#character: gu qian fan

[liverbiver9]

The more I read danmei in my monthly book club that I otherwise wouldn’t have read or even known about, the more it becomes painfully clear that most of the mdzs fandom (and possibly the other 2 mxtx fandoms but I’m not as well versed with them) have not interacted with the genre at large beyond mxtx, and it shows in the meta analysis people make (especially westerners).

And I am not excluding myself here! So much of my initial assumptions and interpretations of mdzs has changed after reading other danmei authors, especifically the less western-internet-popular ones.

My point is this: when reading a book from a culture that is not your own and in an unfamiliar genre, it will be impossible to grasp all the intricacies and subtleties nestled within the narrative and characterization until you’ve become more familiar with the culture and genre itself.

Don’t limit yourself to mxtx. There are more and more danmei being translated into English by publishing houses and even more are fan translated.

If you’re looking for a place to start, I have some recommendations!

1. Golden Terrace by Cang Wu Bin Bai.

Literally one of my favorite books I’ve ever read in my life, and I’m an English major. It is only 2 books and both are already published, so you won’t have to wait. The most tender, loving relationship I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about. The translation is phenomenal, and it feels very similar to Jane Austen in its diction, plot, and characterization. I literally cannot explain with words how much I love this book.

2. To Rule in a Turbulent World by Gu Xue Rou

This series is just being translated and published, so it may take a while for the other books (I think 3-4?) will be out, but don’t let that scare you away! Without too much spoilers, the vibes of this first book reminds me of Harvest Moon games. Also a very sweet and tender main couple. Plus, this book is written by a male author!! Pretty rare in danmei, at least to my knowledge.

3. Thousand Autumns by Qian Qiu

Pretty dense with lots of philosophy, poetry references, and a more traditional wuxia world. This series is finished with 5 books in total. I had a hard time reading the first book, mostly because I didn’t connect that much with the mc at first, but I loved the world building and all the information I learned. I did eventually start connecting with the mc and ended the series fully besotted! Not a quick or easy read, but a worthwhile one.

4. Ballad of Sword and Wine by Tang Jiu Qing

The first book is out for this series, with the second being published later this month. It’s going to be a long one like tcgf, so it is a commitment read—but absolutely worth it!! Lots of palace politics and more Taoist-focused martial arts (think Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). It is both fast and slow burn (I know that doesn’t make sense now; trust me, it will later on) and the main character is SO FASCINATING!! I want to study him like a bug. The overall characterization is phenomenal. The cast can be… intimidating, as there are a LOT of named characters, but they’re mostly there for world building (and the world building is fantastic!). Also, the translation here is GORGEOUS. You can tell it was translated by a writer, or at least someone who’s read the whole text (you’d be surprised…)—everything is so vivid!

[zhoufeis]

hibiscus, lemon & lavender

Hibiscus Tea: Cdrama ship(s) that Tumblr doesn't appreciate enough

Rong Xia & Ban Hua - A Girl Like Me

Tian Sanqi & Zhao Cuo - I've Fallen For You

Li Mingyue & Li Qian - The Love by Hypnotic

Gong Ziyu & Yun Weishan - My Journey to You

Lemon Tea: My most hated cdrama leading character(s)

Luo Yin Fan - The Journey of Chongzi

Ye Xi Wu - Till the End of the Moon

Mu Ting Zhou - Be My Princess

Yi Lian Kai - Siege in Fog

Li Cheng Yin - Goodbye My Princess

Ling Yue - Please Feel at Ease, Mr. Ling!

Lu Ping - Legend of Awakening

Gu Ting Ye - The Story of Ming Lan

Shangguan Tou - And the Winner is Love

Jing Ci - The Love Lasts Two Minds

Tan Xuan Lin - Fall in Love

Lavender Tea: Cdrama character(s) you shouldn't say a single bad thing about or I'll ban you from my dash

Li Xun - Lighter & Princess

Zhu Yun - Lighter & Princess

Bai Fengxi - Who Rules the World

Hei Fengxi - Who Rules the World (only I am allowed to slander him)

Zhou Fei - Legend of Fei

Yuemi - Ancient Love Poetry

Tianqi - Ancient Love Poetry

Rong Xia - A Girl Like Me (only I am allowed to slander him)

Ban Hua - A Girl Like Me

Yun Weishan - My Journey to You

Shaodian Youqin - The Starry Love

Chong Zi - The Journey of Chongzi

Li Chenlan - Zhaoyao

Li Qian - The Love by Hypnotic (only I am allowed to slander him)

Li Mingyue - The Love by Hypnotic

[movielosophy]

A Dream of Splendor ~ Aren’t we already friends?

[angieloveshua]

“My five stars danmei novels.” | Short maybe not short reasons why I like them.

🎋 —Yuwu.

carrd.

Another one by the Queen. I wanted to read Yuwu a long time ago, and when I finished it, I was extremely satisfied. Meatbun just doesn't fail.

Mo Xi and Gu Mang are characters that I both love and respect. In fact, Gu Mang is one of my best friend's protégé (in this parentheses, I want to cheer on her because she had to bear with my curses on a certain character at 5:00 a.m.)

Yuwu is a novel that shows the cruelty of slavery. It makes feel horrified when you read the pain slaves have to go through —people of high class often forgot that they were humans, just like them. The fight for their rights is depicted in the book and the way it was managed with was immaculate.

Yuwu also has two of my favourite things in novels: politics and cultivation. There are a lot of intrigues, and I want to mention that this novel is connected with 2ha and if you have read said book before, you'll understand more about the character's origins.

Did I cry? For God's sake, this is a novel by Meatbun. I remember I was traveling with my family when I was reading the last chapters and I was this )( close to cry in public. Meatbun just has a way to get into your heart with her words.

🎋 —Fanservice Paradox.

carrd.

This is my most recently read novel, and the first thing I want to say is that YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THIS BOP NOW. Pozhen help this novel get its five stars.

Fanservice Paradox is about a boyband! I actually stan BTS, and Kaleido sort of make me thing about them because they both started in a small company and now they're superstars love by millions of people!

Zhichu knows how to write that tension between her characters. It was so satisfying reading it —you end up shipping them as hard as TingJue fans!

This book also has a lot of philosophical and mathematical thinking. Fang Juexia has a degree on mathematics and Pei Tingsong is a student of philosophy. Their studies have a lot of influence on the way they view life and they make you reflect.

🎋 —TGCF.

carrd.

TGCF holds a special place in my heart. I read it when I was going through a hard moment in my life, and it helped me a lot.

I didn't know I could cry so much reading a novel until Hua Cheng popped up. Yes, that handsome gentleman made me realised I wasn't as strong as I thought. There moments I was doing OK and then I thought about him and I had tears in my eyes, I'm not lying.

And guys, there's a reason why Xie Lian is Hua Cheng's only god —he makes you want to worship him once you've gone through all his story (but remember to worship them together so that your wishes come true!)

THEIR RELATIONSHIP, OMG. Just one word: devotion.

I liked the way the story is written, with one volume in the present and the other in the past. The arcs are also amazing <3.

🎋 —Wushuang.

carrd.

I TAKE FULL OFFENSE if you've been following me all this time without reading this novel, seriously, stop what you're doing right now and go read it.

Wushuang is a Qian Qiu's sequel (another amazing novel, by the way), and it has POLITICS AND MARTIAL ARTS. 💖

Feng Xiao is a beauty with amazing martial skills (hey, he even had a fight with Yan Wushi once), and Cui Buqu has the kind of brain you want to kiss. FengCui is my best friend's favourite couple! Although these two aren't the kind to recite poetry, their actions speak how much they care about each other.

The plot is [chef's kiss]. I didn't want to do anything besides reading Wushuang at that time because it was just so addictive.

🎋 —Nan Chan.

carrd.

I remember this novel as the one with the best first chapter I've read in my life, just read the following:

“What do you see?”

“A mountain of corpses amidst a sea of blood.”

“Why have you come?”

“To kill.”

AND THIS IS LITERALLY WHAT YOU FIND WHEN YOU OPEN THE NOVEL. Tell me you if you're not baited.

Nan Chan is a novel that covers the Eight Sufferings in life according to Buddhism in a series of arcs that have characters that make you easily connected with their stories.

The main characters are 🥺. And, oh, this novel has a dragon, A DRAGON. Cang Ji is the best. ♡ And Jing Lin, get behind me, I'll protect you! (said the girl who is 1.50 m tall). Reading their wedding was literally one of the best things that could happened in my life.

And, ah, how can't I not say this? This novel has the character I hate the most. Tao Zhi, fuck you.

And that's it for this part of Angie recs! Hope you give a try to all these amazing novels. ♡

I'll post pt. 4 when BAB has more official art.

[drwcn]

How To Name Your Chinese Characters: 

1) LAST NAMES: 

I’ve pasted the Top 100 common last names in alphabetical order, and bolded the ones that appear in CQL:   

B: 白 Bai C: 蔡 Cai ; 曹 Cao ;  常 Chang ; 曾 Ceng ;  陈 Chen ;  程 Cheng ;  崔 Cui ; D: 戴 Dai ; 邓 Deng ; 丁 Ding ; 董 Dong ; 杜 Du ; F: 范 Fan ; 方 Fang ; 冯 Feng ; 付 Fu ; G: 高 Gao ;  葛 Ge  ; 龚 Gong ; 顾 Gu ; 郭 Guo ; H: 韩 Han ; 何 He ; 贺 He 洪 Hong ; 侯 Hou ; 黄 Hua ; 胡 Hu ; J: 贾 Jia ; 蒋 Jiang ; 姜 Jiang ; 江 Jiang ; 金 Jin ; K: 康 Kang ; L:  赖 Lai ; 李 Li ;  黎 Li ; 廖 Liao ; 梁 Liang ; 林 Lin ; 刘 Liu ; 陆 Lu ; 卢 Lu ; 路 Lu ; 吕 Lü ; 罗 Luo ; M: 马 Ma ; 麦 Mai ; 毛 Mao ; 孟 Meng ; N:  倪 Ni  ;  牛 Niu ; P: 潘 Pan ; 彭 Peng ; Q: 钱 Qian ; 秦 Qin ; 邱 Qiu ; R:任 Ren ; S: 邵 Shao ; 沈 Sheng ; 史 Shi ; 石 Shi ; 施 Shi ; 宋 Song ; 苏 Su ; 孙 Sun ; T: 陶 Tao ; 谭 Tan ; 唐 Tang ; 田 Tian ; W: 万 Wan ; 王 Wang ;  汪 Wang ; 魏 Wei ; 吴 Wu ; X: 邢 Xing ; 夏 Xia ;  蕭 Xiao ; 谢 Xie ; 徐 Xu ; 许 Xu ; 薛 Xue ; Y: 阎 Yan ; 严 Yan ; 杨 Yang ; 姚 Yao ; 叶 Ye ;  余 Yu ; 于 Yu ; 袁 Yuan ; Z: 张 Zhang ;  赵 Zhao ; 郑 Zheng ; 钟 Zhong ; 周 Zhou ;  朱 Zhu ;  庄 Zhuang ;  邹 Zou ;

Above are all single character last names, but there are some double character Chinese last names, seen below (list not exhaustive): 

独孤 Du’Gu ;  公孙 Gong’Sun ; 南宫 Nan’Gong    欧阳 Ou’Yang ;  司马 Si’Ma ; 上官 Shang’Guan ; 宇文 Yu’Wen ; 长孙 Zhang’Sun ; 诸葛 Zhu’GE ; 

2) GIVEN NAMES/COURTESY NAMES

《Elements》: 

Light*： 光 (guāng) - light，  亮 liàng - bright / shine， 明 (míng) - bright， 曦 (xī) - early dawn， 昀 (yún) - daylight， 昭 (zhāo) - light, clear，照 (zhào) - to shine upon，

Fire: 焰 (yàn) - flames， 烟 (yān) - smoke，炎 (yán) - heat/burn， 烨 (yè) - dazzling light，  

Water: also see “weather” OR “bodies of water” under nature; note the words below while are related to water have meanings that mean some kind of virtue: 清 (qīng) - clarity / purity， 澄 (chéng) - clarity/quiet， 澈 (chè) - clear/penetrating， 涟 (lián) - ripple， 漪 (yī) - ripple， 泓 (hóng) - vast water， 湛 (zhàn) - clear/crystal， 露 (lù) - dew， 泠 (líng) - cool, cold, 涛 (tāo) - big wave，泽 (zé)，浩 hào - grand/vast (water)，涵 (han) - deep submergence / tolerance / educated

Weather: 雨 (yǔ) - rain， 霖 (lín) - downpouring rain， 冰 (bīng) - ice， 雪 (xuě) - snow，  霜 (shuāng) - frost 

Wind: 风 (fēng) - wind

* some “Light” words overlap in meaning with words that mean “sun/day”

《Nature》:

Season: 春 (chūn) - spring， 夏 (xià) - summer， 秋 (qíu) - aumtum， 冬 (dōng) - winter

Time of Day: 朝 (zhāo) - early morning / toward， 晨 (chén) - morning / dawn， 晓 (xiǎo) - morning， 旭 (xù) - dawn/rising sun，昼 (zhòu) - day，皖 (wǎn) - late evening，夜 (yè) - night 

Star/Sky/Space: 云 (yún) - cloud，天 (tiān) - sky/ heaven，霞 (xiá) - afterglow of a rising or setting sun，月 (yuè) - moon，日 (ri) - day / sun，阳 (yáng) - sun，宇 (yǔ) - space，星 (xīng) - star

Birds: 燕 (yàn) - sparrow， 雁 (yàn) - loon， 莺 (yīng) - oriole， 鸢 (yuān) - kite bird (family Accipitridae)，羽 (yǔ) - feather

Creatures: 龙 (lóng) - dragon/imperial

Plants/Flowers:* 兰 (lán) - orchids，  竹 (zhú) - bamboo， 筠 (yún) - tough exterior of bamboos， 萱 (xuān) - day-lily， 松 (sōng) - pine， 叶 (yè) - leaf， 枫 (fēng) - maple， 柏 bó/bǎi - cedar/cypress， 梅 (méi) - plum， 丹 (dān) - peony

Mountains: 山 (shān)， ��� (fēng) - summit， 峥 (zhēng)，

Bodies of water: 江 (jiāng) - large river/straits， 河 (hé) - river， 湖 (hú) - lake， 海 (hǎi) - sea， 溪 (xī) - stream， 池 (chí) - pond， 潭 (tán) - larger pond， 洋 (yáng) - ocean

* I didn’t include a lot of flower names because it’s very easy to name a character with flowers that heavily implies she’s a prostitute. 

《Virtues》: 

Astuteness: 睿 ruì - astute / foresight， 智 (zhi)， 慧 (hui)， 哲 (zhé) - wise/philosophy, 

Educated:  博 (bó) - extensively educated， 墨 (mo) - ink， 诗 (shi) - poetry / literature， 文 (wén) - language / gentle / literary， 学 (xue) - study， 彦 (yàn) - accomplished / knowledgeable, 知 (zhi) - to know， 斌 (bīn) - refined， 赋 (fù) - to be endowed with knowledge

Loyalty: 忠 (zhōng) - loyal， 真 (zhēn) - true 

Bravery: 勇 (yǒng) - brave， 杰 (jié) - outstanding, hero

Determination/Perseverance: 毅 (yì) - resolute / brave， 恒 (héng) - everlasting， 衡 (héng) - across, to judge/evaluate，成 (chéng) - to succeed， 志 (zhì) - aspiration / the will

Goodness/Kindness: 嘉 (jiā) - excellent / auspicious，磊 (lěi) - rock / open & honest， 正 (zhèng) - straight / upright / principle，

Elegance: 雅 (yǎ) - elegant， 庄 (zhuāng) - respectful/formal/solemn， 彬 (bīn) - refined / polite， 

Handsome: 俊 jùn - handsome/talented 

Peace: 宁 (níng) - quietness/to pacify, 安 （ān) - peace, safety

Grandness/Excellence：宏 (hóng) - grand，豪 (háo) - grand, heroic，昊 (hào) - limitless / the vast sky，华 (huá) - magnificent， 赫 (hè) - red/famous/great， 隆 (lóng) - magnificent， 伟 (wěi) - greatness / large，轩 (xuān) - pavilion with a view/high，卓 (zhuó) - outstanding

Female Descriptor/Virtues/Beauty: 婉 (wǎn)，惠 (huì)， 妮 (nī)， 娇 (jiāo)， 娥 (é)， 婵 (chán) (I didn’t include specific translations for these because they’re all adjectives for women meaning beauty or virtue) 

《Descriptors》:

Adverbs: 如 (rú) - as，若 (ruò) - as, alike，宛 (wǎn) - like / as though，

Verbs: 飞 (fēi) - to fly，  顾 （gù) - to think/consider， 怀 (huái) - to miss, to possess， 落(luò) - to fall, to leave behind，梦 (mèng) - to dream， 思 (sī) - to consider / to miss (someone)，忆 (yì) - memory， 希 (xī) - yearn / admire

Colours: 红 (hóng) - red， 赤 (chì) - crimson， 黄 (huàng) - yellow， 碧 (bì) - green，青(qīng) - azure，蓝 (lán) - blue， 紫 (zǐ) - violet ，玄 (xuán) - black， 白 (baí) - white

Number：一 (yī), 二 (er) - two, 三 (san) - three,  四 (si) - four,  五 (wu) - five, 六 (liu) - six, 七(qi) - seven, 八 (ba) - eight,  九 (jiu) - nine, 十 (shi) - ten

Direction: 东 (dōng) - east， 西 (xi) - west， 南 (nan) - south， 北 (bei) - north，

Other: 子 (zǐ) - child, 然 (rán) - correct / thusly

《Jade》: *there are SO MANY words that generally mean some kind of jade, bc when ppl put jade in their children’s name they don’t literally mean the rock, it’s used to symbolize purity, goodness, kindness, beauty, virtue etc*  琛 (chen), 瑶 (yao),  玥 (yue),  琪 (qi),  琳 (lin)

《Spirituality》

凡 (fan) - mortality 

色 (se) - colour, beauty. In buddhism, “se” symbolizes everything secular

了 (liao) - finished, done, letting go 

尘 (chen) - dust, I’m not… versed in buddhism enough to explain “chen”, it’s similar to “se”

悟 (wu) - knowing? Cognition? To understand a higher meaning

无 (wu) - nothing, the void, also part of like “letting go” 

戒 (jie) - to “quit”, but not in a bad way. In buddhism, monks are supposed to “quit” their earthly desires.

