Xiangyang Courtyard, a restaurant in Hubei Province, China, opened in September. It features a traditional Chinese garden design and hosts martial arts performances every evening.
According to SCMP, the restaurant’s standout feature is its staff cosplaying characters from Jin Yong’s classic novel Legend of the Condor Heroes. Their immersive performances delight diners.
Viral clips show staff creatively portraying characters like Huang Rong, who serves tables while humorously interacting with guests. Another employee plays Mei Chaofeng, taking on the role of kneading dough for pastries. The most unique act is a blind chef embodying Ke Zhen’gao, cooking with eyes closed just as the novel describes the master swordsman skillfully wielding a wok despite his blindness.
Restaurant manager Chu Tujun shared that they hired a professional performance troupe to train the staff. Their goal is to offer guests a vivid wuxia experience beyond just dining. Since Xiangyang city features prominently in Jin Yong’s stories, the concept fits perfectly, adding authenticity and nostalgia for visitors.
However, online reactions in China are divided. Some praise the creativity, calling it a smart tourism strategy that leverages wuxia culture to attract customers. Others criticize hygiene concerns and find the concept over the top. One netizen joked, “The food looks unhygienic. If I saw Mei Chaofeng kneading dough with martial arts moves, I wouldn’t dare eat!”
China’s food industry is fiercely competitive, pushing many restaurants to come up with unique ideas to draw crowds. Previously, a restaurant in Chongqing went viral for having a robot impersonator as the owner and server. Now, Xiangyang Courtyard’s strong “internal skills” seem to be helping it make waves online.