C-Novel Rec
So, I have a Deep Abiding Love for Chinese Webnovels, but not often do I get one that actually gets me deep in my heart in a way where I think about it after I’m done and so I wanted to talk about it a little here.
The novel I want to talk about is called Rebirth of a Star General (重生之女将星) , by Qian Shan Cha Ke (千山茶客). If you’ve read (hetero) c-novels, you might know her name, since she also wrote the novel Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage, which is almost a classic in this kind of rebirth genre.
This Rec/Review/overlong essay is going to contain spoilers, so if you’re completely allergic to those I’ll just give you my TL;DR here: I preferred it a lot over RMEML.
Now to my endless wall of words:
Rebirth of the Star General is pretty much what it says on the tin, main character He Yan, is a famous general in her own right, but no one knows about it because she was only the stand-in for her sickly brother. When her brother grew up and was no longer sick, the family decided that he should receive the military honors she had earned and she would be married off. This was possible thanks to the fact she had always worn a mask, so as not to be discovered.<o:p></o:p>
He Yan was not entirely happy with this decision, but she thought she would make the best of it. Of course, it gets worse because not even a year into her marriage she is first poisoned and then blind as a result and later murdered by her cousin, a concubine of her husband.
She gets reborn as He Yan, beloved and spoiled daughter of a city guard and vows revenge, both on her former husband and on her family, but most of all she longs to become a general again, but this time under her own name and with acknowledgement of her being a female general.
If you want your rebirth novels to include lots of face slapping or intricate revenge plotting, this is not the novel for you, since soon after she is reborn, she kills a guy out of self-defense and when his family and the city guard are after her she uses this chance to enlist in the army, disguised as a man.
This is where she meets her arch-rival in her previous life, a man so gorgeous, once again entire paragraphs are filled trying to describe his magnificent beauty - a hallmark of this author if I ever saw one. She decides she will use this chance anyway, her knowledge of military tactics and her knowledge of her rival (and former classmate) possibly being beneficial in this case.
The author makes it a point to emphasise that He Yan struggles initially to keep up with the military training, since she is now inhabiting the body of a woman who does not have experience with hard work and that she has to work twice as hard to be even mediocre, in the beginning. Obviously mediocrity does not lead to quick military advancement, so her getting incredibly fit very quickly anyway is not very realistic, but even before she had enlisted, He Yan had trained her new body and she has many years of experience as to how to get better and fighting experience, so I gave the novel a pass on that one.
Up to this point the novel was entertaining, but it didn’t really grip me too hard, although I was impatient enough to MTL it, but as the story goes along He Yan really developed into one of my favourite c-novel heroines ever. So often in novels like this, the female character is treated as exceptional and all other women are dumb bitches, often just in the way of our main couple and dispatched accordingly. But He Yan does not treat other women like this and over the course of the novel builds lasting connections with all sorts of women.
And then there is the scene that made me go: okay yeah, this is going right up the favourite list.
He Yan meets up with the Second Male Lead (who never really is a serious threat to the OTP, He Yan only ever sees him as a friend and somewhat nice guy) and he tries the “oh you’re so unique and special, no other woman is like you” speech, but He Yan stops him and rips into him and the patriarchy in such a beautiful way, that even MTL doesn’t hamper:
"A-He is very different from ordinary women."
He Yan looked at her, "What's different?"
Chu Zhao continued to walk forward, his voice still soft: "Most women, even though they are faced with such a predicament, are already numb and indifferent, and do not think as much as Ah He does. If A-He is thinking about them now, it is very likely that they wont enjoy it, and they will even complain that you are meddling in their affairs."
He laughed: "This sounds a bit condescending."
Chu Zhao smiled, "Why do you say that?"
"The court is a man's court, the world's affairs are a man's world affairs, even when studying in the battlefield, it is men who are the only ones who have the grace. It is so unreasonable that men take advantage of the world, but in turn blame women for being numb-minded and unmotivated, what is this if not superiority?"
"Brother Chu thinks that I am different from ordinary women because I have studied, I have left the house, and I even went to the military camp. But if you let those women be like me, who have seen the snow of Liangzhou Wei, the water of Jiyang City, the long moon of the desert, the rivers and mountains, do you think they would still be willing to be trapped in a jealous mansion, would they still be complacent and numb and foolish?"
