Editing Wuxia (section)

===Skills and abilities===
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The martial arts in wuxia stories are based on [[Wushu (sport)|wushu]] techniques and other real life [[Chinese martial arts]]. In wuxia tales, however, the mastery of such skills are highly exaggerated to superhuman levels of achievement and prowess.

The following is a list of skills and abilities a typical fighter in a wuxia story possesses:

* [[Chinese martial arts|Martial arts]] (武功): Fighting techniques in a codified sequence called ''zhaoshi'' (招式), which are based on real life Chinese martial arts.
* Weapons and objects: Combatants use a wide range of weapons in combat. The most commonly used ones are the ''[[Dao (Chinese sword)|dao]]'' (broadsword or saber), ''[[jian]]'' (sword), ''[[Gun (staff)|gun]]'' (staff), and ''[[Qiang (spear)|qiang]]'' (spear). Everyday objects such as [[abacus|abaci]], benches, fans, ink brushes, smoking pipes, sewing needles, or various musical instruments, are also used as weapons as well.
* ''[[Qinggong]]'' (轻功): A form of real Chinese martial arts.<ref>{{cite web|author=Elizabeth Reninger|url=http://taoism.about.com/od/taoismglossaryq/g/Qing_Gong.htm|title=Qing Gong|website=About.com|access-date=11 September 2015|archive-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907073516/http://taoism.about.com/od/taoismglossaryq/g/Qing_Gong.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In wuxia fiction, however, its use is exaggerated to the point that characters can circumvent gravity to fly, cover tremendous distances in a single stride, run across surfaces of water, mount trees, and jump over or scale high walls.
* ''Neili'' (内力; lit "internal force" or "internal strength")/''[[Neigong]]'' (內功; literally "internal skill" or "internal function"): The ability to build up and cultivate inner energy known as ''[[qi]]'' and use it for offensive or defensive purposes. Characters use this energy to attain skills such as superhuman strength, speed, stamina, endurance, and healing, as well as the ability to project energy beams and elemental forces from their bodies.
* ''[[Touch of Death|Dianxue]]'' (點穴; literally "touching [[acupuncture point]]s"): Characters use various [[acupuncture]] techniques to kill, paralyse, immobilise or even manipulate opponents by attacking their [[acupressure]] points with their bare hands or weapons. Such techniques can also be used for healing purposes, such as halting excessive bleeding. Real life martial artists do use such techniques to paralyse or stun their opponents. However, their effectiveness is highly exaggerated in wuxia stories.

In wuxia stories, characters attain the above skills and abilities by devoting themselves to years of diligent study and exercise, but can also have such power conferred upon them by a master who transfers his energy to them. The instructions to mastering these skills through training are found in secret manuals known as ''miji'' (秘笈). In some stories, specific skills can be learned by spending several years in seclusion with a master or training with a group of fighters.