极 (ji) - greatness, also related to the state of nirvana (? I think?) 

[tentative-wanderer]

Popular and popular-ish danmei books I ditched due to ➡️personal⬅️ tastes:

(Been a while since I attempted reading these, so if there are minor inaccuracies below, that’s why.)

• First-Class Lawyer/Yi Ji Lǚ Shi 一级律师 by Mu Su Li: the trials in the book are not bound by the laws of our real-world countries, and that’s fine, but I doubt that any fair legal system will allow major surprise evidence/arguments to be sprung on a party during the trial. To address each side’s reasoning properly during the trial, parties have to receive and get to know each other’s general arguments before the trial. How can you prepare a proper defence if you don’t understand the reasons and evidence behind the accusation? How can the prosecution deal with the defendant’s counter-arguments if they don’t know what they are until the last minute? Everyone has to generally understand each other’s POV beforehand. Furthermore, evidence has to be submitted for approval by the court before the trial to filter out irrelevant, bias-inducing evidence.

—From what I remember from my law course, that’s roughly how it works in the U.K., and I think that’s a fair way of doing things so I’d bet most civilised societies do that. The surprise-evidence plot twist smelled too illegal to me, so I was put off from reading the rest of the book.

• Priest’s books:

1. Sha Po Lang 杀破狼: stories with ancient yet non-xianxia/wuxia settings tend to bore me. Ancient yet non-xianxia/wuxia means the plot likely revolves around politicking and sometimes war, which I don’t like when they come in large (and male-dominated) spades because they’re too dry for me.

2 & 3. Tian Ya Ke 天涯客, Liu Yao 六爻: I love xianxia and wuxia so I thought I’d love these, but I just couldn’t keep reading far enough. Things were happening, but they weren’t riveting. I couldn’t get attached to the characters.

4. Zhen Hun 镇魂: I couldn’t get into it, partly because “modern + superpowers” isn’t a setting I usually like. (I do like it if it comes with a generous serving of humour, like in Depressed Husbands Want to Live a Peaceful Life by Cyan Wings.) Things were happening, but they weren’t riveting.

5. Mo Du 默读: one reason why I couldn’t get into it is because it’s a police story. Strangely, I love mysteries but not danmei police investigation novels, though I hope I’ll come to like them one day. (But I like police investigation fics! I guess I need to feel an attachment to characters first before they get involved in policing.) Another reason why I dropped it is that as I read many chapters into the book, there was still very little progress on solving a core mystery that the author periodically hinted it. It was kept very shadowy and vague, and while this can be acceptable in books, it was frustrating here because there weren’t other things along the way that made me feel “oh this is a fun journey”.

• Criminal Psychology/Fan Zui Xin Li 犯罪心理 by Chang Er: it’s a police story, so the first reason as the one for Mo Du applies

• Qiang Jin Jiu 将进酒 by Tang Jiu Qing: same reason as Sha Po Lang

• Golden Stage/Huang Jin Tai 黄金台 by Cang Wu Bin Bai: same reason as Sha Po Lang

• Thousand Autumns/Qian Qiu 千秋 by Meng Xi Shi: I found the protagonist, romantic relationship, and events (as far as I managed to read them) bland

• Little Mushroom/Xiao Mo Gu 小蘑菇 by Yi Shi Si Zhou: interesting setting, but there are three things preventing me from liking the book:

1. I usually don’t like danmei books that are wholly set in a futuristic dystopia. I don’t read danmei to enjoy imagining a world/society that’s similar to ours but more oppressive/painful.

2. The protagonist’s personality is too mild for me, and the love interest’s personality isn’t a type I like either.

3. Female suffering. I can’t forget that part of the book because it’s so realistic (kudos to the author), it feels like shit that would actually happen if our world were to face those conditions. Good for the story, but I read danmei to feel semi-free from gender inequality, so it’s not great for me personally.

• Tong Qian Kan Shi 铜钱龛世 by Mu Su Li: the plot and characters weren’t attractive enough

• Supernatural Movie Actor App 灵异片演员app by Xi Zi Ji Jiu: the horror wasn’t horrifying enough and the protagonist tried too hard to seem impressive

• Qi Zi 契子 by Yi Xiu Luo: the systemic inequality within spousal relationships in the book is too huge and oppressive for me to enjoy the story

• Ru Xi 入戏 by Tong Zi/Zhe Yi Mei Zhen: racist, and based on the part I read, it looks like it’s on track to treat its female characters badly too

• Welcome to the Nightmare Livestream 欢迎进入梦魇直播间 by Sang Wo: 1) it feels too video-game-like and unrealistic (some books, but not this one, have fantasy settings that feel viable, like they could actually exist); 2) I’m not attached to the protagonist, and 3) there is very little interaction between the protagonist and love interest.

• Pan Guan 判官 by Mu Su Li: I wasn’t attached to the characters

• Quan Qiu Gao Kao 全球高考 by Mu Su Li: I wasn’t attached to the characters

• 万诱引力 Law of Universal Enticement/Wan You Yin Li by 骑鲸南去 Qi Jing Nan Qu: great pun for the Mandarin title, but I don’t like settings that are too game-like; the two main characters were too perfect in some ways; and the method used by a character to successfully solve a problem in the very first arc was too unrealistic.

• 反派他过分美丽 The Villain, He’s Excessively Beautiful by 骑鲸南去 Qi Jing Nan Qu: I only remember that I gradually lost interest in the plot. I might try to read this book again, but actually probably not; I’ve given second chances to highly recommended books that I couldn’t manage to like in the past, and I’ve never once succeeded.

• Some books by Yang Su 杨溯: a bit like Priest’s books, they fall into the category of “things were happening but they were strangely not riveting enough”.

1. 渡厄 Du E (I won’t attempt to translate this title before finishing the book in case it doesn’t convey the right meaning): I tried reading this novel twice—that was how much I wanted to like it

2. 嫁魔 Marrying the Demon/Jia Mo

3. 督主有病 The Governer is Ill/Du Zhu You Bing

Among Yang Su’s books, I liked 深眠 Deep Sleep/Shen Mian and 凶祟 Creature of Malignance/Xiong Sui, the former more than the latter even though the love interest in the latter is one of my favourites. This is because the former is a shorter book with a brisker pace. Taking that factor into account alongside the books I dropped, it seems that I find Yang Su’s longer works draggy with too much space in between the hooks.

• 蝶变 Butterfly Metamorphosis/Die Bian by 麟潜 Lin Qian: I don’t like settings that feel like video games

• 桐花中路私立协济医院怪谈 Scary Stories About the Privately Funded Hospital at Tonghua Middle Road by 南琅要减肥 Nan Lang Yao Jian Fei: frequently recommended on Weibo when I looked up danmei horror novels, but I really don’t think it warrants such high praise. The writing quality is not high and up to the parts where I dropped it, it wasn’t very scary. I tried it twice.

• 我在惊悚游戏里���神 I Attained Godhood in a Horror Game by 壶鱼辣椒 Hu Yu La Jiao: not scary. Not riveting either.

• 南禅 Nan Chan by 唐酒卿 Tang Jiu Qing: the main characters’ personalities and plot weren’t interesting enough before I dropped it, though there was a mystery/adventure brewing

• 不见上仙三百年 The Immortal Unseen for Three Hundred Years by 木苏里 Musuli: see here

• 闲与仙人扫落花 by 归鸿落雪: the world is cruel, but far more damningly, the main characters are too cold-blooded

• The Consequences of Mistakenly Saving the Villain 论救错反派的下场 by Feng Yu Nie 凤羽涅: I can’t clearly remember all the reasons why I dropped it, but I didn’t like the protagonist enough—was it some vague (fake?) Gary Stu vibes? Can’t remember—and the writing quality was not very high.

*

Danmei books that fit my tastes:

[skullsandwineglasses]

A Dream of Splendor - Eps 27-32

So the drama couldn’t find a way to keep Pan Er and Gu Qian Fan’s relationship interesting, so they introduced a misunderstanding to drive a wedge between them and add unnecessary angst, as well as significantly reduce Chen Xiao’s screen time. 

On the one hand, I can empathize with the drama’s intentions of wanting to portray Pan Er as an independent woman who shouldn’t rely on a man. When Pan Er was so confident that she’d get money from Gu Qian Fan to buy a restaurant, it seemed a little off to me that she’d be so willing to depend on his money when she keeps telling Sun San Niang and Zhao Di that they need to be independent and self-made. While Gu Qian Fan did come through with the money, unbeknownst to her, her reliance on him seemed a little contradictory to her character. I guess you can argue that she’s under the impression that she’s about to marry him so what’s his will be hers, but still. 

This misunderstanding also gives Chi Ya Nei an opportunity to redeem himself and fall for her, which I had assumed that the drama was past doing. But I guess Pan Er is the Mary Sue that I thought she was where most of the prominent male characters end up falling for her. 

BUT, what irks me the most about this plot development is how much it doesn’t make sense in the context of Pan Er and Gu Qian Fan’s relationship up til now. 

He finds out that his father killed her father. He feels guilty, so he decides to outright avoid her with no explanation. So what’s his long-term plan? To just suddenly disappear from her life forever without explanation and let her think she’s been abandoned and scorned by a man a second time? When he knows that this is the thing that she’s most insecure about?

I mean, if you think that she’s going to hate you either way, then why not just outright tell her the truth? Doesn’t she deserve to know the truth? She’ll be mad, but at least she won’t have to go through heartbreak again and doubt herself. 

Is he trying to protect her? Maybe he thinks it’s better that she hates him and move on rather than think that their unfortunate circumstance due to what happened in the previous generation has forced them to unwillingly part. Still, why would he take that choice away from her? Doesn’t he know better? If he truly does love her, then he knows that what she would want is to know the truth, no matter how hard it is. 

What Gu Qian Fan is doing is not altruistic or worth pitying at all. It’s just completely disrespectful. While yes, it’s unfortunate that Pan Er didn’t see the money he left her leading her to believe that he abandoned her in her time of need when he actually didn’t, the misunderstanding wouldn’t have happened in first place if he had communicated properly instead of stirring up this unnecessary angst. 

While at one point, a part of me was yelling at screen to tell Pan Er to flip through the papers on the table next to her bed because the money that he left her is RIGHT THERE, I now realize that even if she does find out that he never left her hanging after all, I’m not sure he’s worth forgiving for just disappearing without any explanation.  

Up until the last minute, she never lost faith in him. She knew that something must have happened, and she was patient and tolerant and made excuses for him. She prayed for him and hope that he wasn��t hurt. But as more time passed, and she received not one sign from him, she began to lose faith. I can understand why she’s disappointed. Even if she didn’t think he abandoned her, the fact that he’s withholding from her is enough to leave her feeling doubtful about their bond. If he can’t be transparent with her after all they’ve been through, then what’s the point? 

She doesn’t mind fending for herself, but she wants answers. She wants someone whom she can share both the highs and the lows with, which is what she told him at the end of episode 26. And so his silence is what hurts her. It doesn’t matter how much he may love her or care for her in secret, but the fact that he won’t come clean with the truth of his whereabouts and what happened makes him no different than Ouyang in her eyes. 

And this is what annoys me. I just feel like they did Qian Fan’s character dirty. All of his sudden, his character development is stunted after episode 26. Does he think that Pan Er is the type of person to hate him just because of what his father did? She is far from an unreasonable person. She’s had so many prejudices against him before that she’s looked passed. What is he even trying to prevent by not telling her? It just makes. no. sense. 

I guess he admits to Chen Lian that it’s more out of his own selfishness and cowardliness that he can’t bring himself to tell her the truth or face her. But he’s told her so many hard truths before. I don’t understand why this is different. 

In Agent X, Tang Yan finds out that Luo Jun killed her father and brother back in the day. I would understand wanting to withhold that information out of selfishness. And in the end, Tang Yan forgives him because he wasn’t aware of the circumstances. In Moon Knight, Marc indirectly caused Layla’s father’s death and witnessed it. Out of guilt, he got close to her to try to make it up to her, but ended up falling for her and marrying her. That is a much bigger red flag since he fully knows what he did to her and yet manipulated her to fall for him without telling. In the Hunger Games, Katniss can’t bring herself to forgive Gale for knowingly sacrificing her sister. Which makes sense. The moment that Gale decided to do that, I knew that he and Katniss could never be together. 

But I just can’t understand why after Pan Er and Qian Fan developed such a healthy relationship that now he decides that he can’t bring himself to tell her to the truth about something that he had no control over. Just because he thinks that he father committed this huge injustice against her family that he thinks that he now has no right to be with her. Where has your rational thinking gone??

Anyway, rant over. 

[geges]

I hope this isn't too rude or assuming, but I also wanted to know, if u had any favorite moments in any media u've liked that you're okay with sharing? (just asking since this also appears to be a fandom(??) / anime(??) blog and if u're ok with answering something really offtopic)

ANON I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU…. I WOULD LOVE TO INFODUMP ABT MY INTERESTS. PLS. sadly yes i’m mostly a fandom/interests blog, mostly cnovels and manhua, so this ask is pretty on-topic for my blog. obligatory disclaimer a lot of these things have Problems and Issues so this isn’t me saying i am an uncritical fan of the media this is just a list of scenes that make me incredibly hhghgnnneennn. some of them made me cry in the chicken feed aisle in a Tractor’s Supply once and im still upset abt that one. a lot of these have spoilers for various cnovels so i put it under a cut :)

additional warning that um. there's a lot of mentioned death/suicide. most of these are characters dying honestly

so, Media Of All Time favourite scenes:

(tgcf) legitimately every scene with qi rong im not joking i go crazy over him. notable mention of that scene in the Final Battle with gu zi……….. i’m insane

(liu yao) um. i don’t remember the main character’s name. but yeah him dying <3 jiayou! that one drives me insane i read it like once a week

(nan chan) mr human magikarp fucking dying and jin ling just….. losing it

(nan chan) jin ling’s subsequent imprisonment and isolation :)

(nan chan) JIN LING MURDER SPREE!!!!!!!

(huang jin tai) yan xiaohan getting drugged and immediately going to stab himself so that he doesn’t “betray” fu shen

(qian qiu) yan wushi hiding shen qiao in that buddha statue and running off to die

(teio) THE FUCKING EARTHWORM CRYING. GOD

(teio) everything with bai ruoyao. i love him im so homophobic

(mo du) fei du suffering for five entire books straight

(mo du) that scene near the end where he has to grasp the trigger handhold and his Immense Certified Trauma kicks in

(mo du) luo wenzhou NOT pokemon evolving into a big red flag the second he got one glimpse past fei du’s walls. Like that man saw Fei Du: Genuinely Unwell Extraordinaire, and not only did he not jab fd with a horse tranq, he just went and made the man dinner. what the fuck

(twwtadsl) the betrayal scene <3

(tsomd) sui zhou almost dying for tang fan like 2302984 times but notable mention of the First Time when he tried to die for tang fan in the fight against the tomb guardian

(missing sect leader) wei jiangyue going “I JUST CANT STAND IT WHEN HE’S NOT ALRIGHT……………..”

(missing sect leader) wei jiangyue making a bet with ye you that hinges the fate of the world or whatever and his terms for if he wins. instead of using the chance to ask for something large. he asks yy to just tell him something. anything at all. just tell him something

(missing sect leader) wei jiangyue telling ye you he will die for him to repent for his father’s mistake but hiding the fact that his willingness to die for yy comes from his love for him, not his guilt

(missing sect leader) that scene where yy reveals his identity and wjy realises that no matter what he has to leave yy alone and cannot even approach him again. and just sinking in shame and regret to spend his entire lifetime in pain from the fact that his presence causes yy pain

(missing sect leader) in front of the entire jianghu. wei jiangyue giving himself up to the threat of being brutally killed be ye you if it meant yy was given some sort of closure. jesus christ i don’t even like this book this much and yy/wjy isn’t even canon why do they have so much on this list

(tong qian kan shi) the insect cave scene <3

(tqks) xuanmin closing his eyes as he is put through incredible pain and torture, being literally killed, in order for xue xian to enact his revenge against the great priest

(tqks) the great priest forcing xx to recognize that his revenge will also kill xuanmin as collateral, xx not recognising xuanmin, and xuanmin just. closing his eyes and accepting his death

(tqks) xuanmin using his last dying action to dig out his own bones and bury them under the mountains to free xue xian.

