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              I was amazed by the concept of Wuxia culture in its influence in Chinese martial arts romanticism in the literature that was read, illustrating the complexities and multiple sides of Chinese knight erranthood as well as Chinese concubinage. There were multiple levels and factors that influenced Chinese knight hood particularly the loyalty to the master, which is similar to the concept of Confucian loyalty. However other factors such as social ambiguity in that Chinese knight errants somewhat ostracized themselves from society, or were ostracized by society due to their individualistic nature.

            We notice this to be a major trait, as seen in the readings of Fox Volant, as well as in the character of Broken Sword, Flying Snow and Sky in the movie analysis of Hero. These characters were considered knight errants, whose main goal was to kill the Emperor of Qin in order to cease his brutal attacks on other states as well as to restore the sense of balance to the Chinese heartland. The Qin Emperor, Shi Huangdi, was responsible for the destruction of the Zhao states such as the Yan, and these knight errants feared that if Huangdi was left to proceed with his plans, would only propagate death and destruction to proceed with his planes to unite the entire country. Clearly these swordsmen did not agree with the concept of legalism of Han Feizi, that Emperor Shi Huangdi applied in his policies of regional domination. This style of rebellion against the state, which in this case was the Emperor Shi Huangdi, is exactly what I mean about the concept of societal ostracization that some Chinese knights errants applied. However, not all is observed. The two major characters in the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Li Mubai and Yu Shulien, who were knight errants looking to catch the burglaress who stole the family sword. These knights errants, were examples, such as the knight errants of the book Outlaws of the Marsh, of good heroes trying to bring justice to those who were targeted by villains. There was the classical concept of good versus evil, protagonist vs the antagonist; with the characters trying to find the sword to Master Te and fighting the assassin character named Jade Fox.
   
             There is also the concept of the Wuxia world, in that these martial artists knew each other by their martial art forms, ranging from school to school. The Wuxia world was seen in the movie when they were in the woods and literally flying and gliding on top of bamboos. This concept of Wuxia martial arts world is also seen in literary works such as Fox Volant, The 11th son and the book Outlaws of the Marsh. In the martial arts world, the members of the society are martial artists who escaped to this world from the real world, however the one irony that I find is that in this world, there are rules and regulations. There are legal bodies such as the Six Ideal Gentlemen, and there are concepts of marriage, honor, and all that ties the martial artists to the real world. I merely found it quite puzzling how it was really impossible to truly escape the real world, even in the romanticized martial arts world.

   From observing the dynamics of Chinese history from the classical period of the Han, Song, Yuan, Tang, Ming, Qing dynasties, I can understand where the concept of the knight errant came and how the concept of the martial arts world came about. Throughout Chinese history, knight errants or warriors were employed by lords and warlords, and upon the unification of China, these so called knight errants no longer had jobs or a profession that needed them. As the Chinese government and state utilized a unitary militarized system not a bandit-based system as seen in years prior to the unification of China; and seen in feudal Japan. These wandering soldiers, these so called knight errants therefore were seen as the outsides of society because of the martial thinking. Unlike the Confucian-based ideology of most Chinese at the time, these swordsmen solved their problems by the edge of the sword, instead of the pen. The stories that were written throughout the centuries about such brave and noble characters passed on from generation to generation until it was popularized by writers such as Gu  Long, John Christopher Hamm etc.    
   
               For me, considering the constant wars in China’s history, these stories of swordsmen and fighting for the good, for the bad, is a romanticization and symbolization of what was going on in China’s history. The fact that there is almost a longing for such soldiers, and pitying for them, it links us to China’s history with invaders such as the Manchu Qing, the Japanese, the Mongol Yuan and the recent European Imperialists. It was one way of talking against the current political discourse at the time it was written in, or a way to criticize a form of government, official or culture. One can see this in the book Fox Volant, which places a harsh finger on the barbarity of the Qing dynasty, particularly the Manchu people for their brutality towards the Chinese civilians. And the character of Fox Volant was the representation of Chinese innocence and Chinese need of retribution against the Manchus for the murder of his family members, particularly his father.
   
            You really cannot find this kind of discourse in history. I’ve taken multiple European history classes ranging from Roman history to French History and Russian History. From my readings of Roman History, there really was no character of a Roman knight, as most of the soldiers of the empire were legionnaires who were trained to be part of the Roman military system. There was an absence of a ‘uniqueness’ quality in Roman martial history as compared to the Chinese knight errant. The barbarians in Roman History were never sympathized, even so much as hated and degraded by Roman writers and historians. I have not read into a romanticized view of the Gaul rebels or the Germanian barbarian rebels of the Roman World. However, this is different in Chinese history. The Chinese view of the knight errant is different because they did abide by traditional Chinese rules; only differing in that they waged war against the Chinese governments who were too impulsive, or against foreigners who were in China. We don’t see a romanticization of rebels or former soldiers in French or Russian History. There is almost a solid and morbid view against rebels in Western History. The concept of if you are not part of the government, then you are an enemy, and a traitor. In Chinese martial history, the Chinese people, generally, had respect for the knight errant for his or her natural goodness, given there were some Chinese knight errants who gave into their natural brutality, but that was not the majority.
   
          The imagination of freelifestyle and chivalry was necessary in Chinese tradition because during the time of the classical periods, this concept of free-roaming was beyond reality. Many Chinese and scholars were planted in their agrarian lives, or stuck in their ministerial work, in the bureaucracy. The stories of Chinese knight errants, which was rather popular in the past as well as in the present, was a way for the Chinese reader to escape their mundane and tiresome daily world. For a moment in time, by reading these stories, they could feel as if they were in the martial arts world, flying in the leaves, walking on water, fighting enemies and tasting victory. It was necessary for the social and mind of the Chinese people during. Imagination breeds success and work, and from the history of China and its people, they are never short of imagination nor short of success.
   
          In my opinion, I think the concept of Chinese knighthood and Chinese concubines is what adds intrigue as well as interest to Chinese culture because it is so different to other non-Confucian Asian cultures and to Western cultures. My understanding of Chinese history was rather adequate before entering this class, but after taking this class, I realized that there is so much more to Chinese philosophy and culture than historical dates. I never knew about Chinese knight errants or concubines or the concept of the wuxia martial world. And knowing more about this, understanding its intricacies, gives me a better understanding of the Chinese culture. And what a beautiful culture it is. 


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