#zhang zhehan in his own words

[bluebirdmuppet]

It’s December 24 in China. One year ago today the Beijing police accepted Zhang Zhehan’s report for the crime of slander.

Zhang Zhehan chose to depend on his country’s legal system to get justice. He would not do anything to undermine that choice.

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — March 3-9

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This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

03-03 → The whaler MistyRose posted a screenshot of account stats that can only be seen by the account holder for the official Ranyi Music YouTube channel (associated with the Zhang Sanjian songs.) This suggests that at the least she has some insider connection with the scam that allowed her to receive the screenshot personally, and it's possible that she's the one running the account herself.

→ 361° posted two photo ads featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Za posted another teaser photo ad featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ The Instagram posted six photos of "Zhang Zhehan" and "Zhang Mama" and four of an aquarium.

03-04 → Gong Jun posted a commercial for the makeup brand Za, announcing that he is their new global spokesperson. This was reposted by his studio.

→ Za posted five photo ads featuring Gong Jun. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] (1129 kadian on the first)

→ The Instagram posted a video of the most recent scam concert.

→ Za held a livestream to promote the new endorsement with Gong Jun. During this, a number of people with obviously CPF usernames won several giveaways, and the streamer reportedly said "Oh [you're] also a fan of Zhehan" to one of them. Sources: [1] [2]

→ 361° posted a promotional video featuring Gong Jun. Fan Observation: The video shows him colouring flowers in with red. In the final shot one flower is still left uncoloured, recalling Zhou Zishu's plum blossom mural in Word of Honor.

03-05 → Za posted a promotional video (1129 kadian) and two photo ads [1] [2] featuring Gong Jun.

→ 361° posted three photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

→ Za posted three wallpapers featuring Gong Jun.

03-06 → Gong Jun posted five photos ads of himself for L'Oreal.

→ Za posted a promotional video featuring Gong Jun.

→ Some of the old essays posted by Zhang Sanjian at the very beginning of the scam (early 2022) were reposted, but edited to remove the implications against Gong Jun and CPFs. It's been discussed quite bit by now that trying to appeal to solo fans at the expense of CPFs so early on was the scam's biggest mistake, as it caused CPFs to become sceptical and begin investigations. This is not the first time that the scam has shown signs of wanting to backtrack on that move.

03-07 → The Fox Spirit Matchmaker Weibo posted a promotional image of Gong Jun's character to celebrate the show reaching 4 million viewer reservations. Caption: "Refreshing and clear, with eyebrows like poetry. Dongfang Yuechu @ Gong Jun Simon seems to be the person in the painting."

→ Gong Jun posted a short commercial for Za to his Douyin. Fan Observation: The product is called Magnetic (贴贴, tietie) Powder, the same word fans use for how Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan would often bump against each other when they were working together. I could be wrong, but I couldn't find any evidence of this product existing prior to Gong Jun's endorsement.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a little video celebrating Fox Spirit Matchmaker's milestone. Caption: "Pure fire is invincible🔥Candied haws never leaves the hand✌️ #Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Chapter has more than 4 million reservations#, @ Gong Jun Simon's new mission props are now distributed!" The same was also posted to the studio's Douyin.

→ Za posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

03-08 → Gong Jun posted four photo ads he did for L'Oreal to his Xiao Hong Shu.

→ GXG posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ 361° posted a video voiced by Gong Jun for International Women's Day. (1129 kadian)

→ Za posted a behind the scenes video of their commercial featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Gong Jun posted four photos of himself. Caption: "Happy holidays! Also share my half-day leisure 😌"

→ Za posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun posted a silly video of himself to his Douyin. Caption: "I heard that this is how millions of people move their mirrors 🤳" BGM is What You Won't Do For Love by Bobby Caldwell.

03-09 → The scam announced a short film entitled "August" directed by "Zhang Zhehan", using footage that the scam gang took during the bike trip in August 2022. The intention of this is very obviously to have search results for the film come up with information about 813.

Additional Reading: → N/A

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[fourseasonsfigs]

Character and Sincerity

There was a set of figs sold earlier this year where the fig maker required a handwritten statement in order to purchase them. The statement required was:

本人是龚俊和张哲瀚的粉丝，相信他们的人品和真诚。本人为自留目的购买手办，承诺不拆、不溢价或捆鄉转让。

[my MTL translation]: I am a fan of Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan, and I believe in their character and sincerity. I purchase the figurines for my own use, and I promise not to dismantle it, pay a premium or bundle it for transfer.

I've not going to tell you how long it took me to write this out, nor my utter lack of anything even remotely resembling proper stroke order, as I was literally just trying to replicate the look of the characters. And well, no words are necessary, you can see it in the picture above. All I can say is that my Duolingo / Hello Chinese combo of basic Mandarin did not prepare me for this!

I also smiled as I wrote out Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan's names, because I recalled a challenge question by a different fig maker, asking for the number of strokes in Zhang Zhehan's name, in order to qualify to purchase a Gong Jun figure. The same fig maker asked for the number of strokes in Gong Jun's name, in order to qualify for the purchase of a subsequent Zhehan figure. It's 36 for Zhehan and 20 for Gong Jun, by the way. Let me tell you, I did NOT appreciate all those thirty-six strokes in Zhang Zhehan's name. Nor was the 龚 Gong an easy character for me to write, let me tell you.

But while I was slowly and painfully transcribing these characters, the seller's required statement up on my phone and zoomed in front of me, I was also thinking about what I was actually writing.

I do believe in their character and sincerity. I believe in it so much that here I am, on August 13, 2023, reaffirming my continued love and support of them both. I will continue to support and cheer on Gong Jun, and I will wait patiently for justice to come for Zhang Zhehan.

I will never forget what a terrible, tragic day August 13, 2021 was, and what the unfolding days after that were like. But I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the evil, greedy people behind 8/13 can take Zhehan from us, but they can't make us let him go.

And oh, they have tried. I would not have believed the storms that have come and keep coming for the JZP fandom. So many people want the JZP fans to give up. They want our love and they want our money. Or rather, they want to destroy our love so they can have our money.

Well, they can't have it. What, did they think our love came so easy? The JZP that are left, the Haizhe that are still there and still waiting for Zhehan - we're as tough as they come. The fans that are still here have souls of steel, and no matter how battered or bruised we are, we're staying the course. We believe in Zhang Zhehan's character and sincerity, and we believe in Gong Jun's character and sincerity, and we believe in both their character and sincerity together.

I was there, I lived through it. I saw the devastation on Gong Jun's face after 8/13. I saw how he never unfollowed Zhehan's accounts anywhere, at great personal risk to himself and absolutely no benefit. If he had broken the CP or even just quietly deleted him after 8/13, not a soul would have blamed him. In fact, people would have celebrated and cheered him on, and pointed to his righteousness and the correctness of his priorities. He had absolutely nothing to gain on say, 8/29 by continuing to follow all of Zhehan's accounts, and everything, everything of all his newfound and hard-fought fame to lose. He was one of the few, if not the only celebrity in China on the days after 8/13 who had Zhehan's face and name prominently on his social media. I can't believe there are people that think that kind of loyalty comes cheap.

Sincerity and character is at the bedrock of my belief in why none of the slander and cruel commercialism of Zhehan's hijacked Instagram account can possibly be true. It's not just me that noticed the resurrection of the stolen account has been fundamentally about money. Money money money, wrapped up in "freedom" and "moving on". Look, I'm an American, and while freedom and moving on is literally embedded in our national DNA, guess what else is? Yeah. I can recognize cold hard capitalism when I see it, dressed up in marketing spin. When was Zhehan's character ever about money? When did Zhehan ever sell anyone out (even when they so richly deserved it and had it coming, Director Yu Zheng I'm looking at you)?

In all the personal challenges and tragedies Zhehan had already been through in his life - losing his father, injuring his leg, his girlfriend leaving him, losing his great love of basketball, his career stalling out prior to SHL - did any of that change him in the slightest bit for the worse? Or did it only make him more wiser, and sadder, and more introspective? Didn't it only make him more philosophical, more open, so much so he was able to dive deep into the personal pain of Zhou Zishu and unlock the strength and gentleness of A-Xu?

Was Zhehan so unable to hold on to his own original intention? Was his own character and sincerity some easily mutable thing that he's willing to torpedo for cash? I don't believe so. He sure didn't sound like it in the one audio recording we absolutely know is him, Li Xuezheng's audio recording from Jan 1, 2022. He sounded exactly like the Zhehan we've seen before.

So yeah.

One of the tricks about running a marathon that I learned long ago, if you're just a jogger at heart and not particularly strong or intensely fit, is to walk every water station. Give yourself a break, get some water. Take a bunch of deep breaths, look back and see how far you've come, and gather strength for the road. And water station by water station, you'll finish the race.

So that's what I'm doing on this long arc towards justice. I'm going to water my heart along the way, and refill my strength for the road ahead. I'm going keep collecting my little figs, I'm going to dress up my little baos Junbaobao and Hanbaobao, and I'm going to buy Gong Jun's endorsements and admire his magazines and watch his shows and every single success he achieves is going to feel good. Every little remembrance, every little win, any time we can all link hands and stay strong together gets us one step closer towards justice and vindication.

I'm proud to be a JZP. I couldn't be any prouder of my sisters and brothers in China and across the globe. We're still here.

I am a fan of Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan, and I believe in their character and sincerity.

[malsperanza]

I don't want to fall too far into the debate about whether danmei/gay romantic stories are aimed at a straight female audience, and whether that's appropriative and exploitive,* but the erotic allure of sexual ambiguity is part of the mix.

Someone posted a clip of Marlon Brando in a sweaty T shirt in A Streetcar Named Desire, which reminded me of this iconic scene from On the Waterfront. Brando was always sex on wheels onscreen, unadulterated charisma, and also known as one of Hollywood's biggest bi male stars (along with Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, and Errol Flynn). The difference with Brando is in how he used his unique mix of hypermasculine body and effeminate manner to intensify his effects.

This scene is famous because Eva Marie Saint dropped her glove by accident and Brando picked it up and improvised using it - pure Actor's Studio technique - and she kept going too. From a performance pov, it's fascinating to see them both playing the scene and the characters while also reading and responding to each other's cues in the improv, giving the scene an extra level of uncertainty, anxiety, and instability.

But from a romance pov, the through line of the scene is this: man is trying to hit on shy woman and is trying (ineptly) to be gentle about it while still signaling his attraction. Woman, although shy, is trying to signal that she's not saying no. The man takes the woman's glove but doesn't return it to her - instead he puts it on. This is within the trope called "indirect kiss" but it's also, crucially, more than that. This burly, testosterone-driven man (he's a thug and a boxer) briefly reveals a feminine aspect. It's not a female disguise - that is, it's not cross-dressing. It's his own hidden self becoming temporarily visible. The two are, briefly, sharing a female body. Eva Marie Saint ends the moment by taking the aggressive male role: she pulls the glove off Brando's unresisting hand because the scene is about to end and she can't leave it there.

This scene gets taught in acting classes as an example of pure mastery of improv by both actors and of the Actors Studio style of naturalism in acting. But it's also a moment in which Brando uses his own genderswitching identity to maximum effect.

The result is that the uncertainty and anxiety of the scene are converted, for a moment, into pure erotic power.

