The martial arts film "The Wild Blade of Strangers" officially landed on iQIYI. From its theatrical release on March 2nd to its online debut on March 8th, "The Wild Blade of Strangers" only took 6 days. However, unlike previous films that quickly made their way online, the release of "The Wild Blade of Strangers" was a strategically planned proactive move. According to the creators, from the inception of "The Wild Blade of Strangers," they aimed for a release on the streaming media. After the film was completed, many audience representatives and industry peers were invited to watch it. While they praised the quality of the film, they also suggested the idea of trying to enter theaters. It has been a long time since such an exciting Wuxia action film has graced the big screen. Subsequently, with the introduction of the concept of "theatrical release," and after rapid preparations, "The Wild Blade of Strangers" finalized its strategy of releasing in theaters and then transitioning to online streaming on the streaming media. Since iQIYI launched the "Master of Action Season" on January 18th, the film and television industry has been closely watching iQIYI's next moves. In recent years, martial arts films have…

In Jin Yong's world, the jianghu transcends its origins as a realm outside the law in traditional knight-errant novels, evolving into a timeless symbol of order and spirit. The role played by actual locations and scenery in live-action filming is not merely decorative - rather than being extravagant landscape promotion, it serves as a probing and revisiting of the order and chivalrous spirit of the jianghu. As a self-contained realm of power, the jianghu has dissipated after a long period of decline. In recent years, a wave of Jin Yong dramas and films born out of the overflow of the film and television industry has made it increasingly challenging to authentically capture even the superficial aspects of the martial arts jianghu. From 1957 to 1959, Jin Yong, after leaving the "Ta Kung Pao," joined the Great Wall Movie Enterprise as a screenwriter and director. His two years of foray into the film industry may be considered insignificant in his lifetime. However, in terms of the influence of Jin Yong's works in the Chinese-speaking world, the credit cannot be overlooked for the film and television adaptations based on his novels. Since the two-part film adaptation of "The Legend of the Condor…

The wuxia drama, which used to dominate the screen for many years and had a deep audience base, has entered a low tide due to repeated remakes and lack of innovation. However, to the surprise of the audience, the wuxia dramas in 2023 brought some long-lost brilliance. The release of a batch of works such as "The Ingenious One" which focuses on "martial arts mysteries", "Mysterious Lotus Casebook" which combines suspenseful detective stories, and the wuxia comedy "Legend of the Undercover Chef" once again proves that wuxia dramas still have the ability to stand out. In 2024, there are 12 upcoming wuxia dramas that have great potential in terms of cast and audience expectations. Let's speculate, which work will become the blockbuster wuxia drama of 2024? The most anticipated upcoming wuxia dramas in 2024 are definitely the sequels of popular IPs. With their previous performance being generally good, serialized dramas come with built-in popularity and are more likely to become blockbusters, achieving great success once again.   Joy of Life Season 2 With the popularity of the first season, there should be no doubt about the expectations for "Joy of Life" Season 2. Currently, the number of pre-orders of season…

Ever since the finale of "Story of Kunning Palace" reached a popularity of over ten thousand, "A Journey to Love" immediately took its place. Just three days later, its popularity skyrocketed to 9500. As a drama that had garnered enough attention even during its preparation phase, "A Journey to Love" is receiving attention from all sides. The opening plot of "A Journey to Love" is captivating enough, with Liu Shishi in excellent form. What's even more important is that, as the story unfolds in several episodes, people are drawn into a world that combines innovative characterizations for both male and female leads, as well as a grand narrative that encompasses both traditional and modern elements. A good start is half the battle won, and "A Journey to Love" has received commendable praise. The identifiable wardrobe and set designs, as well as the thoughtful development of certain storylines, are worth contemplating. Both the industry and the audience need more dramas like this.   The plotline of A Journey to Love The plotline of "A Journey to Love" begins with an action-packed scene. Ren Ruyi (played by Liu Shishi) was originally a high-ranking assassin named Ren Xin in the An Guo Zhu…