(tqks) xuanmin making his way over to the unconscious xue xian, kneeling in front of him (really falling lmao), and dying while never looking away from his face :)

(tqks) xx regaining his memories, remembering xuanmin, and looking up to see xuanmin laying dead in his arms. then feeling fear for the first time in his life. man. man. ok

(qqgk) “MY DEAR, IF I LEFT MYSELF BY YOUR EAR, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO HEAR ME? MAY WE MEET AGAIN IN A WORLD WHERE THE SMOKE IS GONE” THIS QUOTE MAKES ME INSANE. IM INSANE. JESUS CHRIST

(qqgk) the recurring imagery of snow. the snow. its about. it’s about. The devotion. oh god

(hsav) xiao yuan trying to die like. 6 times for yan heqing. also xya being tortured to save yhq. and then him trying to kill himself earlier . and then him killing himself for real later to make life easier for yhq

(tgcf) just. everything honestly. the “i am god” scene. the getting demolished by a ridiculous amount of swords scene.

(wushuang) cui buqu in the maze trying to die for feng xiao

(wushuang) feng xiao in the maze trying to die for cui buqu

(zhongji lanyin) su qing almost dying under the cave-in

(zhongji lanyin) hu bugui protecting su qing from the thorns

(谁动了我的骨灰坛) jiang xichu seeing chen man kill herself and not being able to do anything about it. literally the only scene i care abt from that book i ate that shit up

okay typing this out made me realise there is a very noticeable theme here. well. i really like tragedy so honestly i don't know know what i expected from this. if i re-read all my favourite books i would probably be able to give you a list of scenes i loved that have legitimate literary importance, value, and beauty, but sadly i have the memory of a goldfish and cannot remember most plots unless im Actively Looking At Them. so instead here is a list of scenes that are all candidates for making me cry during my next visit to a Tractor's Supply. thank you sm for the ask im in love with you

[wedreamedlove]

Life History of the 4 Men

The Chinese character books provide timelines of everyone's lives, so I decided to translate them all (as part of my epic procrastination ritual).

There are spoilers in these up to Chapter 24. Okay, I'm afraid tables look hideous in Tumblr, so you're all going to have to deal with my terrible text version.

LI ZEYAN

Regarding the Evol he was born with || Li Zeyan was born with a time manipulation Evol but he never told anyone around him.

10 years old || Park meeting || He met a 4 years old you at the park. He made a pudding as an apology to make up for wrecking your sand castle, but he never thought that he'd get a tag along from that moment.

11 years old || Suspending time during a car accident || He used his Evol in public for the first time in order to save you when you disregarded danger to grab a small cat in the middle of the road.

Orphanage kidnapping incident || He was kidnapped with you to an orphanage. He used his Evol to bring the other kids out but wasn't careful enough and was discovered. He was saved by you at a critical moment but, in the end, was unable to bring you out with him.

Start of the endless search || Unwilling to believe that you were no longer in this world, he started his 17 year long search.

14 years old || Mother's death by illness || His mother died to an illness and the details of the cause are unknown.

18 years old || Starts university || He was accepted into the country's famous university with his outstanding grades.

20 years old || Creates Huarui || He created Huarui when he was finishing his third year and, in the second year of its creation, Wei Qian came around to interview.

26 years old || Starts his restaurant || He opened a restaurant called Souvenir and considered this place a "utopia". He met Mr. Cai here.

28 years old || Huarui becomes a business empire || Huarui gradually developed and became a business empire.

Meeting again || Using his Evol, he saved you when you were about to meet with a car accident.

HBS' plot || He was locked in one of HBS' secret rooms with you. That one scene from his childhood happened again and he realized that it turned out the person he strenuously searched for was at his side. His Evol fluctuated and he could use it to twist space and time.

Deep space travel || Obtained a pocket watch from Grandpa Chen and went to the future Lianyu City. He was in contact with you through the pocket watch and, in order to change the ending of fate, he continuously crossed through space and time.

Black Cabin reunion || He reunited with you at the Black Cabin and obtained memories of several worlds— no matter the world, you two would end up meeting and he would end up being attracted to you.

XU MO

Known to all as a little genius || Being a little genius in the eyes of others, he obtained the love of adults but was alienated by those of the same age and his only friend was the neighboring older brother, Fan Zihang.

7 years old || Car accident || Encountering a car accident on his birthday, both his parents died, and he survived with great difficulty only to be taken by a member of the Black Swan organization.

Acquired Evol || Underwent Black Swan's reformation experiment and obtained Evol.

8 years old || First meeting || He met with the very first color in his life underneath a camphor tree and even obtained a single colorful origami crane.

9 years old || Orphanage kidnapping incident || He was one of the victims of the orphanage kidnapping incident and was rescued by the police.

Went overseas || Going along with Black Swan, he went overseas to study.

15 years old || England schooling || He entered an England all-boys high school to study and, using one year, he completed high school and a university undergraduate degree.

16 years old || Studying hard for a master's degree || He entered one of America's leading universities to pursue advanced studies, a master's degree and Ph.D.

20 years old || Obtained a Ph.D. || He obtained a Ph.D. in neuroscience in America and started to work in a laboratory in America. He published many academic papers and laid the groundwork for neuroscience experts.

24 years old || Became a professor || Returning to the country, he founded the Xu Mo Life Laboratory and also held the post of being a guest professor at Lianyu University.

26 years old || Meeting again || He met with you again through the introduction of Professor Zhang Chengxi. He became your neighbor after moving in and also helped with the last episode of Miracle Finder.

The dream's passing || He brought you into a dream but, because he received the influence of your Evol, saw both of your pasts together and the car accident in his childhood. Afterward, he obtained a peace knot from your hands.

Breaking it off || His identity as Ares was revealed and he broke off relations with you. At a press conference about the development of an influenza vaccine, he had a debate about "evolution" with you.

Danger in the dream || In order to save you when you were being chased by radicals of the Black Swan organization, the two of you entered a dream. He used his Copy Evol to get out of danger and your memory of this time was also erased.

Black Cabin reunion || He reunited with you in the Black Cabin and, obtaining the memories of several worlds, he takes you by the hand and hurries towards the next spring day.

BAI QI

Childhood || Although his father was always cold, under the care of his mother's warmth, Bai Qi had a relatively carefree childhood.

10 years old || Father took away his little brother || Bai Qi's Evol hadn't awakened yet. Bai Qi's father believed that Bai Qi didn't have the Evol genes and so he took away his little brother, whose Evol had already awakened.

15 years old || His mother passed away || His mother passed away in a fire and, after this time, "fire" became his weakness.

17 years old || Met you in the rain || He met you when you were foolishly blocking the rain for a cat and feeding it by the side of the road. He gave you his coat and then ran off into the rain.

Obtained Evol || He heard your piano when he fought a gang of people and was kicked off the rooftop. At the same time as he obtained his Evol he vowed to protect you forever.

18 years old || Goodbye || His Evol awakening was discovered by his father and he was threatened until he had no choice but to leave Lianyu High School. Before he left, he wrote a letter to give to you but, because of Han Ye's slip up, you thought it was a threatening letter.

19 years old || Hellish mission || His teammate Li Ye died during the "Hell Mission" and only Bai Qi and Gu Zheng survived. After this mission concluded, Bai Qi was made into the team captain.

20 years old || Training and missions || He actively participated in every country's training and missions and gradually became strong.

22 years old || Obtained an appointment || He obtained a formal appointment and joined the special forces.

24 years old || Meeting you again || In order to protect you, he voluntarily requested to be transferred back to Lianyu City to carry out missions and, at last, he met you again.

Broke off with the special forces || He discovered Commander Lian Ji's plot, questioned the special force's "justice", and broke off with them.

Participated in the NW Plan || Receiving his father's conditions, he participated in the NW Plan, and after the reformation obtained a stronger Evol.

Black Cabin reunion || He reunited with you at the Black Cabin, obtained the memories of several worlds, and promised to be side by side with you in every different world.

ZHOU QILUO

Orphanage for those with autism || He suffered from autism when he was small, was a mixed blood orphan, had no friends, and spent every day curled up in the corner.

5 years old || First meeting || He was labeled as experimental subject 1562 and he met you during his escape. You two promised to eat doughnuts together after you both escaped.

Failure to escape || The escape failed and he became the valuable experimental subject 3684.

Obtained Evol || He underwent Black Swan's reformation experiment and obtained Evol. He is the only success of the orphanage's reformation experiments.

6 years old || Went overseas || Following Black Swan, he went overseas and was adopted by KEY. Afterward, he followed KEY and learned hacker techniques.

Launched his career || He launched his career as a child star in France.

14 years old || Attended high school in America || He finished junior high school in France and, listening to the suggestion of the middle-aged singer Eva Seidel, he went to America for high school.

18 years old || Admitted into a famous music school || He signed with a famous international music company and, after being successful, was admitted into a famous music school.

Set up a band || Created a band, had the position of lead singer, and started touring around the world, setting the groundwork of being an international star.

His master KEY disappeared || His master, KEY, disappeared and, in order to search for his master, he hacked into America's Federal Bureau of Investigation and found a mysterious symbol, but he was unable to crack it.

20 years old || Returned to the country to develop || He returned to the country to expand and Shen Yuan became his manager.

21 years old || Entered the hacker world || He returned to the hacking world with KEY's identity and persistently searched for any clues connected to his master.

Took the entertainment world by the storm || He acted as the young Sun Ce in "Three Kingdoms" and, not only did this take Japan by the storm, this also let more people in his own country recognize him.

22 years old || Meeting you again || He met you again at a convenience store when you both saw the same bag of potato chips and from this moment you were his exclusive "Miss Chips".

Hacker conference || He met you at the hacker conference when you blundered in by mistake and the two of you fell into Black Swan's secret room. His mysterious identity as KEY was found out by you.

Returning home || After saying goodbye on the rooftop, he returned under the identity of Helios and reunited with you at the hospital. He gave you a knife for self-protection and used his Evol to erase your memories of this moment.

Black Cabin reunion || He reunited with you again at the Black Cabin and obtained memories of several worlds. You both gripped tightly onto each other's hands and became each other's light.

[walkwithheroes84]

Miss The Dragon Thoughts

Miss the Dragon is a 2021 Mainland Chinese drama. The drama is based on a video game, is thirty-six episodes, and stars: Dylan Wang, Bambi Zhu, Deng Wei, Pan Mei Ye, and Zhu Zan Jin. 

The drama tells the story of Liu Ying (later Yuan A Yu in her second life, Feng Chen Yue in her third life, and Gu Qing Yan in her final life) who saves a thousand-year-old dragon demon called Yuchi Longyan. To repay her debt, Yuchi Longyan promises to marry Liu Ying. However, things get messy due to Liu Ying having a special soul and Longyan having to save Liu Ying’s friend’s soul. So, Longyan erases Liu Ying’s memories and has her marry someone else. Longyan than vows to follow Liu Ying through all her lives, with the goal of marrying her in her final life (when she’ll have strengthen her soul enough to become an immortal). Each life takes place over 10 or so episodes. 

More thoughts below:

The Cast:

1. Dylan Wang is a very handsome young man. He’s only 22. He was also a  flight attendant and a spokesperson/model before becoming an actor. He seems like a complete sweetheart in his behind the scenes videos and his costars speak very highly of him. As of this drama, he has been the lead in three other dramas. So, I’m not completely blaming him for his rough talents. To be honest, after Meteor Garden someone should have put him in supporting/second main roles for a few years so he can work on his acting skills.Instead of putting him in drama after drama (usually with older actresses/actors who are usually better actors) then he is. Because, Dylan has only a handful of  expressions/emotions in his acting: angry/jealous, cute/bashful, emotionless, and annoyed. All that aside, he did do a good job (for the most part) as the awkward Longyan who is willing to do anything and everything to protect the woma(e)n he loves.

2. Bambi Zhu is a very pretty young lady and has been in the business for about six years. Is she the most talented actress out there? No. But, she does a very good job of playing her four characters:Liu Ying is sweet, confused, and loving. A’Yu is playful and cares about the people around her, Chen Yue (who Bambi plays the best) is a general who lives for the fight, and Qing Yan is sweet and innocent.  Bambi seems to do her best work in fantasy or historical dramas.

3. Deng Wei needs to get a lead role soon. How is this his first drama? He played the role of the coldhearted/I-hate-everyone-but-you role of  Xue Qian Xun perfectly. I cannot say more, but Deng Wei is talented and I just really hope some producer or director was watching his preformance carefully. He really did out act the leads in several scenes. 

4. Pan Mei Ye needs to get more lead roles. It is terrible that she’s been in the business for five years and has only had two leading roles. She owns the role of QingQing and brings a lightness and freshness to the drama. Her chemistry with everyone is amazing and you can just tell she’s having a great time playing her playful character. 

5.Zhu Zan Jin is an actor that has made a career out of playing supporting roles in fantasy and historical dramas. He is always popping up in something and he always gives a solid performance. He was campy at times (especially toward the end),but he did well with what he was given. 

The Characters/Romances:

1. With Longyan and Liu Ying, you get a very sweet, playful, and innocent love story. The angst appears when Longyan is forced to marry someone else (he doesn’t really marry someone else, but he does marry her. It’s complicated), so he erases Liu Ying’s memories of him and replaces them with memories of a government employee. Longyan then vows to spend his life protecting Liu Ying. In a way, Liu Ying is Longyan’s first love and he judges all others by her. 

2. With Longyan and A’Yu, you still get a very innocent/first love situation. Longyan goes to A’Yu as QingQing’s brother (he has QingQing befriend A’Yu to watch over her, and QingQing is willing as Liu Ying saved her) and the two actually have a short but very sweet romance. A’Yu finds out he is a demon, and is still willing to be with him. Sadly, Longyan’s power is too weak (from protecting Liu Ying) and he is taking her mortal energy, which is slowly killing her. To make up for it, Longyan goes against the Heavens (he does that a lot) to help A’Yu become the “Divine Lady” who stops a drought. A’Yu is married to the Emperor and ends up having a very lonely life. BUT, when she dies and goes to the afterlife (Longyan is always waiting for her there, as she always regains her past lifes memories when she sees him in the afterlife), A’Yu fakes drinking the tea that will make her forever her life as A’Yu. 

3. Chen Yue and Longyan have a different relationship then the last two lifes. Chen Yue has memories of him (even if they are fuzzy) and Longyan pretends to be a mortal solider in her army. They spend years together - with Chen Yue knowing who he is, Longyan pretending that he’s not who he is, and the two of them just being happy to be near one another. This relationship is probably the most mature with the two almost being on equal footing. It is also in this life (or afterlife) that Longyan takes Chen Yue to his home and tries to marry her - but, they are stopped by the Immortal of Fate, who reminds Longyan that Chen Yue has one more life to live, before she is strong enough to become an immortal. 

4. Qing Yan and Longyan probably have the shortest time together, but Qing Yan is also the most like Liu Yang. Longyan actually approaches Qing Yan when she is a child, hoping that will make their future meeting easier for her to understand. So, Qing Yan spends 13 years secretly hoping to meet Longyan again. I wouldn’t say Longyan is in love with Qing Yan more than any of her other lives, but it is in this life where he is willing to go the hardest - going against God, Immortals, and even friends to be with Qing Yan. 

5.QingQing and Xue Qian Xun are a better couple than the lead couple. There, I said it. They have an angsty past (that neither can remember), he’s only nice to her (but she thinks he’s teasing her), he’s extremely protective and possessive, she’s sweet and (unknowingly) flirty. They both just want the other to be happy - and they are willing to hurt themselves (or even kill themselves) to make sure the other is happy and well taken care of. I love them so much.

The Story:

1. As this is based on a video game, there isn’t really a story. There is something about Liu Ying’s soul being needed to stop demons (that are locked up) from breaking free, but considering that Liu Ying is allowed to reincarnate three times over a period of 200+ years...I guess they weren’t in a huge hurry, as the Heavens were able to keep stopping the demons from freeing themselves. Each of Ling Ying’s lives has a “villain” that Longyan helps her defeat (even if she doesn’t know it) and Longyan falls more in love while Liu Ying is pretty sure she knew Longyan before (and had moments with him), but cannot quite remember them.

2. The story of Xue Qian Xun and QingQing was very sweet and sad, due to their past together. I liked their ending, but I don’t want to say too much on it. 

3. Longyan and Qing Yan have an ending that some people will like and some with hate. Personally, I didn’t really care for it. Because, while they are together forever, they aren’t really together in the way I had spent 36 episodes wanting them to be together. 

Final Thoughts:

1. I’m not walking away from this drama planning to watch it again. I may rewatch clips (probably of QingQing and Qian Xun)on Youtube, though. It was a good drama and I did binge it over four days, but it isn’t something I’m likely to remember in a year. 

2. If you are a fan of anyone in the drama or Chinese Xianxia dramas, check this out. If you aren’t - I’d skip it. 

[the-archlich]

DW Potential Additions Tier List

So I made some spreadsheets but decided I was putting in too much work so here’s a quick summary.

