Difference of the Chinese and Korean Cultivation

[Jemini]

I meant Chinese-Western Fantasies but yeah I think the reason that 'Chinese' Originals are bad is because no Writer is willing to invest in such a complicated theme, especially with remembering the names/places.
But yeah I've seen some decent Originals Cultivation novels but it can get pretty cringe when there's a character named Jack saying profound cultivation terms lol

That's the thing, profound cultivation themes are usually not a part of the Western originals. Rather, it tends to treat cultivation as just another power system in a similar vein to the LiteRPG power system, only instead of getting your "levels" by killing monsters you get them with some internal introspection stuff.

(The best ones tend to say you need a mix of the two, that you need to use your skills in real combat and then meditate on them in order to gain greater insight from your combat experiences.)

That said, I've actually noticed an odd tendency toward the "J" names in the western-original cultivation series. Things like John, Jason, or Jack. (Ok, I haven't actually seen Jack in a cultivation novel, but I do think I've seen a Joseph.)

 

[UnknownSaint171]

That's the thing, profound cultivation themes are usually not a part of the Western originals. Rather, it tends to treat cultivation as just another power system in a similar vein to the LiteRPG power system, only instead of getting your "levels" by killing monsters you get them with some internal introspection stuff.

(The best ones tend to say you need a mix of the two, that you need to use your skills in real combat and then meditate on them in order to gain greater insight from your combat experiences.)

That said, I've actually noticed an odd tendency toward the "J" names in the western-original cultivation series. Things like John, Jason, or Jack. (Ok, I haven't actually seen Jack in a cultivation novel, but I do think I've seen a Joseph.)

That's an interesting way to look at it, and I see a lot of potential in Cultivation being a vein in LiteRpg. I've seen good ones in RoyalRoad. Unfortunately, WN only has harem/r18 works...

 

[tiaf]

There are Korean Xuanhuan novels? Can you show an example?

Murim Login

Hunter meets Murim meets System

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Murim Login

Hunter meets Murim meets System

It's not Xuanhuan. It's system+wuxia\xianxia.

 

[tiaf]

It's not Xuanhuan. It's system+wuxia\xianxia.

there are gates and dungeons though

 

[RepresentingWrath]

there are gates and dungeons though

Gates and dungeons in the real world. In the real world, you have your typical Korean system novel, like Solo Levelling. If I'm not mistaken, Xuanhuan can have systems in them, but not every system novel is Xuanhuan. In the dream world, it's wuxia. Because so far, there have been no warriors(cultivators) that could split a mountain in half, and so on, yet there are warriors who can use some kind of elemental attack and overall those warriors are somewhat superhuman.

 

[BaldDogA66]

Hmm? I thought kn lean more to wuxia and Xuanhuan, but not a lot of xianxia .

Can you give me an example of Korean xianxia?
I too would like to compare.

A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation​

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

As the Title asks, I am asking what is the Difference between the Chinese and Korean Cultivation Novels. I was planning on writing one of the two, to start I started reading some Cultivation stories, to which, most were predominantly Chinese. Now, I'm asking those who write Cultivation Novels:

Do you research their Culture, Dress and Whatnot?
Is the Murim World the same for all Cultivation Novels?
Did you ever considering using Korean or Chinese when naming stuff?
Did you ever try using Western naming on a cultivation story?
Any tips?

You forget that this is primarily a fantasy setting where a lot of things are just accepted as common tropes for Korea or China. Especially the type that seem to be way too politically charged or a blatant racism against certain groups. One must first isolate what they WANT their personal ‘Murim’ to be like in their head.

Is it always tragic? Or do people have fun?

Stuff like names and clothing sense usually makes sense to an easterner more than a westerner. I myself can visualise a whole Ancient China setting in my head, but don’t have confidence in other areas in terms of tropes.

I know what a village is like because I’ve actually been to one IRL. I know what it’s like to stick together through hard times, which why it’s hard for me to visualise unrepentant evil people who are constantly seeking death from the MC.