As the first drama written and directed by Guo Jingming (pseudonym Gu Xiaosheng), "My Journey to You" has been in the spotlight since its premiere, and continues to be a topic of discussion. It is well known that popular directors/producers like Guo Jingming, Yu Zheng, and Wang Yixu, even if they have not released any works for a long time, are always surrounded by legends about them. Information about them is no longer clear and precise, as if all the praise and criticism are shrouded in a veil of mist, making it difficult to distinguish. It is unfair to judge the work itself and other cast and crew members from this perspective. Therefore, today, let us temporarily set aside the controversies and love-hate relationships that have long focused on Guo Jingming, and re-examine the work "My Journey to You".   The dichotomy of visual beauty and impressive sight When "My Journey to You" first aired, it was common to see some hesitant netizens wandering in various comment sections, trying to seek authentic evaluations from the viewers who were the first to watch this drama. Interestingly, although everyone's responses were different, the overall sentiment was surprisingly consistent, all expressing that this…

The Wuxia drama "Mysterious Lotus Casebook" has attracted a large number of viewers since its premiere with its innovative martial arts format. The seemingly outdated elements of the martial arts world such as martial heroes, inns, and sects have broken through the traditional boundaries in the drama. However, when it comes to martial arts, one cannot ignore the concept of the Jianghu (江湖, rivers and lakes) in Chinese culture. What exactly is the Jianghu?   How can we define the Jianghu culture? The term Jianghu seems to be a vague concept. People admire and yearn for the Jianghu, but it always seems difficult to define and is not considered highbrow. The earliest appearance of the term Jianghu can be found in the book "Zhuangzi": “相濡以沫，不如相忘于江湖。(Rather than leave them to moisten each other with their damp and spittle, it would be far better to let them forget themselves in their native rivers and lakes)” This phrase evokes a sense of imagination, encompassing the vast territories of the Central Plains, the four corners of the world, the rivers and lakes that crisscross the land. Gradually, the Jianghu has evolved into a metaphor for the world. The beauty brought forth by nature, the…

On September 2nd, the Jianghu scheme drama "My Journey to You" directed by Guo Jingming and starring Yu Shuxin, Zhang Linghe, and Cheng Lei, with special appearances by Zeng Shunxi, , and Chen Du Ling began airing. As the grand ceremony for selecting a consort approaches, Yun Weishan (played by Yu Shuxin), a skilled assassin, infiltrates the Gong Men sect to gather intelligence. However, unexpectedly both the master of the Gong Men and his designated successor are assassinated. Overnight, Gong Ziyu (played by Zhang Linghe), who has always been marginalized as the fourth prince suddenly becomes the new master of the Gong Men sect. In this twist of fate, Yun Weishan can only redirect her efforts towards capturing and seducing Gong Ziyu anew. After careful planning and manipulation she succeeds in becoming his bride. She had initially thought that once she became Gong Ziyu's wife she would complete her mission and attain freedom; little did she know that even more dangerous challenges awaited her. Her only ally being none other than Gong ZiYu himself who appeared to be an inept puppet ruler. With intricate reasoning consciousness intertwined with gripping plot tension, the mystery genre is becoming one of most significant…

"Joy of Life Season 2" began filming on May 10th, and the cast was announced by the production team immediately. As the soul of the entire series, Zhang Ruoyun will play the role of Fan Xian. His portrayal of Fan Xian in the first season was spot-on and left a deep impression on viewers. With a deeper understanding of the character, Zhang Ruoyun's performance in "Joy of Life Season 2" is expected to be even more remarkable. Two very popular actresses, Li Qin, and Song Yi, are also returning for the second season. Li Qin, who had not previously confirmed her participation, has also made a highly anticipated return as Lin Wan'er. Her character will have more screen time and will become Fan Xian's most powerful supporter. Song Yi seems to have resolved her scheduling conflicts and will continue to play Fan Ruoruo, becoming a major support for her brother Fan Xian's career. Chen Daoming, who was previously rumored to have resigned, will also continue to play Emperor of Qing. The stills still have the same spontaneous and unrestrained look. And the confirmed cast members for the second season of "Joy of Life" include Tian Yu, Wu Gang, Gao Shuguang,…

