#it’s also something that bothers me about the changes cql made

[withthewindinherfootsteps]

Wei Wuxian and Narrative Agency – Part Three

For Xiantober Day Five: Past and Present, in which the author gets very unhinged about what parts of the past are shown and how that’s affected by the present!

(Part One | Part Two | Full version on AO3)

The Power of Agency: Shaping the Narrative

When I've discussed Wei Wuxian's agency previously, I’ve talked about how what’s shown and omitted tells us about a character, and we’ve talked about the character himself. Though this is a niche topic, it’s not necessarily something out of the ordinary to analyse, and we can assume everything up to here has been in some way intentional.

This? Linking structure to a character’s in-universe preferences?

This is where we get unhinged.

Before I start, let’s quickly establish something which will be important later: although Wei Wuxian is the central character, MDZS isn’t strictly from his POV. While omitting events a character doesn’t like to dwell on and concealing things the character wishes to hide is common in books with only one narrator, MDZS has multiple narrators which it switches between relatively quickly. This includes Wei Wuxian, but it also includes nearly every major character that appears in the story, and omniscient narrator as well. As a default, this format doesn’t lead to this deliberate shaping and omission because of one character’s preferences, since we have many other sources of information and events – which is what makes Wei Wuxian’s influence over the narrative and structure so interesting. We could have access to a lot more information, and access to it at different times, than we do (and that’s not an insult, quite the opposite!).

To begin: we’ve established that times such as Wei Wuxian’s time on the streets, his three months in the Burial Mounds and his loss in the Siege aren’t shown because Wei Wuxian has little agency there. But that’s not the only special thing about them. They’re also the three most traumatic times in his life, and so moments Wei Wuxian himself either can’t remember, or doesn’t like to dwell on.

This is why discussing Wei Wuxian’s treatment of tragedy in his life was important. Firstly, it shows he doesn’t focus on the tragedy in his life, so the idea that the narrative not focusing on this tragedy relates to his character has merit; secondly, it affirms that this is not a passive trait, but a choice. Therefore, when the narrative omits events due to this aspect of Wei Wuxian, it’s respecting not only a character detail – which would be cool by itself – but also an active decision. One that shapes the story it’s made in.

In other words, its very structure is respecting Wei Wuxian’s agency!

Now, of course there are flashbacks to other moments of his past he probably wouldn’t like to dwell on, too. But within the structure, they’re only shown when Wei Wuxian is thinking about them (or when he has reason to)!

Wei WuXian hadn’t woken up yet. His eyes were still tightly shut, yet his hand didn’t let go either. He seemed to be dreaming, muttering, “… Don’t… Don’t be angry…” Lan WangJi seemed somewhat surprised. His voice was gentle, “I am not angry.” Wei WuXian, “… Oh.” Hearing this, as though he finally felt assured, his fingers loosened. Lan WangJi sat beside Wei WuXian for a while. Seeing that he was motionless again, he was about to stand up when Wei WuXian grabbed him with his other hand, hugging his arm and refusing to let go. He shouted, “I’ll go with you, quick, take me back to your sect!” Chapter 63, EXR translation

Which, of course, is him dwelling on…

Lan WangJi spoke one word at a time, “Go back to Gusu with me.” Hearing this, both Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng were surprised. Quickly afterward, Wei WuXian laughed, “Go back to Gusu with you? To the Cloud Recesses? Why go there?” He immediately seemed to realize, “Oh. I forgot. Your uncle Lan QiRen hates crooked people like me. You’re his proudest disciple, so of course you’re the same as him, haha. I refuse.” Chapter 62, EXR translation

…the painful flashback immediately preceding this. The third set of flashbacks (which are also painful) are a similar case. Look at the contex:

He lifted the bottom of his robe, revealing a prosthetic leg made of wood, “This leg of mine was destroyed by you, that night in the Nightless City (…)” (…) “Wei WuXian, I won’t ask you if you remember or not. Both of my parents died by your hands. You owe too many people. You definitely won’t remember them either. But, I, Fang MengChen, will never forget! And never forgive you!” (…) “In the fight at Qiongqi Path, my son was strangled to death by your dog Wen Ning!” “My shixiong died by poison, his entire body festering due to your cruel curse!” Chapter 68 (immediately preceding the flashbacks), EXR translation

And Wei Wuxian’s own thoughts and words:

Wei WuXian looked at the cultivators before the Demon-Slaughtering Cave. Their expressions were the absolute same as those of the cultivators from the night of the pledge conference, pouring their wine on the ground as they took the pledge to scatter the ashes of the Wen Sect’s remnants and him.  (…) Wei WuXian, “Now it’s time to ask just whom it is that treasures it so much. It’s like Wen Ning. Back then, some certain sects or so were scared to death of the Ghost General. They said they’d kill him on the surface, but behind their backs they hid him for over ten years. How strange. Who was the one that said his ashes had been scattered back then?” Chapter 79 (immediately succeeding the flashbacks), EXR translation 

Once again, Wei Wuxian’s own thoughts relate to the flashbacks we’ve just been shown. And, as I previously mentioned, though all the events which are shown are tragic, they’re also events which Wei Wuxian’s own choices and actions shaped – which he has this to say about:

“The things I did, not only do you remember them, I remember them too. You won’t forget them, and they’ll stay even longer in my mind!” Chapter 82, EXR

Admittedly, this applies more to the third set of flashbacks than the second (which is still fitting as the third set was the most recent), as in the second, although he still had agency within and influence over his circumstances, the majority of the pain was caused by others’ actions (excluding, of course, the Golden Core transfer… which is something we know stays for a long time in his mind, albeit with a caveat we’ll soon discuss). But it’s still important to note – especially considering that otherwise, focusing on this very painful time in his life wouldn’t seem like something very in-character for Wei Wuxian to do.

Of course, this can all just be explained by good writing. It is best to insert flashbacks when they’re relevant to the characters and events in the present day! But it is interesting to compare these to the start of the (not painful) Gusu flashbacks, which open this way:

At a later time, Wei WuXian pondered upon the reason why his relationship with Lan WangJi wasn’t good. Getting to the root of the matter, everything started when he was fifteen, coming to the GusuLan Sect with Jiang Cheng to study for three months. Chapter 13, EXR

Again, considering the circumstances around which these flashbacks take place – returning to the Cloud Recesses for the first time since the lectures, and meeting Lan Wangji once more – it makes complete sense for Wei Wuxian to be thinking about these events*. So it does fit the pattern of Wei Wuxian dwelling on something, thus leading to the narrative dwelling on it, too (and being shaped by his thoughts)… but there’s another layer to this. Importantly, it is the only flashback where Wei Wuxian’s present thoughts don’t lead to this happening, with his thoughts at an unspecified future time leading to it, instead. I like to interpret this as the text saying that, since these events aren’t something Wei Wuxian wouldn’t focus on in normal circumstances, he can dwell on them at any time. Therefore, they’re free to come up in the narrative at any time as well, even if he’s not dwelling on them in the present moment!

So, to summarise: Wei Wuxian’s decision not to focus on the painful times in his life directly influences the narrative to not focus on these times. When painful times are brought up and shown to us, it’s in the context of him thinking about them in the present day, and even then, his most painful moments still aren’t shown to us. His agency in this regard is still respected by the narrative structure.

This is the main way his agency influences the structure of the narrative, but I’d like to talk about the revealing and concealing of information, too. For example, I said I’d talk about the Golden Core transfer – though Wei Wuxian does think about this many times, as evidenced by his internal narration in Chapter 103. But unlike everything we’re shown through the flashbacks, this is something Wei Wuxian is actively trying to hide from others. And the narrative respects this choice (Wei Wuxian’s agency, again), never reveals it even when it would be relevant in the flashbacks, and we find out not through narration, but through a character’s dialogue!

And to clarify – I know these aspects may not be in the book for this exact reason. Showing flashbacks in relevant moments is good writing, concealing an important plot point you want to do a reveal for is necessary writing, and MXTX has said she didn’t want to write about Wei Wuxian’s time in the Burial Mounds, due to not liking to write transformation sequences (and also because it would not be pleasant at all, which likely also applies to Wei Wuxian’s death). That doesn’t prevent it from also being intentional – MXTX’s intelligence is shown in many aspects of this book, and there’s nothing disproving it – but there’s no proof for either option, so I won’t pretend there is. I bring this up because I know this feels like I’m overanalysing, as I feel that way as well.

But, whether it’s intentional or not, it exists in the text, and I adore it – so, regardless, it’s something I’ll explore. Because taking this into account… We aren't just told about Wei Wuxian having agency, we aren’t just shown it in the text, we aren’t even just shown it through which parts of his past are shown and hidden in the structure of the text (as I talked about in Part One). The parts of the past that are shown and hidden also have an in-universe reason for being shown and hidden, this reason being the choices he makes! Agency is the ability of a character to influence the story they’re in, but Wei Wuxian’s agency, as a property of a character who only exists in-universe, shapes the out-of-universe structure as well! That’s how we’re shown its importance! How cool is that?

At The End Of The Road: Summary and Final Thoughts

In this essay, we’ve covered how important Wei Wuxian’s agency is not only to the events of the plot, but to the structure of the narrative as well. The narrative omits periods in which Wei Wuxian has little or no agency, in favour of showing us periods in which he does, even when important events happened in the former. This indicates that who Wei Wuxian is without agency isn’t important enough to be shown to the audience, and therefore that his agency is an integral aspect of his character in MDZS. We’ve discussed how both in-universe and out-of-universe, tragedy does not define him – out-of-universe, the tragic events in Wei Wuxian’s life are used not to build sympathy but rather to show his strength of character and who he still is despite going through them; and in-universe, he chooses not to focus on the negativity and resentment caused by his circumstances or others’ actions, instead staying true to his moral compass and enjoying his life in the present day. Finally, we’ve also explored how this choice is another reason for the omission of certain events from the narrative, resulting in his agency shaping the story in a very literal way – it affects the out-of-universe structure, as well.

It’s quite fitting, for a story whose essence is about defying a conventional narrative – that of righteous clans rising up and defeating a great evil – and about a character who defies many conventional narratives on his own – that of status defining how skilled you could be, that for a golden core being necessary for cultivation and other paths being unavailable, that of a tragic but complete story of someone killed for staying true to their moral code (instead, that character returns to life and has a happy ending) – to have its own narrative play a role in such an important and interesting way.

(Or, if an image would be preferable:)

Thank you for reading!

(Part One | Part Two | Full version on AO3)

--

*This strong relation to the present day circumstances is another reason I love the flashback placement so much (and why I think it’s such a loss both screen adaptions altered it so strongly)! 

[wei-meddling-wuxian]

tbh I'm used to the fandom since I like JC and I ship Chengxian lol

I'll elaborate with your tags:

#CQL’s adaptation changes make LWJ indispensable to that canon IMO#since they establish Wangxian as a relationship of mutual respect and fondness starting wayyy back in Cloud Recesses#and LWJ is the means through which they both find out about Lan Yi and the Yin Iron#but in the novel??? damn like. there really isn’t anything related to the main plot that you need LWJ for there#there’s no reason WWX can’t kill the turtle by himself#since LWJ doesn’t succeed in rescuing him from Burial Mounds 2.0 (and WWX doesn’t remember till later) that doesn’t impact the plot either#yes you need a Lan to help investigate the severed arm but you could just have LXC do it#LXC who had a personal stake in the mystery bc the corpse is one sworn brother and the murderer is the other!#yeesh the political plot being largely unrelated to the romance plot irked me bc it meant the political plot would be tossed aside#but it cuts both ways! if the political plot isn’t necessary for the romance then the romance isn’t necessary for the political plot!

I was so shocked that the yin iron wasn't a thing in the books bc there was so much that the cql did with it, including giving us more wgxn moments, and I liked the ship in the cql. But in the books, not only do they not have those bonding moments but they seem to be actively pushing away each other? Like wwx specifically says he wishes jc was there with him instead?

lxc and wwx is a guilty pleasure ship I have, with the scene where lxc reams wwx out for breaking his little bros heart before mentioning trauma (wwx can appreciate some protectiveness, especially when it's like jyl's and feels familiar)

what bothers me the most is the potential lwj had as a character and love interest! and it would have incorporated well into the political i.e.,(and I'm working on a meta about this) having lwj confront lxc about maybe doing something for the wens considering there's a child there and having the brothers contend with what needs to be done for the sect (lxc bc nmj called jc a wen sympathizer for just bringing up the idea) vs what's the right thing to do (lwj even if he has to admit how wwx is going about it is wrong) -that tension could carry over into other aspects of the politics, sect relationships and lwj's character development (it also showed that he tried to do something for wwx beyond just visiting him and asking him to come to gusulan with him and shows his righteousness was there from the beginning, that he was hanguang-jun before the rep <- character growth)

but alas,

mxtx could have made wgxn a lot better and way more compelling (i can admit it has good tropes and imagery but there was potential for so much more depth) and just...didn't

The lack of a meaningful relationship in the past for wangxian, has made me a chengxian shipper (imo that's why so much vitriol against jc)

oh my god anon. anon.

this genuinely never occurred to me before, because I am highly indifferent to shipping and forget that it is a life-or-death situation in other corners of fandom, and so I have been sitting here figuring that oh, they just hate JC because they have no reading or viewing comprehension and think he hates WWX

BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT

BECAUSE JC IS A REMINDER OF WWX'S LIFE BEYOND LWJ

and the enmeshment and shared history the two of them have going on is something that LWJ does not and cannot share, because it happened already! it is written! it's done! whereas Wangxian's current shared story theoretically could include JC unless pains are taken to keep him out.

