Hustled by Kung Fu Hustle? Mauled by a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? Evicted from a House of Flying Daggers? Or saved by a Hero.

A new breed of film is upon us, and it’s name is wu xia pian.

I’m loving every second of wu xia screen time and I’m sure you are too.

Translated from the Mandarin Chinese language, wu xia means ‘martial arts chivalry’ or ‘martial arts heroes’.

Wu xia stories have long been a part of Chinese popular culture and date back to the 2nd to 3rd century BC.

The three most popular wu xia novelists were Jin Yong, Gu Long and Liang Yu Sheng.

One of the earliest novels in the genre was the Water Margin (or Outlaws of the Marsh) written by Shi Nai’an and Luo Guanzhong during the Ming Dynasty. This was adapted into a popular television series during the 1970’s.

China’s film industry began in Shanghai in 1917 and wu xia movies flourished due to their popularity.

Many wu xia films are based on novels and they hold strong distinguishing characteristics, which set them apart from standard martial arts films (kung fu or Gong fu).

The director, Zhang Sichuan, adapted the film from the novel The Tale of the Extraordinary Swordsman.

Also, the Swordswoman of Huangjiang (1930), which showcased the abilities of female warriors in this genre, was a major hit.

The 1950s and early 1960s saw experimental films being made and paved the way for all the wirework, trampolines, reverse shots and speeded up action shots that are so common today.

The mid 1960s onwards ushered in a golden age of wu xia movies.

Two pioneers of this time were King Hu who worked from Taiwan and later on, the Shaw Brothers located in Hong Kong.

King Hu had tremendous success with the film Come Drink With Me in 1966 starring Cheng Pei Pei as Golden Swallow.

It was noted for it’s stunning art direction and innovative action choreography. Chang Pei-Pei was crowned the queen of wu xia movies during this time.

Another King Hu smash hit was A Touch of Zen, filmed in 1971.

This film brought the energy and finesse of classical Chinese theatre to the wu xia genre, lingering on beautiful landscapes and treating sword fights as veritable airborne ballets.

They produced such classics as One Armed Swordsman (1967) and Have Swordsman, Will Travel (1969).

The rise of Bruce Lee and kung fu movies in the 1970s influenced a change in style in Chang Cheh’s movies to embrace this new trend but Chor Yuen remained true to the origins of wu xia.

In particular, he made The Magic Blade (1976) which was a high point in his portfolio.

He directed a wu xia movie called Last Hurrah for Chivalry in 1979.

A new wave of wu xia movies began in the 1980s when a flood of new talent descended on the scene trained in Japanese and Hollywood filmmaking.

Tsui Hark (Xu Ke) was the leader of this fresh generation and immediately set the stage alight.

Hark's Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983) was a pure wu xia fantasy film and a labour of love.

Remaking such classics as New Dragon Gate Inn (1992) and The Blade (1995).

The Blade was a remake of Chang Cheh’s One Armed Swordsman.

Other filmmakers rising to the occasion to add depth to the genre were Wong Kar Wai who gave us Ashes of Time (1994) and Sammo Hung (Hong Jin Bao, also an actor and fight choreographer) who directed a personal favourite of mine, Blade of Fury (1993).

And then, in the year 2000 came worldwide domination. In the form of Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

This film hit the creative landscape like a freight train.

I can still remember leaving the cinema in total awe of this movie. This is the film that put wu xia on the map.

Taiwanese director Ang Lee was influenced by many of the older wu xia films he had seen as a child including A Touch of Zen.