Fans of Jianghu & martial arts TV show are in for a treat with the highly anticipated series, "The Ingenious One". With an all-star cast and impressive fight choreography, this drama promises to be an exciting and thrilling ride for viewers. After "A Dream of Splendor", Chen Xiao's career reached another peak. Not only did he star in one successful product after another, but his personal achievements and performances also improved. First, he starred in the period drama "Miles to Go", playing the role of Gao Jialin, demonstrating the importance of self-reliance in life. Whether it was the immersion of his character, or the presentation of details, Chen Xiao's interpretation was perfect. Following that, he worked with Chen Jianbin to bring the suspenseful detective drama "Thirteen Years of Dust", once again playing a police officer and effectively conveying the sense of responsibility and belief that comes with the job. His personal performance was outstanding, and combined with the high-quality products and strong performances from the entire cast, received numerous positive reviews and can be considered a top suspense drama of 2023. Just as "Thirteen Years of Dust" has finished airing, Chen Xiao's next project "The Ingenious One" is set to…

After several unsuccessful adaptations of important Wuxia novels by Jin Yong, the Wuxia genre dramas has been continuously criticized. However, in recent years, the success of wuxia dramas such as "Sword Snow Stride", "Joy of Life", "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty", and "Ever Night" has revived the genre. The market seems to have realized that traditional Wuxia dramas are a thing of the past, and breaking away from the Wuxia dramas of Jin Yong and Gu Long may bring about new vitality. According to incomplete statistics, there are as many as ten upcoming Wuxia dramas awaiting release in 2023, all of which break away from the traditional production approach and incorporate other elements such as time travel, idol, and spy warfare. Recently, the drama "Pledge of Allegiance", directed by Cao Hua with Li Yi as the chief screenwriter, starring Leon Zhang and Chen Ruoxuan as lead actors, and featuring Sun Yi in a special guest appearance, has started to air. It has received a lot of love from netizens since its premiere. One important reason for its high attention is the connection it has with the movie "Brotherhood of Blades". "Pledge of Allegiance" is an adaptation of "Brotherhood of Blades",…

Compared to costume dramas and Xuanhuan dramas, the Wuxia and Xianxia genres drama have less momentum in 2022. But there are quite a few that are worth adding to the waiting list for martial arts fans, such as Who Rules The World, The Young Flying Fox, and Heroes. Likewise, there are still some popular dramas still in production on the martial arts to-be-broadcast list for 2022, check them out here. This article summarizes some of the Wuxia cdramas to be broadcast in 2023.   A Journey to Love · 一念观山 Also known as: Yi Nian Guan Shan Period Background: Alternative Reality Genres: Romance, Martial Arts, Adventure Main Role: Liu Shi Shi as Ren Ru Yi, Liu Yu Ning as Ning Yuan Zhou Plot summary of A Journey to Love The Wuxia cdramas A Journey to Love is Liu Shi Shi playing ancient cdrama again after five years. It tells the story of Ren Ruyi (任如意, played by Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (宁远舟, played by Liu Yuning) building a strong alliance, establishing trust, and defending their faith.   The Blood of Youth · 少年歌行 (Aired) Aired: December 26, 2022 Also known as: Song of Adolescence Period Background: Alternative…

Jin Yong's martial arts novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" is a voluminous and difficult for film adaptation. "Sakra (乔峰传)" takes the most central character in the original novel, Qiao Feng, and develops the entire story around his fate and life. With his understanding and creative approach, Donnie Yen has created a new image of Qiao Feng. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es5NAYPdcdI During the Northern Song Dynasty, Qiao Feng, the heroic and chivalrous leader of the Beggar's Gang, was supported by the martial arts world, but was suddenly identified as a Khitan and defected from the family. In Qiao Feng to trace his life, looking for enemies on the way, he and Murong family maidservant girl Azhu acquaintance and mutual affection. They go through several adventures, until Ah Zhu is mistakenly killed by Qiao Feng because of Mrs. Ma's design, and Qiao Feng finally finds out that everything is Murong's plot to restore Yan. Qiao Feng killed Murong Fu, and then took Zhu's last wish and went to the outside of the country.   The Difficulty of Adapting Jin Yong's Wuxia Work The creators of "Sakra", Donnie Yen and Wong Jing, had just previously collaborated on the "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" film series, with Donnie…