[morifinwes]

wangxian fic rec list!

aka in which i read fics, write some recs down for aamna and share them!! they're all wangxian fics and uhh @yibobibo i hope you'll like them!!

modern

wolf devours playboy bunny by @greenteafiend (5K, werewolf!lwj, getting together, idk if anyone needs to know that but there's nudity just not uhh explicit)

Lan Zhan has wanted Wei Ying as long as he has known him, and the worst part is that he thinks Wei Ying could want him back.

Too bad he could never in good conscience let himself go there—Wei Ying has a debilitating fear of all things canine, and once a month, Lan Zhan is the exact, precise thing that Wei Ying’s nightmares are made of.

Aka, Lan Zhan is a werewolf.

between the lines by @jywait (19K gaming au!!!, i'm always down for a good gaming au, lwj is the best aksks he's such a good boy)

☆yilingpatriarch☆: pls...give me some face, help me fight these monsters...I'm gonna die

Bluetooth: no.

"You have died." The screen said, and Wei Wuxian threw his hands up in frustration.

resonant frequencies by chinxe (15K, college au, fake dating au, tw mention of cheating but it's brief and no one was cheated on i promise)

In which Wei Wuxian decides that the best way to deal with being in love with Lan Wangji is to pretend to date him for three weeks.

It goes about as well as can be expected.

drift compatible by windoworwhatever (5K, poetry, fluff, drunkji, getting together, college au)

"It was just a fact of life. The sky was blue, university stipends for graduate students working in TA positions barely covered rent, bisexuals cuffed their jeans, Lan Wangji had a massive crush on Wei Wuxian, and spent his time pining and writing research papers about gay subtexts in ancient poetry."

OR

Lan Wangji is in love with Wei Wuxian, and everybody knows, except Wei Wuxian.

the bunny next door by detailsinthefabric (43K, this is mostly fluff and very light angst, and they were neighbors!!!, rabbits!!, aka wangxian's bunny children, this is... so cute i just have to rec it)

Lan Wangji did not know what he was doing. He did not know what he was going to say. He was frozen in place, puzzling over the situation. Maybe he had made the man uncomfortable, which is why he wanted to leave? But his tone had still been so friendly—maybe…

“Would…” he paused, swallowed, forced the last words to come out of his suddenly parched mouth, “would you let me pet him?”

-------------------------------------

Lan Wangji, who doesn't know how to socialize and whose icy demeanor scares everyone away, lets down all his defenses when he meets the bunny next door...oh, and also its owner, Wei Wuxian.

leading tone by silencemostofall (32K, everyone is a music student? or something like that akskk, curse fic, tw panic attacks, tw child abuse, small scene of drunkji, wwx has low self esteem, bro this was so painful to read)

The first time you touch someone you're fated to love, you leave a mark on their skin. If they will love you in return, they'll mark you where you touched them. The deeper the color, the deeper the connection.

Wei Ying has no marks at all.

public places, private thoughts by leahelisabeth (for the love of camelot) ( 8K, cherry magic au, getting together with like... immediate upgrade to fiance status, the author is wrong i crave good wangxian cherry magic aus even tho i haven't even watched cherry magic)

Wei Wuxian had heard the story of course. It had made its rounds through his high school and followed him into his college days. He didn’t think there was any possibility it was true. Virginity was a social construct, invented by creepy old men to exercise dominance over women. The idea that a simple lack of sexual activity before the age of thirty could give one magical powers was absolutely ludicrous.

Wei Wuxian believed this until the morning of his thirtieth birthday.

AKA the Wangxian Cherry Magic AU that absolutely nobody asked for.

i'd be all right (if i could see you) by @thirtysixsavefiles (16K, this was nice, i read this at 6am but it was cute, (while writing this post i must admit i don't remember anything but 6am-me said it's good))

The younger Lan brother is something of an enigma on campus; while Lan Xichen can sometimes be seen in the company of other graduate students or conducting a seminar, Lan Wangji appears to spend all his time in class or in the library. He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t attend social events. He doesn’t do anything for fun, as far as Wei Wuxian can tell, and it’s driving Wei Wuxian just a little bit up the wall.

Or, Wei Wuxian convinces Lan Wangji to come to a house party, and then they're assigned to the same group project. Wei Wuxian tries his best, but he is not in possession of all the facts.

axe on leg by itszero (4K, i still don't get why wwx did that but it was nice seeing him jealous for once, jealous!wwx, lwj i love you....)

Wei Wuxian pressed his face into his pillow and screamed. He paused to take a few deep breaths, partially hindered by the pillow, and listened to the sounds of Nie Huaisang slurping his iced coffee, from his seat on Wei Wuxian's desk chair.

Having caught his breath, he resumed his screaming and did not stop at the sound of his dorm room door opening.

"What's wrong with him?" He heard his brother, Jiang Cheng, ask.

The slurping stopped. "He's an idiot."

"He's always been an idiot. Why is he bothered about it now?"

"He forced Lan Wangji to go on a date," Nie Huaisang replied, shaking the ice cubes in his drink.

"Okay and…?"

"With someone else." The slurping resumed.

Wei Wuxian, in all his glorious dumbassery, convinces his boyfriend to go on a date with someone else.

these two most powerful by @stiltonbasket (4K, amnesia, wangxian with children!!!, aksksk this was adorable, dadji!!)

When Lan Wangji went to bed last night, he was alone in a tiny guest room with nothing but the howling of the wind in the mountains and his own lonely thoughts for company.

 

But when he opened his eyes in the morning, Wei Ying was asleep beside him.

 

(In which Lan Wangji loses twenty years' worth of memories after a night-hunt gone wrong, and his life as a doting father and husband continues without a hitch somehow.)

good things come to those who wait [but i ain't in a patient phase] by @cerlunas (4K, getting together, pining lwj)

Lan Wangji can't take it anymore.

 

“I love you”, he says, and god, it feels terrifying. “I’ve been in love with you for a long time.”

“Lan Zhan…” Wei Wuxian starts, but Lan Wangji doesn’t want to hear it.

He grabs his cup and drinks everything. He doesn’t know what face Wei Wuxian is making at him right now, and it’s okay. 

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Wuxian repeats louder, but it’s too late. He is already falling asleep.

Or, even after 13 years, Lan Wangji is still in love with his best friend. Maybe it's time to open up.

wei ying, will you marry m- oh my god he swallowed the ring! by selene210 (2K, marriage proposals, crack, marriage proposals but.. they go wrong)

“A ring?”

And indeed it was. The ring Lan Wangji was going to propose to Wei Ying with. That the man had now choked on.

“You swallowed it.”

“It was in my soufflé! Why did you put a ring in my soufflé Lan Zhan- oh. oh”

of glittery valentine's cards by @soft-fics (3K, valentine's day, this was adorable aksk, a-yuan best boy!!)

Lan Zhan didn't want to know what his best friend had planned for Valentine's Day; his heart would simply not be able to handle it. When his son tells him that he made Wei Ying a Valentine's Day card, though, Lan Zhan decided to bring it over anyway.

of coffee and white tea by @soft-fics (9K, fluff, lwj doesn't like coffee, wwx buys him coffee, then they switch drinks, again and again and again, the staff ships it lmao, tbh jc shouldn't have done that like wtf)

For the fourth time this week a stranger orders him a cup of coffee. Lan Wangji wonders how exactly to tell this man to stop ordering him coffee he doesn't even like. Turns out, buying the other white tea and switching drinks is not the best way to go about it

canon setting

on the importance of restraint (or lack thereof) by nixthothou (4K, in which sizhui snaps, i love that boy, no like seriously he's the best boy)

Lan Sizhui does not usually find himself in the company of Sect Leader Jiang.

Suffice to say, Lan Sizhui's feelings toward him are conflicted.

lan wangji is wei wuxian's baby by lilycs (3K, i was craving fluff while reading this, lwj my beloved, drunk!lwj)

Lan Wangji gets drunk from barely a cup of alcohol, becoming a whiny baby and asking his husband for cuddles.

one of our own by glitteringmoonlight (8K, wei wuxian & lan sect, 5+1 things, in which they learn to love him, they're all part of the wwx protection squad lead by lwj, wangxian isn't the focus but !!! THIS)

Times change, but some people remain the same.

The Lans are nothing, if not aware of this.

For one of their own, they will stand against the world.

Or, 5 times the Lans defended Wei Wuxian, and the 1 time he was there to see it happen.

so why not crack your skull when the mind swells by @greenteafiend (13K, love curse, post cql canon, curses, getting together, fluff, so much fluff, lwj tries to talk about his emotions!, lwj pov)

Lan Wangji detects the curse trying to curl through his heart meridians like smoke. A love curse, then. It must have been cast remotely somehow to have found him in his bed in Cloud Recesses. No matter. Lan Wangji crushes it easily, enveloping it in his spiritual energy, and then squeezing. Curse averted, Lan Wangji closes his eyes and goes back to sleep. He thinks no more of it.

Two days later, Wei Wuxian arrives in Cloud Recesses.

Or, Wei Wuxian is cursed to feel terrible pain when he and Lan Wangji aren’t touching.

i started from the bottom / now i'm rich by x_los (57K, time travel, fix it, jealous lwj, crack treated serious, god this is so good tho, wwx/wrh & wwx/jgs but like as a joke and it doesn't really happen, but it has its purpose!!)

“First, you get the money. Then you get the power, respect - hos come last.”

 

Wen Qing traps Wei Wuxian in the Demon Slaughtering Cave, but Wei Wuxian isn’t interested in being the beneficiary of the Wen Remnants’ noble sacrifice. His efforts to free himself accidentally send him back to the beginning of the Sunshot Campaign. Coreless but armed with demonic cultivation, knowledge of the future and his wits, Wei Wuxian takes advantage of this opportunity to come out on top of both the war and its aftermath—before either has a chance to happen—by marrying and swiftly burying the cultivation world’s worst men.

Lan Wangji is confused, hurt, and uncomfortably aroused by Wei Wuxian’s improbably elaborate series of Sect-themed bridal negligees.

lead me on through by mrsronweasley (55K, they're in love your honor, arranged marriage but they don't know to whom, basically wwx & lwj want to practice kissing which then goes beyond kissing but not the whole way y'know, lxc the best wingman tho)

"Who do you think your betrothed is?" Wei Wuxian asks, sprawling out in front of Lan Zhan and enjoying the prim thinning of his lips at the question. He shouldn't be sprawling—they're in the library, for one, and Lan Zhan is studying, for another—but he can't help himself. Wei Wuxian is a sprawler.

"I do not believe this to be of importance," Lan Zhan responds, without turning his gaze away from his book.

"What!" Wei Wuxian sits up. "How can you say that? Of course it's important! This is the person you'll be with for the rest of your life, Lan Zhan."

[franniebanana]

CQL Rewatch - Ep 34

Note: I will be critical of Jiang Cheng in these posts. If you can’t handle that, please feel free to scroll on.

It actually really bothers me that they played his fear of dogs for laughs here. Aside from it being super over the top and ridiculous, it also is not in line with the tone they've used in the past to deal with Wei Wuxian's crippling fear of canines. If the writers/directors can't take it seriously in this episode, then why should we take it seriously every time it comes up? I honestly hate it. It's never dealt with in this same manner again, so this just feels really tone deaf to the rest of the show. Like, I can't believe that the episode that started with Wei Wuxian killing himself ended with him comically running away from Fairy. The comedy was not needed, CQL team. It was not.

Only good thing about this scene, guys. Sweet, sweet wangxian. I will accept wangxian togetherness under any circumstance, and 99.999% of the time, it improves the scene. I'll even look past the silly way that Lan Wangji flips in the air to get to Wei Wuxian.

I absolutely delight in how Wei Wuxian plays along with this guy and his talk about the man-eating bunker, only to mock him by saying that if no one made it out alive, how does anyone know any of it really happened? It's kind of Sherlock Holmes meets dad joke or something. I also find it interesting how much of the conversation is going on while the camera is focusing on Lan Wangji. We get to see him listening, observing, working through the problem as it unfolds before him. Wei Wuxian is the talker, he's good at getting information (as well as solving puzzles, of course), but Lan Wangji's skill is definitely in observation and character-reading. Also part of me thinks he's a bit impressed to see Wei Wuxian really stepping up and taking charge of this situation. Perhaps he thinks that Wei Wuxian has changed--grown up a little--since they last met.

Ahahahaha! That smirk! Lan Wangji, I don't think you're supposed to mock people! I'm sorry, but I forgot about this little look after Wei Wuxian mocks the man for really not knowing everything, even though he calls himself the "Know-It-All of Qinghe." It's a fantastic takedown, even though it's extremely unnecessary. This is the kind of comedy that I think is in line with the rest of the show and, I believe, more in tune with the source material. Part of what attracted me to Wei Wuxian, and indeed why he was my fave for quite a while, is his quick wit and his snarky remarks. This is the perfect example right here.

LWJ: Wei Ying, there are no dogs here.

Me: Then what was all that barking?!

Really, Lan Wangji is just secretly enjoying any time Wei Wuxian gets close to him, but he has to keep a bit of outward standoffishness to save face. He can't show his whole hand right now! But it's important to note that Lan Wangji doesn't tell him to let go (not yet, at least)!