I was grading on a scale of 1-5. 1 was characters I really don’t htink would add anything good, but who I thought some might suggest (like Cao Zhi, Jia Nanfeng, Pan Zhang, Zhao Guang, Zhang Ren, etc.) 2 is people who could maybe work under very specific circumstances, like a big narrative shift or a lot of related characters being added, or who might be fine but aren’t nearly as good as some other options (like Cheng Yu, Cao Xi, Wu Jing, Mi Zhu, or Gao Gan). These don’t really make the cut for discussion, so if you don’t see a name you’re expecting, I probably put them in one of those tiers for some reason.

Tier 3 are characters who would be fine. Just fine. They either did enough to make themselves noteworthy, or have enough of a connecting to existing narrative and cast that they’d probably add something worthwhile. Not the ones I’d be most excited about, but the ones I couldn’t make too many complaints over.

Tier 4 are great adds. Characters I really want to see, who could really expand the cast in worthwhile ways.

Tier 5 are characters I forget aren’t in these games already because why are they not here?

I’m not going to explain every decision here because I’m sure there will be followup questions. Yes, I’m aware that Jin is overrepresented, because it’s the smallest of the main factions.

TIER 5

Lady Bian (Wei)

Zhang Xiu (Wei; previously Dong Zhuo, Liu Biao)

Zang Ba (Wei, previously Tao Qian, Lü Bu)

Cao Zhen (Wei)

Zhong Yao (Wei)

Xiahou Xuan (Jin)

Xun Yi (Jin)

Chen Tai (Jin)

Guanqiu Jian (Jin)

Wen Qin (Jin)

Yang Huiyu (Jin)

Hu Lie (Jin)

Hu Fen (Jin)

Lady Wu (Wu)

Zhang Zhao (Wu)

Zhuge Jin (Wu)

Lü Ju (Wu)

Zhu Yi (Wu)

Zhuge Ke (Wu)

Zhuge Zhan (Shu)

Jian Yong (Shu)

Zhang Ni (Shu)

Fei Yi (Shu)

Liu Biao (Other: Liu Biao)

TIER 4

Wen Pin (Wei; previously Liu Biao)

Xiahou Shang (Wei)

Cao Hong (Wei)

Jiang Ji (Wei)

Zhu Ling (Wei; previously Yuan Shao)

Dowager Guo (Jin)

Cao Shuang (Jin)

He Yan (Jin)

Pei Xiu (Jin)

Sima Fu (Jin)

Fu Jia/Gu (Jin)

Wang Ji (Jin)

Wang Ling (Jin)

Du Yu (Jin)

Sima (Gaoling) (Jin)

Sima Wang (Jin)

Shi Bao (Jin)

Sun Luban (Wu)

Sun Ben (Wu)

Sun/Yu He (Wu)

Jiang Qin (Wu)

Lü Fan (Wu)

Zhu Huan (Wu)

He Qi (Wu)

Quan Zong/Cong (Wu)

Zhuge Jing (Wu)

Tao Huang (Wu)

Wu Yan (Wu)

Lady Gan (Shu)

Liu Feng (Shu)

Ma Zhong (Shu)

Wang Ping (Shu)

Yuan Tan (Other: Yuan Shao)

Qu Yi (Other: Yuan Shao)

Tadun (Other: Yuan Shao, Wuhuan)

Shen Pei (Other: Yuan Shao)

Xu Rong (Other: Dong Zhuo)

Gao Shun (Other: Dong Zhuo, Lü Bu)

Gongsun Zan (Other: Gongsun Zan)

TIER 3

Cao Rui (Wei)

Guo (Nuwang) (Wei)

Chen Deng (Wei; previously Tao Qian, Lü Bu)

Zhang Changpu (Wei)

Wang Lang (Wei; previously Tao Qian, Liu Yao)

Sima Lang (Wei)

Jia Kui (Wei)

Du Xi (Wei)

Li Tong (Wei)

Cao Zhang (Wei)

Zhao Yan (Wei)

Cao Jie (Wei) 

Li Feng (Jin)

Zhong Yu (Jin)

Qin Lang (Jin)

Wang Chang (Jin)

Sima Liang (Jin)

Sima Zhou (Jin)

Sima Jun (Jin)

Yang Hu (Jin)

Sima Yan (Jin)

Wei Guan (Jin)

Zhang Hua (Jin)

Tang Bin (Jin)

Jiang Ban (Jin)

Hu Zun (Jin)

Pan Shu (Wu)

Sun Luyu (Wu)

Sun Jing  (Wu)

Sun Yu  (Wu)

Sun Jiao  (Wu)

Sun Shao (Bohai)  (Wu)

Widow Xu  (Wu)

Gu Yong  (Wu)

Gu Tan  (Wu)

Bu Zhi  (Wu)

Chen Wu  (Wu)

Dong Xi  (Wu)

Zhu Zhi  (Wu)

Zhu/Shi Ji  (Wu)

Yu Fan  (Wu; previously Liu Yao)

Lu Kang  (Wu)

Lü Dai  (Wu)

Pan Jun (Wu; previously Liu Biao, Shu)

Lu Kai  (Wu)

Teng Yin  (Wu)

Sun Jun  (Wu)

Zhang Ti  (Wu)

Wu Yi  (Shu; previously Liu Zhang)

Wu Ban (Shu; previously Liu Zhang)

Zhang Shao (Shu)

Lady Ma (Shu; previously Liang Warlords)

Mi Fang (Shu; previously Tao Qian)

Lady Mi (Shu; previously Tao Qian)

Dong Yun (Shu)

Ma Liang (Shu)

Ma Su (Shu)

Chen Zhi (Shu; previously Liu Zhang)

Huo Jun (Shu; previously Liu Biao)

Huo Yi (Shu)

Luo Xian (Shu)

Yang Yi (Shu)

Li Hui (Shu; previously Liu Zhang)

Jiang Wan (Shu)

Deng Zhi (Shu)

Zhang Yi (Bogong) (Shu)

Liao Hua (Shu)

Lady Liu (Other: Yuan Shao)

Yuan Shang (Other: Yuan Shao)

Tian Feng (Other: Yuan Shao)

Ju Shou (Other: Yuan Shao)

Li Jue (Other: Dong Zhuo)

Cai Yong (Other: Dong Zhuo)

Liu Qi (Other: Liu Biao)

Cai Mao (Other: Liu Biao)

Lady Cai (Other: Liu Biao)

Kuai Yue (Other: Liu Biao)

Huang Zu (Other: Liu Biao)

Gongsun Yuan (Other: Yan)

Yong Kai (Other: Nanman)

Gaoding (Other: Nanman)

Liuzhou (Other: Nanman)

Liu Yao (Other: Liu Yao)

[fuyonggu]

Chen Lin’s Proclamation to Wu (Long Version, Scholarly Commentary)

This is a proclamation which appears in the Wenxuan or Selections of Refined Literature, a collection of outstanding poetry and prose from the sixth century. Among the entries in the Proclamations chapter of that text are three Three Kingdoms-related proclamations, two by Chen Lin and one by Zhong Hui. The first Chen Lin entry is his famous denunciation of Cao Cao on behalf of Yuan Shao. This is the other, an attempt to overawe Sun Quan’s subjects and encourage them to defect to Cao Cao.

This proclamation appears to have been written at the beginning of 217, shortly before the second Ruxukou campaign, especially since it mentions events up until that time and mentions Xiahou Yuan as still being alive. Curiously, Chen Lin seems to have ghostwritten the proclamation on behalf of Xun Yu, who would have died five years earlier. Either that detail is mistaken or I am.

This post includes the original text and additional scholarly commentary. There is a duplicate post which just contains the actual translation.

檄吳將校部曲文

Proclamation to the Generals, Officers, and Subordinates of Wu

陳孔璋

By Chen Kongzhang (Chen Lin)

年月朔日，子尚書令彧，告江東諸將校部曲及孫權宗親中外：

On the first day of the year, the Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Xun Yu, distributed this proclamation to the various generals, officers, and subordinates of the Southland and to Sun Quan's friends and relatives, both near and far:

〈魏志曰：荀彧，��文若，潁川人也，太祖進彧為漢侍中，守尚書令。〉

(The Records of the Three Kingdoms states that Xun Yu, styled Wenruo, was a native of Yingchuan commandary. Cao Cao promoted him to be a Palace Attendant of the Han dynasty, as well as acting Prefect of the Masters of Writing.)

蓋聞禍福無門，惟人所召。夫見機而作，不處凶危，上聖之明也；臨事制變，困而能通，智者之慮也；漸漬荒沈，往而不反，下愚之蔽也。是以大雅君子，於安思危，以遠咎悔；小人臨禍懷佚，以待死亡。二者之量，不亦殊乎！

"It has been said, 'Happiness and misery have no gate by which they must enter, but each man calls the one or the other for himself'. For the man who 'sees his opportunity and acts', rather than remain amidst adversity and peril, has the wisdom of a great sage; he who, faced with danger and pressed by circumstances, heeds the new situation only in the end, deserves the concern of the knowledgeable; and he who only plunges deeper into the muck and mire, never turning aside from doom, merits the annihilation of the foolish. Thus does the refined and superior gentleman consider danger even while at peace, and contemplates future regrets even when they seem remote, while the inferior man is caught unawares by misfortune and laments his loss, and in the end meets with death and destruction. Is there not a great divide between them?

〈左氏傳閔子騫之辭。〉〈周易曰：君子見機而作，不俟終日。〉〈漢書曰：江充因變制宜。周易曰：困而不失其所亨，其唯君子乎！王弼曰：窮必通也。〉〈班固漢書贊曰：大雅卓爾不群，河間獻王近之矣。封禪書曰：興必慮衰，安必慮危。〉

(The first quote is from Min Zima, as mentioned in the Zuo Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals (Xiang 23.10).

The Book of Changes states, "The superior fellow sees his opportunity and acts, and does not wait until his ruin."

The Book of Han states, "Jiang Tong adapted according to the situation." The Book of Changes states, "Is it not only the superior gentlemen who does not lose his way even when pressed by adversity?" Wang Bi remarked, "One who is exhausted will turn."

Ban Gu's commentary in the Book of Han states, "The refined fellow stands head and shoulders above the rest; Prince Xian of Hejian was close to being such a fellow." And the Book of Fengshan states, "During prosperity, one must consider decline; at peace, one must contemplate danger.")

孫權小子，未辨菽麥，要領不足以膏齊斧，名字不足以洿簡墨。譬猶鷇卵，始生翰毛，而便陸梁放肆，顧行吠主。謂為舟楫足以距皇威，江湖可以逃靈誅，不知天網設張，以在綱目，爨鑊之魚，期於消爛也。若使水而可恃，則洞庭無三苗之墟，子陽無荊門之敗，朝鮮之壘不刊，南越之旍不拔。昔夫差承闔閭之遠跡，用申胥之訓兵，棲越會稽，可謂強矣。及其抗衡上國，與晉爭長，都城屠於勾踐，武卒散於黃池，終於覆滅，身罄越軍。及吳王濞驕恣屈強，猖猾始亂，自以兵強國富，勢陵京城。太尉帥師，甫下滎陽，則七國之軍，瓦解冰冸，濞之罵言未絕於口，而丹徒之刃以陷其胸。何則？天威不可當，而悖逆之罪重也。

"Now Sun Quan is a mere whelp, and 'unable to distinguish beans from wheat'; he has not worth enough to 'douse the axe' of authority, nor reputation enough to impress anyone. He is a mere hatchling, still growing his adult feathers. Yet he would seek to wander about and do as he pleases, like a dog who barks at his master; he claims that his boats and ships will let him oppose the imperial majesty, and his rivers and lacks shall save him from august punishment. But he does not recognize that Heaven casts its net wide, and he shall be caught in it; he is nothing but a fish in the pot, who will cook when its time has come.

"Has he his rivers to protect him? Yet by the waters of Lake Dongting there remains not a trace of the three ancient states of Miao. Ziyang (Gongsun Shu) had the Jing Gate to guard him, yet he was defeated; Chaoxian (northern Korea) had their ramparts, but they availed them not; Nanyue had their banners, yet they too perished.

“In ancient times, the King of Wu, Fuchai, inherited the legacy of his father Helü and the trained army provided by Shen Xu (Wu Zixu), and he stood astride the region of Kuaiji. Certainly he could have been called a mighty king. Yet when he sought to prove whose was the premier state and struggled with Jin for supremacy, his capital city was sacked by Goujian of Yue and his soldiers were put to flight at Huangchi, and in the end his state was toppled and destroyed and his corpse fell into the hands of the Yue army.

“During the Han dynasty, there was the Prince of Wu, Liu Bi, who was proud, arrogant, and overbearing. Out of his ferocity and cunning, he sought to start disorder, for he believed that he had a strong army and a rich territory, and that he was powerful enough to bully the capital. But when the Grand Commandant (Zhou Yafu) led his army down to Xingyang, the armies of the seven states cracked like tiles and melted like ice, and before Liu Bi could even say a word of condemnation, his throat had already been cut by the blade of Dantu.

“What to make of the fate of such men? Merely this: that the might of Heaven cannot be opposed, and those who rebel against its will are great criminals indeed.

〈左氏傳曰：晉周子有兄而無慧，不能辨菽麥。〉〈漢書音義，服虔注曰：易曰：喪其齊斧。未聞其說。張晏曰：斧，鉞也，以整齊天下。應劭曰：齊，利也。虞喜志林曰：齊，側皆切。凡師出必齊戒入廟受斧，故曰齊斧也。〉〈爾雅曰：生而自食曰雛，待哺曰鷇。郭璞曰：鳥子須母食。鄭玄尚書大傳注曰：翰毛，毛長大者。〉〈西京賦曰：怪獸陸梁。戰國策，刁勃謂田單曰：跖之狗吠堯，非其主也。〉〈尚書，帝曰：咨禹，惟時有苗弗率，汝徂征。三旬苗民逆命，帝乃誕敷文德，七旬有苗格。孔安國曰：三苗之國，左洞庭，右彭蠡。范曄後漢書曰：公孫述，字子陽，自立為蜀王，遣任滿據荊門。帝令征南大將軍岑彭攻之，滿大敗。〉〈史記曰：天子拜涉何為遼東部都尉。朝鮮襲殺何。天子遣左將軍荀彘擊朝鮮，朝鮮人殺其王右渠來降，定朝鮮為四郡。又曰：南越呂嘉反，以主爵都尉楊僕為樓舡將軍，下橫浦，咸會番禺，南越以平，遂為九郡。又曰：東越王餘善反，遣橫海將軍韓悅出句章。越建成侯敖殺餘善，以其衆降。〉〈史記曰：吳王闔閭死，立太子夫差。又樂毅遺燕惠王書曰：昔伍子胥說聽於闔閭，而吳王遠跡至郢。韋昭國語注曰：申胥，楚大夫伍奢之子子胥也。名員。員奔吳，吳與地，故曰申胥。史記曰：吳王夫差伐越，敗之，越王勾踐乃以甲兵五千人棲於會稽。〉〈毛萇詩注曰：抗，舉也。鄭玄周禮注曰：稱上曰衡。抗衡，謂對舉以爭輕重也。史記，陸賈曰：以區區之越，與天子抗衡為敵���。又曰：吳王夫差北會諸侯於黃池，欲霸中國。吳王與晉定公爭長，乃長晉定公。吳引兵歸國。又曰：吳與晉人相遇黃池之上，吳、晉爭強，晉人擊之，大敗吳師。越王聞之，襲吳。吳王聞之，去晉而歸，與越戰，不勝，城門不守，遂圍王宮而殺夫差。〉〈漢書曰：吳王濞，高帝兄仲之子也，立濞為吳王。孝景五年，起兵於廣陵。左氏傳曰：鄭子太叔卒，晉趙簡子曰：黃父之會，夫子語我九言，曰：無始亂，無怙富。〉〈漢書曰：七國反書聞，天子遣條侯周亞夫往擊楚，敗之。七國：吳王濞、楚王戊、趙王遂、膠西王卬、濟南王辟光、淄川王賢、膠東王渠。〉〈漢書曰：吳王敗，乃與戲下壯士千人夜亡，渡淮，走丹徒，保東越。漢使人以利啗東越，東越即紿吳王。吳王出勞軍，漢使人鏦殺吳王。漢書，賈誼上疏曰：適啟其口，匕首已陷其胸矣。〉

(Regarding the phrase "unable to distinguish beans from wheat", the Zuo Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals mentions that a certain brother of Zhouzi of Jin "was devoid of intelligence, so that he could not distinguish beans from wheat".

Regarding "douse his axe", in the pronunciation commentary to the Book of Han, Fu Qian notes, "The Book of Changes states that 'he mourned his axe'." But I (the commentator) have not heard of this. Zhang Yan remarked, "The axe in this case is the military battle-axe, with which one brings order to the realm." Ying Shao remarked, "The character 齊 in this case means 'beneficial'." Yi Xi's Zhilin states, "齊 here means 'corresponding'. A commander who is about to go out invariably enters the temple and received the battle-axe, thus this term."

The Erya dictionary states, "Among birds, those who are able to feed themselves upon being born are called 雛 'chicks', while those who wait to be fed are called 鷇 'hatchlings'." Guo Pu remarked, "Baby birds wait for their mothers to feed them." Zheng Xuan's commentary to the Book of Documents states, "Adult feathers are those feathers that have grown long and large."

Chen Lin uses the term 陸梁 "wander about"; this appears in a verse in the Rhapsody on the Western Capital: "strange beasts wander about".

