Thread by @OrangePeelPanda

Monks in #xianxia/#wuxia: the influence of Chinese Buddhism in fantasy literature.

Yesterday I talked a bit about Taoism and its influences in both genres. So let's take a look at some of the Buddhist influences in both genres.

1/

a common saying is 天下武功出少林: all martial arts originate from Shaolin, which has some historical basis. Introducing: 達摩 Dá mó, Bodhidharma- story has it that when Bodhidharma developed martial arts as a way to strengthen the body.

2/

Two manuals that often appear in these fantasy stories are 易筋經 Yì jīn jīng and 洗髓經 xǐ suǐ jīng. I think the former exists in real life (and has been referenced in the smiling proud wanderer) but the latter has been lost.

3/

Among these martial arts manuals are many references to defeating demons/spirits as well as other sutras and stuff: The 金剛經 Jīngāng jīng, Diamond Sutra is often a point of reference for these stories to use to suppress evil/defeat bad guys. See Heaven Sword Dragon Saber

4/

In higher fantasy stuff you can look to Journey to the West. Wukong is a Monkey Spirit, Sanzhang is a Monk and the two learn and grow together, sometimes Sanzhang has to use his sutra to control Wukong's outbursts with the crown.

5/

The objective of many of these monks in these stories is always avoid bloodshed and to try to convince the otherside to stop the violence/killing people and to start doing good/being compassionate etc.

We'll spend a few days around this stuff but that's it for today.

/end