#shl meta

[pastelcheckereddreams]

Four Seasons Manor (四季山庄): Set Layout, Part Three!

This is the third and final post detailing my set sleuthing adventure, looking for the sets that make up Word of Honor's Siji Manor. If you're stumbling over this post in the wild - hi! I draw architectural drafts of cdrama sets, as accurately to the show as I can. A huge amount of research goes into creating my art, and so far no set location has been as elusive as this one.

Split across two sets - one located in Hengdian World Studio's Spring and Autumn Tang Park, and the other in Hengdian's Huaxia film studio - this post is the final part uncovering the layout of Siji Manor. (And nothing will make sense if you read this post first, go back to part one and part two!!)

A reminder, before we dive right back into the breakdown of my completed birdseye view, that this last part will cover the main courtyard of what I have dubbed the "interior" Siji set, highlighted in red below:

Let's dive in!

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The Main Courtyard

The main hall (6), the largest building in this set, is what I and @minnarr, who shares my brainrot 🙏 and has been a great help in this process, have been calling "Everlasting."

This is because sign over the entrance reads, "萬古長青" (wàn gǔ cháng qīng), which to my layman's knowledge translates as "Everlasting and Evergreen," an idiom that can be extrapolated to mean "forever green throughout the ages," which describes a noble spirit or deep friendship that will last forever, like an eternal Springtime:

In the above screenshots, you can see that Chengling's training area (9) is set up in front of this main hall, and over his head in the third picture, you can just about see the moon window that is a feature of WKX's room.

Importantly, the pavilion (10) just about seen behind Chengling's training area, marks a de facto boundary for this set as it appears in WOH, as the camera angles of these episodes never never stray past it. For a long time - until I began to watch Mysterious Lotus Casebook and Heroes, which handed me the final puzzle pieces to rule out this set as part of the film parks - I thought the entire set must finish just to the right of the pavilion.

That is not so. If I pull up some screenshots from MLC and reintroduce the scant few photographs I've found of the "Mansion Scene" Huaxia set itself from part two, you can see this main courtyard in full:

In these photos and screenshots, we can now see the main courtyard almost in full: the main building with its projecting entrance (I'm unsure if the term portico applies to Asian architecture); the pavillion to its left, standing opposite Building 8 which we will come to in a moment; and Building 11 at the end of what, in MLC, is a central pathway - but that I have interpreted in my own drawing to be a path of scattered stepping stones like the rest of the set, considering the smaller courtyard (5) - as discussed in part two - appears to be taking on the role of a more formal courtyard.

'Everlasting' and 'Gentle Winds'

For a moment, though, I need to draw us back to the main building. This building - Everlasting - is very important as, by vehicle of drama magic, this is where the two Siji sets conflate.

In episode 24 we cut from a shot of the main building in the exterior Siji set, whose sign reads "風輕雲淡" (fēng qīng yún dàn), or "Gentle Winds and Light Clouds," to this interior shot of Everlasting:

And to confirm that this interior shot is Everlasting, or building 6, we return to MLC, where we are treated to an outside-to-inside shot of the build, whose inset floor matches that of WOH's Everlasting building, seen clearest in episode 24, above, and episode 28:

(I do have more screenshots that I may add in later, but right now I'm running out of steam, please just take my word for it. 😂)

Cold River Room

Now, unfortunately I've been unable to place the medicine room, in which ZZS grinds herbs, in what photo resources I have of this film studio. Likewise for the room I've taken to calling the "infirmary" (where WKX takes a healing bath after his confrontation with YBY). Equally as unhelpful, there's simply no discernible exterior details seen from inside these two rooms that I can dig my research claws into and try to identify a placement or orientation for them:

The room they spend their first night at Siji Manor in, however, is a different story. That room - dubbed as the "Cold River Room" by Minna - is Building 8.

This was quite easy to place, thanks to this screenshot of a behind the scenes video (that I've since long lost the link to, unfortunately - if you have a link, I'd be very grateful if you share it with me so that I may add the source). Here, we can see the column inscriptions on Everlasting through the window:

So I can confirm this building to be the room they spend their first night as Siji in, seen here behind Chengling as well as in a MLC screenshot - showing its place across from the pavilion clearly:

The Pond

The last part of the main courtyard - and of this set breakdown overall - is the pond and Building 11:

I had suspected their was some kind of water trough or strip of pond between the seating area (4) and the pavilion (10) for a while, but never had the resources to confirm it. I still can't. However, a film studio's entire purpose is to shapeshift from one design brief to another. Sometimes, there is a pond and sometimes there isn't, as these two images show:

The left image is a photograph from the article about Hengdian's film studios linked above, taken from the seating area (4), while the right image is a screenshot from Heroes episode 13, the camera positioned in front of Building 11. I simply decided that I liked the pond there, so I included it in my Siji layout.

As an aside, in this scene in Heroes, with the camera panning just a bit further right, we get a lovely clear shot of the archway from the formal courtyard (5) to this one:

Finally, we come to Building 11. You'll notice that I called the courtyard of the QHZ snow scene in WOH a "formal" courtyard (5), on account of the clearly defined, linear paving.

However, it doesn't have the large gate of a main courtyard:

This courtyard, the one with Everlasting, does. The winding steppingstones used as paving in the Siji set dressing of this location takes away from the formality of this courtyard that, once you see it in its entirety in shows such as MLC or Heroes, it certainly has. To that point, Building 11 - or rather, structure 11, as may be more appropriate to call it now - is actually a large gateway. This is easiest seen in Heroes, episode 13:

Of course, that doesn't mean we have to designate it as a gateway in the Siji layout. I don't think it's meant to have that identity, based on the above - well, it's not meant to have an identity at all. It's never seen in the show. But, given the Siji set dressing and the resemblance it bears to Building 8, the Cold River Room, I might consider giving it the identity of one of the rooms I've been unable to locate - the infirmary, or the medicine room.

Let me hear your thoughts!

I'd like to hear your suggestions and thoughts on that. On all of it! Because despite all of this research, I am still left with the gargantuan task of drafting it all into a finished piece. And as such, I am still faced with the dilemma I began to outline months ago in part one:

How could I merge these two very different sets together? Should I merge them together?

I have rambled ideas at friends about presenting an architecture draft that is simply reportage - showing both sets, and summarizing the information I've given you all here before making suggestions on how they could combine into "one true set".

But on the other hand, do I draft the Siji I see emerging in the crossover of these two sets - the one I can feel starting to take shape in my brain? And then simply offer this research up as the facts.

There's still a long way to go, but thank you for being here! As always, if you'd like to support my research madness and help fuel my many artistic endeavors, please consider donating to my kofi or checking out my print shop:

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And happy new year! I hope 2024 brings you happiness and opportunity in all that you wish ✨

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

[smolnerdisms]

I think something that gets me so much about Wen Kexing in Word of Honor, is his line "It's too late." He uses it twice when Zhou Zishu is going on about how he's finally found Zhen Yan again, and then a few more times when Shen Shen confronts him about his parents. At that point, he cries out in despair- "They're both dead, along with Zhen Yan." And it's just so completely gutting.

I have a unique experience of being betrayed, of my family being hurt, by people who I trusted, who formed a large part of my community, my identity, and who I thought would help us in time of need. It led to such a horrible traumatic experience, for all of us. And it does feel like a part of me has died. I keep meeting people who are part of this community (and have nothing to do with the others) and they still believe in it and wonder why I don't. But the reality is, I don't have the ability to anymore. I suspect I will regard this community with distrust and skepticism for years to come. It is indeed too late. The part of me that believed is long gone, replaced with anger and trauma that will never fully heal.

I am in a unique position to understand why Wen Kexing had such a burning desire to burn the world down and himself along with it. Because sometimes, all you want to do after such a horrible betrayal is hurt the ones who hurt you. Calling them dogs and demons doesn't even faze me. Even though there is good people in the mix, they didn't do anything to help and so they're going to be part of the pyre too.

So at the end of the series, when Wen Kexing takes his revenge on Zhao Jing, and calls out the Jianghu for namedropping his father but not helping them, it gives me a very sick sense of satisfaction. That's what I wish I could do as well, but I can only engage in the catharsis that fiction allows.