And this idea is what some of the very charismatic actors in danmei dramas do - they draw on the play of gender ambiguity to heighten the sense of shared body, complex attraction, and open identity. I'm thinking here of Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo in The Untamed, or Zhang Zhehan and Gong Jun in Word of Honor. And the thing that makes good danmei so effective is when you get two actors who are equally willing to go there, and are in sync. (I don't think Eva Marie Saint gets enough credit for the glove scene, where she picked up and perfectly responded to every one of Brando's cues on the fly.)

I think it happens so rarely in Hollywood or most European filmmaking because western actors are so uncomfortable acknowledging that gender is a spectrum not a binary. Heath Ledger is maybe one exception. But no one did it as well as Brando. Once you see it, you see it in all his performances - where he was often cast in hypermasculine roles and subverted them every time.

In Streetcar Named Desire - written by a gay playwright who made gay identity a subtext (or text) throughout his work - Brando's sexual presence onscreen is unmatched. (Paul Newman did a version of it in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but not at the same level.)

--

*Yes, yes, and also no, no, and also It's Complicated.

[shijiujun]

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: THE GAYEST SHOW EVER - WORD OF HONOR | 山河令

Hi guys, so I know this has gotten some traction but I don’t think enough people are watching this because this is the gayest serious historical china drama ever to breathe in public without censorship slapping it in the face, so y’all get to enjoy full on with me - it’s really rare because they’re not even like stuffing a het. romance, they WENT IN FULL ON KNOWING THAT THIS WOULD BE GAY AF OKAY THEY ARE REALLY FOLLOWING THE BOOK

In fact, they made the show even gayer than the book, I don’t even know what to say. It’s naturally comedic without being absolutely cringey and adheres to the original novel really well so far (with added tinge of gayness). Gong Jun smiles a bit too much but it’s still really enjoyable to watch, and Zhang Zhehan carried the first episode on his own pretty well. Main leads honestly have huge chemistry on screen at the very least, and if you can get past Zhang Zhehan’s sadass hobo look as disguised Zhou Zishu for like I think at least... 10 eps maybe, you will enjoy this a lot. The set looks a bit cheap and the filming doesn’t look as sophisticated or crisp as some of the ones you’ve seen before definitely, but I don’t think this impacts the content much.

SO here goes friends, at this point you should just go and watch it to understand why this is the show being called “HOW THE FUCK DID THIS EVER GET TO AIR” because there is no way anyone made it through Episode 3 going like NO HOMO because it was SO HOMO

---

Background/Novel:

Okay so this is based on Priest’s danmei/BL novel called Tian Ya Ke / Faraway Wanderers, which was what it was originally called for the show until they changed the name like last month out of nowhere to Word of Honor / Shan He Ling. It’s relatively shorter and less complex as most of Priest’s other novels are, which makes it a really, really good read.

You can check out the carrd here but basically Zhou Zishu is an the leader of an assassins’ guild/sect of sorts, and he’s basically about to die soon in another few years (less than three). His background is a bit complex so I won’t get into it, but he disguises himself as a beggar/hobo of sorts and just starts to hobo around literally, drinking alcohol day in and out as he awaits death. He meets Wen Kexing, who is the leader of a demonic cult/sect and he’s looking for a particular item that was stolen from him - an item that would supposedly help others to gain immense power immediately, so a lot of supposed righteous sects are fighting over the item right now, but that’s not the point.

The point is, this entire story is about infatuated Wen Kexing, who literally falls in love with Zhou Zishu at first sight and he meets him while ZZS is in his beggar disguise. WKX can tell from ZZS’s bone structure and outline of his back that he’s a handsome man, and insists that he’s wearing a disguise. The disguise that ZZS uses is special, because the mask feels real so WKX can’t tell why it such a man with excellent bone and facial features would look so ugly. Insists basically that ZZS is handsome and then follows him from then on, while serving out his own agenda and dealing with the righteous sect people.

ZZS on the other hand has to deal with his impending death, and also still is put to work because of WKX’s involvement and a larger scheme happening behind the scenes. Along the way ZZS falls back in love with WKX subtly hahahaha (anything is subtle compared to WKX’s grand gestures dammit)

*A continuation to Qi Ye / Seventh Lord but not necessary to read that first if you wanna start with Tian Ya Ke - the characters from Qi Ye turn up but no need to know their backstory basically.

Where to Watch:

Eng subs available on Youku official channel (1-2 episode everyday exlcuding weekends)

On Youku officially with access to advanced episodes (no subs)

Schedule: One episode every day starting 1 March 2021 onwards (unlocked one ep every Sat, and will reach the milestone of one ep every Sun by end first week of March)

What You Are Missing Out On in the Live Action:

Immense gay, basically. Gosh I don’t even know how to put this, but Wen Kexing is such an infatuated, lovely man. You basically get him waxing poetic 24/7 about meeting ZZS and that it’s fate that they meet (WKX literally follows him around), literally that’s the entire damn show. A lot of frickin innuendo as well?!!!

1. WKX praising ZZS’s handsome look while ZZS is in his ugly disguise - At this point, ZZS’ face hasn’t been actually revealed (there’s way more, WKX goes like “you’re so handsome” at that face like a few times every episode)

2. Get someone who looks at you like WKX looks at frickin ZZS

3. ZZS deadpanning and rolling his eyes whenever WKX turns up ‘coincidentally’

4. Found family where WKX and ZZS co-parent two kids (Son & two dads, and daughter below) - SEE HOW HAPPY ZISHU IS?!!! AND HOW HANDSOME HE IS WITHOUT THAT HOBO LOOK? It’s a miracle WKX saw through his disguise

5. Innuendo - Cut-sleeve (WKX REALLY CUT OFF ZZS’ SLEEVE HOW DID THIS GET PAST CENSORSHIP)

6. ZZS calling WKX ‘Lao Wen’ and WKX calling ZZS ‘Ah Xu’ like over and over again

7. WKX acting cute (hiding behind his future husband and a fan while delirious from poison)

8. WKX deadly and gorgeous and when he holding a fan

9. MANY HANDS MANY TOUCH

---

Of course a disclaimer - all jokes and astonishment aside at what we’ve gotten so far, this is definitely not going to be an outright BL ending because honestly that will never happen with a China production, so don’t expect this to be like confirmed BL, but the shots hint at it very well a lot of hand touching, even hugs etc. and this is all we can ask for XD This is even more in your face than MRIAD which is saying a lot

[zhongwans]

So when the Word of Honor concert was first announced, there were lots of inside jokes in the fandom about how a live concert would even work when the entire cast is unhinged as hell and that every single one of them made it their own personal mission to make sure everyone knows that WenZhou are in love and married, censorship be damned.

One of the predicted outcomes was someone's microphone getting cut off mid-speech. But who was it going to be? The mad man Zhang Zhehan himself? Huang Youming with his wedding table jokes? Chen Zihan with her top trending wedding edit? Gong Jun the human collander? Wang-Laoshi and his blatant RPS agenda?

Well it was none of them because it was freaking Heizi-Laoshi (Gao Chong) of all people.

It started on the first day of the concert, when the 5 Lakes Alliance uncles shocked the fandom by being the first of the cast members to crack. They wrote 老温 Lao Wen ❤️ 老周 Lao Zhou on their whiteboards and held it up behind the unsuspecting Wenzhou's heads.

On the second day of the concert, people noticed that their seats were moved to the opposite side, as far away from Wenzhou as the seating arrangements allowed.

But what Youku and the concert staff didn't know at that time is that distance does not matter in the face of a determined Heizi-Laoshi. He had a big booming voice and was certainly not afraid to use it. Unstoppable Force (Heizi-Laoshi) versus Immovable Object (Censorship)

MC: "Heizi-Laoshi is going to show us his talent!"

Heizi-Laoshi: "YES I AM GOING TO SING A SONG AS A TRIBUTE TO OUR WENZHOU'S LOVE!"

Heizi-Laoshi, after singing: "I WISH THAT THEY WILL ACCOMPANY EACH OTHER FOREVER UNTIL THEIR HAIRS TURN GRAY AND WHI-" *mic gets cut off*

MCs, desperately trying to drown out the crowd's screaming: "THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU HEIZI-LAOSHI, THANK YOU!!!!"

The only thing more impressive than Heizi-Laoshi's determination to literally scream out Wenzhou's love to the world is how casually Zhang Zhehan and Gong Jun reacted to the whole thing. No embarrassment, no awkwardness. Just pure chaotic approval.

And then Huang Youming, determined not to be outdone, declares that he will be singing a song as well.

Huang Youming: "I'M GOING TO SING A SONG BY MY IDOL JAY CHOU"

MCs: "Okay!" ☺️

Huang Youming: THE TITLE OF THE SONG IS "A SECRET THAT CANNOT BE TOLD"

MCs: "HUH????"

In the end, none of the parts described in this post were included in the livestream's replay version. No doubt the funniest thing about all this is that everyone expected the younger cast members to go wild, but it was the uncles who ended up scandalizing everyone. Huang Youming was expected, but literally NO ONE saw Heizi-Laoshi coming. Bless his shipper heart.

[immortalwanderers]

On this day one year ago, Word of Honor first aired to Chinese audiences.  It was a series which came as a surprise to many, and one which didn’t take long until people were excitedly sharing their newest find with both their friends and others upon the internet, encouraging them to join and watch along. The early days themselves were a fun filled adventure. Many fans hurried to catch the new subtitle releases as they dropped onto sites like YouTube, while Youku’s release schedule changed to air the series quicker as attention grew. International fans went as far as to follow translated tutorials in order to make Youku accounts so they could continue watching via Youku’s own streaming service. And just as the fandom family were saddened into believing they would have to say farewell to these characters and the world which they had quickly fallen in love with, they were soon pleasantly surprised to learn that the majority of the cast would be returning for a sold out two-day concert event. While the airing season alone had been an excitable time to be a fan, that love only continued to grow long after the show aired, continuing to attract new fans through word of mouth and community rewatch events. Even now, it is apparent to see that the little show that stepped into our lives with a very limited budget and everything stacked against it quickly became something beloved to many, and it is both from the passions of the original cast and team as well as the fandom which followed that made it so.

Over the past year the fan community has created many kinds of works and been involved in a number of incredible projects, including two lovingly put together zines ( @shlzine and @wohzine), as well as last years Big Bang event (@shlbigbang) and the future Reverse Bang event ( @shanheling-reversebigbang). Many have also shared their own individual works with the community, expressing their love through many mediums including that of art, writing, graphic making and videos.

However, the community has suffered great grief and hardship as well as the highest of highs throughout the past year, yet the continued strength of fans has also shown their great resilience in what has since become a wait for justice. With touching projects created to show Zhang Zhehan and his family support after the events which transpired back in August, the community has proven just how much it is capable of showing love and compassion, not just to the cast they admire but also to the other friends around them whilst moving through this difficult time. One of the most recent projects includes the Zhang Zhehan Chinese New Year event, which invited international fans to leave their messages of blessings and well wishes for both Zhang Zhehan and his family.

In honor of Word of Honor’s anniversary, Immortal Wanderers would like to say thank you. Thank you to all the fans camped out upon this mountain beside us, who continue to keep this fandom alive through the love and joy of creation. We see you, we appreciate you, and we love you ⛰️ 💖

As a small way to say thank you and to pay the love back, a few of us here would like to share some of favourite works over the past year, as well as saying a little something about why these works in particular pulled at our heartstrings.

