binary pairs of yin/ yang and body / soul in xiao yao’s chaotic sword god

In recent years we are faced with an ever-growing popularity of the english translation of chinese web novels. these novels have a glamorous attraction for most readers because of the different cultural backgrounds of thier writers. this paper analyzes one of the most popular chinese web-novels in the english world, xiao yao’s chaotic sword god (2019). the theoretical framework is informed by derrida’s (1987) views, foucault’s (1975) concepts of body/ soul, and carrette’s (2002) reorganization of foucauldian notions of corporal soul and embodied religion. it aims to demonstrate how xiao yao exploits the seemingly opposing binary concepts such as yin / yang or body / soul. by dissolving the surface oppositions between the pairs, xiao yao introduces a state of harmony and balance which seems to be the key in understanding some of the novel’s central ideas like cultivation, human, god(ly) and evil akin to many other chinese web novels. after deciphering xiao yao’s strategy in presenting the mentioned concepts, and demonstrating how chaotic sword god can be linked to foucault’s theories on the embodiment of religion, the main themes are revealed: the war between the saint universe and the immortal world and the resulting inner conflict in the protagonist, jian chen. finally, the paper concludes that the main themes of the novel, are politically significant since it is closely connected to usa- china relationship.