Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== xiūxiān: 修仙 - To Cultivate Immortality, Cultivation ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** xiuxian, 修仙, cultivation, xianxia, wuxia, Chinese fantasy, cultivate to immortality, Taoist cultivation, Chinese light novels, webnovel, manhua, donghua, immortality, qi, spiritual practice * **Summary:** Xiūxiān (修仙) is a core concept in Chinese fantasy, referring to the practice of "cultivation" to achieve immortality and god-like powers. Rooted in Taoist philosophy, this journey from mortal to immortal is the central theme of the popular //Xianxia// (仙侠) genre found in web novels, comics, and TV shows. In modern slang, it's also humorously used to describe pulling an all-nighter or living like a hermit. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xiūxiān * **Part of Speech:** Verb, Noun * **HSK Level:** N/A * **Concise Definition:** To engage in spiritual and physical practices to cultivate vital energy (Qi), transcend mortality, and become an immortal being. * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine a fantasy world where instead of wizards studying spellbooks, characters meditate and train their internal energy to level up their power. This process of spiritual training, which involves overcoming trials, fighting demons, and gaining enlightenment to eventually become a god-like immortal, is called **修仙 (xiūxiān)**. It is the fundamental power system and character journey in a massive genre of Chinese fiction. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **修 (xiū):** This character means to repair, to build, to study, or to cultivate. In this context, it signifies the act of refining and improving oneself—both body and spirit—through dedicated practice. * **仙 (xiān):** This character means immortal, celestial being, or transcendent being. The character is a combination of the radical for person (人) and mountain (山), evoking the image of a Taoist sage or hermit living in seclusion in the mountains to pursue enlightenment. When combined, **修仙 (xiūxiān)** literally translates to "to cultivate immortality" or "to build oneself into an immortal." It perfectly describes the active, lifelong process of pursuing transcendence. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * **Taoist Roots:** The concept of `xiūxiān` originates from real-world Taoist (道教) philosophical and spiritual practices. Ancient Taoists pursued longevity and harmony with the **道 (dào)**, or the natural order of the universe, through meditation, specific breathing exercises, alchemy (both internal and external), and martial arts. While the historical practice was about health and spiritual peace, it formed the philosophical bedrock for the fantastical genre that exists today. * **The //Xianxia// Genre:** In modern times, `xiūxiān` is inseparable from the wildly popular fantasy genre known as **仙侠 (xiānxiá)**, which means "Immortal Heroes." This genre takes the core Taoist ideas and turns them into an epic, high-fantasy setting with clear power levels (**境界 - jìngjiè**), magical artifacts (**法宝 - fǎbǎo**), and divine tribulations (**渡劫 - dùjié**). * **Comparison to Western Fantasy:** The concept of `xiūxiān` can be compared to the "level-up" system in a Western Role-Playing Game (RPG) or the hero's journey in fantasy literature. However, there is a key difference. In many Western fantasies (like *Harry Potter*), magic is an external force that is learned and controlled. In a `xiūxiān` story, power is primarily **internal**. It comes from purifying one's own body, refining one's own life force (**气 - qì**), and deepening one's own understanding of universal laws. The journey is as much about spiritual enlightenment as it is about gaining the power to shatter mountains. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== While its primary meaning is tied to fantasy and mythology, `修仙` has developed a popular and humorous slang usage among young people in China. * **Staying Up All Night (熬夜修仙 - áoyè xiūxiān):** This is the most common slang usage. Pulling an all-nighter for work, study, or gaming is humorously referred to as `修仙`. The joke is that by forsaking sleep, a fundamental human need, you are transcending your mortal limits, just like a cultivator. Someone might say, "I have a deadline tomorrow, so I have to `修仙` tonight." * **Living a Reclusive Lifestyle:** The term can be used to jokingly describe someone who lives an ascetic or hermit-like life. For example, if a friend never goes out, eats simple meals, and spends all their time at home, you might say, "他在家修仙呢" (tā zài jiā xiūxiān ne) - "He's at home cultivating immortality." In these modern contexts, the connotation is informal, ironic, and self-deprecating. It's a way to complain about a difficult or isolated lifestyle in a lighthearted way. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他从小就梦想着能够**修仙**，成为绝世高手。 * Pinyin: Tā cóngxiǎo jiù mèngxiǎng zhe nénggòu **xiūxiān**, chéngwéi juéshì gāoshǒu. * English: Since he was young, he has dreamed of being able to **cultivate immortality** and become an peerless master. * Analysis: This is the literal, classic use of the term in a fantasy context. * **Example 2:** * 这本网络小说的主题就是**修仙**。 * Pinyin: Zhè běn wǎngluò xiǎoshuō de zhǔtí jiùshì **xiūxiān**. * English: The theme of this web novel is **cultivation**. * Analysis: Here, `修仙` is used as a noun to describe the genre or central concept of a story. * **Example 3:** * 明天要考试，我今晚准备**修仙**了。 * Pinyin: Míngtiān yào kǎoshì, wǒ jīnwǎn zhǔnbèi **xiūxiān** le. * English: I have an exam tomorrow, I'm preparing to **pull an all-nighter** tonight. * Analysis: This is the most common modern slang usage, meaning "to stay up all night." It's highly informal and used among friends. * **Example 4:** * 你看他那个无欲无求的样子，简直像在**修仙**。 * Pinyin: Nǐ kàn tā nàge wú yù wú qiú de yàngzi, jiǎnzhí xiàng zài **xiūxiān**. * English: Look at his desire-free appearance, it's just like he's **cultivating immortality**. * Analysis: A humorous way to describe someone who seems detached from worldly affairs, calm, or ascetic. * **Example 5:** * 很多年轻人喜欢看关于**修仙**的电视剧和动画。 * Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén xǐhuān kàn guānyú **xiūxiān** de diànshìjù hé dònghuà. * English: Many young people like to watch TV dramas and animations about **cultivation**. * Analysis: Shows how the term is used to categorize media genres. `动画` (dònghuà) is Chinese animation. * **Example 6:** * “你为什么看起来这么累？” “别提了，连续**修仙**三天了。” * Pinyin: "Nǐ wèishéme kàn qǐlái zhème lèi?" "Biétíle, liánxù **xiūxiān** sān tiān le." * English: "Why do you look so tired?" "Don't mention it, I've been **pulling all-nighters** for three days straight." * Analysis: A common conversational exchange using the slang meaning. * **Example 7:** * 在这个游戏里，你的目标是通过**修仙**来提升角色的境界。 * Pinyin: Zài zhège yóuxì lǐ, nǐ de mùbiāo shì tōngguò **xiūxiān** lái tíshēng juésè de jìngjiè. * English: In this game, your goal is to raise your character's level through **cultivation**. * Analysis: Demonstrates the term's use in the context of video games, where "cultivation" is the game mechanic for progression. `境界` (jìngjiè) means "level" or "realm." * **Example 8:** * **修仙**之路充满了危险，一不小心就会神形俱灭。 * Pinyin: **Xiūxiān** zhī lù chōngmǎnle wéixiǎn, yī bù xiǎoxīn jiù huì shén xíng jù miè. * English: The path of **cultivation** is full of danger; one moment of carelessness can lead to the destruction of both soul and body. * Analysis: A more dramatic, literary sentence typical of a Xianxia novel, highlighting the high stakes of the journey. * **Example 9:** * 他辞掉了工作，一个人住在山里，朋友们都开玩笑说他在**修仙**。 * Pinyin: Tā cí diàole gōngzuò, yīgè rén zhù zài shān lǐ, péngyǒumen dōu kāiwánxiào shuō tā zài **xiūxiān**. * English: He quit his job to live alone in the mountains, and all his friends joke that he's **cultivating immortality**. * Analysis: Uses the slang meaning for a reclusive or alternative lifestyle, directly referencing the classic image of a cultivator. * **Example 10:** * 想要成功**修仙**，不仅需要天赋，更需要一颗坚定的道心。 * Pinyin: Xiǎng yào chénggōng **xiūxiān**, bùjǐn xūyào tiānfù, gèng xūyào yī kē jiāndìng de dàoxīn. * English: To succeed in **cultivation**, one not only needs talent, but more importantly, a firm "heart for the Dao". * Analysis: This sentence introduces a related philosophical concept, the `道心` (dàoxīn), or one's commitment and alignment with the Dao, which is central to the process of `修仙`. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Not a Religion:** While its roots are in Taoism, modern `xiūxiān` as seen in pop culture is a fantasy genre, not an active religious practice. Confusing a Xianxia fan with a Taoist practitioner is like confusing a *Lord of the Rings* fan with a believer in Norse mythology. * **False Friend: Wuxia (武侠) vs. Xianxia (仙侠):** This is a critical distinction for anyone interested in Chinese fantasy. * `[[武侠]] (wǔxiá)` - //Martial Heroes//. Low fantasy. Features highly skilled martial artists in a quasi-historical China. They can perform superhuman feats (like running on water), but they are still mortal, cannot fly, and do not use magic. Think //Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon//. * `[[仙侠]] (xiānxiá)` - //Immortal Heroes//. High fantasy. This is the genre where `修仙` takes place. It involves magic, gods, demons, different realms, and characters who can live for millennia and destroy landscapes with their power. If characters are flying on swords and talking about their "cultivation level," it's Xianxia. * **Literal Translation Error:** Do not translate `修仙` character-by-character as "repair an immortal." `修` here means to "cultivate" or "refine" oneself //in order to become// an `仙` (immortal). The term describes the entire process, not an action performed on an existing immortal being. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * `[[仙侠]] (xiānxiá)` - The high-fantasy genre centered around the practice of `修仙`. * `[[武侠]] (wǔxiá)` - The related, but distinct, low-fantasy martial arts genre. * `[[道]] (dào)` - The fundamental "Way" or principle of the universe which cultivators seek to understand and align with. * `[[气]] (qì)` - The vital life force or spiritual energy that is the basis of all power in cultivation. * `[[境界]] (jìngjiè)` - The various "realms" or "levels" of power a cultivator progresses through. * `[[飞升]] (fēishēng)` - The ultimate goal: to "ascend" to a higher plane of existence or godhood. * `[[渡劫]] (dùjié)` - "Passing a tribulation." A trial, often in the form of heavenly lightning, that a cultivator must survive to break through to a higher realm. * `[[丹田]] (dāntián)` - The "Elixir Field," a point in the lower abdomen considered the central storage location for Qi. * `[[法宝]] (fǎbǎo)` - Powerful magical treasures, weapons, or artifacts used by cultivators. * `[[熬夜]] (áoyè)` - To stay up all night; the literal action behind the modern slang usage of `修仙`.