#He has to be compassionate and filial

[thepurplewombat]

And once again we're back on JGY's humanity and compassion coming back to bite him in the ass.

I just re-read the whole guanyin temple sequence for the sole purpose of finding and sharing that devastating piece of official xiyao art with the rest of the class (as one does when one resides full-time in xiyao hell, like I do), and that re-read just drilled home for me just how easily jin guangyao could have killed or at the very least seriously injured literally everyone who converged on the temple--if he had wanted to. case in point:

jin guangyao has lots of jin sect disciples with him on-site exhuming his mother's remains. it would absolutely have been possible to tell them to stop digging and start helping him clean house instead;

lan xichen's spiritual energy has been sealed;

as soon as lan wangji shows up, jin guangyao manipulates him into sealing his spiritual energy as well by threatening wei wuxian. ...and then he lets wei wuxian go so that he and lan wangji can have their Moment, to go oversee the exhumation process instead (say 'thank you, xiandu,' you wouldn't have that heart-felt love confession without his leniency);

as soon as su minshan shows up, that's one more armed and capable (shut up sms critics, there will be no sms slander on this post; he's cringe, not incompetent) cultivator on his side;

when he provokes jiang cheng into leaping to wwx's defence (something that even wwx points out is unnecessary, since wangxian could easily have leapt out of range of jgy's guqin string strike), he stabs jiang cheng right in the chest--but intentionally does not deal him a mortal injury. instead, he just seals his meridians and basically sends him to go sit the corner to stew impotently next to poor, emotionally traumatized jin ling;

all of this happens before nhs's trap is triggered. jgy has the upper hand, he is in complete control of the situation, and while he is on a pretty tight deadline, it is absolutely clear at this point that his priority is not in sowing more chaos and bloodshed, but in retrieving meng shi's remains and stopping additional interference. sure, he's spilling all the tea to provoke his opponents into making mistakes so that he can take advantage of their weaknesses to disable them. but that was his goal: to disable.

like... killing all of these conveniently disabled captives would have been the logical next step for someone hellbent on mass murdering the whole jianghu to cover up his dirty little secrets, and he absolutely could have done it, if he'd wanted to.

but he didn't.

[loyaltykask]

Chapter 31

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

The vibes are immaculate

I know Wukong is fucking with him because he sent two monkeys to follow him but the idea that he overblows his powers is too funny to me

Like he just wanna make Bajie sweat

He hesitates only for Guanyin (or maybe Buddha but they don't make it clear here)

Wukong knows what's up with the monk. His heart feels it. He really is the most dedicated heart

Bajie just rolled nat 20 persuasions.

He is either brave or stupid. Probably both

"Hmmmm let me provoke the man that could crush me with one go.... genius" I MEAN IT WORKED

WUKONG PISSED NOW

Bajie: He said you are weak and stupid Wukong: I'll fucking SHOW him

He told his little ones he was just on vacation..... He didn't want them to worry. He sounds so proud about his titles as Pilgram tho.... like he knows everyone knows and must keep it high. He just... cares so much it hurts

HE CLEANED HIS BODY BECAUSE HE WORRIED SANZANG WOULD NOTICE HOW HE WENT BACK TO KILLING. He really said "I mean those thousand hunters were asking for it but I can't let it show in my face

Oh Shit

THE children may have a shit father but it ain't their fault! They only boys PLEASE

GET YOUR RBO

HE SO FUCKING HAPPY LIKE

HE MISSED HIM

Wukong wants to hear begging after Wujing didn't say anything. Tots fair

Shit Wukong you're warlord is showing again

I wonder if she took comfort in those boys, they were her only comfort from her husband

I know this is just a different time of putting a parent's thoughts above even you're own children but damn that is cold

Wukong making her feel bad for that. He really went "You can have more kids, but you can never replace your parents" FUCKING COLD Times really do change. I wonder if he knew that they were lovers in a past life and were connected by the red string of fate. LIke can he see that shit?

Partner as a Gender neutral term to call your spouse is out.

Mate is IN.

This actor damn

Motehrfucker really be like "What a good hubby, can't wait to use that against him heheheh" Love it honestly

So now he is saying that Sanzang banished him for killing too many demons I have heard this said many times that Sanzang did understand that the White Bone Spirit was real but at the same point had not harmed them yet and that was the real cause of his anger for Wukong to hurt an innocent demon. Honeslty like that take more as it shows Sanzang being compassionate to both Humans and Monsters but not sure if that is something Wukong is saying to save face or rather trying to make Sanzang sound less gullible to the monster

This could actually be the symbolism in the chapter, the kind of filial spirit that is considered super important within the time. That Wukong sees his loyalty to Saznang as close to the bond a son would have to their father, because good character is measured not only in oneself but also their connection to family, but Wukong without a father or mother was greatly criticized for that. The same with Sanzang as he was without a father and mother and was criticized (for some stupid reason) to be lesser for it, until he found both his father and mother and got revenge on both of their behalf Wukong remind the princess of that kind of bond could be more Wukong reminding himself of that bond, like trying to chastise his own character.

Bajie tricking his party members: 2 Wukong and Sanzang: 0

Wukong still like Imma kick your ass

I take that back Wukong has fucked with Bajie enough it more like Bajie: 2 Wukong: 81 Sanzang: 0

The three-headed form!

He so smart, love

They missed one of their fucking constellations

Of course they did

I remember that this was always the weakest part of the story that they NEVER made sense in either the Constellations or the Jade Girl's actions like.... Does she, not REMEMBER making that promise to go to earth and be with her love? Was it in reincarnation? If she just went down to assume a form of a human in the palace why the fucking princess? Why not just a normal girl? I'm just thinking this had to be reincarnation else nothing else would make sense in that she calls the King her father so he must have raised her somehow and that second that she doesn't remember her past love. And why did the guy go full demon to get his boo????? LIKE?????? You could have just come down..... AS A DUDE and just..... LEGIT NOT BEEN A DEMON? Or at least if you wanted to keep your memories, then yeah a fallen celestial has to be a demon but LEGIT you could just say NO to eating other humans, or just wooed your love normally like.... Deadass you could have just been not a dick about

But plot so. Legit he got demoted to Silverhorn and Goldenhorn's position

These bitches lucky they even got a bow damn

Got to make fun of him a little, like it only fair really

Wukong deadass making Bajie and Wujing ask politely for him to save him (Even though we all know Wukong is the favorite) he still makes Sanzang choose Bajie over Wukong in trusting which disciple Is it very interesting to see how that plays out further tellings in how much Sanzang goes to Wukong for advice and listening to his rulings first and

Sanzang is supposed to represent Confucianism in this story, hence reporting to the Emporer is supposed to be seen the same as the same as swearing fidelity to the Heavens (the Emproeor is supposed to be seen as Heaven's son) I wish there was a more one to one translation in how much Sanzang is showing gratitude in what he has done, going to far as the reporting his deeds to the highest of mortal limits considering he doesn't have a place in heaven

[zykamiliah]

Shen Qingqiu, who’d always been so good at mental gymnastics, reached a new high in his number of mental roasts, madly smashing through his old records—yet he still couldn’t put himself at ease, and instead he only grew more tired and worn out. He relentlessly told himself to the point of auto-brainwashing: the suffering and torment Luo Binghe endured now was all necessary in order for him to stand above the masses in the future. Without enduring the bone-chilling cold / How could fragrant plum blossoms hope to bloom / Without three years’ training in realms below / How could a demon king over worlds loom? Xin Mo in hand, he would possess everything beneath the heavens / With a harem innumerable, he need not be an incel… But it was useless. It was completely useless. Nothing could lift his spirits. (Chapter 4: Conference)

take a shot every time in vol. 1 sqq talks about brainwashing himself. from the skinner demon incident, and after the demon invasion, when it comes to what he has to do in the Immortal Alliance Conference, over and over, the man keeps trying to convince himself that it's fine, this is how things are supposed to go. the disciples dying. him having to reject and push luo binghe into the abyss. the mental stress this situation most have put in himself, that's something i can't comprehend at all.

He selfishly hoped that Luo Binghe would go of his own volition. In this kind of scenario, characters who chose to jump from cliffs were always caught on something—then Shen Qingqiu could go on believing his own lies that this scene would have a happy end.

pushing lbh into the endless abyss was so fucking traumatizing. like this is one of the reasons he can't talk about it when lbh asks him. he has trauma, and doesn't speak about it, avoids thinking about it, similar to the way yqy can't talk about his own trauma. the guilt, the fact that he, in his owns eyes, killed the person he adores so much.

Only Shen Qingqiu knew that the one he was mourning was in truth within that sword mound, buried underneath and never to return: that youth as warm as the sun.

and not only that, but their relationship. god sqq had come to genuinely love living with luo binghe, just being around him and depending on him.

Clearly Shen Qingqiu was the one who’d raised that little lamb of a protagonist, so why did it seem like the protagonist had been the one looking after him? He was scaring his disciples, putting on the act of a grieving widow whose husband had just died. Hadn’t it been only a couple of days since he’d last seen that child?

^this is what I mean when I said sqq also got psychological damage from their separation.

But, perhaps because Luo Binghe had left, he really was a bit lonely. Especially when he thought about how five years from now, when they reunited, a relationship that had once been that of a compassionate teacher and filial disciple (or something) would become defined by veiled murderous intent and daggers hidden within smiles. (Chapter 4: Conference)

and the nail on the coffin is the notification system. honestly im still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that lbh hold on hope for 15+ days that his shizun would go back for him.

What truly broke him and caused him to weep at the heavens was that, after several days of silence, the System sent him a message truly devoid of all humanity.

【 Congratulations! You have successfully completed the key quest, “The Legend Begins: Luo Binghe’s Fall and Rebirth.” Reward: Protagonist satisfaction points +10,000. 】

now this "weeping to the heaven", is it an hyperbole or is it literal? I'm going with the latter, because sqq loves to make fun about his own feelings. and when distracting himself and humor don't suffice, he has to go take his anger on something or someone

Being so unhappy, naturally Shen Qingqiu had to go take it out on someone else. So, he had Ming Fan deliver a message inviting Shang Qinghua to the Bamboo House.

a coping mechanism similar to bingge's, talk about parallels, toxic masculinity etc

[aldrawsstuf]

Zodiac Signs as Deities (Part 1)

Aries the Flamebringer is the first Lord of the Zodiac, is the goddess of Courage, Fire and Warfare. She is a god with a fiery temper, unafraid to stand up for what she believes in and champion her causes.

It is said she granted the first mortals with the gift of fire, a tool that would shape their destiny and allow them to overcome the harshest of obstacles. Aries believed that courage was not merely the absence of fear, but the ability to face adversity head-on and emerge victorious. Her followers are taught to embrace their inner fire, to use it to forge their own paths in life and to stand up against injustice. Her domain encompasses not only the element of fire, but also the battlefield, where her champions prove their mettle in the crucible of combat.

Aries blesses those who stand up for what is right, who fight against tyranny and oppression, and who have the courage to forge their own destinies. She does not condone senseless bloodshed or the destruction of innocent life, but rather champions those who use their strength and skill to protect the peace that has been fought so hard for.

Taurus the Opulent is the second lord of the Zodiac and the goddess of Metals, Wealth and Prosperity. A goddess who loves luxury and comfort but believes that wealth is to be earned.

She taught her followers the value of hard work and perseverance, that true wealth comes not from taking what belongs to others, but from creating value through one's own efforts. Her domain was filled with precious metals, gems, and other treasures, which were used not only for personal adornment and display, but also for crafting tools and works of art.

She blesses those who have earned their wealth through honest and hard work, as well as those who share their fortune with others in need. However, she does not tolerate greed and avarice, and those who attempt to hoard wealth at the expense of others will find her wrath swift and unforgiving.

Gemini the Craftsman is the third Lord of the Zodiac, is the god of Duality, Reflections, Music, and the Arts. He is an inventor of great skill and ingenuity. His inventions have changed the course of history.