Recommendations from @wanderingfandoms

Song of Divination → written by bluemorningsoup 

Summary:

The letter floated down to the Yellow Springs on the back of a dark river, safe in the glowing belly of a fish-painted lantern. It read, Try to eat, and ended, I miss you always. —What happened to Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu in Jing Beiyuan’s first life.

Readers Comments:

“Love,” Wen Kexing finally replied, chuckling. “Isn’t it a funny story?” 

- A story of love, told through poems, told through seasons. It's haunting and isn't that what wenzhou is? haunted souls who found each other.

The Price of Iridescent Wings → written by enkiduu and Leaves_and_Smithereens

Summary:

Wen Kexing throws Zhou Zishu into the past in an attempt to save him.

Zishu realizes time travel has consequences, and it is harder than expected to save Kexing from himself.

Readers Comments:

One of the earliest multichapter woh/shl fics. It's dear to my heart because when the fandom was just starting and blossoming, this fic felt like a gift. But aside from that it's a version of wenzhou at their peak and darkest and the struggle to let each other live. It now has an ongoing sequel that's also worth reading :)

Familiar Lives → written by manic_intent

Summary:

The chamber in Diyu smelled pleasantly of sandalwood and tea, wreathed with ever-burning lanterns in pale shades of gold. Standing beside a brazier, an ageless woman with long black hair brewed tea in a large black kettle, occasionally adding in pinches of ingredients from the array of dried herbs floating in jade dishes beside her. She was dressed simply in white and black, unadorned with jewellery. But for the immense aura of stillness about her, the woman would not appear to be the Goddess that she was—the ruler of the 10th Court of the Underworld.

“Lady Meng Po.”

The woman didn’t glance up from her work. “Hu Jia. What is it?”

“It’s happened again,” Hu Jia said, his tone heavy with grievance. “White-haired, at the Stone of Three Lives, refusing to drink your Tea of Forgetfulness—”

Readers Comments:

Manic_intent's fics always give me a sense of wonder and it's so hard to choose one but this....this one... What's not to love about gremlin wenzhou even as they reach the underworld? That nod to all the versions of the endings wenzhou got is like Priest writing extras to her beloved novels. Now that I think about it, this feels like an extra chapter to shl. A new but familiar beginning to a story so loved. 

sick with love to the point of falling → written by SpringxSakura

Summary:

Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu are learning how to lean on each other in times of peace, and how, sometimes, the medicine to heal is not a thing, but a person.

"The words spilled out of Wen Kexing, seeking somewhere to find a home. “When I was younger, I used to think autumn was sad, but my...my mama told me that the leaves only fall because they are tired and that once they rest, the leaves will be back again. They are only not feeling well and need to sleep for a little while, and though they love being there to shield the tree from the sun and rain, every single being needs to take a break. To lay down their weary bodies on the ground for a season. Silly, isn’t it?”

A lone leaf had fallen over them, coming to rest in Zhou Zishu’s hazelnut hair. It was a vivid red amongst the dark brown and called to Wen Kexing. He plucked it out, twirling it in his fingers, and waited for the mockery. For someone to tell him that his mother had been too nice and he too gullible, but it never came."

Readers Comments:

Autumn, rain, a head on a shoulder's beloved and wounds both seen and unseen. Told from Wen Kexing's perspective, we see Zhou Zishu, and it is beautiful, that I too wanted to say "Just a little more". This fic paints a simple but one of the most beautiful scene of wenzhou ever written.

Dandelions → created by rosenana708

Viewers Comments: 

One of the earliest fanvids on youtube. There's a reason it has 200k+ views. The song choice is perfect that ever since I watched this video, I would always think of wenzhou when I hear "Dandelions". The editing is superb, from the coloring to the scenes picked. I come back to this video everytime I want to be reminded of wenzhou's early dynamic, the flirting, Ah Xu's exasperation, and two people bruised and bloodied, weighed down by their pasts. It's a reminder that even when woh/shl's early eps might seem light, it is in fact the saddest episodes if the whole show.

Recommendations from @carmine-sunlight 

Endless Summer / 常夏 → written by stormoverdose

Summary:

Truth be told, he doesn’t want to tell anyone about Wen Kexing. On a superficial level, there’s something thrilling in the secrecy of it all, the idea of being intimate with each other only in front of each other. What they share, physical or emotional, completely preserved away from the world.

On a deeper level that Zhou Zishu is reluctant to confront, Wen Kexing scares him.

***

Or, Zhou Zishu meets Wen Kexing on a hot summer's day in a musty neighbourhood library and never truly recovers, ever.

Readers Comments:

I've read this fic (and its companion piece) so many times, I love it with all my heart. It doesn't matter that I know everything that happens at this point, it always breaks my heart and mends it again in the most wonderful way. This story makes you feel everything so deeply, from mundane sensations to the character's most intense feelings. Even though it's somber at various points, this story never fails to cheer me up when I'm sad, maybe because it's so easy to relate to its themes and it provides a hopeful resolution to all of them.

Rest Stop → written by Vorvayne

Summary:

You meet a man in a bar and go home with him. He's.......strange.

Or: one person Wen Kexing fucked before he met Zhou Zishu who'd say the whole thing was hot, but SO weird.

Readers Comments:

One of the best outsider pov's I've read, and such an interesting look into WKX's character in all his weird glory, in a modern au no less. The pov character's voice was so distinct and has you intrigued from the start. I can't describe the feeling you get going from the first to the second half of the fic, but each time I reread it, it feels just as amazing as the ones before.

A Curse Upon the Stars → written by quaint_marauder

Summary:

One is the Chief of Ghosts, while other is the Keeper of the List of Unfaithful.

They say only death and stench of blood permeates in the valley of ghosts. Humanity was a merely a weakness, just a weapon against you in the hands of an enemy.

So what of love? Can a ghost hope for a chance at love? And would the love of cursed souls rain destruction or could it maybe be their salvation?

Additional: 

At the time of this post first being shared, this fic is currently still in progress.

Readers Comments:

This story has it all, from amazing worldbuilding to mystery, comedy, horror, and everything in between. Wenzhou are placed in a setting that's familiar but at the same time so different, and it's amazing to see how that affects the progression of their relationship, which btw is delightful!!!! As shown by the tags, it deals with many heavy subjects (also, the author is always careful to expand on the content warnings each chapter), so keep that in mind going in. But yeah, this fic has me at the edge of my seat with each new chapter!

trembling on the branch, unfurl your petals and grow → written by minnabird

Summary:

Ye Baiyi didn't wake Wen Kexing; Zhang Chengling lied to protect him and held the secret of Zhou Zishu's death in his heart; and life at Four Seasons Manor went on. Until, that is, Bi Xingming comes running up the road from the town and tells Zhang Chengling there's something he has to see.

“I brought him as fast as I could,” Bi Xingming said to the man. “I still don’t know why you had to be so secretive, shifu—”

Shifu.

Zhang Chengling’s heart fell like a stone, and he crashed to his knees beside the man, reaching up as if to sweep the hat off and stopping just short. The man lifted his hand, impatiently shaking his sleeve back in a gesture so familiar he was sure even before he recognized the hand, even before the hand tilted back the hat to reveal his master’s gentle smile.

Additional:

At the time of this post first being shared, this fic is currently still in progress.

Readers Comments: 

It haunts me that I almost missed this fic because it's brought me such genuine joy! It shows a version of the future that I'd never considered before despite how naturally it comes to be, and it's so detailed and fleshed out that I was immersed in its world right away. You get emotionally invested in all the characters, even those with less 'screen time', and you end each chapter feeling hopeful and a bit melancholic. Reading it has been such a wonderful experience.

Big Cats are still Cats → written by Andreri25

Summary:

Zhou Zishu picked up a kitty from the trash. She did it because it was a pathetic little thing that was going to die, and Zhou Zishu wanted to be a better person.

Ok so maybe she was a little drunk at the time.

And mayyyyybe…. that wasn’t a kitten.

The vet bills are going to be off the roof. Zhou Zishu wouldn’t mind as much if the local exotic animals specialist wasn’t such a harassing menace.

Or

The one where Zhou Zishu accidentally acquires a wild animal. And a baby clouded leopard, too.

Readers Comments: 

I wanted to add at least one fem!wenzhou au, and this one ticks so many of my boxes! Meet-cute!! Animals!!! WKX as an exotic animal vet!!!! And ZZS's pov is as funny and endearing as ever! This fic is funny and sweet and will make your day instantly better.

Recommendations from @theyilinglaozus

Ladyhawke AU → written and drawn by @rhymesswith

Readers / Viewers Comments:

I’m very much a child who grew up surrounded by 80′s fantasy movies - Legend, The NeverEnding Story, Labyrinth, Willow - it doesn’t matter if they’re cheesy by today’s standards, they hold a special place in my heart to this day. So imagine my absolute delight when wenzhou!Ladyhawke au hit my dashboard for the first time. Every piece added to this universe causes me to break out in a huge smile. The art is beautiful, and the written pieces which have been included to this series are just so engaging and brilliant. I love whenever the newest piece appears on my dashboard, as it’s always guaranteed to be fantastic.

Stardust AU → drawn by @sadfishkid

Viewers Comments:

​Tasha’s art style is always incredible, but I lost my mind when they dropped their two-part wenzhou!Stardust AU! Another favourite story/movie, and I love everything about what this chooses to be. Wen Kexing as his obnoxiously strange self but ✨ shiny ✨ is absolutely perfect, and I love how done Zhou Zishu is. Tasha has a way of making her artwork so expressive in how the characters show their emotions, and it’s just so lovely. 

I will carry you → created by solariene

Viewers Comments:

This video entered my life and played with my emotions. It is a beautifully put together journey through Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing’s relationship, and just how much they mean to one another. The song choice is absolutely perfect for them and the editing fits on point with the lyrics. I’ve often come back to revisit this video, since it’s one of my absolute favourites from this fandom. 

in this lifetime and the next →  written by PhantomWriter

Summary:

Zhou Zishu was no better during waking hours, sparing what he could in reminiscing about what he actually recalled from his random dreams of a faceless little girl. She was dressed in hues of blue, sometimes pink with a touch of red. Effortlessly, he filled out the blanks among her vagueness: dark eyes in the shape of almonds, a button nose, pinchable cheekbones, and bow-shaped lips; altogether, they would crinkle adorably when her face lit up with a beam or when she stuck out her tongue in impertinence.

Albeit on a young girl’s image, those were exactly two of Wen Kexing’s trademark expressions.

Or, the times Zhou Zishu gets to witness how Wen Kexing handles children and catches extra feelings. ™

Readers Comments:

I absolutely adore this fic. It feels like a warm blanket on difficult days, never failing to pick up my mood. The whole family is present, and seeing Wen Kexing around babies is absolutely darling. No wonder why Zhou Zishu decides he wants to have a family with the man, I’d be weak to such sweetness too! The images created with the words in this story are so beautiful, painting vividly warm scenes that feel like they could be put to canvas.

In Death’s Bed →  written by jaemyun

Summary:

Word has spread in recent years of a temple on Mount Qingya that houses the god themselves.

If one goes to pray to the White Death, they may just get a miracle for their efforts; as long as they are careful not to offend, of course, lest they be carried out as a corpse.

