Hong Kong Cinema is famous for recycling story lines, plots and twists in their films. But the same can also be said for people who are influenced by HKC, Wu-Tang Clan are an excellent example of this, they come from a totally different culture and part of the world which almost could not be further from each other yet the links are so strong. Wu-Tang originates from “Wu Dang, the Taoist holy mountain located in the Central China in the Hubei Province. On top of that, the word also is the name of the Emperor Yong Le’s Ming Purple Imperial City, which was constructed during the time period of 1404–1420. By referencing the name of a holy mountain, the title of their first album “Enter The Wu-Tang” signifies the entrance to a holy location. This could be furthermore interpreted as an invitation to those listening to the album to enter the world of Wu-Tang, a world composed of elements of Chinese history as well as mythology. Below is a quote from Medium.com which really gets to the heart of the matter.
"The parallels between the real life world of Staten Island and the land of the far east of Shaolin continue into the verses. Gone are the swords, fighting styles, and techniques of the Shaolin way. Instead, the listener is treated to a rugged world full of “glock bursts” as well as “P.L.O. style” approaches to the defeat of rival crews in the urban jungle of Staten Island (Bring Da Ruckus, Wu-Tang Clan). The referencing of the P.L.O further emphasizes the cohesiveness of the group and their self-perspective as a band of brothers. The style and weapons are different, but that same sense of loyalty and strength as a crew as well as a desire to eradicate rivals are still there. Shaolin and Staten Island are night and day in terms of aesthetic and literal similarities; however, the Wu-Tang Clan still manages to bring their surroundings to life while still giving off the appearance and way of a martial arts crew from the Far East."
Personally I have liked Wu-Tang for years since I first heard them in 1998, they elements that i first liked are the same things that keep me listening, and it is the chinese element that I believe is the crucial factor. New York and Hong Kong were both places very far from where I crew up so a consequence were things that intrigued me greatly. This fusion of styles captured my imagination and took me to a world I really wanted to visit as a young 16 year old.
Below is a great example of this fusion, 1970's style HKC poster with Wu-Tang visuals and characters. Seeing how others have been influenced by HKC I think will be very useful in my future research, especially when picking a final direction.
Full article available HERE