According to movie critic Peggy Chiao, martial arts films were raised to the level of literature in the 1960s thanks to the efforts of directors like King Hu, who brought something akin to religious fervor to the task of creating authentic scenery and props. Hu created characters devoted to an abstract chivalry and set up sharp contrasts between devil-may-care Taoists and earnest improve-the-world Confucians.
影評人焦雄屏指出，在一九六○年代，武俠類型電影因為胡金銓等導演的努力而步上文人傳統，胡氏將武俠片奉為宗教般的進行美術考據，強調抽象俠義精神的角色設計，以及如道家出世及儒家人溺己溺交錯的淑世思想，一下子把武俠片由粵式粗俗神怪的格局中提昇為文人的藝術。