In the Strategies of the Warring States, Diao Bo says to Tian Dan, "The reason that Robber Zhi's dog barked at Yao was because Yao was not the dog's master."

Regarding the Miao states, the Book of Documents states, "The Emperor said, 'Alas! O Yu, there is only the lord of Miao who refuses obedience; do you go and correct him.' For thirty days, the people of Miao continued rebellious against the commands. But the Emperor set about diffusing on a grand scale the virtuous influences of peace, and in seventy days, the lord of Miao came and made his submission." Kong Anguo remarked, "These were the three Miao states; to their left was Lake Dongting, and to their right was Lake Pengli (Lake Poyang)."

Fan Ye's Book of Later Han states, "Gongsun Shu, styled Ziyang, declared himself King of Shu. He sent Ren Man to occupy the Jing Gate. But Emperor Guangwu sent his Grand General Who Conquers The South, Cen Peng, to attack the Jing Gate, and Ren Man was greatly defeated."

Regarding Chaoxian, the Records of the Grand Historian states, "Emperor Wu of Han appointed She He as Commandant of Liaodong, but Chaoxian surprise attacked and killed She He. Emperor Wu then sent his General of the Left, Xun Zhi, to attack Chaoxian. The people of Chaoxian killed their king Ugeo and came to surrender, and Chaoxian was thus organized into four commandaries."

And regarding Nanyue, it states, "Lü Jia of Nanyue rebelled against the Han dynasty. Emperor Wu appointed his Commandant of Titles, Yang Pu, as General of Tower Ships, and Yang Pu sailed down to Hengpu and then rendezvoused at Panyu. Nanyue was pacified, and organized into nine commandaries." It also states, "The King of Dongyue (or Minyue), Yushan, rebelled. Emperor Wu sent his General Who Crests The Yangzi, Han Yue, out to Gouzhang. Dongyue's Marquis of Jiancheng killed Yushan and led his forces to surrender."

The Records of the Grand Historian mentions that when King Helü of Wu passed away, his Crown Prince, Fuchai, succeeded him. And the Yan general Yue Yi mentioned in a letter to King Hui of Yan that "Wu Zixu gained the ear of Helü, and thus the King of Wu was able to launch a distant campaign and capture the Chu capital at Ying." Wei Zhao's commentary on the Discourses of the States states, "Shen Xu was the son of the great Chu minister Wu She, named Wu Zixu; his given name was Yuan. When Wu Yuan fled Chu and sought refuge in Wu, Wu granted him a fief, thus he also became known as Shen Xu." The Records further states, "When King Fuchai of Wu campaigned against Yue and defeated them, King Goujian of Yue led five thousand armored soldiers to perch at Kuaiji."

The commentary to the Mao edition of the Book of Poetry states, "To oppose is to contend." Zheng Xuan's commentary to the Rites of Zhou states, "To claim supremacy is to oppose. By thus opposing, one sought to see whose side was strongest." In the Records of the Grand Historian, Lu Jia states, "This pathetic little region of Yue dares to contend with the Son of Heaven as an enemy."

The Records also states, "King Fuchai of Wu went north to the conference of feudal lords at Huangchi, where he sought to claim status as Hegemon of the Middle Kingdom. He contended with Duke Ding of Jin for supremacy, but Duke Ding proved the victor. Wu thus led its troops home again." It further states, "When Wu encountered the people of Jin above Huangchi, the two sides fought for dominance; the people of Jin attacked the Wu soldiers, and greatly defeated their army. When the King of Yue (Goujian) learned of this, he led a surprise attack against Wu. Upon hearing this, the King of Wu (Fuchai) left Jin and returned to attack Yue. But he was unsuccessful; the city gates could not hold, and the Yue army besieged the palace and killed Fuchai."

The Book of Han states, "The Prince of Wu, Liu Bi, was the son of Emperor Gaozu's (Liu Bang's) elder brother Liu Zhong, and he was appointed as the Prince of Wu. In the fifth year of Emperor Jing's reign (154 BC), Liu Bi rose up with troops at Guangling."

The Zuo Commentary states, "When Zitaishu of Zheng passed away, Zhao Jianzi of Jin said, 'At the meeting of Huangfu, he told me, "Do not begin disorder, do not trust in riches".'"

The Book of Han states, "When word reached the capital of the Rebellion of the Seven States, Emperor Jing sent the Marquis Xiao, Zhou Yafu, to attack the Prince of Chu, and Zhou Yafu defeated him." The Seven States were the Prince of Wu, Liu Bi, the Prince of Chu, Liu Wu, the Prince of Zhao, Liu Sui, the Prince of Jiaoxi, Liu Ang, the Prince of Jinan, Liu Piguang, the Prince of Zichuan, Liu Xian, and the Prince of Jiaodong, Liu Qu.

The Book of Han further states, "When the Prince of Wu was defeated, he fled through the night with a thousand strong fellows and crossed the Huai River to flee to Dantu, where he sought refuge in Dongyue. But Han sent envoys to persuade Dongyue, who surrendered the Prince of Wu to them. When the Prince of Wu was about to come out and rebuke the troops, an agent was sent to kill him with a short spear." Elsewhere in the Book of Han, Jia Yi mentions in a petition that "He was just about to open his mouth when his neck was suddenly pierced.")

且江湖之衆，不足恃也，自董卓作亂，以迄於今，將三十載。其間豪桀縱橫，熊據虎跱，強如二袁，勇如呂布，跨州連郡，有威有名，十有餘輩。其餘鋒捍特起，鸇視狼顧，爭為梟雄者，不可勝數。然皆伏鈇嬰鉞，首腰分離，雲散原燎，罔有孑遺。近者關中諸將，復相合聚，續為叛亂，阻二華，據河渭，驅率羌胡，齊鋒東向，氣高志遠，似若無敵。丞相秉鉞鷹揚，順風烈火，元戎啟行，未鼓而破。伏尸千萬，流血漂樐，此皆天下所共知也。是後大軍所以臨江而不濟者，以韓約馬超逋逸迸脫，走還涼州，復欲鳴吠。逆賊宋建，僭號河首，同惡相救，並為脣齒。又鎮南將軍張魯，負固不恭。皆我王誅所當先加。故且觀兵旋旆，復整六師，長驅西征，致天下誅。偏將涉隴，則建約梟夷，旍首萬里；軍入散關，則群氐率服，王侯豪帥，奔走前驅。進臨漢中，則陽平不守，十萬之師，土崩魚爛，張魯逋竄，走入巴中，懷恩悔過，委質還降；巴夷王朴胡賨邑侯杜濩，各帥種落，共舉巴郡，以奉王職。鉦鼓一動，二方俱定，利盡西海，兵不鈍鋒。若此之事，皆上天威明，社稷神武，非徒人力所能立也。

"Nor can Sun Quan be secure in the power of his army. After all, it has been nearly thirty years by now since Dong Zhuo first began the turmoil. And during that time, great heroes and talents roamed the length and breadth of the land, territorial as bears and implacable as tigers. The most powerful among them were those like the two Yuans (Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu), and the strongest were those like Lü Bu; for more than ten years, they stood astride several provinces, and they wielded power and commanded respect. Even beyond them, there were many remarkable heroes with passion and zeal, gazing like owls and glancing like wolves, and in this struggle for heroic supremacy there were too many people to count. Yet in the end, every one of them fell under the axe and parted with their heads; the clouds dispersed and the plains were scorched, and not a man remained among them.

"More recently, there were the generals of Guanzhong (Ma Chao and his allies), who banded together to rebel and cause chaos. They blocked the two Huas (Huayin and Huayang), occupied the Yellow and Wei Rivers, led the Qiang and other tribes to charge forward, and pushed their vanguard towards the east. They possessed towering zeal and lofty ambitions, and it seemed as though no one could stand against them. Yet the Prime Minister (Cao Cao) took up the military battle-axe and spread the word, and, sure as wind and blazing as fire, he 'led the way in front' and routed the foe before a roll of the drums. The result was 'a heap of corpses by the thousands and tens of thousands, of flowing blood and discarded shields'. These are things which all the realm well knows.

"Later, when the grand army had come to the banks of the Yangzi but had not yet crossed, Han Yue (Han Sui) and Ma Chao scampered off and fled back to Liangzhou, where they once again sought to caw and bark. The traitor and bandit Song Jian, who had declared himself King of the Source of the Yellow River, formed common cause with their evil; they helped each other as the lips support the teeth. It was the same way with the General Who Guards The South, Zhang Lu, who was confident in his defenses and so refused to respect royal authority. These enemies were all deserving of our royal punishment. Thus the Prime Minister merely reviewed the troops and made a demonstration at the Yangzi, then once again put the royal armies in order and charged to the west on campaign, to inflict the punishment of the realm against these foes.

"What were the results? No sooner had mere subordinate generals crossed the Long Mountains when Song Jian and Han Sui parted with their heads, and their heads and banners were sent ten thousand li to us. The moment that our army entered San Pass, the various Di tribes came to submit to us, and their kings, nobles, chiefs, and leaders all fled in the face of our advance. When we advanced to Hanzhong, Yangping Gate fell before us; Zhang Lu's army of a hundred thousand men was no more than fallen earth or rotting fish. Zhang Lu himself scurried away, fleeing into Bazhong, but then cherishing the kindness that he had been shown and repenting of his transgressions, he brought his whole family and returned to surrender. The King of the the tribes of Ba, Pu Hu, and the Marquis of the Cong tribes, Du Huo, each led their forces to come and submit, presenting up Ba commandary, and these leaders were employed in office. Thus with one blow of the horns and one roll of the drums, these two corners of the realm were all pacified; we reaped the full bounty of the western sea without even a clash of the vanguards.

"Such things as these only come about through the might and wisdom of Heaven above and the martial prowess of the very spirits of state; they are not something that the power of a mere mortal can accomplish.

〈二袁，袁紹、袁術也。魏志曰：呂布便弓馬，旅力過人，號為飛將。〉〈淮南子曰：鴟視虎顧。鹽鐵論曰：無鹿駭狼顧之憂。〉〈尚書曰：若火之燎于原。毛詩曰：周餘黎民，靡有孑遺。〉〈魏志，張魯據漢中，遣鍾繇討之。是時關中諸將，疑繇欲自襲馬超，遂與楊秋、李湛、宜成等反。遣曹仁討之。超等屯潼關，公敕諸將：關西兵精悍，堅壁勿與戰。〉〈魏志曰：公西征馬超。公自潼關北度，未濟，超赴船急戰。丁斐曰：放馬以餌賊。賊亂取馬，公乃得渡，循河為甬而南。賊追距渭口，公乃分兵結營於渭南。賊夜攻營，伏兵擊破之，進軍渡渭。超等數挑戰，不許，公乃與克日會戰。先以輕兵挑之，戰良久，乃縱彍騎夾擊，大破之，斬宜成、李湛等。漢書，元后詔曰：運獨見之明，奮無前之威。毛詩曰：武王載旆，有虔秉鉞，如火烈烈，則莫我敢遏。又曰：元戎十乘，以先啟行。〉〈戰國策，秦王謂唐且曰：天子之怒，伏尸百萬，流血千里。賈誼過秦曰：伏尸百萬，流血漂樐。〉〈魏志曰：曹公斬宜成，遂、超走涼州。典略曰：韓遂，字文約，在涼州阻兵為亂，積三十年，建安二十年乃死。〉〈魏志曰：初，隴西宋建自稱河首平漢王，聚衆枹罕。夏侯淵討之，屠枹罕，斬建涼州。〉〈魏志曰：張魯，字公旗，據漢中，以鬼道教人，自號師君。長雄巴漢，垂三十年，漢末力不能征，遂就寵魯為鎮民中郎將。漢寧，太祖征之。周禮曰：負固不服則攻之。〉〈魏志曰：建安十七年，公征孫權，攻破江西營，乃引軍還。史記曰：武王東觀兵至于孟津。諸侯皆曰：帝紂可伐。武王曰：未可。乃還師。〉〈魏志曰：建安二十年，公西征張魯。〉〈魏志曰：韓遂在顯親，夏侯淵欲襲取之，遂走。後淵大破遂軍，得其旍麾。斬建及遂死，已見上文。〉〈魏志曰：公西征張魯，自陳倉出散關至河池。氐王竇茂恃險不服，攻屠之。〉〈魏志曰：西征張魯，至陽平，魯使弟衛據陽平關，公乃遣高祚等乘險夜襲，大破之。〉〈魏志曰：魯弟衛夜遯。魯潰走巴中，遣人慰喻。魯盡家屬出降。土崩，已見上文。公羊傳曰：其言梁亡何？自亡也。奈何？魚爛而亡。何休曰：魚爛從內發。左氏傳，狐突曰：策名委質。〉〈魏志曰：建安二十年，七姓巴夷王朴胡、賨邑侯杜濩舉巴夷、賨民來附。於是分巴郡，以胡為巴東太守，濩巴西太守。孫盛曰：朴音浮。濩音護。〉〈戰國策，司馬錯曰：今伐蜀，利盡西海，而諸侯不以為貪。漢書，淮南王安上疏曰：不勞一卒，不頓一戟。又曰：不挫一兵之鋒。鈍與頓同。〉

(The "two Yuans" were Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu.

The Biography of Lü Bu in the Records of the Three Kingdoms states, "Lü Bu was skilled at archery and riding, and his strength surpassed that of others. People called him the Flying General."

The phrase "gazing like owls and glancing like wolves" comes from the Huainanzi. And the Discourses on Salt and Iron has a similar phrase: "There were be no cause for concern of 'the skittishness of a deer or the glancing of a wolf'."

The Book of Documents has the phrase, "like a fire that scorches the plains". And the Mao edition of the Book of Poetry has the verse, "Of the remnant of Zhou, among the black-haired people, there will not be half a man left".

The Records of the Three Kingdoms describes the uprising of the Guanzhong generals: "When Zhang Lu occupied Hanzhong, Cao Cao sent Zhong Yao to campaign against him. But at that time, the generals of Guanzhong suspected that Zhong Yao really intended to launch a surprise attack against Ma Chao. So Ma Chao banded together with Yang Qiu, Li Zhan, Yi Cheng, and others and rebelled. Cao Cao sent Cao Ren to campaign against them. Ma Chao and the others camped at Tong Gate. Cao Cao ordered his generals, 'The soldiers of Guanxi have keen zeal; keep fast to your defenses, and do not fight them.'"

The Records continues, "Cao Cao came west to campaign against Ma Chao. Cao Cao was going to cross the Yellow River north of Tong Gate, but before, Ma Chao's fleet arrived and brought on a fierce battle. Ding Fei advised him, 'Scatter your horses to entice the rebels.' So Cao Cao scattered his horses, and the rebels scrambled to take them, thus allowing Cao Cao to get across the river, then follow it to the south. The rebels pursued him and opposed him at Weikou, so Cao Cao divided his troops and arranged a camp at Weinan. The rebels attacked the camp during the night, but troops lying in ambush attacked and routed them. Cao Cao then advanced and crossed the Wei River as well. Ma Chao and the others repeatedly sought battle; Cao Cao kept putting them off, but eventually agreed, and on the arranged date the two sides met in battle. Cao Cao initially sent some light troops forward to skirmish with the enemy, but after the battle had dragged on for some time, he had his cavalry attack from the flanks, greatly routing the rebels. He took the heads of Yi Cheng, Li Kan, and others.

In the Book of Han, the edict of Empress Yuan has the phrase "zealous as though no one can stand before them". The Mao edition of the Book of Poetry has the verse, "The martial king displayed his banner, and with reverence grasped his axe. It was like a blazing fire, which no one can repress." And again, "Ten large war chariots led the way in front.”

In the Strategies of the Warring States, the King of Qin says to Tang Ju, "The anger of the Son of Heaven leads to a heap of corpses by the hundreds and tens of thousands, and flowing blood for a thousand li." Jia Yi's essay The Faults of Qin has a similar phrase: "a heap of corpses by the hundreds and tens of thousands, of flowing blood and discarded shields".

The Records of the Three Kingdoms states, "After Cao Cao beheaded Yi Cheng, Han Sui and Ma Chao fled to Liangzhou." The Dianlue states, "Han Sui, styled Wenyue, occupied Liangzhou and raised troops in rebellion for thirty years. He died in the twentieth year of Jian'an (215)."

The Records continue, "Earlier, Song Jian of Longxi had declared himself King of the Source of the Yellow River Who Pacifies the Han Dynasty, and he had gathered an army at Fuhan. Xiahou Yuan campaigned against him; he sacked Fuhan and took Song Jian's head."

The Records continue, "Zhang Lu, styled Gongqi, occupied Hanzhong. He instructed the people in mystic arts, calling himself Instructor and Master. He stood tall over the regions of Ba and Han for nearly thirty years. Since in the final years of the Han dynasty the court was not strong enough to campaign against him, they appeased Zhang Lu by appointing him as General of the Household Gentlemen Who Guards The People. But after Han had been settled, Cao Cao campaigned against him." The Rites of Zhou states, "Whomever relies upon their defenses and refuses to submit, attack them."

The Records continue, "In the seventeenth year of Jian'an (212), Cao Cao campaigned against Sun Quan. He attacked and routed Sun Quan's camps north of the Yangzi, then led his army back again." Chen Lin alludes to an account from the Records of the Grand Historian: "King Wu of Zhou reviewed his troops at Meng Crossing. The nobles all told him, 'Now is the time to campaign against King Zhou of Shang.' But King Wu told them, 'The moment is not right.' And he led his army back again."