She smiled a little bit like Xiao Jue, "I think the men in the world are worried about this, so they have set up many ridiculous rules to bind women, breaking their wings with the three rules and five rules, and using those unwarranted 'virtuous wives and beautiful women' to judge them. The more foolish they are, the more reassured the men are, and the more they say, 'See, the women are shallow', when they are the ones who caused it!"
"Because they also know that once women are given the chance to 'choose', they will never become a vase in the harem with their hands outstretched waiting to be fed by their husbands. Those good women would become generals, chivalrous men, scribes, staff, and compete with them for the grace of the world, and they, in turn, might not win."
The girl's eyes were as clear as the water in the springtime of Ji Yang City, transparent and clear, seeing clearly and distinctly, as if they could reflect the most splendid daylight.
He was always able to speak well and would not bring the atmosphere to an awkward point, but at this moment he did not know what to say. It was as if there was nothing he could say to refute the person in front of him. It was clearly a ridiculous, insouciant, naive and annoyingly righteous statement, but it shone out the shadow of a human being, with nothing to hide.
He was also uneven in his heart.
Although pretending to be "He Ru Fei" had brought her a lot of pain in her life, it had also taught her to see sights that many women would never see in their lifetime. If she hadn't pretended to be "He Ru Fei", she would not have known that men could do so much more than women. If you were talented in literature, you could be a bachelor with a full belly, if you were skilled, you could be a general with a good war record. Even if you were mediocre at everything, you could still be the most ordinary man on the street. To put it mildly, even at the Raketongzhuang, women were gambling prostitutes and men were gamblers.
It was only because she later became "Madam Xu" and worked as both a man and a woman that she realised that the world treats men and women so differently, that it is not that men do not suffer, but their suffering can be the basis for judging themselves. The women, on the other hand, spend their lives waiting for the men's affirmation of their hardships.
It is obvious that they are both born as human beings, but who is more noble than the other? It is ridiculous that some men still look down on girls from the bottom of their hearts, which makes people speechless.
and this is when the author pretty much states why He Yan would never be with SML
Chu Zhao and Xiao Jue were, after all, not the same. With women, they both considered them weak and unable to protect themselves. But the former's judgement had a hint of negativity and condescension in it, while the latter, as evidenced by the treatment of the female corpse in the Sun family's backyard in Liangzhou City, had more to do with pity.
And I loved that so much??? Yes, both the ML and SML have patriarchical attitudes towards women, but for He Yan there is a subtle and important difference. And this continues to be a theme throughout the book. One woman later keeps telling her son “Don’t underestimate women!” to later add, after He Yan has become a female general in her own right, under her own name, that He Yan might not be the only female general, there will be two, three or even more.
The romance is of the very, very slow variety and the main couple doesn’t even get together until the last quarter of the novel, officially, but before that we have all sorts of delicious fake relationship, cohabitation and other delightful tropey shenanigans.
The slow romance and relatively easy way the revenge is dealt out might mean this is not for everyone, but if you’re into a nice novel about a woman realising her goals, with a man who will always support her by her side, this might be for you.
And yes, she continues to lead armies after they are married :D
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SNH48 stage units masterpost
Here you can find all units from SNH48, BEJ48, GNZ48, SHY48 and CKG48. All videos are from the opening day performance, unless marked by a (*), in which case, the date the video is from should be in the video title. Feel free to send me a message if any of the links is dead or if you spot any mistakes. Enjoy! (Last update: July 2018 - added HII5, B3, J2, NIII3, Z3, and links to all revivals)
SNH48 Team SII
6th Stage “Xin de Lvcheng” (心的旅程) [2016.05.20]
This stage was revived as BEJ48 Team B 2nd Stage*, GNZ48 Team G 2nd Stage*, SHY48 Team SIII 1st Stage.
