#character: wu shan

[movielosophy]

Blossom | If I hadn't meet you, my life would be nothing but mediocre. There's no need to feel sorry for me.

[thefeastandthefast]

I'm at episode 25 and wanted to gather together a few thoughts before the last third of Blossom airs. I've watched a range of good, bad, and mediocre TV this year, but only Blossom has short-circuited the killjoy critical (as opposed to the thoughtfully critical) part of my brain so effectively I'm able to access the delicious, immersive, electric pleasure of pure feeling.

Will Love in Spring got very close but I'm a costume drama girly at heart and dramatic hair, swishy cloaks, feudalism, and a fat degree of separation from everything that is relatable or relevant to my actual life gets me to that space most efficiently.

The direction and visual storytelling is assured and distinctive without drawing undue attention to itself (ahemTheDouble)- this darling director is supremely invested in the details that convey tension and passion. It's a big, unabashedly earnest, Romantic romance where the emotional trajectory of the relationship is communicated through the leads looking into each other's eyes with the intention of genuine discovery, paired with strong symbolic imagery (snow and ashes, stones thrown and ripples in the river, red and white ribbons on the magnolia tree, masks, blindfolds, cloaking as protection, the double swords, the spear, etc).

He draws out, dwells on, and offers up to us all the minute changes in the eyes of the leads, as these two characters transition slowly through the stages of their regard for each other, from suspicion to admiration to devotion. Think of for instance the scene (I think in 5? 7?) when Dou Zhao commands Song Mo to look into her eyes, hoping with everything for Wu Shan’s sake that he can read the truth there as he assesses her with cool calculation. Compare with the scene in 23 of their reunion, Song Mo’s eyes suddenly wet and gleaming, when he sees Dou Zhao in tears, the adrenaline faded, the belated fear, and relief at seeing him appear. In less capable hands it would be saccharine. But no- it’s expertly calibrated. I'm moved. I’m transported.

The director also knows exactly when to use a judicious bit of slow motion, just enough, not too much, to amp up the juiciness of action sequences and to underline a particularly swoony moment (that delightful bit when he lifts her over the brazier). And speaking of action sequences- I will always love my wuxia wirework but the action choreography here feels wonderfully grounded yet doesn’t skimp on heightened stylized beauty, making good use of Li Yunrui’s intensive combat movement and horsemanship training from the filming of Creation of the Gods.

And I thought I was tired of center-framed closeups of faces. But those two seconds in episode 23 focusing on Dou Zhao’s maid’s lip curl of disdain after slashing Duke Ying’s twitchy minion has changed my mind! “狗东西!”

And of course there's the lighting, the LIGHTING, THE LIGHTING. When the success of your romance hinges on people looking at each other, their eyes had better glow with meaning and intention and emotion. And HOW.

[toomuchwist]

tfw you know wu shan is going to get rejected by the headstrong female lead but his puppy dog character makes you want to root for him anyway. i'll have him so dou zhao can have song mo ahaha.

[journeytothewestresearch]

The Crow's Nest Chan Master of JTTW

I am reading back through Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西遊記) and was reminded of a strange, seemingly throwaway character who appears at the end of chapter 19, the "Crow's Nest Chan Master" (Wuchao chanshi, 烏巢禪師). He is described as an accomplished cultivator who lives in a juniper tree nest on Pagoda Mountain (Futu shan, 浮屠山), just beyond the border of Tibet (Wusicang, 烏斯藏). Zhu Bajie claims the master once asked him to jointly practice austerities, but the pig-spirit passed on the opportunity. Flash back to the present, and the pilgrims pass into his domain. After a brief chat, the Crow's Nest Chan master orally passes on the Heart Sutra (Xin jing, 心經) to Tripitaka.

There are two things that interest me about the Chan Master. The first is his magical abilities. Sun Wukong is offended by the monk but fails to hit him with his staff:

Enraged, Pilgrim lifted his iron rod and thrust it upward violently, but garlands of blooming lotus flowers were seen together with a thousand-layered shield of auspicious clouds. Though Pilgrim might have the strength to overturn rivers and seas, he could not catch hold of even one strand of the crow's nest (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 391).

This reminds me of an event from Acts of the Buddha (Sk: Buddhacarita; Ch: Fo suoxing za, 佛所行讚, 2nd-century), an ancient biography of the Buddha:

The host of Mara hastening, as arranged, each one exerting his utmost force, taking each other’s place in turns, threatening every moment to destroy [the Buddha, but] … Their flying spears, lances, and javelins, stuck fast in space, refusing to descend; the angry thunderdrops and mighty hail, with these, were changed into five-colour’d lotus flowers…” (Beal, 1883, pp. 152 and 153).

This points to the Crow's Nest Chan Master having great holy powers.