Gemini teaches his followers to embrace both their light and dark sides, as it is through the union of opposites that true greatness is achieved. He encourages them to explore the endless possibilities of existence, to question everything and to never accept anything at face value. His domain spans across the vast realms of imagination and creativity, where his most devoted worshippers find solace and inspiration. It is here that they channel their inner Gemini, crafting works of art and music that resonate with the deepest parts of their souls.

He blesses pursuers and patrons of the arts, music, and crafts, as well as those who strive for knowledge and understanding. However, he does not tolerate those who use their creativity for ill intent or to spread lies and misinformation.

Cancer the Riptide is the fourth Lord of the Zodiac and the god of Filiality, the Seas and the Moon. A strong-willed and compassionate god. He holds the sea's power in high regard and treasures its beauty.

His teachings emphasize that the family is the cornerstone of society and that the ties that bind loved ones ought to be treasured and guarded. He is also the protector of those who find themselves alone or abandoned, offering them comfort and solace in times of need. He and Pisces both rule the oceans, but he rules over the waters that are connected to the land, where the tides play a vital role in sustaining life. His domain also encompasses the moon, whose phases govern the tides and evoke a sense of mystique and wonder among his followers.

He blesses the people who honor and protect their family, as well as those who find solace in their bonds. However, he is not one to tolerate those who seek to harm or exploit their loved ones. His wrath is swift and merciless against such individuals.

Leo the Resplendent is the fifth Lord of the Zodiac and the god of Valor, Passions and the Sun. A god who values pride and courage more than anything else and anyone who dares to disrespect him will not find forgiveness.

His teachings is that of raising oneself above the mundane, to achieve greatness through one's own efforts. Leo exhorts his disciples to follow their interests with all of their might since it is only through the crucible of hardship that they may genuinely blossom into greatness. His dominion spans huge deserts and boundless plains where the sun's heat may inspire as well as burn. His most committed followers congregate here in search of his direction and favor.

While Leo honors those who take pride in who they are and aim high, he does not support conceit. People who take the risk of flying too near to the sun or publicly bragging about their achievements run the danger of earning his wrath. Leo is a deity who cherishes humility and respect just as much as he does vigor and pride. He acknowledges that real greatness comes from motivating people to aim for the stars rather than from stepping on them.

Virgo the Sustainer is the sixth Lord of the Zodiac and the goddess of Nature, Care, and Agriculture. Virgo is a god of balance and moderation.

She imparts to those who follow her principles the knowledge that nature may be both an ally and an enemy. Life requires constant attention and vigilance, as well as a constant effort to preserve equilibrium. Her realm encompasses not just beautiful forests and fruitful farmland, but also dangerous slopes and terrible deserts. Wherever there is life, there is Virgo, guiding and protecting.

Seeking her favor requires those who seek to understand how to balance their personal demands with those of the world. Virgo is not one for token gestures or hollow words; she expects real results and actionable steps. She punishes not just those who would take advantage of nature for their own benefit but also those who would do nothing but watch while pain continued.

[fuckyeahchinesefashion]

1️⃣ kernel stabilization

He has the power of a god (Even above the Jade Emperor like there is no one can match him in the entire Heavenly Court. Even Nezha and Erlangshen can't beat him), but he can still be compassionate, and after being sealed for 500 years in the Five Elements Mountain, the inner core of his soul is still stable, he didn't fall, he didn't turn into a villain to take revenge on the whole world, and he came out the same as before.

2️⃣ Respect for women

He respects women, he just took human form and knew to help women (because women were the underprivileged group in those times) before he got any guidance from the higher-ups.

3️⃣ Empathy

The Indian princess was impersonated by the Jade Rabbit spirit, everyone thought she was fake, the princess was desperate and wanted to end her life by sinking herself in the lake, wu kong didn't want the princess to be afraid, he took the form of a kind grandmother to comfort the princess and save the day, he didn't say “if you kill yourself like this, the people you love will be sad, can you stand up to your parents (Chinese culture is about filial piety)” but said “You must have suffered a great deal”“Tell me about it. Maybe I can help you”.

He was very understanding and insightful, and he knows a lot about human nature. On one of their adventures, a king's wife was captured by a demon and imprisoned for a long time, and at that condition, chastity was very important for a woman. Wu kong, in order to prevent the queen from being criticized or even slut-shaming, told the king that the queen had received a dress from a certain immortal, and that the demon could not come near her while she was wearing the dress. Thus wu kong protected the queen's reputation and was always so considerate when he could.

I need everyone to know what a cutie patootie 1986 Sun Wukong is

"After the release of Journey to the West, I received more than 40,000 letters from fans all over the world, nearly half of which were love letters.

A Vietnamese fan wrote to me after learning that I was nearsighted, saying that she was willing to give me her eyes because "Sun Wukong's eyes are more important than mine." A Chinese fan wrote to me, saying, "You are handsome, but you would be even more handsome if you put on Sun Wukong's makeup." At this point, I realized that among the tens of thousands of love letters, some were courting me, but more were courting Sun Wukong."

-Liu Xiao Ling Tong

[irunevenus]

Confucianism: The Philosophy that Shaped Ethics and Society in Ancient China

More than a religion, Confucianism is a philosophical, ethical, and political system that has played a fundamental role in shaping Chinese culture and thought over the centuries. Founded by the teachings of Confucius (Kong Fuzi), a philosopher who lived between 551 and 479 B.C., Confucianism has established itself as a doctrine that values ​​morality, respect for tradition, and social harmony. This article explores the origins, key concepts, and lasting influence of Confucianism in China and other parts of the world.

The Origins of Confucianism: The Life and Legacy of Confucius

Confucius was born during a period of great social and political instability in China known as the Spring and Autumn Period. The son of an impoverished aristocratic family, he devoted himself to education from a young age and became one of the first private tutors in China, accepting students from all walks of life. Confucius believed that knowledge and ethics could restore order and harmony to society.

After years of service as a civil servant, he devoted himself to traveling throughout China, offering advice to rulers on how to create a virtuous and just government. Although his teachings were not widely accepted during his lifetime, his disciples continued to spread his ideas, which eventually became the basis of Chinese culture and governance.

The Fundamental Teachings of Confucianism

Confucianism is structured around a series of concepts that emphasize the importance of personal morality and social harmony. Confucius's main teachings are recorded in the "Analects" (Lunyu), a collection of dialogues and reflections by the philosopher and his disciples. Some of the core concepts of Confucianism include:

Ren (Benevolence or Humanity): Ren is the supreme moral ideal in Confucianism and refers to ethical and compassionate behavior toward others. Confucius believed that benevolence should guide all human actions and that the development of personal character was essential to creating a harmonious society.

Li (Rituals and Propriety): Li refers to the rituals, ceremonies, and norms of conduct that maintain social order and express respect for traditions. Confucius viewed rituals not simply as religious practices, but as behaviors that shape morality and mutual respect.

Xiao (Filial Piety): Devotion and respect for parents and ancestors are core values ​​in Confucianism. Filial piety is seen as the foundation for virtue, as it establishes a model of respect and responsibility that extends to all social relationships.

Yi (Justice and Righteousness): Yi is the principle of acting correctly, in accordance with morality and the common good, rather than acting for personal gain. Confucius emphasized the importance of justice in daily actions and leadership decisions.

Zhong (Loyalty) and Shu (Reciprocity): Loyalty to superiors and the practice of reciprocity (treating others as one would like to be treated) are fundamental principles that ensure social cohesion.

Junzi (The Superior Man): Confucius introduced the concept of "junzi," or "superior man," as an ideal of virtue, wisdom, and self-control. Unlike the common man, the junzi acts in accordance with high moral values ​​not out of obligation or fear of the law, but out of a deep sense of justice.

Confucianism and Governance: The Idea of ​​Virtuous Government

Confucius believed that the morality of the ruler was essential to the stability of the state. Instead of harsh laws and punishments, he proposed that leaders should govern by moral example, inspiring respect and obedience in their subjects. Confucius’ famous phrase, “To govern is to correct,” reflects the belief that the virtue of the ruler is directly reflected in the virtue of the people.

Over the course of history, Confucianism became the official philosophy of imperial China. During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), Confucianism was adopted as the state ideology, and the educational system was reformed to emphasize Confucian teachings. Imperial examinations, which selected civil servants, were based primarily on knowledge of Confucian texts, ensuring that Confucian philosophy remained central to Chinese government administration for centuries.

The Enduring Influence of Confucianism

The influence of Confucianism extended far beyond the borders of China, shaping the cultures of Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other East Asian countries. Confucian values ​​of respect for authority, importance of education, and family loyalty became deeply rooted in these societies.

In the modern era, Confucianism has been reinterpreted and, in many cases, criticized for its emphasis on social hierarchies and traditional gender roles. However, Confucian principles continue to inspire discussions about ethics, governance, and social responsibility. In the 21st century, Confucianism has experienced a resurgence in China, where the government promotes it as an important component of Chinese cultural identity, emphasizing values ​​such as social harmony and respect for authority.

Confucianism Today: A Living Legacy Although often viewed as a philosophy of the past, Confucianism remains relevant in contemporary debates about ethics, education, and interpersonal relationships. In modern China, the search for national identity and the desire to reaffirm traditional cultural values ​​have brought Confucianism back into the spotlight. Academic and cultural institutions promote the study of Confucian texts, and Confucius’ ideas continue to resonate with those seeking moral guidance in a complex and ever-changing world.

Confucianism, with its emphasis on personal morality and social responsibility, is not just an ancient philosophy, but a timeless reminder of the importance of character and virtue in building a just and harmonious society. In a world that often seeks quick answers to complex problems, Confucius’ teachings offer a deeply human approach to understanding relationships and ethical behavior, reflecting a legacy that continues to inspire and challenge.

[zhuzhudushu]

Chinese Vocab - Dream Guys/Girls

Here's the new vocabulary I learned in Yoyo Chinese's "Dream Guys" and "Dream Girls" levels. So these have good adjectives you can use to describe people's appearances and personalities!

For reference, this is Yoyo Chinese's Intermediate Conversational Course, Level 3, Unit 30-33!

Vocab:

长得 / zhǎng de / to look like (followed by adj), replaces 很 for physical descriptions

皮肤 / pí fū / skin

肌肉 / jī ròu / muscles (not to be confused with chicken meat, lol)

娘娘腔/ niáng niáng qiāng / effeminate; insult toward guys, similar to saying "sissy boy" or "pretty boy"

瓜子脸 / guā zǐ liǎn / melon seed shaped/oval face

高鼻子 / gāo bí zǐ / prominent nose

比较 / bǐ jiào / to compare, relatively, quite

美女 / měi nǚ / beautiful girl; can be interchanged 女生，女孩子，小姐

勤劳 / qín láo / diligent, hard-working

能干 / néng gàn / capable (literally: to be able to do)

幽默 / yōu mò / humor, funny

幽默感 / yōu mò gǎn / sense of humor

脾气 / pí qì / temperament, temper (发脾气 - lose temper)

才 / cái / talent (this has many definitions)

善良 / shàn liáng / nice, kind

同情 / tóng qíng / sympathy, compassion (literally: same feeling)

孝顺 / xiào shùn / the chinese concept of "filial piety", to be obedient toward parents

诚实 / chéng shí / honesty, honest

可靠 / kě kào / reliable (literally: able to be leaned upon)

靠谱 / kào pǔ / reliable, reasonable

大方 / dàn fāng / generous

小气 / xiǎo qì / stingy (direct opposite of 大方)

另外 / lìng wài / moreover, additionally (interchangeable with 而且)

懂得生活 / dǒng dé shēng húo / enjoy and live life to fullest

独立 / dú lì / independent, independence

性格 / xìng gé / personality, temperament, disposition

随和 / suí hé / easygoing, amiable

安静 / ān jìng / quiet, peaceful, calm

温柔 / wēn róu / soft & gentle (classic Chinese woman/femininity)

贤惠 / xián huì / worthy, virtuous (classic Chinese woman/femininity)

开朗 / kāi lǎng / outgoing, extroverted

外向 / wài xiàng / extroverted

内向 / nèi xiàng / introverted

Sentence Examples Below the Cut~

你喜欢什么样的女孩子？ What kind of girls do you like?

