Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

@AH,

with regard to the matter of FFB vs. XL,

you miss an important line in chapter 44 when Left Ear asked XY if one day he would be like XL (strong and shrewd). XY said she wished him to be more Bei but anyway they are the same 

Curious if anyone beside me ties XY's poisons to XL to her remark about how only if someone views life with her, the view has meaning. 

Also, does her "dream" perfume hints to Shakespear's play, a midsummer night's dream? I haven't read this particular play, I am more into his tragedies, but checking the synopsys, I find quite a few things similar to what happened in chapter 32. XY running away with XL, XL's questions, the spell he put on her afterwards, her reply about how everything is not going to be ok.  Is TH into shakespeare? 

 liddi:

It actually worked effectively to obfuscate viewers who initially thought the flashbacks were of Xiao Yao being imprisoned and tortured by the nine-tailed fox as a child, until we see the red eyes and realise it was Xiang Liu recalling his own dark past.

It's a good way to show their shared experience and understanding. Ideally, they should have transitioned it to another child with silver hair.

 liddi:

Not exactly. The game actually has a feature where players leave comments in scenes, similar to streaming platforms, and from the start, the comments read like a Xiang Liu fan-girl event, way before his character actually shows up in the story LOL.

Oh dear! LOL. I'm not at all surprised though. For XL's fans, any XL is better than no XL. TH is sitting on a money-making machine. All she has to do is write a few short stories featuring XL, and there will be an audience for it. Who was it that said she would be watching Filter with the hope of getting some XL's Easter Eggs? ;-)

 liddi:

The ease with which you come up with all these recommendations makes me wonder whether your home and hair is similarly reinforced for eventualities like these LOL! Do you think I can get that headgear in silver, in solidarity with our favourite nine-headed demon?

I admit to nothing :-). 

According to my friend, Temu is the answer to everything you could ever need so you could probably find the headgear in silver. Failing that, just get a can of silver paint and spray to your heart's content :-)

Events Occurring During a Full Moon

This post attempts to compile a list of events in 长相思 (Lost You Forever) that occurred during a full moon (the 15th day of the lunar month for short months, but can also fall on the 16th or 17th day on some months). Based on the words used to describe the moon and context clues from the novel, we will categorize events as:

• Occurred during a full moon.
• Possibly occurred during a full moon.
• Did not occur during a full moon.
• Irrelevant to the cycle of the moon in the sky.

Passages with references to the full moon were compiled by searching the text for the following:

• "满月", "月满" - "满" (mǎn) means "full." "满月" (mǎn yuè) means "full moon." Events tied to these references occurred during a full moon.
• "望月", "月望" - "望" (wàng) means "to gaze at." "望月" (wàng yuè) means "full moon." Events tied to these references occurred during a full moon.
• "圆月", "月圆" - "圆“ (yuán) means "round." "圆月" (yuán yuè) can mean either "round moon" or "full moon." However, "月圆" (yuè yuán) is indicative of a full moon. Events tied to these references occurred during or around the time a full moon. Context clues can help with the classification of these events. Unless we are certain that an event occurred during a full moon, we will use the term "round moon."
• "轮月", "月轮", "一轮" - "轮" (lún) means "round." "轮月" (lún yuè) means either "round moon" or "full moon." However, "月轮" (yuè lún) is indicative of a full moon. "一轮" (yī lún) is a quantifier that can be used to quantify a round or full moon.  Events tied to these references occurred during or around the time of a full moon. Context clues can help with the classification of these events. Unless we are certain that an event occurred during a full moon, we will use the term "round moon."

In order to catch the Fei Fei, Xiao Liu smeared its feces on his skin. He then told Shi Qi about how many medicinal ingredients come from animal feces. In this passage, “望月砂” is a medicinal ingredient that roughly translates to “moondust”, so has nothing to do with a full moon.