The second thing that interests me is that he is based on a historical monk, Niaoke Daolin (鳥窠道林, lit: "Bird's Nest" Daolin; 741–824). Here is his full biography from the Records of the Transmission of the Lamp (Jingde chuandenglu, 景德傳燈錄, 1004 to 1007):

Chan master Niaoke Daolin ... was from Fuyang in Hangzhou and his family name was Pan. His mother, whose maiden name was Zhu, once dreamt of the rays of the sun entering her mouth, after which she conceived. When the baby was born a strange fragrance pervaded the room, so the name ‘Fragrant Light’ was given to the boy. He left the home life at the age of nine and received the full precepts at the Guoyuan Temple in Jing (Jingling, Hubei) when he was twenty-one years old. Later he went to the Ximing Monastery in Chang’an to study the Huayan Jing (Avatasaka Sūtra) and the Śāstra on the Arising of Faith (Śraddhotpada Śāstra, Aśvagosa) under the Dharma Teacher Fuli, who also introduced him to the Song of the Real and Unreal, and had him practise meditation. Once Niaoke asked Fuli, ‘Could you say how one meditates and how to exercise the heart?’ Teacher Fuli was silent for a long time, so then the master bowed three times and withdrew. It happened that at this time Tang Emperor Taizong had called the First Teacher in the Empire [Daoqin] of Jing Mountain to the Imperial Palace and Daolin went to pay him a formal visit, obtaining the True Dharma from him. Returning south the master first came to the Yongfu Temple on Mount Gu (Zhejiang), where there was a stūpa dedicated to the Pratyekabuddhas. At this time both monks and laymen were gathering there for a Dharma-talk. The master also entered the hall, carrying his walking stick, which emitted a clicking sound. There was a Dharma-teacher present from a temple called Lingying, whose name was Taoguang, and who asked the master, ‘Why make such a sound in this Dharma-meeting?’ ‘Without making a sound who would know that it was a Dharmameeting?’ replied the master. Later, on Qinwang Mountain, the master saw an old pine tree with lush foliage, its branches shaped like a lid, so he settled himself there, in the tree, which is why the people of that time called him Chan Master Niaoke (Bird’s Nest). Then magpies made their nest by the master’s side and became quite tame through the intimacy with a human – so he was also referred to as the Magpie Nest Monk. One day the master’s attendant Huitong suddenly wished to take his leave. ‘Where are you off to then?’ asked the master. ‘Huitong left the home life for the sake of the Dharma, but the venerable monk has not let fall one word of instruction, so now it’s a question of going here and there to study the Buddha-dharma,’ replied Huitong. ‘If it could be said that there is Buddha-dharma,’ said the master, ‘I also have a little here,’ whereupon he plucked a hair from the robe he was wearing and blew it away. Suddenly Huitong understood the deep meaning. During the Yuan reign period (806-820 CE) Bai Juyi was appointed governor of this commandery and so went to the mountain to pay the master a courtesy call. He asked the master, ‘Is not the Chan Master’s residing here very dangerous?’ ‘Is not your Excellency’s position even more so?’ countered the master. ‘Your humble student’s place is to keep the peace along the waterways and in the mountains. What danger is there in that?’ asked Bai Juyi. ‘When wood and fire meet there is ignition – the nature of thinking is endless,’ replied the master, ‘so how can there not be danger?’ ‘What is the essence of the Buddha-dharma?’ asked Bai. ‘To refrain from all evil and do all that is good,’ answered the master. ‘A three-year-old child already knows these words,’ said Bai. ‘Although a three-year-old can say them, an old man of eighty can’t put them into practice!’ countered the master. Bai then made obeisance. In the fourth year, during the tenth day of the second month of the reign period Changqing (824 CE), the master said to his attendant, ‘Now my time is up.’ And having spoken he sat on his cushion and passed away. He was eighty-four years old and had been a monk for sixty-three years. (Textual note: Some say the master’s name was Yuanxiu, but this is probably his posthumous name.) (Whitfiled, n.d., pp. 56-58).

Sources:

Beal, S. (Trans.). (1883). The Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king: A Life of Buddha by Asvaghosha Bodhisattva. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/foshohingtsankin00asva/mode/2up.

Whitfiled, R. S. (Trans.). (n.d.). Records of the Transmission of the Lamp: Volume 2 - The Early Masters. Hokun Trust. Retrieved from https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Lamp2.pdf

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012). The Journey to the West (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

[web-novel-polls]

WN Non-Sapient Animal Upper Bracket

["Anti-Propaganda" is NOT allowed. Please be courteous and only give reasons to vote FOR a character.]

Demy from When the Third Wheel Strikes Back

Type of Animal: Red panda / Divine Beast

Submission: A little red panda who can control plants, for example making vines to climb buildings! Loves good food despite not needing to eat, as a divine beast. Our transmigrator's most helpful companion, tbh U-U (sentences that would get me k-worded by the transmigrator's bf and gf)

Wiki Link

The Sable from Qi Ye / Lord Seventh

Submission 1: A precious fluffy boi. Venomous. Was raised by Wu Xi and later sold by his father-- ahem given as gift to Jing Beiyuan. 