Wen Kexing is a fucked up little guy. But he's my fucked up little guy. And I understand him perfectly.

[liberty-or-death]

"The numerous gods of the Mount Jiuyi have arrived, they arrive as plentiful as the clouds as they greet Lady Xiang. " "SHL Episode 9 - Qu Yuan's Cu Ci Nine Song九歌 Series Lady Xiang 湘夫人"

I deliberated for a long time as to whether I’d translate this poem.  But this likely where Gu Xiang got her name from so I just had to do it.  I thought this would be a simple poem but it took me more than a month to do it lol. XD

When native cn speakers come across a lady with the name Xiang 湘, it immediately brings to mind the two Xiang River Goddesses.  They were said to be the concubine of the legendary Emperor Shun.  “Lady Xiang 湘夫人” is a Pre Qin poem that’s written as part of Qu Yuan's Chu Ci Jiu Ge/Nine Song series, and it’s also known as the sister poem to “Xiang Jun 湘君”.

There are many interpretations as to who the focus of the story is.  But for the sake of this translation, I’ll be working on the assumption that the poem is about Lady Xiang missing her husband (Emperor Shun).  The poem’s really long and only the last part’s quoted in SHL, so feel free to skip to the end of the translation.  

This poem's known its vibrant descriptions and there's a bunch of reference to specific plants which I've linked. If you ever intend to write a fic in the Chu dynasty, or a fic centered around the 700-200BC, you could use this as a visual reference. (yas my nerdy friends, historical accuracy is sexy)

帝子降兮北渚，目眇眇兮愁予。

Lady Xiang has arrived at the Northern Island, my gaze is filled with sadness and worry. 

北渚: This was likely referring to  君山岛 Junshan Island. There's a lot of historical sites if you ever want to go there!

袅袅兮秋风，洞庭波兮木叶下。

The autumn wind blows gently endlessly; the Dongting lake ripples, the leaves fall.

登白薠兮骋望，与佳期兮夕张。

Standing amidst the reeds as I gaze into the distance, anticipating the date with the lover tonight.  

鸟何萃兮蘋中，罾何为兮木上？

Why do the birds gather amongst the reeds? Why are the fishnets on the tops of the trees?

This line implies that the birds should be in the trees, and the fishnets among the aquatic reeds.  But yet the situation’s the reverse.  (Ie. what should have happened has t happened.). It describes the author’s uneasy feelings.  

T/N: Just in case anyone’s as nerdy as me, this is likely a mirror of the line “采薜荔兮水中，搴芙蓉兮木末 I want to pick the scallops in the water, and to pluck the lotus from the trees” in sister poem in the same series, 湘君 Xiang Jun.

And look, more pictures of plants! (yes it's a different reed xD)

沅有芷兮澧有兰，思公子兮未敢言。

Th flower from the ginseng plant in the River Yuan, and orchids in the Lishui River.  I can’t describe how much I miss you, Young Master (Gongzi). 

T/N: Interestingly, 公子 Gongzi (aka Young Master) could be used on both male and female in the past.  This is a very interesting point because there’s actually a huge debate as to who’s the poem is referring to.  Baidu has interpreted this to mean Miss Xiang (ie. the goddess), but on the contrary, one physical book (yes I take this seriously lmao) I’ve bought thinks this is referring to Xiang Jun (the subject in her sister poem, and possibly her husband), and another physical book refrains from nailing the subject down.  So who knows LOL.

And just how gorgeous is the ginseng flower!

荒忽兮远望，观流水兮潺湲。

My emotions are unsettled, I gaze towards the distance with uncertainty.  However, the River Yuan and Lishui flows slowly.

麋何食兮庭中？蛟何为兮水裔？

Why does the deer seek food in the courtyard?  Why do the dragon (jiaolong) trapped on the river bank?

T/N: 麋: This term actually refers to the deer, but it has been described as “antlers like a deer, tail of a donkey, hooves of a cow, face of a horse” in ancient times, so it’s sometimes regarded as the mythological creature 四不像 (Si Buxiang/Four not alike).  It has made an appearance in some anime, and in one particular danmei fandom’s discourse. LOL

The mythological version is supposed to look like this. XD

蛟: Jialong refers to the “scaled dragon” in chinese mythology. If you’ve been watching Till the End of the Moon, Mingye was a jialong whom cultivated and became an immortal.

朝驰余马兮江皋，夕济兮西澨。

When morning comes, I ride my horse and race down the river bank.  I cross over to the western bank at night. 

闻佳人兮召予，将腾驾兮偕逝。

I hear my lover summons me.   So I speed towards hastily and we head off together. 

筑室兮水中，葺之兮荷盖。

We build our house in the water, and cover our roof with lotus leaves.

荪壁兮紫坛，播芳椒兮成堂。

The walls are decorated with moss, and purple shells pave the floor.   The fragrant pepper and dirt we mould form the family’s prayer hall.

T/N: 芳椒 - This was a specific type of fragrant pepper.  This was mixed with mud and painted on the walls, as the ancient people enjoyed its aroma. The moss refers to this specifically!

桂栋兮兰橑，辛夷楣兮药房。

The wood of the Gui tree form the beams, the Magnolia forms the rafters.  The crossbeams of the door are made from wood of the Xinyi tree, the white ginseng flowers decorates the medicinal room.

T/N: 辛夷 - The Xinyi tree is also part of the magnolia family. There's clearly a theme going on!

The Gui tree's so pretty! And the white magnolias!

And the Xinyi tree

罔薜荔兮为帷，擗蕙櫋兮既张。

The climbing fig is woven into a curtains, and the partitions made of flowers have been drawn.

T/N: 薜荔: Baidu says it’s the climbing fig, but my physical book thinks it’s the another magnolia plant. And the 蕙 flower was known for its fragrance.

Baidu's interpretation!

And my book's interpretation XD

And look, the pretty 蕙 flower!

白玉兮为镇，疏石兰兮为芳。

The weights  are made of snowy white jade, the fragrance of orchards permeates the air.

T/N: The 镇 Weights were similar to paper weights, and were used to keep mats/clothes in their place. It originated from the Qin and Han Dynasty, whereby people used to keep the mat in place (to prevent it from moving around when they got up). Sometimes, it'll be in the shape of an animal, like a lion for example.

芳: Another interesting point; Baidu interprets this as fragrance, but the physical book thinks it means to block off the wind from the head of the bed. 芳 is sometimes interpreted as 防 (to block in some ancient text)

芷葺兮荷屋，缭之兮杜衡。

The lotus form the house, and the ginseng flowers form the roof.   It’s scent intermingles with that of the wild ginger

And this is how wild ginger looks like!

合百草兮实庭，建芳馨兮庑门。

We gather various kinds of flowers and plants to fill the courtyard, and we’ve build a fragrant porch.

九嶷缤兮并迎，灵之来兮如云。 (The line that's in SHL)

The numerous gods of the Mount Jiuyi have arrived, they arrive as plentiful as the clouds as they greet Lady Xiang. 

T/N: 九嶷: Jiuyi mountain was the legendary burial place of the legendary Emperor Shun.  It’s a mountain range in Hunan Province, located at the south of the river Xiang 湘水南.

捐余袂兮江中，遗余褋兮澧浦。

I throw my outer garment into the river.  And I throw my inner undergarment into the Lishui.

搴汀洲兮杜若，将以遗兮远者。

Arriving at the island’s river bank, I pluck the flowers as I eagerly await for my lover.

时不可兮骤得，聊逍遥兮容与。

Good times won’t return once it has passed.  I’ll travel leisurely as I wander freely.