小六抓起地上的粪便，特意走远几步，小心地涂抹在裸露的肌肤上，边涂边对十七说：“是不是有点恶心？在你出生长大的环境中从来没见过吧！其实没有那么脏了，不少好药材都是动物的粪便，望月砂是野兔的粪便，白丁香是麻雀的粪便，五灵脂是飞鼠的粪便……”小六一抬头，十七就站在他身旁，小六愣了愣，忘了下面想说什么。
Xiao Liu picked up the feces from the ground, deliberately took a few steps away, and carefully smeared it on the exposed skin. While applying it, he said to Shi Qi, "Isn't it a bit disgusting? You've never seen it in the environment where you were born and raised, right! Actually, it's not that dirty. Many good medicinal ingredients come from animal feces. Moondust is from wild rabbit droppings, white lilac comes from sparrow droppings, and Five Spirits Resin comes from flying squirrel droppings..." Xiao Liu looked up, and Shi Qi was standing next to him. Xiao Liu paused for a moment, forgetting what he wanted to say next.

— Vol 1 Ch 2 (Chapter 2)

After several months of not seeing Xiang Liu, Xiao Liu used Chuan Zi's marriage as an excuse to see him and ask if Tian Er's prostitute house belonged to the Shen Nong remnant army. They met in a tree on a night with a round moon. At the end of the encounter, Xiao Liu angered Xiang Liu by refusing his help and Xiang Liu caused Xiao Liu to fall from the tree.

小六抬头看去，白雕驮着相柳从圆月中飞来，白衣白发，从九天飞下，若雪一般，轻轻地落在小六身旁。
Xiao Liu looked up and saw a white condor carrying Xiang Liu flying from the round moon. Wearing white clothes with white hair, descending from the heavens, like snow, they gently landed beside Xiao Liu.

— Vol 1 Ch 4 (Chapter 4)

Xiang Liu took Xiao Liu to see the moon rise from the surface of the ocean on a night with a round moon.

没有多久，一轮明月，缓缓从海面升起，清辉倾泻而下，小六被天地瑰丽震撼，心上的硬壳都柔软了。
Before long, a bright round moon slowly rose from the surface of the ocean, casting clear and bright moonlight down. Stunned by the breathtaking sight, the hard shell around Xiao Liu’s heart softened.
…
天上那轮月，小六看着它，它却静静地照拂着大地。
Xiao Liu looked at the round moon in the sky, while it silently illuminated the land.

— Vol 1 Ch 4 (Chapter 4)

Around the time Fang Feng Yi Ying tried to assassinate Xuan, Xiang Liu took Xiao Liu on a turbulent ride on Mao Qiu before grabbing Xiao Liu and jumping from a great height into the sea. After this harrowing experience, the two have a heart-to-heart talk, where Xiao Liu expressed his views on the ephemeral nature of happiness. The full moon is mentioned here to illustrate Xiao Liu’s philosophy on life.

小六叹气，“和睦时光总是短暂，就如人世间的欢愉总是刹那。花开则谢，月圆则亏，但凡世间美好的东西莫不如此。”
Xiao Liu sighed, "Harmonious moments are always ephemeral, just like the happiness in the world is always fleeting. Flowers in bloom fade, the full moon wanes, but this is the nature of all beautiful things in the world."

— Vol 1 Ch 7 (Chapter 7)

Xiao Yao recounted to Cang Xuan and Jing about how she escaped from the eight-tailed fox. The eight-tailed fox said that he would eat her in two days on the night of the full moon.

一个晚上，他说再过两天的月圆之夜就可以吃我了，他唱着悲伤的歌谣喝醉了，笼子没完全锁好，我又已经研究了三十年如何逃跑，已会开锁，我从笼子里跑出来，悄悄地给他的酒里下了药，然后又溜回笼子里，把自己锁好。
One night, he said that in two days on the night of the full moon, he would eat me. He sang sad songs and got drunk. The cage wasn't completely locked, and I had been studying how to escape for thirty years. I knew how to pick the lock. I ran out of the cage, secretly drugged his wine, then slipped back into the cage and locked myself in.