我喜欢皮肤好的，而且长得白的女生。I like girls with good skin and also very pale*.

Note: Saying "white/black" (白/黑) in Chinese to refer to skin color is not the same as English. White indicates pale, and black indicates tan. It's not referring to race.

我比较喜欢长头发的。 I prefer (literally: more/quite like) girls with long hair.

又高又瘦的女生。Tall and thin girls.

我比较喜欢大眼美女。I prefer girls with big eyes. / I prefer "big eyed beauties."

最好是瓜子脸高鼻子。The best are "oval faced" and "prominent nose".

Note: another common face type is 鹅蛋脸 (é dàn liǎn) - goose egg face, but 瓜子脸 is seen as the most beautiful.

我想找到一个懂得生过的，另外也还很独立的。I want to find (a girl who) really enjoys life, and also is independent.

我希望找性格随和的，然后很安静的那种。I hope to find an easygoing (girl), and a quiet type.

温柔贤惠的。A soft/gentle and kind girl. (The classic, perfect Chinese wife)

我希望找一个性格开朗一点的，不喜欢太内向的。 I hope to find (a girl who's) a little more outgoing, I don't like introverted (girls).

你希望找一个什么样的男生？What kind of man are you hoping to find?

只要是长得帅的我都喜欢。As long as he's handsome, I like any (guy).

我喜欢又高又帅的。I like tall and handsome (guys).

我喜欢有肌肉的那种。I like the kind (of guys) who have muscles.

别太娘娘腔就行了。 As long as he's not too feminine then it's okay.

勤劳能干，还有幽默感的。 Hard-working, capable, and has a sense of humor.

本来我就爱发脾气，所以我想找一个脾气好的。I'm hot-tempered by nature, so I want to find (a guy) who has a good temperament.

善良的，有同情心的。(A guy who's) kind and has a compassionate heart.

有才的男生。A talented guy.

我希望找一个孝顺父母，诚实可靠的。I hope to find (a man) who's obedient to his parents, honest, and reliable.

靠谱点(儿)的。One who's a little more reliable.

大方的。A generous one.

你是的性格外向的还是内向的？Are you an extrovert or introvert?

我的性格是内向。My personality is introverted.

我的性格是外向。My personality is extroverted.

[mountphoenixrp]

We have a new citizen in Mount Phoenix:

                                       Mani, the God of the Moon,                      whose origins stem from Ancient Scandinavia.                             He is currently a City Council Member                             and a professor at Phoenix University.

FC NAME/GROUP: lee changsub of btob GOD NAME: mani PANTHEON:  norse OCCUPATION: professor of astronomy. council member. HEIGHT: 5'8" (1.76m) WEIGHT: compact, stronger than he appears DEFINING FEATURES: wind-kissed, raven black hair & silver eyes that glow in the night. various scars/bites from hati encounters, most prominent being twin claw marks on his back that begin at his shoulder blades and stop at top of his tailbone. several tattoos : a clock on his left pectoral, ‘do not be defeated' on his left trapezius. ’every man will manage his own wealth till his fated death-day, but there is a time when each one of us leaves here for Hel' on his right anterior forearm.

PERSONALITY: at first glance, mani doesn’t seem like a god. a little odd, timid and unassuming, typically never speaking unless spoken to. he’s not surrounded by riches and doesn’t care for attention, caring even less about how other’s percieve him. his soft, yet blunt way of speaking even makes him sound unapproachable. and it doesn’t help that his eyes are always downcast or fixated on the pages of a book. (except if he does make eye contact, it’s capital Serious.) mani is always hyperaware of his surroundings, including others.

but on the flip side of that aloof demeanor, he wears his heart on his sleeve, the type to cry over just about anything that moves him (positively or negatively.) he takes notice of the little things in people, and even though he may want to befriend someone, he often hesitates. mani is actually one of the more caring and compassionate gods on the island, willing to sacrifice his time and essence if it helps because he despises suffering. he will even go to the hospital at times to read to the bedridden patients or try to ease their pain with his powers. these self-sacrificing tendencies come from a place of good intentions and heart, but mani still has much to realize that it can come with a price.

HISTORY: It wouldn’t be long until Mani realized the words of glory, purpose, and honor he and his sister were spoonfed were just sugar-coated lies. At the time, the eyes that watched him with pride seemed worth it, but he was too naive to see the cunning pity behind them. For filial responsibilities and divine purposes not even he could comprehend, Mani drove his gilded chariot to guide the moon across the sky for lifetimes, fearing when his immortality would meet its gruesome end. It didn’t help that his sister was damned to the same fate. While some might’ve found comfort in the presence of kin, Mani wished she were anywhere but with him. He would’ve done it alone if he could, eternally placated by the thought of Sol living the life a true goddess deserved.

Mani acquiesced to his purpose until the stagnation grew to suffocating heights, the wolves' maw snapping closer and closer. Surely, he thought, there had to be a way to evade their inevitable. Finally, one day, Mani took a leap of faith, riding down from the skies to the mortal world that he so envied below. The guilt and regret from leaving Sol behind ate at him every day, but Mani thought she’d understand. He was doing it for their own good. For her good. The moon would permanently keep its post in the sky, and the sun would always rise and set, but he would always be running away from ravenous fangs and lethal claws. It was too unfair for them to suffer, Mani had no choice.

While living among the mortals, Mani learned much from them. He studied their stories of the gods—their stories of science—and the superstitions that damned him to a ruthless cycle. Even as he hunted for the truth, he remained the hunted. Still, Mani chased the threads of hope all the way to the foot of the bridge that led to the city of the gods. A so-called haven, he had heard. He was skeptical about just how safe a god could possibly be there, but Mani soon found out there, the wolves couldn’t follow.

So it was true. This place could be the key to their salvation. And this was the only real truth he’d come to know.

POWERS:

lunar manipulation. pulling the moon across the sky for eons comes with its merits. though somewhat slight in frame, mani has the ability to use the moon’s energy at will, drawing from it to improve his and others’ health and strength.

lunar energy. how much energy he has stored is told by his eyes; the more silver they are, the greater the stores. the duller/grayer, the lesser. during a full moon though, he actually glows. but he’s naturally weaker in the daylight, even his hands go transparent. hence why he always has moon-charged stones and crystals. and a moon pool.

lunar crafting. allows him to use the moon’s energy to create a myriad of objects at will.

STRENGTHS: elusive, there one minute & gone the next. a surprisingly good fighter. book smart and street smarts. full moons. WEAKNESSES: phobia of wolves. stubborn as a mule. can be impulsive. self-doubting. new moons.

[unreachable-princess]

Perhaps due to the "one shot" nature of Flower from Another Garden I have never talked much about its characters, since I didn't consider their further development necessary to understand the plot. But at the time I made a development of the Galavenda siblings, which although it doesn't really have an influence, you might find it fun to know.

-Marcos and Carolina's parents were Tristán Galavenda, whose fate we know in the comic, and a noble valet of the widowed queen who also served as her personal guardian, as she was militarily trained. She left her position to serve as a wife and mother, but she never left behind her love of fencing.

-Marcos was the first child, and four years later Carolina was born. Both siblings have always been very close, especially since the death of their mother, first, and that of their father, later, which strengthened the bond between them even further.

-From his father, Marcos inherited his great sociability. Carolina inherited his patience. From his mother, Marcos inherited her extroversion, and Carolina inherited her fierceness and determination to do anything. This made Carolina a woman who was taciturn in appearance, but with a compassionate heart. Marcos was a happy and fun boy who everyone liked. Marcos has been the only one capable of making his sister laugh out loud, something that no one has ever seen except him.

-Due to her serious and measured countenance, and her fierceness and skill in fighting, Carolina has a reputation for being an implacable and merciless woman. She has a mole on her cheek that appeared when she was a baby, a mark that soldiers interpreted as proof that "a demon kissed her in her crib." A superstition whereby a demon who intended to take the baby to devour them is so impressed by their spirit that it leaves them alone and shows them affection.

-Both brothers got to know Princess Tirsa, although they were little children and only saw her once. Marcos was 7 years old and Carolina was 3, and they were with his mother, when Tristán approached them in her company and introduced them. They both remember her as a kind and smiling woman, who tenderly caressed the children.

-Marcos entered the king's service at the age of 8, under the tutelage of his father, with the purpose of being instructed in his future position. He learned quickly and the king liked having him around him because he was very cheerful. At the age of ten, Tristan fell at the hands of Queen Genoveva, and Marcos assumed the position of sumiller de corps in his father's place, with great dignity. Although he was urged to leave his place for an older Galavenda, Marcos refused and King Alexandre supported him: Alexandre, mired in sadness and guilt, wished to have Marcos close, feeling that he was his responsibility. Although he was, in essence, his servant, Alexandre treated him like a son when it came to important matters. He also provided for his sister and she also felt filial affection for him. Marcos' optimistic and hard-working personality made him soon overcome his grief. Alexandre felt comforted next to him.

-Carolina excelled in fencing and was granted military training like her mother. At fourteen she already belonged to the guardia de corps, and at sixteen she joined the Aces, an elite guard of Santifia in charge of the direct protection of the royal family and specialized missions. Her stealth skills and fighting ability earned her the position of Ace of Spades. This position allowed her to be closer to her brother.

-The filial affection that both siblings feel for the king makes them consider Amaryllis a kind of little sister. Even with all the protocol and duties of her position, Amaryllis allows herself to be lectured and advised by both of them.

-In The Silver Comb both make brief appearances, although Carolina has one last important role.

The ace of spades and the sumiller de corps.

[robininthelabyrinth]

extra 2 for Tedious Joys - warnings for adult content, WRH/Lao Nie, slightly dubcon, not necessarily in the same universe as the previous extra, possibly AU

ao3 link

-

Humans had three modes of dealing with evil things: fighting, feeding, and fucking.

Much to Jiwei’s disgust, it seemed that her Master could not be dissuaded from treating with Wen Ruohan through the last of these.

You’re disgusted any time I pick the ‘fucking’ option, her Master said tolerantly. He was watching Wen Ruohan’s body as the other man moved through the crowd like a shark amidst waters filled with fat fish, merciful and restrained only in his current lack of interest and yet convinced of his superiority. You’re barely more interested when I pick ‘feeding’, and my body would collapse if I stopped doing that.

I’ve heard good things about inedia, Jiwei retorted, but her Master only laughed. You agree that he’s evil, though.

Jiwei, sweetheart, you think almost everyone is evil.

Because they are!

The ethical frailty of humanity was practically a given at this point: one need only look around this sect conference to find examples of it, the hall teeming with the stench of moral corruption. Sect leaders who would sell their daughters for an iota more of power, who had blood on their hands from executions conducted behind closed doors, liars, thieves, cheats, crooks, evil –

To be both good and evil is natural, Jiwei, even for us two. It’s not worthy of a death sentence.

Jiwei was not arguing in any seriousness: she had long ago reached the conclusion that it was not a debate that her Master was inclined to yield upon, and of course he had long ago won the argument. After all, her Master had done his share of terrible things too, in his time, to defend his sect and his family as needed, and she had been at his side, aiding him as she ought.

She was not as rigid as Baxia, that fearsome child, who longed only, as her master did, for righteousness; she would not argue with her master the way Baxia did, quibbling over mundanities as if the human world were something that could be judged through the merits of a saber. But then Baxia had Nie Mingjue, whose soul was very near to a saber itself – unbending in its ferocity and clear in its simplicity – and Nie Mingjue listened to his saber in a way his father did not, too close and too compassionate, too forgiving of his inhuman partner’s flaws and too willing to take the time to convince when he ought to simply order.

Perhaps it was simply different for the two of them.

Baxia had roared to life with an ancient soul, a queen among sabers, and even Jiwei would not so easily choose to face her down, for all that she was more clever and more practiced, more thoughtful and more reserved, her power the greater, but her potential worse. Luckily it seemed unlikely to ever become an issue, what with Nie Mingjue earnestly trying to teach Baxia the meaning of being filial to one’s elders, as if age were at all relevant to a saber spirit.