The Prince wishes to ask this god quite the favor; help in seizing the throne. How fortunate that all he asks in return is Zhou Zishu.

Additional:

At the time of this post first being shared, this fic is currently still in progress.

Readers Comments:

The concept of this fic is one that is so interesting to me, every time it updates I’m excited to see what the next chapter will have in store. The interest Wen Kexing has in Zhou Zishu is so delightful, especially as his motives are truly a mystery to the entire cast of characters - well; except maybe Gu Xiang and himself. I don’t really know what direction this story is heading in, but somehow, that just makes it all the more engaging. 

Recommendations from @minnarr

The winds of the heavens shift suddenly → written by UnrememberedSkies

Summary:

After a prophetic dream shows him the bloody battle over his disciple's legacy, Ye Baiyi makes the decision to repay his debt to the Zhen couple by rescuing their fifteen year old son from the Ghost Valley. Fate is unpredictable, he discovers, but Wen Kexing is even more so.

Readers Comments:

YBY has a vision of years in the future (the show's events). He decides to rescue a young WKX and GX about it. Such an incredibly tender journey as YBY figures out how to care for GX and WKX and begins to care about them more than he ever planned to. I love the dynamic between WKX and YBY, it takes very fun notes from canon, but there's a surprisingly sweet affinity that springs up between YBY and GX that lowkey steals the show sometimes, and the way he, WKX, GX, and ZZS all settle into a whole in the end is so good. Sometimes you come down off your mountain and you just feel everything despite yourself.

Siji Mountain Rest Stop for the Weary Traveller → written by sundermount

Summary:

“The souvenirs are decently priced, but the food is not.”

One employee, two uncles, a colleague and the (nonexistent) business of tourism.

Readers Comments: 

This like, a highly slice of life thing seeing immortal Wenzhou as they are in vaguely modern times through the eyes of someone hired to help out in the rest stop they run on their mountain. With possible flavors of reincarnation, who's to say. It's just...quite lovely, and lets you live in the sensory details and in some OCs' lives while still giving Wenzhou's eternal wedded bliss and relationships built with new people.

this harbored deluge for you and i // 像我和你需要下一场雨  → written by gardencitymovements

Summary:

Three months. He’ll stay three months. Just long enough for that shrimpy Zhang Chengling to wean into this new world, and then he’ll leave. Just three months he’ll allow himself that brassy, beautiful line cook, who barked the most flirtatious insult at Zhou Zishu as he charged down the cracked asphalt with a towering pallet jack of wholesale soy sauce boxes; his voice magnetic like an army general’s, clear above the rumbling gallop of his condiment fleet.

-

chaperoning a new orphan across the Pacific runs into complications.

Readers Comments:

This author writes SO much lyrical, slow modern AU that doesn't shy away from canon's sharp edges and it's all very good but this is the quintessential one of their fics for me. Zhou Zishu arrives in California to escort Chengling and babysit him for a while; meets cook Wen Kexing and his collection of found family, gets attached to Chengling, and decides to stay instead. Excellent ensemble cast that comes with the romance, delicious-sounding food, slowly falling into a life you want instead of just drifting alone.

dear heaven → written by foreverstudent

Summary:

In a darker world where the Combined Six Cultivation Method fails and the snowy mountains become the burial mounds for his shifu and shishu, Chengling trains his martial arts under Ye Baiyi to be able to do only one thing: go back in time and save his found family.

Readers Comments:

I love time travel fic and I especially love time travel fic where a member of the younger generation goes back to help the older one. Here, Chengling trains with Ye Baiyi after a bad-ending AU until he can, like, use Combined Six to travel back and save Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing and ends up in his younger body. So there's some excellent bittersweet seeing people you love again, some "hmm, my disciple doesn't seem quite right," and fix-it for a thing the author broke in the first place along with things canon broke, which is always fun. Also: I really enjoy seeing their version of adult, fully-trained and powerful Chengling.

you’re the trouble that i always find → written by sundiscus

Summary:

“Do you know him?” Jin Wang asks.

The ringing in Zhou Zishu's ears gets louder. “No, Wangye,” he says.

At Zhou Zishu’s voice, the prisoner freezes.

Or: Jin Wang tries another way to get Zhou Zishu back.

Readers Comments:

This is tagged "falling in love with your soulmate all over again in the middle of a nightmare" and that is so accurate. Instead of what actually happened when he captured Zhou Zishu, Jin Wang decides to try to bring Zhou Zishu back to him by essentially like...drugging him into visions where he can confront and kill Wen Kexing. Except, that's not always what happens, and it definitely doesn't work. There's elements of time loop, and dream sharing, and a thousand ways things can go right and wrong, and Jin Wang being unable to break the loyalty and love Zhou Zishu feels towards Wen Kexing even when Zhou Zishu doesn't quite remember or understand. It's twisty and painful in a fun way and honestly a very Wenzhou getting-together story.

Recommendations from @korre

to ensnare a mama → written by silk_suture

Summary:

Zhou Zishu, suddenly aware that he’s staring, catches himself because what is he doing creeping at a random dad but also! Is he married? He must be! There are two kids! But where is the mom? the...other dad? Why does he care?

He picks up his goods and walks to the parking lot only to see them again. They're 3 cars away! Zhou Zishu discreetly looks over and the little girl is already staring at him. He tries to smile sheepishly and the little girl’s mouth, in her cute purple overalls, goes “o” and suddenly grabs her baba's shoulders and points at Zhou Zishu.

"Mama!"

They all freeze.

In which: The world didn't give her a mother? No problem! Independent toddler Ah-Xiang assigns one anyway.

Readers Comments:

This fic is such a happy read! It's funny and fluffy and in between that we also get ZZS's insecurity to if WKX actually wants him. The premise itself is hilarious and I smiled while thinking back on this fic several days later.

Spring Festival: A Time for New Beginnings → written by LuckyDragon

Summary:

It’s during the Spring Festival that Xingming picks the wrong pocket. He’s fifteen, and he thinks he knows a good mark from a bad one. He spots the old man in the crowded market — he’s big but slow, walking with a careful gait that suggests a hidden limp. However, when Xingming liberates the man’s purse and ducks into an alleyway, the man is already there waiting for him.

Readers Comments:

This fic hit me right in the feelings. It explores the lives of Han Ying and the rest of Tian Chuang through the eyes of Bi Xingming. It is beautifully written and I love how the author really fleshed out Bi Xingming, he is perceptive and funny as a POV. The fic is full of melancholy and it made me ugly cry. I love it.

to be seen is the penalty → written by northofallmusic (tofsla)

Summary:

Han Ying, recovering from his wounds after escaping to Siji Manor, finds himself struggling with his feelings for Zhou Zishu and with his understanding of his place in the world.

Readers Comments:

This is a fic where Han Ying lives and gets to be a part of Siji manor. It's so well written and full of angst (hello Han Ying's unrequited feelings), but also of hope. Han Ying's feelings punced me in the gut as he tries to navigate his place in Siji manor and around WenZhou, when he has detailed insight to the abuse ZZS suffered in the past. The fic is very raw, yet tender at the same time. Which is a super effective combination for making it stay in your thoughts.

... And a few special mentions:

These are either works created by our lovely friends at Immortal Wanderers, or fond favourites that many of us have spoken of enjoying:

Wenzhou ‘first kiss’ art → drawn by @raymuratadraws

Word of Honor memes and articles → created by @antique-forvalaka

‘Bad Dreams’: Wen Kexing fanvideo → created by @scorpionkings

‘Touch’ series → written by @theyilinglaozus

trembling on the branch, unfurl your petals and grow → written by @minnarr

Wenzhou and tropes → created by @wanderingfandoms

Lessons Learnt → written by sunromance

Modern AU sex worker!Wen Kexing/ dying!Zhou Zishu thread fic → written by gahyeonfleur

Yi Guo lives!  → drawn by slothxian

Sanguine → written by jaemyun

Wenzhou fanart → drawn by @sadfishkid

Thank you so much to all the talented creators in this fandom!  Happy anniversary to all, and here’s to many more years of enjoyment upon the mountain!​

[kimmyyang]

210408 Zhang Zhehan's interview with Elle Magazine

"I want to be like Ah-Xu, be a gentle yet strong person."

On the day of the photoshoot, it was a rare windy day in Bei Hai. The weather forecast reported it will rain, which made everyone slightly heart-stricken. "Can we still take photos by the seaside?", "how about changing the location?", we were worrying, but fortunately it didn’t rain, only left with steer drop in temperature and roaring wind.

On the way to the photoshoot location, Zhang Zhehan recorded the sound of wind outside of the window. To be able to use the last bit of daylight before the sun sets completely, after filming, he only had one hour and a bit to go back to the hotel, have dinner, change clothes, and get his makeup done. And now, when we have done everything, he uses the time in the car to chat with the long-waited fans in the drama interactive zone.

Busy is an expected state. But when we saw him at the location, you can’t tell any trace of being busy from his face. The strong wind blew the gravels on the beach in the sky. During the interval of the photoshoot, everyone couldn’t help but complained about the cold wind and getting sand all over their faces. Only Zhang Zhehan looked more relaxed as if he came back from a different beach as us.

When we moved to the coffee shop, we finally had time to sit down and talk. He asked the staff to give him a cushion for his back, at that moment, it was probably the first time that made us realize that he is actually very tired. "It’s tough and tiring to be an actor, right?" we haven’t even finished the sentence, and he disagreed, "it’s all the same, every job is tough and tiring."

It seems that he has a big heart.

He chose to ride to Tibet with his friend for his graduation trip. Like his mum said he always has the spirit of seeking out suffering. Speaking of this journey, he said: "we’re living too happily, most families don’t have to worry about clothes and food, don’t need to go through a lot of hardships. I like what Huang Lei teacher once said, ‘people will only have faith after suffering, people will understand kindness after suffering.’ I think after seeing the suffering in the world and feel the suffering yourself - you will be kind to others."

After hearing what he said, you will realize that ‘big heart’ could have been a misunderstanding. He can’t dilute ‘sufferings’ more than others, instead, in the moments of ‘seeking out sufferings’, his feeling towards ‘sufferings’ is stronger and more abundant compared to most people.

He has a very meticulous side, he feels, understands, and hides his ‘sufferings’. Then, those experiences and feelings related to sufferings become something that is hard for others to spot on him.

He said, "when we’re going through a hardship, we can only see the hardship itself, you don’t realize that it’s actually reminding you something and teaching you something else." This is also his understanding of being mature – you can see the many sides of one thing.

‘Bruce Almighty’， ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’， ‘The Bucket List’ are his favorite movies. He said, "there’s a line from Bruce Almighty that left a deep impression – do you really hope God will give you happiness? Maybe everyone’s interpretation of happiness is different, but in the movie, the protagonist only realized it at the end, God was giving him happiness, but not the so-called happiness, God taught him the ability to gain happiness." He pressed his thumb again his chin, slightly looking down, earnestly sharing his impression of the movie.

He added, "you’re actually changing your perspective of the problem." Like what he wrote before, "being mature is being able to see the things that you couldn’t see before."

Maybe if the settling time is long enough, you will be able to stay calm in the change of tides and guard yourself in the quicksand under your feet. Speaking of popularity, he was calmer than we expected.

He said, "popularity is very important for an actor. I think it’s complementary, when you’re popular, you will receive more attention. You will be able to carry some things on your shoulders, first, it can prove that you have the ability, second, it can prove you’re acknowledged by the market."

