Chinese mythology
The originality of the cultural heritage of China, glorified in national folklore, underlies even modern works of art. Thus, from ancient folk tales about warriors with incredible abilities and unique combat skills, a separate genre of adventure fantasy was formed like Hunter X Hunter Season 7. Its name “wushu” combines two bases: “wushu” (martial art) and “sya” (knight). Popular in literature stories about the great battles of schools, clans and gangs, in which otherworldly forces (spirits, dragons, demons) often appeared, have undergone an ideological transformation in the cinema. When transferred to the screen, the focus turned out to be primarily the magic of kung fu, which is at the same time the main weapon of rivals and the energy that unites them.
Wuxia characters are a Chinese variety of superheroes. However, the glory of great warriors does not oblige them to be valiant and courageous defenders: the motives of the heroes can be both sublime and frankly low. Wuxia warriors possessing crushing strength are not afraid to engage in battle either with an army of millions, or with mythical spirits, or with God himself. The only immutable law for everyone is an unwritten code of honor and a philosophical attitude to a duel as an act of self-improvement and a challenge to one’s own “I”. The battle for the audience was won – the eloquence of epic battle scenes and capacious dialogues over time attracted the attention of viewers around the world.
Combat poetry
The wuxia universe is a fantastic dimension in which the power of martial arts is presented as the endless path of a warrior. Enemies who can take off in a jump, pushing off walls and trees, illustrate the rise above the usual foundations and laws of the state. The focus is on the battle itself, with its rules and centuries-old culture. For a knight, battle is both a profession and a semantic search for answers to eternal questions. This perception of the battle has become the basis of a unique film language, in which the story of a person’s fate is told not only in dialogues, but also in battles.
In the film-parable of Wong Kar-Wai “Ashes of Times”the main character Feng Ouyang (Leslie Chun) makes a living by bringing hired assassins with customers. Indifferent observation of other people’s destinies leads him to comprehend the reasons for his voluntary hermitage, both physical and spiritual. Once rejected by his beloved, Feng sees people day after day, clinging to the hope that he has completely lost with the last of his strength. The warriors he meets are looking for fights primarily with themselves. The personification of such an internal confrontation is the fighter Ying Muron (Bridget Lin), in which two principles met – Yin and Yang. Not finding a worthy rival for himself, he wages a daily battle with his own reflection on the surface of the water in the hope of experiencing unrequited love. The battle scenes in Kar-Wai’s painting resemble sharp strokes on the canvas,
The incomprehensible intonation of films in the wuxia genre, where a fierce confrontation turns into a bewitching lace, made a splash in the West as well. One of the first foreign viewers was captivated by the film by Taiwanese director Ang Lee “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”.Literally the name is an idiom, close in meaning to ours “in a still pool of devils.” Nugget warrior Yu Jiaolong (Overlord Anime Season 4) finds himself between two fires – two opposing martial arts masters. On the one hand, there is a tempting serpent in the person of the Jade Fox (Zheng Peipei), who selfishly wants to gain invincible power, on the other hand, the wise teacher Li Mumbai (Jet Li), for whom skill is not an instrument of terror, but a way to achieve balance. The fate of each of the characters in the picture becomes a pictorial metaphor for personal choice, which is comparable to a jump into the abyss: the outcome will be known only at the end of the path.
Someone else’s soul – darkness
Films in the wuxia genre, presented to the international audience, are far from the canonical detail of the time era, against which the storyline unfolds. Pictures that, without losing their cultural identity, first of all reveal the problem of a person’s personal choice, have become hits worldwide. Nevertheless, they retain the signature grotesque, flavor in the transmission of scenes from the history of China, a characteristic soundtrack and the spirit of Eastern philosophy.