Still, even if she were not Baxia, Jiwei had her own pride: she was still a saber, stubborn and inflexible, and so she said, Even Lan Qiren thinks you shouldn’t fuck him.

Jiwei rather begrudgingly liked Lan Qiren. She hadn’t at first, of course – not that she’d noticed him much when he was just a fellow cultivator her Master had taken a shine to, a teenager with a strange manner and his own pride, but later, when her only thought of him had been to wonder how he would dare attempt to interfere with her connection with her Master – but he was stubborn in his own way, obstinate, uncompromising, tenacious.

There was even unexpectedly some rage in him, buried deep beneath his rules and the scars left on his heart – not enough to do anything with it, the poor soul, but enough to show that he knew what it was. Jiwei had finally started condescending to give him a little of her time and attention, maybe a little of her rage that he always seemed to be seeking: at least he knew that he needed it.

Lan Qiren doesn’t want to fuck anyone, her Master said, fond as always. He, at least, would be more than happy to fuck Lan Qiren if the other man were interested. He doesn’t understand the appeal, so how can he really make a judgment on the matter?

Jiwei wasn’t sure that was how it worked – her Master respected Lan Qiren’s judgment on all sorts of things that Lan Qiren didn’t personally appreciate, and in all honesty she suspected that her Master was thinking with all the brain in the lower half of his body again – but she also didn’t actually care all that much.

Wen Ruohan hates Lan Qiren, she said instead, not for the first time that day.

Her Master frowned, as he did before. I don’t know what’s gotten into Hanhan over it. He even went and got Qiren drunk again, and I thought he swore never to be in his vicinity while drunk ever again, after last time.

Lan Qiren, when drunk, dropped all façade of caring about other people’s lack of interest in his favorite subjects, and also any reservations about using his strength and body to pin people into place – he’d held Wen Ruohan down by the arm, and ended up at one point in his lap to loudly insist that he pay attention because they were just getting to the interesting part, despite assurances by Wen Ruohan that it was not interesting, had never been interesting, and that he would shortly begin to bite off his own limbs in order to escape if it did not rapidly become more interesting.

Her Master had gone over at that point, nominally to assist but actually in order to enjoy having Lan Qiren on his own lap, and yet somehow that had only made Wen Ruohan’s expression worse.

Humans were so confusing.

Didn’t you tell Lan Qiren that you’d rescue him sooner if he got drunk again?

Her Master laughed, but he put down his drink and went: Lan Qiren had drunk four toasts, which was three and three-quarters more than he could tolerate, and he had cornered some poor sect leader and started in on some subject on musical cultivation that even Jiwei, who had no ears, could identify as being both esoteric and extremely boring.

Wen Ruohan caught her Master by the wrist before he got to Lan Qiren’s side.

“You should come spend some time with me, my friend,” he said, his eyes intent, purposeful, gaze as hot as the sun patterned on his clothing. “I have scarcely seen you this evening.”

Because you were too busy trying to get Lan Qiren drunk for some reason, Jiwei said scathingly, and her Master shushed her.

“The days in your Nightless City are long and the nights longer, A-Han,” her Master said, turning his hand to stroke two fingers along the underside of Wen Ruohan’s wrist – the other man released his hand, recoiling as if he’d been burnt; he had never grown accustomed to her Master’s shameless displays of affection. “There will still be time for us to spend time together.”

Wen Ruohan’s eyes narrowed. “But not now.”

“Not now,” her Master said agreeably. “I promised Qiren that I wouldn’t let him embarrass himself.”

“Someone else could do that.”

“They could, yes, but I’m the one that promised him.”

Wen Ruohan’s lips twisted. “You promise him many things. More than you should, with him the sect leader of another sect…”

“So are you, Hanhan,” the Master said. “And don’t I promise you the moon and the stars, if only I could fetch them down for you?”

The poetry of humans was truly insipid, in Jiwei’s view, and yet like all monsters Wen Ruohan both hated and loved the purity of her Master’s emotions, his heart offered on a platter without reservations.

It didn’t seem to be working this time, though.

“Go to him, then,” Wen Ruohan sneered, his jaw tight from where he was grinding his teeth together. “I trust you will tell me, then, when you finally decide to promise him that I will no longer be sharing your bed.”

I like him when he’s jealous, her Master remarked to her, and sometimes Jiwei thought her Master could be a very stupid man. He’s never more ferocious and passionate than he is when he thinks someone has taken something of his.

Never more dangerous, you mean. You always did like the ones that could and did want to kill you.

It adds some spice to life.

Life is not a food. It does not require spice.

You don’t eat, sweetheart; what do you know?

Jiwei considered this comment to fall into the same category as the one about Lan Qiren not knowing a bad idea just because he was sensible enough not to want to fuck it.

“Lan Qiren has no say in who I allow to share my bed,” he said, and stepped forward abruptly: Wen Ruohan, his senses as always tuned to the highest level of paranoia, instinctively stepped back, and so allowed her Master to corner him up against the wall, bringing their faces level and close to each other until their breath was shared. “Don’t think I didn’t see who was sending all those toasts to him, A-Han.”

“You object?” Wen Ruohan hissed, trying to pretend that he was unmoved by her Master’s nearness – as if anyone could miss the blood pounding through his veins, or the hardness beneath his clothing that her Master deliberately pressed his thigh against in a teasing gesture that made Wen Ruohan inhale sharply.

Wen Ruohan was too powerful, Jiwei thought; his wives treated him like a god, and his concubines like something even higher – he had never been treated so intimately, so recklessly and without care for whether or not he approved, and he was fascinated by it.

“Do you like him?” her Master asked, and Wen Ruohan’s eyes went wide in indignation. “The Lan sect breeds for beauty, and he’s got his fair share of it, even if he doesn’t think of it that way.”

“You cannot be serious.”

“There’s something appealing even in his very disinterest,” her Master mused, and Jiwei resigned herself to hearing this again. “He’s above such things, like a statue carved into the mountainside, untouchable and cold, the stone unyielding, and yet his flesh is as soft as any other man’s – it would give if you pressed on it. Turn red if you dug your fingers in, bruising like the skin of a ripe peach.”

Wen Ruohan’s throat worked as he swallowed.

“You like that sort of thing, don’t you? You like it when people are in pain…you like the rush of power it gives you. There are other ways of having power, A-Han.”

Her Master had thoroughly pinned Wen Ruohan against the wall now, even though the other sect leader’s cultivation was higher, his physical strength above their own. Their hips were slotted together, the two of them grinding up against each other, and Wen Ruohan’s mouth was a little agape, his lips and the tongue between them very red.

“There are,” he murmured, eying her Master as if he wanted to peel off his skin and devour him whole, put him in his belly where no one else would be able to reach him. “And this is his: that even now you will leave me and go to him instead.”

Her Master laughed.

“I need to take him to bed,” he murmured, words deliberately ambiguous, and Wen Ruohan jerked in his grasp – perhaps her Master was not so wrong in thinking that Wen Ruohan admired the coldly beautiful Lan Qiren more than he should. “Why don’t you help me?”

Wen Ruohan frowned, even as her Master stepped away. “Help you?”

“Take him to bed,” her Master said, and smiled as Wen Ruohan scowled at him. “It’ll be easier to carry him with two of us.”

Lan Qiren did not especially want to go with them, eager to continue his elaboration on whatever subject he was on now – actually a method for temporarily cutting off someone’s breathing using sound alone, not that anyone would be able to tell unless they had an excellent understanding of musical notation, esoteric cultivation techniques, and the human pulmonary system – although the sect leaders he had cornered were deeply grateful for the intervention. Still, Lan Qiren was a cultivator of song and thought, his strength respectable but nothing in comparison to martial cultivators like Jiwei’s Master or Wen Ruohan; they were easily able to drag him away despite his protests.

Her Master eased the way further by picking up another jar of wine and pouring it into Lan Qiren’s throat as they fought to get him up the stairs, the additional liquor finally acting to push him from wildness into quietude in a single step: he fell asleep at once, instantly becoming as limp as a fully cooked noodle and just as inconvenient.

“Do you have to deal with this every time?” Wen Ruohan complained.

Jiwei’s Master chuckled. “It helps to have experience,” he said, tapping the side of his nose. “Come, get his shoes off while I get the bed ready.”

“You treat me as if I were a common servant,” Wen Ruohan said disdainfully, although he did kneel and remove Lan Qiren’s shoes. Jiwei almost wondered at his willingness, given Wen Ruohan’s usual self-perception as a soon-to-be deity, or at least she did until he ran his fingers up Lan Qiren’s calf and even up to his inner thigh, his gaze firmly fixed on Jiwei’s Master as if in challenge – he was starting something, of course.

“You can’t make him jump when he’s like this,” her Master said, unmoved by the provocation. “He’s utterly insensate; he wouldn’t even notice if you put your hand on his dick.”

“Maybe I should,” Wen Ruohan said, the implicit challenge now outright.

“Maybe you should put it on mine instead,” her Master said. “There’s a second bed in the room.”

Jiwei did not have eyes, but she could enjoy the expression of shock on Wen Ruohan’s face through her Master’s perception of it.

“You’re not serious,” Wen Ruohan said. He did not sound repulsed by the idea – merely surprised that Jiwei’s Master had suggested it, and more than a little intrigued by it.

“I’ve gone night-hunting with him before,” her Master said. “He understands that men who are not him have needs that must be fulfilled; he’s told me before that he doesn’t mind me getting myself off near him, or even while thinking of him, as long as I don’t involve him.”

“You’re rather pushing the boundaries of that agreement, aren’t you?”

Jiwei’s Master had a smile full of teeth – his own type of shark, his own type of monster. “Don’t you like pushing boundaries the most, A-Han?”

It was things like this that drew a clear line between Jiwei’s Master and Baxia’s, Jiwei thought to herself, amused. In the ranking of things that were dear to her Master, his sect came first, and all else second, even family, friendship, or morality; Nie Mingjue, in contrast, would rank family first, morality second, and sect third, and would never take even minimal advantage of a friend, even when the gains were great and the downsides almost none.

Their power over Wen Ruohan was useful to the Nie sect, and pleasing to Jiwei’s Master on a personal basis; the power they drew out from their dual cultivation beneficial to both him and her – they did, in fact, engage in it on the second bed in the room, her Master’s voice rough against his Hanhan’s ear, spinning fantasy and filth at the same time, both their gazes fixed firmly on where Lan Qiren slept innocently on, detached in his disinterest and unlikely to object to anything other than the sheer impropriety of it even if he awoke.

Certainly that had been his reaction the last few times her Master had brought someone back to the single room at the inn that they had been sharing – not that Wen Ruohan needed to know that he wasn’t the first.

Do you intend to court them both? Jiwei asked, curious. It wasn’t the worst idea, even if she despaired at the thought of there being even more fucking instead of fighting: Lan Qiren’s coolness was a good counterbalance to Wen Ruohan’s heat, even if Wen Ruohan’s viciousness was more their speed than Lan Qiren’s level-headed contemplation and compassion. If he obtained them both, her Master could get the benefits of Lan Qiren’s company and conversation, which he truly enjoyed, and Wen Ruohan’s body and cleverness, and perhaps with two of them at his side Wen Ruohan would finally find himself content with what he had, able to stop his endless quest for more, more, more, the yawning pit of greed that lay beneath his arrogance and drove him to do increasingly terrible things.

Perhaps, if they’d let me, her Master replied. His mental voice was tight the way it always was when he dual cultivated with another cultivator, in the time before he reached release – he would be full of energy in the morning, excitable; their morning training together would be especially good for them both, strengthening them as they shared the qi between them. They’d be a force to be reckoned with, especially with me beside them…Qiren doesn’t like sex, but he’s never objected to romance, so it’s not hopeless. Hanhan could be taught to respect limits, and Qiren’s always been remarkably easy-going with those he considers his friends. It would be a good match. Don’t you agree, sweetheart?

You’ve always had eyes for things bigger than you can swallow, Jiwei said. She would roll her eyes if she had them. Well, good luck. Don’t let it be your funeral.