[sirenofthegreenbanks]

it FUCKS ME UP that THE ONE THING that displays GROWTH and a better life and a reaching of a dream for these characters is ALSO THE VERY SAME THING that MAKES THE RED WEDDING POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!! how dare!!!!!!!!! like, zzs started out wanting to make better decisions if he has the opportunity and to give people second chances if within his power, do good over more violence (result: a-xiang and cwn die, the valley is massacred). wkx wants nice things for his sister after finally reaching a point in his life where he can safely display his affection and invest in a good future (result: his sister dies in his arms trying and failing to avenge her would-be husband, in her bridal clothes, and the place he wanted to transform is massacred). a-xiang spends most of the show jumpy and prickly, accusing people of the worst. in truth, she wants a life where she can trust that someone has her best interest at heart, even if things are uncertain. (result: her husband gets killed in front of her, she avenges him in a suicide mission and fails, her family get massacred with wkx almost killing himself over achieving her last wish). i mean, theyve all fought so badly for love and hope, to reach a point where they can put the worst behind them! and its exactly this wish to make a change, do smth different than before, that KILLS THEM!!!!!!!!!!!! its evil

[pancakeis]

Analysis of Tian Ya Ke Lyrics

(line-by-line with literary references and context)

Analysis: Weibo user 认真看剧的打字机器 (original Weibo post)

Translation: keishi, first posted on Twitter @_keikaku

Full text is also available here. Long post warning!

Tian Ya Ke, being Word of Honor’s ending theme, has appeared in many important scenes throughout the show. Moreover, the lyrics were penned by the script writer herself, thus it can best express the show’s overarching idea, much worthy of a detailed analysis.

[Part 1 - ZZH] 

天苍苍事了功成渡寒江 Under the grey sky, I crossed the cold river as the job was done

Meaning: The deep blue sky was vast and endless, ZZS’s service as Tianchuang’s leader under King Jin had come to an end, and he was about to cross the cold river to leave the Northwest region.

Analysis: “Cold river” points to the river water during the autumn and winter, in this context it points at ZZS leaving the Northwest in a very cold and harsh winter. A line from Jet Li’s (Li Lianjie) Flying Swords of Dragon Gate can also be aptly quoted here: “A lone silhouette on the cold river, an old friend from jianghu”, which accurately portrays ZZS’s current state.

夜茫茫杯中月影笑荒唐 In the vast night, the moon in my cup laughed at the absurdity

Meaning: The vast darkness of the night, whose ends were nowhere in sight, there was only the reflection of the moon in my cup, laughing at my years of living in absurdity.

Analysis: “The moon’s reflection in my cup” comes from Li Bai’s Drinking Alone Under the Moonlight - First. In this poem, the author experienced an extreme sense of loneliness —— “Pouring out a cup, for no friend or kin” (WKX has also quoted this before), so he decided to take the moonlight and his own shadow as drinking companions, “Raising my cup to invite the moon, with my shadow we made three people”. In the lyrics, the moonlight is personified, purpose is to express ZZS’s solitariness at this point, where he can only find company in wine and the moon, and he mocks himself for self-righteously believing that he was sacrificing for the greater good, while in fact, it was just a preposterous case of feeding himself to the tiger.

谁许我策马江湖闯四方 Who allowed me to gallop off to traverse the world?

Meaning: Who can accompany me to travel the world on our horsebacks?

Analysis: A complement to the solitariness in the upper sentence, lamenting about how there’s no one around ZZS who can accompany him to fulfill his wish of galloping off around the world.

谁醉遍天涯 梦醒不见故乡 Who had travelled to the ends of the world in drunkenness, yet couldn’t face their hometown when sober?

Meaning: I can go to the ends of the world and the corners of the four seas to drink wine, but I can never return to the hometown that I dream of going back to.

Analysis: “Wandering the world, drinking to death” is not in ZZS’s romance, but the last punishment that he gives himself. There’s an old saying, “falling leaves return to their roots”; it’s also a traditional mindset of “even if I’m dying soon, I want to die in my hometown, where my roots are”. Even the most highly regarded, powerful court officials also requested to “bring their bones and ashes back to their hometowns” upon reaching their old ages. Du Fu, the God of Poetry, died on a boat heading back to his hometown. ZZS is aware that the countdown on his life has already begun, so he can’t not be thinking about returning. “Couldn’t face their hometown when sober” actual meaning isn’t “sobering up from the wine”, but rather “only can see the hometown in their dreams”, which hints to us ZZS’s reminiscence of his home. However, ZZS is set on believing that he has let down his teacher/forgone the teachings imparted in him, thus feels ashamed to face Siji Manor. Despite clearly having hometown on his mind always, since the departure from the Northwest, he leaves Kunzhou in the Southwest and heads towards the Southeast (Chengling’s home is located in the now-Zhejiang region). This kind of nomadic life, though the heart yearns for a place he can’t return to, is also one of the final punishments ZZS gives himself.

(Which is also my reasoning against hobo-Xu = freedom… he isn’t just drinking wine… he’s using wine to numb the pain in his flesh and mind…)

Summary of Part 1: The first sentence describes ZZS’s current state, the second sentence describes ZZS’s sorrow about his ideals destroying half of his life, the third describes ZZS’s loneliness, the fourth describes his yearning for home.

(Between these three types of emotions, just experiencing one is already torturing enough, yet he’s experiencing all three at once, how can he feel happy…)

[Part 2 - GJ]

西陵下凄秋凉雨吻我窗 Under the dreary autumn sky of Xiling, cold rain kissed my window

Meaning: In the middle of Ghost Valley, there was only desolating autumn rain landing on my window.

Analysis: This sentence comes from Li Shangyin’s The Tomb of Su Xiaoxiao: “Under the Xiling sky, winds blew at the falling rain”.

This poem by Li Shangyin was one of his “ghost poems”. Through the imagery of Su Xiaoxiao’s tomb, he drew up a series of strange illusions, portraying the beautiful yet fleeting ghost of Su Xiaoxiao, thus creating a resplendent but ghostly atmosphere. It bodes well with Wen Kexing’s image in the Ghost Valley: an outstanding beauty with dark and terrifying aura. And although Wen Kexing sits at the highest position of power, there is only the cold autumn rain knocking on his window, illustrating his inner feelings of loneliness and desolation.

(T/N: The author, whose writings were dubbed as “ghost poems” was actually Li He, a poet from mid-Tang dynasty, and not Li Shangyin, a poet from late-Tang. Likely a typo on OP’s part.)

任人憎任人谤 未妨惆怅是清狂 Let people hate, let people slander; but perhaps melancholic “clear madness” will do no harm

Meaning: No matter how others hated me, slandered me, I always persisted with my own desire, without a care for people who said that I was obsessed.

Analysis: “But perhaps melancholic ‘clear madness’ will not do any harm” comes from Li Shangyin’s Untitled Twin Poems. The full line reads, “You may say that it is completely futile to be lovesick; But perhaps melancholic ‘clear madness’ will not do any harm”. However in this context, this part has no relation to lovesickness; we must interpret it in tandem with the former part in the lyrics “let people hate, let people slander”. It conveys WKX’s mental state during his time in Ghost Valley: although hated or slandered by the so-called righteous sects, WKX has never quite cared, and in a state of near-obsession, he step-by-step makes preparations to avenge his parents. Despite deeply knowing that in doing so, he will end up sacrificing himself/can’t step away when it ends, he still wants to go absolute bonker, using the complete destruction of jianghu as a way to return justice to his parents.

春风吹得绿江南水岸 吹不暖人心霜 Spring breezes blew greens to the banks of Jiangnan river; couldn’t blow warmth to a frosted heart

Meaning: Spring winds could bring back luscious nature, but couldn’t melt the frost and coldness in my heart.

Analysis: The first half comes directly from Wang Anshi’s Anchoring At Guazhou. The poem continues, “when would the bright moon shine on my way back home”. Here, the “spring breezes” refers to the spring day of WenZhou meeting, at which point WKX’s heart is still a block of icy frost, but in actuality, he begins to yearn for a bright moon to bring him home, thus the latter half in the lyrics.

猝不及防 那是不是我们的光 Taken by surprise, could that be our light?

Analysis: The bright moon whom WKX yearns for, the bright moon who will bring him home, right on that spring day in the 27th year of his life, he comes in all glowing light, and barges into WKX’s world unannounced.

Summary of Part 2: The first sentence describes WKX’s current state, the second sentence describes WKX’s mental state, the third sentence describes WKX’s yearnings, the fourth sentence describes the effect of WenZhou’s first meeting on WKX.

