Wu, martial arts, Xia, heroes and heroines. Aligning with the name, wuxia is a unique Chinese genre that tells stories of a group of martial artists in ancient times.
The adventure in the wuxia world could be understood as a superhero plot. In fact, Xia is widely adopted in many Chinese titles of superhero movies, including Wonder Woman, Batman and Spider-man. But instead of high-tech equipment and fancy costumes, characters are armed with cold weapons like swords and daggers.
Developed from the documents and literature, the history of Xia goes beyond the film genre itself. Other than the zen setting and ethnic costumes, the spirit of Xia is one of the core elements. Similar to chivalry in the Western context, it has romantic and unrestrained qualities challenging the hierarchical system. Ang Lee, director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, said that wuxia stories are a subconscious expression and an emotional escape from the repressed society.
While it is often considered a man’s world, wuxia movies are no stranger to impressive female characters. The narratives of heroines are fascinating and impressive. Here at DirectHer, we are pleased to introduce three-dimensional figures.
Lee’s own Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, features heroine Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi), the daughter of a senior official Yu in the Qing dynasty, and the odd one out in the film. Being part of China’s last feudal dynasty, she is required to be a well-behaved female because of the patriarchal and monarchial system she is entrenched in. Dressed in Qizhuang, the traditional Manchu clothing, Jen seems to be one of the elegant ladies belonging to boudoirs and is about to marry into the family her father chose for her. But she soon shows her distinction by asking Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), head of an escort company, ‘Isn’t it fun to be around in Jianghu?’
Jianghu, the setting where wuxia stories happen, refers to the community of martial artists. Jen believes that it is the stage for her to chase pleasure and freedom. Under the cover of being an obedient daughter, she has the dream of spending her life without restrictions.
From Jen’s perspective, the story of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is also a story of how Jianghu disappointed her. The idea of Jianghu for Jen is a place where she is allowed to do no matter what she wishes. But the principle of actual Jianghu is personal loyalty and trust. There are also rules within the community.
With Jen Yu, we can see the wild vitality stimulating the desires of everyone in the story. Rebellion against the regulations brings the charm of hers and also the tragic ending. Rousseau once said that man is born free and everywhere he is in chains. Complete freedom might just be a fantasy and comes with confusion and misery. In the vast world yet filled with guidelines, where could she land?
Another leading lady of the wuxia genre is Nie Yinniang (Shu Qi) from Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s The Assassin. Yin means hidden, and her fate to be an anchorite is revealed by her time.
Politics is an important plot element for the genre. Nie was sent away from her family and trained to be an assassin when she was 10 and spent the next 13 years training to become a political killing machine. She is tasked with assassinating Tian Ji’an (Chang Chen), the local governor of Weibo in the Tang dynasty, and also her previous fiance.
The audience can hardly read Nie’s feelings during the film. Most of the time, she is dressed in black and spies on the target with a blank expression. In the opening scene, she jumps up lightly like a bird and finishes an assault within seconds. A perfect stereotypical killer image.
However, we get more of an insight into her when she fails a mission after seeing her mark with his family. Her master comments that ‘the technique is complete, but the mortal heart is not yet finished’.
Nie’s loneliness stems from her inner conflict between her duties as an assassin and her inherent kindness. As a political tool, she is in between the central and local governments. Nie and her conflicts are put into the traditional Chinese ink-splashy landscapes and the natural sounds from winds and forests through Hou’s long takes.
Wong Kar Wai’s Ashes of Time is a rather unconventional wuxia film. Based on Louis Cha’s novel Eagle Shooting Heroes, the movie discards the plot and narrates the story with impressionistic shots. Wong is famous for expressing emotions and desires through his films rather than traditional narratives. Beyond being the masters in martial arts, the film highlights the sensibilities of these characters using film-textured images.
Murong Yang, Murong Yin and Dugu Qiubai (all played by Brigitte Lin) are three facets of the same person. Just as the lines reveal, when a person is frustrated, he or she will more or less find excuses to cover himself or herself. Whether it is Yang or Yin, they are all outcomes of a broken heart.
Murong Yang, the princess of Yan, met Huang Yaoshi in man’s custom. Huang said that if Yin has a little sister, he will marry her. But later Murong is betrayed and no longer the favourite one for Huang. The tragedy provokes different identities of Murong as sister Yang and brother Yin. For Murong Yang, Yin is the main reason for the break up with Huang, as he is over-controlling in the name of love. She is unwilling to detest Huang, therefore the arrow is pointed at Yin.
Murong Yang needed Yin to love and accompany her after the failed relationship. A swordsman, Dugu Qiubai, shows up in Jianghu a few years later, well-known for practising martial arts with the shadow on the lake. Dugu is Murong Yang, and also Murong Yin. In the novel, Dugu Qiubai is one of the top masters using swords. There is no more hatred or love outward. Dugu served them all to himself/herself.
These films demonstrate the rich history of Wuxia’s female characters. They’re not lone examples, but they highlight the breadth and depth of the women across the genre.