I find it quite sweet that Lan Wangji is the one seeking information here. Wei Wuxian doesn't volunteer anything about his fear of dogs, perhaps because he finds it embarrassing or maybe because he's embarrassed to cling to Lan Wangji like that. I really like that Lan Wangji, who, when they first met, wouldn't have given two shits about Wei Wuxian's fears, is now actively seeking to understand him. It's really beautiful to see their relationship changing like this, both of them opening up and revealing bits of themselves in ways they never did before, despite how well they knew each other.

Allow me to gush some more. Lan Wangji doesn't push Wei Wuxian away. He only tries to reason with him, to cater to Wei Wuxian's more rational side, which doesn't work. Right now, Wei Wuxian is seeking comfort, specifically the comfort of someone bigger and stronger (canonically, Lan Wangji was taller and much stronger than Wei Wuxian, even if he doesn't look it in CQL). Wei Wuxian just wants to feel safe and the only person who can make him feel that way is Lan Wangji.

Really, I think the only reason that Lan Wangji asks Wei Wuxian to let go of him is because he can't protect them if Wei Wuxian is gripping his arms like that. It's one thing to hide behind him, but another to impair his ability to fight.

This is the first time I've noticed those stairs. This set is really cool. And the ambiance with the fog is perfect. A lot of the art and set design in CQL is really well done. I have no idea if it's the same as all the other C-dramas, because I don't watch them, but it looks really nice to me.

It's so refreshing to be back in wangxian land. I guess I didn't realize how nice it is to have them together on screen basically all the time. And in this episode, we get Wei Wuxian clinging to Lan Wangji a lot, Lan Wangji pretending to be annoyed at Wei Wuxian, and here we have Lan Wangji showing actual concern. I think even for him, some of their detective work so far has been a bit of a lark, but he definitely doesn't take Wei Wuxian's pain lightly. It's hard sometimes to even capture in a screenshot, because Wang Yibo's movements are so subtle that you usually need multiple frames to show the change. I still think it's a bit confusing because they don't ever say why Lan Wangji is unaffected by the spirits and the noise in the bunker. I think it's a callback to that time they were in the forest, dealing with Wen Chao's enchantment. Lan Wangji's mind is trained to block out the noise, while Wei Wuxian's isn't. I'm assuming the same is true now, only likely Wei Wuxian's (Mo Xuanyu's) lack of a golden core possibly contributes to that inability. I think not specifying what's going on makes it open to possibilities like Wei Wuxian is somehow able to channel spirits better than Lan Wangji or he's more susceptible to darker entities because of the practice of demonic cultivation in his former life. I know Lan Wangji is good and pure and could never fathom doing that dark stuff (only not because that would make him really uninteresting--he's my fave because he struggles with light and dark in a society that values piousness, etc.).

I'd be very uncomfortable walking around the Blade Shrine for the sole reason that I'd be worried those coffins were going to just fall from the ceiling. How old are those chains? How long have they been hanging there? What is the quality of their make? Seriously, that is the real danger.

I think Lan Wangji is walking a fine line between wanting to protect Wei Wuxian and not wanting Wei Wuxian to feel weak. I really like how he turns around here, sensing something is going on with Wei Wuxian, but once he realizes he's okay, he turns back to searching the coffins. It's beautiful the way he's grown, actually. He doesn't need to fawn over Wei Wuxian--it's okay to check on him, but he doesn't need to baby him. And I don't think it's fair to say he babied him before, but I do think Lan Wangji rushed to his side a lot when they were younger, and mostly what it achieved was Wei Wuxian blowing him off. 16 years later (or whatever, I can't remember), Lan Wangji has left breathing room between them. Part of it is the security of knowing that Wei Wuxian isn't leaving, though. Wei Wuxian has nowhere to go, especially for the time being. But another part is that Lan Wangji knows that Wei Wuxian can take care of himself, to a point, and does not want to be babied, and he's grown enough to allow him that without being asked.

I find this part so cool. The idea that music can allow someone to communicate with the dead is just so exquisitely macabre and beautiful. Music is already a universal language, enjoyed by everyone big and small, young and old, but to add another layer that it can span space and time--so cool. I know this is a concept that exists even in recent history with the Spiritualist movement--the idea that an instrument can be a vessel for spirits to communicate with the living--but there's something about the way it's done here, that there is a language that is spoken through the guqin strings. It's just very fascinating.

Despite that trust that I was speaking of earlier, we still see hesitation in Lan Wangji's eyes at the idea of splitting up. I think this has less to do with Lan Wangji not trusting Wei Wuxian to stick around and be careful, and more to do with the strange presence that he sensed from inside the bunker. Mo Xuanyu's spiritual power is low, which Lan Wangji knows. That means Wei Wuxian's main defense is his wit, which doesn't go well up against the blade of an enemy. Not to mention, he's weighed down by Jin Ling too. So even though Lan Wangji says he'll go chase that person, he still hesitates. And I think that's very human. It's easy to say you'll do it, but harder to follow through.

I also think Wei Wuxian's call of, "Lan Zhan! Take care!" is really sweet and actually important. I think it's easy to say that Lan Wangji is the one carrying the torch for Wei Wuxian and that it doesn't go the other way, but it does, whether Wei Wuxian knowingly admits to it or not. He worries about Lan Wangji too, even though he knows what a skilled cultivator Lan Wangji is. I think the focus on this line shouldn't be lost, because it's important to see Wei Wuxian making that conscious effort to show he does care, and that he isn't ordering Lan Wangji around needlessly just because he can. The decision to send Lan Wangji on the chase was not one made lightly--it was strategic. Lan Wangji is capable, while Wei Wuxian…isn't. He's got Jin Ling, he can't fight anyone off…it wouldn't make any sense for him to chase down the strange presence.

I think I've said before that Jin Ling is one of my favorite characters. His redemption arc, if you will, is perfectly written and compelling and quite beautiful, considering the terrible influence his uncle has on him. Having said that, CQL Jin Ling is my least favorite of all the iterations. I think the whole entitled, bratty attitude was too heavy-handed for a lot of it, and this is accentuated by the dubbing, which is sometimes grating on my ears. The acting is okay, but it's very exaggerated (which is maybe just a cultural thing that I can't quite embrace). Comparing it to the brattiness of Lan Jingyi, for example, I don't find him nearly as annoying. His attitude is charming and his facial expressions only enhance that. I'm not sure, maybe I'm biased against Jin Ling because he is one of my favorites, so I scrutinize him more. Not sure. Either way, I find myself thinking that it would be great to slap him on many occasions while watching this series.

Not that I'd call myself an expert in parenting--I've only been one for four years--but every time I get angry at my daughter when she does something unsafe, I always regret handling it that way. And I always apologize for raising my voice, and calmly explain why I was upset with her, so she understands. Now, Jiang Cheng is not a parent. He didn't raise Jin Ling from birth. Honestly, it's not clear where he spent most of his time, but it's likely he spent it in Lanling, while probably visiting Jiang Cheng often. I'm just imagining summers in Lotus Pier. But that was all to say that Jiang Cheng doesn't know how to be a parent because he never has had to be one. There's no doubt in my mind that he cares about Jin Ling's safety and that's why he's shouting at him here. The issue I see is that this is all he does--he shouts his feelings. I know this is fiction, but in terms of his fictional character, Jiang Cheng is not a good stand-in for a father, nor is he really even a good uncle. In my opinion, an uncle is who you go to to get away from your parents and have fun. Your uncle spoils you, dotes on you, lets you do all the fun stuff that mom and dad say no to. Now, obviously this situation is different--Jin Ling doesn't really have a mom and dad to run away from. But let me ask you, does Jiang Cheng seem like the kind of uncle you'd ever want to run away to? Seriously, he'd be the one I'd dread seeing at family gatherings.

The faces that Wei Wuxian makes in this scene are priceless. XD However, it melts my cold heart to see this soft smile on his face when he thinks about Lan Wangji chasing off Fairy, the "wonder dog." Do you have any idea how happy it makes me to see how enamored he is with Lan Wangji that just the offhand thought can put this expression on his face? <3

Omg Jiang Cheng's face is perfect here! It's just, "What. The. Fuck." Amazing. I love it.

Jiang Cheng looks so much like a villain here. You've got Wei Wuxian cowering in a corner, trapped by Fairy, and Jiang Cheng just glaring at his drink. I find it really creepy that he doesn't tie Wei Wuxian up or do anything to hold him there, because he can easily take advantage of Wei Wuxian's fear of dogs to keep him down. He's malicious and menacing without any prompting. Wei Wuxian has done nothing but try to protect Jin Ling and stay out of Jiang Cheng's way. When you think that Jin Ling would still be in that bunker now and Jiang Cheng would have no idea--isn't it interesting that Wei Wuxian doesn't even try and take credit for that rescue? He could easily use that as leverage to be set free.

Jiang Cheng can spout insults about Wei Wuxian all he wants, but the moment he says that Lan Wangji has ulterior motives in helping Wei Wuxian, we get this expression. Wei Wuxian is hurt, he's offended. He scolds Jiang Cheng for even saying such a thing. And reading the words again, it's like a two-fold insult: Lan Wangji is only protecting Wei Wuxian for some kind of self-gain, as well as the idea that Lan Wangji is dishonorable because he protects Wei Wuxian despite what Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning did to his own clan. And Wei Wuxian doesn't really mind bad things being said about himself, but he refuses to tolerate Jiang Cheng talking smack about Lan Wangji. In Wei Wuxian's eyes, Lan Wangji has always tried to do the right thing, to walk the right path that he's supposed to walk, and any time that he steered off the path to help Wei Wuxian was out of the kindness of his heart and the desire to help Wei Wuxian right his own path.

WWX: I want to go back to Lotus Pier, even in my dreams.

I know he says this, but I don't think it's meant to be taken literally as in he wants to go and visit Lotus Pier again. I think what he means here is that he wishes he could turn back time, go back to the Lotus Pier before its fall, when things were happy, and everyone was still alive. That's the Lotus Pier that Wei Wuxian misses and desires in this moment. He doesn't want to go to the Lotus Pier of today, because that Lotus Pier is no longer his. Unbeknownst to him, his room doesn't even exist anymore. It was torn down. His place has been removed completely. And that isn't the Lotus Pier that he has any desire to see.

I love this conversation between Wei Wuxian and Jin Ling. I love how comfortable they are with each other, without really knowing one another at all. This is really how an uncle should behave towards his nephew. He's trying to teach him, trying to be there for him. There's some push-back from Jin Ling, of course, but it isn't nasty or malicious. Also, "You will say them while crying someday." I love that. I love the repetition of "thank you" and "sorry", and how just putting your pride aside to say those two things is so important in any kind of relationship. It took Wei Wuxian a lifetime to learn that, and he's trying to get his nephew to understand that kind of humility and empathy before it's too late.

Other episodes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | Or just check out the #CQL Rewatch hashtag

[verycharismaticdragon]

Morality shift in SHL, and how it affected WenZhou dynamic

All right, I have decided to accept that “the changes made to WenZhou dynamic in adaptation” section of my meta doc will never turn into a single comprehensive post, so I’ll tackle it in small bits instead. Before we get into the first one of those, small forewarning: I am… not fond shall we say of those changes, so if you don’t feel like reading something that uses a critical tone towards SHL’s decisions, please kindly scroll past.

So, first of all: the adaptation was always going to bleach out the grey morality of the original novel, due to c-nsorship. (For MDZS/CQL gang, think CQL casting Wei Wuxian in the heroic light and Jin Guangyao in the villainous light, where the novel portrays them both as much greyer characters.) This is not the problem I have with SHL’s take on the dynamic – obviously this is just a ‘c-nsorship friggin sucks, for everyone’ situation.

What bothers me about the show’s portrayal is that the morality shift is unequal between the two main characters. 

The thing about the novel WenZhou’s dynamic is that they are, at the core, very similar people – and they recognize that. This is the foundation of their mutual understanding, of that zhiji relationship. Neither of them consider themselves (and by extension each other) a good person, but that’s not a deal-breaker – “Can a bad person also be deserving of pity?” Wen Kexing asks, and Zishu answers without hesitation, “Of course” – and question of morality never becomes a source of tension in their relationship.

Now, as we've already established, SHL couldn’t have them be unapologetic and unrepentant as they were in the novel. This was solved by adjusting certain character beats – for Zhou Zishu, making him a victim of Prince Jin’s manipulation and having him regret his participation in the latter’s schemes; for Wen Kexing, focusing on the consequences and innocent collateral of his revenge plan, and giving his revenge a clean conclusion where he reveals his enemy’s crimes for the whole world to see. Both of those on their own are not bad solutions; and the thing is, I’d argue that they could be combined in a way that would land very close to the core of the novel’s dynamic (more on this later).

Instead we got Zhou Zishu being portrayed as ‘the moral one’ in comparison to Wen Kexing. It’s Zishu reacting with “you’re actually crazy” when Wen Kexing sets a part of his revenge plan in motion, and Zishu telling Ye Baiyi their master would want Wen Kexing guided back to righteousness… but it’s also that in the first half of the show, Wen Kexing is actually more murderous than his novel counterpart. Novel Wen Kexing draws a very clear line between the Ghost Valley and the human world, and conducts himself accordingly – while in the human world, he only kills those who directly attack him or his, and otherwise never goes out of his way to harm anybody. His revenge plan is also composed in such a way that he doesn’t have to fight anyone (or lift a finger at all, really) until the very end.

