Origion of Hong Kong Genre - 5 -
a leader (Delaney 4), or the hero and her companion are battling against evil in order to save a community, the pre-set canon of
the ancient Chinese mythology is depicted throughout the episodes. However, for the purpose of this paper, I will only outline a
few individual episodes that showcase the wuxia tenets.
In the episode ?When Fates Collide,? written by Katherine Fugate, the audience is shown a view of the hero as she would have
been if fate was changed. In this alternative universe, the gallant nobility combined with justice toward their subjects that was
taught by Confucius is depicted when the Empress Xena shows mercy upon Gabrielle, a bard whom, in this episode, she has
never met before. By displaying acts of kindness, she follows the teachings of a ruler acting judiciously toward a subject.
Although these traits are seen throughout many episodes, in no other is it more prevalently showcased than in ?When Fates
Collide.?
Not only is valiant conduct and valor depicted in the episode ?One Against An Army,? which was written by Gene O'Neill and
Noreen Tobin, but also the mentor-novice relationship is further demonstrated between the hero, Xena, and her companion,
Gabrielle. The episode opens with Gabrielle questioning Xena about a particular technique that she has mastered. This scene
supports Mencius? philosophy of mentor/student. In addition to reinforcing the relationship between the two characters, valiant
conduct and valor is illustrated when the hero single-handedly, through her own physical discipline, teachings of the ch?i and
strength, is able to fight off an army which would have conquered, and presumably killed or enslaved the common people.
The canon of self-sacrifice of the protagonist fills many episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess, however in my view no other
episode contains this lesson more clearly than in the season finale of ?Friend in Need,? that was written by Robert Tapert & R.J.
Stewart. Along with the philosophy of self-sacrifice, this episode encapsulates all the tenets set down for wuxia mythology.
Within this episode, the hero is faced with an action that she committed in the past which caused the suffering and death of
villagers. In following along the darker forms of wuxia literature, the hero confronts a past misdeed, and in rectifying it, she
must come to terms with her own darkness. Like the changing tales of wuxia, the notion of having a superhuman hero who held
human flaws was vividly depicted in this final episode. The actor who portrayed Xena, Lucy Lawless, described her character
as ?a very flawed hero,? (Xena: Warrior Princess, FIN). Yet, like the stories that were common within the Peking Opera, the
hero, through her self-sacrifice to the extent of losing her own life, found redemption for herself and those whom she caused
harm toward.
In addition to self-sacrifice, another important factor that follows the wuxia tenets concerning the relationship between the hero
and her student companion. Throughout the episode, ?Friend in Need,? we are shown the deliberate actions which Xena takes in
order to pass along the final lessons. In the scene where she is sitting in a meditation position and demonstrating the death strike,
the protagonist effectively teaches her student all the knowledge which she knows thereby releasing Gabrielle from the role of
apprentice to that of master status. By encapsulating these lessons within the final episode, the philosophies of the wuxia tenets
are further enhanced.
While Xena: Warrior Princess followed the canons set down by ancient Chinese mythology, it also incorporated the aspects of
the more modern Hong Kong directors. Although the show rarely held political satire, it had numerous episodes that
demonstrated humor at its own expense. In the episode, ?The Play?s the Thing,? written by Ashley Gable & Thomas A.
Swyden, the viewers are shown a glimpse of what it might take for Gabrielle to recreate her plays in a theatre venue. We see a
burly woman who bears no resemblance to Xena, dressed in leather as an attempt to win the role of the hero in the secondary
play. The humor of this episode is that it allows the cast to make fun of itself both through the script as well as the casting of
characters.
In following the tenets of wuxia literature, Xena: Warrior Princess incorporated the concepts of the alchemy of Taoism. From
the ability to fly through the air, to her death defying fight scenes and even to the lethal blow that is described in the ancient
writings of Chen San-Feng, Xena: Warrior Princess followed the canon of wuxia literature. The story of the errant knight, born
of common linage and rising in status through her own abilities and teachings was mirrored throughout the show. Furthermore,
the lessons that were taught to her companion, Gabrielle, reinforce the teachings that would eventually place the student within
the ranks of a master.
Just as the wuxia mythology transformed in the hands of the Hong Kong directors, Xena: Warrior Princess metamorphosed into
a show that would reach the American audience. By using the carefully choreographed stunts that had become a favorite of the
action seeking audience, combined with the modern day language and euphemism, the popularity of Xena reached proportions
rarely seen for a television audience. When it first aired it received 97% of the television audience and became a main staple for
the viewing public (Grimes). In an interview, actor Lucy Lawless stated;
Each demographic took something different from it? It had a really wide demographic appeal?