— Vol 1 Ch 9 (Chapter 9)

At the Chi Shui Autumn Tournament, a large group of people were step singing in a circle. The following passage describes the tradition of step singing and its evolution. People began to perform step singing during nights of the full moon.

踏歌刚开始是庆祝丰收、祭祀天地的活动，人们为庆祝收获的喜悦，围聚在一起，高声欢歌，用手打着拍子，脚踏节奏而舞。渐渐地，踏歌形式越来越广泛，月圆时，人们会月下踏歌，离别时，人们会踏歌送行。
Step singing originally began as an activity to celebrate of the harvest and offer sacrifices to the heavens and earth. People gathered together to celebrate the joy of the harvest, singing loudly, clapping their hands in rhythm, and dancing to the beat. Gradually, this form of step singing became more and more widespread. During full moons, people would step sing under the moon, and when bidding farewell, they would step sing to see someone off.

— Vol 1 Ch 11 (Chapter 11)

After Xiao Yao's introduction ceremony. Xiang Liu colluded with A Nian to push Xiao Yao off a cliff into the ocean on a full moon night.

今夜是满月之夜，月色真的很好，银辉落在树梢，又洒在青石小路上。小夭踏着月色，一个人慢慢地走着，距离山脚已不远，海潮拍打礁石的声音隐隐传来。
Tonight is the night of the full moon. The moonlight is really beautiful, casting silver brilliance on the treetops and sprinkling on the bluestone path. Xiao Yao walked alone under the moonlight, taking slow steps. The foot of the mountain is not far away, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks can be faintly heard.


— Vol 1 Ch 13 (Chapter 13)

Jing and Xiao Yao spent the night together on a boat on a night with a round moon. This was after the full moon night when Xiao Yao refused to air kiss Xiang Liu, so we know that the moon described in this passage is not a true full moon. The following passage describes Jing’s thoughts:

海风轻轻吹动，海潮轻轻摇动着船，他望着天上的圆月，只想就这么过一夜。
The sea breeze gently blew, the tide softly rocked the boat, and he gazed at the round moon in the sky, wishing to spend the night like this.

— Vol 1 Ch 14 (Chapter 14)

Xiang Liu fed Xiao Yao his soul blood every full moon night during their 37 years at sea. He woke her up on a full moon night.

相柳说道：“今夜是上弦月，像一把弓。每次满月时，我都要给你疗伤，不可能带你来海上，我也好多年没有看见过满月了。”
小夭心想，原来我没有估计错，他真的是每月给我疗伤一次。听说满月时，妖族的妖力最强，大概正因为如此，相柳才选择满月时给她疗伤。
Xiang Liu said, “Tonight is the first quarter moon, like a bow. Every full moon, I have to heal your injuries, so I can’t bring you to the surface of the sea. I haven't seen a full moon in many years."
Xiao Yao thought to herself, "So I didn't guess wrong; he really does heal me once a month. I heard that during the full moon, the demonic power of the demon clan is strongest. It's probably because of this that Xiang Liu chooses to heal me during the full moon.”
…
相柳抱起小夭：“今夜是月圆之夜，我带你去玩一会儿吧！”
小夭不解，月圆之夜不是应该疗伤吗？
Xiang Liu picked up Xiao Yao and said, "Tonight is a full moon night. Let me take you to play for a while!"
Xiao Yao was puzzled, shouldn’t full moon nights be used for healing?


— Vol 2 Ch 5 (Chapter 22)

King Gao Xin summoned Xing Chen, the most famed weapons forger in the Jin Tian Clan to make a bow and arrows for Xiao Yao. After discussing requirements with Xiao Yao, Jin Tian came back a little over a month later saying that the weapons were almost ready. Someone had commissioned a bow that took 35 years to forge, but changed his mind and didn’t want it. The catch is that the bow needs the blood of a nine-headed demon from a full moon night to recognize its owner. Xiao Yao met Xing Chen on the night of the full moon to make the bow recognize Xiao Yao as its owner.