Let me reiterate, the show actively made Wen Kexing’s actions worse, strengthening the contrast between him and Zishu. This created an arc of Wen Kexing hiding his identity (which… I think will be its own post upd: here it is), and also an arc of Wen Kexing – under Zishu’s good influence – changing his revenge plan to be less immoral (the whole “this is the path my parents and shifu would want me to take”). Now, I’m not saying that either of those arcs are bad writing – I would probably eat them up in an original show – but SHL was supposed to be an adaptation, and those arcs not only contradict the relationship dynamic that existed in the novel, but do so in a way that wasn’t actually necessary.

You see, circling back to those character beats that got adjusted: in the show, Zhou Zishu’s crimes are something he was pushed into, as opposed to things he chose to do of his own will. By all rights, this should actually strengthen his likeness to Wen Kexing. Wen Kexing was pushed into becoming a monster/a weapon for the sake of surviving and fulfilling his duty of avenging his parents; show Zishu was manipulated into becoming the same thing. When show Zishu says he “did what he didn’t want to do, and killed those he didn’t want to kill” – this is pretty much Wen Kexing’s life story!

With this, it should’ve been easy to build the dynamic analogous to their novel one, centered on understanding that stems from their similarities. Sure, shift the focus to them feeling remorse and responsibility and highlight their lack of choice if that’s what it takes to appease the c-nsors – but the core of the dynamic could be preserved and instead… we got Zhou Zishu playing the moral compass.

————

+ addition 07/01/21: possible reasons for adding the moral discrepancy

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- TYK/SHL comparisons masterpost -

[betweentheracks]

Hello and yay for this blog!!! I have a question :D. If a certain Chinese star were to wear jeans that say "my cock is gluten free" and "pull me down and fuck me," do you think his stylist would have chosen this knowingly, or do you think it's possible they just were like "hmm english words looks good" and didn't bother to look up the meaning? If they did know the meaning, would they have likely informed the star? Very desperate for the thought process behind this Choice hehehe. Thank you!

Ah, I was wondering hoping if I would get asked about those infamous jeans and here you are!

First and foremost; the following is all speculation from my experiences in the business and is wholly subjective. 

It isn’t impossible that they weren’t aware of what was written on the jeans, but it also isn’t all that likely either. When you pull up these jeans on the Dsquared2 site there’s a listing of what is doodled and written on the jeans and it’s not something that would be overlooked by neither stylist nor client. 

That said, Yibo does know some English and while he may not have known these words exactly, there’s more than enough ways of discerning their meaning. I would also bet half a year of my salary that his stylist would have known what was written here, or any number of personnel that works with them for that matter. I would also take into consideration that even if the jeans had slipped by all these people that may or may not have had the ability to see what was all over them, some of Yibo’s fellow idols should have (looking at you specifically, Seungyoun).

Setting this aside for a moment, I’ll go into who I think is responsible for the jeans being worn to begin with - Wang Yibo himself is the likely culprit. 

Why do I think this? There’s many reasons but most are inconsequential while two points frame the scene as I see it. 

This is markedly not a choice a stylist would make. Stylists, at the end of it all, are employees and therefore it shouldn’t be too surprising to know we have rules in place we must abide no matter if we are working outside the purview of the company we are housed under. Even when we work exclusively with a client, we are still taking the name of our company as well as our own with us and are operating as an extension of the brand the company promotes and promises. I don’t know of any company here (and I live in rather free faring place which welcomes eccentricities, mind) that would allow these jeans to be submitted as part of a pitch to either buy or borrow unless they were very specifically in line with a client’s public image and style. Technically these jeans would classify as offensive and profane which means they would invite trouble and cause a stir. While stylists are not associated much with the PR side of things we are still essentially a team playing for the same client - this selection, if gone badly, would be like asking for lightning to strike twice in one place at the same time. If a scandal amounted from them PR would have to handle it and that means the stylist would come under fire for making such a bold and risky choice, most especially with a younger client that thus far didn’t have the sort of image one would think to associate with jeans such as these. 

The second reason is that, from what I can tell, this is in line with Yibo’s personality. He’s very serious about style and engages with it as he does most things; by overtaking it completely and rebranding it to suit him to the point that it makes one wonder if the style wasn’t designed with him in mind. He makes full use of what fashion is all about at it’s core; expression. These jeans in particular would have suited the Yibo of the time he wore them (2018, if I remember right?) as he was trying to break away from the image he held as a pretty boy with demure and soft looks which held the shock value of being in such contrast with his dancing and rapping. He’s mentioned before that he doesn’t really like being “cute/sy” and having to do things in the way of that since it’s not true to who he feels he is. Which, honestly, a lot of idols and stars go through this experience where they no longer wish to be constrained by the persona they play for the public and one of the most impactful means of going about it is to address the styling since it is the focal point of public image. 

The Dsquared2 jeans don’t only say “my cock is gluten free,” there’s actually quite a lot to them and I think it would help if more were aware of it so here’s the description of them on the website: 

D Squared Limited Edition Jeans. Sexy Twist Printed Low Rise. Fun, Evil Boy, Love Sucks, Pull Me Down, Open Me, Unzip, Buttons, Wine Is My Water, Tic Tac Toe, Dean & Dan, Sex, Gluten Free Cock, Hot Patches

The jeans actually say “pull me down and fuck me” right there on the ass, but naturally they can’t list the expletives in the marketing. Not strictly important to this post, but still worth mentioning given the hushed treatment of what the placement of such words could easily imply and the effect that could have had. 

Anyway, the bit that is very telling in my opinion is that “evil boy” tag. I’m not terribly certain due to having never been fortunate enough to work with these jeans myself and the internet only has so many pictures from so many angles, but “evil boy” is either written somewhere (which I think is the case since there’s devil horns present as well) or they’re being promoted as such for aesthetic value. Regardless, I am fairly certain this would be the feature which caught Yibo’s eye. It’s on brand for someone seeking to shatter the conceptual ideal of being naive, innocent, youthful, or soft.

The jeans as a whole fit with Yibo’s sense of humor, as I’ve seen it at least. He lost his mind and fell into full laughter and hysterics over a dick joke, not even minding that he was being filmed or anything. He was still laughing about it even after the other hosts had moved beyond it, making them circle back around to it and in turn making it all the more hilarious for him to enjoy. You can see it clearly in the bts footage from the CQL set that he enjoys being mischievous and stirring things up and having a good time. 

This is who he is, I believe, and it makes a lot of sense for him to have made this stylistic choice and then either convince his stylist to let him run with it or change out at the last second. Both of these are possible, though one of them is less probable than the other given how tricky it actually would be to sneak a wardrobe alteration past the many people that make up the staffing roster for any events, and then to be able to change in the limited time frame available between exiting the dressing room to being in the public sphere would be one in a thousand. Much simpler to goad your stylist into being lenient enough to give you free reign over your own styling - we can only hold out and say no when the grounds for it are met, which this wouldn’t have done in all likelihood - and most of the time we build up a good enough relationship and rapport with clients that we end up doting on them a bit and heed their requests when we can.

That’s all from me on this token moment in Yibo’s very stacked fashion history. Thanks for asking!

Furthermore, there’s the third possibility that this wasn’t a styling choice whatsoever. Or at least not one that involved the stylist in any real regard. It is very plausible that this was just Yibo in his own clothes, having dressed down after the main events wound down. I’ve never actually watched to see what that night looked like overall, but from the videos I have seen it looked to me like the actual do had passed and they were all just goofing around and having their own dance competitions and such when he was wearing them. I can’t say for sure that he did or did not have them on for the whole thing or if they were his own self packed casual wear. In which case it would fall back to his studio to tend to since stylists generally don’t hold authority over personal clothing choices and only ever have a hand in it when it is expressly stated in contracts or temporary clauses, and it just isn’t too common anymore. 

Worth a quick mention for means of distinction, here in the US this choice wouldn't have raised many eyebrows no matter if it was chosen by an artist or a stylist. The only reason I feel it necessary to say this is simply because this is not so in China and that alone lends context to the controversy of these jeans. In the scope of conservatism these jeans are outrageous and I think that a stylist would steer clear of utilizing them at all if they value their job. This is why I don't consider it likely at all that Yibo and his stylist collaborated to make use of these jeans as a way to shake away the remnants of his pretty boy aesthetic.

[theji]

我的世界守则 The Rules of My World: An Analysis

I came across this video while browsing Weibo last night. It was taken during Yibo's rehearsal for his 'The Rules of My World' performance. I've listened to the song countless times and I like it, the rhythm and all, and the dance. But as with many rap music, I don't pay attention to the lyrics. I suddenly realised I don't really know what the song is talking about, save for the few phrases that stood out. That sparked my interest and inspired today's post. I had previously done some analysis of Zhan's songs, so it's Yibo's turn.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional translator or lyricist. And obviously I'm not Yibo nor do I know him personally, so I can't say for sure what the song is really about. The following analysis is purely based on my personal interpretation. It has CPN components. Please skip if you don't believe that BJYXSZD.

'The Rules of My World' is the 2nd song that Yibo penned the lyrics to himself. The fact that he wrote the lyrics is significant and makes the song worth analysing. 2019's 'Wu Gan' was more 'inward-looking'; about Yibo expressing his own thoughts on navigating the entertainment industry. To me, 'The Rules of My World' is him making a statement, a stand, at the same time, he's sending a message to those he cares about - GG and his (real) fans. Yibo released this song on 30 Dec 2020. The timing is interesting cos it like he's summing up his sentiments based on the events that took place during the year. To outsiders, 2020 was a good year for Yibo. He had many endorsements, projects, high exposure, his commercial value rose. But in CPN reality, 2020 was terrible for so many reasons. GG's incident, him being overworked, crazy fan wars and antis etc etc..anyone who cares about Yibo would be delusional to think he had it good last year.

欢迎你们来加入我的世界 (You're welcome to join my world)

入场券上面有正义的光源 (There's a light of justice on the admission ticket)

DD is giving fans an open invitation to enter his world, to understand him as a person and not just an idol. And he also hopes that his world can bring some light to the fans' world, to bring some positivity, encouragement and guidance to them.

此生面对严厉又仁慈的一切 (In this life we'll face harshness but also kindness)

轻松一点，我们一起度过黑夜 (Just relax, together we'll overcome darkness)

In the entertainment world (or life in general), there will be ups and downs, criticisms and compliments. Regardless of what may come, we can overcome any challenges together. Darkness here could also refer to the antis who seem determined to bring GGDD down. This could be a message to fans - to tell them that they don't always have to rush to defend him, and they don't need to retaliate (aka fan wars). It could also be a message to GG, to make a stand of solidarity and to reassure GG that DD will face any challenges alongside him.

新的征途 (A new journey)

愚蠢的，不好相处 (These fools, they aren't easy to get along with)

愚蠢的，不会打住 (These fools, they won't stop)

但衬托明天更耀眼的路 (But they will set off a brighter path for tomorrow)

It was said that DD matured considerably after the 2*7 incident. Took up more responsibility, became more focused on his career and mindful of future advancements etc. Started to take on more serious acting projects and to shift his career trajectory towards something more sustainable and less 'idol'. The new journey could be a reference to this new path. The fools - the antis, those against GGDD - may have caused damage but their actions have also sparked off DD's desire to do better and to find his footing in the entertainment industry. He now has a clearer view of what he wants, the path he wants to take.

我是我的样子 (This is how I am)

我生来就固执 (I was born stubborn)

讲自己的故事 (I'll tell my own story)

活独特的气质 (Living my unique self)

Follow me, 找到自己的价值 (Follow me, find your own value)

不去迎合别人活 才会觉得有意思 (Life is interesting if you don't cater to others)

我的世界不退让 (It's my world I won't give in)

我的世界不退让 (It's my world I won't give in)

Here, DD is being assertive. This is me, I follow my own rules, I'll make my own decisions, I'll forge my own path, I won't be influenced, I won't give up on my beliefs. So antis, capitalists etc can f*ck off.

It could also be seen as an advice to his fans - to follow his lead and live their own lives. This is also something that GG has repeatedly said to fans - to focus on their own lives, personal relationships, studies, careers etc. Don't devote so much time on chasing idols, online fan wars etc.

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

乐观地，走向前 (Just move forward with optimism)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

无所谓，多危险 (Doesn't matter how dangerous it is)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

这是我的世界 (This is my world)

我世界的守则，不许你诡辩 (These are the rules of my world, I won't allow any sophistry)

I see this as DD's words of encouragement, to himself and to GG. Despite all the challenges and hardship, darkness will pass and the sun will come out eventually. And it's shining brightly, there is hope left in this world, there's is much to look forward to. So don't fear, be brave and forge ahead.

Sophistry: the use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving

Poor DD is always hit with industry rumours, about him dating his co-stars etc. Last year, someone even made a false police report against him. Just look at the number of statements his company had to put out. There have also always been ongoing rumours about rivalry between GGDD, tales of backstabbing etc, especially in 2020 at the height of the incident. DD is saying that this is his life, his world. No one knows better than the both of them. So to those who don't know better but continue to spew nonsense about his life and relationships and spread hate, know that I don't care about your antics, they don't hurt me but I won't tolerate them as well.