Don’t worry, her Master said, reckless as always. I won’t.

[dragonsfromthemoon]

I love Xie Bian so much.

He is a genuinely good and kind person, that self-sacrifices a lot. and a well-layered and complex character.

Xie Bian has his own moral code, one that guides his thoughts and actions in his two lifetimes. Thus, markedly in Zong Ziheng's life, his innermost struggle is between doing what he feels that is right, what he wants to do, and upholding filial piety. This is especially hard for him, especially as he realizes his parents are flawed people, capable even of doing evil things if it means they get to achieve their goals. Things that go against Zong Ziheng/Xie Bian's moral code, against his conduct.

Still in Zong Ziheng's life, he was the eldest prince of the decaying Zong Clan. He also had talent, and his mother expected a lot from him. He had to be a role model, set the example for his younger siblings. He had to work for the power and prestige of the Zong Clan. In truth, all he wanted was a carefree life, traveling and helping the small folk in need. However, until the end, he upheld filial piety, even if everything around him fell apart.

His relationship with Zong Zixiao/Fan Wushe is a rollercoaster of emotions. Both went through a lot together and apart, which shaped their deep and complex entanglement. Misunderstanding, miscommunication, betrayal, lust, reconciliation... all these circumstances and emotions, and many more, built their relationship.

Being the target of greedy people, because of his golden core, Zong Ziheng/Xie Bian faced a lot of betrayal and hurt.

Yet, at the end of the day, Zong Ziheng/Xie Bian remained true to his essence. A good, kind and compassionate person at heart. He does grow with the circumstances though, and learns.

[unforth]

Rules of the Gusu Lan Clan

Since I wrote my fic about junior Wei Wuxian trying to follow every rule, I’ve been wanting to compile a list of all known rules across multiple sources, and apparently today is the day for that.

General notes:

According to the MDZS novel, there are 3,000 rules at the time of the lectures, and 4,000 rules 13 years later after Wei Wuxian is resurrected. According to CQL, there are 3,500 rules at the time of the lectures.

These rules are presumably numbered, as when Lan Wangji is being beaten, Lan Qiren asks him “what is the 52nd doctrine of the Lan clan?” However, they are given in a different order in different sources so establishing how they are numbered is impossible. Since we can’t know the order they “belong” in, I’ve organized them by grouping them thematically. For the few I know numbers for, those numbers are included in parenthesis.

I don’t know how these rules are referred to in Chinese; in English they are translated as rules, principals, doctrines, or laws. Based on contextual clues, it’s possible that the rules are sorted into different categories (ie, principals vs. doctrines vs. rules)

I did my best to consolidate the rules listed duplicatively over multiple sources, but as I don’t speak Chinese and therefore cannot say which are identical in the original, there is likely some redundancy. This is exacerbated by a lot of rules apparently being given in both “do not” and “be” forms - ie, “do not disrespect elders” and “be filial” and “be respectful to teachers” are all rules. The reason I opted to leave these areas of redundancy is that this compiled list is around 175 rules. There are 3,000 plus of these things. If just ~175 have this much duplication the amount of redundancy in the actual list must be insane, so I think these overlapping rules are intentional and consolidating them would be inappropriate.

Crossposted to AO3

Sources I used to compile this list:

The “Book of Righteousness” notebook, as translated by BigBadRedPanda. They did two translations, posted on Tumblr and on Twitter, which don’t always match on translation choices.

The inscribed wall is shown in the donghua, as translated by my-otp-list, based on a list transcribed by an unknown Weibo user.

The MDZS wiki, which draws on multiple sources.

The Netflix translation of CQL: I watched through the episodes of the lecture and transcribed these myself. I do not have time to rewatch the whole series for those that might have been listed elsewhere. I specifically rewatched: the fight between WWX and LWJ and WWX arrives at Cloud Recesses in episode 3; the “NHS has a bird” scene in episode 3; the “putting a turtle on LQR’s back” scene in episode 4; and the scene where LWJ is punished in episode 43.

For anyone with a lot of patience and a working knowledge of Chinese and English, in CQL episode 3, timestamp 23 minutes on Netflix, there’s a carved stone with the rules on it. Also, in episode 4, timestamp 2 minutes on Netflix, Wei Wuxian is shown sleeping amidst the copies he’s made, there are more rules visible then. Same episode, timestamp 3:30 or so, a disciple opens a pamphlet of the rules and some are shown. (I expect there’s much overlap between these three sources). Information there might be able to expand this list? Or it might be entirely redundant. I don’t know. I’m sorry.

Interpreting the list:

“Source” indicates which source(s) include this rule. (this isn’t exhaustive and there is a fair amount of overlap between CQL and MDZS)

notebook - “The Book of Righteousness” translation by BigBadRedPanda

donghua - the translation of the list in the second episode done by my-otp-list

CQL - the Netflix translation of CQL

MDZS - the Exiled Rebels translations of the novel.

“Also translated as” is a different translation from the same source (ie, two different translations of the Book of Righteousness)

“Alternate” is a similar rule from an alternate source that overlapped so closely that I lumped them together (ie, overlap between Book of Righteousness and donghua)

THE RULES:

Rules pertaining to appropriate behavior and comportment:

Lan clan disciples must follow the principles of the Lan (source: CQL)

Do not work after 9 pm (source: notebook)

Do not rise after 5 am (alternate: wake up at 8 am (??)) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not go out at night (also translated as: venturing out at night is prohibited) (source: donghua)

Those who come at night should not be allowed in until 7 AM (source: CQL)

Do not be late (source: CQL)

Do not enter Cloud Recesses without permission (source: CQL)

No one is permitted to attend the lectures without an invitation (source: CQL)

Do not enter the back hills without permission (source: CQL)

Do not fight without permission (alternate: fighting without permission is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not create damages (source: donghua)

Do not take life within Cloud Recesses (alternate: do not kill within the premises)  (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not stand incorrectly (also translated as: do not stoop while standing) (alternate: have a proper posture) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not sit improperly (also translated as: do not slouch while sitting) (alternate: do not sit with a disgraceful pose, sitting improperly is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua, CQL)

Do not make noise (alternate: do not make an uproar, causing noise is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua, CQL)

Do not hurry rashly (also translated as: do not rush while walking, do not walk too fast) (alternate: do not act impulsively; running is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua, CQL)

Do not move arbitrarily (source: CQL)

Do not smile for no reason (also translated as: do not smile foolishly, do not laugh for no reason) (source: notebook, donghua)

Sneering for no reason is prohibited (source: donghua)

Do not drink alcohol (alternate: alcohol is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua, MDZS, CQL)

Do not consume meat (source: MDZS)

Killing livestock within the area is prohibited (source: MDZS)

Do not be difficult with food (alternate: do not be picky about food) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not eat more than three bowls (alternate: eating more than three bowls is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not talk during meal times (source: MDZS)

Pets are not permitted (source: MDZS)

Change clothes after a shower (source: CQL)

Wear a headband to discipline yourself (source: CQL)

Do not touch others’ headbands without permission (source: CQL)

A headband is not to be used for any other purpose (source: CQL)

Only a spouse or child may touch the headband (source: MDZS)

Do not bribe a law enforcer (source: CQL)

Do not use a concealed weapon (source: CQL)

Do not hide an edged tool (source: CQL)

Do not wear any jangling objects like beads (source: CQL)

Do not wear more than three accessories around your waist (source: CQL)

Do not alter clothes secretly (source: CQL)

Never hurt insects or plants (source: CQL)

Do not borrow money (source: CQL)

Rules related to personal virtues (virtues in the English sense, not the classical Chinese sense):

Love and respect yourself (source: donghua)

Behave yourself (source: CQL)

Be respectful (alternate: be courteous) (source: donghua, CQL)

Be modest  (source: CQL)

Arrogance is prohibited (source: donghua)

Hide your wisdom (source: CQL)

Do not show off your skills (source: CQL)

Be humble (source: donghua, CQL)

Do not be supercilious (source: CQL)

Be amicable and united (alternate: be cordial) (source: donghua, CQL)

Be strict with yourself (source: donghua)

Have a strong will and anything can be achieved (source: donghua)

Diligence is the root (source: donghua)

Morality is the priority (source: donghua)

Harmony is the value (source: donghua)

Be ethical (source: donghua)

Uphold the value of justice (source: donghua)

Be just (source: donghua)

Shoulder the weight of morality (source: donghua)

Perform acts of chivalry (source: donghua)

Have courage and knowledge (source: donghua)

Have courtesy and integrity (source: donghua)

Do not be ill-mannered (source: CQL)

Have affection and gratefulness (source: donghua)

Be compassionate (source: CQL)

Be generous (source: donghua)

Frugality is a moral (source: CQL)

Give more, take less (source: CQL)

Do not expect rewards after giving (source: CQL)

Do not be miserly (source: notebook)

Do not regret after offering (source: CQL)

Accumulate virtue and merits (6th rule) (source: CQL)

Make sure to act virtuously (source: donghua)

Be grateful (source: donghua)

Be grateful when praised (source: CQL)

Stop bad habits (source: donghua)

Destroy the five poisons (the five poisons are desire, anger, ignorance, pride, and jealousy; references: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Poisons; http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Five_poisons) 

Do not indulge in pleasure (source: CQL)

Do not be promiscuous (alternate: do not commit acts of promiscuity; promiscuity is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not indulge in debauchery (source: notebook)

Do not wallow in luxury and pleasure (alternate: do not live extravagantly, do not be luxurious) (source: notebook, donghua, CQL)

Be peaceful when insulted (source: CQL)

Do not succumb to rage (also translated as: do not get angry) (alternate: do not be over-the-top; do not be aggressive) (source: notebook, donghua, CQL)

Speak meagerly, for too many words only bring harm (source: donghua)

Do not be haughty and complacent (source: notebook)

Do not be of two minds (alternate: be of one mind) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not exult in excess (also translated as: do not be overly happy) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not grieve in excess (also translated as: do not be overly sad) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not covet the property of others (source: CQL)

Do not steal (source: notebook)

Do not be greedy (source: notebook)

Be careful with your words (source: donghua)

Do not use coarse language (source: CQL)

Do not tell lies (source: notebook)

Do not take your own words lightly (source: donghua)

Do not sow discord (source: CQL)

Do not use flowery writing (also translated as: do not write about love and sex; do not use frivolous language) (alternate: do not spread empty line (sic) ) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not say one thing and mean another (alternate: do not break promises; do not go back on your word) (source: notebook, donghua, CQL)

Do not boast about your own strengths (source: CQL)

Believe sincerely (source: donghua)

Do not be suspicious (source: CQL)

Do not be wasteful (source: donghua)

Do not break faith and abandon right (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not be unreasonable (source: CQL)

Rules for training, studying and learning:

Learning comes first (source: donghua)

Train your body and your mind (source: donghua)

Maintain your own discipline (source: donghua)

Organize work properly (source: donghua)

Do not neglect your studies (source: CQL)

Do not give up on learning (source: donghua)

Do not lose your life goal (source: CQL)

Nurture aspirations (source: donghua)

Rules for interacting with others:

Love all beings (source: donghua)

Embrace the entirety of the world (source: donghua)

Honor good people (source: donghua)

Appreciate the good people (source: donghua)

Good people will be esteemed, blessed by natured, and accompanied by good fortune (source: CQL)

Respect the filial ones (source: donghua)

Be fair, and they will follow you (source: donghua)

Be trustworthy, and they will believe you (source: donghua)

Be mighty, and they will die for you (source: donghua)

Be loyal (source: donghua)

Earn trust (source: donghua)

Win friendships with kindness (source: donghua)

See friends as neighbors (source: donghua)

Steer away from bad men (source: donghua)

Correct others by correcting yourself (source: CQL)

Do not fear the strong (source: notebook)

Do not ignore others and be undisciplined  (source: CQL)

Help the lonely (source: CQL)

Take pity on the desolate (source: CQL)

Do not despise poverty (source: CQL)

Do not bully the weak (alternate: do not bully others; bullying is prohibited) (source: notebook, CQL)

Do not mix public and private interests (source: notebook)

Help the underprivileged (source: donghua)

Care for the weak (source: CQL)

Lend a hand to those in need (source: CQL)

Rescue those in danger (source: CQL)

Do not take advantage of your position or connections to oppress others (source: notebook)

Do not build wealth by using others, for this wealth won’t last (source: donghua)

Do not curry favour (also translated as: do not flatter) (source: notebook)

Do not go tuft-hunting (source: CQL)

Do not be a social climber (source: CQL)

Do not form a clique and exclude others (alternate: do not form cliques) (source: notebook, donghua)

Do not insult people (alternate: do not slander others) (source: notebook, CQL)

Do not use bad words to hurt others (source: donghua)

Do not tease others (source: CQL)

Do not praise yourself and slander others (source: notebook)

Do not jump to an unfounded conclusion (also translated as: do not make assumptions about others) (alternate: do not judge others quickly) (source: notebook, CQL)

Do not judge people behind their back (alternate: do not speak ill of others; talking behind other people’s back is prohibited) (source: notebook, donghua)

Speak not about other people’s weaknesses (source: CQL)

Be easy on others (source: donghua)

Be sad for other people’s sufferings (source: CQL)

Rejoice in other people’s blessings (source: CQL)

Regard other people’s gains and losses as your own (source: CQL)

Do not hold grudges (source: donghua)

Have wins and losses (source: donghua)

If others win over you, do not envy (source: donghua)

If others lose to you, do not look down (source: donghua)

Do not take apprentices excessively, nor pass ordinary people (source: CQL)

Interacting with Wei Wuxian is forbidden. (added by Lan Qiren at some point post lectures...yes, really...heck of a lot of good it did anyone...)