The Records continue, "In the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), Cao Cao campaigned west against Zhang Lu."

The Records continue, "Han Sui was at Xianqin. Xiahou Yuan wished to launch a surprise attack and capture him, so Han Sui fled. Later, Xiahou Yuan greatly routed Han Sui's army and captured his banners and flags." This led to the deaths of Song Jian and Han Sui, as mentioned above.

The Records continue, "When Cao Cao campaigned against Zhang Lu, he marched from Chencang, came out through San Pass, and advanced to Hechi. The King of the Di, Dou Mao, was confident of his defenses and would not submit. Cao Cao attacked and slaughtered him."

The Records continue, "During the campaign against Zhang Lu, Cao Cao came to Yangping. Zhang Lu sent his younger brother Zhang Wei to occupy Yangping Gate. Cao Cao then sent Gao Zuo and others to slip through the terrain and launch a surprise night attack, and they greatly routed Zhang Wei. Zhang Wei fled through the night. Zhang Lu fled to hide in the Ba region, while sending envoys to smooth relations. He then brought his whole family out to surrender."

The simile of fallen earth has already been mentioned above. Regarding rotting fish, the Gongyang Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals states, "In what way did he say that Liang would fall? From self-destruction. What would that be like? Like a fish which rots before it dies." He Xiu remarked, "Fish rot from the inside out."

The Zuo Commentary states, "To demonstrate his loyalty, the new officer wrote his name on a plaque and presented a sacrifice."

The Records continue, "In the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), the King of the seven tribes of the Ba region, Pu Hu, and the Marquis of the Cong people, Du Huo, led the tribes of Ba and the Cong people to come and submit to Cao Cao. Cao Cao thus split Ba commandary in half; he appointed Pu Hu as Administrator of Badong, and Du Huo as Administrator of Baxi." Sun Sheng remarked, "Pu Hu's surname 朴 is pronounced 'fu', and Du Huo's given name 濩 is pronounced 'hu'."

In the Strategies of the Warring States, Sima Cuo states, "If you now campaign against Shu, you will reap all the bounty of the western sea, which the feudal lords have no greed for."

In the Book of Han, the Prince of Huainan, Liu An, has a petition which includes the phrases, "trouble not a single soldier, nor set a single spear", and "seek not a single clash of weapons".)

聖朝寬仁覆載，允信允文，大啟爵命，以��四方。魯及胡濩皆享萬戶之封，魯之五子，各受千室之邑，胡濩子弟部曲將校為列侯將軍已下千有餘人。百姓安堵，四民反業。而建約之屬，皆為鯨鯢；超之妻孥，焚首金城，父母嬰孩，覆尸許市。非國家鍾禍於彼，降福於此也，逆順之分，不得不然。夫鷙鳥之擊先高，攫鷙之勢也；牧野之威，孟津之退也。今者枳棘翦扞，戎夏以清，萬里肅齊，六師無事。故大舉天師百萬之衆，與匈奴南單于呼完廚及六郡烏桓丁令屠各，湟中羌僰，霆奮席卷，自壽春而南。又使征西將軍夏侯淵等，率精甲五萬，及武都氐羌，巴漢銳卒，南臨汶江，搤據庸蜀。江夏襄陽諸軍，橫截湘沅，以臨豫章，樓船橫海之師，直指吳會。萬里克期，五道並入，權之期命，於是至矣。

"And how generous and benevolent the court is; most impartial, fully civil and fully trustworthy, and greatly willing to grant titles as a display to all the realm. Having submitted to the dynasty, Zhang Lu, Pu Hu, and Du Huo were all granted fiefs of ten thousand households, Zhang Lu's five sons were all granted fiefs of a thousand households, and more than a thousand of the relatives and subordinates of Pu Hu and Du Huo were granted titles from minor marquises and generals on down. Thus were the people able to enjoy tranquility, and the Four Professions returned to their livelihoods. But as for those who rebelled, Song Jian and Han Yue (Han Sui) and their ilk were all 'buried under a mound', while Ma Chao's wife and children were beheaded at Jincheng and his parents and infants were executed in the Xu marketplace. These were not merely the whims of the state to inflict misfortune here and bestow blessings there; they were the just fruits of the submissive and the traitorous.

"Before it snatches its prey, a raptor will often first ascend in order to muster its full power. Likewise, before King Wu of Zhou's ultimate victory at Muye, he first withdrew from Meng Crossing. So too have we been clearing the brambles and cutting away the thorns, restoring peace among the tribes and the Xia (ethnic Han), such that now all the territory for ten thousand li around has become respectful and submissive, and there is no military trouble to be found.

"And now (~217) we have brought forth this heavenly army against you, one million strong, bolstered with the support of the Chanyu of the Xiongnu, Huwanchu (Huchuquan), the various tribes of the six commandaries, the Wuhuan, the Dingling, and the Chuge, and the Qiang and Bo tribes of Huangzhong. Like the rolling of thunder and the unfurling of a mat, we have swept south from Shouchun. At the same time, the General Who Conquers The West, Xiahou Yuan, and others are leading forth fifty thousand elite armored soldiers. The Di and Qiang tribes of Wudu and the zealous troops of the Ba and Han regions are marching south to the Wen River and the Yangzi to swiftly occupy the regions of Tang and Shu. The armies of Jiangxia and Xiangyang are also on the move, crossing the Xiang and Yuan Rivers and approaching Yuzhang. Lastly, our great fleet of tower ships is skirting the coast of the sea and heading straight for the regions of Wu and Kuaiji. All along this front of ten thousand li, we march as one, advancing along five routes against us. Sun Quan's fate is now at hand.

〈春秋考異郵曰：赤帝之精，寬仁大度。禮記曰：天無私覆，地無私載。毛詩曰：允文允武，昭假列祖。〉〈魏志曰：胡、濩者皆封列侯。又曰：封魯及五子皆為列侯。〉〈漢書曰：高祖入關，吏民皆安堵如故。管子曰：士農工商四民者，國之石民。〉〈左氏傳，楚子曰：古者明王伐不敬，取其鯨鯢而封，以為大戮。〉〈魏志曰：南安趙衢討超，梟其妻子。漢書有金城郡。〉〈范曄後漢書曰：建安元年，遷都于許。〉〈漢書，涓勳曰：甚誖逆順之理。〉〈此述往年未伐之意。尚書序曰：武王與受戰於牧野。又曰：惟十有一年，武王伐殷。孔安國曰：諸侯僉同，乃退以示弱。〉〈枳棘，以喻殘賊也。翦扞，翦除而防衛之也。〉〈魏志曰：建安二十一年治兵，遂征孫權也。〉〈魏志曰：建安二十一年，匈奴南單于呼廚泉將其名王來朝，待以客禮。漢書曰：諸羌言願得度湟水北。然湟水左右，羌之所居。丁令、屠各，已見上文。〉〈漢書，九江郡有壽春邑。〉〈魏志曰：夏侯淵，字妙才，惇族弟也，為征西將軍。〉〈魏志曰：建安二十一年，留夏侯淵屯漢中。〉〈漢書曰：東越反，上遣橫海將軍韓說、樓船將軍楊僕，入軍於越。〉〈大舉天師至壽春而南，一道也；使征西甲卒五萬，二道也；及武都至庸蜀，三道也；江夏至豫章，四道也；樓船至會稽，五道也。〉

(The Textual Analysis of the Spring and Autumn Annals states, "The essences of the Red Emperor were magnanimity, benevolence, and great capacity." The Book of Rites states, "Heaven overspreads all without partiality; Earth sustains and contains all without partiality." The Mao edition of the Book of Poetry has the verse, "With great qualities truly civil and martial, brilliantly he affects his meritorious ancestors."

The Records of the Three Kingdoms states, "The followers of Pu Hu and Du Huo were all appointed as minor marquises." It further states, "Zhang Lu and his five sons were all appointed as minor marquises."

The Book of Han states, "When Gaozu (Liu Bang) entered Guanzhong, the officials and the people all enjoyed their past tranquility again." The Guanzi states, "The Four Professions are the foundation of the state: they are the scholar-officials, the farmers, the artisans, and the merchants."

In the Zuo Commentary, the Viscount of Chu says, "In ancient times, when the intelligent kings punished disrespectful and disobedient states, they took the greatest criminals among them, and buried them under a mound as the greatest punishment."

The Records continue, "Zhao Qu of Nan'an commandary campaigned against Ma Chao, and beheaded his wife and children." The Book of Han lists a Jincheng commandary.

Fan Ye's Book of Later Han states, "In the first year of Jian'an (196), the capital was moved to Xu."

In the Book of Han, Juan Xun says, "Nothing can be more perverse than treason."

Beginning with the description of the raptor, Chen Lin is now describing the coming campaign against Wu. The Book of Documents states, "King Wu of Zhou did battle with King Zhou of Shang at Muye." It also states, "Not until the eleventh year did King Wu campaign against Yin (Shang)." Kong Anguo remarked, "The lords all agreed, and King Wu withdrew from Meng Crossing as a sign of weakness."

"Clearing the brambles" meant eliminating the various bandits and rebels, and "cutting away the thorns" mean nipping future threats in the bud and guarding against them.

The Records continue, "In the twenty-first year of Jian'an (216), Cao Cao prepared his troops, then led a campaign against Sun Quan."

The Records continue, "In the twenty-first year of Jian'an (216), the Chanyu of the Xiongnu, Huquchuan, led his famous nobles to come to court, and was treated as an honored guest." The Book of Han states, "The various Qiang tribes are said to have crossed over to the north of the Huang River." So the Qiang must have dwelled on either side of the river. The Dingling and Chuge people were mentioned above.

According to the Book of Han, the city of Shouchun was in Jiujiang commandary.

According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, "Xiahou Yuan, styled Miaocai, was the younger kinsman of Xiahou Dun, and was appointed as General Who Conquers The West."

The Records continue, "In the twenty-first year of Jian'an (216), Xiahou Yuan was left to guard Hanzhong."

The Book of Han states, "When the state of Dongyue (Minyue) rebelled, Emperor Wu of Han sent the General Who Crosses The Seas, Han Yue, and the General of Tower Ships, Yang Pu, to lead the army into Yue."

These were the five lines of advance: first, the main army gathered at Shouchun and then marching south; second, the fifty thousand armored troops under Xiahou Yuan; third, the tribes moving down from Wudu to Tang and Shu; fourth, the armies of Jiangxia and Xiangyang marching to Yuzhang; and fifth, the tower ships sailing to Kuaiji.")

丞相銜奉國威，為民除害，元惡大憝，必當梟夷。至於枝附葉從，皆非詔書所特禽疾。故每破滅強敵，未嘗不務在先降後誅，拔將取才，各盡其用。是以立功之士，莫不翹足引領，望風響應。昔袁術僭逆，王誅將加，則廬江太守劉勳先舉其郡，還歸國家。呂布作亂，師臨下邳，張遼侯成，率衆出降，還討眭固，薛洪樛尚，開城就化。官渡之役，則張郃高奐舉事立功。後討袁尚，則都督將軍馬延、故豫州刺史陰夔、射聲校尉郭昭臨陣來降。圍守鄴城，則將軍蘇游反為內應，審配兄子開門入兵。既誅袁譚，則幽州大將焦觸攻逐袁熙，舉事來服。凡此之輩數百人，皆忠壯果烈，有智有仁，悉與丞相參圖畫策，折衝討難，芟敵搴旗，靜安海內，豈輕舉措也哉！誠乃天啟其心，計深慮遠，審邪正之津，明可否之分，勇不虛死，節不苟立，屈伸變化，唯道所存，���乃建丘山之功，享不訾之祿，朝為仇虜，夕為上將，所謂臨難知變，轉禍為福者也。若夫說誘甘言，懷寶小惠，泥滯苟且，沒而不覺，隨波漂流，與熛俱滅者，亦甚衆多。吉凶得失，豈不哀哉！昔歲軍在漢中，東西懸隔，合肥遺守，不滿五千，權親以數萬之衆，破敗奔走，今乃欲當禦雷霆，難以冀矣。

"Now the Prime Minister, as the agent of the state's authority, is acting to remove threats to the people, and there can be no salvation for the abhorrent chief criminals; they shall surely part with their heads. But 'the branches attached and the leaves that follow' may yet be spared; though the leaders are doomed, their followers need not be condemned. The imperial edict does not decree that such people must die. On the contrary, every time that the Prime Minister has vanquished a powerful foe, he has never failed to first offer opportunities for surrender and only afterwards execute those who would not submit. He has recruited generals and obtained talents, and all such people found their full use in his service. And in all instances, there have been meritorious ministers who have 'stood on tiptoes and craned their necks', who have heeded the situation and responded to circumstances.

“For example, when Yuan Shu treasonously claimed imperial title and the court executed him and his generals, the Administrator of Lujiang, Liu Xun, offered up his commandary to the court and return to the fold of the state. When Lü Bu caused turmoil and the Prime Minister led the army to Xiapi, Zhang Liao and Hou Cheng led their troops out to surrender. When the Prime Minister returned to campaign against Sui Gu, Xue Hong and Jiu Shang opened the gates of his city and submitted. During the battle of Guandu, Zhang He and Gao Huan (Gao Lan) changed sides and performed great deeds. Later, during the campaign against Yuan Shang, the General-Commandant, Ma Yan, the former Inspector of Yuzhou, Yin Kui, and the Colonel of Archers Who Shoot At A Sound, Guo Zhao, came and surrendered during the fighting. When the Prime Minister surrounded Ye, the general Su You turned against Yuan Shang and supported the Prime Minister from the inside, and Shen Pei's nephew opened the gates of the city and let the army in. After Yuan Tan was executed, the great general of Youzhou, Jiao Chu, attacked Yuan Xi and drove him out, then heeded the situation and came to submit.

"There were hundreds of such people, all loyal, strong, stalwart, and zealous, all intelligent, all benevolent. They all joined with the Prime Minister to advise him and help develop his plans, to break and charge on campaigns against his foes, to root out his enemies and pull up their banners, and to restore peace and tranquility within the Four Seas. They did not take such actions lightly! It was truly an instance of 'Heaven displaying its heart', of them 'thinking deeply and considering the long-term'.

"Consider well the crossing-point between good and evil; understand the division between possible and impossible. Let the brave not die a pointless death; let the dutiful not maintain a meager charge. Bow to the reality of circumstances, for there is only one road by which you may preserve yourself. And if you do so, then you may establish a mountain of achievements and enjoy an incalculable salary. Those who in the morning were hated criminals may become the highest of generals by evening. This is what is meant by 'recognizing the situation in the midst of difficulties and exchanging bad fortune for good'.

"There are those who will say I am only enticing you with honeyed words and trying to win you over with trifling kindness. But such people are merely stuck in the mud; they are already lost, yet they do not realize it. How many people shall continue to go along with the flow and be snuffed out in the flames with all the others? Would it not be tragic to throw away a chance for good fortune?

"A few years ago, when the army was at Hanzhong, the eastern flank of the state was far away from the west, and the garrison remaining at Hefei was not even five thousand strong, while Sun Quan personally led tens of thousands of soldiers against it. Yet he was routed and driven off in defeat. Now he thinks to stand against the rolling thunder. He has little hope.

〈尚書，成王曰：元惡大憝。〉〈楊雄覈靈賦曰：枝附葉從，表立景隨。〉〈新序，趙良謂商君曰：君亡可翹足而待也。左氏傳，穆叔謂晉侯曰：引領西望，曰庶幾乎！尚書曰：惟影響。孔安國曰：若影之隨形，響之應聲。〉〈魏志曰：建安四年，袁術敗於陳。術病死，廬江太守劉勳率衆降，封為列侯。〉〈魏志曰：張遼，字文遠，鴈門人也，以兵屬呂布。太祖破呂布於下邳，遼將衆降，拜中郎將，爵為關內侯。〉〈魏志曰：眭固屬袁紹，屯射犬。公進軍臨河，使史渙、曹仁渡河擊之。固使張楊故長史薛洪、河內太守樛尚留守，自將兵以迎紹求救，與渙、仁遇，交戰，大破之，斬固。公遂濟河，圍射犬。洪、尚率衆降，封為列侯。樛音留。〉〈魏志曰：公擊淳于瓊，留曹洪守。紹使張郃、高覽攻曹洪。郃等聞瓊破，遂來降。魏志云高覽，此云奐，蓋有二名。〉〈魏志曰：公圍尚，營未合，尚懼，遣故豫州刺史陰夔及陳琳乞降，公不許，圍益急。尚夜遯，保岐山，追擊之，其將馬延等臨陣降，衆大潰。〉〈魏志曰：尚攻譚，留蘇由守鄴。公進軍到洹水，由降。游與由同。〉〈魏志曰：袁尚走中山，盡獲其輜重印綬節鉞，使尚降人示其家，城中崩沮。審配兄子榮夜開所守東城門內兵，配逆戰敗，生禽配，斬之。〉〈魏志曰：建安十年，袁熙大將焦觸叛，熙、尚奔三郡烏丸，觸等舉其縣來降。〉〈西京賦曰：天啟其心。司馬相如喻巴蜀文曰：計深慮遠，急國家之難。〉〈答客難曰：所欲必得，功若丘山。賈逵國語注曰：訾，言量也。〉〈說苑，孔子曰：聖人轉禍為福，報怨以德。〉〈毛詩曰：盜言孔甘。論語曰：好行小惠。〉〈魏志曰：太祖使張遼與樂進等將七千餘人屯合肥。太祖征張魯，俄而權率十萬衆圍合肥。於是遼夜募敢從之士，得八百人。明日大戰，平旦，遼被甲持戟，先登陷陣，殺千人，斬二將。權登高冢，以長戟自守。遼呼，權不敢動。權守合肥十餘日，城不可拔，乃引退。〉

(In the Book of Documents, King Cheng of Zhou says, "Such great criminals are greatly abhorred."