Mashang Chufa* (馬上出發): Zenza Girls (Lv Yi, Zhao Hanqian, Pan Yanqi)
Haoyou Chuangketie (好友创可贴): Dai Meng, Li Yuqi, Xu Zixuan, Feng Xiaofei
Dipingxian (地平线): Wu Zhehan, Qian Beiting, Kong Xiaoyin, Shen Zhilin, Xu Jiaqi
Xiayizhan Shi Ni (下一站是你): Chen Guanhui, Chen Si
Xin Shijie (新世界): Mo Han, Yuan Danni, Yuan Yuzhen, Jiang Yun
Jiangluosan (降落伞): Xu Chenchen
7th Stage “Di 48 Qu” (第48区) [2017.06.30]
MAD WORLD: Xu Chenchen, Li Yuqi
GOOD TIME: Chen Guanhui, Qian Beiting, Yuan Danni, Yuan Yuzhen
Ai Weiyang (爱未央): Dai Meng, Xu Jiaqi
GO AWAY: Kong Xiaoyin, Chen Si, Sun Rui
Linghun Shizhe (灵魂使者): Zhang Yuge, Wu Zhehan, Xu Zixuan, Jiang Yun
Han Ye (寒夜) : Mo Han
7th Stage 2.0 “Meili 48 Qu” (美麗48区) [2018.05.01]
Tianshi de Quantao (天使的圈套): Xu Jiaqi, Sun Rui
High Light: Dai Meng Jiang Yun, Xu Zixuan
Wanmei Fanzui (完美犯罪): Li Yuqi, Yuan Yuzhen, Chen Guanhui, Yuan Danni
Ai Weiyang (爱未央): Mo Han, Kong Xiaoyin
Heiye Nvshen (黑夜女神): Chen Si, Xu Chenchen, Wu Zhehan, Qian Beiting
Guan bu Diao (关不掉): Zhang Yuge
8th Stage “Plan Salvation/Congsheng Jihua” (重生计划) [2018.??.??]
(tba)
SNH48 Team NII
5th Stage “Zhuanshu Paidu” (专属派对) [2016.07.22]
This stage was revived as BEJ48 Team J 1st Stage, GNZ48 Team Z 1st Stage.
Show Time*: Zenza Girls (Zhang Yameng, Xu Yi, Liu Juzi)
Women Bushi Tianshi (我们不是天使): Wan Lina, Zeng Yanfen, Yi Jiaai
Bairimeng (白日梦): Zhao Yue, Luo Lan, Chen Wenyan, Zhou Yi, Wang Xiaojia
Mu’ou (木偶): Li Yitong
Don’t Touch: Huang Tingting, Wan Lina, He Xiaoyu
Hei Tian’e (黑天鹅): Lu Ting, Feng Xinduo, Gong Shiqi, Chen Jiaying
6th Stage “Yi Ai zhi Ming” (以爱之名) [2017.10.07]
An updated version of this stage with new team songs was presented a few days after the first performance: “Yi Ai zhi Ming 2.0″ ( 以爱之名 2.0) [2017.11.11]
Lie Meng (猎梦): Feng Xinduo, He Xiaoyu, Chen Wenyan
Fire Touch: Zhao Yue, Wan Lina, Jin Yingyue, Chen Jiaying
Wei Jie Laidian (未接来电): Lu Ting, Xu Yi
Chunxiaqiudong (春夏秋冬): Li Yitong, Wan Lina, Huang Tongyang, Jiang Zhenyi
Meng Zhong de Hunli (梦中的婚礼): Yi Jiaai, Zhang Yuxin
Feeling You: Huang Tingting (dancers: Liu Juzi, Jin Yingyue)
7th Stage “Shi zhi Juan” (时之卷) [2018.xx.xx]
(tba)
SNH48 Team HII
4th Stage “Meili Shijie” (美丽世界) [2017.04.08]
This stage was revived as SHY48 Team HIII 2nd Stage, CKG48 Team K 2nd Stage.