He continued, "as actors, we also need to be acknowledged by the market. I have seen some amazing actors, they put so much effort into every character but maybe haven’t been acknowledged by the market yet, so they remain unknown. Therefore, a lot of great characters won’t fall into their hands.” It sounds cruel but it’s an undeniable fact. He added, “if you’re not popular, good scripts won’t even land in your hands."

The success of ‘Word of Honor’, to Zhang Zhehan, is like winning the lottery.

He said, "the success of a drama depends on timing, geographical and social conditions, none of these is dispensable. There are hundreds and thousands of dramas filmed each year, but in the end, there will only be one or two that everyone would love. That kind of feels like winning the lottery."

Working hard is very common, it’s nothing special, he thinks it’s unreasonable if you just use ‘working hard’ and ask why you are ‘under appreciated’. Just like how everyone praises him for being an experiential actor and praises his immersive acting. But he thinks, this is the passing line to be an actor, this is what actors are supposed to do.

He said, "if you’re an actor and you don’t experience the character, how could you portray it well, if you don’t get into the character, how could you make the character come to life?"

Working hard, experiencing, and immersing… he views them as a refined definition of actor, these are the preconditions of the lottery ticket. As for whether you can win the lottery in the end, no one can predict it. At least in his experience, he waited for 11 years for that winning lottery ticket.

After the filming ended, he wrote ‘jianghu, goodbye’ on Weibo, when the last episode aired, it was exactly 6 months after the last day of filming. His Weibo is on the setting of showing only the recent 6 months’ posts, as if it was a ‘long been destined’ farewell.

Perhaps the character Zhou Zi Shu is destined to be his. During the four months of filming, he had to gradually reveal Zhou Zi Shu’s two thousand layers of gray, he had to find him, become him, and lastly live the rest of his life for him.

Actors are probably all like this, they always must pour in their own life, emotions, and experience to make the character come to life. The process of making the character come to life means the actors get to experience life and emotions once again.

"Life is experience, you need to put some of your experiences into your characters."

Hegel mentioned in ‘Lectures on Aesthetics’ - 艺术通过供观照的形象可以缓和最酷烈的悲剧命运, 使它成为欣赏的对象。(thank you @sixteenthshen for providing the original quote!)

the specific lines zzh mentioned is bolded: If we are in a general way permitted to regard human activity in the realm of the beautiful as a liberation of the soul, as a release from constraint and restriction, in short, to consider that art does actually alleviate the most overpowering and tragic catastrophes by means of the creations it offers to our contemplation and enjoyment, it is the art of music which conducts us to the final summit of that ascent to freedom.

The reason why those so-called pains are endowed with aesthetic tension may lie in ‘being watched with pleasure’. Those most beautiful things aren’t been torn in our real lives, they become one ‘tearing performance’ after another, being shown on the stage, shown on the screen. The existence of aesthetic distance made ‘those so-called pains’ into something that can be bearable, having its own appreciation.

That so-called ‘pain’ experience comes more direct towards actors, there’s not much room for leeway. In his previous interview, he commented that Zhou Zi Shu is the most memorable character, the character that hurt him the most. Talking about ‘getting hurt’ again, he thinks that is unavoidable.

"I say that an actor has to get into the character and get out of character quickly. But when you’re acting in a happy scene, that happy feeling might last for a day or few days. When you’re acting in a sad, heart-broken scene, even you say it’s ok, it’s fine, it won’t affect me. But it will affect your mood, including your actions. When I go back to my room, I can’t help but to think about that scene, I might not be willing to go out and walk around."

"So, do you think acting is a process of wearing yourself out and wearing emotions down?"

"Of course, of course, of course, it’s wearing myself out." He said of course three times consecutively, "it’s not just wearing my emotions down, it also wears my physical strength out, wears my experience out, and a lot of my own things. So, if I want to do well in a piece of work, I can’t go into the next crew right after I have finished filming. Because you will have traces of the last piece of work, it’s actually hard to accept and get into the next character."

"I personally really like to stay in the filming crew, the reason why I said Zhou Zi Shu is great is that we couldn’t have any other work due to COVID-19 restrictions. I was in the crew for 4 months, in peace. I was looking into and experiencing the character carefully."

On the day of the interview, the Q&A part about acting was the most ‘unrestrained’. Every time we throw out a question, we would always get a powerful and resonating reply. From the perspective of a bystander, you could feel that he is the kind of person that is shining in his professional field.

At the end of every drama/ film, he would choose to leave that environment, and go out to have fun for few days. "I’m not insisting that I need to disengage from the drama/ film, I just want to relax, return to myself, return to Zhang Zhehan’s life."

"So, when you’re looking at Zhou Zi Shu again now as a viewer, do you have any different sentiment?"

"Of course, I would think of the funny parts and incidents. A lot of interesting bits that I’ve added in myself, you can see it in the character." Fortunately, as an actor, he can also feel the happiness that ordinary viewers have.

In our conversation, the words that he mentioned the most were 'gentle yet strong'.

"I really like netizens' comments that Zhou Zi Shu is gentle yet strong."

"The quality that I admire the most now is gentle yet strong."

"I feel like now I want to be like Ah-Xu, someone who is gentle yet strong."

"I want to be like Ah-Xu, become a bit gentler."

He thinks this seemingly contradictory combination is very interesting, "strong describes a person who is strong, whereas gentle is soft. These two words may seem to have no connection, but when they’re put together, it’s also a perfect connection."

"I didn’t feel this way before. I used to think people have to be strong, powerful, how can you be gentle yet strong? I think that’s something I need to learn now. This person must make everyone around them feel comfortable and think of others, but at the same time he/ she is also an individual who’s very strong and full of capabilities."

"Like water, it’s like this when it’s calm, it’s like that when it’s surging high."

He used as many hand gestures as he could as he wanted to express what’s on his mind as much as possible.

Gentle yet strong, this is what he saw, felt from Zhou Zi Shu, and it’s also the character experience he most wants to leave behind.

"Speaking of what hasn’t changed for 11 years, is that I’m still acting; speaking of changes there are a lot. All these years of experience, it became my understanding of each character, in contrast, 11 years of acting experience allowed me to learn a lot from my characters."

To him, every big or small character he had in the past 11 years is a mutual encounter, he gave something to the characters, and the characters also left him with something.

Those who have seen his acting praise him that he truly understands Zhou Zi Shu, so we asked how he could stand in the perspective of Zhou Zi Shu to understand his words and actions. He doesn’t think that it was understanding, it just naturally happened.

"I didn’t deliberately try to understand him, I think what he did was just following his heart, that’s how I feel, so that’s how it should be. I would ask if it was myself, can I do that? Is it acceptable? If I think it’s ok, then it’s right. If I think it’s unacceptable, I will definitely tell the director - 'I don’t want to act this way.'"

"I read another book today, the main idea is the most important thing for people is to know themselves. Know yourself, know what kind of person you are, then you will know the world. You need to learn how to reconcile with yourself, learn how to communicate with yourself, tell yourself when you need to keep going, when to compromise, when you need to understand, when you need to be strong… you need to keep being yourself and convince yourself at certain times."

Meeting Zhou Zi Shu, to Zhang Zhehan is also the process of meeting and knowing himself. "But I’m probably not as mighty as Zhou Zi Shu," he laughed.

He thinks that he’s not at the age of looking back, the things that have happened, just let them go. "There’s nothing to remember in particular, there’s nothing memorable. And my occupation, a lot of people will remember for you, they will remember your good, remember your various moments, so I don’t need to remember. What I need to do now is to live well, my current life, future life, and get into the next role."

"When I can’t act anymore, I think I will look back more."

Now, he wants to challenge a new area, "I really want to act in movies, act in more movies. 40 episodes of acting and 2 hours of acting are different, condensed acting is the quintessence. I still need to learn how to act well in the 2 hours."

And "I hope I can be a director one day."

The beautiful scenery in spring is as deep and wide as the sea, it’s fortunate that we get to meet.

"My occupation, many people will remember every moment of yours."

"Immerse into my next character, and live well - that's what I need to do now. "

Translation by: KIMMYYANG

[screaming-apple]

A LETTER FROM ZHANG ZHEHAN’S MOTHER (Through Li Xuezheng’s Weibo)

Note:

"In Bold and in double quotation marks": Dialogues

(In Italics and in round brackets): My notes

(Only in round brackets): Zhang mama's notes

---

A forwarded 36-year-long Party’s member’s complete text. “The voice from a mother’s heart”:

Hello, everyone! I am Zhang Xia, the mother of the actor Zhang Zhehan, as well as a Party member of 36 years. Because of the cherry blossoms flowers taken during his trip to Japan in March 2018, my son has been going through the worst case of cyber violence since 13th August this year. I want to talk about the impacts and the trauma this event has brought upon my son and me.

On 13th August, my son was still working in Shanghai. Before that, he had already been insulted and attacked for many reasons. It was undesirable, but after 813, it reached its peak, everywhere was overwhelmed with curses from one side, Han Jian (traitor to China), spy, country traitor, treasonist, the netizens’ storm of rage rained down on him, then getting boycotted by the entire network Internet in less than three days. Meanwhile, his Baidu profile was altered, his history was meddled with, rumours were created to fabricate the truth, to shame him. They even made up stories about him and brought him into lessons in class. His name was banned on social platforms. All of his dreams and his achievements from working hard for 10 years were completely erased. Not only so, but an entire network was also fully covered with foul, dreadful contents, his whole life’s love for the Party and country was gone, and the same went for his works. My son told me that he had not gone into the Yasukuni shrine, had not visited the place, even more so had not prayed nor worshipped there, that the information on the Internet was wrong, he said he was willing for a formal investigation. I think that if one could be judged based on some photos, then he still has photos showing his love for his country, photos of him competing for the nation’s pride, of him volunteering to help the community, are they not enough to prove his patriotism, his spirit? He has been condemned and sentenced on the Internet. Most of the accusations made against him came from unchecked, unverified information on the Internet, all of the conclusions were made without a proper investigation, an examination relevant to how wide misinformation can spread, and we did not get a chance to clarify anything, for we were helpless and desperate. However, seeing the general circumstance, the two of us had hidden the pain deep inside, did not speak up and did not create trouble for any government’s department or agency to avoid causing harm to the country. We were hoping that there would be an investigation and evidence collected for correct judgement and conclusion. But as a mother, I can not accept how my son has been treated. He is only 30! His future, his career, and his potential were all destroyed by some pictures taken over 3 years ago. Not just that, he has to live being looked down on by other people. This time coming home, when he first saw me, his first words were: “Mom, I’m ashamed, 30 years old already and I still make you worry.” I burst into tears, but he continued: “Why are you crying? Am I not healthy physically?” His positivity and health are my only comforts! But his beloved nephew who is only four, did not dare to face him, saying his uncle was a bad person, always covering up his own face to not look at his uncle. When my son saw this, he hid in his room and tears were shed. Normally, he is a strong person, but at that moment, he had truly broken down. In the eyes of a mother, at that moment, I felt like hearing my heart being ripped apart. I am a mother, I have raised him as this country has nurtured him. It was supposed to be the time to repay the country’s splendid months and years, but he was immediately destroyed by the vicious struggle of the industry and the netizens.

