In the new
Marvel Studios film directed by
Destin Daniel Cretton, not only do we meet the martial arts superhero
'Shang-Chi', but we are also introduced to his estranged younger sister
'Xu Xialing' (played by
Meng'er Zhang). In a patriarchal society that favours sons over daughters, she secretly trained in the shadows to become the equal of her brother and the warriors of the clandestine
Ten Rings organisation run by her father
'Xu Wenwu'. Following the death of her mother and feeling abandoned by her father and brother, she fled to
Macau as a teenager and set up her own underground fight club network at the
Golden Daggers Club. Once reunited with her brother, she journeys to her murdered mother's birthplace, the mystical otherworldly village of
Ta Lo, where her aunt presents her and her sibling outfits left to her by her mother
'Ying Li' and encourages her to use her fighting talents with a rope dart weapon.
Xialing costume worn by Meng'er Zhang in
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
This screen-worn costume was photographed on display at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on September 13, 2021, and was designed by Kym Barrett.
After the end credits tease, can't wait to see what the
MCU future holds for
Xialing.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings movie poster