Chen Lin quotes from Yang Xiong's Rhapsody of Heling, which has the verse, "The branches attach and the leaves follow; what has been raised shall be joined by a shadow."

In the Records of the Grand Historian, Zhao Liang states to Shang Yang, "Sir, they are waiting on tiptoes to see your demise." In the Zuo Commentary, Mushu says to the Marquis of Jin, "They are craning their necks and looking to the west, saying that it is so!" The Book of Documents has the phrase, "Mere shadows and echoes." Kong Anguo remarked, "This means like a shadow which follows a thing, or an echo which follows a sound."

The Records of the Three Kingdoms states, "In the fourth year of Jian'an (199), Yuan Shu was defeated at Qin. He passed away from illness. The Administrator of Lujiang, Liu Xun, led his troops to surrender, and he was appointed as a minor marquis."

The Records continue, "Zhang Liao, styled Wenyuan, was a native of Yanmen commandary. He was an officer under Lü Bu. When Cao Cao routed Lü Bu at Xiapi, Zhang Liao led his troops to surrender. He was appointed as a General of the Household Gentlemen and a Marquis Within The Passes."

The Records continue, "Sui Gu served under Yuan Shao, and was camped at Shequan. Cao Cao advanced to the Yellow River, and sent Shi Huan and Cao Ren to cross the river and attack Sui Gu. Sui Gu had Zhang Yang's former Chief Clerk, Xue Hong, and the Administrator of Henei, Jiu Shang, remain behind the guard his camp while he himself led troops to meet Yuan Shao and ask him for aid. But he encountered Shi Huan and Cao Ren, became locked in battle, and was greatly routed; they took Sui Gu's head. Cao Cao then crossed the river and besieged Shequan. Xue Hong and Jiu Shang led their forces to surrender, and were appointed as minor marquises." Jiu Shang's surname 樛 is pronounced "liu".

The Records continue, "When Cao Cao attacked Chunyu Qiong (at Wuchao), he left Cao Hong to guard his camp. Yuan Shao sent Zhang He and Gao Lan to attack Cao Hong. But when Zhang He and the others heard that Chunyu Qiong had been routed, they came and surrendered." The Records states that this officer's name was Gao Lan, while this proclamation writes his name as Gao Huan; he must've had two different given names.

The Records continue, "When Cao Cao surrounded Yuan Shang, since Yuan Shang's camp was not yet finished, he was afraid. He sent the former Inspector of Yuzhou, Yin Kui, and Chen Lin to beg to be allowed to surrender, but Cao Cao refused, and only tightened his siege even more. Yuan Shang then broke out during the night and held out in the mountains. Cao Cao pursued and attacked Yuan Shang; his generals, Ma Yan and others, surrendered during the fighting, and Yuan Shang's forces greatly collapsed."

The Records continue, "When Yuan Shang attacked Yuan Tan, he left Su You to guard Ye. Cao Cao advanced his army to the Huan River, and Su You surrendered." The Records record Su You's given name as 由, while this proclamation has it as 游; both are pronounced "you".

The Records continue, "When Yuan Shang fled to Zhongshan, Cao Cao captured all his supplies, his seals and ribbons, and his tallys and axes of authority. He sent defectors from Yuan Shang's army to display these things to their families, and the city's defenses thus collapsed. Shen Pei's nephew Shen Rong opened the eastern gate of the city during the night and let in Cao Cao's soldiers. Shen Pei fought back, but was defeated; he was captured alive, then beheaded."

The Records continue, "In the tenth year of Jian'an (205), Yuan Xi's great general Jiao Chu rebelled against him. Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang fled to the Wuhuan of the three commandaries, while Jiao Chu and others led their counties to come and surrender to Cao Cao."

The Rhapsody on the Western Capital has the verse, "Heaven displays its heart". In the Proclamation to Ba and Shu, Sima Xiangru says, "Think deeply and consider the long-term, for the state has pressing difficulties."

The Response to the Difficulties of the Guests states, "Everything they wished, they were sure to obtain; their achievements were like mountains". Jia Kui's notes on the Discourses of the States states, "訾 'calculable' means measurable."

In the Garden of Discussion, Confucius states, "The wise man exchanges misfortune for blessings, repays anger with virtue."

The Mao edition of the Book of Poetry has the verse, "He trusts the rogues that lie and sneak". The Analects states, "They enjoy indulging in trifling kindnesses."

The Records of the Three Kingdoms states, "Cao Cao sent Zhang Liao, Yue Jin, and others to lead more than seven thousand soldiers to camp at Hefei. While Cao Cao was campaigning against Zhang Lu, Sun Quan suddenly led an army of a hundred thousand to besiege Hefei. During the night, Zhang Liao sought to recruit soldiers who would dare to follow him, and obtained eight hundred such men. The next day, they fought a great battle; at dawn, Zhang Liao put on his armor, grasped his halberd, and plunged forward into the enemy formation. He killed a thousand people and took the heads of two generals. Sun Quan stood atop a high tomb, wielding a long halberd to defend himself. Zhang Liao shouted at him, but Sun Quan did not dare to move. Sun Quan kept Hefei under siege for more than ten days, but he could not take the city, so he withdrew.")

夫天道助順，人道助信，事上之謂義，親親之謂仁。盛孝章，君也，而權誅之，孫輔，兄也，而權殺之。賊義殘仁，莫斯為甚。乃神靈之逋罪，下民所同讎。辜讎之人，謂之凶賊。是故伊摯去夏，不為傷德；飛廉死紂，不可謂賢。何者？去就之道，各有宜也。

"One must gain the assistance of Heaven through submission to its will, and the help of the people through the building of trust; to act properly is called righteousness, and to show kinship is called benevolence. Yet though Sheng Xiaozhang (Sheng Xian) was a superior fellow, Sun Quan still executed him, and though Sun Fu was his own brother, Sun Quan still killed him. No one is worse than him in being a robber against righteousness and a ruffian against benevolence. Thus the gods and the spirits judge him as guilty, and the people are united in hatred of him.

"Those who would associate with such a criminal are themselves considered wicked bandits. That is why when, in ancient times, Yi Zhi (Yi Yin) abandoned Xia, he did no injury to virtue, but when Fei Lian died for the sake of King Zhou of Shang, he was not considered a worthy man. Why? Because there are times when it is proper to remain, but also times when it is proper to leave.

〈周易曰：天之所助者順也，人之所助信也。〉〈吳志曰：權殺吳郡太守盛憲。會稽典錄曰：憲字孝章。〉〈典略曰：孫輔恐權不能守江東，因權出行東治，乃遣人齎書呼曹公。行人以告，權乃還，偽若不知，與張昭共見輔。權謂輔曰：兄厭樂耶？何為呼他人？輔云無是。權投書與昭以示輔，輔慚無辭，乃悉斬輔親近，徙輔置東吳。〉〈孟子，齊王曰：臣弒其君可乎？孟子曰：賊仁者謂之賊，賊義者謂之殘。殘賊之人，謂之一夫。聞誅一夫紂矣，未聞弒其君也。〉〈尚書曰：伊尹去亳適夏，既醜有夏，復歸于亳。孫子曰：殷之興也，伊摯在夏。魏武曰：伊摯，伊尹也。孟子曰：周公相武王，誅紂，驅飛廉於海隅而戮之。〉

(The Book of Changes states, "One whom Heaven would assist must be obedient; one whom the people would help must be trustworthy."

The Records of the Three Kingdoms states, "Sun Quan killed the Administrator of Shu commandary, Sheng Xian." The Records of Canons of Kuaiji adds, "Sheng Xian's style name was Xiaozhang."

The Dianlue states, "Sun Fu was afraid that Sun Quan would not be able to defend the Southland. So when Sun Quan went out on an eastern patrol, Sun Fu sent an agent to bring a letter calling Cao Cao. But the agent informed Sun Quan of the plot instead. When Sun Quan returned, he pretended that he did not know of the plot, and together with Zhang Zhao he went to see Sun Fu. Sun Quan said to Sun Fu, 'Brother, are you unsatisfied? Why are you calling someone else?' Sun Fu said he was not. Sun Quan then flung the letter down so that he and Zhang Zhao could look at it. Sun Fu, ashamed, said nothing further. Sun Quan executed Sun Fu's close associates, and he exiled Sun Fu to eastern Wu."

The Mengzi states, "The King of Qi said, 'May a minister then put his sovereign to death?' Mencius said, 'He who outrages the benevolence proper to his nature, is called a robber; he who outrages righteousness, is called a ruffian. The robber and ruffian we call a mere fellow. I have heard that the fellow Zhou (King Zhou of Shang) was executed, but I have not heard of a putting a sovereign to death, in his case.'

The Book of Documents states, "Yi Yin left Hao and went to Xia, but after being disgusted by Xia, he returned to Hao again." The Art of War states, "Of old, the rise of the Yin dynasty was due to Yi Zhi who had served under the Xia." Cao Cao's commentary on that passage adds, "Yi Zhi was Yi Yin."

The Mengzi states, "King Wu of Zhou destroyed King Zhou of Shang. He drove Fei Lian to a corner by the sea, and slew him."

丞相深惟江東舊德名臣，多在載籍。近魏叔英秀出高峙，著名海內；虞文繡砥礪清節，耽學好古；周泰明當世俊彥，德行脩明。皆宜膺受多福，保乂��孫。而周盛門戶無辜被戮，遺類流離，湮沒林莽，言之可為愴然，聞魏周榮虞仲翔各紹堂構，能負析薪。及吳諸顧陸舊族長者，世有高位，當報漢德，顯祖揚名。及諸將校孫權婚親，皆我國家良寶利器，而並見驅迮，雨絕於天，有斧無柯，何以自濟？相隨顛沒，不亦哀乎！

"Now the Prime Minister deeply cherishes the longstanding legacies and virtues of the old Southland clans, which have been known for many generations. It was not so long ago that the brilliance of Wei Shuying rose above the highest mountains and his reputation spread all throughout the seas, that the moral principles and indulgent love of learning of Yu Wenxiu were widely regarded, and that the peerless talents and cultivated virtue of Zhou Taiming were known by all. Thus their descendants should 'long enjoy much happiness', and their sons and grandsons should be protected and preserved. Yet Zhou Sheng and all his clan, though innocent, have been executed; the lineage has been scattered and lost, falling into oblivion among the trees and grass. Is that not regrettable? And we have heard that Wei Zhourong and Yu Zhongxiang (Yu Fan) have inherited the legacies of their ancestors, so that 'what the father planned, the son must build', 'the wood chopped by the father must be carried by the son'. So too should the old gentry clans of the Wu region, the Gu, the Lu, and all the rest that have enjoyed high status for generations, repay the virtues of the Han dynasty and glorify the good names of their ancestors.

"Indeed, all the generals and officers of Sun Quan, all his marital relations, are fine treasures and useful tools of our state. Yet they are all pressing one another forward, like rain tumbling from the heavens; they are like an axe-blade without a handle, and how can that be used? They are falling into ruin together. Is that not lamentable?

〈尚書曰：永膺多福。又曰：保乂王家。〉〈吳志曰：虞翻，字仲翔。尚書曰：若考作室，既厎法，厥子乃弗肯堂，矧肯構。左氏傳，鄭子產曰：古人有言曰，其父析薪，其子弗克負荷。〉〈尚書曰：所寶惟賢，則邇人安。聖主得賢臣頌曰：夫賢者，國家器用也。所任賢，則趨舍省而功施普；器用利，則用力少而就效衆也。〉〈陸賈新語曰：有斧無柯，何以治之？〉

(The Book of Documents has the phrases "long enjoy much happiness" and "maintain and regulate the royal House".

According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Yu Fan's style name was Zhongxiang.

The Book of Documents states, "When a deceased father, wishing to build a house, had laid out the plan, if his son be unwilling to raise up the hall, how much less will he be willing to complete the roof!" In the Zuo Commentary, the Zheng minister Zichan says, "People have the saying: 'The father split the firewood, and the son was not able to carry it.'"

The Book of Documents states, "When the ruler finds value only in that which is worthy, his own people near at hand will be in a state of repose." The Ode on the Sage Ruler Obtaining Worthy Subjects states, "Worthy people are the useful tools of the state. When one employs the worthy, they will hurry to come to you and achievements will become widespread; when one utilizes the useful, then with little effort one may tend well to the people."

Lu Jia's New Tales has the saying, "If an axe-blade has no handle, how can it be used?")

蓋鳳鳴高岡以遠罻羅，賢聖之德也。鸋鴃之鳥巢於葦苕，苕折子破，下愚之惑也。今江東之地，無異葦苕，諸賢處之，信亦危矣。聖朝開弘曠蕩，重惜民命，誅在一人，與衆無忌，故設非常之賞，以待非常之功。乃霸夫烈士奮命之良時也，可不勉乎！若能翻然大舉，建立元勳，以應顯祿，福之上也。如其未能，笇量大小，以存易亡，亦其次也。

"Among birds, the phoenix builds its nest high up on a lofty ridge, thus displaying the virtues of a worthy sage. But wrens and shrikes build their nests on reeds and twigs, and when the reeds snap the chicks are destroyed; this displays the delusions of the lowly and foolish. And currently, the Southland itself is no different from such a reed or twig, with many worthy people perched upon it. Truly, they are in great danger.

"The court is generous and magnanimous, tolerant and forgiving, and most sympathetic to the lives of the people. They seek the execution of one man alone, but have no suspicion towards anyone else. Thus they present uncommon rewards, in the expectation of uncommon achievements. Is there not some domineering fellow, some man of passion and drive, who will seize this moment to wrest control of their fate? If so, be diligent! For whosoever can arrange a grand undertaking and perform the greatest of achievements will earn great glory and riches; that would lead to the greatest fortune. Or if you cannot bring yourselves to do that, it would still be sufficient for you to analyze well the situation you face and consider how to exchange death for life.

〈毛詩曰：鳳皇鳴矣，于彼高岡；梧桐生矣，于彼朝陽。〉〈韓詩曰：鴟鴞：既取我子，無毀我室。鴟鴞，鸋鴃，鳥名也。鴟鴞所以愛養其子者，適以病之。愛憐養其子者，謂堅固其窠巢；病之者，謂不知託於大樹茂枝，反敷之葦䓟。風至，䓟折巢覆，有子則死，有卵則破，是其病也。字林曰：鸋鴃，鴞也，上乃丁切，下古穴切。廣雅曰：鸋鴃，工雀也。荀卿子曰：南方鳥名蒙鳩，為巢，編之以髮，繫之葦苕。苕折卵破。巢非不牢，所繫之弱也。說文曰：葦，大葭也。〉〈司馬長卿難蜀父老曰：有非常之事，然後有非常之功。〉〈未能如上之計。〉〈漢書，鄒陽上書曰：昔者鄭祭仲許宋人立公子突以活其君，非其義也。春秋記之，為其以生易死，以存易亡。〉

(The Mao edition of the Book of Poetry has the verse, "The male and female phoenix give out their notes, on that lofty ridge. The dryandras grow, on those eastern slopes."

The Han edition of the Book of Poetry has the verse, "O owl, O owl! You have taken my young ones; do not also destroy my nest."

Owl, wren, and shrike are the names of birds. Among such birds, there are those that tenderly care for their chicks, and those who soon have cause to mourn them. For the loving ones find a sturdy place to set their nests or burrows, while the mourning ones do not think to place their nests upon a large branch of some great tree, but only set it upon the reeds, and when a wind comes, the reeds snap and the nest falls. Thus any chicks are killed and any eggs are broken; this is the source of their grief.

The Forest of Characters states, "Shrikes and wrens are the same as owls. Above, they carve nests; below, they dig out burrows." The Guangya states, "Wrens and shrikes are industrious birds." The Xunzi states, "There is a bird in the south called the Meng Wren. When it builds its nest, it wraps it in hair and ties it to reeds. But when the reeds snap, the eggs are broken. It is not that the nest was not durable; the problem was that the ties were too weak." The Shuowen dictionary states, "A reed is a large bulrush."

Sima Xiangru's Refuting the Elders of Shu states, "When there are uncommon events, then there shall be uncommon achievements."

Chen Lin was saying those who could not carry out the greatest plan (of achieving "the greatest thing", perhaps by killing Sun Quan).

In the Book of Han, Zou Yang's petition states, "In ancient times, when Ji Zhong of the state of Zheng allowed the people of Song to make the late duke's son Tu the new ruler, it was not because of Tu's righteousness. Rather, as the Spring and Autumn Annals tell us, it was in order to save himself and exchange death for life.")