“需要海底妖王九头妖的妖血，还必须是月圆之夜的血。”
"We need the blood of the King of the Seas, the nine-headed demon, and it must be blood from the night of the full moon."
…
星沉说：“只要是月圆夜就可以。”
小夭说：“好，这个月的月圆之夜，我去找你。”
Xing Chen said: "As long as it's the night of the full moon.”
Xiao Yao said: "Okay, on the night of the full moon this month, I will go find you."
…
月圆之夜，金天谷。
On the night of the full moon, in Jin Tian Valley.
…
星沉看了看天空的圆月，开始念诵祭语，她的声音刚开始很舒缓，渐渐地越来越快，火焰小山在熠熠生辉，映照得整个天空都发红。
Xing Chen glanced at the full moon in the sky, then began reciting the sacrificial incantation. Her voice started out calm, gradually speeding up. The flaming hill shimmered brightly, casting a red glow over the entire sky.

— Vol 2 Ch 7 (Chapter 24)

A rumor was spread that Xiao Yao is Chi Chen’s daughter. On the first full moon of the new year Jing, Cang Xuan, and Xiao Yao headed to Zhi Yi City to see the lanterns. On that night of the full moon, Xiao Yao ended up at the donkey meat restaurant where Xiang Liu comforted her about her parentage and kissed her forehead.

新年的第一个月圆之日，小夭主动提出要去轵邑城里看花灯，璟和玱玹自然都说好。
On the first full moon day of the new year, Xiao Yao proposed to go to Zhi Yi City to see the lanterns, and naturally Jing and Cang Xuan agreed.

— Vol 3 Ch 2 (Chapter 35)

King Gao Xin announced that Xiao Yao would be removed from the Gao Xin family register on the day of the full moon in mid-spring.

仲春之月望日，高辛王昭告天下，将高辛玖瑶的名字从高辛王族的族谱中除名，天下哗然。
On the full moon day in mid-spring, King Gao Xin announced to the world that Gao Xin Jiu Yao's name would be stricken from the Gao Xin Royal Clan register, causing an uproar throughout the realm.

— Vol 3 Ch 2 (Chapter 35)

Xiao Yao met Xiang Liu in the East Sea after she found out the truth of the Poisonous Lover’s Bugs from the Witch King on a night with a round moon .

微风习习，一轮明亮的圆月悬挂在天上，海面波光粼粼，十分静谧美丽。
A gentle breeze blew, a bright round moon hung in the sky, and the sea surface shimmered with gentle waves, creating a serene and beautiful scene.

— Vol 3 Ch 4 (Chapter 37)

Right before Xiao Yao said her vows to the moon, she looked out at the full moon in the sky on the night Jing chose for their wedding.

小夭走到窗前，看着天上的圆月。
望日是月满之日，璟选定这个日子成婚，应该想要他们的婚姻圆圆满满吧？可竟然是团圆月不照团圆人。
Xiao Yao walked to the window and looked at the full moon in the sky.
The "gazing day" is the day of the full moon. Jing's choice to get married on this day, should have been because he wanted their marriage to be perfect and fulfilling. However, it turned out that the reunion moon did not shine down on reunited people.

— Vol 3 Ch 9 (Chapter 42)

Xiang Liu saved Xiao Yao from an assassination attempt in the East Sea the night after the full moon when Xiao Yao said her vows to the moon. The night after that, on the seagull demon's ship, Xiao Yao tells Xiang Liu about the last time she saw Jing before he disappeared. If that story is true, then she last saw Jing on a full moon night.

太阳渐渐落下，月儿从海面升起，刚过满月之日不久，不仔细看，月亮依旧是圆的。

The sun gradually set, and the moon rose from the sea surface. It was just past the full moon, so if you didn’t look closely, the moon still appeared round.