Submission 2: The cutest venomous critter among all venomous critters! Squeaky delightful thing with his poisoned teeth and his poisoned claws and his butt! Also, he saves MC's life against an assassin at one point, making him the most adorable (but no less effective) bodyguard of all time.

Xiao Lu from Of Mountains and Rivers / Shan He Biao Li

Type of Animal: Snake

Submission: The cutest little snake who follows the MC home. (MC: you are not a cute puppy! *pets it* *is a snake dad now*) Saves MC's life. Grows a little bigger over the course of the novel. Plays a major role in the finale but that's mega spoilers.

[gay-disabled-characters-showdown]

Revival Round Characters:

These are the characters in the revival round. We did use a metric to determine who should be put in, but also took some of those people out and tossed some others in, so we won’t tell you what metric we used.

Valerie Day (Paranatural)

Princess Sapphia (High Class Homos)

Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

Kate Rose (Cosmoknights)

Vespa Ilkay (The Penumbra Podcast)

Xue Xian (Copper Coins / Tong Qian Kan Shi)

Darth Maul (Star Wars)

Shallan Davar (The Stormlight Archive)

Arthur Lester (Malevolent)

Song Lan (The Untamed / Mo Dao Zu Shi)

Lenore Vandernacht (Nevermore)

Daan (Fear and Hunger)

Crona (Soul Eater)

Shane (Stardew Valley)

Jesper Fahey (Six of Crows)

Frankie Stein (Monster High)

Dezi (The Sunbearer Trials)

Day (Last Twilight)

Havelock Vetinari (Discworld)

Aurelio (The Sunbearer Trials)

Wu Zetain (Iron Widow)

Viktor (Arcane)

Runaan (The Dragon Prince)

Shi Qingxuan (Heaven Official’s Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu)

Ianthe Tridentarius (The Locked Tomb)

Adam Parrish (The Raven Cycle)

Izzy Hands (Our Flag Means Death)

Hermann Gottlieb (Pacific Rim)

Hearthstone (Magnus Chase)

Gobber (How To Train Your Dragon)

Chu Sangwoo (Semantic Error)

Wen Kexing (Word of Honor / Shan He Ling)

Suletta Mercury (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury)

Wen Kexing (Faraway Wanderers / Tian Ya Ke)

Ayda Aguefort (Dimension 20)

Lilith Clawthorne (The Owl House)

Juno Steel (The Penumbra Podcast)

Jonathan Sims (The Magnus Archives)

Melanie King (The Magnus Archives)

Yang Xiao Long (RWBY)

Andrew Minyard (All For The Game)

Ballister Boldheart (Nimona (Film))

Nico di Angelo (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Wylan Van Eck (Six of Crows)

Entrapta (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

Ashton Greymoore (Critical Role)

Buddy Aurinko (The Penumbra Podcast)

Charlie Spring (Heartstopper)

Takashi ‘Shiro’ Shirogane (Voltron: Legendary Defender)

Norma Khan (Dead End: Paranormal Park)

Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)

Heart (Moonlight Chicken)

Quinni Gallagher-Jones (Heartbreak High)

Zhu Yuanzhang / Zhu Chongba (She Who Became the Sun)

Jedidiah A.A. Martin (Camp Here and There)

Sydney October Sargent (Camp Here and There)

[whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst]

Five Things Making Me Emotional in the episodes 27-28 and the 29-30 episode trailers for Mysterious Lotus Casebook (spoilers ahead)

Listen, everything is FINE. I’m fine, you’re fine, this idiot with a terminal disease he refuses to treat is fine.

1.) at this point, both Lianhua’s ex husband and new boyfriend (supposedly on and off again but cmon who does this bitch think he’s kidding) are promising to save Lianhua. The vows said in sickness or in health and he is really leaning hard into that.

2.) not Fang Duobing’s “I can’t get married to this girl because I have to become a detective, a career that I am now abandoning to be caretaker and protector full time to this random shady guy who keeps showing up around crime scenes, anyway that’s obviously why I can’t settle down and devote myself to one person, surely you understand” speedrun

3.) I LOVE how they’ve developed Duobing’s mom’s character. They were sneaky about it early on, when they were painting Shan Gudao as purely noble good guy and we found out Duobing’s mom didn’t trust him at all—it made me distrust the mom. But clearly momma knew some shit, and we are learning this was maybe not so perfect a guy. And even if she doesn’t like what she remembers/knew of Xiangyi, she is so blatantly pushing Duobing to reconcile with his “partner” Lianhua, who she adores.

4.) in the trailers once again, someone is going after Duobing! which purposeful or not is a great way to get to Lianhua🤬 Duobing is really everyone’s fave disastermoppet, even when he is not Wu Xie he’s still Wu Xie. Last time this happened, Lianhua revealed his whole hidden identity to his enemies and took half of them out. Good luck to the idiot who goes after his little treasure this time around.

