Xianghua
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| Chai Xianghua | |
|---|---|
 Xianghua as she appears in Soulcalibur IV. |
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| Game series | Soul series |
| First game | Soulcalibur |
| Voiced by (English) | Wendee Lee (Soulcalibur II & Soulcalibur III) |
| Voiced by (Japanese) | Aya Hisakawa |
| Information | |
| Age | 20 |
| Birthplace | Peking, Ming Empire (present-day China) |
| Birthdate | April 2, 1571 |
| Blood type | B |
| Weapon | Jian (Chinese Blade) |
| Weapon name | Krita-Yuga (Soulcalibur) No-Name (later games) |
| Fighting style | Sword arts passed down from her mother |
| Family | Father, Kong Xiuqiang Mother, Chai Xiangfei (deceased) Sister, Xianglian (deceased, she never knew of her existence) |
Chai Xianghua (チャイ・シャンファ Chai Shanfa?, Chinese: 柴香華 Pinyin: Chái Xiānghuà) is a fictional Chinese character designed for the Soul Series of fighting games. Xianghua made her first appearance in Soulcalibur and has returned for Soulcalibur II, Soulcalibur III and Soulcalibur IV.
Contents |
[edit] Background Story
[edit] Family History
Xianghua's ancestors, the Chai family, have groomed men and women alike into seasoned warriors of China for many generations. The woman who would become Xianghua's mother, Xiangfei, was sent to the prestigious Ling-Sheng Su Temple to learn the art of swordplay. She diligently trained and became supremely skilled with the tai chi jian, surpassing many of the monks at the temple. Following her father's passing, Xiangfei forged a forbidden romance with a monk at the temple, Kong Xiuqiang, thought to be the most prominent candidate for inheritor of the holy bo staff, Kali-Yuga. Not until the illegitimate birth of their first daughter, Xianglian, was their love made known to the other monks. The monks remained very strict regarding the temple's edicts and Xianglian was taken from her parents on her second birthday. Xiangfei became too wrought with grief to remain at the temple. Han Dongxiu, a sworn brother of both Xiuqiang and Xiangfei, urged Xiuqiang to leave with her and start a family with his lover, but Xiuqiang refused, and Xiangfei agreed that it was for the best. But as a final goodbye, Dongxiu helped Xiuqiang sneak the Krita-Yuga to his lover, to serve as a promise the two would one day meet again.
[edit] Xianghua's birth and childhood
Unknown to Xiuqiang, however, was that when Xiangfei had left the temple, she was pregnant with a second child. She secretly returned to her homeland, was taken in by the Chai home there, and became a soldier in the Ming Dynasty Imperial Guard. Months later, she gave birth to her second daughter, Xianghua, but never revealed anything about the girl's father or his lineage to her. By this time, the temple had realized that the Krita-Yuga was missing, and found that Xiuqiang had stolen it. He was exiled from the temple, but Xianglian was to remain there to be trained as an orphan. Xiuqiang eventually discovered Xiangfei's whereabouts, but the Chai family asked him to leave her alone, as she believed that he was training and she would be happier in her ignorance. Meanwhile, when monks from the Temple came to Xiangfei, searching for the missing sword, all they found was young Xianghua playing with a battered tai chi jian, and they gave up the search years later. Only Xiuqiang had known that the jian Xianghua had been holding was actually the Krita-Yuga in disguise. As time passed, Xianghua had learned to use the jian just as well as her mother when Xiangfei died sometime after Xianghua's tenth birthday. Six years afterward, Xianghua became a member of the Imperial Guard.
[edit] Soulcalibur
Eventually, the emperor of Ming Dynasty China had become displeased with the search for the "Hero's Sword"; he never heard back from any that had ventured out, including Li Long. He sent members of his Imperial Guard to help the quest advance more quickly. The guards traveled under the guise of a traveling opera troupe, with Xianghua to be the main attraction, so as not to raise suspicion of their true motives. As she prepared for her journey, she recalled her mother's dying words--that she was born to complete an important task and that she must cut her own path through an uncertain future. With her mother's keepsake tai chi jian, Xianghua left on her own. On her journey, she encountered a member of the Ling-Sheng Su Temple in China, Kilik, and a Japanese pirate of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, Maxi. Told of the Soul Edge's evil nature by Kilik, she agreed to aid both of them in their journey to destroy the evil blade, not knowing all the while that her long-lost older sister, Xianglian, had been killed by Kilik as she had been consumed by a berserker rage on the night of the notorious Evil Seed.