…
小夭扑哧笑了出来，凝视着月亮，说道：“璟选了满月之日成婚，我本来想问他为什么，但有些不好意思，想着成婚后有的是时间，就没有问。我们最后一次见面，是在三十二天前，孟夏之月的满月日。他下午来小月顶和我辞行，说是晚饭前走，可用过晚饭后依旧没走，一直到月亮攀上了山顶，我们依旧在山涧踏着月色散步。那一晚的月亮很美，我拉着他月下踏歌，他不会，我边唱歌边笑他笨拙。后来，他骑白鹤离去前，指着月亮，对我说‘下个满月之日后，不管月亮阴晴圆缺、人世悲欢离合，我和你长相守、不分离。’”
Xiao Yao burst out laughing, and said as she stared at the moon, "Jing chose to marry on the day of a full moon. I initially wanted to ask him the reason, but was little embarrassed to do so. I thought we would have plenty of time after the wedding, so I did not ask. The last time we saw each other was thirty-two days ago, on the day of a full moon during the first month of summer. He came to Xiao Yue Summit in the afternoon to bid me farewell, and said he would leave after dinner, but he still had not left even then. We strolled under the moonlight along the mountain stream as always until the moon had risen high over the peak of the mountain. The moon was very beautiful that night. I dragged him along to sing and dance under the moonlight but he did not know how to, so I sang while laughing at his clumsiness. Later, before he left on the white crane, he pointed to the moon and said to me, 'After the next full moon, regardless of the waxing or waning of the moon, the joys and sorrows, partings and gatherings in the world, you and I will be together forever, never to part.' "


— Vol 3 Ch 10 (Chapter 43)

After telling Xiang Liu about the last time she saw Jing, Xiao Yao said she couldn't believe that Jing is dead. She always felt that he may come back at the next full moon.

银色的月光哀伤地洒落，波光粼粼的大海温柔地一起一伏，小夭的手伸向月亮，微笑着说：“没有见到他的尸体，他在我的记忆里，永远都是倚着白鹤笑看着我，指着月亮对我说‘下个满月之日后，不管月亮阴晴圆缺、人世悲欢离合，我和你长相守、不分离’。我大概真的很愚蠢、很软弱，我没有办法相信他死了，总觉得也许下个满月之日，他就会回来。”
The silver moonlight sorrowfully fell, and the shimmering sea gently rose and fell. Xiao Yao extended her hand towards the moon and smiled, saying, "Without seeing his body, he remains in my memories, forever leaning against the white crane, smiling at me, pointing to the moon, and saying, 'After the next full moon, regardless of the moon's phases or the joys and sorrows of the world, we will stay together and never part.' Perhaps I am truly foolish and weak; I can't believe he's dead. I always feel that maybe at the next full moon, he will come back."

— Vol 3 Ch 10 (Chapter 43)

When Xiao Yao and Cang Xuan went to visit Feng Long at Jing’s old residence in Qing Shui Town, Xiao Yao started recalling the past, causing her heart to hurt. In this passage, “圆月” describes a moon-shaped archway.

小夭走进圆月形的拱门，看见各种鲜花缤纷绽放，一如当年。一瞬间，小夭几乎觉得，会有一位如金如锡、如圭如璧的清润君子从花丛中站起，含笑凝视着她。
Xiao Yao walked into the moon-shaped archway and saw all kinds of flowers blooming brightly, just like in the past. For a moment, Xiao Yao almost felt that a noble gentleman who was like gold, like tin, like jade, would stand up from the flowers and gaze at her with a smiling face.

— Vol 3 Ch 13 (Chapter 46)

Xiao Yao went to avenge Feng Long’s assassination at the gourd-shaped lake on a night with a round moon. Although she couldn’t bring herself to kill Xiang Liu, she told him she never wanted to see him again in this life. The following passage describes Xiang Liu after this encounter.

黑云遮蔽住了圆月，相柳的双眸内映出的是——没有一颗星辰的苍穹，无边的黑暗、无边的寂寥。
The dark clouds obscured the round moon, and what Xiang Liu's eyes reflected was a sky devoid of stars, boundless darkness, and boundless loneliness.

