Let Us Wander Together [Wenzhou]

Terminology

A/N: with all the stuff that was happening I couldn't really concentrate so I decided to write this, it'll soon be back to chapter 4 though!

Mainly about terminology used in wuxia, hope all of you can learn something new! :)) (this is by no means a complete list, i may add some if i can think of others, also if i made some mistake please inform me, thank you.)

1. Xianxia vs Wuxia

Wuxia: fighting, martial ats, mortals

Xianxia: spells, monsters, immortals

While both usually have internal energy involved, in wuxia it is usually used to enhance fighting skills and sometimes healing (e.g. purging poisons), but xianxia it is also used for cultivation to immortality. (Note: I personally don't believe that the immortality Ye Baiyi/Wenzhou achieved with the combined six cultivation power is true immortality as they can't eat [or drink] hot food etc, so it's still wuxia)

2. 内功/neigong/internal energy

(lit. internal – 内, martial arts – 功) Martial artist usually use external, internal, or a mixture of both. Whilst external martial arts are more obvious (e.g. louder), internal martial arts, which uses internal energy, is more deadly. In episode 37 of WOH, there was a moment where WKX's and ZZS's palms met (as opposed to them facing away from each other in episode 6) If in another context, it can be interpreted as having an internal energy contest (in that case they wee not fighting with ill intent towards each other so there's no damage done) Internal energy can become disturbed due to poisons/strong emotions or used up in a fight with others which could lead to an internal injury. Martial artists usually gain internal energy by meditating (I'm not 100% clear on how this works though) and each sect usually has different methods of meditating. There are also different types of internal energy (this isn't really mentioned or important, but I'll just touch on it). Like in xianxia with the yin/yang, positive/negative energy sort of thing, there is a yin and yang type of internal energy. Yin is usually more fluid/fluent, soft, and concentrated as opposed to Yang energy which is harder (?) and more forceful (but in most novels it's not differentiated so it doesn't really matter)

3. 内伤/neishang/internal injury

An internal injury can occur from strong emotions (usually grief/anger), being hit by others' internal energy which is stronger, or fire deviating. (Using a large amount or all of one's internal energy might also result in a slightly milder internal injury.) Without treatment, internal injuries are usually fatal (which is why martial artist compete with external martial arts most of the time or use such a small amount of internal energy that it will not injure the opponent.) Treatment is typically internal energy transmitted from others or, depending on one's level of martial arts and the severity of the injury, it can also be meditation for a few days/weeks. However, it is extremely important that one maintains focus and not have sudden strong emotions as it may cause fire deviation and maybe an even worse injury. Characteristics of an internal injury includes spitting blood, fainting/collapsing etc.

4. Meridians (not too sure but in chinese it should be 经络/jingluo)

Meridians are like blood vessels but for internal energy (it might also be blood vessels but I'm not very clear on this) when one has a sever internal energy their meridians may break. There are different types of meridians but the most common one mentioned is the heart meridians.

5. Organs

If the internal injury is really serious, the five major organs may even be affected (e.g. crushed). The five organs are: heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidneys.

6. 丹田/dantian/sea of qi or elixir field

Normally described as the place where the internal energy is most concentrated at, said to be slightly above the pubic area. (At first, I thought there was only one dantian, but after doing some research, I found out that there are actually three, the upper, middle and lower dantian and the one I was referring to is the lower dantian)

7. 轻功/qinggong/lightness skills

(lit. lightness martial arts) When it seems like the character is like flying (e.g. ep 6 when 无题 started playing) they're actually using their qinggong. Qinggong is usually to run/dodge faster, leap further etc. It looks like they're flying but they actually need some support every now and then (e.g. ep 6 when they escaped from the cemetery WKX stepped on a corpse's head) I theorise that qinggong is just like internal energy that is concentrated at the feet and different footwork for different sects.

8. Acupoint

There are many acupoints on the body (specifically 361) and most of them lie along meridians. In real life, they are used for massages and may cause pain when pressed. In wuxia, it can be used to paralyse a person (can be just some parts of the body or all), slow bleeding, cause pain/itchiness, etc. (its most common uses are torture, kidnapping (to keep the person quiet so that no one will hear the person's screams for help in this case), and in healing.