(Medigovich 27).
Albeit unknown by the players involved, the show followed an already tested formula of the wuxia style of storytelling. In the
same interview, Lucy Lawless stated;
I guess the show was really about friendship and courage? not just courage against the enemy within,
you know, your own demons. It was about rebirth and forgiveness (Medigovich 27).
The traits Lucy Lawless mentioned are the similar attributes that are found in the ancient wuxia writings, as well as the Hong
Kong style of wuxia pian. It was this style of writing that brought about the universal appeal of the show and garnered a larger
audience than might have previously been expected.
Although the major players involved in the making of Xena: Warrior Princess modestly downplay the significance of the show,
were it not for its original inception and subsequent airing on American networks, the door might not have been open for other
wuxia themes to enter into the American mainstream television and movie industry. Xena: Warrior Princess was the first long
lasting show which featured a woman as a swordmaster and warrior. Additionally, it brought the choreographic stunts and
compelling storylines of judiciousness, gallantry, virtue, valiant conduct, valor and self sacrifice into American homes on a
weekly basis and in doing so, inadvertently introduced the canons of wuxia to a demographic group that might never have had
the opportunity to embrace its philosophies.
The widely popular television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, produced by Joss Whedon, is another example of the wuxia pian
style being adapted for an American audience. Like past wuxia pian story lines and the American version of Xena: Warrior
Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer incorporates all of the attributes found in the ancient writings of wuxia literature. The show
has a hero in the form of a young woman. Like Xena, Buffy Summers is a flawed hero filled with her own darkness and angst.
Following the wuxia pian of Hong Kong, the main character defeats evil enemies through her skill and abilities to perform
death-defying feats. Professor South, in his book Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy, states;
??salvation? might be thought of as a process by which individuals, with the help of a ?Greater
Power,? turn from living only for the self to the exclusion of the needs of others, to a life by which
all of humanity is helped to suffer less (South 241).
This shows the self-sacrifice and greater good notions of the wuxia canon.
a leader (Delaney 4), or the hero and her companion are battling against evil in order to save a community, the pre-set canon of
the ancient Chinese mythology is depicted throughout the episodes. However, for the purpose of this paper, I will only outline a
few individual episodes that showcase the wuxia tenets.
In the episode ?When Fates Collide,? written by Katherine Fugate, the audience is shown a view of the hero as she would have
been if fate was changed. In this alternative universe, the gallant nobility combined with justice toward their subjects that was
taught by Confucius is depicted when the Empress Xena shows mercy upon Gabrielle, a bard whom, in this episode, she has
never met before. By displaying acts of kindness, she follows the teachings of a ruler acting judiciously toward a subject.
Although these traits are seen throughout many episodes, in no other is it more prevalently showcased than in ?When Fates
Collide.?
Not only is valiant conduct and valor depicted in the episode ?One Against An Army,? which was written by Gene O'Neill and
Noreen Tobin, but also the mentor-novice relationship is further demonstrated between the hero, Xena, and her companion,
Gabrielle. The episode opens with Gabrielle questioning Xena about a particular technique that she has mastered. This scene
supports Mencius? philosophy of mentor/student. In addition to reinforcing the relationship between the two characters, valiant
conduct and valor is illustrated when the hero single-handedly, through her own physical discipline, teachings of the ch?i and
strength, is able to fight off an army which would have conquered, and presumably killed or enslaved the common people.
The canon of self-sacrifice of the protagonist fills many episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess, however in my view no other
episode contains this lesson more clearly than in the season finale of ?Friend in Need,? that was written by Robert Tapert & R.J.
Stewart. Along with the philosophy of self-sacrifice, this episode encapsulates all the tenets set down for wuxia mythology.
Within this episode, the hero is faced with an action that she committed in the past which caused the suffering and death of
villagers. In following along the darker forms of wuxia literature, the hero confronts a past misdeed, and in rectifying it, she
must come to terms with her own darkness. Like the changing tales of wuxia, the notion of having a superhuman hero who held
human flaws was vividly depicted in this final episode. The actor who portrayed Xena, Lucy Lawless, described her character
as ?a very flawed hero,? (Xena: Warrior Princess, FIN). Yet, like the stories that were common within the Peking Opera, the
hero, through her self-sacrifice to the extent of losing her own life, found redemption for herself and those whom she caused
harm toward.