5.) I sense we are getting sosososo close to both Lianhua’s peak sickness and revelations about the Master. Is it too much to ask to get my poor little meow meow Feisheng back!? He was JUST starting to bond with puppy, we were so close to domesticity.

Bonus: I’m hankering for the final case—the mystery of “what the fuck has been going on around here with shards and bugs and shit”—and I need fic to cope, if anyone has started any🥺

[ryin-silverfish]

So, in summary, the Jie sect was more accepting of the Yaoguai, while the Chan sect did not have a single Yaoguai in their group (except for Shen but that's more like a HC) and they also did not like the idea of Yaoguai as students but also these Yaoguai of the Jie sect may have committed bad deeds before the events.

Could we say that the Yaoguai in fsyy cannot have redemption and are seen more as monsters, while in Jttw they, in some cases, can be redeemed and not necessarily be evil?

Apart from the questionable case of "Does White Crane Boy turning into a white crane on the Old Man of the South Pole's order means that's his true form?", the Chan Sect did have one Yaoguai, the Dragon-bearded Tiger(龙须虎), who was duped into go after Jiang Ziya by Shen Gongbao, but surrendered and became his disciple.

An ancient hybrid of a dragon and a leopard, born in the time of the mystical emperor Shao Hao, he looks incredibly bizarre, with the head of a camel, neck of a goose, whiskers like a shrimp's, body of a fish, taloned hands and a single tiger-like foot. His power is boulder magic——yeah, just throwing large rocks at people.

Unfortunately, he died to Wu Wenhua in Chapter 91 and got deified as the Nine Ugly Star(九丑星). But his existence does suggest that the Chan Sect doesn't refuse yaoguai as disciples on principle, they are just a lot more rare and don't occupy senior positions like the Jie Sect ones.

Also, I wouldn't exactly say that yaoguais don't have redemption in FSYY; even though deification through death is considered the inferior route to godhood, most of them did become gods of the Celestial Realm——at least in the most commonly read Chinese version.

Like the 28 Lunar Mansions(kinda similar to WCB, they were never called yaoguais outright, except they did have some sort of 妖氛, "demonic aura") who all died in the Ten Thousand Immortal Formation, the Seven Monsters of Plum Mountain, and even Lady Rock Demoness, who died to Taiyi before the War of the Investiture began, becomes the Wandering Moon Star(月游星).

The catch is that, well, the names on the Investiture do not stay consistent between editions, and the Ming dynasty version of the Investiture didn't have a lot of the yaoguais that were deified in the "common version". It also has a bunch of inconsistencies that suggest this list might be inherited from an older, now lost version, where yaoguais and non-humans were not considered legitimate candidates for deification.

However, a lot of yaoguais are destined to be taken in by the "Western Sect"——predecessor of Buddhism led by Sage Cundi/Zhunti(准提道人) and Sage Jieyin(接引道人).

The former, apart from defeating Kong Xuan the seriously OP peacock general and making him into Mahamayuri, would also use a bamboo as fishing pole to catch the Black Cloud Immortal(乌云仙), revert him to his turtle form, and take him to the West.

Oh, also, he basically just opened his magical Qiankun Sack during the Ten Thousand Immortal Formation arc and...well, grabbed every nameless opponent who's "destined to end up in the Western Sect" like ancient China's most opportunistic Pokemon trainer.

Apart from the three future Bodhisattvas, Sage Randeng(Daoist-ized Dipamkara) of the Chan Sect would also subdue and take in the Winged Immortal(a golden-winged peng eagle), as well as the flame spirit of Vulture Peak's crystal lamp, Ma Shan.

So even in the version where yaoguais were not supposed to be deified, I'd say the novel still designated a way for them to be "redeemed" through the Western Sect.

But because FSYY has a serious character inflation problem due to the need to fill in The List, characterization for pretty much everyone was on the lacking side.

As a result, its yaoguais are far less memorable than the humorous, lively and more "human" yaoguais of JTTW, but honestly, so do most of its human characters whose sole purpose of existence was to die and be deified.

[skymoral]

CHAPTER 5 OUT NOW!

Happy Holidays and sorry for the delay, but I hope you like it! <3

We We’re Destined Without Knowing (21117 words) by MotherQueenie Chapters: 5/? Fandom: 西游记之再世妖王 | The Monkey King Reborn (2021), Xi You Ji | Journey to the West - Wu Cheng'en, New gods Nezha reborn | Sun Wukong, 新神榜 | New Gods (Movies), 西游记之大圣归来 | Monkey King: Hero is Back (2015), LEGO Monkie Kid, 黑神话：悟空 | Black Myth: Wukong (Video Game) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Sun Wukong | Monkey King/Reader Characters: Sun Wukong | Monkey King, Zhu Bajie | Eight-Precepts Pig, Sha Wujing | Sandy, Fruitie | Qi Energy (Monkey King Reborn), Monkeys of Hua Guo Shan | The Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, Tang Sanzang | Tripitaka Additional Tags: Black Character(s), reader is a black woman, Romance, Strangers to Lovers, Action/Adventure, Developing Friendships, Spiritual, Family Feels, Immortality, Orphans, Protectiveness, Journey to the West Reference, Protective Sun Wukong | Monkey King, Reader-Insert, Reincarnation, Character Death Summary: Ever since You entered Sun Wukong’s life. The waves of fate keeps changing.

