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Welcome to WuxiaSociety. Whether you're new to wuxia or deepening your journey, this guide will help you navigate the world of martial arts heroes, ancient codes of honour, and epic adventures.
What is wuxia?
Wuxia (武侠) is a genre of Chinese fiction featuring martial arts heroes who follow a code of chivalry (xia). These stories blend historical settings, martial arts action, and moral philosophy, creating epic tales of heroes who protect the weak and uphold justice.
Why read wuxia?
Wuxia fiction offers unique perspectives on honour, loyalty, and heroism through the lens of Chinese culture. These stories have captivated millions of readers for generations and continue to influence modern storytelling across multiple media. Whether you're interested in martial arts, historical fiction, or compelling character-driven narratives, wuxia has something to offer.
Beginner's guide
Learn the fundamentals of wuxia and how it differs from related genres like xianxia and xuanhuan.
Understand the jianghu—the underground society of martial artists, outlaws, and wanderers where wuxia stories take place.
Discover xia—the chivalrous ideal that defines what it means to be a hero in wuxia fiction.
Explore the martial arts overview to understand how fighting techniques, qi cultivation, and legendary manuals function in wuxia stories.
Recommended starter stories
Start with shorter works like Mandarin Duck Blades or Sword of the Yue Maiden, then progress to epic novels like The Legend of the Condor Heroes. Browse our translations to find your next adventure.
Reading resource
Cultural concepts and terminology
Learn key concepts like jianghu, daxia, shifu, and the Five Elements that form the foundation of wuxia literature.
Explore genre-wide terms and vocabulary that appear throughout wuxia fiction for comprehensive coverage of concepts, social structures, honorifics, and cultural terminology used across the wuxia genre.
Explore the literary masters who shaped the genre, from Jin Yong and Gu Long to Liang Yusheng. Learn about their works and influence on modern wuxia fiction.
Discover common narrative patterns in wuxia fiction through our character, faction, and location overview pages.
Learn how to navigate wuxia translations effectively, use footnotes, and understand cultural context. Our Quick Reference guide helps you get the most out of reading wuxia in translation.
Getting started
Community
Join the longest-running wuxia community in the world on our forum or connect with fellow readers on Discord.
Support us
Help us continue translating and documenting wuxia literature. Support WuxiaSociety through Patreon or one-time donations.
Learning
Deepen your understanding through the Wuxia Wiki, featuring comprehensive articles on characters, factions, martial arts, locations, and cultural concepts.
Next steps
Ready to dive in? The world of wuxia is vast and rewarding—we're here to help you navigate it.
Start reading a translation
Browse our collection of wuxia translations and find your next adventure.
Explore the Wuxia Wiki
Deepen your understanding through articles on characters, factions, martial arts, and cultural concepts.
Join the community
Connect with fellow readers on our forum or Discord.
Support our mission
Help keep these stories accessible to everyone.
This community is self-funded by fans, for fans.