Glossary

#### Novel Categories

**Wuxia** (武侠 wǔxiá) – literally means "Martial Heroes". Fictional stories about regular humans who can achieve supernatural fighting ability through Chinese martial arts training and internal energy cultivation. Themes of chivalry, tragedy, revenge & romance are common.

**Xianxia** (仙侠 xiānxiá) – literally means "Immortal Heroes". Fictional stories featuring magic, demons, ghosts, immortals, and a great deal of Chinese folklore/mythology. Protagonists (usually) attempt to cultivate to Immortality, seeking eternal life and the pinnacle of strength. Heavily inspired by Daoism.

Comparison: If Wuxia is "low fantasy", then Xianxia is "high fantasy".

#### Cosmology Terms

**Dao** (道 dào) – the origin and source of all things. It can be translated in many different ways, including The Way / Road / Path / Method. According to Daoism, it is the absolute principle underlying the universe, combining within itself the principles of Yin and Yang and signifying the way, or code of behavior, that is in harmony with the natural order. In these novels, characters often try to gain insights into the Dao, which can give them supernatural powers or even control over aspects of the natural world.

**Yin & Yang** (阴阳 yīnyáng) – the duality present in all aspects of the universe. For instance: Yin is Female / Soft / Death / Dark / the Moon, while Yang is Male / Hard / Life / Light / the Sun – the comparisons are endless. Yin & Yang describe how opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they mutually give rise to each other.

**Five Elements** (五行 wǔxíng) – Wood (木 mù), Fire (火 huǒ), Earth (土 tǔ), Metal (金 jīn) and Water (水 shuǐ). The fundamental elements which compose everything in the universe. They have a detailed cyclic relationship, and each of them have several symbolic meanings. Somewhat analogous to the Western Four Elements.

**Qi** (气 qì) – (Spiritual) Energy - the vital energy which exists in all things.

**Zhen Qi** (真气 zhēn qì) – True (Spiritual) Energy – a combination of the vital energy which one is born with (innate) and the one one acquires through good living habits and nutritious food (acquired).

#### World Terms

**Immortals** (仙 xiān) – beings who ascended to Immortality through Daoist cultivation practices. They have magical powers, can fly freely through the air, and have a close connection to the Dao and the natural world.

**Jianghu** (江湖 jiānghú) – literally "Rivers and Lakes", but figuratively refers to the "World Of Martial Arts" or the "World Of Cultivation". A section of society consisting of martial artists, mobsters, thieves, beggars, prostitutes, merchants, entertainers, and anyone else wanting to operate outside of mainstream society or in the grey area of the law.

**Wulin** (武林 wǔlín) – literally "Martial Forest", figuratively refers to the “community of martial artists” within the Jianghu.

**Sect** (宗 zōng) - an organization dedicated to the practice of cultivation and/or martial arts. Typically led by a Sect Leader or Patriarch/Matriarch. With the help of Sect Elders, they instruct Disciples in the proper methods of cultivation or training in the martial arts styles of the Sect. The Disciples live in the Sect, which provides for their daily needs. There is practically always a strict hierarchy amongst members of a Sect, and respect for the elder generations is demanded. Martial Sects are categorised into righteous and demonic sects. Righteous sects are traditional and governed by Confucian precepts, whereas demonic sects tend to be innovative but don't adhere to morality.

**Elder/Junior Martial Brother/Sister** (师兄/师弟/师姐/师妹 shī​xiōng/shī​dì/shī​jiě/shī​mèi) - a term used to address fellow disciples. Seniority is determined according to the time of entry into the sect. Accordingly they are addressed as junior martial sibling or elder martial sibling.

#### Martial Arts Terms

**Martial Arts** (武功 wǔgōng) – fighting styles & techniques. Also includes physical exercises, methods of mental discipline, and more. Chinese martial arts are commonly referred to as Kung Fu (功夫 gōng​fu) or Wushu (武术 wǔ​shù).

**External Martial Arts** (外家/外门 wàijiā/wàimén) – martial arts styles characterized by fast and explosive movements. They focus on the cultivation of physical strength and agility.

**Internal Martial Arts** (内家/内门 nèijiā/nèimén) – martial arts styles characterized by soft and flowing movements. They focus on the cultivation of the mind, spirit and energy.

**Internal Power/Strength/Energy** (内力 nèilì) or (内劲 nèijìn) or (内息 nèixī) – the cultivated energy within a martial artist’s body. Utilizing it, a martial artist can accomplish superhuman feats of speed, agility, strength, endurance, etc... It can even be used to heal wounds and nullify poisons.

**Lightness Technique** (轻功 qīnggōng) – the ability to lighten the body and move with great agility & swiftness. At high proficiency, practitioners of this skill can run across water, leap to the top of trees, or even glide through the air.