[xcziel]

... they have given me polls and with this awesome power comes solemn obligation (y'all know i had to do it)

Extremely Handy Liu Chang Visual Reference Guide courtesy of @wild-feather for all your "wait which one was that again?" needs

[lingshanhermit]

Lingshan Hermit: To obtain boundless blessings, one must make boundless efforts.

At the beginning of Jiachen Year, I was reading the thirty-third chapter of Wu Ruzhong's Journey to the West during my leisure time. In it, the demon kings Golden Horn and Silver Horn of Lotus Flower Cave ordered two young demons to take their own treasures - the purple golden gourd and red crystal ball, suet-greased diamond vase and cleanser bottle - to capture Sun Wukong.

Later, the two young demons encountered a Daoist priest transformed by Sun Wukong. He tricked them by using a fake gourd to create illusions. The two young demons were moved and exchanged their real treasures for the fake one. Afterwards they realized the Daoist's gourd was just one of Sun Wukong's hairs transformed, and so they lost both their treasures and were duped out of their own by Wukong.

This made me realize that tricks and scams ancient and modern are all the same. Sly demons and cunning worms are all aptly named, thinking themselves clever and cunning. If not so, how could they be fooled?

Over the years I have seen that those who are often scammed consider themselves to be clever and cunning. If not, how could they fall for it? Such people are self-righteous with stubborn views. Outwardly gentle but unwilling to accept others' words. If not so, how could they be fooled, lose the greater for the lesser, exchange real gold and silver for a monkey hair? These people seem shrewd but are actually greedy and foolish.

If not for greed, keeping to one's place, not taking what is not theirs, not encroaching on others' interests, not coveting others' possessions, how could they be fooled? If not foolish, how could they believe there are such good things in the world, that money rains from the sky and treasures pour from the earth, that goose feathers can be exchanged for gold?

Such greedy fools, some mingling in Buddhist circles, often want great gains from tiny efforts, hoping to reap boundless blessings from meager deeds, matching their usual conduct. But how could this be? If so, what of cause and effect? If a hundred people do one good deed together, due to differences in motivation, effort, resources, character, and scope of mind, the merit and virtue gained also differs. This accords with the principles of cause and effect. If, as the masses say, a hundred people doing one good deed gain the same merit, would this not disrupt cause and effect?

Some perform good deeds for all beings, some for their families. Among those doing good, some are for wealth, some for lust, some for fame, some for self-benefit; some for all four reasons. In the community, some have awakened to the dharma-nature, some have mundane minds, some are innocent and kind, some crafty and deceitful, some are opportunists, some are just going through the motions - varied motivations while appearances match. If the fruits gained were the same, where is cause and effect?

All who hope to expend a hair's worth of effort to gain heavenly blessings fail to comprehend the principles of cause and effect. To obtain heavenly blessings, one must make heavenly efforts. To awaken to the dharma-nature, one must embrace the world in one's heart. Those with mundane minds who cultivate the supreme dharma, though mouths speak of all beings, hearts contain no beings, only two or three cherished ones. Such cultivators, wanting to awaken to the dharma-nature, even the dharma's awakening-mind cannot be obtained.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on February 29, 2024.

Copyright Notice：All copyrights of Ling Shan Hermit's articles in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, English, and other languages belong to the natural person who owns "Ling Shan Hermit". Please respect copyright. Publishers, media, or individuals (including but not limited to internet media, websites, personal spaces, Weibo, WeChat public accounts, print media) must obtain authorization from Ling Shan Hermit before use. No modifications to the articles are allowed (including: author's name, title, main text content, and punctuation marks). We reserve all legal rights.

