What does wuxia mean ?. What does xianxia mean ?. What does xuanhuan mean ?. And what’s the difference between wuxia, xianxia and xuanhuan ?. Are all they the name of some famous chinese actor ?, the name of chinese foods or the name of famous chinese novel writter ?. There is the following answer.
-
Wuxia definition
Actually wuxia is genre of novel, especially chinese martial art novel which contain some story about martial world or ancient china martial arts. Story in wuxia novel telling about a life of a martial hero, a man or women struggle and strolling around the world.
The MC (Main Character) or people in wuxia novel usually can learn martial arts, mighty martial arts which can destroy a building with one move. For example like legendary move Eighteen dragon subduing palm from trilogy the legend of condor heroes novel. That’s legendary move from beggar sect can destroy building only with one move. Destroy and killing hundred enemies with only one stroke, wreak havoc in battlefield with only one palm.
Difference from another fantasy or xianxia novel. Move in wuxia novel only can destroy some building and make hundreds of enemy dying in battlefield. Hero or MC in wuxia novel can not destroy a planet with one punch like in common xianxia novel stories.
-
Xianxia definition
Xianxia is genre novel which telling story about an immortal hero. Telling story about Character who looking for longevity, seeking for immortality and gain an eternal life.
An immortal hero in xianxia novel can extend their life span with many cultivation technique which scatter around the world, around the realms and universes. They can extending their longevity with some good treasure, for example from elixirs, immortal pills, monster and demonic cores, spirit stones, spirit vein or another good fortune which scatter around the world.
Cultivation technique, magical spells, and another move in xianxia novel, basically is influenced by elements of daoism / taoism and buddhism. Which contain some fantasy elements like a demon, devil, ghost, god and immortal.
Cultivation world in xianxia novel is very cruel and ruhtless. Strong people enslave the weak people, weak people become slave and prey for strong people. The law of junggle rule the whole world and universe.
Everything must be obtained from power, war and blood. Cultivation techniques, cultivation resources, countless treasure must be obtained from countless war and bloodshed. The weak must bow to to the strong.
Unlike wuxia novel move which can destroy a building with only one punch. In xianxia novel, any strong figure or character in xianxia story can destroy the whole world, destroy a planet, destroy an entire universe with only one move. In xianxia novel strong people called weak people like an ant, and weak people worship strong people like a deity.
For example the famous xianxia novel in eglish title is “immortal mortal, i shall seal the heaven, a will eternal, Renegade immortal, true martial world and coiling dragon“
-
Xuanhuan definition
Xuanhuan is genre novel which contain some fantasy elements in the story. The fantasy elements is like myth from ancient china, myth in earth (nordic, greek, etc), or other myths which appear in another human history. For example like elves, dwarves, orcs, ogres, fairy, goblin, and another fictional character myth who likely appear in the history of human around the world.
Basically xuanhuan novel is fusion from wuxia novel and another fantasy stories which appear or created in this world. So, to distinguish xianxia and xuanhuan novels is quite easy. Xuanhuan novel contain many fantasy elements except immortallity. And xianxia novel have mayor elements of daoism and immortality.
For example the famous xuanhuan novel in english title is “realms in the firmament, otherworldly evil monarch, trascending the nine heaven, the strongest system, the ultimate scheming system, etc”
-
Conclusion – The difference between wuxia, xianxia and xuanhuan
Basically wuxia, xianxia and xuanhuan is a genre of novel. They are famous and majority published from china, written by chinese people, and use chinese langguage as their main langguage.
The difference between wuxia, xianxia and xuanhuan come from their main story, and elements around the novel stories.
Wuxia novel majority is telling about a life of martial hero, Xianxia novel telling about an immortal hero, and xuanhuan novel is telling about a story of hero in fantasy world.
All that’s novel genre maybe contain elements about love, romance, revenge, war, struggle, gain control and power, etc. Like another novel or fantasy novel from another country.
Maybe some chinese drama, game, manhua, film, anime, and movies also have this wuxia, xianxia and xuanhuan elements. But majority they all came from fictional novel which come from china.