— Vol 3 Ch 13 (Chapter 46)

Xiao Yao poisoned herself and Cang Xuan on a night with a full moon night.

又是一个月圆之夜，小夭提着个白玉莲花盏，一边哼唱着那些古老的歌谣，一边沿着山径慢慢地走着，侍卫们看她是去凤凰林，也未阻拦，只是暗中跟着。
It was yet another night of the full moon, Xiao Yao carried a white jade lotus cup, humming old folk songs as she walked slowly along the mountain path. The guards, seeing her heading towards the Phoenix Forest, did not stop her but followed her discreetly.

— Vol 3 Ch 14 (Chapter 47)

Xiang Liu revived Xiao Yao on Jade Mountain on a full moon night.

一轮满月，悬挂在黛色的天空，清辉静静洒下，瑶池上水波荡漾，银光点点。相柳犹如一条鱼儿般无声无息地没入瑶池，波光乍开，人影已逝，只几圈涟漪缓缓荡开。
A full moon hung in the indigo sky, casting a quiet and clear radiance. The water in Jake Lake rippled gently, with scattered silver light. Xiang Liu, like a fish, silently submerged into Jade Lake, creating ripples as his figure faded away, leaving only a few slowly dissipating circles of ripples.

— Vol 3 Ch 15 (Chapter 48)

After Xiao Yao woke up, she agreed to become the next Royal Mother. Cang Xuan came to see her and tried to get her to reconsider her decision. However, Xiao Yao is resigned to her fate. After talking to Cang Xuan, two days after Xiang Liu revived her, Xiao Yao stares in a daze at the reflection of the round moon in Yao Pond.

晚上，瑶池畔。
小夭一身素净的白衣，头发松松绾起，双脚悬空，坐在水榭的栏杆上，呆呆望着碧波中倒映的一轮月影。
At night, by the banks of Jade Lake.
Xiao Yao wore a simple white robe, her hair loosely tied up, her feet dangling in the air as she sat on the railing of the waterside pavilion, staring in a daze at the reflection of a round moon in the aquamarine waves.

— Vol 3 Ch 16 (Chapter 49)

When Xiao Yao reunited with Jing on Jade Mountain, she told him how she thought he would come back every full moon.

小夭却号啕大哭起来，一边泪如雨落，一边捶打着璟：“我一直等你，一直在等你，我不相信你死了，每个月圆的日子都以为你会回来，可你总是失约。我等了太久，以为你不会再回来了……我以为你真的扔下我了……我恨你，恨你……”
Xiao Yao bursted into loud sobs, tears streaming down as she pounded on Jing, "I kept waiting for you, I kept waiting for you. I didn’t believe you died. Every full moon, I thought you would come back, but you always broke your promise. I waited too long, and thought you wouldn't come back... I thought you really abandoned me... I hate you, hate you..."

— Vol 3 Ch 16 (Chapter 49)

A few days after their wedding, Xiao Yao and Jing hear news of Xiang Liu's death. That night, Xiao Yao couldn't sleep and went outside. Looking at the round moon in the sky, Xiao Yao thought about Xiang Liu.

宫墙外，一轮皓月，冷冷清清。
小夭想起了清水镇的月亮，相柳死时，天上的月亮可也是这样静静地照拂着他？他可有想起他们曾一起看过的月亮？
Outside the palace walls, a bright round moon hung in the sky, cold and desolate.
Xiao Yao thought of the moon in Qing Shui Town. When Xiang Liu died, was the moon in the sky also shining silently down on him like this? Did he think of the moon that they once looked at together?

— Vol 3 Ch 18 (Chapter 51)

In summary, the following events occurred or might have occurred on a night with a full moon:

• Xiang Liu caused Xiao Liu to fall from a tree on a night with a round moon.
• Xiang Liu took Xiao Liu to see the moon rise from the surface of the ocean on a night with a round moon.
  