Following “Crouching Tiger”, Zhang Yimou ‘s large-scale painting “Hero” receives an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film . The viewer is told the same story three times, which through this kaleidoscope of opinions blooms with new details. Here battles are likened to the skill of calligraphy, then to duels in the name of honor and love. The conventional division of the film into three parts is enhanced by the color palette, which rather leads to an even more mysterious jungle than helps to get to the truth. The story of the search for three enemies of the future emperor ultimately turns into an elegiac thought about human nature. Even the most experienced warrior, who has achieved balance and self-control, can be defeated by his own torment and feelings, which will force him to engage in mortal combat.
Another film by Zhang Yimou that achieved worldwide attention – “The House of Flying Daggers” became an ode to the tragic love between two enemies . The self-confident imperial police captain is charmed by the rebel leader’s enchanting daughter, who is whirling in a hypnotic dance of death. Lovers, aware of their feelings, fight incessant battle with the whole world and with each other, using either a sharp blade or an intricate deception. On one side of the scale there is a heavy burden of duty and honor, on the other – the born impossible love. This poetic thriller once again shows the image of cold-blooded warriors who fall to their knees when they cannot stand on their feet under the pressure of the cycle of passion.
Parody as a tribute
The success of any genre sooner or later becomes an object for parody. Wuxia was no exception, and in 2004 the comedy “Happy Season 3” by Stephen Chow became an absolute hit with the audience …. Powerful clans and schools here are replaced by gangs of narrow-minded thugs eager to instill fear in the residents of Shanghai in the 30s of the XX century and become the absolute kings of the streets. However, on the outskirts of the city, in the quarter with the self-explanatory name “Pigsty”, there are true masters who have retired. Now they sew clothes, work as loaders or cooks. It is obvious that they will again turn to the power of kung fu when real danger begins to threaten their area. The picture breaks the usual template: a brazen lady with a cigarette in her mouth and a hopeless loser thief can turn out to be a warrior. But behind this mockery hides an emotionally tender attitude towards the conventions of wuxia, a touching attempt to transfer magic to a hostile modernity.
American filmmakers watched the rapid development of the stream with genuine curiosity and slight apprehension. An independent project on oriental martial arts required a thorough study of the rules of the game “on someone else’s territory.” So did the creators of the cartoon “Kung Fu Panda”… The main character is Poe the panda. He helps his father-goose in the noodle shop and dreams of the warrior’s path. With his naive obsession with local legends about martial arts, he is a bit like directors Mark Osborne and John Stevenson themselves. The authors, inspired by the downright and light intonation of “Showdown in the Kung Fu Style”, approached the study of the culture of China with all responsibility in order to create a world that has not lost its flavor and at the same time is understandable to the viewer of all nationalities and ages. The project, which began with the idea of a parody of iconic martial arts paintings, has become one of the strongest cross-cultural bridges. This is evidenced by record box office receipts both in China and abroad.
Rebirth of a legend
Exceptional entertainment, fantastic content of plots and unique philosophy have made Wuxia an incredibly popular genre not only at home. Actors such as Chow Yun-Fat, Jet Li, Michelle Yeo and Zhang Ziyi became the flagships of the current and often starred in joint projects between China and the United States. It is curious that one of the first films that made it to the screens of world cinemas after the global lockdown was Nicky Caro ‘s picture Mulan , in which elements of wuxia can be traced.
In the 1998 film adaptation of the cartoon of the same name, initially the role of a girl who went to fight instead of her sick father was to be played by Zhang Ziyi, who can be called the “princess of the genre.” However, the production dragged on, and eventually Hua Mulan appeared in front of the audience in the person of Liu Yifei (previously, the actress had a chance to work in the company of Jet Li and Jackie Chan on the set of Forbidden Kingdom , another prominent representative of Chinese fantasy).
The filmmakers took a noble risk by refusing frame-by-frame repetition of the original cartoon. The painting has become a new reading of the legend of Hua Mulan, who grows from a little girl into a fearless warrior, capable of defending an entire army and the emperor himself. The visualization of large-scale battles delicately strikes a balance between excessive cruelty and deceptive simplicity. Intonationally, The Asterisk War Season 3 film differs significantly from the cartoon version and attempts to respond to the spirit of the times (in particular, by focusing on feminist issues).
