Xianxia, meaning “immortal heroes,” is a Chinese fantasy genre that focuses on characters who undergo meditation and training to become transcendental beings. It is often called “cultivation fantasy” by western readers.
Typically, Xianxia protagonists start off at the very bottom of society in terms of strength and standing. They eventually improve enough to achieve immortality.
Key Characteristics of Xianxia
Xianxia is similar to another Chinese genre called Wuxia, which focuses on the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. In fact, many consider Xianxia as a “fantasified” version of Wuxia. In western terms, you can think of Wuxia as “low fantasy,” while Xianxia is “high fantasy”.
It’s easy to get confused between the two, as they share many characteristics and frequently cross over. Some of their major similarities are being set in ancient China and focusing on martial arts. Both are influenced by Taoism and Buddhism, although Wuxia is limited to those philosophies, while Xianxia is free to utilize their more fantastical elements.
To help you differentiate the two, I’ve listed down a few elements that separate Xianxia from Wuxia.
1. Cultivation
In Xianxia stories, characters often practice martial or mystical arts to become stronger and extend their lives. This process is called cultivation and people who do this are called cultivators.
A common way that writers show cultivation is through meditative techniques and the building up of qi (the vital energy that exists within all things). A character’s progress is quantified through an advancement system.
The system changes depending on the author, but many cases divide it into early, middle, late, and peak stages with each stage having nine levels. Advancing to specific levels can give physical or spiritual benefits to a cultivator. For example, getting to the third level of the early stage could grant them a reinforced body or magical sight.
In many stories, the ultimate goal of cultivation is to become immortal beings called xian. Depending on the context, a xian can mean a sage, a shaman, or a celestial being.
This fictional practice of advancement is heavily inspired by the real-life qigong, a system of exercise, breathing, and meditation methods that promote health and spirituality.
2. Magical beings
While Wuxia is limited to what is believable (albeit exaggerated to great proportions), Xianxia takes full advantage of fantastical elements drawn from Chinese mythology and folklore.
Supernatural creatures like demons, spirits and magical beasts are a fixture in a Xianxian world. They act as protectors or destroyers, and often provide the protagonist with an opportunity to advance their cultivation. Some of these beings are cultivators themselves.
Benevolent beings often give out rewards in exchange for assistance or the completion of a quest. These rewards either take the form of blessings, magical items, or valuable knowledge. Sometimes they even form a partnership with the protagonist for mutual benefits.
Antagonistic beings, on the other hand, are defeated by the protagonist. Aside from experience, some of these beings have a “core” that contains their essence. Cultivators can consume these to advance, or use them in creating magical items.
3. Magical items
Xianxia novels have an abundance of magical items that take many forms. The most common of these are magical pills or elixirs that boost a character’s cultivation. Their potency depends on the rarity and strength of their ingredients.
As a character advances into higher levels of cultivation, the effectiveness of these medicines decreases. They must either find more powerful ingredients, or look for a different method of cultivation.
Other common magical items are enchanted weapons or tools. Perhaps the most famous of these is the flying sword, a magical sword that can levitate and is used for long-range attacks. In many novels, cultivators often stand on these swords and use them as transportation.
These magical items are also ranked by power. As characters advance, a weapon or tool may no longer serve them well and they must find a better replacement. A cultivator of lowly levels also cannot properly use an item of higher rank. They must either discard the item or hold on to it until they reach a high enough level.
4. Apotheosis
Apotheosis is the transformation of a mortal into a god. Xianxia novels regularly feature characters who have already reached the peak of cultivation, achieved immortality, and turned into gods.
They often give out advice, create mischief, and direct characters to a specific path. In rare cases, they take direct action in the story. A great example of a mortal reaching apotheosis is Sun Wukong from Journey to the West. Though the novel is not exactly Xianxia (having existed way before the genre), it chronicles how Wukong, known as the Monkey King, journeys to find immortality and attain Buddhahood.
These characters represent the protagonist’s goals and are often used to juxtapose against a character’s current status. This way, readers are able to gauge how much the protagonist must advance and how hard the journey will be. For example, a god could be shown to obliterate an army by themselves, while the protagonist struggles to even defeat a common warrior.
Recommended Xianxia Books
You’ll find that a lot of Xianxia and Wuxia stories suffer from poor translation and editing. This makes it difficult to understand and enjoy them. Some of them might even be copycats of more popular novels. This can be off-putting for new readers.
To make your search easier, I’ve curated a list of some of the best Xianxia books to get started with the genre:
1. Cradle series by Will Wight
Lindon is Unsouled, a person with no spiritual core. He is considered a curse and is forbidden to practice his clan’s sacred arts. When he discovers his home is destined for destruction, he must become stronger than anyone else to stand a chance of saving them.
2. A Thousand Li by Tao Wong
Long Wu Ying spends his days working on the family farm and enjoying life with his friends. Cultivation is the farthest thing on his mind, but when the army comes and conscripts all of them, Wu Ying must choose between the peaceful but pedestrian life of a farmer or the blood-soaked glory of being a cultivator.
3. Street Cultivation by Sarah Lin
Rick lives in a world where martial arts is now largely controlled by corporations, sects, and the government. Power is the new commodity and those at the bottom are treated like trash. In order to give his spiritually ill sister a better life, he must become better than everyone else.
Reading Xianxia Stories
The influence of Xianxia is not limited to literature but is also found in film, television, and even video games. Perhaps its greatest influence is with another emerging subgenre of fantasy called “progression fantasy,” which follows the core themes of Xianxia.
Just like Wuxia, it’s still a developing genre, so definitions and themes can sometimes be fluid. Authors are continuously exploring its boundaries and adding new elements and variations to their stories.
These kinds of non-English genres are currently undergoing massive growth, in both writers and readers. While a lot of them aren’t up to par in publication quality and format compared to English novels, you can expect to see a lot of improvements in the coming years.
Have you read any Xianxia stories? Share your experience in the comments below!
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Cole Salao
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
