Celebrated career as martial arts novelist helps introvert turn a page

As a weak, bookish and introverted teenager, Sichuan native Xiang Qigang could never have imagined the public attention he now attracts following the sale of tens of thousands of copies of his martial arts novels. The 30-year-old writer works under the pen name Feng Ge, or 'Phoenix's Song', and describes how his tales of young men becoming heroes have won him a place in the new genre of martial arts novels

Why are martial arts novels, or wuxia, popular on the mainland?

China has a long history, which provides an eventful setting for wuxia novels. The stories usually depict ordinary teenagers who, despite problems early on, go on to have adventures, unexpectedly learn martial arts and become heroes fighting injustice. It's a dream shared by young people. Besides adventures, traditional wuxia also talks about love, friendship and patriotism, which always touch my heart. Household names in the genre are Hong Kong writers Louis Cha Leung-yung and Go Long. My generation found their stories light-hearted reading in the 1980s and '90s, while mainland writers were twittering on about serious, realistic topics.

Why is your work called 'new wuxia'?

Traditional wuxia has been on a downward spiral in recent years as many famous writers have stopped writing and people have more pastimes to choose from on the mainland such as cartoons and online games.

I did not expect readers to like my writing when I put out the first book, Kun Lung, an epic about a mathematician, in 2003. It turned out they liked the science and technology content, the use of ancient mathematics and military tactics, which are rarely found in traditional fiction. They also like the lack of nationalism, which is often highlighted in traditional heroes. I'm a pacifist. People in the global community are one family.

Why do you write wuxia?