[Part 3 - GJ]

相见恨晚幸未晚 不再辜负四季花 Hate that we couldn’t meet sooner, happy that it wasn’t too late. Flowers of four seasons no longer bloomed in vain

Analysis: WKX meets ZZS well into his adulthood, at the age where most people celebrate early life achievements, so it can’t be considered late. The fortunate part is, he meets ZZS where he considers to be “near the end of his life”. He then finds his own redemption and is able to live on, that’s why “it wasn’t too late”. “Flowers of four seasons” refers to the beautiful sceneries of Siji Manor: “Spring bathes in a sea of azalea, summer appreciates blooming phoenix flowers, autumn comes with wafting red osmanthus fragrance, winter beholds snow-like plum blossoms”. It also signifies WKX slowly letting go of his obsession to destroy the world after meeting ZZS, breaking free from his vengeance, and learning to admire the everchanging sceneries of four seasons along the journey of living – from then on, the beauty of ever-blooming flowers along the path of life shall not go unnoticed. And it marks the development from “as long as I can burn down this murky water of a martial world and its so-called righteous sects, there’s nothing that I can’t risk” mindset to “as long as we let go of vengeance, we are alive and living”.

将古道西风瘦马 换小桥流水人家 Trade away the old road, autumn winds and scrawny horse, for a small bridge, running stream and a home of nestling

Analysis: This line comes from Ma Zhiyuan’s To the Tune of “Tian Jing Sha”: Autumn Thoughts. Its meaning complements “Flowers of four seasons no longer bloomed in vain”, referring to WKX’s change of heart after meeting ZZS, from a painful and desolating “thin horse trudging on an old road in the autumn winds” to a warm and lively “nestling homes over a small bridge by a running stream”.

(T/N: Tian Jing Sha (lit. Sky-Clear Sand) is the name of the tune to which this qu poem is composed (曲牌名 qubaiming), that is to say, in an oral performance, this poem is intended to be recited with the rhythm and melody of Tian Jing Sha. The english for this line is rehashed from Andrew Wong’s translation.)

Summary of Part 3: In the first sentence, WKX expresses his good fortune of having met ZZS, through which his life is no longer engulfed by vengeance. In the second sentence, he describes the change of heart after meeting ZZS.

(Plainly speaking, he’s just declaring his love to ZZS: “only after meeting you that I realise how important you are to me”)

(…Okay, enough already Wen-ge)

[Part 4 - ZZH]

万里河山万家灯 往事如烟浪淘沙 A thousand miles of rivers and mountains, a thousand lights of homes. The past went up in smokes, washed away like sands

Analysis: “A thousand miles of rivers and mountains” comes from Xin Qiji’s To the Tune of “Qing Ping Yue”: Sleeping Alone in the Wangs’ Hut under Mt. Bo, referring to the vastness of the world. “A thousand lights of homes” is from the Qing dynasty’s novel A Flower In A Sinful Sea by Zeng Pu. Here’s the full line: “A thousand lights of homes, a path lined with songs of the flute”, describing the warm scenes of houses lighting up one after another as the night falls.

“Lang Tao Sha” (lit. waves washing away sands) is the tune title. I initially thought it refers to “great waves washing off the sands”, but the meaning of this phrase is “to stand the test of ferocious battles”, which clearly doesn’t match the context. So I made a bold guess that Liu Yuxi’s Lang Tao Sha was quoted here: “With many turns the Yellow River flows with sands from afar; Coming from the sky's edge, the wind-blown rolling waves never stay”. This matches the sentiment expressed in “(the past has) gone up in smokes” to convey the idea of “no going back”, like muddy sands swept away by the past.

In this line, ZZS is consoling WKX, telling him to treasure the beautiful sceneries and the warmth, homeliness of the mortal realm. Let bygones be bygone, don’t torment yourself over the past.

将平生霜雪 与君煮酒烹茶 Use my life’s worth of frost and snow to warm wine and brew tea with you

Analysis: Wine is warmed by submerging a flask of wine in a hot water bath. This scene took place once before, when WenZhou were at the Siji Manor. Tea brewing is exactly how it’s normally done. However, both of these activities are considered refined hobbies to be enjoyed in the tea stove I brought along; A life free of worries was a hundred years well-spent”. In Dream of the Red Mansion Part 41, as Miaoyu was making tea for Baoyu, Daiyu asked, “Is this rain water from last year?” Miaoyu sneered, “A person like you is such a boor, that you can’t even differentiate water when you taste it. This is snow collected from the plum blossom, when I was at the Panxiang temple in like the heroes i It’s apparent that despite being “rootless water”, melted snow is considered a grade aboThree Kingdoms, drinking warm wine with green plums. ZZS is expressing his desire to live rainaater.20the use of melted snow to make tea would greatly enhance the elegance and appeals of this lifestyle.

Yet, to warm the wine and brew the tea with “my life’s worth of frost and snow” just adds a whole other layer to the depth of emotions. There’s a saying, “good tea must be brewed in good water”. Which water is the purest, the most elegant of them all? The ancients believed that crystal-clear and sweet water was of the highest quality. Tea brewed from water that has once been frozen yields an extraordinary taste. In Bai Juyi’s Rising Late: After A Morning’s Slumber, “Melting snow to brew fragrant tea, melting butter to make porridge”. Lu You wrote in Tea After Snow: “Sweet and clear liquid snow filled my well, simply brewed with the tea stove I brought along; A life free of worries was a hundred years well-spent”. In Dream of the Red Mansion Part 41, as Miaoyu was making tea for Baoyu, Daiyu asked, “Is this rain water from last year?” Miaoyu sneered, “A person like you is such a boor, that you can’t even differentiate water when you taste it. This is snow collected from the plum blossom, when I was at the Panxiang temple in Xuanmu five years ago.” It’s apparent that despite being “rootless water”, melted snow is considered a grade above rain water. Surely the use of melted snow to make tea would greatly enhance the elegance and appeals of this lifestyle.

(This is definitely the stuff that ZZS they all would do… This kind of thing, you couldn’t do it unless you were rich… Except them, who would take time learning this stuff… The common people were already happy to have drinkable water…)

However, ZZS saying this isn’t meant to express his hope for a future life, and definitely not to express self-reconciliation. Because he can’t reconcile with the past, he decisively sticks the nails into his own body, straight until WKX appears, under WKX’s encouragement and gentleness (*noisiness*), that a spark of hope for a future life is ignited within ZZS, kickstarting the process of self-reconciliation. The past which hardens inside his heart like frost and snow, slowly melts away in the warm and beautiful life with WKX, to the extent that ZZS can even joke about it.

Summary of Part 4: In the first sentence, ZZS is convincing WKX to reconcile with the world; in the second sentence, ZZS shows reconciliation with his own self.

[Part 5 - GJ]

芳草长烟波流云映斜阳 Flourishing grass enshrouded in misty waves. Dusky light reflected on floating clouds

Analysis: This line is from Fan Zhongyan’s Waterbag Dance (trans. Xu Yuanchong): 

Clouds veil emerald sky, leaves strewn in yellow dye.  Waves rise in autumn hue, and blend with mist cold and green in view.  Hills steeped in slating sunlight, sky and waves seems one; Unfeeling grass grows sweet beyond the setting sun.

The conveyed meaning is, the sky is painted an emerald shade, yellow foliage covers the ground, the colours of autumn stretch from the horizon to the water, and the chilly, green fog seemingly weaves itself into the water. The distant hills bathe in the dusky sun; the sky and the river meld together. The grass, who understands not the pain of homesickness, grows far beyond the edges of the twilight sky. Going back to the lyrics, we can see that “grass” and “misty waves” indicate an autumn atmosphere, whereas “floating clouds” and “dusky light” refer to sunset. In short, this line paints us the scenery of an evening sky in autumn.

If we impose this layer of meaning onto the drama’s storyline, this should tell us WKX’s emotions after he has fallen in love with ZZS (WKX himself has said this): “The setting sun is ceaselessly beautiful; what a pity that it’s too close to dusk.” Although the autumn sunset is beautiful, soon the winter night will settle in, taking away any lingering warmth of the daylight. What WKX means is, his time together with ZZS is beautiful, but once ZZS finds out WKX’s real identity —— the Leader of Ghost Valley —— this happiness will inevitably come to the end, and ZZS might never forgive him.

