular dragon balls are also a lot more important in Dragon Ball than in DBZ. In Dragon Ball it's actually a significant trip/adventure to find them all, while DBZ has it be like a casual day trip/outing to fly around the globe and pick them all up for whatever latest wish they have.