Jianghu

The jianghu generally refers to a community of martial artists, and is a commonly used setting in Chinese style fantasy genres such as wuxia and xianxia. It's basically a fictionalized version of historical China, using loose influences and sometimes references from across the 1000 BCE - 280 AD period.

The word jianghu (Chinese: 江湖) literally translates to "(beyond the) rivers and lakes", and can be likened to the fairy tale rhyme of "Once upon a time, in a land far away". Though the term is used flexibly, it does not have a fixed definition, but it is commonly translated as "the world of martial artists".

Common features of the jianghu setting are feuding martial clans, usually divided between the so called orthodox and unorthodox factions, a secret and possibly criminal underworld, and a general sense of "mythic world" where fantastical stories and creatures (yaoguai) appear. In these worlds, martial artists are able to obtain superhuman powers through the development or rather "cultivation" of internal energy (qi) and through gaining enlightenment/understanding.

Contrast with the mohuan genre, which are western style fantasy stories written by northeast Asians. See also the wulin, which refers to the mainstream part of the jianghu.

Faction war

As mentioned, the jianghu is often plagued by a war between the orthodox and unorthodox factions, where the orthodox factions try to protect the world from the unorthodox destruction and injustice. Meanwhile the demonic cult usually doesn't pick a side in the faction war, and minds their own business unless provoked, though they are often considered "evil" due to their penchant for inhumane practices. There's also the vernacular government of the empire or kingdom, that usually doesn't interfere in the happenings of the jianghu.

When the unorthodox sects rise to attempt world domination, the orthodox sects will usually unite and form the so called "Murim alliance" to keep them at bay. Either that or the "nine great families" aka sects come together to face some evil Force of Nature. Though the orthodox faction are often portrayed as the "good guys", they may be corrupted to the core.

Essential concepts

Martial artists are often ranked into the following categories according to their martial prowess: third-rate warrior, second-rate warrior, first-rate warrior, master, grandmaster, transcendent/divine master, and heavenly master.

Just like how mana is the magic power in European style fantasy, here so called qi/gi/chi is used, though oft treated as a separate source of power than that of mana in stories that fuse both a western and eastern setting.

There is often much talk about the "dao", where each martial artists spends time to find their own path in life. Through this term, martial arts is treated as a life style. Commonly mentioned in association with the dao is yin and yang, where yin is cold female energy, while yang is fiery hot male energy. This concept is common to Chinese folklore, and is based on taoism.

Cultivation refers to improving one's health, strength and qi through training and meditation. For this reason martial artists in these stories are also called "cultivators". Through cultivation, a martial artist may be able to form a dantian, which is a core of mana, where their qi is stored. The destruction of one's dantian may result in death.

Examples of Jianghu include:

Anime and Manga

• Fog Hill of Five Elements
• The Founder of Diabolism
• The Heavenly Official's Blessing
• A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality: The protagonist must learn to survive in the ruthless reality of the jianghu, which is ruled by the law of the jungle - "Eat or be eaten."
• The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
• Song of the Skywalkers
• Thunderbolt Fantasy
• White Snake

Webtoons

• Doctor's Rebirth: The protagonist is reborn as an orphan, and taken in as the disciple of Jaegal Lin. He also encounters the face-shifting Hao clan and future members of the demonic sect.
• Frenemies: Thicker Than Blood
• The Grand Mudang Saga: The protagonist is a prominent figure in an unorthodox sect, until he is reincarnated as a disciple in the Wudang sect, unable to fully control the new body he has gained possession of.
  • The Mount Hua sect makes a brief appearance in chapter 86.
  • The protagonist has been confronted by the leader of the beggar sect.
• The Legend of the Northern Blade
• Lightning Degree
• Murim Login: The protagonist gets trapped in a game world set in the murim. Throughout his journey there, he among other things meets with the Mount Hua sect.
• Nano Machine: The protagonist is one of the many sons of the Demonic Sect patriarch.
  • In chapter 140, the Wudang sect makes an appearance, and the divine doctor is mentioned.
• Return of the Blossoming Blade: Chungmyung is a sword saint of the Mount Hua sect. When several of the sect's prominent figures perishes in the fight against demonic Chun Ma, Chungmyung reincarnates 100 years later as a beggar, realizing he is now completely alone in the world. He seeks out his sect, only to find it in shambles; a shell of its former self. Now he needs to work to return the Mount Hua sect to its former glory and avert its complete downfall; And most importantly, remind the people of great legacy of the blossoming blade.
• Volcanic Age