问何处仙乡 蝴蝶为骨玉为梁 You ask where my hometown is. I come from butterfly bones and virtues of jades

Analysis: “仙乡” xianxiang is the formal way of addressing one’s hometown. This is basically a question to WKX, asking where he comes from. “Butterfly bones” refers to WKX’s mother, while “virtues of jades” refers to WKX’s father.

Summary of Part 5: In the first sentence, WKX likens his time spent by ZZS’s side to the hours before dusk, beautiful but inevitable. ZZS will walk away the moment WKX’s true identity is revealed, abandoning him in the darkness of the cold winter. In the second sentence, WKX reveals his true origin.

[Part 6 - ZZH]

你一肩担不尽万古愁 不如分我几两 Your shoulders couldn’t bear the weight of eternal sorrow. Why not let me carry some

Analysis: Confronted by WKX’s many worries, ZZS hopes that he can open up his heart, ZZS is willing to share his burdens. Selected lines from episode 22: “I am helping you”, “I will come with you to seek revenge from Zhao Jing”, to the persuasion in episode 24, then again in episode 27: “The only way for you to step into Siji Manor today, is over my dead body”, and straight to episode 32: “Save your breaths” —— ZZS has always used actions to tell WKX this.

(President ZZS of the Care For WKX’s Mental Health Association is online)

陪君醉 三万场 从此不言离殇 Thirty thousand drinks, I’d accompany you. From here on, we’d never bid farewell

Meaning: As long as you’re willing to, we could spend our lives drinking all of the good wines in the world together. From here on, we would never part. 

Analysis: ZZS is consoling WKX, and at the same time making a promise: “I will never leave, I will gladly accompany you drinking to your heart’s content”. Originating from Su Shi’s To the Tune of “Nan Xiang Zi”: With Yang Yuansu, At My Transference to Mizhou, the full line reads: 

Dongwu faces Yuhang, yet (we’re) separated by seas of cloud between the sky’s edges;  When I return in glory, we shall laugh and drink for thirty thousand times.

Summary of Part 6: ZZS shows WKX that he’s there to fight by WKX’s side, to share all of WKX’s burdens, and ZZS vows to never leave him.

(Zhou-ge… Wen-ge just declared his love to you earlier, now you’re also declaring your love… I do not understand…)

[Part 7 is a repeat of Part 2]

[Part 8 - GJ]

无边落木萧萧下 不尽长江滚滚来 Boundless greenery sheds leaves. Unending Yangtze courses through its banks

Meaning: The gentle rustling as the thick, boundless greenery sheds its leaves. The roaring torrent as the Yangtze’s waves crash onto each other.  

Analysis: This line comes from Du Fu’s Climbing High, which was also written in the autumn. Both this poem and Waterbag Dance describe an autumn sunset, however its mood completely contrasts Waterbag Dance: the quoted line leans towards the natural observation of which all beings will eventually be replaced by a newer, younger being. Falling leaves evoke melancholic emotions, but it also gives way for the growth of new, young leaves. The sun sets and night befalls, but it also means a new dawn will soon arrive. All objects or beings are no different from the water running through Yangtze river, new waves crashing onto preceding ones with no end in sight. Or like Yang Shen has written:

On and on to the east rolls the Great Yangtze, Burying in its current hordes of gallant men. Right or wrong, shame or glory, all comes to naught. Only the green hills linger, after many a glowing sunset. White-haired men by the river, mind the seasons not; All they care is in the bottle, and meeting with old friends. Stories new and old, come alive in their witty retort.

Both are depicting autumn dusks, both are expressing WKX’s emotions, but the difference is, after being convinced by ZZS, WKX no longer sees autumn as dreary and miserable. With this change of heart and his soulmate’s company, he begins breaking down his own walls to start life anew.

(T/N: the literal title of Yang Shen’s poem is To the Tune of “The Immortals by the River”: Gushing Yangtze River Flows Eastwards, although it seems more commonly referred to by the tune name The Immortals by the River 《临江仙》. English translation by Alice Poon.)

风刀霜剑皆不惧只要你我还在 Fear not the cutting winds or biting frosts, as long as you and I are still here

Meaning: As long as you are by my side and I you, we don’t have to fear any obstacles.

Analysis: “Cutting winds or biting frosts” (lit. winds that cut like a dagger, frosts that strike like a sword) comes from Burying Flower Song, a poem recited in Part 27 of Dream of the Red Mansion: “Three hundreds and sixty days in a year, ravaged by daggers of winds and swords of frost”. In context, this line talks about how a flower is always quashed by cold winds and frosts, which parallels WKX and ZZS facing great dangers everyday. But there is nothing to be afraid of, because “you and I are still here”.

(That’s right… It’s another declaration of love… This time they declare their love to each other…)

(I’m numb.)

[Part 9 - ZZH]

���即高歌失即休 无拘无束亦无碍 Sing aloud for a win, don’t dwell on a loss. A life free of shackles and hindrances

Analysis: “Sing aloud for a win, don’t dwell on a loss” is from Luo Yin’s Self Consolation:

Sing aloud for a win, don’t dwell on a loss Deep in sorrows and hatred, still take it easy. Let’s get drunk today while there’s still wine Tomorrow’s worries can be dealt with tomorrow.

This describes ZZS’s mentality after he has made peace with himself —— liberated, no longer tortured by the past.

但得一知己 慰尽风尘无奈 But to have found a soulmate, is enough to console my helpless sufferings

Analysis: This line originates from Wei Yingwu’s Jian Lu Zhi. The full poem reads:

How pitiful, the Song of White Snow hadn’t found its zhiyin Troubled by military matters, time slipped by on Huaihai shores. Streamside trees hold on to morning dews, mountain birds chirp at spring’s remnants I have a gourd of wine, which is some consolation to all these sufferings.

Wei Yingwu was upset at his own lack of zhiyin, lack of “the one who understands”, so he could only find “consolation to all these sufferings” in wine. In comparison, ZZS is more fortunate, in the sense that he has met his own zhiji, his soulmate, the one who understands him, which is enough of a comfort to all the sufferings he has gone through.

(Plainly speaking, ZZS is just declaring his love, “Only at the point of meeting you who is so perfect, that I can understand, everything I went through was worth it.”)

(Confession, again…)

[Together]

任山高水远 你在我也在 Mountains grow tall, rivers run far. As long as you’re here, so am I

Analysis: “Mountains grow tall, rivers run far” is derived from “mountains grow tall, rivers run long”, conveying longevity and everlastingness. This line refers to WenZhou’s final ending, forever in each other’s company, living on top of Mt. Changming.

Translator’s Notes, Bibliography and Recommended Readings:

Unless cited above, english translations of referenced poems/lines are mine. Most of them are very rough, just to capture the literal meanings. If you spot any mistakes, feel free to reach out to me.

1. Drinking Alone Under the Moonlight - Li Bai

《月下独酌四首》 - 李白

This is a quartet of poems, the cited one is the first of four (其一).

2. The Tomb of Su Xiaoxiao - Li He

《苏小小墓》 - 李贺

Recommended reading: On the auditory depiction of Li He’s “ghostly writing style”, a thesis by Wen Yu.

3. Untitled Twin Poems - Li Shangyin

《无题二首》 - 李商隐

Li Shangyin in fact wrote many untitled poems, and a quick Baidu search shows several results for 无题二首. The referenced set is this one, with translation by Li Zeng, page 211 of this thesis.

4. Anchoring At Guazhou - Wang Anshi

《泊船瓜洲》 - 王安石

Recommended reading: Commentary on Wang Anshi’s Anchoring At Guazhou.

5. To the Tune of “Tian Jing Sha”: Autumn Thoughts - Ma Zhiyuan. Translation by Andrew Wong.

《天净沙 秋思》 - 马致远

Recommended reading: On the visuals and poetic narrative of Autumn Thoughts, How to Read Chinese Poetry: A Guided Anthology, page 334.