My advice? Don’t try copying the tropes. Try to understand that it’s the legacy of a Murim that makes it tick. The history that twisted heroes and changed villains to become better men. Filled with stories that get trampled on in the snow.

Change it to suit your own needs, and let yourself freely create a story you find comfortable writing. Fill this ‘Murim’ with little backstories and events of very human people.

Names and that junk will naturally flow out while writing.

Also, Xuanhuan is also an option so try that.

 

[COCONA]

I feel that everyone is missing something very important, so as a Chinese, PLZ allow me to explain.
In fact, there is no such thing as murim, as it is simply the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese word Wuxia, which is rooted in Chinese culture, not only in Wushu, but also in the political, economic, human and even geographic environments of ancient China.In other words, if there is no Chinese element then it can't be called Wuxia, and the so-called murim is just Koreans changing the pronunciation of Wuxia from Chinese to Korean, it doesn't mean that Koreans created something new.That's why you guys always feel that the two are similar - because it's the same thing! You can think of Murim as a crude imitation of Chinese Wuxia.Why do I say sketchy?If you've read canonical Wuxia novels, like Jin Yong, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
So if you want to create your own Wuxia creation or character, the name doesn't really matter too much, you can come up with your favourite/familiar name.But please note that you must prepare well in advance, because the world of Wuxia is still very grand.I'm sorry to see that many people think that wuxia is the same as wushu, but that's only partially true. wuxia in Chinese means 武侠，武 stands for martial arts, and 侠 refers more to a kind of spirituality. the former is just the surface.The former is just the surface, the latter is the core of such literature.Like a few people said earlier Korean so-called murim is always centred around wushu, this is because they are merely imitating it poorly and don't know the spirit of it.
Anyway, you can't call it Wuxia without Chinese elements, just like you can't call it ninja without Japanese.
If you are going to create your own martial arts work, you may need to familiarise yourself with some basic information about ancient China, such as political dynasties, geography, human customs, martial arts categories and schools.

 

[miyoga]

Allow me to inject a modern idea on this. The difference between Chinese and Korean novels is very simple and immensely complex at the same time. With Korea, one of the best examples that I can think of comes from anime: "Solo Leveling". The names are Korean, the culture is Korean...basically, it's just a fictional Korea with tons of game elements and is only marginally attached to the idea of cultivation.

For Chinese novels, I'm actually going to use another anime: Dragonball. Goku's full name is "Son Goku" which is just the Japanese name/pronunciation for Sun Wukong, the monkey king from"Journey to the West". This is a more traditional cultivation story that involves training to gain power, taking "medicines" and eating special foods to increase your powers, finding your limits and breaking through them to get more power. It's all about power scaling so that you can rise above everyone and possibly become an immortal deity.

This is by no means a perfect comparison as a lot of modern cultivation stories from China also include game elements (especially those C-drama shorts you can find on tiktok and youtube). Where the difference becomes obvious, to me at least, is that the Chinese-themed/based novels are more interested in the process of how the characters are gaining power while the Korean would be more about gaining power to use (another example is Kpop Demon hunters, it's not about the training, it's about kicking ass). I will also admit that I'm far more knowledgeable about the Chinese side based on my degree (Chinese language) and the fact that I've been living in mainland China for a little over a decade.

 

[Deleted member 206441]

The Korean media landscape has sure changed in the last 2 years.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I feel that everyone is missing something very important,

You miss something important as well, this is a two year old thread bro.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

That said, I've actually noticed an odd tendency toward the "J" names in the western-original cultivation series. Things like John, Jason, or Jack. (Ok, I haven't actually seen Jack in a cultivation novel, but I do think I've seen a Joseph.)