With Kilik and Maxi's help, Xianghua stormed Ostrheinsburg Castle. Maxi stayed behind and defeated the castle's guard, Astaroth, and disappeared soon after. Kilik and Xianghua together slayed the enemy hordes and reached Nightmare. Kilik used his holy bo staff Kali-Yuga to defeat the azure knight, but immediately afterward, the combatants were pulled into an ethereal void where they stood opposed to Inferno. His prior battle had left Kilik too weary to fight. As Xianghua readied herself, her mother's keepsake unveiled itself as the holy sword, Soulcalibur. After a fierce struggle, Xianghua defeated her opponent with Soulcalibur's protective power. As the void started to collapse, she carried Kilik out of it, though her mother keepsake's sword was left behind.
[edit] Soulcalibur II
After destroying the sword she was sent to find, a mysterious man approached her and awarded her with an unnamed jian in return for the great deed she had done. Once she returned, Xianghua fell in disfavor with the Emperor because of her failure to find Soul Edge. She was stripped of her rank and reassigned to a menial position. Xianghua kept her role in Soul Edge's destruction secret and never reported it. Four years later, news reached her that the emperor had attacked Xiwei (present-day Xi'an), which had been the center of government in the Ming Dynasty's western territory. The emperor believed that the fortress had been withholding Soul Edge from him, and when the fortress guards killed his envoy in annoyance of his blind obstinacy, he ordered that the city be summarily destroyed and all the citizens executed, under the public justification of a revolt. When the castle fell and the sword was not found, the emperor summoned Xianghua in his stupor and asked her to investigate the ruins, as her experience could be useful in locating the sword among the rubble. Xianghua found out the truth behind the attack from Ming spies. Though she believed that she had destroyed Soul Edge, her investigation proved otherwise, and pieces of it were rumored to exist in this place. If this story had been true, Xianghua needed to find every fragment and destroy them. She left on a second journey alone, convinced that this was a burden she had to bear, since she failed to destroy Soul Edge completely the first time.
[edit] Soulcalibur III
During her adventure, Xianghua was once again reunited with her companion, Kilik. While on their journey, the two of ran afoul of a "man with a scythe" (Zasalamel), who wished to eliminate people who had the potential to destroy Soul Edge. Zasalamel attacked and defeated Kilik. Afterwards, Xianghua took the gravely injured Kilik back to Edge Master's home, where she heard that Kilik would make full recovery. After leaving a letter for Kilik, she departed, seeking an old general whom Edge Master had arranged for her to meet. Training with the old general, Xianghua's skills improved significantly. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake off an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy due to her failure to help Kilik. She told herself, "Don't Be Afraid!!!" in meager attempts to convince herself. The old general noticed her anxiety and provided sage advice:
"Sometimes, the path of the warrior requires letting in dark feelings, weighing them, then letting them go."
Xianghua then began to train her mind. Rather than becoming weak, she would be more fluid and allow her heart to filter in both the good and the bad. After months of training, she felt that she was ready and bid farewell to the general, beginning her journey anew. So she left the temple to fight by herself.
[edit] Gameplay
Xianghua is a mid-range character that possesses plethora of 'mix-ups', mainly on cancelling or delaying her moves, most of which, have quick recoveries. In addition to that, she owns the fastest basic horizontal move, allowing a 'poke' style gameplay. Her signature moves are Lianghua Cannon and Great Wall.
