Wuxia Supplement

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    • Wuxia Supplement

      I have an idea for a supplement that I would like to develop down the road a few years after the game goes public. It is based on the literary and film genre from China called "Wuxia". Wuxia is explained in this article:

      A Definition of Wuxia and Xia


      He is honest in words, effective in action, faithful in keeping promises, fearless in offering his own life to free the righteous from bondage.
      -- Sima Qian

      The word wuxia is composed of two characters. The first character, wu is used to describe things having to do with martial arts, war, or the military. The second character, xia refers to the type of protagonist found in wuxia fiction, and is also a synonym for chivalry. Thus, wuxia fiction is translated as martial-chivalric fiction. The simplest way to describe this genre to those who are not familiar with it is to define it as Chinese swords and sorcery. Most gamers become familiar with wuxia, through films such as A Chinese Ghost Story, Swordsman, Swordsman II, Bride With White Hair, Kung Fu Cult Master and Legend of Zu.

      The word xia in its context of describing a type of person, is more difficult to define. A variety of translations have been used for the word. They include hero, swordsman, adventurer, soldier of fortune, warrior, or knight [-errant]. In some respects, the xia is all of these things, yet these definitions neither fully nor accurately describe the xia.

      The most frequently used definitions for xia, are knight and knight-errant. Like the knight, skill in combat was the stock and trade of xia. However, xia were soldiers only on rare occasion. They excelled in personal combat, and were more akin to the renaissance duelist than the medieval knight. In addition, unlike the European knight who was exclusively a member of the aristocracy, xia could come from both humble or aristocratic backgrounds. The xia were often wanderers seeking adventure, but greed and self-interest was not always their motivation. As hired swords, xia resolved conflict through use of force, but their actions were tempered by a personal sense of justice and honor. Thus, what set xia apart from other men with fighting skills had to do with their ideology and code of conduct. As a force for good, xia have been extolled by Sima Qian. Later historians elaborated, making the distinction between xia, and other types of outlaw who used force without scruple for personal gain. Others saw little difference between xia and their less principled brethren. Han Feizi listed the xia among the five vermin of society for being subversive vigilante, while Xun Yue took a moral stance against xia for their rejection of Confucian values.

      The traditional xia of fiction is a non-conformist who fights for justice. He is honorable to a fault, his word is inviolable, and his reputation is more important than life itself. Moreover, he is a master of the martial arts who does not hesitate to use his skills in the defense of his beliefs. This type of xia is the idealized version of the heroic xia, and is primarily encountered in modern fiction and cinema. A less romanticized description of xia can be drawn from history and more traditional fiction. This xia is also a swordsman, but one who is more dogmatic than altruistic. He is a champion for any cause to which he has pledged his loyalty, be it benevolent or otherwise. This definition takes into account the sometimes dubious nature of actions performed by xia. Along these lines, in Once Upon a Time in China all swordsmen who adhere to the principles of loyalty, reciprocity, and duty are xia. No distinction is made between xia who are altruistic, and those whose motives are of questionable merit.

      The Xia Value System

      He treasures the state, friendship, duty, promises, kindness, vengeance, honor, and righteousness more than his own life.
      -- Liang Qichao

      In The Chinese Knight-Errant, eight common attributes of the xia are listed as altruism, justice, individualism, loyalty, courage, truthfulness, disregard for wealth and desire for glory. Except for individualism, these characteristics typify the Confucian junzi (princeling, gentleman). The junzi embodied all of the traits of the Confucian gentleman, among them: ren (benevolence), zhong (loyalty), yong (bravery) and yi (righteousness). Disregard for riches was a product of the (Northern) Chinese disdain for merchants, and was demonstrated by magnanimity, or indifference to monetary profit. Thus, in many respects the values of the xia are merely an extension of traditional Chinese mores. Few could live up to the standards of the junzi, though it was held up as the ideal. The best of the xia tried, but most were subject to human foibles. Thus, not all xia were altruistic, and many were acquisitive. Frequently their sense of justice was subjective, and more often than not was in fact vengeance. Their sense of justice (and altruism) could also be looked upon as part of a code of honor that embodied certain elements of li (chivalry, propriety). Noble xia personified chivalry, and even villainous xia would extend chivalry to those they deemed capable of appreciating the notion of honor. Loyalty was one virtue that defined any xia, but it was based on the oft ignored principle of reciprocity. A xia who was not treated with due respect did not feel any obligation to serve his patron with zeal. This was not the blind loyalty promulgated by later Confucians. The courage of the xia was that of any fighting man, and his truthfulness did not always imply honesty. It had more to do with maintaining a reputation as one whose word was sacred, and could often turn to intractability. Even the desire for personal glory was not universal among xia. Some considered it counter to the spirit of wude (martial virtue), which counseled humility and forbearance.