My son grew up in a family of the Party’s members, both of his parents being the Party’s members (his dad passed away because of illness in 2016), his grandfather was a leading cadre of the judicial department, loyal to the Party, devoted to his work, then suffered a sudden heart attack because of his hard work in the earlier years. His work was affected by his own myocardial infarction. Six of us sisters, four are members of the Party and one is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. My son’s generation (meaning ZZH’s cousins) has 5 grown-ups and 3 of them are members of the Party. They all work for the Party in different ways. My whole family loves the Party and the country! My son has grown up in the Party’s warmhearted embrace. I have always taught him to love the Party, love his country, passed down to him all the good qualities of the previous generations, taught him to be honest, kind, brave, strong, hard-working, which is basically earnestly educating him. He is not perfect, he has his flaws, but he is not tainted. Whoever said that I was a Japanese mistress, that my son was half-Japanese, that Ya Tai Rong which I registered (a small company that produced selfie sticks, and had nothing to do with Japan, as well as had been written off because of losses) was also corrupted, gradually, imposed on us all of the labels belonging to Japan, intentionally insulted and slandered us.

Over these three months, we have lived in fear, anger, pain, sorrow, and helplessness. My son has not dared to go out, and I feel jealous looking at everyone else. It’s too painful to live in struggles and shame, I even had the thought of trying to awaken people’s sympathy by ending my own life. But my son has comforted me, begging me to trust in the Party, in the country, and educating me back: “You are still a life-long Party’s member, we have to believe that justice is arriving late, but definitely not absent!” My son’s words have snapped me out of it and strengthened me! We strongly believe that the Party and country will make the right judgments, clearing up everything for us, restoring the truth, giving us back an open path for our lives and careers.

I swear again: “If my son had gone to that devil place, my whole family is willing to die for it! I can assure what I have said to be true in the Party’s spirit and my own morality! Thank you, everyone, and thanks to Li Xuezheng for speaking up despite the risk!”

---

I wanted to translate this earlier but my book club was holding a bonding session so I couldn’t. My apology. I believe that many have read this letter or a translation of it already, but I wanted to do it justice with my words and add a little thought to it.

So, here’s my thought: By far, this is the most details we have got about ZZH’s and his family’s situation in general. I came close to crying a few times translating this but at this point, I’m mostly just angry. Furious. Not only at the people who are directly responsible for this, but also at the so-called anti-fans. I was in the middle of my club’s bonding session when I saw a translation of a page of this letter, but words and sentences were cut out to create whole new meanings to each line, each paragraph. Which, of course, has drawn the anti-fans in. They were insulting, cursing, saying that they would be fine and happy if people really died. Like, that should not be normalized, not anymore, not after this. At least, many other celebs’ anti-fans were humane enough to only hate and make fun of some stuff, at least no one else has been cursed to die. How can this still be a norm and thought to be harmless in this society? Are these antis not also humans? Do they not have families and especially, parents or siblings or loved ones? Mocking people on the Internet is one thing, but sending funeral flowers and cursing people are on a whole new level of cyber violence. I’m sick of this. So sick and so tired of it all.

But he still has supporters, people who care about him, and people who care about justice prevalence. I pray for his and his family’s welfare and happiness, I hope they know that they are loved and supported by his fans and other justice-seekers everywhere.

Stay strong, everyone, and have the faith in seeing a brighter day.

[bluebirdmuppet]

Elle Interview with Zhang Zhehan - April 8, 2021

This is a translation of the interview Zhang Zhehan did with Elle, published on April 8, 2021.

On the day of the photoshoot, we encountered a rare windy day at Beihai. The weather forecast was for rain, which made everyone a bit discouraged.  “Can we still do the photoshoot by the seaside?”, “do we need to change the location?” Everyone was worried, but fortunately in the end the rain never came, although there was a steep drop in temperature and screaming winds.

While on the road to the shoot location, Zhang Zhehan recorded the sound of the wind from outside of his window. In order to make it before the sun completely set, he only had one hour after filming to rush back to his hotel, eat a meal, change his clothing, and put on makeup. And now, after doing all of that, he also used his remaining free time to chat with his long-waiting fans in the drama’s interactive area.

Being busy is to be expected. However, when you see him on location, you cannot see any traces of being busy on his face. The wind blew the gravel from the beach everywhere. Between shots, no one could help but complain about the cold wind and the sand all over our faces.  Only Zhang Zhehan looked relaxed, as if he did not come from the same beach as everyone else.

It was only after changing locations to a coffee shop did we have time to sit down and have a chat. He asked a staff member to get a cushion for his back. It was the first time in the entire day that it became apparent that he was actually very tired.  “Being an actor must be quite difficult and tiring.” Before I could finish the sentence, he already said he disagreed with my statement. “In fact, it is all the same. Every job is difficult and tiring.”

He seems to have a big heart.

For his university graduation trip, he chose to ride to Tibet with his friends. According to his mother, he always has this spirit of “looking for suffering”. While talking about this trip, he said, “Our lives have become very fortunate. Most families do not need to worry about basic necessities, and we no longer go through many hardships. I very admire what teacher Wang Lei once said: ‘Only after suffering can a person develop faith, only after suffering can a person understand kindness. Only after seeing the sufferings of the world, after experiencing suffering, can a person have kindness towards others.’ This is also my thinking.”

Only after listening to him speak will you realize that saying he is “big hearted” is perhaps a misunderstanding. It is not that he is better at reducing the feeling of “suffering”, instead, during those times when he is “looking for suffering”, his understanding of “suffering” is in fact more fulsome and intense than most other people.

He has a very sensitive side, through which he feels, understands, and hides his “suffering”. As a result, his experience of and feelings towards suffering is something that others have difficulty perceiving.

“When we go through hardships, we only see the suffering itself, and do not understand that the act of suffering is reminding us of some things and teaching us other things.” This is his understanding of being mature – the ability to see the many sides of things.

“Bruce Almighty”, “The Pursuit of Happiness”, and “The Bucket List” are movies that he likes very much. “There is a line in Bruce Almighty that had a deep impact on me. In that movie, there is a hypothetical God who said, ‘do you really hope that God will give you happiness?’. Perhaps everyone’s belief in what is happiness is not the same, but in the movie, the main character had to reach the end before suddenly coming to the truth: in fact, God really had given him happiness, but what was given wasn’t “so-called” happiness but rather the ability to achieve happiness…” He earnestly shared his impression of the movie while propping up his chin with his thumb, with eyes looking slightly downwards.

He added, “This is actually about changing your perspective on how to see problems”, just like how he wrote previously, “maturing is seeing things that you could not see before.”

Maybe only when one has settled for a long enough period of time can one remain calm in changing tides, and hold onto oneself despite the quicksand under one’s feet. When faced with the problem of popularity, he is more at ease than one would expect.

“Popularity is obviously important to an actor. I think they complement each other. Having greater popularity and the attention of more people, and being able to carry more on your shoulders, first proves that you have the ability, and second proves you have received the acknowledgment of the market.”

“As actors, we need to be acknowledged by the market. I have seen some excellent actors who work hard to portray each role, but because they have not had the opportunity to be acknowledged by the market, they continue to be unknown to the public. That is why they naturally will not receive opportunities to act in great roles.” It sounds cruel, but it is an undeniable fact. “If you do not have popularity, good scripts will not find you.”

For Zhang Zhehan, the success of Word of Honor is like winning the lottery.

“The success of a drama depends on timing, location, and social conditions all being favorable at the same time. There are hundreds to thousands of dramas filmed each year, but in the end only one or two is loved by everyone. That is why it is a bit like winning the lottery.”

Working hard is common. He thinks it is a bit unreasonable to ask why one is not appreciated if one works hard. It is like how he feels when people complement him for being an experiential actor, when he is complimented for his immersive style of acting. He feels this is just making sense of acting, it is what actors are supposed to do.

“As an actor, if you don’t experience the character, how can you properly portray the character? If you don’t get into the character, then how can you give life to this character?”

Hard work, experience, immersion – he sees these elements as part of the definition of being an actor, the requirements for winning the lottery. As for whether one is able to win the prize in the end, no one can say for sure. At a minimum in his own experience, he has waited 11 years for that winning lottery ticket.

After filming ended, he wrote on his Weibo “Jianghu, goodbye” to say goodbye to Zhou Zishu. When the final episode aired, it was exactly half a year from that post. As well, his Weibo was set to posts being visible for 6 months. It was as if there was another pre-destined farewell a half year later.

Maybe for him, the character of Zhou Zishu was really predestined to be his. During the four months of filming, he needed to slowly, little by little, brush away the two thousand layers of dust on Zhou Zishu, find him, become him, and in the end live his entire life for him.

Generally speaking, actors must infuse their characters with their own emotions and experience in order to make the character come to life. And in the process of making a character come to life, actors are required to feel and experience life again.

“Life is a series of experiences. You need to take those experiences and give it to your character.”

Hegel said in “Aesthetics”: “Art by means of an image can mitigate the cruelest tragic destiny, and make it become an object of appreciation.”

Perhaps the reason why so-called sufferings are endowed with aesthetic tension is because they are “being viewed”. The most beautiful things are not being destroyed in real life, rather they have become a “performance of being destroyed”, they are moved to the stage and onto the screen. The existence of an aesthetic distance has made suffering became something that can be endured, and something that can be appreciated.

What about for the actor? That so-called “sense of pain”, will it be experienced more directly, without buffer? In his previous interview, he assessed Zhou Zishu as “a profound character that has hurt him the most”. When we speak again about “being hurt”, he believes that it is unavoidable.

“I have often said actors have to throw oneself into the role, but yet must also get out of character quickly. But every time you act in a very happy drama, this happy feeling may only stay with you for one or a few days. When you act in a tragedy, even though you might say ‘it doesn’t matter it doesn’t matter, there is no impact’, but in reality it will impact on your mood, including some of your actions. When you go back to your room, you might not be able to help but think back, and you may not wish to go out and socialize with others.”

“So, do you think that acting is a process that depletes your energy, and in particular depletes your emotions?”

“Of course, of course, of course, it will deplete your energy.”, he said “of course” three times consecutively. “Not only will it deplete your emotions, but it will also deplete your physical strength, deplete your experience, deplete many things about yourself. That is why if I want to act well in a drama, I cannot go to the next drama immediately after finishing the first. Because you continue to have the previous drama’s shadow on you, making it actually extremely difficult to accept, and difficult to fully enter the next role.

“I personally prefer to stay with the filming crew.  Why do I say Zhou Zishu is great? It’s because during the pandemic, we could not do other activities. During those four months, I quietly and peacefully stayed with the filming crew. I was able to carefully consider and experience the character.”

That day, the question and answer about acting was the most carefree part of the entire interview. To every question that was tossed out, I received an eloquent response. From a bystander’s perspective, one can obviously feel that in this specialized area, he is the type of person who sparkles with light.

After each drama finishes filming, he will choose to vacation for a few days and leave that environment. “It’s not that I am insisting on disengaging from the drama, but rather it is to allow me to relax a bit, to return to myself, to return to the life of Zhang Zhehan.”

“So now looking at Zhou Zishu from the perspective of an audience member, do you have any different sentiments?”

“Yes, I will think about some amusing parts, some amusing things that happened. You can see some of the interesting things that I added into this character.”

What is worth celebrating is that an actor can have the same happiness as an ordinary member of the audience.