���山居士：欲得齐天之福，必施齐天之功

甲辰年始，余暇中阅吴汝忠西游记至三十三回，有莲花洞金银二魔令二小妖拿紫金红葫芦羊脂玉净瓶二宝物装孙行者。后二小妖路遇孙行者所变之道士，以假葫芦装天示现之，二小妖动心，以真宝贝换其假宝。后知其装天之葫芦乃一猴毛所变，二小妖人宝俱空，装行者不成反被其骗走宝贝，余遂感古今之骗术皆同矣。精细鬼伶俐虫，皆名如其人，自以为精细伶俐也，若非如此焉能受骗。余历年所见之人，凡平日有受骗者，皆自谓聪明伶俐之辈也，非如此亦难上其当，如是之人，皆自以为是，皆我见坚固，皆表面柔顺实则不纳人言，若非如是，焉能上当受骗，焉能护小失大，焉能以真金白银换猴毛。是人看似精明，实则贪愚兼备也。其人若非贪者，安守本分，不取非己之财，不占他人之利，于他人之物不侧目不动心，何至于被骗？若非愚者，岂能以为世上有此好事，能信天上落美钞地上涌财宝，能信鹅毛可换金砖。此贪愚之辈，有混迹佛门者，常欲以小博大，施点滴之功欲得亿万之果，出些微之力欲得无上之福，与其平日行事之风暗合。然岂可得也？若能如是，因果何存？如百人同举一善，因其各个所用心力不同、出资不同、人品不同、心所覆盖者广狭不同，所得之功德善业亦有百般差异，如是方为因果之正解也。若依大众所解，百人同举一善，所得功德皆同，因果岂非错乱？有者行善，为众生；有者行善，为家人也。行善者，有为财者有为色者有为名者有为利者，有四者皆为者。大众之中，有证悟法性者，有心同凡俗者，有天真善良者，有圆滑狡诈者，有浑水摸鱼者，有滥竽充数者，种种动机不一而足，如是发心不同出力不同出资不同人品不同若所得之果皆同，因果何存？凡欲施毫毛之功获齐天之福者，皆不知因果正理也。欲得齐天之福，必施齐天之功；欲得证悟法性，必得心怀天下。有怀凡俗之心修无上法者，口中常说众生，心中实无众生，其所牵挂者仅二三人矣。此等修士欲得证悟法性，法本念破亦不可得矣。

灵山居士写于2024年2月29日。

[aiyexayen]

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Chapters: 6/?

Words: 19584

Fandom: 山河令 | Word of Honor (TV 2021)

Relationships: Cao Weining/Gu Xiang/Zhang Chengling, Wen Kexing & Zhang Chengling, Zhang Chengling & Zhou Zishu, Zhang Chengling & Original Character(s), background Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu, Established Cao Weining/Gu Xiang, Minor or Background Relationship(s)

Characters: Zhang Chengling, Gu Xiang, Cao Weining, Zhou Zishu, Wen Kexing, Jing Beiyuan, Wu Xi, Bi Xingming, Cheng Zichen, Siji Shanzhuang Disciples, Background & Cameo Characters, Original Characters

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Canon Fix-It, Angst, Teen Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Getting Together, Slow Burn, Polyamory, Friends to Lovers, Queer Characters, Family Feels, Developing Friendships, Growing Up, Coming of Age, Weddings, Fights, Reconciliation, Pining, POV Zhang Chengling, Nails of Seven Torments, Medical Conditions & Procedures, Coma, Healing, Rebuilding, sex mention, Everybody Lives, Podfic Welcome

Summary: Siji Shanzhuang burns. Zhou Zishu is captured and taken. Wen Kexing makes his plans and gives chase.

But Zhang Chengling does not go to Dagu Shan. Instead, left entirely to his own devices, he wanders the estate of his benefactors, looking for a familiar face--and overhears something he really shouldn't. It changes everything.

[journeytothewestresearch]

Heya, I was researching SWK's various sworn brothers because I kept hearing abt this one sworn bro of his called "The Female Demon Monkey King" and obviously with a name like that I was curious abt them. But for some reason I can't find any info abt them anywhere online, and one Tumblr post said that the Female Monkey King and the Macaque King were the same person? I was wondering if you knew anything abt that and had additional info abt the Female Monkey King?

[08-05-23: I've updated this entry. It will differ from the previous version reblogged by others in the past. See the link below for my new article on the subject.

08-06-23: Given our recent discussion, @sketching-shark and @wiings-kwami might find this interesting.]

She seems to be based on a discrepancy in Anthony C. Yu's (Wu & Yu, 2012) translation.

JTTW uses the term Mihou wang (獼猴王) three times to refer to the same character. Yu (Wu & Yu, 2012) translates this twice as “Macaque King” (ch. 3 & 4) but later changes it to “Female Monkey King” (ch. 41). Despite the original Chinese referring to the character as the “fifth brother” (wuge, 五哥), Yu (Wu & Yu, 2012) appears to represent them as a woman based solely on the association of mihou (獼猴) with female monkeys. However, not even JTTW follows this association, for out of 13 mentions of the term, over 61% refer directly to Liu’er mihou (六耳獼猴), Sun Wukong’s six-eared doppelganger. In addition, the term is even used once in the novel to refer to monkeys as a whole. 

The term mihou (獼猴) is just one of several transcriptions for a non-Chinese word used in China for millennia to mean “macaque” or “monkey.” Dynastic sources show that the association with female monkeys is a misunderstanding based on changes in dialect, along with differences in transcription. Said changes include muhou (沐猴, “bathing monkey”), muhou (母猴, “mother monkey”), and of course mihou (獼猴). Therefore, the word can be applied to either male and female monkeys.