Rules for respecting those in authority:

Respect the elderly (source: CQL)

Do not disrespect the elder (source: notebook)

Do not disregard the younger (source: notebook)

Do not forget the grace of the forefathers (source: donghua)

Be loyal, filial, friendly and dutiful (source: donghua, CQL; donghua only lists the first two)

Be a filial child (source: donghua)

Do not argue with your family, for it doesn’t matter who wins (source: donghua)

Honor the teachers and respect the elders (source: CQL)

If your senior is standing, you may not sit until they have done so (source: CQL)

Teachers have extensive knowledge and are examples of moral integrity (source: CQL)

Disturbing female cultivators is prohibited (7th rule) (source: MDZS)

Rules on cultivation, good and evil:

Concentrate on cultivating (source: CQL)

To suppress and eliminate ghosts and monsters, liberate them (source: CQL)

Stay on the righteous path (source: CQL)

Take the straight path (alternate: follow the righteous way) (source: donghua, CQL)

Reject the crooked road (alternate: do not take the crooked ways) (source: donghua, CQL)

Eliminate evil and establish a just law (source: CQL)

Do not associate with evil (source: CQL)

Do not befriend the evil (52nd doctrine) (source: CQL)

Do not fall to evil (source: CQL)

Resist evil (source: CQL)

Promote good (source: CQL)

[iamnightduchess]

Who are your top 5 AOT characters and why?

Hello Nonnie! Thank you for the wonderful Ask~ Here’s hoping that your weekend’s been amazing so far ❤️

We’ll start from No.5 and all the way up!

#5 - Ian Dietrich

Ian's appearance in the series, although short, but left a very lasting impression in my mind. He's an amazing Squad Leader & very intuitive, as it can be observed from his interaction with Mikasa. The way he sacrificed himself so his squad could move forward only proved his selflessness & bravery. That scene not only shows his dedication for his commitment as a Garrison SL, it had also become a very important teaching moment for Mikasa. He would've made an amazing mentor to the trainees if he wasn't ripped off from all of us so soon. I think it would be really interesting to see more of Ian. Isayama, please write more of Ian in the Highschool AU!

#4 - Zoe Hange

Hange’s eccentric, curious and bold nature, along with her thirst for knowledge won my interest the first time I saw her on-screen (I started with the anime and the manga later). I’ve felt a strong course of pride when I watched her ascended as the 14th SC Commander. I love the bond she has with Mikasa, like a pseudo maternal/daughter relationship. Her sense of justice, despite being pressured, remains strong. Her departure from the series hit me so hard that I actually couldn’t function as well for days after the chapter dropped. Hange is sorely missed. I've seen hate thrown her ways for simply stating "Genocide is wrong." Hange fought for the glory of humanity until her very last breath.

#3 - Levi Ackerman

Both main Ackermans are in this list for a very good reason. Levi, the last surviving veteran, is the epitome of loyalty and determination. He’s a man who has lost so many times, as young as a little boy yet his perseverance had refined this man to be the anchor that he is. He’s tough as nails from the exterior but actually has a soft heart on the inside especially for young children & his young subordinates. Levi, just like Hange, has always been like a true parental figure to the 104th’s SC. He is logical, as we can see that he’s willing to push aside any personal vendetta he has against Annie, Reiner & Pieck to fight for the world’s survival. I truly hope Humanity’s Strongest would be able to save humanity even till the very end of the series or his final breath.

#2 - Reiner Braun

Without a doubt, I love this broken man with every being of my heart. He is a good- no, outstanding son & caring cousin. Even when he disagrees with his mother, he never corrected her, lashed out or being disrespectful to her. Everything he does is for his family’s safety & future. A man of the highest valor, Reiner not only carries the weight of filial responsibilities, but also the sins of humanity on his sturdy shoulders. All he ever wanted in his life was to be accepted, acknowledged & be someone who saves those in need. He’s so done in life & that’s what makes him so relatable to those who feels helpless, suffocated & pressured to fit in the norms set by the general society yet he’s not throwing in the towel yet until he has given all and beyond of himself. Now tell me why I can’t provide infinite number of AUs for this man to have his happiness? Despite being called a traitor, shunned by the same people who indoctrinated him into the inhuman military system, being at the brink of death multiple times -- yet he is still standing tall and strong to fight to save humanity. 

#1 - Mikasa Ackerman

This girl had been on the receiving end of hate of those who sees her as nothing more than a delirious person who only thinks about Eren all the time. This girl is damn loyal, protective, nurturing & compassionate to those who deserves it. Sure, she’s OP with the best of 2 genetics (one is a superhuman trait) that make people either scared of her, feels emasculated of her or worship her to an uncomfortable level (Louise). She’s an introvert, sure, but she expresses her thought & feelings through her facial expressions. But when she’s more verbal, most people tend to overlook it & disregard that. She never gives up on the one she loves & cares about, but when she does, oh I don’t want to know what’s going to happen to that person. looking at you, Eren. When those fanatics of their genocidal overlord dubs her a ‘traitor’ for opposing Eren’s ideals, I bet these people forgotten that it had been the exact same evil people on Paradis itself who had intruded her home, kill her parents & wanted to sell her as a child sex slave in an underground brothel. That is why she will never stop to fight and protect the innocents. This woman had to go through that heinous incident at the age of nine. Eren is a vehicle of her growth but the vehicle is steering out of control. It’s finally time she decides for herself whether to try saving the vehicle that keeps on running over innocent people, or ditch that vehicle and walk her own path.

Thank you so much for the Ask, I had fun, Nonnie! Take care & stay safe

[boycottyashahime]

Hello! Anti-Sessrin person here. You said if this couple becomes canon it will ruin Sesshomaru's character development. I would love it If you could elaborate on that because you're always so eloquent and smart. It's ok if you don't feel like it, though. Have a nice day!

I've actually been looking for an excuse to sit down and write out a cohesive post on my thoughts about this. Contrary to what the shippers want to believe, my interpretation of Sesshoumaru and Rin's relationship doesn't have anything to do with my moral objections to child grooming. I happen to think there's plenty of evidence for a filial interpretation in the text.

First, I'd like to preface my little essay here by saying I'm going off the manga alone. I haven't seen the anime in a long time, because I dropped it when I got a little tired of trying to reconcile the inconsistencies between the two mediums. So, if you read this and have an impulse to say, "hey, what about that thing in episode such-and-such...", keep in mind that I probably just don't remember what you're thinking of.

So, let's go back, alllll the way back, to Sesshoumaru's first appearance. Here's a guy who tears off a dude's head for no other reason than to get the attention of his subordinates to demand a boat. Here's a guy who's spent a long time looking just about EVERYWHERE for his father's remains, not to pay respects, but to plunder them. Here's a guy who feels ENTITLED to rob his dad's grave for treasure he deserves simply for being his father's son.

Sesshoumaru begins his journey as a selfish, spoiled, entitled brat. He doesn't fit the usual profile of a kid throwing a tantrum on the street because he wants the expensive toy sitting in the window; he's very posh and very reserved, but fundamentally, his motivation comes down to the simple fact that he wants Tessaiga. It doesn't even really have anything to do with respect and admiration of his father, otherwise he wouldn't have been so eager to rifle through dear old dad's bones to get at a sword when he had another heirloom right there at his hip. Only Tessaiga was representative of the sheer destructive force he wanted to wield, so he ignored the fact that his dad didn't seem to want him to have it.

This is important, because at first, Sesshoumaru doesn't seem to think of his father in terms of the guy's intentions or the steps he takes for the sake of his sons. Like most rich spoiled kids, Sesshoumaru views the Inu no Taishou in terms of his prestige and how that priviledge can be appropriated for selfish ends. Sesshoumaru wants Tessaiga not because he needs it, but because it's a birthright, and reinforces his legitimacy. When it's clear that Tessaiga seals Inuyasha's youkai blood, keeps him from going berserk, Sesshoumaru loses interest in Tessaiga - it's just a crutch for Inuyasha, and there's no prestige in taking it from him or using it for himself.

Sesshoumaru doesn't start to REALLY consider his father's intentions for the swords until later in the manga, when it comes out that Tenseiga was originally part of Tessaiga, and Inuyasha was meant to get the Meidou Zangetsuha attack eventually as well. It's at this point that Sesshoumaru starts to question if daddy actually HATED him, to give him a rather neat power disguised in a lame shell, but only to develop it so Inuyasha can have it instead, even after Inuyasha already got Tessaiga in the first place. It kind of looks to Sesshoumaru that Inuyasha gets all the powerful cool shit their father left behind, and that there might have been some favoritism coming down HARD on Inuyasha's side.

Above, you can see Sesshoumaru has two interlinked but distinct issues that are addressed throughout the story - his lack of compassion and empathy, and how tied his identity is to his father's favor and prestige. These two are somewhat separated in the narrative; there's a kind of pause in Sesshoumaru's development while a bulk of the middle of the story deals more with other characters and their development, but there is a little bit of a thematic connection between the two halves.

We'll start with the development of Sesshoumaru's compassion since, well, that's where the story begins working on his character. Right before Rin shows up, Toutousai let's Inuyasha's group in on the sword Sesshoumaru carries around and what it does, indicating that Tenseiga requires a compassionate heart to function. A bit ham-handed, but RT isn't very subtle most of the time, so we'll allow it. This sets up the next few scenes in which Sesshoumaru is unable to move and must play captive audience to a little girl doing the literal opposite of what he's used to. Sesshoumaru's habit is to show up and kill things, with no thought to the years of history, relationships, thoughts, emotions, etc that he's snuffing out. But while he's reclined injured in the woods, Rin demonstrates actual LIFE and the preservation of it, that part Sesshoumaru never gets to see. It's made all the starker by how BAD Rin is at caring for herself, let alone the strange monster she found in the woods. She does exactly nothing to help Sesshoumaru, despite how hard she tries, and is even injured by others in her attempts. She is the very picture of vulnerability, the opposite of the strong and capable Sesshoumaru.

This is a stark contrast, because anything less wouldn't be enough to create the necessary awareness of Rin's struggles that Sesshoumaru needs in order to use Tenseiga on here. And I know I've said this before, but I really cannot stress enough how obvious I think the symbolism is when Sesshoumaru uses Tenseiga for the first time; a phallic object gives life to a child, and the object's owner looks after that life throughout the rest of the story. He's not very good at looking after it, and it's clear that he's not sure about taking responsibility for Rin at first, because she pleaded for him to come back for her when he and Jaken left her behind to requisition a sword from Gaijinbou. To me, it's reminiscent of a teenager who knocked someone up, and ended up having to learn to give a crap about the result.

