Martial Feminism and Jianghu

Deeya Das

WLC 371: Global Kungfu Cinema

5 October 2015

Martial Feminism and Jianghu: How the Definition of Jianghu Redefines Female Roles in Wuxia

        Jianghu is both a literal and figurative entity that plays a significant role in wuxia films and novels. Although it is so prevalent, it lacks a concrete definition. It is often portrayed as a physical location, typically an inn or tavern, where wuxia artists come to settle their quarrels and bring justice, often while defying authority. However, it is also defined as “a secret society within the real world that exists in opposition with the government” or “a semi-utopia where xia are free to defy authority and act on their conscience to punish evil and exalt goodness” (Pingyuan 108). Another key aspect of wuxia is the Xia honor code, which emphasizes “righteousness, trust, meritorious service, tidiness, and tolerance” (Teo 18) along with loyalty, independence, and opposing the authority. Martial feminism allows female wuxia artists, or nuxia, to go beyond traditional female roles and take on more powerful positions in society. This is further enabled by the idea of jianghu. The various interpretations of jianghu are used to justify the actions of prominent female characters in wuxia films and to define their codes of honor.

        The film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee, prominently features three nuxia: Shu Lien, an experienced, level-headed nuxia, Jade Fox, an embittered and cruel nuxia, and Jade Fox’s protégé Jen Yu, an obstinate and incredibly skilled nuxia. Shu Lien simultaneously upholds the tenets of the Xia system with jianghu values. In this case, Shu Lien follows the “semi-utopia” definition of jianghu and defies societal norms for females by not marrying and embracing the non-traditional nuxia lifestyle. However, this prevents Shu Lien from acting on her feelings for Li Mu Bai due to her past engagement to Mu Bai’s brother and her unwillingness to dishonor his memory. At the end of the film, Shu Lien is finally able to look beyond this obstacle posed by her definition of jianghu which also incorporates the Xia values and professes her love for Mu Bai.

Jen was introduced to the world of jianghu through stories of wuxia artists and was enticed by Jade Fox to join her as her student. Although Jade Fox entered jianghu with ill intentions due to the unscrupulous actions of a Wudang master who attempted to take advantage of her, she was not successful in passing this bitterness to Jen. Jen “learns from, but will not ally herself with, her generic predecessor, and is both attracted by and wary of the masculine ethos of jianghu” (Hunt 138). However, before Jen realized the two sides of jianghu – the one which upholds Xia values and the one which is solely run by the whims of wuxia artists, regardless of whether their actions are good or evil – she embraces Jade Fox’s teachings and wreaks havoc by stealing the Green Destiny sword and undermining her master. She justifies this by using the definition of jianghu in which wuxia artists are expected to oppose authority. Eventually, through the guidance of Shu Lien and Mu Bai, Jen comes to realize that “…the wuxia can be a member of an underground, Mafia-type organization, but loyalty and honor are still the main values” (Dilly 135). By the end of the film, Jen comes to embrace the same definition of jianghu as Shu Lien and continues to uphold the Xia value system. This is exemplified in her attempt to save Mu Bai from Jade Fox’s poison and in her final sacrifice where she leaps from the top of the mountain.