Interesting - I always used J-names for everything until I got into role-playing games at age 13 and was forced to branch out (as a DM/GM/CM/Keeper)... Though most of the K and J novels with Cultivation that I've encountered either use a mix of Indian and Chinese names and terminology, regardless of the country of the writer, or have a hero named Peter.

 

[BearlyAlive]

The only difference is cultural, and unless you're Cheesenese or Grindean, there's no need to emulate them. Those stories normally feature "egoistical or edgy assholes trying to get the most out of everyone else" type stories, with some idiotically powerful starting bonus for the MC. Chinese ones tend to focus on the face-slapping and under-raw-dogging, while Korean ones are mostly about alpha-male "Gotta go for gains, muscles/energies/numbers go brrr" grindset mindset, unless it's about money. Then it's all about grinding money. (I swear, the only things Koreans don't grind are their wives/GFs...)

It always irks me how there's a multi-dimensional difference between wuxia video games and wuxia novels. The games feature chivalric characters traveling the lands, doing right and correcting wrongs, while the novels are the total opposite. Murderhobo edgelords going around and being assholes, causing collateral.

 

[DireBadger]

Most 'litrpg' and 'gaming system' books are functionally similar to xianxia and wuxia books... the idea of advancing within a gaming-style or measurable framework is not even remotely Asian; it has existed in all cultures that have written fictional fantasy.

The details have been made more POPULAR by weeb culture, but D&D (and it's offshoots, and even the 'adventure game' genre among computer games) was not uniquely asian or even created by the asians. It was created by English and American wargamers and then expanded by role-playing gamers and computer gamers long before it was ever touched by asians, although it does have connections to the 'better living through chemistry' fiction from China.

It has its roots in wargaming, which has been popular in ALL cultures for all of recorded history. As has the genre of 'game becoming real'.


But the takeaway is? every fiction has different definitions, and that's what makes them great. Just reproducing a system is boring. Do something weird, like having 'classes' that go from 1-5, and each new class gets a new category name. Don't even bother making the universe the same between different series. In one world, it may be more like GURPS, an in another, more like the Chinese xianxia that was only invented to push drugs. It's your universe, call it whatever you want.

Tradition is for priests and politicians.

 

[blackcrowcrowd]

As the Title asks, I am asking what is the Difference between the Chinese and Korean Cultivation Novels. I was planning on writing one of the two, to start I started reading some Cultivation stories, to which, most were predominantly Chinese. Now, I'm asking those who write Cultivation Novels:

Do you research their Culture, Dress and Whatnot?
Is the Murim World the same for all Cultivation Novels?
Did you ever considering using Korean or Chinese when naming stuff?
Did you ever try using Western naming on a cultivation story?
Any tips?

From a reader point of view--
When writing a cultivation novel, you should make a pretty original world and power system. No, I don't mean that you shouldn't use any reference from other cultivation novels, but more that you need to make the world feel really unique.

I have read a lot (A LOT) of cultivation stories, to the point that most cultivation novels just feel really boring for me now. HOWEVER, when the world / power system feels unique and still believable [Example: My Longevity System has a really unique theme imo] it's going to be a blast.
TL:DR make something pretty original but still believable.

 

[DireBadger]

From a reader point of view--
When writing a cultivation novel, you should make a pretty original world and power system. No, I don't mean that you shouldn't use any reference from other cultivation novels, but more that you need to make the world feel really unique.

I have read a lot (A LOT) of cultivation stories, to the point that most cultivation novels just feel really boring for me now. HOWEVER, when the world / power system feels unique and still believable [Example: My Longevity System has a really unique theme imo] it's going to be a blast.
TL:DR make something pretty original but still believable.

exactly right. How many people are still re-writing lord of the rings?

Hell, the quintessential Xianxia novels were written much like wild west novels, as either religious propaganda (Buddhism was famous for this) or marketing for certain specialty 'medicines'.

But, like the wild west novel, the genre has grown and changed... the best way to stay 'pure' is to unleash your creativity and use your own type of system, just like the authors of yore did.