6. To the Tune of “Qing Ping Yue”: Sleeping Alone in the Wangs’ Hut under Mt. Bo - Xin Qiji.

《清平乐 独宿博山王氏庵》 - 辛弃疾

7. A Flower In A Sinful Sea - Zeng Pu

《孽海花》 - 曾朴

8. Lang Tao Sha - Liu Yuxi. Translation by Frank C Yue.

《浪淘沙九首》 - 刘禹锡

This is a series of nine poems. The cited line comes from the first of nine (其一). In similar fashion to Tian Jing Sha, because a ci poem is composed to this tune, it’s called a 词牌名 cibaiming. 

9. Rising Late: After A Morning’s Slumber - Bai Juyi

《晚起 烂熳朝眠后》 - 白居易

10. Tea After Snow - Lu You

《雪后煎茶》 - 陆游

11. Dream of the Red Mansion - Cao Xueqin

《红楼梦》 - 曹雪芹

From Part 27, Burying Flower Song 《葬花吟》. It’s a very lengthy poem. Here's one fully translated version. I’d recommend the translation by Herbert A. Gilles, published in A History of Chinese Literature as well (ebook, page 365). The english translation of Hong Lou Meng can be found on Project Gutenberg.

12. To the Tune of “Nan Xiang Zi”: With Yang Yuansu, At My Transference to Mizhou - Su Shi

《南乡子 和杨元素，时移守密州》 - 苏轼

Again, Nan Xiang Zi is tune title/cibaiming. Recommended reading: brief line-by-line explanation - Reddit.

13. Waterbag Dance - Fan Zhongyan 

《苏幕遮》 - 范仲淹

This poem can also be titled To the Tune of “Su Mu Zhe”: Reminiscence (苏幕遮 怀旧) as Su Mu Zhe is another tune title/cibaiming. Translation by Xu Yuanchong, published in Xu Yuanchong Translates 300 Song Dynasty’s Poems (许渊冲译宋词三百首; ebook)

14. Climbing High - Du Fu. Translation.

《登高》 - 杜甫

15. To the Tune of “The Immortals by the River”: Gushing Yangtze River Flows Eastwards - Yang Shen. Translation by Alice Poon.

《临江仙 滚滚长江东逝水》 or 《临江仙》 - 杨慎

16. Self Consolation - Luo Yin

《自遣》 - 罗隐

17. Jian Lu Zhi - Wei Yingwu

《简卢陟》 - 韦应物

Jian Lu Zhi or Note to Lu Zhi is written by Wei Yingwu to his nephew Lu Zhi. Because I had access to the physical copy of In Such Hard Times: The Poetry of Wei Ying-wu (translated by Red Pine), here is an alternative with much more refined wordings taken from the book:

“You still haven’t met someone who knows the touching tune White Snow I worry about you on the march stumbling along Huaihai shores streamside trees are clinging to morning rain wild birds are singing to what is left of spring I have a gourd of wine so big it will wash away the dust of the road.”

Due to the lack of subject in the first line, it is unclear if Wei Yingwu was talking about his nephew’s lack of a bosom friend or his own. Despite the english phrasing, Red Pine noted that it could be referring to both. In the last line, “dust of the road” or 风尘 is a metaphorical way of referring to mortal sufferings.

[deepestbluesky]

tyk/shl women thought of the day: how evident it is that gu xiang grew up in ghost valley, not so much because of her willingness to kill people but her decent understanding of how shitty people think. in the same way that i would argue chengling actually is a pretty good judge of character—he trusts wenzhou and not his uncles, because largely, wenzhou and particularly zzs seem to think about him as a person and not a token that can be traded around or carry a piece of the glazed armor—i think gx is quite good at knowing when people mean harm and also how to play on certain obvious types of ill-intentioned people.

i’m thinking of ep4 of shl, her arguing ji se gui around. maybe she’s particularly good at beating him in arguments due to practice, idk, but it’s good! she knows to use lfm against him, she knows that she can threaten him with lfm not waiting for an explanation, she knows that she has him and can use this to get favors, and she does it. it’s maybe not much in the grand scheme of everything that goes on in shl but i remember being struck by it the first time around bc i remember being surprised that she was that particular flavor of attuned to how to manipulate people. (idk maybe it’s just her innate younger sibling energy too lmao! but i think it’s the knowledge needed to do this particular thing that makes it a little different for me) 

i’m also thinking of TYK, especially towards the end: gx not trusting any of the heroes and realizing that they’re probably in league with each other even if they don’t seem to be. her realization that wkx was speaking like he never expected GV to survive this fight. gx realizes that spying on the heroes meeting will go badly for them, and when exactly it gets worse. when she has to step in, she convinces everyone to distruct feng xiaofeng with like two lines. she does a lot of foolish things throughout the book, but her ability to survive and to know how to survive is pretty strong.

[mtkay13]

The one and only Qi Ye trio!

Details on the painting, meta and more below!

So this piece is actually a "remake" of a much older drawing that I made right after I had finished reading Qi Ye:

First, I want to elaborate on the drawing itself. I usually don't like to detail the symbolism and ideas that I put in my art, simply because I don't want to impose a reading and I'd rather everyone gets their own; but following some discussions I have decided to do so for this one.

The main theme of this illustration is glory, power, and the ascention towards it. The principal symbol of it is, of course, the stairs going up. I used light, directly, colours and positioning to signify each character's relationship to those themes.

Helian Yi is the one in the light, ascending upwards, in red clothing. Helian Yi's power, as future emperor, is in the light, visible, going towards the heavens as the son of heaven himself--to enact his heavenly duty. Part of his face is in the shadows, and his being casts a broad shadow behind him for, of course, a lot has to happen in the shadows for him to reach the throne. He's looking behind as his ascension comes with dread and paranoia, never being able to fully trust anyone.

Zhou Zishu is entirely in the shadows, doesn't exist in the light. He's standing tall on the stairs but not facing upwards because his own way towards power isn't following the traditional path of having one's name being remembered in historical records. He is at his most powerful concealed in the shadows and doesn't look directly, his gaze unreadable.

Jing Beiyuan is sitting on the stairs, uninterested with the climb towards power itself, uninterested in the glory. The thin line of light on his figure means that among Helian Yi's closest allies, he's the one using his title and influence; light grazes him even if he doesn't want it to. His presence in Helian Yi's shadow signifies how he, along with Zishu, is quite literally behind HLY's ascension. His gaze is knowingly directed towards the watcher.

The main reason I decided to repaint it was because I wanted it to match my current style and, more importantly, my current mental image/character design for them. Jing Qi barely changed since my idea of him was fairly clear from the start, but Helian Yi and Zishu went through much bigger changes.

For Helian Yi, it was mainly a question from taking him out of Jin Wang's robes to get him his own. I really like Jin Wang's wardrobe in SHL, which is why I initially wanted it for HLY, but nowadays it simply doesn't correspond to how I picture him anymore. My understanding and/or envisioning of Da Qing's fashion has changed a bit as well, so I wanted to reflect that. In the original, he more seemed like a kid in vaguely chique robes that were too big for him LOL. His face was afforded a bit of refinement as well, especially since my big Qi Ye spread.

Jing Qi's robes are just a tad less flashy somehow--which wasn't so much planned as just... another design I had in mind. I still really like the first version of the robes but, oh well. His face is a bit more defined now, and overall more details in the quality of his clothing and in his hair piece.

Zhou Zishu...... well, haha. His original design was quite unpolished--a vague mix of SHL!Zishu and some random hakama I barely worked on. He was also very slim and had big eyes, which I just don't see anymore. He's bigger now, by quite a bit, both in height and musculature, and I made him look just a bit older as well--simply because he is older than HLY and JBY by a few years. I much prefer his current expression which is a tad more vicious but also a bit harder to read (I think). His robes, hair shape are much better defined and thought-out, and I am happy with the subtle shading on his face.

That's it!! Thanks for readiinngggg as always!

[mocheng-gusto]

Reading a lot of svsss meta i want to add my 2 cents.