      What really set the xia apart from society was their value on individualism, and their willingness to use force to achieve their aims. Thus despite the fact that most of their beliefs were quite mainstream, xia were seen as a part of the counterculture. The individualism of the xia manifested itself as non-conformity with respect to certain traditional conventions. The xia were criticized for placing personal loyalty above family loyalty. Often, an oath sworn to a stranger was considered more important than the unspoken obligation between family members. This was a serious breech of Confucian propriety. To further outrage social convention, many xia had great disregard for authority. Those who were ostensibly their social superiors were often treated with open contempt, while those of humble status were shown great courtesy. Some characterize this behavior as rebelliousness, but in many cases it was due to a sense of egalitarianism. The xia valued individuals over what they considered arbitrary labels of family and status, and were not loath to challenge such notions.

      The Jianghu


      Enticing from without; awesome from within.

      Jianghu is a word that appeared during the Ming dynasty, and is used to describe the world of the you-xia. The word originally referred to places where hermits lived, but eventually came to designate what has been termed as the Underworld, the World of Vagrants, or sometimes the World of Martial Arts. For Once Upon a Time in China the literal translation of River-lake will be used. The historical River-lake, refers to the world of secret societies and bandits. The fictional River-lake includes the Wulin, and is composed of wanderers of slender means, with no fixed abode. Its denizens include xia, lumpen intelligentsia, adventurers, monks, priests, rebels, cultists, unemployed peasants and laborers, itinerant peddlers, beggars, disbanded soldiers, gangsters, smugglers, and other outcasts of society. To these people, the River-lake provided a substitute lineage, which offered them the assistance and protection that they did not receive from mainstream society.

      The Wulin

      Your gong-fu is no good!

      The Wulin exists only in fiction, and is a term used to describe the World of the Martial Arts. This is the world of the wuxia heroes of authors like Jin Yong and Gu Long, as well as the Hong Kong cinema (or rather, the Mandarin cinema). It is a world in which xia dedicate their lives to perfecting their martial skills, and fighting for truth, justice and the Confucian way. More worldly xia seek glory, fame and wealth. In fiction, these members of the Wulin carry on the shi legacy, and follow many of the rules embodied in wude (martial virtue), li (chivalry), hao (gallantry), and bao (vengeance). In the River-lake, the elite of the Wulin are known as gao shou (lit: high hands) or huang-baofu (lit: yellow-bags), and treated with the utmost of respect and deference.

      This post is so long, I have to continue it in another post.
      "Daggra" means "Enemy" in Tibetan.
      "Chora" means "Thief" in Sanskrit.
    • The Continuation of the Original Post