在我世界行走 (Walking in my world)

什么人生主题你透露 (What kind of life theme do you envisage)

是胆大勇猛所向披靡 (Is it to be bold, courageous and invincible)

或胆小逃避钻进壳里 (Or to be timid and escape into your shell)

喧闹倾诉众人party (Is it to pour out your troubles at a rowdy party)

寂寞相思不停地哭泣 (Or to cry silently non-stop out of loneliness and love-sickness)

都欢迎你来我这里 (All are welcome)

只要跟从自己的内心 (So long as you follow your heart)

跟限制和噪音 说一声 bang bang (I'll say 'Bang Bang' to restriction and noises)

怪兽都退散 (Monsters, be gone)

What kind of person am I in your eyes? The cool guy or soft sweet babie Yibo? Here, DD is acknowledging that the public has many different perceptions of him, and fans love different personas of him and he's ok with that. But if you love him, then let him be. Don't try to restrict him, don't quarrel or force him into a certain mould of your preference. He won't hesitate to shoot the haters (monsters) down.

迈出轻盈的步伐 (Take a light step forward)

一声令下 (With a single command)

来宣布 告别孤勇 (To announce a farewell to having to fight alone)

On this new path, with a new-found realisation of what he wants, DD is clear of what he wants to achieve and he is no longer burdened by fear, uncertainties etc. Both GGDD now have each other by their sides, they share a common purpose as they navigate the intricacies of the entertainment industry together and work their way to the top. And I think this is something that we're seeing more in the fandom since end 2020 - GGDD seemingly becoming more bold in their actions and messages they put out (silent or otherwise).

想要做盘旋的龙 (Wanna be a hovering dragon)

还想做懒散的虫 (Or a lazy worm)

别打扰我 走开 没空 (Don't bother me, go away, I have no time for that)

In public, DD is that proud and confident king. He's not a pushover. But behind the cameras, he just wants to chill and relax (and play games). Please don't bother me, give me some privacy to lead my own life, don't tell me what I can or cannot do.

Cue DD's message. He meant it.

Follow me, 找到自己的价值 (Follow me, find your own value)

不去迎合别人活 才会觉得有意思 (Life is interesting if you don't cater to others)

我们永远不退让 (We will never give in)

我们永远不退让 (We will never give in)

This is a repetition of the earlier verse but what has changed is the last 2 lines. From <It's my world I won't give in>, DD now says <We will never give in>. This was actually the first thing that sparked off my CPN, and hinted to me that this song concerns GG in some ways. Who's We? We all know how GGDD almost always use the word 'we' in their CQL promo interviews and bts, as though they come as a package and all views represent both of them as a entity. This also echoes the earlier sentiments - both of them, after the 2020 incident, have developed a steely resolve. They won't let the antis or challenges or societal views hold them back anymore. Their world, their rules. They will fight for their rights and what they believe in, and they are determined to reach their goals.

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

乐观地 走向前 (Just move forward with optimism)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

无所谓 多危险 (Doesn't matter how dangerous it is)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

这是我的世界 (This is my world)

我们的世界不会被改变 (Our world will never be changed)

Again, similar to the above 'we' example. From this part of the song onwards, DD is referring to them both. The last line could also be viewed as an affirmation of GGDD's commitment to each other. Whatever is it, our relationship will not change. We will go through it all together.

Don‘t stop, get it, get it

Let me see you work up on it

Don’t stop, get it, get it

Let me see you all up on it

Let me see you work up on it

Don‘t stop, get it, get it

Don't stop

Hey

I interpret this as DD's words of encouragement to GG. Like don't stop fighting, continue to work hard towards your (our) goals. Go for it, you can do it!

在我的世界 (In my world)

本能很关键 (Instinct is the key)

坚持自己 (Stay true to yourself)

就是你们的世界 (It is your world)

DD's parting words to fans: to stay true to oneself, to build and enrich your own worlds, to fight for your goals, like how he is trying.

Well, I had fun working on this. Maybe I'll do Wu Gan another time. Reminded me of literature class during my schooling days, although I never did Chinese literature back then. Feel free to share your thoughts on the song with me. =D

[colorisbyshe]

Stephanie can you tell me if it’s normal to have finished both the unt4med and md zs (censoring bc I don’t remember how tagging works on tumblr and I don’t want anything seemingly negative I might say to make people come and bother you) and have found the romance aspect of the story to be the least interesting thing ?

I think WW is an extraordinary character and his story was so epic. Granted I didn’t like the writing at all in the book. And I was so captured by his motivations and his actions, but seeing how people talked about the love story online I was expecting to be blown away and instead… it kind of fell flat imo? Like I found LW to be kind of boring in how his character was executed, mostly because I couldn’t really see his thoughts, and I found WW’s relationship with him to change too abruptly from one kind of relationship to another. Like, compared to WW’s relationship to his siblings, that made me cry on several occasions, for how tragic and epic LW’s actions are , they didn’t evoke that much of an emotion in me. Like, fuck JC honestly but at the same time there’s something so brutal and tragic and captivating about what happens between him and WW.

Idk. The story is absolutely fantastic but I feel weird because I feel like I appreciated completely different things from what the majority of the fans liked instead.

Idk what "normal" in this context means or why you would feel weird about... having a different takeaway from a piece of media?

Like, I don't understand why anyone would have a concern about what is "right" or "wrong" to like about a piece of media. Like, if you were missing the messaging of the series or idk ignored important themes to focus on a weird background ship or whatever, sure, I guess that's "wrong" but... I don't understand the need to be validated for not caring about a certain character or character dynamic? Like the series however you choose. There's... no wrong way to do it. And even if there WAS a wrong way to do it, comparing yourself to this particular fandom... like... there's no need to compare yourself to most of these people. A lot of MDZS/CQL fans are utter freaks.

But getting to the brunt of your question. Idk man.

I liked WWX/LWJ and I liked LWJ as a character. I actually really, really enjoyed that they don't just get together JUST because they like each other's personalities and how they mesh or JUST because they are equals in a world where most people come up short when compared to them but VERY much because they understand and support each other ideologically and are willing to risk the same things to achieve their ideological goals.

The fact that they connect not just emotionally or physically but also mentally and philosophically is something that is missing in a LOT of romance plotlines. It's not "circumstance brought us together and now we're trauma bonded" (which is certainly great in a lot of cases, ngl) but just this larger calling.

We get to see them flirt and be shy and be silly, the way teenagers are. But we get to see them be torn apart and then back together not just ~because of circumstance awww~ but because of a genuine betrayal where no one is really at fault, it's just because of how society functions. Their relationship heavily reflects and feeds into the themes of the story and their own character arcs while letting them be their own people with their own arcs.

I think a few bits of how their relationship is executed is perhaps a bit sloppy, especially if the manhua is properly reflecting what happens in the novel, and I think "ACTUALLY I WANT TO SLEEP WITH YOU" being almost verbatim dialogue during the violent climax of the story is both lazy and cringe but... their overall arc was really well done.

I think in general, the strengths of weaknesses of MDZS (not necessarily CQL) is that MXTX has great ideas and a few great points of executions but REALLY struggles with the minutiae. I think this is true of the story at large but I'm a lot more forgiving of the minutiae sometimes lacking in LWJ/WWX because... well... the story isn't about them.

They are a reflection of the story but the story exists on a much, much larger scale than their romance. (Or implied romance, when it comes to CQL.)

I'm fine with that, though. In most of the moments that count, the execution is great and the total arc is believable, enjoyable, and developed at a fairly even pace, outside of some jumps.

[ouyangzizhensdad]

I’m curious about something, I’m pretty sure the novel makes all of WWX wounds heal after Mo Village since every target dies, but the live action has one left for JGY. Do you think that changes in a way the depiction of MXY?

I kind of don’t like that choice from the standpoint of how it impacts the storytelling and WWX’s character.

It is not like, within the novel canon, it would not make sense for MXY to resent JGY. JGY is the reason why MXY was sent back in disgrace to Mo Village, and ceased to be able to learn cultivation. The text also tells us that even before the abuse worsened things, MXY came back absolutely rattled and out of spirit. If the decision to add this target had been used in order to further flesh out MXY, or explore more fully what JGY’s characters and his actions, it would not bother me so much. It could have been a very interesting new perspective to what is already in the canon, expanding upon it. Yet, this is not the role that this mark plays in CQL.

The mark instead is part of the simplified and blunter storytelling style of CQL. By that I mean that the mark remaining on WWX, and thus being an unresolved mystery and a “””threat””” to him, is about being a reminder for the audience: keep watching! We swear, there is more coming, there’s a big boss out there, the hero is not fine!!!! Isn’t that the only thing we need to do to build suspense? With more apt storytellers, this could have been different: they could have mobilised the remaining mark throughout the narrative to increase the sense of tension, of urgency, of angst as WWX and LWJ go on their own adventures. What if WWX was not only threatened by the cultivation world, but the very body he’s now inhabiting, slowly rejecting him for failing to pay his part of the deal? However, since the mark is not in the novel, the production team allow themselves to forget this adaptational change for most of the narrative and do not consider how it should inform it aside from reminding the audience that it is there or showing that WWX has been freed from it at the end. The identity of the person WWX needs to enact revenge upon for MXY never feels like a pressing thing, both for the audience and within the narrative. We never truly feel that there are stakes associated with it when we’re watching the series. This is not surprising because the original narrative is not shaped by such stakes or tension, so the CQL team would have needed to intentionally add them after considering the impacts of that adaptational choice. Unfortunately, the mark appears to be there only because CQL feel it needs a clear, blunt, visual reminder for the audience in the first few episodes that there is ~more mystery to come, keep watching~ you want to know the big reveal, don’t you~ there’s the a big boss at the end, promise~. And  that kind of lazy writing leaves me very meh. 

What really annoys though, is the subtle way that choice impacts WWX’s characterisation. In the novel, WWX leaves Mo Village with nothing binding him. He’s paid his debt toward MXY, and he’s avoided the one person who knew him in the past. The man whose first life and fate were defined by debts no longer has anything to settle. As WWX go on, on his own, it’s acknowledged that he has an opportunity to imagine a life without anything tethering him (well, until unfinished business catches up with him at Dafan mountain). So when the mystery surrounding the arm props up, WWX doesn’t get involved because it could be tied to a mark remaining on his arm. Later, he doesn’t risk his life to uncover JGY’s crimes because that could somehow be the answer to fulfilling his debt toward MXY. Novel!WWX chooses to do these things because of who he is as a person. Having that other motivation, this tether, muddies in some ways his characterisation. It also changes what can be inferred by the fact that novel!WWX lets himself be brought back into the troubles and politics of the cultivation world when he meant to avoid them after his rebirth and when it is ultimately the choice he makes at the end of the book--in CQL, it feels like that choice is one he has to make, at least until he’s gotten rid of the mark. And I don’t feel like CQL addresses or makes up for the impact this has on his characterisation.

In short, while it is not, by far, the worst adaptational choice of the CQL production team has made based on what is in the novel, it is indicative for me of the limits and failings of the adaptation. Not only does this adaptational choice not seem to bring a new perspective on the source material, but it is not fully developed within its own storytelling and the ways in which it impacts other aspects of the original story (like characterisation) do not seem to have been considered. 

[i-love-xiao-xingchen]

Xiao Xingchen's abandonment issues

Yesterday I was thinking about the fact that Xiao Xingchen was roaming the world with A-Qing until they found Xue Yang. I hadn't thought about this before, but almost since they arrived in Yi City XXC was naturally like "well, guess this is home now" (the fact that he got some stuff to fix the roof for A-Qing and then his answer "he [Xue Yang] will leave when he recovers, who would want to live here with us" suggests he intended to stay in Yi City even after the "stranger" was gone).

And it made me think about XXC's need (probably unnoticed even by himself) of settling down with, let's say, a pack of his own? (XD) I mean, since he left the mountain his only friend (and figuratively his only home) was Song Lan. They roamed the world together and they had a common goal, but even then they were sometimes away from each other (remember the scene in CQL when XXC is fighting XY and SL appears to help, he [SL] said he happened to be night-hunting nearby so he and XXC weren't together by then). Nonetheless, XXC knew he could always find Song Lan (he was a "home" to come back let's say) and eventually they were roaming the world side by side, so it was something to hang on. He didn't have the family he left behind but he had a friend (and probably soulmate) instead as well as his purpose of saving the world.

Later everything changes terribly. XXC not only loses his sight, but also his best friend (and beloved) blames him for the death of his people and tells him to go away and never meet again. He believes SL's words, that he actually doesn't want to be his friend anymore, and as as XXC loves and respects him he leaves. He's on his own again, like the first time, only this time he's also blind and heartbroken. He feels guilty for SL's tragedy and grieves his friend's loss and his own (losing SL).

He keeps roaming the world, helping people same as before, but it's more out of habit than anything. He had a purpose that drove him out of the mountain and into the world, he still has (or wants to believes he does) but it's not as strong as before. He feels raw and grieving, there's an inherent sadness to him (that's what I thought when I saw him again in the CQL after A-Qing bumped into him), an additional shadow of white (mourning) to his figure. He doesn't look as bright as before.

Due to his fame, probably the world have always thought of XXC as unreachable. Now his new layer of sadness gives an stoic and almost legendary point to his looks, making him seem more "out of this world". Despite his blindness, he still bears Shuanghua as if he hadn't lost his sight at all. He must look more unreachable than ever. Besides, he never was that good at making friends in the cultivation world (his only friend was SL actually) and he did not belong to any sect.

Then there's the fact that somehow XXC accepts solitude as a "punishment" (although he probably doesn't acknowledge it). It seems to me that he feels he doesn't deserve friends or he's afraid of hurting them or driving them away (apart from the fact that most people find him unreachable). He doesn't try to forge new relationships as the grief he feels after losing SL is still too raw. He can't bear losing a loved one again like that. He even doubts someone would want to be with him.