[edit] Weapons
Krita-Yuga (Soulcalibur)
- The keepsake sword of her mother, this was Xianghua's treasure. Every time she gazed at the sword, she remembered her mother's last words: "You were born to complete an important task... cut your path through uncertain future!". What Xianghua didn't know was that Krita-Yuga, alongside Kali-Yuga and Dvapara-Yuga, formed the sacred trinity protected by the Ling-Sheng Su Temple. The sword, at the pulsing force of the evil Soul Edge, reveal its real form as Soulcalibur, the polar opposite of Soul Edge. After defeating Inferno, Soulcalibur ended stuck in it for the next 4 years, and after Siegfried freed himself from Soul Edge's control, it was freed from the Tartaros. Siegfried then used it to pierce Soul Edge, and both Soulcalibur and Soul Edge ended in a dormant state, known as the "Soul Embrace". The Krita-Yuga's design in Soulcalibur III appeared as Olcadan's "The Ancient" jian.
No Name
- After the battle against Soul Edge ended, an old man paid a visit to Xianghua. He presented himself as a master swordsman, and handed her this nameless blue weapon as thanks for defeating Soul Edge. He then left for parts unknown.
[edit] Stages
Emperor's Garden (SC)
- This grand garden was designed to be the Ming Emperor's summer home. It made perfect use of the natural landscape giving visitors the beautiful scenery of the four seasons. Aside from the Emperor and his family only the royal guards, including Xianghua, were permitted to enter the house. When Xianghua received the order to search for the Soul Edge she visited the garden for the first time. The garden, as if celebrating her departure, was in full bloom.
(Note: known as Ming Emperor's Villa in the arcade version.)
Xiwei Siege Ruins (SCII)
- Xiwei, positioned near the west border of the Ming Empire, was a vital stronghold for maintaining the empire's western territories. Tragically, when the Emperor believed the castle was hiding the Hero's Sword from him, he dispatched an army to seize the castle. Ultimately, the citadel was destroyed. Sadly, the army failed to find the sword in the rubble of the stronghold. Was Soul Edge, known in this region as the Hero's Sword, really at Xiwei? Or was this place destroyed due to a misunderstanding? No one can answer these questions now.
(Note: Xianghua shares this stage with Mitsurugi)
Lotus Garden (SCIII)
- Originally constructed as a retreat for the Ming Emperor, this garden is now a large park open to the public. Most of the area is made up of water, and a combination of bridges and peninsulas creates a deep, complex landscape. The view from the palace, the former residence of the royal family, is especially beautiful, entertaining visitors with the blossoms that change colors with the seasons. Currently, the park is under the management of a powerful, elderly general of the Ming Empire. Thanks to the kindness of the general, Xianghua now trains secretly here amid the morning mist.
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- The three treasures of the Ling-Sheng Su Temple are all named after the Yugas - the names of eras in Hindu philosophy. The Krita Yuga refers to the age of meditation, a Golden Age free from unhappiness. Hence, the Krita-Yuga/Soulcalibur's reputation as a force of good.
- Xianghua means "auspicious fire" in Chinese. "Chái Xiāng Huà" may also mean "firewood fragrant flower", if each character is taken literally and logically. "Chái"(柴) is a Chinese surname that can also mean "firewood". "Xiāng"(香) is "fragrant". Huà(花) can mean "flower", though this may be an archaic character form and pronunciation, which is no longer used in modern Simplified Mandarin Chinese to mean "flower". However, this translation seems the most logical, considering the first character of her given name definitely means "fragrant". (Source: Chinese Character Dictionary)[1]
- Xianghua's No Name looks exactly like Krita-Yuga in Soulcalibur and does not match Edge Master's jian. Krita-Yuga obtains a different look in Soulcalibur II.
- Xianghua's nickname in Soulcalibur is "Flower in the Breeze", and in Soulcalibur III is "River's Blade Dance".
- Xianghua's Destined Battle in Soulcalibur is Nightmare. In Soulcalibur II her Destined Battle is Kilik, and in Soulcalibur III her Destined Battle is Cervantes.
- Xianghua has a strong fondness for Kilik, bordering on romantic feelings. This is showed in one of her Soulcalibur III endings, as well as in all of Kilik's endings within the same game.
- Xianghua and Kilik are the only characters to have a weapons demonstration in which both participate together, as shown if the controller is untouched in the Soulcalibur III title screen.
[edit] Series' appearances
[edit] External links
- Official Project Soul website
- Grace - a shrine to Xianghua
- Graceful Dancer - a shrine to Chai Xianghua
- Sweet Harmony - a shrine to Chai Xianghua
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