      Wuxia Fiction


      The wuxia films that we see today are derived from modern wuxia literature. This literature has its roots in Tang dynasty chuanqi (prose romances), which contained many of the elements found in the modern wuxia genre (e.g. magic, supernatural events and vengeance), and the huaben tales of Song dynasty storytellers. Huaben tales were extremely popular during this period, the name coming from the prompt books used by the storytellers as mnemonic devices. Subjects included yinzi'er (tales of strange events) and gongan (detective stories), and tie qi'er (tales of martial heroism). However, the pioneers of the wuxia genre wrote during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and set many of the standards for modern wuxia novels. Novels like The Water Margin, were thinly veiled criticisms of the government. Others novels, like the various gongan (exemplified by the Judge Dee novels) were made for popular consumption. The modern wuxia novel came into being following the May 4th movement of 1919. A new literature evolved, calling for a break with Confucian values, and the xia emerged as a symbol of personal freedom, defiance to Confucian tradition, and rejection of the Chinese family system. As a form of protest, wuxia films and literature were banned at various times during the Qing dynasty, and Republican era. These bans hurt the growth of the genre, but following World War II, a new phase of excellence emerged in wuxia literature, exemplified by the work of Huanzhu Louzhu (author of Blades from the Willows). Other influential authors of the time include Wang Dulu who introduced the use of melodrama, and Yao Minai, who wrote about secret societies. During this period, wuxia novelists were divided into Northern and Southern schools. The Northern school was centered on Beijing, and followed a traditional approach. They focused on traditional values, were based in realism, and set their stories in a historical context. The Romance of Three Kingdoms is typical of this style, even though it was not written during this period. The Southern school was centered on Shanghai, and developed from the new literary movement. Novelists were influenced by the West, and wrote what could be called pulp fiction. A second phase was launched in the mid-50s by the work of Jin Yong (author of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain). His contemporaries include Liang Yusheng, who introduced the concept of the hero as in intellectual, and Gu Long who viewed the xia as a solitary ascetic.
      Chinese wuxia films which grew from the literary tradition include fantasy films with flying swordsmen, and the more conventional martial arts kung-fu film. The former category traces its lineage back to the first wuxia film, The Burning of Red Lotus Monastery filmed in 1928 and based on The Legend of the Strange Hero by Xiang Kairen. This film, and its sequels, were the prototype of the wuxia fantasy genre. In it are all the elements of modern wuxia fantasy films, including special effects to simulate palm power, and the use of wire-work to simulate flying. The anti-Confucian themes, violence, and supernatural elements in these films however, lead the government to ban their production in the 1930s, citing their content as being a negative influence on China's youth. When these films were again produced in the 1950s, they took stylistic elements, and conventions from traditional Chinese opera, which included the promotion of a rigid orthodox moral code. However, by the mid-60s, a synthesis with the new literature movement changed the one dimensional xia of earlier films to a more complex character with human flaws, and produced the wuxia film as we know it today. King Hu (PY: Hu Jinquan) introduced a style of imagery and beauty that appeals to our senses. Most however, are most familiar with the fantasies of Tsui Hark (PY: Xu Ke), who captures our imagination, and the choreography of Yuen Woo-Ping (PY: Yuan Huo-Pin) that makes the pulse race with excitement.

      Now that you know the films that characterize the genre and the concepts that underly the genre, you can see how this can be the basis for a sub-supplement of dardunah. Already, we have an established Wuxia martial style in the Heaven's Sword Style. I hope to join together with some of you other player/developers and put together a little book with new essence based maneuvers and wire-fu style magical martial arts. In my next post I will outline an example of what I have in mind
      "Daggra" means "Enemy" in Tibetan.
      "Chora" means "Thief" in Sanskrit.
    • If you are interested, you must see this

      wuxiapedia.com/

      This is the end all, be all of Wuxia knowledge open to the english speaking public. Anything you could POSSIBLY want to know about the Wuxia genre is in here somewhere. AND they have links to the e-texts of famous Wuxia novles translated into english! It is a great resource to get yourself familiarized with the genre. Although I suggest simply coming over to my house and watching Swordsman II, Bride with White hair, Lord of the WuTang and Legend of Zu. That will pretty much give you all the introduction you would need to get rolling. Wuxia is well worth putting into our role playing game. It has excellent elements of fantasy, chivalry, drama, romance and adventure that make for great role playing scenarios. Look at the richness of such films as 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers". They deviate from the tradition a little but they are basically Wuxia stories, with flying swordsmen, intense honor and chivalry, fantastic swordplay and larger than life heroes. OMG!!! I almost forgot the movies "Semi-Gods and Semi-Devils" ( which I have on DVD as well ) and "Holy Weapon" (which i have never seen but I hear has some CRAZY magic martial arts stuff in it, but is hard to watch for the bad dialog and plot )

      If anyone else is interested in this project, please email me so we can work together. There's no hurry of course, since the game has to be released and be successful for this to even BECOME a real project. But I have faith that Dardunah will be a hit and look forward to decades of fun projects related to it.
      "Daggra" means "Enemy" in Tibetan.
      "Chora" means "Thief" in Sanskrit.
    • Some Good News!

      For those who are interested, I have discovered that I am able to copy my DVDs of the classic Wuxia films, Lord of the Wu Tang, Swordman II, and Swordsman III: The East Is Red. If anyone would like a (nearly) free copy, just give ne a blank DVD sometime and I will gladly copy them for you to have in your collection and to spread interest in my Wuxia Project.
      "Daggra" means "Enemy" in Tibetan.
      "Chora" means "Thief" in Sanskrit.
    • RE: A little site on the outside:

      I personally think that this is a really cool blog, and could add a lot of fun to combat, if the fantasy-style of the "Word of Martial Arts" is to your liking...

      Ghorüm, at some point, since we're able to actually get together and try this stuff out, I'd love to playtest some of this and see what it's like to do a big Spiral Arena-style duel using some of these rules and powers...

      Scottie ^^