Just remember when he met A-Qing. When she asked if she could keep him company XXC naturally thought she wanted to become a cultivator, not that she actually liked XXC because he was obviously good-natured and caring so she felt safe with him. And then when she told her the reason why she wanted to follow him and asked again if she could, he did not said yes, but he didn't say no either. He just started to walk away BUT lingering a bit, like he wanted to know if she would actually follow him, probably a part of him wanting (very much) that she would. Because why would she (or anyone) walk with him again? After all, he thought (or tried to convince himself) that she was intelligent enough to take care of herself, she didn't need his help to survive so why would she want to be with him? But then A-Qing follows him and after a while he accepts she's there to stay and automatically considers her his family. He's naturally protective towards her ("you sprained your foot, do you need me to carry you?"). They arrive in Yi City and he refers to "us" (A-Qing and XXC). But then he assumes no one (the stranger they found) would want to live with them (not just because Yi City looks like a depressing place to live but because of his deeply rooted believing that he does not deserve friendship or even company).

As soon as they arrive in Yi City he assumes A-Qing and him are staying there. No more roaming the world, that's not really important now, although he keeps going on night-hunting frequently. In the mountain he had a home and a family. After coming down he had a purpose and a friend who was also an anchor, similar to what home and family meant to him. When he lost that, it was difficult to live only on purpose. As I said, he kept roaming the world out of habit, because he hadn't known any other way. But meeting A-Qing and arriving in Yi City to nurse a "stranger" back to health was an opportunity to meet and fulfill his longing for home and family. He still could be faithful to his purpose by night-hunting and doing good deeds. He could have both purpose and a place to come back to, where people he loved would be waiting for him. He had a new anchor for him to keep going.

Furthermore, the "stranger" chooses to stay. XXC didn't ask for his name or background in the first place because he thought the man would eventually leave. But he doesn't. And XXC doesn't ask now. Why? Perhaps out of habit, perhaps because he actually doesn't want to know, or doesn't want to be conditioned by a name or probably because he feels he has not the right to ask (as he believes he has not the right to ask for gratefulness, kindness, company, friendship). He gives but does not expect something in return because he believes he is not deserving of that (even if he doesn't acknowledge it right back).

He doesn't want to force anyone to be with him. But the stranger stays. He goes night-hunting with XXC as he is a cultivator too, helps them with the chores, makes him laugh his guts out. He tells him what the sky or the mountains look like when the sun sets over them and how the surrounding fields change their colors over the seasons. The stranger becomes family too. And XXC doesn't question any of it. He is content with this life, even if it is a lie, it doesn't matter, he probably never thought about it, he didn't bother to. After a while he accepts the stranger is staying (as he did with A-Qing) and he is somewhat relieved. He doesn't bother to imagine the day this domestic bliss will end.

And eventually SL finds him.

[plan-d-to-i]

(translator. hello from Russia!) I alone think that the modao drama is just disgusting and that it destroyed the character of wwx and why did it elevate jc? I know that this is due to the Chinese censorship, but I think that it SHOULD be made the same as in the book, because because of this, the guys who watched only the drama do not understand why the guys who read the book do not like jc so much.

How cool! Hi !! ٩(◕‿◕)۶

Honestly I think cql/The Untamed went above and beyond what they needed to do to pass censorship, and altered the story in a lot of ways that they didn't have to which only weakened it. Writer/producer Yang Xia who worked on the script said she wanted to put the emphasis on the concept of 'family' instead of the love between WWX & LWJ- which why even bother to adapt the story then? She added the absurd Yin Iron story line because she thought the plot of the novel was confusing before and she then she tried to make Wen Qing WWX's love interest instead of Lan Zhan (These posts go into it more : post 1 , post 2) . And yes jc's character was turned into this weird weepy person, who still does all the messed up things he does but now he's full of rage AND has teary eyes so ppl think that changes something. Crying is not character development. Crying while you still do fucked up things even though you don't have to do them is not gray morality (눈_눈). Sadly, I can't say the show adds anything to the story & I only watch it for Xiao Zhan & Wang Yibo looking ethereally beautiful, & other actors that I like - Wang HaoXuan (Xue Yang), Zhu Zan Jin (Jin Guangyao), Song Ji Yang (Xiao Xing Chen), Ji Li (Nie Huaisang) & Liu Hai Kuan (Lan Xichen). I also like the soundtrack I suppose. Did you hear your countryman Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring used in the frenzied scene where everyone is scrambling for the Tiger Seal at Nightless City! :)))

While I do believe that cql inspired a lot more weird jc babying, I also believe that because even originally WWX is so heroic, morally ideal, able to let go of his resentments and not get lost in trying to get revenge against those who have wronged him, yet also fun, and popular, and really well adjusted - that's not going to maybe be as relatable for people the way jc constantly venting his anger and complaints, taking the easy way out and not caring about helping others but only putting his own drives first, will be. Some people it seems can't like a character if they can't see themselves in them, or project on them. I think that's the driving factor with his stans. They can't relate to WWX so they keep trying to make jc the main character but jc lacks all of the qualities to make him the main character in an mxtx story. He's like an example of what not to do. He's just a side character antagonist who meant something to WWX in his first life but who he's outgrown, and to who he no longer feels he owes anything in his second life. Maybe it's the kind of folk stories I grew up on but to me a main character is meant to be first of all inspiring, heroic, preferably likable but not necessarily relatable to an average person, and WWX does all of that beautifully.

[pilfered-words]

Say more about this Baoshan Sanren conspiracy theory? :0

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

So, the thing about Baoshan Sanren is that she's a mythological, fairy-tale figure. She's surrounded by rumor and legend and the one time she comes in contact with the main plot, it turns out to be completely made up. And we know what MDZS as a book (and CQL as a series) thinks of the reliability of rumor.

Maybe she existed once upon a time (in CQL, she basically must have, Lan Yi is probably not lying), but died a long time ago. Maybe she was made up from the beginning. We don't know much about her origins, even in the series, and nothing at all in the book. Neither do we know much about the first student of hers said to have left the mountain.

Then there's Cangse Sanren. She was WWX's mother, and she is said to have had a personality like his. Imagine for a second someone like that, who was largely self-taught, picking up cultivation a couple lessons at a time from anyone willing to teach her, coming into contact with the elite sects, their rules and their snobbery.

"Cloud Recesses holds lectures," a fellow rogue cultivator tells her. "Not for the likes of us, of course, you have to belong to a sect or at least have a famous teacher." And just like that, Cangse Sanren has an Idea.

She leans in closely to her acquaintance, and murmurs in a confiding tone, "I didn't want to mention it, my teacher does not want us dropping her name all over the place if we leave, but as it happens, I do have a teacher who is rather well known. She lives apart from the world, not wanting people to bother her, but do you think the Lan sect will let me in if I tell them that my teacher... is Baoshan Sanren?"

She drops the same question into a few other strategically chosen ears, and after that, she barely even needs to assert it: everyone already knows. All she needs to do is discourage anyone who tries to find out more or catch her out or ask her for favors. "Oh, no, I'm afraid I cannot ask Master Baoshan that, I can't ask her anything. You see, Master Baoshan does not like it when we leave the mountain. She says that if we are stupid enough to leave, we must never return."

Then she dies, and not even her son knows that the famous story is a lie.

(...this is getting long.)

Xiao Xingchen is somewhat more difficult. He does have a streak of mischief in him, but not this kind of mischief. I rather think he was actually raised by a recluse on a mountain. She just wasn't Baoshan Sanren. Or immortal. It's even possible that she wasn't a cultivator, and he picked up cultivation elsewhere.

Perhaps they quarreled and she forbade him to call himself her student; perhaps she had a bad reputation and forbade it for that reason. Something surely must have happened for XXC not to honor her publicly as his teacher. Because here's what I think happened:

I think XXC came down the mountain and fought some monsters, and when he was asked where he was from, he said that it was a mountain refuge, and that he asked that they not inquire further.

"What, like Baoshan Sanren?" someone asked, remembering the stories of CSSR.

"Something like that," XXC answered, laughing a little at the comparison.

And that was all rumor needed. The next thing XXC knew was that he was getting letters addressing him as "the illustrious student of Baoshan Sanren."

"What do I do?" he complained to Song Lan.

Song Lan shrugged. "Don't correct them. The elite sects hate being wrong. And it could be useful. It's not like Baoshan Sanren will bother coming off her mountain to catch you out. You don't have to actually claim it, just don't deny it when someone says it."

XXC gets used to the thought remarkably quickly. He feels guilty about it, but it doesn't actually come up all that often, and what's the harm, really. Unlike CSSR, he never accepts anything that is offered him only because of his supposed pedigree, and this soothes his guilt.

Then Xue Yang kills everyone in Song Lan's temple and blinds Song Lan. XXC takes him to a doctor they know. She says it's impossible to save SL's sight, but something about her hesitation makes XXC press.

She says that the only thing she can think of would need someone else's eyes to be damaged, and that is the kind of surgery that would ruin her reputation. "People are uncomfortable with someone who might harm them to heal someone else. I know my neighbors. They would admire my skill, but they would not trust me ever again. I am no famed immortal who can do miracles and live apart. I need to live with them."

"Then we will say that Baoshan Sanren did it," says XXC, and after some persuasion, the doctor agrees.

There are definitely some flaws in this theory. In the series, XXC says his teacher was Baoshan Sanren when he talks to WWX and the rest of them, even when WWX asks about his mother. I think he panicked. I think he saw members of the most elite sects out there, and just went with the story. He might have taken it back when WWX started asking about his mom, but there is no way he could have known her, even if the story was true, so he is able to extricate himself without more lies. And he does feel a connection to her, by now, this woman who might have been his shijie, who at least shared the experience of being raised on a mountain and coming down into a world that is richer and dirtier and happier and more miserable than they could have imagined. (She did not, in fact, share this experience, but he doesn't know that.)

In the book, he never actually says he is Baoshan Sanren's student in so many words. We hear it from LWJ, but he only knows it from rumors. What we do get is a story that he tells in Yi City, about an immortal who lives on a mountain and forbids her students to leave, and her students who have left anyway. The descriptions of Yanling Daoren and Cangse Sanren are unmistakable. But A-Qing cuts him off after CSSR, and we don't know what, if anything, he would have said about himself.

When I first thought of this theory, @irrealisms objected that this story is followed by XY's story about Chang Cian, and that it's thematically correct for XXC's story to also be very personal for him. That's... not false, but I think that it has become personal for him. Most of what he says is about Yanling Daoren and Cangse Sanren, who he did not know regardless. I have already said I think he feels a connection to them, and I think their story is almost as personal to him as if he really was their shidi. (XY, of course, believes XXC definitely is Baoshan Sanren's student, to the extent he thinks anything about it at all.)

So there it is. It's definitely not the intended reading, but there's something remarkably compelling about it to me anyway. (It's about the narrative parallels.) So: conspiracy theory.

[fixielixie]

back again to complain about unnecessary changes cql made that 1) made their own writing look bad and 2) didn't need to be changed in the first place so why would they have even bothered.

so we all know the famous "at least i'll die by your hands, hanguang-jun" scene from right after wwx breaks the wens out at Qiongqi Path. it feels like a much more dramatic version of the confrontation wangxian have at nightless city as the sects begin a battle again wwx, where wwx says "I knew since the start that we'd have to fight a real right like this one sooner or later. You've always found me disagreeable no matter what."

so i have a few issues with cqls choice of everything with the moment. firstly being, /why/ did wwx feel like lwj was out to kill him? this was before wwx had really made an enemy out of himself and yet he immediately jumps to the idea that yes lwj will kill him one day. cql made the point of smoothing out wangxians earlier relationship, and a lot of the headbutting they continued to do throughout all of wwxs first life in the novel was cut out. they had wholesome moments together in cql, of bonding and growing closer. so i literally cant understand how wwx has jumped to something so drastic considering so far their biggest disagreement was over his use of demonic cultivation. hell, they see each other again after this at the burial mounds.

also just to nitpick while im at it, why was lan wangji even there???? doing nothing when he saw that oh wwx was right, the jins were abusing the wen prisoners. like wen qing and wwx went there on foot and lwj must have used his sword so ... why wasnt he there like hours before.

in the novel, not only does it make more sense for wwx to think they were going to fight for real one day, but he also never makes any mention of lwj wanting to kill him. he /knows/ lwj doesnt want to kill him. in his mind lwj wants to punish him by bringing him back to the cloud recesses. not once has lwj made it seem like he wants wwx dead, so why would wwx jump to that conclusion. also its not wild for wwx to assume that he and lwj were destined to fight properly one day, over the cause of the war and the years after it tension had been rising between the two, and they were known for fighting over the smallest things back in their youth. wwx knows lwj as someone who's willing to pull a sword out on him for showing him porn, of course he would have expected a real fight to break out over something as serious as this.

also just in terms of narrative structure and yanno .. pacing, the moment at nightless city between wangxian makes this whole battle feel so much more tragic. lan wangji is despertaely trying to stop wwx before things go to far, already knowing that it probably already has, wwx is so sure he knows what lwj is thinking and is so blinded in his own loss of judgment that he cant see this.

"any sane person would be able to tell that lan wangji's voice was clearly shaking."

"he [wwx] felt that everyone loathed him and he loathed everyone as well."

i think my biggest problem with cql is that they take emotionally charged moment like this from the book, dont bother to do any of the lead up and pacing that makes the emotional impact hit that much harder, and rely on the actions crying a bunch in hopes that it conveys the same feelings. and i think this scene showcases this perfectly. cql could have just... not added this scene and instead used the dialogue from the text and moved this entire interaction to nightless city (tho im pretty sure they have this exact same discussion there too). like there was no reason for it.