In PIDW, why i don't think Luo Binghe raped Shen Qingqiu when he kept him prisoner? Because for him sexual assault is not torture. It is just a thing that happens. He was abused (his first time being somewhat forced), he has abused women he takes in as wives (sy makes reference to how bingge forces himself on some women who are initially reluctant). He doesn’t think to do it to his master because when he does it it’s romanticized, doing it to SQQ would mean to see it as the violence it is and purposefully inflicting it with that intent. The violence he has suffered and that he causes. I do too think he continues suffering this. Not only he forces himself on women but he has to have sex for papapa or die plots and other dumb audience-acclaimed Airplane-enforced bullshit!

Oh also, about his sexuality, homeboy’s gay. But he is gay AND knows that men ain’t shit (he also knows that he ain’t shit deep down but he acts like hot stuff. ‘So i feel like I’m the worst so i always act like I’m the best’). He adores NYY, respects LMY, grateful to QWY, challenged by SHL. And those are the deepest feelings he has towards any of his harem members. He has sex with them because he likes having the upper hand (it’s a power move) and having them submit, he enjoys the pleasure, he has to satiate Xin Mo.

But love? Genuine romantic love that comes from being someone’s equal and gaining a deep understanding with them? Tbh the closest thing he ever got was MBJ (and YEs this supports my binghe is sqh’s self insert). But LBH doesn’t even THINK about pursuing it, marrying and having sex (for him) have nothing to do with being close to and trusting someone. If he ever let himself be vulnerable he’d end up sleeping with MBJ and being submissive and breedable and would probably be happier for it. But... Tbh MBJ as what we've seen of him? Doesn't have the emotional availability that binghe (even bingge) would need)

[svconfessions]

#modconfessions

the whole 'all the girls in xian shu peak are lesbians' fanon thing gets old real quick, and i think this is a reflection of a greater trend, not just in sv, but across m/m dominant fandoms in general.

what i've noticed in lots of fanworks is that all the 'cool' girls are lesbians and all the 'uncool' girls are straight (and have to press their suit w the ml, torment the mc, show devastatingly low iq in the process, and be either killed off or otherwise punished). anyone else noticed how nyy/lmy/shl and its individual iterations are the only popular ships in the fandom featuring female characters? and how the little palace mistress and the qin sisters are treated in comparison? or any of the unnamed/oc wives?

i'm not saying 'no lesbians' but instead that it feels very 'pair the spares' as well as a shorthand for that female character being considered acceptable. and i'm not trying to make a danmei fandom shift its focus to female characters, esp since that's genuinely a hysterical take w this particular danmei novel. (stallion novel turned commentary on danmei turned hallmark movie? lmao truly meta) but also, just to light the fire--there's not any specific canon scenes to support these takes, either.

[pastelcheckereddreams]

Four Seasons Manor (四季山庄): Set Layout, Part Two!

I found it. I finally found the second set. I'm so ridiculously proud of myself 😂 All details will be revealed and broken down shortly, here and in a third part, but first let me recap my Siji Manor drafting progress so far:

If you're stumbling over this post in the wild - hi! I draw architectural drafts of cdrama sets, as accurately to the show as I can. A huge amount of research goes into creating my art, and so far no set location has been as elusive as this one. All of my set design projects start with a lot of research and resource gathering, to ensure that I am drafting the sets as accurately as possible. One element of each of my finished pieces is, as you may know, a birdseye view of the set. I include this to show the spatial relationship of the architectural elements I draft, and to give the fictional location cohesion and comprehensibility as a "lived space," further enriching - I hope - your experience of my art and of the show itself.

This process, however, becomes incredibly complicated to achieve when 1) the set I am trying to draft is split across different film locations, especially if 2) I can't find one of the sets.

At the time of my last post, linked here, I had located the set used for the front courtyard of Siji Manor in Hengdian World Studio's Spring and Autumn Tang Park, (what I have begun to call the "exterior set"), and had ruled out the wider set as locations for the main "interior" set - the inner courtyards of Siji Manor where the majority of the scenes in episodes 24-29 take place.

Well friends, just over a year later, I have confirmed that my suspicions in my very first Siji Manor draft post were, in fact, true. The second shooting location for Siji Manor was inside one of Hengdian's film studios. It was filmed in the "Mansion Scene" set, in Huaxia Shed #2:

My journey to finding this set lead me through two other dramas, and to the discovery that this set was also used for part of the filming of WOH episode 5, in Sanbai Manor. By cross-checking all of these scenes, I've been finally able to identify all relevant buildings and map the main set for Siji:

(First part of an insane, dizzying breakdown under the cut. It's long. It's confusing. Godspeed.)

project list | kofi | prints

I will begin by saying that, although I am confident of this layout as you see it above being Siji Manor, I am not certain that this is the full Mansion Scene in Huaxia Shed #2. This is because my only source for the photos above comes from this article, which also includes three photos I've been unable to place in relation to the above map, despite clearly being from the same area. Moreover, because of the lack of wide camera angles or even full use of this above set in WOH itself, my scale/placement of buildings in relation to each other is still a little off. I've also given myself some artistic license with minor parts of the landscaping. That being said, let me break down this set layout for you, and reveal Siji Manor to you all:

WKX and ZZS's rooms

Buildings 1 and 3 are used as WKX and ZZS's rooms respectively. My confirmation of this fact - and many more to come - comes from the drama Mysterious Lotus Casebook (MLC), in which we see a clearer view of the courtyard between the rooms itself, where the kitchen in WOH resides (labelled 2):

Firstly, how do I know that the kitchen where Chengling has his chicken showdown is outside WKX's room? Because we can see it outside in this screenshot:

And how do we know that this room, WKX's room, is the one on the left side of the screen in the Mysterious Lotus Casebook screenshot? Because that room, belonging to Yun Biqiu, matches the layout of WKX's room:

(Note that WKX's room is used as the Princess's room in episode 1 of WOH, and despite significantly different set dressing/modification, her room - WKX's room - bears the same structural layout as Biqiu's. But you probably just have to trust me on that latter point because they like to move walls and floors in the film studios.)

To verify building 3 as ZZS's room (which is likewise used as Li Xiangyi's from MLC), and to show that you can walk straight through this room from the kitchen (2) courtyard into the formal courtyard (5), I'm going to have to let these door panels do the heavy lifting for me:

Did you follow that? Don't worry, I've mapped the route on a copy of the main birdseye view below. Hang in there!

Formal Courtyard

The snowy screenshot above brings us to what could be considered the "formal" courtyard of this mansion - the QHZ snow scene! It is the fact that this scene occurs with ZZS's room to the right (note those door panels) that makes me headcanon ZZS took up residence in QHZ's room on his return to Siji (and that WKX took Qin-furen's....).

There isn't much to say about this courtyard itself, but enjoy these screenshots from MLC:

Now, did you remember those other door panels? In MLC, Li Xiangyi walks from this courtyard around the side of his old room (again - note the door panels) past a small, private seating area for his/ZZS/QHZ's room - labelled as area 4.

This brings him, and us, along the walkway dividing the kitchen courtyard, and the main courtyard of this set. If you're struggling to follow along (as even I am at this point😵‍💫), this is the route I have taken you on so far:

I'm about to divert you into Sanbai Manor, WOH episode 5, for a look at area 7, and then we will dive into the main area of this Siji Manor set in part three.

So, surprise! This set is also briefly used for Chengling's room in Sanbai Manor. I thought I was crazy for this, but damn it, I was right. Here's a view of his "room" which is actually the side of the main hall (6):

It's at this point that I concede it might have just been easier to start this breakdown with the main courtyard and main hall. Whoops.

Anyway, I hope this first part has been an interesting, if chaotic, read. Let me know your thoughts so far! Have you been able to follow along okay? Do I need to clarify anything? What do you think about the revelation of all these sets colliding? (Particularly if part one and the first set is fresh in your mind.)

As always, if you'd like to support my research madness and help fuel my many artistic endeavors, please consider donating to my kofi or checking out my print shop:

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Now, click through to part three below, where I will take you through the main area of Siji Manor. See you there!

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

[luobinghelovebot]

I posted 1,821 times in 2022

291 posts created (16%)

1,530 posts reblogged (84%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

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@jzixuans

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I tagged 1,820 of my posts in 2022

#svsss - 673 posts

#mdzs - 395 posts

#text tag - 354 posts

#cql - 229 posts

#art - 209 posts

#bingqiu - 162 posts

#sv novel official (re)read - 139 posts

#shl - 120 posts

#tgcf - 104 posts

#wangxian - 99 posts

Longest Tag: 68 characters

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My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

so funny when sv reviews are like "i liked binghe in the beginning then it went downhill and *massive rant about all the novels failings*" like. is it. is it a meta in joke or. or.