夫係蹄在足，則猛虎絕其蹯；蝮蛇在手，則壯士斷其節。何則？以其所全者重，以其所棄者輕。若乃樂禍懷寧，迷而忘復，闇大雅之所保，背先賢之去就，忽朝陽之安，甘折苕之末，日忘一日，以至覆沒，大兵一放，玉石俱碎，雖欲救之，亦無及已。故令往購募爵賞科條如左。檄到詳思至言。如詔律令。

"Even a tiger will gnaw off its own paw if it is bound by a rope, and even a strong fellow will chop off his own wrist if there is a viper on his hand. Why? Because of the danger posed to the whole body. They see the preservation of their whole body as more important than the loss of the limb. Will you then take delight in your misfortune and think you are at peace, continue your wandering and forget to turn back, be blind to the praises of the Daya poem and ignore the ways in which the past worthies exchanged sides, and turn away from a sure means of safety and prefer to remain on the snapping branch? Shall you live your life only one day to the next, until in the end you are lost? For when our great soldiers are flung against you, then the jade will be smashed along with the stone, and even if you sought to save yourself then, it would be too late.

"Thus I have sent forth these offers to recruit you, to offer titles and rewards and this opportunity to reform yourselves. When you receive this proclamation, carefully consider what I have said to you.

"This decree has the force of an imperial edict."

〈戰國策，魏魁謂建信君曰：人有置係蹄者而得虎，虎怒，跌蹯而去。虎之情匪不愛其蹯也，然而不以環寸之蹯，害七尺之軀，有權也。今國家者，非直七尺之軀也，而君之身於王非環寸之蹯也，願公早圖之也。延叔堅曰：係蹄，獸絆也。〉〈漢書曰：項梁使使趨齊兵擊章邯，田榮曰：楚殺田假，趙殺田角、田間，乃出兵。楚不殺假，趙亦不殺角、間。齊王曰：蝮蠚手則斬手，蠚足則斬足，何者？為害於身也。田假、田角、田間於楚、趙非手足之戚，何故不殺？〉〈周易曰：迷復之凶，反君道也。〉〈毛詩大雅曰：既明且哲，以保其身。〉〈尚書曰：火炎崑岡，玉石俱焚。〉〈史記，衛平謂宋王曰：後雖悔之，亦無及已。〉

(In the Strategies of the Warring States, Wei Kui says to Lord Jianxin, "If a person binds a tiger with a rope, the tiger will become so enraged that it will even gnaw its paw off to escape. Of course, it is not that the tiger does not love its paw, but when the paw is bound, it is willing to lose a few inches of flesh in order to get away. Now as for our state, though it is more than a few inches of flesh, yet the King also considers you more than a mere bound paw. I implore you to consider this at once." Yan Shujian remarked, "A rope is a tool for binding beasts."

The Book of Han states, "When Xiang Liang of the state of Chu sent envoys asking the soldiers of Qi to attack Zhao's city of Zhanghan, Tian Rong objected, 'It was because Chu killed Tian Jia that Zhao killed Tian Jiao and Tian Jian, then sent out troops. If Chu had not killed Tian Jia, then Zhao would not have killed Tian Jiao or Tian Jian.' But the King of Qi told him, 'If a viper stings one in the hand, one must cut it off, and it is the same way with the foot. Why? Because of the threat to the body. Now those gentlemen were not even as close to Chu and Zhao as hands and feet, so why would they not have killed them?'"

The Book of Rites states, "'The evil consequent on being all astray on the subject of returning' is because the course pursued is contrary to the proper course for a ruler."

The Daya poem in the Mao edition of the Book of Poetry has the verse, "Intelligent is he and wise, protecting his own person."

The Book of Documents states, "When the fire blazes over the ridge of Kun, gems and stones are burned together."

In the Records of the Grand Historian, Wei Ping says to the King of Song, "Even if you later regret it, it will be too late then.")

[movielosophy]

A Dream of Splendor ~ Okay, this is somehow...romantic

[friendship-korea-japan]

1.2.2. Gija Joseon

Question 1: Beginning of Korea › 2. Gojoseon period › 2. Gija Joseon

Click here for table of contents

1.2.2. Gija Joseon

  In Samguk Yusa, there is a following description on Gija Joseon in the last part of the description on Gojoseon (Wanggeom Joseon).

[ In 813 B.C., when the King of Tiger of the Zhou Dynasty (King Wu) came to the throne and Gija was enfeoffed with Joseon, Dangun moved to Changtang-kyong, later came back to Asadal, hid himself and became a mountain god. It is said that Dangun lived up to 1908 years old.]

  However, Gija Joseon is not mentioned in the description on Gojoseon in Junior High School Textbook. The entire following passage that exists in the original text of Samguk Yusa has been deleted from Junior High School Textbook: “The King of Tiger took the throne in 813 B.C.. Gija was enfeoffed with Joseon. Dangun moved to Changtang-kyong. He later hid himself in Asadal, where he became a mountain god”.

  What is noteworthy in this original sentence is the description that “Gija was enfeoffed with Joseon”. According to Great Chinese-Japanese Character Dictionary written by Tetsuji Morohashi (published by Daishukan Shoten) (hereinafter referred to as Great Chinese-Japanese Character Dictionary), the character 封 (enfeoff) referred to the fact that the Heavenly Prince nominated feudal lords and gave them dominions. Therefore, this 封 suggests that the King Wu of Zhou gave Joseon to Gija as a dominion, as the king had the authority to entrust him with governance. In other words, the territory of Gojoseon belonged to the Zhou Dynasty.

  That was why Dangun did not defy Gija, hid himself and became a mountain god. Also, while it is stated that this Gija Joseon existed for 619 years from 813 B.C. to 194 B.C., Junior High School Textbook does not even mention Gija Joseon.

  It is likely that the author intentionally hid the existence of Gija Joseon, in order to hide the fact that Gojoseon was part of the territory of the Zhou Dynasty of China. If there is no such intention, it is quite unlikely that the presence of Gija Joseon, which lasted for as long as 619 years, has been omitted from a history textbook.

  On the other hand, there is the following description on Gija Joseon in History of Korea by Tanaka.

[ Gija is a relative of King Zhou, the last king of the Yin Dynasty of China, and he is considered a sage because he found it against his conscience to serve the Zhou Dynasty after the collapse of Yin. King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty asked for instruction from Gija, and the content of instruction obtained was described in Book of Documents, chapter “Hong-Fan”.

While it is said that Gija established a state in Korea, this was not mentioned in the contemporary record and appeared only in the Han era. Sima Qian pointed out in Records of the Grand Historian that King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty enfeoffed Gija with Joseon. Also, according to the Book of Han by Ban Gu, Gija left Yin for Joseon and enlightened people with Eight Prohibitions….]

  As the description on Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian is reliable, it is likely that this tale of foundation of Gija Joseon has existed at least since the era of Han, when Records of the Grand Historian was written.

  Sima Qian lived between around 145 to 87 B.C.. He lived around seven hundred years later than 813 B.C., when Gija Joseon was founded. It is possible to consider that the myth of the foundation of Gija Joseon was formed during this period and was introduced to the Han Dynasty.

  Regarding the circumstances during this period, there is the following description in History of Korea edited by the Society for the Korean Historical Science (published by Sanseido) (hereinafter referred to asHistory of Korea by the Society for the Korean Historical Science).

[ Apart from these legends of national foundation, it was approximately from the Warring States period of China that the situation in the Korean Peninsula became clear. More specifically, around fourth to third centuries BC, the Yan Dynasty extended its sphere of influence to the east and invaded the western part of Korea, putting the border in Manpanhan (in the basin of Chongchon River). However, at that time, Korea had a chieftain who was called king, and the grand masters assisted him. […] Then, at the era of Jun Wang, son of the Joseon’s king Bu, Korea welcomed refugees from Yan, Qi and Zhao dynasties who had fled upheavals during the period of transition from Qin to Han dynasty. […] China was obtaining detailed information about Korea during these negotiations. However, it is not certain whether this Korean state was established by Gija, therefore it is not possible to call this dynasty Gija Joseon. Rather, we can say that the myth of Gija Joseon was established through the combination of a Korean independent force and the sage of Yin named Gija. At that time, Chinese people who had flowed into the Korean Peninsula played an important role. In other words, the legend of Gija Joseon reflected information on Korea between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC as well as the movement of Chinese immigrants.]

  The description in History of Korea by the Society for the Korean Historical Science that “the legend of Gija Joseon reflected information on Korea between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC as well as the movement of Chinese immigrants” is only an inference and does not seem to completely deny the existence of Gija Joseon.

  It was stated that Korea had a king around 195 B.C., at the beginning of Wiman Joseon. It is possible to consider that this king was one of the successive kings of the Gija Joseon dynasty which remained in power for 618 years from 813 B.C., but there is no evidence that supports this inference. Moreover, no proof has been found that denies the existence of Gija Joseon.

  What is certain is that Records of the Grand Historian written by Sima Qian states that King Wu of the Zhou dynasty enfeoffed Gija with Joseon, that according to the Book of Han by Ban Gu, Gija left Yin for Korea and enlightened people with Eight Prohibitions, and that there is a description in Samguk Yusa similar to that of Records of the Grand Historian.

[kikotsukino]

Review

Eternal Love / Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms / Three Lives Three Worlds

Eternal Love (Chinese: 三生三世十里桃花; pinyin: Sān shēng sān shì shí lǐ táo huā lit. Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms) is a 2017 Chinese television series starring Yang Mi and Mark Chao. It is based on the xianxia novel of the same name (released as To the Sky Kingdom in English) by Tang Qi. The series was broadcast on Zhejiang TV and Dragon TV from January 30 to March 1, 2017.

Episodes: 58 

Date: Jan 30, 2017 to Mar 1, 2017  

Studio: Gcoo Entertainment, Jaywalk Studio, San Weihuo 

Network: ZJTV

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Xianxia

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Plot:  Since Bai Qian is the future Queen of the Fox Tribe, she was quite mischievous (at a very young age) and because of this, her mother in particular insists she go study Taoist Cultivation at Kunlun Mountain, with Master Mo Yuan. As the school only allows male students, Zhe Yan(High God) used his magic to disguise Bai Qian as a male to hide her identity, which, only a few people saw through her disguise (Mo Yuan is one of them), even knowing Bai Qian is a female, Mo Yuan(High God) accepted her as one of his disciple anyway because since the moment she stepped into the Grand hall of Kunlan Mountain, the sacred/magical artifact: Jade Purity Fan of Kunlun chose her as it master, and Mo Yuan knowing this cannot be handed over to one outside of Kunlan Mountain, he accepted her as his disciple because he sees that she’s fated to be his disciple. From there on, she was given the rank ‘Seventeenth’ and another identity known as Si Yin.

Although she is not a very hard working student, but she does show a high respect for Mo Yuan, and Mo Yuan does dotes on her, even to the point that he would subject himself to the heavenly trial in her stead for her to become High Immortal (and gets severely injured in the process), after this, she becomes quite studious.

After a devastating war, between the Ghost Tribe and the Celestial Tribe, the celestial tribe paid a heavy price when Mo Yuan (God of War) used his spirit to seal the demon lord (Qing Cang). 70000 years later, in an attempt to re-seal the demon lord who broke free, Bai Qian have succeeded, but her memories and celestial powers was sealed up by Qing Cang, where she was sent to the mortal realm and became a mortal (which was part of her heavenly trial to ascend to ‘High God’ status) with the alias of Su Su. In the mortal world, she meets Ye Hua and the two fell in love. In order to prevent the same tragedy (that happened to Sang Ji and Shao Xin) from befalling, Ye Hua attempts to fake his death while hiding Su Su from the Nine Heavens. However, Ye Hua's plans were eventually thwarted and Su Su was brought to the Nine Heavens. Su Jin, who is jealous of Ye Hua's devotion/love for Su Su, intentionally creates a series of misunderstanding between them and causes Su Su to lose her eyes. Thinking that Ye Hua has betrayed her, the devastated Su Su jumps off from the Zhu Xian Terrace, returning her back to her goddess status.

When Bai Qian body was found by Zhe Yan in the Ten Miles of Peach Wood, she was saved, however her very depressed self requested for Zhe Yan to give her the amnesia potion so she can erase her memories/forgets Ye Hua.

Three hundred years later, the two meet again as deities. Another lifetime another world, Ye Hua recognizes Bai Qian as the only woman he loves but the latter remains indifferent. Ye Hua begins to pursue Bai Qian for a second time to regain her affections, and eventually succeeds when his love is requited. From beginning to end, time continues to flow and the lines of their fates continue to cross: an entanglement of three lives and three worlds and a road of peach blossoms.

Ranking: 10/10 <- I know this is actually/probably the first time I’ve given a full mark to a series review, perhaps it’s even my first time doing up one on my end! But, I just really have to considering, I am really into/obsess with this drama on my end. It’s definitely one of the best, if not, the best I’ve seen. I cannot count how many times I have re-watched this on my end, I’m so glad I gotten into this drama because I don’t regret watching it. It has really given beyond on what I have hoped for, and more (so this is definitely my all time favorite Chinese Fantasy Romance Drama) Aside from a few characters that gets on my nerves (but what series doesn’t have those characters to add in the drama?), I do love a lot of characters in this (which I will do a list later (in this post) to show some of the chara’s I love/hate). What I am impress with is, the writer actually manage to solve everything (without any plot-holes) by the end of the story. Like, all the obstacles was removed, with no more questions left. At first, I actually had a question that was on my mind since the beginning and then when it was revealed I was like "ohhhh... so that's why...". I love how the love story was executed, and how each character did their roles well. I love Ye Hua’s love/devotion to only Bai Qian(Su Su), and no matter what happens, he loves her, and only her. There are times where I think the writer might do something stupid which adds to more drama, but in the end, it surprises me in a very good way, like when Miao Qing secretly add the love-potion into the soup that she made for Ye Hua but Ye Hua didn’t drink it because he knows there’s something in that soup, and I’m like “Yes!” and when Su Jin created that fake Su Su to seduce Ye Hua (when Ye Hua was doing his heavenly trial in the mortal world (without his memories at all)) to anger Bai Qian, he still didn’t disappoint me, because he’s only been waiting for one woman i.e. Bai Qian because he made a promise with her when she visited him when he was 11 years old that they will get marry when he’s older, his whole life, he waited just for her, and I’m like “awwww”. Seriously, Ye Hua didn’t disappoint me, and I love that about him! I also love how Ye Hua gives me a feeling that I can believe in him and that he's strong from beginning to the end... Strong in terms of character, and his power level was consistent and doesn’t disappoint, I also love how the battles are executed...(honestly Mashima can take a lesson from this -.-).

On my end, I’m a sucker for a good romance story, and Eternal Love has it all! I love how it was truly a touching love story for the main pair (Ye Hua x Bai Qian), with a lot of obstacles that comes their way (that made me cry), it was an emotional roller-coaster  but what I love is where there are times I have my doubts but the writer didn't disappoint and gave me more to show me how much they only love each other. I love the scenery and the effects, omg.... where am I going to find another series like this?! I love the music too! There's alot of characters I love but there's also those I hate with a passion but glad they got what they deserved in the end..but in the overall what I love the most is, the pairing/otp I love can get a HAPPY ENDING that they deserve, because that's the most important!!! It made me feel so happy for them!!!

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(1) Favourite Character(s):

Ye Hua (no.1 fav on Male side):

Mo Yuan:

Bai Qian (no.1 fav on female side)

A Li:

Zhe Yan:

Bai Zhen:

Di Jun:

Feng Jiu:

(2) Characters that gives me a sense of reliability (in terms of power-level) :

Ye Hua:

Mo Yuan:

Zhe Yan:

Di Jun:

(3) Other Characters that I like:

Mi Gu:

Lian Song ( Ye Hua’s third Uncle ):

Nai Nai:

Kunlan First Disciple (Die Feng) :

Kunlan 16th Disciple (Zhi Lan):

Kunlan 9th Disciple (Ling Yu) :

Kunlan 2nd Disciple:

Li Zhing:

Yan Zhi:

Di Jun Star Lord(Si Ming):

Ye Hua’s two Star Lord Tian Shu & Jia Yun:

(4) Character I HATE with a passion:

Su Jin:

(5) Other character(s) I hate/strong dislike:

Miao Qin:

Su Jin maid:

Xuan nu:

 OTP: Ye Hua x Bai Qian:

 Also love:

Mo Yuan selfless love for Bai Qian

Di Jun x Feng Jiu

Daddy Ye Hua

A-Li’s attachment to his mother (Bai Qian/Su Su)

 Neutral (where sometimes I dislike at times):

Heavenly Lord:

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Additional comment: Within the Celestial Tribe, only the Dragon Clan, the Pheonix Clan, and the Nine-tailed fox clan are well respected within the Celestial Tribe.

Although Ye Hua is the Crown Prince of the Celestial Tribe (Nine Heavens), I guess he’s also part/representation of the Dragon Clan(?) since his true form is a Dragon <3

And Bai Qian is the White Fox (Nine tales) ~

Bai Feng Jiu as the red fox (Nine tales)

Sigh, too bad, I didn’t get to see Zhe Yan’s true form (since he’s the Pheonix) <3

[skullsandwineglasses]

It just hit me that Chen Xiao vaguely reminds me of Leslie Cheung. Obviously, no one can match Leslie Cheung’s charisma, but from some angles, especially when Chen Xiao’s character Gu Qian Fan flirts with Liu Yifei’s Pan Er in A Dream of Splendor, some of his charm and suave echoes that of Leslie’s.