But, even if you don't accept that symbolism as particularly significant, Rin being a child, and human, and weak, unable to survive on her own, are important characteristics to how Sesshoumaru's compassion develops. Sesshoumaru is one of the strongest characters in the series, and he rarely has to worry about his own safety. And since he's in the habit of just murdering everyone he comes across if they're in his way, he's never had to worry about the safety of anyone else, either. When Rin comes into the picture, though, Sesshoumaru is faced with the uncomfortable reality of vulnerability in general. Through her earnest and incompetent attempts to foster survival in a world that can and does crush her, she's opened his eyes to how the disadvantaged, those without a powerful youkai lineage to rely on, have to struggle.

Rin herself has nothing to offer Sesshoumaru within this context of supreme vulnerability. She's not a friend, because she can't offer mutual support or use a skill to their benefit as a team. She's not a lover, because, well, she's a child and sexual/romantic attraction are conditions that wouldn't allow Sesshoumaru to extend his compassion beyond just her. As a mostly helpless kid, Rin has to rely upon Sesshoumaru and his power to survive, and Sesshoumaru employs his strength to keep her alive, getting nothing but a sweet smile out of it all. She gets all the benefits, he has all the obligations. This is PURE compassion - using one's advantages to another's benefit because you care about them, and not because you derive something from it as well.

This is why making Rin into Sesshoumaru's lover is a REALLY thoughtless take. It puts conditions on the compassion and muddies the message.

Moving onto Sesshoumaru's continued character development in the latter part of the story, the sword drama starts back up with slow, when Toutousai shows up and offers to reforge Tenseiga into a weapon. Sesshoumaru discovers that because he got angry enough to break his primary weapon in defense of Kagura's honor, he's triggered the next evolution of Tenseiga into something that can murder. Which is what he wanted at the beginning, yay! I want to point out here that Toutousai says Tenseiga noticed a change in Sesshoumaru's heart - anger for the first time for the sake of another. This implies that what Jaken said about Sesshoumaru getting tangled up in the fight against Naraku because Naraku kidnapping and using Rin to manipulate Sesshoumaru hurt Sesshoumaru's pride is actually accurate; he just really hated the thought of Naraku trying to use him, even if it was a failed attempt.

After going through HELL to develop the Meidou into a full circle (literally), Sesshoumaru then learns that the Meidou belongs to Tessaiga and Inuyasha, and that it's supposed to be handed over. Now, part of Sesshoumaru's angst over this idea, I think, is not just "did daddy love Inuyasha more?", but also the assumption that Inuyasha would have to KILL him in order to retake the Meidou Zangetsuha into Tessaiga. Thinking that your father meant for your little brother to kill you at some point to take your stuff is a pretty disturbing thought, to be entirely fair to him. This is why, when Sesshoumaru jumps into the meidou to take back control of the Naraku-possessed Tenseiga and breaks it deliberately, he spends the rest of the time in there moodily resigned to disappear. He genuinely believes that his father meant for him to die at this point, and even after they get out of there, he seems genuinely depressed.

This is Sesshoumaru's lowest point as a character. He's lost something he thought his father had meant for him, at his father's own wish, and he can't help but question why his dad would give him something just to take it away and give it to Inuyasha. It looks for all the world like favoritism, and since the Inu no Taishou is dead, there's no asking him what the hell the meaning of all this is.

This is all leading to one of the most infuriatingly ridiculous scenes I have ever seen in a manga - when Magatsuhi has crushed Sesshoumaru and everyone thinks he's been killed/absorbed, Magatsuhi is blown apart and rendered unable to reform by the shiny new sword clutched in Sesshoumaru's newly regrown arm. I could talk your ear off about how having Sesshoumaru stop being an amputee is erasure of consequences for his actions, or how being given back an arm is kind of a slap in the face for actual amputees, and where the mother f*ck did that sword come from anyway, but that's not what this essay is about, so I'll just keep all that to myself. The point of this is articulated by Toutousai when he says that Sesshoumaru had to let go of Tessaiga and his father's heirloom to stand on his own as a daiyoukai.

We've already gone over how Sesshoumaru is one of the most powerful characters in the series, who rarely has to worry about his well-being. He's just really strong without having to try. Sesshoumaru had already learned that he didn't need Tessaiga ages ago - he knew this when he learned that Inuyasha needed Tessaiga to keep from tearing himself apart eventually. But when he thought he had been passed down something from his father that was truly meant to be his, only to put all this work into it so that Inuyasha could have it, that embittered him again. It's not that he wanted the sword necessarily, but the thoughts and consideration of his father, who seemed to be putting everything he had into Inuyasha.

But his previous experiences protecting and considering someone (in some cases, multiple someones) weaker than him should have tipped him off. During the very battle in which he got his new arm and sword, he was actively helping those around him avoid Magatsuhi and keeping them close because he had a plan and the strength to carry it out. He was willing to take the extra step to protect Inuyasha and friends before trying to take care of Magatsuhi though, and that was the point. He put everyone else's needs ahead of his own, even Inuyasha's, and he did it without even thinking.

Toutousai just articulated what Sesshoumaru should have already intuitively known by that point. He never needed his father's heirlooms, the swords, his dad's power. They were unnecessary for him from the start. Inuyasha needed a leg up, because his own BODY could kill him after a while. But Sesshoumaru always had the capability of being great on his own. He just needed to finally separate his ego from who his father was and become his own person; stand on his own as a great youkai. While I don't agree with the execution, I can get behind the big lesson - don't rely on your daddy's wealth and influence to prop you up, and do the work to build a personality and identity of your own.

Which is ANOTHER reason why making Rin into a lover would be a thoughtless take. It would walk back Sesshoumaru's final lesson about being his own person apart from his father.

So, there you go. A comprehensive post regarding my take on Sesshoumaru's character development. I could add in a bit about Sesshoumaru coming to understand his father's consideration and the lengths he went to for the sake of protecting Inuyasha by having to give similar consideration to Rin, but I think this post is long enough, and that one statement on that aspect pretty much sums it up. Let me know if you would like me to elaborate on any of this, or if you would like to argue any of the points, I'm up for it. Might take me a minute to respond, mind you, but hopefully it won't take as long as it did to draft this behemoth.

Take care.

[minmotl]

Chapter 59: Sui Zhou Forbids Tang Fan From Hiding More Money

Context: 洛水古棺案 The Luo Shui Ancient Coffin Case - This happens after Tang Fan’s promotion and is his first major case after he successfully deals with people who don’t like him at his new job. The case happens at a riverside city called Bei Song (Northern Song). To the North of the city it faces Luo Shui (Luo River), and further up they will see the Yellow River. The town is built near the tomb of the Song Emperor, and while the town and tomb have to frequently deal with tomb raiders, everything is still pretty manageable and peaceful.

Recently, however, things have taken a turn for the stranger, and the courts have put Sui Zhou and Tang Fan on the case.

Before they embark on their next case together, however, some things have to first be ironed out, for example, the royalties from writing that Tang Fan gets but secretly hides from Sui Zhou.

Seeing how his ears are drooping downwards, Sui zhenfushi compassionately caresses at his friend’s head as if he would a dog, “I am not after your money. I just want to help you keep it. Who asked you to be so happy when you see books? We almost cannot stack them up anymore, you have to control yourself.”

Introduction Post | Masterpost

—

Highlights under the cut

Since a year ago, every day when it hits midnight, the civilians living nearby would hear some strange noises coming from Yong Hou Tomb and Yong Shao Tomb. At first, they thought it was the sound of the wind, but listening to it closely, they realised that those were crying sounds.

Yong Hou Tomb is where Song Ying Emperor Zhao Shu rests, and Yong Shao where Zong Ren Emperor Zhao Zhen rests.

Zhao Shu was Zhao Zhen’s successor, but he was not Zhao Zhen’s biological son, because all of Zhao Zhen’s sons died then, which left him with no choice but to take on Zhao Shu, who was from the royal family, as a charge.

These are not important, however. The question is, in the middle of the night, why would there be crying sounds from the royal tombs?

It has been so many years since the emperors from Song dynasty passed away and there are no longer any filial children or virtuous grandchildren. And even if there were, who would choose to cry for these lost souls in the middle of the night?

This is really strange.

The civilians in nearby villages have the responsibility of guarding and watching the tombs, and so after hearing the cries for a few consecutive nights, a few villagers went ahead to Yong Hou Tomb to investigate.

In the end, the people who went, never came back again.

It was only then that the village chief realised something was amiss - he urged other villagers to head forth to locate the missing people on one hand, and on the other, reported this to the Gong County Magistrate Court. Officials sent some men over and also searched thoroughly, but did not manage to find the people who disappeared. The royal tombs are built right next to the Luo River, and officials guessed that these people could have accidentally fallen into the river when they returned in the night.

With this conclusion, the case was wrapped up as well.

After that for a long time, the cries were never heard again. The village seemed to have its peace restored. Aside from those villagers who lost their loved ones, everyone slowly forgot about this incident.

But just half a year ago, those chilling wails emerged again and were louder than before, seemingly accompanied by the roar of thunder. The village chief did not dare to be careless about this and anxiously reported this to the courts again. The Gong County Magistrate thought that the village chief was making a fuss over something small, coming off the previous incident, and so did not think much of this. However, because the royal tombs are located there, he still got some of his officers to bring some men to the village and investigate.

This time, they found three tomb raiding holes near both the tombs of Yong Hou and Yong Shao. It seemed that tomb raiders had their eyes on these two emperors’ resting places, and came for a visit. Regarding the royal tomb being stolen from, the magistrate did not dare to be careless either. And so, he ordered the officers and also six of the strongest and younger men from the village to stake out the royal tombs nearby, hoping to catch the tomb raiders.

Everything was quiet in the surroundings of the royal tombs as the first day passed. The moonlight was like water, and next to them, aside from the sound of the Luo River water flowing, nothing else was heard. Everything was peaceful. The same happened on the second day.

And on the third day, crisis struck.

Three officers, six villagers and the village chief, when they went, they were 10 people in total.

At the end, only two returned.

One of them was an officer, and the other was the village chief.

The first went mad, and the second turned dumb.

The one who went mad was the officer. The village chief and he ran back from nearby the royal tombs, one after the other, and he was incoherent. Whoever he saw, he would try to hit, not to mention saying anything while being in a clear state of mind. The village chief’s expression was filled with horror, and his body drenched in fresh blood. His state of mind was almost that of the officer’s.

After the prognosis of the physician, he concluded that the officer has probably been frightened to the point of insanity. He would probably like this for the rest of his life as there is no cure for it. Although the village chief is old and of dwindling strength, he did experience more things in life and instead, was more resilient than the young officer. After a period of rest, his mental state slowly improved.

However, whenever the happenings of that night were mentioned, the village chief could not be more silent and reluctant to say anything more. It was not until the magistrate himself came over to question him that the man began repeatedly chanting ‘it’s a ghost’ and ‘there’s a monster’ - words related to that. No matter how much they asked, they could not get anything substantive out of him.

The magistrate was out of ideas but also felt that this situation was strange, and so had no choice but to get the investigation reported to higher authorities until it reached Jing city.

“Ghost? Monster?”

In their small courtyard, Tang Fan considers both words and asks, “Could it be the tomb raiders pretending to be ghosts?”

Sui Zhou shakes his head, “I’ve also only just gotten this case. It’s very difficult to ascertain the accuracy of the magistrate’s report just by his words, we will have to head down there personally to make judgement. This happened in the jurisdiction of Henan, and I suspect it will be handed to the Department of Justice for an investigation, and then after that, it’ll also land on the head of the Henan’s Qing Li Si.

Tang Fan laughs bitterly, “That seems like a definite possibility.”

He stretches lazily, “Might as well. Anyway, I naturally have fidgety bones and cannot bear to be so leisurely. I’ve gotten tired of sitting in the courts, and if given the chance, I’d rather go out for a walk!”