Wuxia drama "The Blood of Youth (少年歌行)" is adapted from the original novel of the same name by Zhou Munan, directed by Yin Tao, the original author Zhou Munan as a scriptwriter, the story tells a group of influential teenage chivalrous experts in the Jianghu world. Since the broadcast of "The Blood of Youth", it has become the first popular martial arts drama in 2023. At a time when the martial arts drama style is gradually weakening, this achievement is quite excellent. From the perspective of audience portraits, the main audience of "The Blood of Youth" is aged 18-24, and the audience aged 18-29 accounts for 80% of paying users. This is a martial arts drama that depends on the support of young audience. The Blood of Youth can win the favor of young audiences because it reshapes the spirit of chivalry. It is a Wuxia drama and also an emotional drama full of hot blood and sincerity. Its special effects are outstanding, but it does not overwhelm main focus; it portrays many characters, but focuses on important plots instead of introducing them one by one. When the cost of investment is not high, there is even simplicity visible in…

More than 20 Chinese Wuxia and Xianxia drama series are scheduled to air in 2022, including the highly anticipated "Joy of Life: Season 2" starring Zhang Ruo Yun and Li Qin; "The Longest Promise" starring Xiao Zhan and Ren Min; "The Longest Promise" starring Gong Jun and Dilraba Legend of Anle, starring Dilmurat. There are also several fantasy Xianxia dramas based on exciting Xianxia novels. The following is a list of Chinese Wuxia & Xianxia Drama highlights for 2022, as compiled by Newhanfu.   Joy of Life: Season 2 · 庆余年2 Also known as: Qing Yu Nian 2 Period Background: Alternative reality Genres: Wuxia, Political, Romance, Action, Comedy Main Role: Zhang Ruo Yun as Fan Xian, Li Qin as Lin Wan'er, Chen Dao Ming as Emperor of Qing, Wu Gang as Chen Ping Ping Joy of Life: Season 2 will bring an even more stirring story, as Fan Xian's challenges continue to escalate after the ups and downs of the previous life and death, while many characters from the first season return and new roles will be introduced to the audience.   Sword Snow Stride · 雪中悍刀行 (Aired) Aired: December 15, 2021 Also known as: Xue Zhong Han Dao Xing…

Recently, Who Rules the World (且试天下), wuxia drama starring Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi, is being broadcast on Tencent Video. This drama adapted from the novel of the same name by Qing Ling Yue, combines traditional costume, romance, and martial arts. In just one week of broadcasting, the cumulative viewership of Who Rules the World has already exceeded nearly 500 million. The kingdom is divided into seven parts, the emperor's family is the most honored. The person who has the Xuan Ji Ling (玄极令) can command six states. However, the disappearance of the Xuan Ji Ling has led the chaos, and the power-hungry heroes are out in force, they all want to be the first to find the Xuan Ji Ling and achieve their own supremacy power. Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi are also involved in it, they not only implicated in the huge power and conspiracy between the court and the martial arts world, but also write their own martial arts romance saga. In terms of plot, Who Rules the World is not based on historical dynasties, but the exciting game of court, the thrilling martial arts fighting scenes, as well as the sweet emotional scenes, can…

In recent years, exciting Chinese anime productions have emerged, making great leaps in content and quality and gaining more and more recognition and love from anime fans. For example, the Wuxia anime The Legend of Qin, which is about to receive its seventh season, and the Xuanhuan anime Douluo Continent, updated to more than 200 episodes. The combination of Wuxia, Xuanhuan, and anime can be said to be perfect, with fantastic dueling images and heart-wrenching plots. Once you open the first episode, you will be immersed in it, and keep looking forward to the start of the new season. This article will list the Martial Arts and Fantasy Chinese Animation that will be released or updated in 2022. Bookmark this list, and we'll keep updating it here with exciting Chinese anime!   The Degenerate-Drawing Jianghu Season 5 · 画江湖之不良人5 Also known as: Hua Jianghu: Bu Liang Ren V Period Background: Tang Dynasty Genres: Wuxia Anime, Action, Historical Aired: January 20, 2022 Episodes/Duration: 12/25min "Buliang Ren" is an officer who was engaged in detecting and catching theft in Tang Dynasty. The story of this animation is about the hidden treasure of Longquan by "Buliang Ren". In The Degenerate-Drawing Jianghu, the heroes…