In addition to self-sacrifice, another important factor that follows the wuxia tenets concerning the relationship between the hero
and her student companion. Throughout the episode, ?Friend in Need,? we are shown the deliberate actions which Xena takes in
order to pass along the final lessons. In the scene where she is sitting in a meditation position and demonstrating the death strike,
the protagonist effectively teaches her student all the knowledge which she knows thereby releasing Gabrielle from the role of
apprentice to that of master status. By encapsulating these lessons within the final episode, the philosophies of the wuxia tenets
are further enhanced.
While Xena: Warrior Princess followed the canons set down by ancient Chinese mythology, it also incorporated the aspects of
the more modern Hong Kong directors. Although the show rarely held political satire, it had numerous episodes that
demonstrated humor at its own expense. In the episode, ?The Play?s the Thing,? written by Ashley Gable & Thomas A.
Swyden, the viewers are shown a glimpse of what it might take for Gabrielle to recreate her plays in a theatre venue. We see a
burly woman who bears no resemblance to Xena, dressed in leather as an attempt to win the role of the hero in the secondary
play. The humor of this episode is that it allows the cast to make fun of itself both through the script as well as the casting of
characters.
In following the tenets of wuxia literature, Xena: Warrior Princess incorporated the concepts of the alchemy of Taoism. From
the ability to fly through the air, to her death defying fight scenes and even to the lethal blow that is described in the ancient
writings of Chen San-Feng, Xena: Warrior Princess followed the canon of wuxia literature. The story of the errant knight, born
of common linage and rising in status through her own abilities and teachings was mirrored throughout the show. Furthermore,
the lessons that were taught to her companion, Gabrielle, reinforce the teachings that would eventually place the student within
the ranks of a master.
Just as the wuxia mythology transformed in the hands of the Hong Kong directors, Xena: Warrior Princess metamorphosed into
a show that would reach the American audience. By using the carefully choreographed stunts that had become a favorite of the
action seeking audience, combined with the modern day language and euphemism, the popularity of Xena reached proportions
rarely seen for a television audience. When it first aired it received 97% of the television audience and became a main staple for
the viewing public (Grimes). In an interview, actor Lucy Lawless stated;
Each demographic took something different from it? It had a really wide demographic appeal?
(Medigovich 27).
Albeit unknown by the players involved, the show followed an already tested formula of the wuxia style of storytelling. In the
same interview, Lucy Lawless stated;
I guess the show was really about friendship and courage? not just courage against the enemy within,
you know, your own demons. It was about rebirth and forgiveness (Medigovich 27).
The traits Lucy Lawless mentioned are the similar attributes that are found in the ancient wuxia writings, as well as the Hong
Kong style of wuxia pian. It was this style of writing that brought about the universal appeal of the show and garnered a larger
audience than might have previously been expected.
Although the major players involved in the making of Xena: Warrior Princess modestly downplay the significance of the show,
were it not for its original inception and subsequent airing on American networks, the door might not have been open for other
wuxia themes to enter into the American mainstream television and movie industry. Xena: Warrior Princess was the first long
lasting show which featured a woman as a swordmaster and warrior. Additionally, it brought the choreographic stunts and
compelling storylines of judiciousness, gallantry, virtue, valiant conduct, valor and self sacrifice into American homes on a
weekly basis and in doing so, inadvertently introduced the canons of wuxia to a demographic group that might never have had
the opportunity to embrace its philosophies.
The widely popular television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, produced by Joss Whedon, is another example of the wuxia pian
style being adapted for an American audience. Like past wuxia pian story lines and the American version of Xena: Warrior
Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer incorporates all of the attributes found in the ancient writings of wuxia literature. The show
has a hero in the form of a young woman. Like Xena, Buffy Summers is a flawed hero filled with her own darkness and angst.
Following the wuxia pian of Hong Kong, the main character defeats evil enemies through her skill and abilities to perform
death-defying feats. Professor South, in his book Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy, states;
??salvation? might be thought of as a process by which individuals, with the help of a ?Greater
Power,? turn from living only for the self to the exclusion of the needs of others, to a life by which
all of humanity is helped to suffer less (South 241).
This shows the self-sacrifice and greater good notions of the wuxia canon.
