Eighteen Palms of power to kick a dragon's butt

You might wonder how your driver gets blissfully lost in the wuxia world read out on the radio waves, soothing him as he navigates the congestion in the capital.

Catching up on the wuxia background might also help audiences in the West better savor surreal takes on the genre, such as Ashes of Time Redux, the latest offering by auteur Wong Kar-wai. The movie is actually a re-edited version of his 1994 piece.

Still, anyone can identify with the wuxia world's timeless themes of a hero's code of honor, courage and social justice.

Read into Cha's novels, like Demi-gods and Semi-devils or Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber, and you might also find the foremost ingredient in any successful story that transcends language and culture is true love.

Yes, for all the gravity-defying, boulder-smashing and bone-crushing duels between the best fighters in wuxia, the top pugilistic prize often involves getting the girl.

Do these subjects sound familiar? They should, because they also appear in classical novels like Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Outlaws of the Marsh, works that any expert on China worth his salt will say is essential reading for those who want to understand this country.

For now, I'm happy delving into the mysteries behind one of the most elusive wuxia manuals - the Jiuyang Shengong treatise on ultimate inner strength - and maybe even learning a thing or two from it.