The last point is exemplified in Buddhist literature. A 3rd-century CE Chinese version of the Dasaratha Jataka, which retells the Hindu epic Ramayana (5th-century BCE), references the great battle between the monkey king brothers Sugriva and Vali and calls the former Mihou (獼猴). A 3rd-century Chinese version of the Mahakapi Jitaka, which tells of the Buddha’s past life as a monkey king, also refers to him as Mihou wang (獼猴王). And a 5th-century variant of the same story refers to the Enlightened One as the Shan mihou (善獼猴), or “Good Macaque.”

[dramaddict-and-proud-of-it]

Arsenal Military Academy

Year : 2019 | Country : CN | Nb of episodes: 48

My rate: 9/10

Synopsis :

In the early years of the 20th century, Chinese military forces find themselves locked in a drawn-out, bloody conflict as they fight back again the Imperial Japanese army.

The government drafts young male conscripts to defend the besieged northeast of the country – but a woman named Xie Xiang also wants in on the action. She decides to cut her hair short and assume her brother’s identity in a bid to join the Chinese army. Xie Xiang quickly proves herself more than capable in soldiery, and soon wins herself a place in an elite military academy in Shanghai.

At the academy, she befriends a number of young male recruits, including quarrelsome rich kid Gu Yan Zheng and the gentle and introverted Shen Jun San. As the recruits begin to hone their skills, they grow in confidence – and decide to take measures of their own in an attempt to foil the invading forces.

But their struggle becomes more complicated when both Gu Yan Zheng and Shen Jun San begin to develop feelings for Xie Xiang. Will the comrades-in-arms survive the bitter ravages of military conflict? Will love derail Xie Xiang’s quest for justice? And will all really prove fair in love and war?

Main cast :

Bai Lu as Xie Xiang / Xie Liang Chen

Xu Kai as Gu Yan Zhen

Toby Lee as Shen Jun Shan

Wu Jia Yi as Qu Man Ting

My thoughts on this drama :

This is one of these dramas that make expectations for future ones extremely high…Because it is extremely good. Who cares about actual romance, gimme some heartfelt bromance instead! Almost everything was on point. I say almost because they had to use some overused tropes... Like political corruption... But considering the story, it was logical, just annoying. Bai Lu and Xu Kai once more showed their absolutely adorable chemistry. And damn! Xu Kai is so expressive, how does one even do that with one's face muscles?? His face is an open book, absolutely incredible. The story is superbly written, and if you manage not to be bothered by the very obvious Chinese propaganda and anti-Japanese discourses, you'll really enjoy the 48 episodes. For once, I did not think it was too much. A story that is that level of complex needs many episodes to untangle all plot lines. Considering that the actors are all pretty young (between 25 and 30 years old), I must say they all played their part perfectly. It is impossible not to get attached, even to the ever so annoying and clingy Manting (with the exception of Miss Zhitian maybe). If you are looking for intense romance though, well, try elsewhere. There are some background romances, but it's pretty lowkey, and the interactions are toned down. The few displayed scenes were beautiful though, very touching. The sets, the costumes, and the way it was filmed, with that slightly yellowish filter, it gave this drama a breathtaking authenticity. It was like jumping right in the past, and seeing the events unfold, one by one. There was joy, pain, laughter, tears, smiles, anger...It's an emotionally packed drama, and I loved every second of it. Now to find something at least as good... If you're hesitating because of the 'girl disguising as a boy' trope, then don't, really. Bai Lu actually pulls it off. She managed to give that tomboyish vibe and made her character very believable. Ouch, my hands are still sore from clapping too hard at the end of the final episode... I highly recommend this drama, really.

A Favorite ?

YES

[ariparri]

Dynasty Warriors Masterlist

A list of all my artworks for Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors series. Mostly contains OC content with some fanart.

Blog Masterpost

Airong

DW8 Reference

DW9 Reference (Outdated)

DW9 Reference (Updated)

Other References

ROTK Design

ROTK

DW10 Concept Art

What If Scenario

WO4 Design

Wu's Assassin

Xiaolian

Reference

Other References

Portrait

ROTK Design

Ride Gullinbursti

DW10 Concept

If You Don't Love Me At My Worst

Songan

DW8 Design

DW9 Design

DW10 Concept

The Mystic

Xu Yin

DW9 Design

DW10 Concept

Wei's Assassin

Other Content

Templates

Expression Chart

DW8 Character Bio Template

DW8 Character Reference Template

Collabs

Switch Around Meme

Art Trade (Jiang Wei x Xun Qiao)

Wu OCs

Fanart

Valentine's Card

Two Qiaos Inkdrawing

Dian Ai Mistletoe

Couple Arts

Unlikely Duo

Main Ships

Li Dian's Pursuers

Li Meirong

Fairy Da Qiao

The Chosen Horse

New Family

Bao Sanniang Christmas

Airong vs Xu Yin (Old Ver.)