[franniebanana]

CQL Rewatch - Ep 20

Iconic. Seeing Wei Wuxian back and better than ever is so satisfying! That flute playing that probably we’ve all forgotten about since the first two episodes becomes a repeating leitmotif throughout the series. It’s just as iconic as Wei Wuxian himself. And what I love about this shot here is how the light hits his eyes, and from this specific camera angle, it looks like a mask on his face! I just thought that was super cool. Whether it was intentional or not, I have no idea, but I like to think it was. I guess it’s like a reverse mask in this case—everything is hidden except his eyes.

It’s amazing how I only went without Wei Wuxian for like half an episode, yet it felt like so much longer. The emotional weight that he carries is so great that from all the characters searching for him, it feels like it’s actually been three months, instead of more like twenty-five minutes. And I think that’s something that we can feel in CQL but we can’t really feel in the book. Since the book is written in third person limited, we only see Wei Wuxian’s side of the story (I think that’s accurate, but it’s been a few months since I read it). That being the case, we never leave Wei Wuxian’s side, we never get to miss him being there. Of course the story is framed totally differently in the book and not in chronological order, even—lots of flip-flopping, which is fun but also a little confusing when you’re trying to keep track of a timeline.

I think part of what makes Wang Lingjao so creepy here is that her garish makeup is totally gone: her face is pale and ghoulish, with just the bright red blood trickling out of her nose, mouth, and cut on her cheek. I think they could have made her even more ghostly, but I like what they did for her apparition. It’s fun to see how fast Wen Chao cracks, though. He’s very much all bark and no bite—honestly, such a coward. On the one hand, it’s satisfying to watch him lose it, but on the other, it’s quite disturbing. I toe the line between enjoying it and being disgusted by it, but I love that CQL at least kept in this part of Wei Wuxian’s character. It’s like revenge, no matter how bloody, is okay in Chinese tv, but not the main character being kind of bad. I don’t get why they had to nerf his character to the point of absolving him of all guilt with everything that happened. I like a character who makes bad choices, but feels guilty for it, because that shows depth. Someone who bad things happen to because of the “real villain” aren’t as interesting to me. I think also that Xiao Zhan would have been amazing as the real Wei Wuxian from the book, had they adapted him that way. I also would have really, really loved to see the scene that is only really described to us (I think by Lan Xichen) where a distraught and delusional Wei Wuxian rejects Lan Wangji. Ugh, that would have been so heart-wrenching! Maybe in the donghua…sigh….

So this is important, I think. There was a point in the last episode where Jin Zixuan tells his cousin not to let the crows peck at the dead bodies of their enemies. In other words, don’t desecrate the bodies, even if they are the enemy. Of course, Jin Zixuan didn’t hold any personal grudges towards any of them, at least that we know of. Jiang Cheng certainly does. So even though Wang Lingjao is already dead by her own hand, he whips her with Zidian. Jiang Cheng is becoming more and more twisted by his anger and grief, which he never deals with in a healthy way. He wants revenge against those that have wronged him and his parents, and he really never stops seeking revenge throughout the story. First it’s against the Wens, and then it’s against Wei Wuxian. It’s a fairly slow descent, I think, over years, but I quite like watching him twist like this. While it’s fun and interesting watching someone repent and have a redemption arc, it’s also interesting watching them go the other way.

Lan Wangji seems to know, or at least suspect, that the person who has killed everyone in the Supervisory Office, including Wang Lingjao, is Wei Wuxian. A talent for using talismans (one of which Lan Wangji used himself to escape the Wens), someone who is seeking revenge against the Wen Clan—these things point to Wei Wuxian in his mind. He doesn’t want to say this to Jiang Cheng, he doesn’t even want to admit it himself, but he’s putting the pieces together. I think this is a frightening thought for him. On the one hand, he would be happy to find Wei Wuxian alive, but on the other, what state would they find him in? And what does it mean that he’s killed all these people singlehandedly? This isn’t the Wei Wuxian that Lan Wangji knows and cares so deeply about. This isn’t the man that Lan Wangji was ready to die for. I think his heart is very much filled with dread in this scene.

Jiang Cheng’s line is interesting too—basically, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Solid, really, but it does come with some problems in reality. The enemy of your enemy just might stab you in the back later. It’s a very simplistic view, but I think at this point, Jiang Cheng is just happy to see the Wens dead. There are a few he wants to kill himself, but he seems satisfied if they just die out, regardless of who does it.

I like seeing Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng team up for these few episodes, because it’s fun seeing how they each approach the situations. Jiang Cheng relies heavily on his heart and emotions, which I can totally identify with. He wants to find Wei Wuxian and he wants revenge on Wen Zhuliu and Wen Chao—those are his two priorities. And then Lan Wangji is definitely more of a logical person—he wants to get to the bottom of these deaths and find out who is the person with so much wicked energy that is doing all of it—and also, that person is probably Wei Wuxian, who he is very interested in finding. Here Jiang Cheng wants to rush after Wen Zhuiliu, just as he did when he went back to Lotus Pier. He’s very rash, while Lan Wangji is much more calm and collected. I mean, if it were me, I’d want to see if they would give up any information before I killed them.

And the reveal is…Wen Chao is fucking disgusting! I didn’t even want to screencap one of the close-ups, because I felt like I’d have to do a trigger warning for blood lol. Not really, though, because I never do, sorry. I love the looks on Jiang Cheng’s and Lan Wangji’s faces, though. Jiang Cheng is so horrified and Lan Wangji is just mildly shocked. I think the real thing is like, who are we dealing with here? Who is this monster who’s been murdering everyone in all these different ways? Who has made Wen Chao look like this? Is this friend or foe? Like I said, Jiang Cheng keeps saying that as long as the person is killing the Wens, he’s fine with it, but I think even he is bothered by this level of mutilation, even against someone he loathes.

It’s hilarious to me that Wen Zhuliu uses this tactic with Wen Chao. Oh, you’re going to insult me? I’m useless? Okay, bye! LOL. Also very amusing that this is really the last conversation they have with each other: this bickering that they’ve probably done over and over off screen. Wen Zhuliu stays by Wen Chao’s side, though, because he’s indebted to Wen Ruohan, of course. It would have been a neat twist to see Wen Zhuliu defect. And you still could have had a dramatic scene where Jiang Cheng chases him down.

I love it! I love it I love it I love it! The flute! This part is so well done (it’s still a little campy, of course, but that’s part of the charm)! I mean, as the audience, we all know who it is by now, but I love that they keep up the mystery because Lan Wangji and Jiang Cheng still don’t know. They didn’t see him walk in. I just love this.

And shock. Jiang Cheng looks significantly more surprised. It had never crossed his mind that the person doing all this was actually Wei Wuxian, the very individual that he’s been searching for. Lan Wangji, on the other hand, doesn’t really look surprised. He looks a little surprised, okay—I’ll give you that. But I think most of what he’s feeling right now is the deep dread of being right. He wanted to be wrong, even when everything pointed to Wei Wuxian. I don’t think he wanted to believe that Wei Wuxian was capable of this, no matter how much he wanted to get revenge for what happened at Lotus Pier. I think there’s disappointment there too—how could he do such a thing? And I’ve giffed this scene with this quote: “He started to estrange her…And they became strangers who knew each other’s heart, so broken as they drifted apart” (Ana Claudia Antunes, Pierrot & Columbine). I think the realization here and a bit later for Lan Wangji that Wei Wuxian has become some other person is quite heartbreaking. He’s like a stranger to him, and that feeling of betrayal when you thought you knew a person inside and out—that hurts. It’s a deep-seated betrayal that Lan Wangji feels throughout this scene.

Oh, what I also like about this part is that when Wei Wuxian appears, neither one of them can look away. They are solely focused on him at this point.

He finally gets his revenge on Wen Zhuliu. And it’s great. They jump through the roof and he strings him up with Zidian. I can’t really say anything about it—Jiang Cheng needed to do this or he never would have been able to move on from Lotus Pier and his parents’ death.

WWX: Have I changed?

JC: No, not exactly.

I love that these lines are exchanged while the camera is on Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji already sees how Wei Wuxian has changed: the flute, the wicked energy, the almost senseless killing—none of these things are like the Wei Wuxian he’s come to love. And yes, I think love—and it hurts more because there is love. Lan Wangji wanted to walk the straight path with Wei Wuxian together, and he feels betrayed by what Wei Wuxian has done. Despite that, he still wants to help him. He implores Wei Wuxian to come back to Gusu with him so that they can help him and bring him back to the right path.

This whole scene feels like Lan Wangji isn’t even in the room, it’s like a private conversation between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji just happens to overhear. He says nothing. He lets Jiang Cheng ask a hundred questions while Wei Wuxian calmly answers them. Wei Wuxian smiles and laughs, he seems himself, and yet he isn’t. There’s something wrong and Lan Wangji grows more and more perturbed by it as the seconds pass by.

The tension in this scene is palpable. It’s painful, it’s sad, it’s really hard for me to watch. And yet, this is one of my favorite scenes. Lan Wangji is feeling a lot, and he’s held it all in until this moment here. He calls him Wei Ying, and then Wei Wuxian in turn addresses him first as Second Master Lan, and then as Hanguang-Jun, both very formal names. It’s not Lan Zhan anymore—there is no familiarity on Wei Wuxian’s part. I think part of that is his attempt to protect Lan Wangji from any association with him that might actually harm Lan Wangji and his reputation. He’s setting a boundary—a wall—between them. And then when Lan Wangji bites back, Wei Wuxian changes tack: he stars being informal with him again, he brings up how they were good friends, classmates, etc. But that’s not going to work because Lan Wangji is feeling pretty upset right now.

Lan Wangji is desperate, scared, and worried for Wei Wuxian. Sometimes when we’re feeling all that, it can come across as anger, and that becomes worse when someone is dismissive of those feelings. Wei Wuxian is definitely dismissive here. In their interactions, Lan Wangji rarely shows this much emotion, and instead of paying attention to that, Wei Wuxian brushes it off. Jiang Cheng shows that he cares by hugging Wei Wuxian, but Lan Wangji is different—he’s thinking ahead, he’s seeing what Wei Wuxian has started to mess with—demonic cultivation—which can destroy a person’s mind, and he’s terrified. His only thought is to take Wei Wuxian away and try to change him for the better. Of course, just like what his father did to his mother, this cannot work. Even if Lan Wangji manages to force Wei Wuxian to come with him, he won’t be able to control him. All Lan Wangji can really do is try to persuade him.

The intensity of Lan Wangji’s gaze here is something else. This is a man who is desperate to save the person he loves. He is really looking out for Wei Wuxian’s best interests here and is getting no support from Jiang Cheng. I don’t really know what’s going on in Jiang Cheng’s head right now, but he’s definitely finding Lan Wangji’s behavior offensive. He doesn’t understand that Wei Wuxian’s actions will lead to his ultimate destruction, while it is very clear to Lan Wangji. But all I can do here is bring up how they viewed the person who was killing all the Wens earlier, before they even knew who it was. Lan Wangji felt very unnerved by it: he was disturbed by the talismans and disturbed by the various manners of death, while Jiang Cheng’s stance always was that it didn’t matter because the person was clearly on the same side—a dead Wen is a dead Wen no matter who is behind it. And his opinion doesn’t change even after he finds out. It’s not important to him how Wei Wuxian was able to kill all those people. He asks the questions, but he isn’t interested in really hearing the answer. On the contrary, I think Lan Wangji is very interested in those answers, but he wants to hear about it in a controlled environment. He doesn’t want Wei Wuxian to go back to Yunmeng, where he will essentially live with free-rein without boundaries.

As for cinematography, I love how Wei Wuxian holds up his flute here, setting up a literal boundary between him and Lan Wangji. Not only do you have Jiang Cheng creating that wall with his sword, you also have Wei Wuxian. What I mean is, it’s not only Jiang Cheng who wants to keep Lan Wangji out. Wei Wuxian is drawing a line here too: he wants Lan Wangji to stay out of his business. And this morphs into, what happens at this place is not Gusu Lans’ business—it only concerns Yunmeng Jiang Sect.

We all know Wei Wuxian is an arrogant person, but his arrogance and ignorance here is truly stunning. Lan Wangji tells him point-blank that he won’t be able to control this energy if he uses demonic cultivation, and Wei Wuxian does everything but laugh at him. I enjoy this and I hate it at the same time, because Lan Wangji is just fucking worried, you know? And maybe he doesn’t express himself well, but he’s shocked to see Wei Wuxian here, shocked that he’s responsible for all this—he can’t stay calm and collected under these conditions.

In just a few minutes, Wei Wuxian says that he and Lan Wangji are good friends and that Lan Wangji should treat him better, as well as “Who do you think you are? What I do is none of your business.” I’m paraphrasing, but that’s the gist. This scene here, with their faces so close to each other, kills me. This is absolute betrayal for Lan Wangji. It’s as if everything they had built together—all the respect, the affection, the comradery—is gone. The Wei Wuxian that he knew is gone.

