중국영화사에서 무협영화는 중국 민족의 전통문화를 대표하는 영화의 한 장르로서 홍콩과 중국 대륙을 중심으로 끊임없이 진화하였다. ‘무’와 ‘협’은 무협영화에서 없어서도, 빠져서도 안 될 두 요소로서 수천 년 동안 중국 전통문화의 일부였고 중국 민족문화의 전통과 정신적 기질을 가장 깊이 있게 표현하고 있다. 2001년 중국이 WTO 가입 이후 10년간 중국 영화시장 흥행 순위를 보더라도 10위권 이내 영화에서 역시 무협 장르가 1위로서 가장 많은 수를 차지하였다.
역대 북미(北美) 영화시장에서 흥행한 중국영화 순위에서도 1위 〈와호장룡(2000)〉, 2위 〈영웅(2002)〉, 3위 〈쿵푸허슬(2005)〉, 4위 〈철후자(2001)〉, 5위연인(2004)〉 등 무협영화가 상위권을 모두 차지하고 있다. 이처럼, 세계영화시장에서도 무협영화는 지속적인 주목과 인기를 얻고 있다. 이는 중국이 요구하는 ‘중국 특색의 사회주의 문화건설’이라는 조건에 잘 부합할 뿐 아니라 중국영화계가 추구하지 않을 수 없게 된 상업성과 오락성마저 구비한 것이다. 이처럼 무협영화는 중국의 역사, 무술, 전통 색채와 음악 등을 배경으로 화려한 액션을 끊임없이 제공하고 관중의 눈을 즐겁게 하는 중국 특색의 ‘블록버스터’시대를 개척했다는 점에서 주목할 필요가 있다

1장 중국 무협영화, 그 민족적 색채
1. 중국 무협영화의 기원과 발전······························································································15
중국 무협영화란 / 15
중국 무협영화의 100년사 / 19
2. 중국 무협영화의 전통적 색채와 체현············································································· 29
중국 무협영화의 색채적 기능 / 32
중국 무협영화의 내부 요소 / 38
중국 무협영화의 전통 색채관 및 전통 사상 / 44

2장 중국 무협영화 음악, 그 민족성과 현대성
1. 중국 현대음악의 거장, 탄둔······························································································· 55
탄둔의 창작 / 56
탄둔의 ‘무협영화 3부작’ / 60
2. 중국 무협영화 음악의 효과와 특징················································································ 63
영화음악 / 63
1) 음악과 화면 66 2) 액션과 리듬 68
3. 중국 무협영화 음악의 민족 요소······················································································· 72
오음과 오색 / 73
중국 전통음악과 전통악기 / 75

3장 〈와호장룡〉 애절한 로맨스, 영웅과 전설
1. ‘중서합벽’의 세계관을 가진 감독, 리안·········································································· 81
2. 탄둔의 음악 테마·················································································································· 83
3. 리안과 탄둔이 펼친 한 폭의 수목화················································································ 89
4. ‘와호장룡’ 첼로 테마：인물의 의상 색채와 음악························································· 92
5. ‘천월죽림’ 테마：공간 화면과 음악··············································································· 103
6. ‘남행’ 테마：결투 화면과 음악 ·························································································113

4장 〈영웅〉 강렬한 중국적 색채, 천하의 시작
1. 색채의 대가, 장이머우······································································································· 133
2. 탄둔의 음악 테마················································································································ 135
3. 장이머우와 탄둔이 펼친 영웅의 시대············································································ 138
4. ‘영웅’바이올린 테마：인물의 의상 색채와 음악························································ 142
5. ‘풍’, ‘천하’테마：공간 화면과 음악················································································ 155
6. ‘표’테마：결투 화면과 음악····························································································· 167

5장 〈야연〉 복수와 사랑, 그리고 욕망
1. 대륙판 ‘하세편’ 선두자, 펑샤오강···················································································179
2. 탄둔의 음악 테마················································································································ 183
3. 펑샤오강과 탄둔이 펼친 욕망의 세계··········································································· 185
4. ‘야연’의 테마： 인물의 의상 색채와 음악···································································· 187
5. ‘Only For Love’ 테마：인물 화면과 음악···································································· 207
5. ‘월인가’ 테마：결투 화면과 음악··················································································· 213

나가면서·····································································································································221

참고문헌·····································································································································230

악보··············································································································································239
1. 와호장룡 1~33 / 240
2. 영웅 / 273
3. 야연 / 303