Wanmei Fanzui (完美犯罪): Yuan Hang, Yang Huiting, Zhang Xin
Guan bu Diao (关不掉): Xu Han
Huaxue Chao Nvzi (化学超女子):Sun Zhenni, Hao Wanqing, Li Qingyang, Wang Lujiao
Duizhi (对峙): Liu Jiongran, Shen Mengyao, Lin Nan
Tianshi de Quantao (天使的圈套): Xuyang Yuzhuo, Xie Ni
Beishuiyizhan (背水一战): Liu Peixin, Wu Yanwen, Xu Yiren
5th Stage “Touhao Xinwen” (头号新闻) [2018.05.18]
Super Logic: Xuyang Yuzhuo, Zhang Xin, Jiang Shuting, Wang Yi
CHACHACHA: Wan Lina, Lin Nan, Shen Mengyao
Lin Bing Dou Zhe Jie Zhenlie Zaiqian (临兵斗者皆阵列在前): Li Yitong, Xiong Qinxian, Wang Xiyuan
Wusheng de Tange (无声的探戈): Yang Huiting, Yuan Yiqi
BOOM BOOM BOOM: Fei Qinyuan, Xu Han, Li Xingfu
Huangjia Wen Zhang (皇家纹章): Jiang Shan
SNH48 Team X
3rd Stage “Mengxiang de Qizi” (梦想的旗帜) [2016.10.28]
This stage was revived as SNH48 Team FT 1st Stage, SHY48 Team HIII 1st Stage, CKG48 Team C 2nd Stage.
Meng (梦): Song Xinran, Li Jing, Chen Lin
Shuishou Fu (水手服): Yang Yunyu, Wang Shu, Qi Jing, Zhang Jiayu
Wu Ke Tidai (无可替代): Shao Xuecong, Feng Xiaofei, Yang Bingyi
Monster: Wang Xiaojia, Sun Xinwen, Xie Tianyi, Wang Jialing
Renyu (人鱼): Li Zhao, Zhang Dansan
4th Stage “Mingyun de X Hao” (命运的“X”号) [2017.12.15]
Ice Queen: Song Xinran
Battle Cry: Yang Binyi, Sun Xinwen, Qi Jing
Zhanbu shi (占卜师): Wang Xiaojia, Xie Tianyi, Shao Xuecong
Shenhai zhi Sheng (深海之声): Zhang Dansan, Li Zhao, Chen Lin
Shuangsheng Hua (双生花): Feng Xiaofei, Yang Yunyu
Ziuhou de Shunguang (最后的曙光): Wang Shu, Li Jing, Wang JiaLing, Zhang Jiayu
SNH48 Team XII
2nd Stage “Daihao XII” (代號XII) [2016.12.23]
This stage was revived as GNZ48 Team Z 2nd Stage.
Ta he Ta (她和她): Liu Zengyan, Chen Yin
Love Letter: Yan Jiaojun
Chuwen Lianxi Qu (初吻练习曲): Fei Qinyuan, Zou Jiajia, Yu Jiayi, Zhang Wenjing
Dou Bu Hui (都不会): Hong Peiyun, Li Jiaen, Song Yushan
Zi Yiwei (自以为): Zhang Yi, Jia Shuting, Chen Yunling, Jiang Shan, Lv Mengying, Pan Yingqi
2nd Stage “Daihao XII 2.0″ ( 代號XII 2.0) [2017.06.17] - new songs only
Wanmei Chaozai (完美超载): Zhang Yi, Lv Mengying, Jia Shuting
Renjiang Guize (人间规则): Hong Peiyun, Song Yushan, Li Jiaen
BEJ48 Team B
3rd Stage “B A FIGHTER” [2018.01.19]
Shengshi Fengdu (绅士风度): Hu Xiaohui, Shen Xiaoai, Xiong Sujun
Zidan Riji (子弹日记): Mao Qiyu, Xia Yue, Zhang Menghui
SHOW: Duan Yixuan, Qing Yuwen, Tian Shuli
Yi Tiantian Yi Diandian (一天天一点点): Hu Lizhi, Lin Xihe, Sun Siaoyan, Yan Mingyun, Zhou Jieyi
SPY: Chen Meijun Liu Shuxian
BEJ48 Team E
2nd Stage “Qihuan Jiamian Li” (奇幻加冕禮) [2016.12.24]
This stage was revived as CKG48 Team K 1st Stage.