Sui Zhou says in a low voice, “I also plan to go personally.”

Tang Fan is flattered, “It cannot be, Sui zhenfushi would like to fight by my side? This is truly this lowly official’s honour!”

Although Sui Zhou is officially only a qianhu, he has become the boss of the Northern Administrative Court in reality. Any higher up than him would be Yuan Bin, so between officials, everyone is already used to calling him “Sui zhenfushi”.

Of course, hearing Tang Fan call him that, the title sounds a little more like (light teasing) mockery than anything else.

Sui Zhou leans into the chair, and taking the cup of buckwheat tea from Ah Dong, he says lightly, “Fighting side by side, maybe not so much. Since I am the zhenfushi, I naturally have to handle all matters. For a small Rank Five official like you, you’ll have to listen to my commands then too.”

Of course, these words are coloured with mirth, as he says it like a joke.

Tang Fan laughs, “Then I’ll have to fight for that with you. You’re a Rank Five army official, and I’m a Rank Five civil official. Since the Ming dynasty came into being, it is always civil officials commanding army officials. If we follow the principle of a Rank Five civil official being allowed to command a Rank Four army official, even if your big boss Yuan came, I’m afraid he would still have to listen to my orders. Otherwise, for someone who as physically unfit as me, what will I do if I go? I can’t possibly head up personally to catch the criminals myself, right?”

He winks at Ah Dong, “Isn’t that right, sister?”

Ah Dong nods, “Yes.”

Tang Fan puts up his leg and proudly says to Sui Zhou, “It’s really good to have a sister, see how considerate my Ah Dong is!”

Ah Dong goes, “I’m saying that Sui-dage is right.”

Tang Fan is dissatisfied, “Why do you always favour the outsider?!”

“Of course I have to side with the outsider. Da-ge, all your money is now in Sui-dage’s hands. Without him, we’d both be homeless!!” she laughs.

Tang Fan retorts, “What do you mean by all?! I only gave him half, don’t I still give you grocery cash every month?!”

Sui Zhou then asks, “So tell us how much money you have on hand right now?”

With both of them staring at him with their four eyes, Tang Fan stammers, “A man’s savings is a secret, you can’t just ask like that!”

Ah Dong then asks Sui Zhou, “Sui-dage, how much money do you have?”

Sui Zhou doesn’t say that she cannot ask, and very honestly says, “I helped him to save 30 taels last year, and then together with the 350 taels he gave me previously, that’s 380 taels. I also have some savings from before, and together it totals up to 1400 taels.”

Ah Dong gaps, “Sui-dage you’re so rich!”

Tang Fan huffs twice in awkward laughter, “The weather is really great today! That dumpling dish has been left alone for too long and it’s waiting for us to eat then. How low class is it to speak about money, our mouths full of the stench of copper!”

Ah Dong covers her mouth as she laughs, “You hid your writing royalties under your pillows and did not submit it. And here I was wondering how long you’d hide it for, but in a flash, you went to buy another stack of useless novels!”

Tang Fan, embarrassed, says, “What do you mean useless books! That is Spring and Autumn, a Song dynasty publication that people can’t buy even if they have money. I only got it after looking out for the book of so long!”

Ah Dong blinks, “Well, there’s another one called The Legend of Chun Chao.”

Sui Zhou frowns, “Why does that name sound a little strange?”

“That’s a proper book on demons, don’t think so much!” he says, guilty.

If he didn’t say anything, that would still be okay, but the more he explains, the stranger it sounds.

“Give it to me so I can have a look later,” Sui Zhou says.

Ah Dong sticks out her tongue at Tang Fan, “I want to see it too!”

Tang-daren feels immense pain, “You took the manuscript for Aspirations of War previously and you haven’t returned it to me yet!”

Although Tang-daren does spend his free time writing fiction books as a way to pass the time and also to get some writing royalties as well, to say that all he writes is erotica fiction, this is truly an injustice to him. Take Aspirations of War for example, he reflected the history of the years of war during the Eastern Zhou period, but because the content is complex, he often does not have time to write it. Only now does he have two-thirds of it finished.

Innocently, Sui Zhou says, “I’m not done reading it yet, I’ll return it to you when I’m done.”

“And when will you finish it?”

“When you promise not to secretly hide your royalties,” Sui Zhou answers.

Tang-daren is so angry right now that he feels like he is capable of doing anything, as he expresses his objections and dissatisfaction at these unfair standards.

“Well you didn’t give me the money either!”

“But I don’t have a habit of spending money unnecessarily,” Sui Zhou’s explanation ends the argument.

“…”

His pride slides to the ground and shatters.

He’s rising up in the ranks as an official, but when he comes home, his status gets increasingly lower! Let him live!

He wants to run away from home…

Seeing how his ears are drooping downwards, Sui zhenfushi compassionately caresses at his friend’s head as if he would a dog, “I am not after your money. I just want to help you keep it. Who asked you to be so happy when you see books? We almost cannot stack them up anymore, you have to control yourself.”

Tang-daren’s face is filled with tears.

===

Notes:

*胳膊往外拐 ge bo wang wai guai

Literally means using your elbow to reach out and hook onto someone else - As a metaphor it means to side with outsiders instead of your closest friends or family.

*满嘴铜臭味 man zui tong chou wei

Literally means for one’s mouth to smell like the rotten stench of copper - as a metaphor it means that it is not good practice or manners to speak about money the way they are talking to each other.

*春潮记 chun chao ji

Sui Zhou is so scandalized when Ah Dong mentions this book - The Legend of Chun Chao, and that’s because when you break the characters down: Spring (chun), tide (chao) and legend/records (ji)

chun also can mean youth or a time of canoodling of sorts

chao can also have a sexual connotation, i.e. to climax

And that’s why he is like “that sounds strange” when Ah Dong reads the title out, and this book is in fact an old story about demons, but the more Tang Fan denies it, the more guilty he sounds basically.

[thefeastandthefast]

Thoughts on Serenade of Peaceful Joy as propaganda...

I was just thinking about Serenade of Peaceful Joy as propaganda tool and political morality play and realized... 

If the drama is intending for the Chinese viewer to put themselves in the shoes of “the people” and not in the shoes of Danshu or Huirou or the other female characters, then I can see how the writer might think that the characterization of the emperor is sympathetic and that Huirou should ultimately accept her fate. All of the utterly illogical writing suddenly makes way more sense if that was the goal. I’ll explain my theory:

So... the emperor is constantly going on about how “the people” want peace and economic prosperity and most importantly, they need the imperial family’s conduct to be a moral example. In the last episode, he takes Huirou to visit a lantern-making family and shows her how everyone, from the oldest to the youngest, is working hard to make a living. He tells Huirou that her actions need to be considered above reproach because she owes it to “the people”, because “the people” didn’t pay taxes to support her posh princess lifestyle for twenty-some years so that she can hit her working class mother-in-law, canoodle with Huaiji, burn her house down, and interfere with government policy- you, if you are a Chinese viewer, are supposed to think, “EXACTLY, I DIDN’T PAY MY TAXES SO THAT SOME FUERDAI CAN GO CRASH THEIR FERRARI STREET RACING, HAVE ORGIES IN SANYA, AND USE THEIR PARENTS’ POLITICAL INFLUENCE TO GET AWAY WITH IT.” 

Fuerdai (富二代) is the term for the rich children of China’s current political and economic elite. They are a much-reviled group in China, because they’re often the very public, scandalous face of the type of corruption that enormous economic inequality has wrought in the past few decades and because they are often shielded from the consequences of their scandals by powerful parents. 

Badly behaving fuerdai are also considered dangerous to the stability of the CCP, because their existence has been used to levy criticism at the CCP’s failure to manage party officials. This Bloomberg article is worth reading to understand the whole phenomenon and I’ll just quote a little bit here: “The fuerdai (pronounced foo-arr-dye) aren’t just an embarrassment. The Communist Party seems to consider them an economic or even political threat. President Xi Jinping himself spoke out this year, advising the second generation to “think about the source of their wealth and how to behave after becoming affluent.” An article published by the United Front Work Department, the bureau that manages relations between the party and nonparty elite, warned: “They know only how to show off their wealth but don’t know how to create wealth.” Some local governments have taken steps to reeducate their wealthy elite. In June, according to Beijing Youth Daily, 70 heirs to major Chinese companies attended lectures on filial piety and the role of traditional values in business.”  

The failure of Huirou to understand Huaiji’s attempts to explain poverty makes sense if this was the show’s message. She wasn’t meant to understand that lesson from his mouth because the writer needed Huirou to be taught this lesson by her father, emperor Xi Jinping... I mean, Renzong. So Renzong putting her in her place is presented to us as an act of benevolence to “the people” even if it destroys Huirou. Actually if you follow this logic, the story’s emphasis on Renzong’s love for Huirou makes his sacrifice of her happiness even more an act of selflessness for “the people”. You’re supposed to think, “WOW, even his daughter is not as important as justice for the people!” 

The character of Zhang Bihan is interesting to consider from this angle too. Her love of extravagant luxury goods like ivory, pearls, and rare porcelain are shown repeatedly to be a political liability in addition to a personal failing. Add to that Lady Jia’s black market salt and human trafficking ring. Zhao Zhen’s weakness for Bihan and everything she and her circle represented and his rejection of sober, sensible Danshu was a sign that he still needed to learn how to put his own desires second to that of “the people”. Bihan is his fatal flaw to overcome on the path to sainthood. Because propaganda is most effective when you feel like those in power are just nice people trying their best even as they are fucking you over. But of course, in the end the writer makes Zhao Zhen realize that Danshu was always the best choice and choosing her signals his apotheosis. This is why Bihan and Danshu could never evolve beyond their tired archetypes. Never mind the ahistorical characterizations and relationships! Evidence-based depictions of a more complex Zhang Bihan that remained Renzong’s true love to the end and an adversarial Empress Cao/Renzong relationship wouldn’t fit the story that this propaganda requires. 

Huaiji, his brother Yuansheng, and their family clearly represent “the people” starting from the very first episode. They’re the equivalent of the coal miners that American politicians love to talk about in the abstract as representatives of the working class. If you take Huaiji and Yuansheng’s journey as citizens who were deeply wronged by their government but who were then given opportunities to thrive later by the same government, you’ll see how the writer has very purposefully created a narrative (not in the book!) where lives destroyed by bad policy are merely accidents of fate but lives improved or justice restored are credited to compassionate government policy. The brothers losing the family business and each other, Huaiji losing his bright future and becoming a eunuch- none of the Liang family’s misfortunes can be attributed to Renzong or previous emperors purposefully making decisions to hurt people. Whereas their reversals of misfortune CAN be attributed to deliberate action on the part of the emperor and the government. 

And when forcing a corrupt government to see and address injustice through unorthodox means, the writer wants you to know that you should expect and accept without complaint punishment for using those unorthodox means, even if you are justified in your cause. Yuansheng, after capturing and publicly reporting his aunt and the local official who had colluded to sell off his brother, doesn’t resist army exile and sees it as an opportunity instead. He’s later rewarded for his unquestioning submission with imperial patronage of his restaurant, becomes a successful businessman, and is reunited with his brother. 

The emperor, after discovering that Huaiji is Yuanheng in the last episode, gives him back his real name and reunites him with Yuansheng. Though Huaiji is brutally parted from Huirou, his loss and longing are neatly tucked away from view in the end, unlike in the novel. Drama!Huaiji’s end is presented as a relatively happy one, where you see him sitting in a schoolhouse next to a beautiful river, quietly mounting a painting. He hears that the emperor has passed and makes a respectful obeisance. The drama wants you to think that he is grateful and he will recover, despite all the trauma that he has gone through. Because he HAS to recover, as a symbol of one of “the people” who has enjoyed the emperor’s grace. 

The only wrench in the gears, though, is that Huirou, Huaiji, Danshu, He’er, Maoze, and Qiuhe got their personalities and backstories from a book with different priorities. And so that persistent feeling of wrongness I kept having watching this show was the feeling of seeing the visible seams stitching this Frankenstein’s monster together.