I love the way this shot is framed, with Wei Wuxian staring after Lan Wangji, and then Wen Chao pleading, “Forgive me, forgive me.” So apt, because I think Wei Wuxian does feel bad here, I think he feels guilty. I think part of him really missed Lan Wangji and wanted to see him. I think he even knows that what Lan Wangji is doing is out of concern for him over anything else. But I also think Wei Wuxian’s pride gets in the way of that, and his desire for revenge, and even his desire for things to go back to normal. More than anything, Wei Wuxian wants to return to Yunmeng, to his shijie, to be able to live normally again, whatever that really means, because of course everything has changed. Nothing will ever be as it was again. More importantly, he has changed, and can never go back to the person he was before, the person who played so hard, the person who shirked his responsibilities and fooled around in classes, the person who shamelessly teased and flirted with Lan Wangji. That Wei Wuxian is gone. I think Wei Wuxian knows he’s hurt Lan Wangji and does feel bad about it, but he knows he has to push him away to protect him. He doesn’t want to drag Lan Wangji down with him, he feels it’s better this way. And I think, even though CQL!Wei Wuxian does have feelings for Lan Wangji quite a bit earlier than in the book, you can see the one-sided love here, in Lan Wangji’s aggressive behavior as he attempts to save this person he loves. Lan Wangji isn’t willing to give up on him, whereas Wei Wuxian is more prepared to let him go—to push him away to protect him. That’s love too, I suppose, but it’s a love that is meant to be from afar—a sad love, not a passionate one, not a desperate one, not the one that Lan Wangji feels for him.

This is so heartbreaking for Lan Wangji, in part, because they had such a special relationship before. Prior to this, Wei Wuxian prided himself in that he and Lan Wangji went on night hunts together—the clan didn’t matter, whether that was unorthodox or not. And now to see him use his clan as a barrier between them…it’s quite a betrayal. Lan Wangji feels so hurt, so at a loss—he wonders what could he have done differently to prevent this, he blames himself.

This is one of my favorite episodes because of this reunion scene. What you expect is some great reunion, the hugging between Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, maybe a smile from Lan Wangji because he’s really happy to see him. But instead, you get pain. You get a Jiang Cheng hugging Wei Wuxian, but Wei Wuxian not even returning the hug (he only raises his arm to signal that he wants to break apart). You get a heated confrontation between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, one that is “fondly” thought of as their break-up scene. I love the drama, I love the pain, I love the angst, I love the dichotomy between Yunmeng Jiang and Gusu Lan, I love that this is the start of more tension between Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji, I love everything about it. The “us and them” dynamic that starts here is so great, and then to see it slowly unravel throughout the next ten episodes, to see Wei Wuxian’s and Jiang Cheng’s relationship fall apart, while Wei Wuxian’s and Lan Wangji’s relationship begins to strengthen again--I eat it up. It’s like my candy. Anyway, I’m excited for what’s to come, excited to talk more wangxian and how it compares to the book (from my dwindling knowledge, that is)! Happy that you all are coming along this ride with me!

Other episodes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |

[crossdressingdeath]

i think, while cql obviously had no choice but to censor mdzs, they didn't have to make it impossible to read their relationship as romantic through subtext either,

because wangxian's relationship in cql makes no sense. once minute they're soulmates, the next it seems like they're barely more than acquaintances. and then, of course, like i don't need to talk about that rain scene or separating at the end bc we all already know it was Bad and Stupid.

but this just makes it impossible to make any sense of their relationship, in either a romantic or platonic context. cql could have at least given us a cohesive deep soulmate """"friendship"""" and with the subtext that's already there, then as viewers we could at least understand the romantic relationship that was meant to be there, even if everything was censored.

but.... instead they gave us nothing?? there is no substance to cql wangxian at all, just stupid queerbaity-esque scenes that have no real meaning and go no where and don't even make sense in their relationship development.

like they tell us that tying the forehead ribbon to someone means marriage, and then wangxian did that, but afterwards they're still not even friends?? i mean they could have used that subtext at the end to imply actual marriage but instead it just feels like they throw in scenes like that all over the place without any thought at all for what it implies abt wangxian's relationship

i mean it just so obvious that they put no effort or thought into at least conveying something of the source material, like they're just so disrespectful to wangxian??? as if their relationship can be reduced to some nonsense subtext about chickens and bunnies and forehead ribbons and annoyingly drawn out gazes, just sprinkled in throughout the story with no thought whatsoever to even developing a believable friendship between wwx and lwj

and then people have the cheek to say cql wangxian is better and you know they're full of ---- because even just read as friendship... there's nothing to cql wangxian!!! you can't look into their relationship, analyse the interactions between them and what it means for their characters, because none of it makes sense!! no matter how you look at it, there's just no logical coherence to anything that happens in cql. because the writers just?? couldn't be bothered?

i genuinely feel so bad when i see people who are new to the fandom or people who just like cql trying to make sense of the story, and i think, just don't even try??

The thing with CQL is that they wanted to change it so that LWJ and WWX bonded before everything went to shit, which is fair, but then they failed to consider the knock-on effects that change would have. For example, it makes sense that book WWX doesn’t trust LWJ to have his best interests at heart; they aren’t friends. He respects LWJ a great deal and I think does have some romantic feelings towards him even during the Sunshot Campaign, but he has no reason to believe LWJ would prioritize WWX over righteousness and the rules of his sect. Nor does WWX have any reason to tell LWJ the truth about his core and demonic cultivation. Meanwhile in CQL they’re close friends and soulmates; why the fuck wouldn’t WWX trust the guy he says knows him better than anyone else?! Why would he assume that LWJ wanted to take him prisoner, why wouldn’t he tell LWJ about his cultivation? Why would he and everyone else assume LWJ hated him? “Oh, we’re best friends, but clearly he loathes me!” It doesn’t make sense! The writers literally just changed things and made zero attempt to make those changes make sense, this is called Terrible Adaptation Decisions 101. Also LWJ is so much less respectful of WWX’s wishes in CQL; think about how he pulls off WWX’s mask while he’s unconscious (I guess to double-check his identity? I don’t know) even though WWX clearly did not want to tell him who he was while novel LWJ kept the fact that he knew to himself until WWX returned to him of his own free will after they were separated so that he knew WWX wasn’t staying just because LWJ knew who he was. And of course there’s the whole thing where WWX very obviously wants to stay with LWJ and LWJ is basically like “lol you thought” and goes off to do a job he didn’t want, leaving WWX entirely alone in a world that still lowkey wants him dead.

[pumpkinpaix]

Hi I don’t know if anyone has asked you this already, but do you find it strange that we are never given either of the Nie brothers’ given names nor Jin ZiXuan’s, when it’s common practice (at least in the show) to address yourself by your given and courtesy names?

Hey there! :D No, no one has asked me this yet, ahaha.

To be honest, I don’t find it strange, but that’s mostly because I think MXTX assigned names as it was convenient/as it suited her. I do think in some cases, you can try to find textual reasons, like limited POV (@hunxi-guilai made a post about how that might explain why Jiang Cheng is disproportionately referred to by birth instead of courtesy name here).

In the case of Jin Zixuan, I think that makes a lot of sense. Since mdzs and cql are largely from Wei Wuxian’s POV, and he clearly already knows Jin Zixuan, there’s no need for him to reintroduce himself, which is usually where we get people mentioning both their names. I don’t have any textual reasoning for the Nie bros’ lack of birth names ahahaha.

I will, however, use this as a springboard to mention a few things I find generally interesting about the way naming conventions appear to vary between sects/interesting points about address in general. There’s like no deep meta here, just like. “I noticed this thing, and I think it’s interesting”. (hope that’s okay /o\)

One: The Jin sect is the only sect that uses generational character markers (Guang, Zi, Ru). Establishing that convention makes Jin Guangyao’s courtesy name a massive slap in the face I think. (a, for giving him the wrong generational marker, which implies that he’s never actually going to be recognized as a son/that jgs really just didn’t care to even get it right, and b, for reusing his birth character instead of bothering to give him something new–every other character who has a birth and courtesy name gets two entirely unique names, but not jgy.) It’s a cool way of implying certain things about his status, how his father regards him without stating it outright, how others might see him because of that etc.

Two: The Wen sect appears to almost exclusively use birth name–in fact, the only two characters from the Wen sect revealed to have courtesy names are Wen Ning (Wen Qionglin) and…. Wen Ruohan. Well, and Wen Zhuliu, but he was originally Zhao Zhuliu, so idk if that really counts, since his courtesy name predates his induction into the Wen sect. Wen Qing, Wen Chao, and Wen Xu are referred to by birth name only by both themselves and everyone around them for the entirety of the story, which seems rather strange, given that all of them are high-ranking members of the family (Wen Xu is the heir??). Sizhui is not given a courtesy name by his birth family, but by Lan Wangji.

(an aside, it’s been mentioned before by others, but historically, courtesy names were bestowed upon adulthood; however, in CQL, we see Wei Wuxian picking out Jin Ling’s courtesy name before he’s born. it’s possible this is a practice that differs from sect to sect, but again, very little to no textual support for that speculation ahahaha)

Wen Ning’s courtesy name is used only once by Wei Wuxian in a moment of extreme distress at the Guanyin temple. It reads, to me, like switching registers to indicate the high emotional levels of the situation rather than anything about respect/social relations, in the same way that like, lwj switching between “wei ying/wei wuxian” can indicate moments where emotions are running high. I hc that the intimacy/distance of birth/courtesy names are switched in the case of Wen Ning/Wen Qionglin (ie, only people who are intimate with him would be expected use Qionglin) but that has absolutely zero basis in any fact, cultural convention, or textual evidence. I just like it because it warms my heart. feel free to roast me for it, i can accept that criticism.

Three: Both the Lan sect and the Nie sect address by courtesy name, even within their own family. (Lan Qiren calls his nephews “Wangji” and “Xichen”. Sizhui and Jingyi call each other by courtesy name. Nie Mingjue calls his brother “Huaisang”.) Why? we don’t know! We could maybe try and meta about it in the case of the Lan sect, I think (they’re more formal in general etc.), but we have so little knowledge of the Nie sect that I think it’s functionally pointless to try and dig there. I feel like trying to come up with any plausibly supported reason is going to be a stretch.

Four: A’Cheng vs A’Xian. Jiang Yanli uses Jiang Cheng’s birth name to form his diminutive, but uses Wei Wuxian’s courtesy name to form his. I’ve seen people ask why she doesn’t call him A’Ying, which would be more consistent, but I hc that this is because “Wuxian” was given by her father, so her using “A’Xian” is meant to strengthen that familial tie. “Ying” is from before he was part of their family. “Wuxian” is something given to him by the Jiang family, so using it, I think, is a subtle way of emphasizing how much she really considers him to be her brother. (If you’re curious, in the flashback when he first arrives at Lotus Pier, the audio drama has her calling for him as “A’Ying”.)

Five: Yu-fu’ren. I mentioned this on an addition to another post a while ago, but I’ll copy the relevant passage from chapter 51 here again:

虞夫人就是江澄的母亲，虞紫鸢。当然，也是江枫眠的夫人，当初还曾是他的同修。照理说，应该叫她江夫人，可不知道为什么，所有人一直都是叫她虞夫人。有人猜是不是虞夫人性格强势，不喜冠夫姓。对此，夫妇二人也并无异议。

Yu-fu’ren was Jiang Cheng’s mother, Yu Ziyuan. Of course, she was also Jiang Fengmian’s wife [fu’ren], and once cultivated with him as well. By all reason, she should be called Jiang-fu’ren, but for some unknown reason, everyone had always called her Yu-fu’ren. Some guessed that perhaps because Yu-fu’ren had a forceful temperament, she disliked taking her husband’s name. Neither husband nor wife raised any objections to this.

I think this is actually a pretty interesting microcosm of the themes of mdzs. We don’t actually know why Yu Ziyuan is called Yu-fu’ren; we’re given the equivalent of a rundown on local gossip and that’s it. I feel like it embodies a little bit of the “what people say about you becomes the truth and then influences your fate” theme that runs through mdzs. Did Yu Ziyuan WANT to be called Yu-fu’ren? Did she request it? Is her husband actually fine with it? The audience doesn’t get any of their internal landscape and is instead given a leading interpretation of the situation. How is our opinion of her then influenced?

To be clear, I don’t necessarily think that was necessarily the intention of this passage (maybe it was! or maybe mxtx just wanted to call her yu-fu’ren and realized she had to come up with some justification for it. i really couldn’t tell you); I just think that regardless of intention, its existence in relation to the larger themes of the novel can present a cool juxtaposition, if you dig a little bit.

Six: Song Lan, a respected cultivator, is more often referred to by his birth name, including people who are not intimate with him (normally, this would be rude), while Xiao Xingchen (who is intimate with him) calls him by courtesy name. Why?? We also don’t know. Does this lend support to my earlier headcanon about Wen Ning/Qionglin having a reversed intimacy/distance implication?? not… not really, but I like to think it at least kind of shows a precedent….. orz.

Seven: I find Xue Yang’s courtesy name, Xue Chengmei (成美), really fun ahaha. It comes from the phrase, 君子成人之美, an idiom that essentially means, “a gentleman always helps others attain their wishes”. Jin Guangyao gave it to him (not sure if this is canonical or extracanonical–i heard about it in an audio drama extra, much like how i get all my information orz) which I think is greatly amusing for obvious reasons.

Eight: Lan Wangji actually changes Sizhui’s birth name, even though you wouldn’t be able to tell just from hearing it. His original birth name is 苑, an imperial garden, but Lan Wangji changes it to 愿, as in wish (愿望) and to be willing (愿意), among other very beautiful sentiments. partially im sure to protect his identity, but also because. you know.

Basically all this is just to say, I think the naming/address conventions in mdzs are pretty weakly conceived, but you can find interesting things in them if you go looking! and we all know i love to go looking /o\