In the few minutes of conversation, the phrase he used the most was “gentle yet strong”.

“I particularly like that netizens describe Zhou Zishu as being gentle yet strong.”

“Right now, the quality that I admire the most is being gentle yet strong.”

“Right now, I want to be like A-Xu, someone who is gentle yet strong.”

“I would like to be more like Ah-Xu, a bit more gentle.”

He feels that this seemingly contradictory combination is ingenious, “See, the word ‘strength’ seems to describe a person who is very tough, while the word “gentle” describes a person who is very soft. On the surface, it seems that these two words do not have any relationship. However, when you put it together, there is a perfect relationship.”

“I did not use to think this way. Before, I thought that a person should be unyielding and powerful. How can a person be both gentle and strong? I believe that this is what I need to learn right now; to be a person who is able to interact easily with others, able to care for others, and yet at the same time be a strong and capable individual.”

“Be like water, I guess; when it is calm it is a certain way, when the waves are choppy it is another way.” He used all sorts of hand gestures to fully describe what he wished to say from his heart.

“Gentle yet strong”, this is what he saw and felt from Zhou Zishu. It is also the experience learned from the character that he most wishes to preserve.

“If we talk about what has not changed in these 11 years, it is that I am still acting. But if we talk about what has changed, the change has been significant. My years of experience has turned into my understanding of each role. In other words, my 11 years of acting experience has allowed me to learn a lot from my roles.”

In these 11 years, every large and small role was a mutual encounter. He gave his characters something of himself, and at the same time his characters also left something of themselves for him.

Those who have seen him act has praised him for being a person who truly understands Zhou Zishu. When asked how he is able to stand in Zhou Zishu’s place and understand everything he said and did, he said that he does not believe it is about understanding, but rather that everything flowed naturally.

“I did not deliberately go out of my way to understand him. I believe that everything he did comes from his heart; I will do it if I feel that it is right. I will ask myself, if it is me, can I do this? Can I accept it? If I feel that I can, then there is no problem, then it is right. If I feel that I cannot accept it, I would definitely speak to the director and say, ‘I do not want to act it this way.’”

“Today, I read another book. The main idea in the book is that a person must know himself. Only when you know yourself and understand who you are as a person can you know this world. You have to learn how to be reconciled to yourself, learn how to communicate with yourself, tell yourself when it is necessary to persevere, when it is necessary to compromise, when it is necessary to understand, when it is necessary to be strong…You have to insist on being true to yourself, but at certain times also persuade yourself.”

Encountering Zhou Zishu, for Zhang Zhehan, was also a process of meeting himself and understanding himself.  “But I might not be as mighty as Zhou Zishu, right?” he said while laughing.

He feels that he is not yet old enough to look back. Those events in the past, what has past is past. “There is nothing to deliberately remember, nothing that is profoundly impressive. Moreover, in my work, there are many people who will help you remember. They will remember the things you did well, remember your every moment, that is why you do not need to remember for yourself. Living my life well, my present life, my future life, devoting myself to my next role, those are my tasks at this moment.”

“When I reach the day where I really cannot act, I might look back more at the past.”

Right now, there is a new area that he would like to challenge himself with. “Actually, I really would like to act in movies, act in more movies. Acting in a 40-episode series is very different from a two-hour movie. Condensing the time requires getting at the essence. How to act well in these two hours is something that I must still learn.”

And then afterwards, “Afterwards, I would like to one day be a director.”

The whole earth is filled with the spring light. It is fortunate that we met.

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — January 28-February 3

previous week || all posts || following post

This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

01-28 → Nothing of note.

01-29 → 361° posted two photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

01-30 → L'Oreal posted a promotional video spoken by Gong Jun.

→ BEAST posted a commercial featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted a behind the scenes video from Gong Jun's shoot with BEAST. Caption: "Whose eyes are locked on yours?"

→ The Instagram posted a video of "Zhang Zhehan".

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video from the same shoot. Caption: "The flowers are in full bloom and the gold is flowing. @ Gong Jun Simon presents auspicious spring colours in the garden, and everything welcomes the new year."

→ Vogue posted a photo of Gong Jun.

01-31 → 361° posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun posted a photo from the BEAST shoot to his Instagram. Caption: "Bright love from BEAST."

→ Fresh posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ The Instagram posted two photos of "Zhang Zhehan".

→ Not directly related to anything, but a good comparative: A couple convicted in 2021 for the of the deaths of two toddlers were executed. Immediately following the execution, the mother of the toddlers posted a video where she talked about receiving online harassment because of the case for the last three years, stating that she had maintained her silence for sake of not interfering in the trial, and that she will now be suing those responsible for the cyberviolence.

02-01 → Gong Jun posted six miscellaneous photos. Caption: "Photos taken casually." Fan Observation: The first among these has become the latest photos that people are comparing silhouettes to, owing to the ear in it looking distinctly larger than Gong Jun's.

→ PRSR posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun reposted a post announcing the premiere of My Special Girl, which stars Song Yiren whom he costarred with in Flavour It's Yours.

02-02 → The scam released another song.

→ The BL drama The Spirealm (aka Kaleidoscope of Death) was suddenly released on streaming platforms only to be pulled shortly thereafter due to competition interference. #There's a light on you, I want to catch it and see#, the line from Word of Honor, appeared on Weibo hotsearch in connection to the show including the first half of the line in one of its episodes; the hotsearch was likely bought to draw attention to the show, and the original novel does not include any line similar to this. Whalers tried to post photos of Zhang Sanjian to the tag; these were reported down en masse by CPFs, who then flooded the tag with positive content.

→ Zhang Sanjian wandered conspicuously around an airport again, this time in a knock-off of the Alexander McQueen suit Zhang Zhehan wore to the 2021 Weibo Night awards. A reminder that even if it wasn't hilariously obvious that it's not the same suit, designer outfits worn by celebrities are almost always rented for single events.

→ China Literary Art and Volunteers posted a video featuring Gong Jun giving New Years well wishes.

02-03 → Gong Jun's studio posted four behind the scenes photos from the vampire-themed photoshoot back in November. Caption: "Behind-the-scenes footage dropped~ @ Gong Jun Simon Open your eyes + close your eyes = super bright eyes 📸"

→ Rare posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Gong Jun posted a commercial for Fresh to his Instagram.

Additional Reading: → N/A

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[fourseasonsfigs]

Happy Camp Dolls

There's few things cuter than figs holding dolls! This set in particular is super, super adorable.

The inspiration for this is the interview for Zhang Zhehan and Gong Jun's joint Happy Camp appearance to promote Word of Honor.

They're checking out their character's official Rua 10cm dolls!

These two, I swear. I love everything to do with Happy Camp so much!

...and so does everyone else, based on my entire shelf of Happy Camp figs! And more are still on the way.

These two cuddled their dolls all the way across the ocean, arriving safe and sound.

And here they are! Looking super, super cute. I absolutely love the poses here, with Junjun holding his doll in both hands (like the picture) and Zhehan holding his out in his palms.

I was able to prop up these figs to take the first pics, but there was no way these two were going to be able to stand up on their own. These figs are heavy! Since they are unbalanced they would definitely fall over. They got glued down immediately.

I was trying to think of the best way to say, there's a lot going on with Zhehan's pants, but I can't quite figure it out. I think we need a pic of what Zhehan is wearing.

Ah yes, these ones! I swear they almost look like overalls. Anyway, the fig maker did a great job adding in the extra design elements of these jeans (that's a good way to say it!).

I like the detail in the shoes too, which we now can compare to the full-length pics (sorry they're not better quality).

I will tell you that until these figs, I never realized either of them had anything on the backs of their shirts. In fact, looking at the pictures and various videos I still don't see the image on the back of Gong Jun's shirt except for this one video:

And there it is, sure enough. Ahaha, hearing Junjun mutter, Wo de tian never fails to put a smile on my face!

The slightly stockier "fat body" style is super cute - makes these already adorable figures even more so!

The fig maker did such a nice job here with the tiniest of details, like the colors on the shirts.

I love how they did Zhehan's spiky short hair here!

Too, too cute! I'll get a close up in there of the dolls for you:

The scale on these dolls are tiny. They did a good job making them look like the Rua dolls - I'm impressed they got the detail they did!

These figs look like they should stand up well with those nice wide feet.

Zhehan being a little bit shorter makes him even cuter!

I'm really happy the dolls are attached to their hands and I did not have to try to wrangle the dolls into their hands. Zhehan's doll would have been ok but I do not even want to try to imagine trying to wedge Junjun's doll in his hands.

A+ for these figs! I am just so charmed by them. I have another set of figs with dolls on order, but they are still in production. Still, I'm looking forward to them!

Material: Resin

Fig Count: 515

Scene Count: 36

Rating: The happiest!

[link to the Master Post Index]

[yea-baiyi]

Hi again...... How are you? I love reading your answers and your blog.....Make me want to re-read the book TGCF (again) and re-watch CQL (again)....😄

If you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from Word of Honor? And your top 5 favorite moments from the drama? Sorry if you've answered this question before....Thanks....

HI MY BELOVED yes please keep asking me things i love coming up with answers!!!

ngl i’ve not watched WOH/SHL in a while, i’ve been planning to rewatch soon but i’ll do my best here!! let’s see how long this post gets :^)

top 5 favourite characters:

1. zhou zishu. i am so weak for zhang zhehan and his pretty face and his glorious side profile and all the little details that he put into this character. his slow smiles of wonderment as he’s falling in love. god. i’ll admit, it took me a while to like him as much as i liked wen kexing, but ultimately zzs is THE backbone of the show, it’s his story of finding love, regaining the desire to live, and finding meaning in having someone that you want to spend your life with. after reading qi ye i also appreciate zzs’s backstory more and i’m rooting for him!!! to find love and be free from the world of politics and corruption!!!