#### Cultivation Terms

**Cultivation Method** (功法 gōngfǎ) – literally "effort method". A technique which cultivators practice in order to cultivate. This method usually relies on "effort" to cultivate and are more closely associated with external martial arts.

**Cultivation Method** (心法 xīnfǎ) – literally "heart/mind method". A technique which cultivators practice in order to cultivate. This method usually relies on "contemplation" to cultivate and are more closely associated with internal martial arts.

**(Qi) Deviation** (走火入魔 zǒu huǒ rù mó) – literally "walk into fire and be possessed by demons". A state wherein the cultivation base becomes dangerously unstable, causing internal damage to the body and symptoms of psychosis. People who succumb to their inner demons, who practice cultivation/martial arts incorrectly, or who rashly use forbidden arts are all at risk of falling into this state.

**Bottleneck** (瓶颈 píngjǐng) – the term for when cultivators figuratively hit a wall in their training and it suddenly becomes incredibly difficult to proceed. When they reach a bottleneck, cultivators may require new insights, the aid of medicinal pills, or even harsher training in order to **break through** (突破 tūpò) and successfully bypass the bottleneck.

**Cultivating Furnace / Honeypot** (炉鼎 lú dǐng) – literally "ancient cauldron and furnace". A term used refer to the practice of one of the two practitioners relying on the other's body to increase their own cultivation. However, this method is not an authentic double cultivation method, because while one of the two parties' cultivation is advancing the other one's receding. In some novels, this method is used on the lower-class, servants or slaves.

#### Daoism/Buddhism Terms

**Mara / Demon** (魔罗) - 魔, the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit word Māra, is an evil spirit that hinders good deeds. Although there many kinds of Maras, they can loosely be divided into two categories: internal and external demons. Internal demons refer to demons that dwell within the bodies of all living beings. They are the coarse and subtle ill emotions that arise in the human mind. External demons refer to demons that dwell outside the body of all living beings. External demons are supernatural beings who reside in other planes of existence and have been known to hinder practitioners on many occasions. According to Buddhism, any obstacle that can hinder cultivation can be called a demon. Therefore, ill emotions such as restlessness, anger and greed can be called demons. The four most common kinds of Maras are Kleśa-māra (烦恼魔 = Vexation Demons), the embodiment of all ill emotions, such as greed, hate and delusion; Skandha-māra (阴魔 or 蕴魔 = Yin Demons), the embodiment of the five aggregates of attachment. These aggregates are a metaphor for the entirety of conditioned existence; Mṛtya-māra (死魔 = Death Demons), the embodiment of death, which reaps the lives of all living beings; Devaputra-māra (天魔 or 自在天魔 = Heavenly Demons), such as the Maras of the sixth heavenly plane (第六天 = sixth heaven) of the realm of desire (欲界). Kleśa-māra, Skandha-māra and Mṛtya-māra are considered internal demons, whereas Devaputra-māra are considered external demons.

**Six Paths of Reincarnation** (轮回六道) - a cycle of death and rebirth, where a person is reincarnated into one of six realms (realm of hell, realm of hungry spirits, realm of animals, realm of asuras, realm of humans, and realm of heaven) depending on their accumulated karma from their past life.

**36 Heavens** (三十六天) - According to Daoism, 32 of the 36 planes of existence are split into 3 realms (欲界, 色界 and 无色界 = desire, form and formlessness). The last eight planes of existence are known as the 4 pure planes (四梵天), the 3 pristine planes (三清天) and the great overarching plane (大罗天). These 36 planes are derived from the 31 Buddhist planes of existence.

#### Miscellaneous Terms

**Feng Shui** (风水 fēngshuǐ) – literally "Wind and Water". A form of traditional Chinese divination/fortune-telling. In novels it’s mainly only mentioned in passing.

**Fairy / Lady / Maiden** (仙女 xiānnǚ) or (仙子 xiānzǐ) – a term used to describe a woman of otherworldly beauty.

**Temptress / Sorceress / Vixen** (妖女 yāo​nǚ) – a term used to describe an attractive and seductive woman, especially one who is likely to cause distress or disaster to a man who becomes involved with her.

**Inheritance** (传承 chuán​chéng) – a term for something that is "imparted and inherited" or "passed on and carried on" (like a tradition, martial art, cultivation method, etc.).

**Fortuitous Encounter** (奇遇 qí​yù) - a term used to describe a cultivator encountering something by chance (like a martial art, cultivation method, magical tool or insight) that usually enables dramatic progress.

#### References

Chinese Novel Terms

Heavens of Daoism

Buddhist Planes of Existence

Maras