Gongzhu Hao (公主号): Li Yuanyuan, Xu Siyang, Lin Kun
Anye Jiaobu Sheng (暗夜脚步声): Li Zi, Zhang Xiaoying, Feng Sijia, Zheng Yifan
Yiqian Lin Yi Ye (一千零一夜): Li Xiang, Luo Xueli, Chen Jiaohe
Ai de Mofa (爱的魔法): Liu Shennan, Su Shanshan, Ma Yuling, Li Shiyan
Huiguniang de Boli Shouji (灰姑娘的玻璃手机): Chen Qiannan, Yi Yanqian
BEJ48 Team J
2nd Stage “HAKUNA MATATA” [2018.07.14]
My boy: Yang Ye, Wang Yuxuan
Sairen (塞壬): Huang Enru, Sun Yushan, Jin Luosai
Caihong Riji (彩虹日记): Liu Xian, Chen Yayu, Heyang Qingqing
Pay attention: Fang Lei, Wang Yuxuan, Ge Siqi
Siji de Ailian (四季的爱恋): Huang Enru
Feixing Re Qiqiu (飞行热气球): Yang Ye, Fang Lei, Sun Yushan
Fu Li Ge (赋离歌): Ren Xinyi, Ye Miaomiao
GNZ48 Team G
3rd Stage “Shuangmiang Ouxiang” (双面偶像) [2017.08.11]
This stage was revived as SNH48 Team Ft 2nd Stage.
Mengxiang Kafeiting (梦想咖啡厅): Xie Leilei, Chen Yuqi, Huang Lirong
9 to 9: Luo Hanyue, Zhang Kaiqi
MC Queen: Gao Yuanjing
Meidusha de Wenrou (美杜莎的温柔): Zhang Qiongyu, Zhu Yixin, Liang Ke
I’m not your girl: Chen Ke, Li Qinjie, Zeng Aijia, Lin Jiapei, Chen Junhong
I wanna be your girl: Xie Leilei, Yang Qingying, Chen Jiaying
GNZ48 Team NIII
2nd Stage “Di 1 Rencheng” (第1人称) [2017.03.24]
This stage was revived as CKG48 Team C 1st Stage.
Jingling (精灵): Lu Jing, Xiong Xinyao, Xiao Wenling, Hong Jingwen
Fenhong Ju Ji Shou (粉紅狙擊手): Zuo Jiaxin, Liu Qianqian, Zuo Jingyuan
Shangxia Zuoyou (上下左右): Zheng Danni, Chen Xinyu, Xian Shennan, Chen Huijing
Bao Zou Shaonv (暴走少女): Chen Nanxi, Liu Lifei, Feng Jiaxi, Sun Xin
Mario My Love: Tang Lijia
3rd Stage “Fiona.N” [2018.07.06]
One Life: Chen Huijing, Zuo Jingyuan, Hong Jinwen, Zuo Jiaxin
Huaji (花寄): Liu Lifei, Xie Ailin
Anzhong Guancha (暗中观察): Xiao Wenling, Zheng Danni, Xiong Xinyao, Xian Shennan, Chen Nanxi
+-: Chen Xinyu, Feng Jiaxi
Yong Wo de Shengyin (用我的声音): Lu Jing, Tang Lijia, Liu Qianqian
Putong Putong (噗通噗通): Liu Lifei, Zheng Danni
GNZ48 Team Z
3rd Stage “Sanjiao Hanshu” (三角函数) [2018.01.18]
Zhuanshu Weizhi (专属位置): Chen Ziying, Du Qiulin, Liang Wanlin, Yu Zhiyuan
Tongxing (同行): -
Jieban (结伴): He Mengyao, Long Yirui, Yang Kelu
Universe: Nong Yanping, Wang Zixin, Zhang Qiuyi
NaCl: Bi Ruishan, Wang Cuifei, Wang Jiongyi, Wang Siyue
Bu xiu Gang* (不秀钢): Wang Cuifei, He Mengyao, Lian Wanglin, Bi Ruishan
Jiu cha Yi Diandian (就差一点点): Chen Guijun, Yang Yuanyuan
SHY48 Team SIII
3rd Stage “Idol.S” [2018.09.22]
(tba)
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