Wuxia genre

The Wuxia genre (Wǔxiá) literally means "martial arts heroes", and is an subgenre martial arts genre, often with fantasy elements.

The genre has existed for centuries, and has gained renewed popularity in the twentieth century in China, and worldwide, through wuxia films. The genre primarily requires its characters to be versed in, and use in the story, martial arts skills. Thus, the genre can be mixed with any sort of settings (although ancient China is the most common, thus placing many Wuxia works into a historical fantasy context) and any sort of plot (although action-adventure plots are the most common).

The use of martial arts in wuxia is often exaggerated and/or unrealistic in the pursuit of narrative aims. As Ang Lee commented about his movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, "I think it's a misconception to equate martial arts films with martial arts. It's really, in spirit, a musical. Instead of singing and dancing when you feel something, you kick ass."

The fantastic element most often occurs in the skills and powers that the martial artist characters attain, often through secret training or knowledge and discipline. However, other fantasy elements, such as spirits, demons, reincarnation, destiny, and so on, are also commonly seen.

The genre is known for its numerous action heroines.