194 notes - Posted May 6, 2022

#4

Thinking about an AU where Shang Qinghua transmigrates into Luo Binghe instead. Imagine if he’d turned around at the abyss and been like "I know you’re gonna push me in bitch! BYE!.." and SQQ was like "…. wait what" klsafdgjlf. Also then Shen Qingqiu would go on a legit Binghe Mourning Arc because he's lost his blorbo to *waves hands at Shang Qinghua's everything*. Also means (because Shang Qinghua is also restricted by OOC warning) the plot can't bend quite so much, and they have to come up with some Real Serious Schemes to get away with Luo Binghe!Shang Qinghua not killing Shen Qingqiu (bonus points if it's truly unavoidable and SQH has to kill him (but don't worry! they have a plant backup!))

211 notes - Posted May 12, 2022

#3

thinking about how shen qingqiu there's only one bed-ed liu qingge and luo binghe

221 notes - Posted May 5, 2022

#2

See the full post

253 notes - Posted September 14, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

See the full post

275 notes - Posted February 5, 2022

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[liberty-or-death]

An Introduction to Cu Ci 楚辞 (A combined meta between 2HA, Blood of Youth, SHL, MDZS/CQL and Thousand Autumns)

If you’re familiar with Chinese historical media, you might have been familiar with the following terms. 

九歌 (Jiu Ge/Nine Songs -  Chu Wanning’s qin (2HA), Luo Qingyang’s Blade (Blood of Youth), 

天问 (Tian Wen/Heavenly Questions) - Chu Wanning’s Whip, SHL’s opening song

怀沙 (Huai Sha/Embracing Sand) - Chu Wanning’s third weapon

招魂 (Zhao Hun/Summoning Spirits) - MDZS audio drama insert song, spell used in 2HA, mentioned in the opening of CQL episode 1.

国殇  (Guo Shang/National Matyr) - Luo Qingyang’s sword skill

礼魂 (Li Hun/Cermonial Spirit) - Luo Qingyan’s spirit.

东君 (Dong Jun/Eastern Gentleman) - a character in Blood of Youth 

渔夫 (Fisherman) - Wen Kexing quotes a line from this.

离骚 （Encountering Sorrow/Li Sao) - Briefly quoted in Thousand Autumns 

But did you guys know that it all these come from the same source? 😂😂

These are various works by the Qu Yuan 屈原, who was a poet and statesman of Chu 楚 during the Warring States period.  And yes, this is the same Chu 楚, as that of Chu Waning’s surname.  I’m guessing it was a shout out to the poet. 

 Qu Yuan was known for his patriotism and various contributions to Chinese classical poetry.  The above are part of the Cu Ci 楚辞 (Songs of Chu), a collection of poems 

I’ll talk about these various parts in detail but could you imagine how excited I was to learn that the inspiration behind Chu Wanning and Luo Qingyang came from the same source? 😍😍 

[sirenofthegreenbanks]

on the note of my last reblog, i was thinking recently about how we keep examining (and how the show examines) the similarities between zzs and zcl and how zzs‘s own disregard of his own state of mind, as a result from inheriting too much responsibility too early and his years of handling failure and loss like signs of personal wickedness, makes him awkward and overwhelmed when confronted with zcl, a grieving and traumatised child carrying heavy expectations upon his back just like zzs did back then. but i havent seen an analysis yet on how wkx falls into the same traps. likely because wkx is the compassionate, attentive parent of their dynamic. where zzs is stern and tells zcl lots of unhelpful repressing bullshit, wkx offers zcl room to be angry, to grieve, to cry. hes also the one most vocal about his concerns regarding the five lakes alliance. he doesnt really seem like he is ignorant of zcl‘s struggles, and in many cases his own similar experiences seem to inform him in his worry and consideration. but i keep remembering how wkx creates forgeries of the glazed armour and orchestrates social infighting and uproar at the heroes conference, despite knowing that zcl carries a piece of the glazed armour in his stomach, that he is already hunted by most of jianghu, and that his life and safety isnt worth much to many in zcl‘s immediate vicinity. it makes me think of how wkx weaponized his own pain, his own body, to survive at the valley, and how he continues to exploit his own trauma to fuel his vengeance. i dont think he intends for the same to happen to zcl, but it is apparent that zcl is collateral damage to wkx, and that wkx is willing to destabilize zcl further if it means to succeed in his ideal concept of a purged society

[specialability]

I posted 14,052 times in 2022

That's 7,717 more posts than 2021!

213 posts created (2%)

13,839 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@icarus-suraki

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I tagged 10,911 of my posts in 2022

Only 22% of my posts had no tags

#tyk - 1,152 posts

#disco elysium - 700 posts

#ofmd - 684 posts

#mdzs - 653 posts

#tyk fanart - 569 posts

#spy x family - 440 posts

#andor - 420 posts

#hxh - 410 posts

#ofmd fanart - 405 posts

#shl gifs - 308 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i strongly think that the experience of watching the original series gives you one of the most accurate experiences of having severe depres

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Akiba Maid Sensou S01E03

27 notes - Posted October 23, 2022

#4

Dragon Ball Z reference in Spy x Family Ep 10

32 notes - Posted June 11, 2022

#3

cat!wkx

instead of nyah-xu, consider: stray murdercat mao wen. rules over a feral cat colony with a bloody paw.

41 notes - Posted July 1, 2022

#2

43 notes - Posted September 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Last night I couldn't fall asleep so I wrote an 800 word essay about TYK as a meta-narrative. Voilà.

"I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way." – Jessica Rabbit, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

179 notes - Posted September 2, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[bb-latvija]

Latvijas aizsargs Kristiāns Rubīns ceturtdien izcēlās ar divām rezultatīvām piespēlēm Zviedrijas hokeja līgas (SHL) spēlē un sekmēja Ērnšeldsvīkas "MoDo" komandas uzvaru. "MoDo" savā laukumā ar rezultātu 4:3 (1:1, 1:1, 1:1, 1:0) papildlaikā pārspēja turnīra līderi Kārlstades "Farjestad" vienību. Rubīns trešā perioda astotajā minūtē palīdzēja panākt 3:2, kā arī rezultatīvi piespēlēja papildlaika ceturtajā minūtē, kad uzvaras vārtus guva Mikels Ogords, kurš šajā mačā izcēlās ar diviem precīziem metieniem. Rubīns uz ledus pavadīja 20 minūtes un 20 sekundes, kuru laikā vienreiz meta pa vārtiem, pielietoja vienu spēka paņēmienu un tika pie neitrāla lietderības koeficienta. Šajā sezonā Rubīns 13 spēlēs guvis divus vārtus un atdevis četras rezultatīvas piespēles. Tāpat uzvaru svinēja arī uzbrucēja Mārtiņa Dzierkala pārstāvētā Šellefteo AIK, kas mājās ar 2:1 (0:1, 2:0, 0:0) uzveica Malmes "Redhawks". Dzierkals, spēlējot 13 minūtes un vienu sekundi, trīsreiz meta pa vārtiem un bija laukumā vienīgajos ielaistajos vārtos, tādējādi tiekot pie negatīva lietderības koeficienta -1. Viņam šajā sezonā 13 mačos ir vieni gūti vārti. Šellefteo komanda ar 26 punktiem 13 spēlēs ieņem otro vietu, "MoDo" ar 20 punktiem 13 cīņās ir astotā, bet Rodrigo Ābola pārstāvētā Engelholmas "Rogle" ar 16 punktiem 13 mačos ieņem 12.vietu 14 komandu konkurencē. Pagājušajā sezonā par čempioni kļuva Vekšes "Lakers", kas finālsērijā ar 4-1 uzvarēja Šellefteo AIK.

[miyazai]

DUMPING MY MOMENTS LINKS HERE SO I CAN FIND THEM LATER PLS IGNORE

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Quick Subs / Translations

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