In the year 2021 that has just passed, a topic that is often brought up is just how many Wuxia and Xianxia cdramas will be aired next year. It is not difficult to understand such a question. According to statistics from public sources, including various projects to be broadcast, wrapped, started filming, and in preparation, there are at least 40+ Wuxia and Xianxia cdramas exposed so far, which can be considered the most crowded track in the film and television industry in 2022. On January 14, the new-style martial arts drama "Sword Snow Stride " ushered in the first season finale. on January 16, "Mirror: Twin Cities" will first kick off the prologue of this year's fantasy cdrama.   Xianxia Cdramas: Adaptation Determines the Winner The most obvious phenomenon of Xianxia cdramas is that although the quantity is large, the hits are not easy to come by. On the one hand, although Xianxia cdramas have a fixed audience, there is a quota for scheduling, and only the real top dramas have the chance to be syndicated on multiple platforms. On the other hand, historical drama is a big part of cdrama, long creation period and large cost investment are its…

Wuxia (武俠), which is a type of Chinese fantasy with a lot of martial arts. It’s a lot of attractive people flying around with swords using powers, and it’s amazing. What you see wuxia world in dramas, what you think is the ancient Chinese cultural ideal world is actually created within the last say a little bit over half a century in the 1950s. In this post, I am going to attempt to explain the rather complicated concept of Wuxia and Jianghu that even a lot of Chinese native people actually don't quite know about that. So if you're coming from a different cultural background and you don't speak the language it might be even more confusing for you to understand what jianghu. So first we have to understand the word Wuxia, and then the concept of Jianghu. Wuxia World in Chinese Dramas If you have been watching a lot of Chinese dramas, you may realize a large proportion of current Chinese dramas are of the period drama genre and within this genre. A large proportion is the Wuxia genre or versions that branch off from this genre or even if it's really a serious political or Romantic period drama,…

A lot of people on blog website including me have made posts about top wuxia dramas to watch but we always end up adding Xianxia dramas to the list. So in today's video,  I am only gonna include wuxia dramas on this list. Wuxia literary translates to Martial Heroes and it's set in Jiang Hu. Jiang Hu means lakes and rivers. In the west, Superman and Batman can be considered martial heroes but in Chinese drama land, wuxia dramas are set in ancient China. Wuxia dramas contest of Jiang hu, martial arts, swordsman,  and the characters must know some form of martial arts.   1. Nirvana In Fire 瑯琊榜 Starring Hu Ge, Tamia Liu & Wang Kai, Nirvana In Fire is a 54 episode drama that tells the story of a brilliant strategist who helps an uncovered prince battle for the throne. The screenplay is well-written and the storyline is well-paced as plots get revealed. You know how most shows are pretty boring in the beginning and only get interesting around episode 15 or so,  well Nirvana In Fire is amazing and it’ll hook you in right from the 1st episode. The drama has also got an amazing cast but…

Wuxia clothing is a fantasy martial arts garment, and also called as xianxia clothing in immortal wuxia novels. In most cases, Wuxia clothes are made specifically for filming movies and costume TV series, so there are many kinds. Martial arts clothing is based on the traditional Chinese Hanfu Version (loose fit design and is worn left over right), but it is not a simple copy. Because there are few strict textual research on historical clothes, and designers can freely design them, most of the martial arts clothes we see in the film do not exist in history. Strictly speaking, it is a kind of modern clothing. Many excellent wuxia films and ancient Chinese dramas have good appearance, kungfu movements, and dancing beauty design. They keep innovating in following the ancient culture, the background of the times, the character's personality, etc. Both fabric selection and color matching are carefully designed to ultimate beauty and strive for perfection. It can be said that wuxia clothing is exquisite modern art. So let's explore the fantastic martial arts world through these beautiful wuxia clothes. 1. Xianxia Clothing Taoist xianxia novel is a new kind of novel style in recent years. It grew out of…