2. wen kexing. MY BOY HE WAS MY FAVE THE MOMENT HE STEPPED OUT ON SCREEN. ok ngl rewatching is kinda hard bc i keep noticing all the ways gong jun is a less experienced actor, but god when i first saw him. i thought he was SO beautiful it was such a perfect casting. i love his stupid pretentious flirting and his corny attitude and his fake fake smiles that only barely hide his feelings. the way he simply does not process emotions. what a ridiculous man. i want 20 of him

3. ye baiyi YOOOOOOO INSTANT CLASSIC. BEST CHARACTER EVER WRITTEN FOR TELEVISION. seriously though i am obsessed with this horrible little man??? the important thing to understand, ye baiyi in the novel is an 80 year old man stuck in a 20 year old body. that’s funny on its own, but ye baiyi in the show is a 20 year old guy who has lived for 80 years. imaging being gay and in your twenties forever. fuck. i too would be petty, exhausted, constantly pissed, and constantly roasting the shit out of baby gays. he’s just so funny oh my god. what a legend

4. gu xiang. my girlbossssssss i am very partial to the colour purple and so she gets points for that. also i love her outfits. i love that zhou ye added so much more dimension to ah xiang in her portrayal. gu xiang is someone who grew up around trauma and violence, yet she chooses to be good and kind and optimistic in her own way. i love the sibling/master dynamic with wkx, her relationships with the other members of ghost valley, her entire romance with cao weining. god that romance—the awful vulnerability of that scene when he saw her kill the beggar (who turned out to be an assassin). the fear of showing someone what you had to become to survive. you’re not proud of it, but you’re not the least bit ashamed, and yet it’s terrifying that they could reject you for it. god. god. god. they. her. ahuggh

5. gao xiaolian. maybe a surprising one but this girl just stuck in my head so much. this show really did so well with its women??? gao xiaolian initially exemplifies a sort of “ideal” weak, pure, feminine stereotype, a first in contrast to the many dangerous and colourful women of ghost valley and the scorpions. and yet her strength stands out immediately — her care for her father, her sense of duty, her no-nonsense approach to things. she’s remarkably clearheaded, and i love that she chose mercy over revenge in the end; it’s not necessarily what the show agrees is right, but because it’s her stance. and she’s sticking to it.

honorarable mentions: shen shen, xie’er, chengling, jby and wu xi because i’m BIASED, also helian yi deserved better <3

top 3 scenes:

1. wenzhou saying each other’s names three times — will anything ever match this moment. i still get chills thinking about that scene holy shit. i watch it over and over it haunts my dreams how could they even come up with this scene let alone film it and show it to the world. something shl drives home is the simplicity of real happiness (“only when i met you did i discover what a simple thing it is to be happy” screaming crying choking) and this scene says it all. “to be able to sit here, in the daylight. have someone call my name like that. that would be good.” and zzh’s line delivery. drives me nuts

2. the confrontation with ye baiyi. another iconic scene for the ages. the way they had the exact same plan because they’re zhiji. the way wen kexing runs because he’s feeling too much and he’s scared. this scene is zhou zishu grabbing him by the shoulders and saying—it doesn’t matter to me. it doesn’t matter. i knew all along and i loved you anyway. i love you and i am with you; your fate will be my fate now. my favourite thing about the scene has to be after the confrontation, when the tension is gone. and they go right back to bickering and teasing each other. zhou zishus exasperated “what do you think i was gonna do”. the bitching and complaining. yeah i’d die with u. but i’m gonna remind u that you’re a lotta work. chefs kiss perfection

3. gu xiang going apeshit after cao weinings death. zhou ye’s florence pugh Acting moment. god. so good. holy shit. u simply don’t get that in historical dramas especially from female characters. jesus fucking christ holy shit. i was sobbing. the grief and shock and rage and outrage; like, she loved cao weining and cao weining was such a good boy, but it just boils down to. how could they do that??? how could they just do that???? they just came in and destroyed something that was good, that was their plan all along and that’s it and his life is just over and now there’s just nothing???? and gu xiang just rages and rages and it’s about revenge but it’s barely even about that, she doesn’t even get to make the murderer pay, it’s just lashing out against the absolute senseless violence that just happened here. catharsis, my literature teacher might say. oh god i am tearing up

honourable mention: that scene where wen kexing goes apeshit and monologues over someone’s grave. i cannot for the life of me remember when that happened but i remember watching that when the episodes were coming out and being THRILLED bc that kind of scene has to be a theatre kid’s DREAM to perform. anyway i need to rewatch shl

[extraordinarilyextreme]

“但只求舍我一身能与这暗世泄下一线天光。”

[But I hope only to use myself to bring a ray of heavenly light upon this dark world.]

“你身上有光... 我抓来看看。”

[On your body, there is light... I want to catch it and see.]

some thoughts on SHL under the cut:

i feel like i’ve been sitting with a pile of feelings since the show finished for the Chinese audience and now that it’s done for the international audience too, i realize i still haven’t found a way to piece all of this into coherency. 

i think the biggest emotion is gratitude. i didn’t know anything about this story when i got into it, but it turned out to be a story that i needed at this time. 

it was very difficult for me to choose A Line for WenZhou, and in the end i still ended up using two, huh. i think SHL is a different sort of love story because... while of course it still portrayed them falling in love, that wasn’t the main crux of the 36 episodes. the main point was them being in love and facing the world together. it was that recognition of 知己: this is the person who knows me better than everyone else, and thus this is the person who loves me better than everyone else. it’s not a kind of a bond that’s necessarily forged from time, but rather... i guess it was the theme of the concert: 天生知己, born to be zhiji. the majority of the story is them already in love, them already having recognized how they regard each other—so there’s not one big oh moment of confession. there’s so much love in how they move around each other, how they look at and speak to each other.

and that gave me a lot of hope when i was lacking it. here are two people who led completely separate lives, who did so many terrible and horrible things, and here they are meeting by chance and fate. here is a love story of two people who have already braved the world alone—and now here is a love story of them accompanying each other forever. i suppose it was a kind of comfort: if you don’t want to be alone anymore, you don’t have to be. i am with you till the end of all things. 同生共死。

this is not just a love story, but a story of learning how to live again. of wanting to be alive, of remembering that there is still so much worth staying alive for. whether it was Wen Kexing and A-Xiang who saved each other in a hell-like place, or earnest Chengling who moved Zhou Zishu, or immutably kind Cao Weining who loved A-Xiang so unconditionally, or Ye Baiyi who understood the 知己 relationship that WenZhou have better than anyone else... and it would be remiss of me not to mention the Luo-yi who saved Wen Kexing, and the bittersweet kindred spirit Xie’er and Qianqiao saw each other. 

at a time when the shame surrounding my identity has never felt more salient, i found a story that celebrated my culture. of course real-life would not be so simple: there’s no one bad guy i can defeat; i have to keep living. but SHL gave me that courage. pick up your sword, you are your own hero. 

and finally to close with some words from our spectacular main leads:

Zhang Zhehan: “一个没有希望的人又重新给了他希望。他很开心因为... 他在生命的最后一段时间找回了自己的知己。” [A hopeless man was given new hope. He’s very happy because… he, at the last stages of his life, found his zhiji once again.]

Gong Jun: “周子舒就是温客行生命中唯一的光吧。”[Zhou Zishu is the only ray of light in Wen Kexing’s life.]

the human world is very bright. remember this, that you are loved. and that you can be happy. that you deserve it.

青山不改，绿水长流，天涯路远，终有重逢之际。

[zhongwans]

HERE IT IS LADS! THE ULTIMATE CULIMINATION OF ALL THOSE WEDDING JOKES 💀💀💀 AT THIS POINT I AM CONVINCED WORD OF HONOR AND ITS CAST IS JUST ONE MASSIVE FEVER DREAM

So Gong Jun was invited to Chuang2021 as a guest (he did a really good job by the way!! 🥺) and throughout the event he would occasionally bring up a certain "Zhang-Laoshi"

So here he's being asked who he would form a boygroup with if ever given the chance,

*btw he ONLY referred to him as Zhang-Laoshi throughout the event and never by his fullname! It's hilarious that the Tencent subbing team just automatically subbed it with ZZH's complete name. Why are they so sure it's ZZH, huh?? There must be tons of other Zhang-Laoshis out there 😂

What he said was, "和我最匹配的人也就只能是张老师了” and I'd translate it as "the person most compatible with me can only be Zhang-Laoshi" or "the best match for me can only be Zhang-Laoshi"

The term he used was 匹配 and it is LITERALLY

He basically called him his perfect match! 最匹配! GONG JUN PLS NOBODY WAS ASKING THAT! HE DID NOT HAVE TO GO THAT HARD! AND BTW JUST TWO PEOPLE ISN'T ENOUGH FOR A BOYGROUP?!!

Then, he specifically called out a trainee, Wu Yuheng, to tell him that he's going to support him, because Zhang-Laoshi sent him a hongbao when they were chatting the night before. Wu Yuheng is ZZH's junior from the same company!

HE'S PROBABLY WONDERING WHY THE GUEST MENTOR IS ESPECIALLY FAVOURING HIM LMAO

The rest of the members of his group were like "Thank you, Laoshi" but Wu Yuheng said, "Thank you, Ge" to him instead, so now Wu Yuheng's fans are referring to Gong Jun as "brother in law" asjksgsksg HELP

And now the funniest thing about all of this, and the whole point of this post, is that a lot of people who didn't watch Word of Honor and don't know about Wenzhou, thought that Gong Jun was married after watching Chuang 😂

I kid you not, there were A LOT of people who LEGITIMATELY thought that Gong Jun was married to this elusive, mysterious "Zhang-Laoshi" that he kept on talking about.

This was further exacerbated by the fact that the host, Deng Chao, also refers to his actual wife as Sun-Laoshi! Whenever he mentions Sun-Laoshi, everyone knows he's talking about his wife. So you can probably imagine what happened when Gong Jun also kept bringing up his own mysterious "Zhang-Laoshi" 💀

Him talking about Zhang-Laoshi a lot, plus the stacked rings on his ringfinger, his overall demeanor and choice of words, the hongbao and the special favour for a specific trainee, all led to this one glorious misunderstanding. The stars really aligned for this to happen and I CANNOT STOP LAUGHING 💀💀💀

Some of the comments were just absolute GOLD. Like saying that they felt that Gong Jun was really too much, constantly talking about his lover during the event! 😭 And some were going "well it must be his wife, otherwise he would refer to them with their full name and not just a vague Zhang-Laoshi as if he expects everyone to know exactly who that person is" and also "he really smiles a lot when talking about his lover huh" asjkdgsdhs HELP ME WHAT KIND OF SITUATION IS THIS 💀

This is.....unprecedented. Clownery at its finest. LITERALLY ALL OTHER FANDOMS CAN GO HOME. I'm still laughing at the sheer audacity and absurdity of it all. All of the shameless wedding jokes the fandom and the cast members have been making until now have been absolutely STEAMROLLED into fucking oblivion by none other than Gong Jun himself.

Chen Zihan with her top trending Wenzhou wedding edit? Huang Youming and his wedding jokes? Zhang Zhehan calling them the hottest couple? Well Gong Jun skipped wenzhou's wedding altogether and literally made people believe he was married to ZZH 😂 I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE

I just???? What is this cast even doing?????💀

[razberryyum]

Word of Honor Concert Second Night

So I guess they learned their lesson from last night: they took away the white boards and also seated the three brothers as far away from Zhang Zhehan and Gong Jun as possible. 😂😂😂

There is a camera just trained on them. Whoever came up with that idea deserves a bonus.

In one of the games, GJ had to choose to compliment someone until they blushed, ofc he chose ZZH and pretty much succeeded in his mission by using the slender legs, small waisted, tough tongued but soft hearted line from the show, but also added how he's happy to hear A-Xu's voice.

Gong Jun actually had his own performance where he rapped and then after was trying to teach ZZH how to do it. 🤣

The games were a bit safer tonight but not any less fun. There was a bit where the team had to guess songs based on either GJ or Zhou Ye (I love her but girlfriend reallyyyy can't sing) singing them that had me laughing my ass off.

I really love how supportive they are to each other, GJ was tearfully thankful to ZZH and ZZH told him he could always depend on him for help, he as "gege" will always be there for him. I was pretty much full blown crying through their thank you words to each other. They didn't shy away from recognizing their individual fans and their CP fans, nor did they shy away from acknowledging WenZhou as a ship. It's so refreshing and sweet and I hope their fans do just collectively support both of them cuz both of them deserve the love.

I really hope that their friendship that developed because of their amazing teamwork in SHL perseveres and they do get more opportunities to work together in the future since they're such great on screen partners.

Thank you to Zhang Zhehan, Gong Jun, and the wonderful cast and crew of Word of Honor. I will never come down from that snowy mountain.