A Perspective on the Chinese Imagination and Martial Arts
The Code of Xia
Di 2
Aside from the essential elements of Wuxia tales, such as bravery, loyalty, revenge, kindness, courage, and righteousness found in the stories connected to Bao and Di, the one element that fades into the background and is unseen is the road, for them to carry out their mission or be in the right place at the right time they have to be out and about. They must be "on their way" and on the road. But the word Tao, meaning path or road, also contains the connotation of "The Way," meaning the path given to a person by Heaven or their ancestors.
In Minister Di Renjie's fictional life, he is pictured as a man on the road. Content with being away from the palace, he serves the Empress by investigating strange events threatening her government. Along the way, he gathers superior talent. He even adopts a Jianghu person as his niece.
But time and again, the clues necessary to foil attempts to overthrow the government surface due to his presence among common people. Commoners are drawn to him not because of this power or prestige but due to his willingness to correct the wrongs of local administrators. On behalf of the Empress, who was thought to be given her rule by a Mandate of Heaven, Di Renjie walks a path of balance, rewarding those officials who care for the people as if they are their children and punishing those officials who do not allow the resources meant for the people to reach its destination.