Airong vs Xu Yin (New Ver.)

Assassins

DianAi Hideaway

Dong Bai

Halloween Devils (Ling Tong, Gan Ning, Airong)

Butterflies Are Evil (Xu Sheng and Xiaolian)

Gundam Halloween (Xu Sheng and Xiaolian)

DianAi Halloween

WO4 Dream Team

DianAi Kiss

Cicada Blocks (Liu Shan x Sima Zhao, DianAi, Xu Sheng and Xiaolian)

Sisters (Airong & Xiaolian)

Genius Strategy!

[web-novel-polls]

Webnovel Animal Tournament Submissions 

⚠️ Submissions CLOSED ⚠️

Rules

One animal/character per submission. If you want to submit multiple animals, please do so in separate forms unless you’re submitting a specific group or species (Ex: Hua Cheng’s butterflies from TGCF)

Only the animal, the type of animal, and the novel they’re from are required, but propaganda is highly encouraged

Please submit the English and/or most common way to refer to the novel. If you want to submit a novel without an English translation, please describe it AND the animal. The description is not required but HIGHLY encouraged since this tournament is being run in English.

If you've only seen an adaptation of the novel (manhwa, manhua, manga, anime, donghua, aeni, live action, etc.), you can submit a character from there as long as it's originally from a web novel.

Tag: #webnovel animal tournament

[Last updated: March 27th, 2024]

Submissions

Demy from When the Third Wheel Strikes Back

Type of Animal: Red panda / Divine Beast

Submission: A little red panda who can control plants, for example making vines to climb buildings! Loves good food despite not needing to eat, as a divine beast. Our transmigrator's most helpful companion, tbh U-U (sentences that would get me k-worded by the transmigrator's bf and gf)

Link 

Xiao Lu from Of Mountains and Rivers / Shan He Biao Li

Type of Animal: Snake

Submission: The cutest little snake who follows the MC home. (MC: you are not a cute puppy! *pets it* *is a snake dad now*) Saves MC's life. Grows a little bigger over the course of the novel. Plays a major role in the finale but that's mega spoilers. 

The Sable from Qi Ye / Lord Seventh

Submission 1: A precious fluffy boi. Venomous. Was raised by Wu Xi and later sold by his father-- ahem given as gift to Jing Beiyuan. 

Submission 2: The cutest venomous critter among all venomous critters! Squeaky delightful thing with his poisoned teeth and his poisoned claws and his butt! Also, he saves MC's life against an assassin at one point, making him the most adorable (but no less effective) bodyguard of all time.

Important sable information: https://www.tumblr.com/everythingfox/188985249367  

Luo Yiguo from Silent Reading / Mo Du 

Type of Animal: cat

No propaganda submitted

Kotex Paw Pad kitten from the SVSSS donghua pad commercial

Type of Animal: cat

Tumblr Image Link

Zhuzhi-lang’s snakes from SVSSS

Submission: Good bois helping a good boi

Niú-xiōng from TGCF

Type of Animal: ox

Submission: He is a hard worker and helps the Rain Master out with being awesome. 

Zhuzhi-lang (Non-human form) from TGCF

Type of Animal: Demon snake or heavenly demon/snake

Submission: When Shen Qingqiu (Yuan) meets Zhuzhi-lang, Zhuzhi-lang just wants to help his uncle but his body makes it difficult but he won't give up. He is a very good snaky. 

Li Yu from The Disabled Tyrant's Pet Palm Fish

Type of Animal: fish

Submission: The main character. What do you do when you transmigrate into a dogblood novel as a FISH, and the System tells you to get cozy with the tyrannical (not rly) mute prince or else die a miserable fishy death, but you're not sure how to do that because you're a FLOPPY FISH, and then the prince treats you so well, always feeds you the best fish-feed pellets, so you fall in love with him fr, and you just wanna kiss him with your fishy fishy lips but you're a FISH. Is this bestiality?? Does this count as you having a bestiality kink if you're the beast in question??? 

Fairy from MDZS

Type of Animal: dog

Wiki Link

Little Apple from MDZS

Type of Animal: donkey

Wiki Link

The Victimized Geese Turned Messenger Birds from Golden Stage

Dealer’s Choice

Submission: VICTIMS OF UNJUST WORK CONDITIONS. Fu Shen shoots them down (but doesn't kill them), heals them and gets them working as messenger geese cuz he wants to send a message to Yan Xiaohan during wartime and there were no phones in Ancient China. Good birds who Deserve Better.

Hua Cheng's butterflies from Heaven Official’s Blessing

Submission: The goodest little guys. They're so cute, but they've got the gods shaking in their boots, and rightfully so.

Wiki Link

(Submit these animals to make sure they get in & add propaganda)

Dokkaebi from ORV

The fluffy moderators of the Star Streams in ORV. I think they’re cute-looking, even if they’re a bit fucked up morally <2

Wiki Link

Da Qing from Guardian

Fat black cat rights