A Graphic Novel for Young Martial Artists of all ages.
Within the intricate tapestry that is Chinese folk belief two ideas of protection stand side by side, the City God and the Door God. Of the two, the door god is most frequently encountered in two-dimensions; it’s in the name. One must imagine that within the framework of this belief, these are the actual gods, …
Literary ‘kung fu pandas’: the Chinese wuxia genre and why Westerners don’t know it (Part I) | The Bubble While wuxia stories may be fundamentally historical in nature, it is impossible to understate their literary and sociocultural importance among contemporary Chinese communities. To illuminate this, we only have to consider the sheer influence of one particular writer: …
Beyond combat, martial arts traditions are rich with symbolism, philosophy, mythology, and moral inquiry. These works showcase themes of balance, destiny, discipline, transformation, and the relationship between the individual and society.
Over the past half-dozen years martial arts media has grown from stereotypical action stories into a diverse range of works that reflect a greater cultural representation, genre experimentation, and independent publishing.
But what if you’re totally unfamiliar with martial arts?
Use this reading list…
A Kung Fu Master once told me “if you have 5 minutes to chop down a tree, sharpen that axe for four.” Take a dive into one of martial arts’ lesser known holidays Guan Gong’s Blade Sharpening Day
Read 1 of the nearly 500 “marvel tales” found in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio the 1880 translation of Liáozhāi Zhìyì (聊齋誌異) by Herbert A. Giles. London – It’s a collection of stories or by Qing Dynasty writer Pu Songling (蒲松齡)
Yaoguai Wednesday continues with a spotlight on Asia’s most iconic undead creature of folklore the Jiāngshī (殭屍) or hopping vampire. Don’t be fooled by it hopping it is also capable of giving chase by running, and if sufficiently ancient, flight.