• Xiao Yao refused to air kiss Xiang Liu and told him he wasn't suitable to walk into a girl's dreams on a full moon night.
• Xiang Liu fed Xiao Yao his soul blood every full moon night during their 37 years at sea. 
• Xiang Liu woke Xiao Yao up on a full moon night.
• The owner recognition ceremony for Xiao Yao's bow happened on a full moon night.
• Xiang Liu comforted Xiao Yao about her parentage and kissed her forehead on a full moon night.
• King Gao Xin announced that Xiao Yao would be removed from the Gao Xin family registrar on a day of the full moon.
• Xiao Yao met Xiang Liu in the East Sea after she found out the truth of the Poisonous Lover’s Bugs from the Witch King on a night with a round moon.
• Xiao Yao said her vows to the moon on a full moon night.
• If Xiao Yao’s story about the last time she saw Jing before he disappeared is true, then she saw Jing on a full moon night a month before their wedding date.
• Xiao Yao shot Xiang Liu with an arrow and told him that she never wanted to see him again in this life on a night with a round moon.
• Xiao Yao poisoned herself and Cang Xuan on a full moon night.
• Xiang Liu revived Xiao Yao on Jade Mountain on a full moon night.
• The first night after learning of Xiang Liu's death, Xiao Yao thought about Xiang Liu while looking at the round moon in the sky.

 blabla100:

Also I wanted to add that looking back, I belive the moon (either full, either crescent) is some sort of leitmotif (I am not sure if this word exist în english). I wasn't really paying much attention to the moon theme while I was reading, but now I think it is a reflection on her/their feelings

We've come full circle blabla100! This was back in September :-). It took a while, but finally got there.

 liddi:

Thank you for your hard work in compiling full moon events.

You're very welcome! Hope it helps anyone trying to do analysis based on the moon. 

Thanks for the corrections on the meaning of "望" and "望日". I applied the corrections to the original post. Please let me know if you catch anything else that needs correction.

 AH :

That second question is key. I can't help but think "be careful what you wish for."

An AU adaptation has the potential to be amazing... or terrible.

The beauty of fic writing is that you get to make the story something that feels closer to "amazing" according to your own standards. When a film or TV adaptation is in some else's hands... suddenly the odds of being satisfied don't look as promising. 

I think the key to AU adaptations is "inspired by". That way, fans have a far lower expectation of faithfulness to the original work.

I am reminded of Kenneth Branagh's "A Haunting in Venice", which is an extremely loose adaptation of Agatha Christie's Halloween Party. Everything from the title, to the location, the victim and other characters to the reason for the crime(s) were drastically changed, with only the names to tie them back to the original. No one unfamiliar with the original would have caught on that this had anything to do with Agatha Christie. Normally I balk at adaptations that take such liberties, but surprisingly in this case, I didn't particularly mind because I already knew it was merely inspired by the original work, and not intended to be an adaptation. I would be probably less forgiving if the adaptation was meant to represent the source material, but changes made butchers the characters, their motivations and make no sense in the overall narrative.

I think another issue would arise when the source material is well-loved by fans. In such instances, it is not easy to see changes in adaptations, all the more so when the author themselves are responsible for, or involved in the script. One that I am very aware of is Novoland:Eagle Flag - when author Jiang Nan created the love line between the main character 吕归尘 Lǚ Guichen and 小舟 Xiao Zhou in the drama, which never existed in the novel (Xiao Zhou was merely a child in the novel whom Lǚ Guichen saved and cared for like a younger sister, and her affections were towards Lǚ Guichen's best friend, Ji Ye, who already loved someone else). As someone who never read the book prior to watching, I thought it was a poignant narrative that worked well with the novel. However, there was great outrage among the book fans who felt that the characters they loved were butchered, and Jiang Nan was attacked mercilessly by them because of it. 

Based on the leaked script, I am afraid that LYF would suffer the same fate. I can understand changes done because of limitations in structural frame of a visual adaptation - Tong Hua herself said that the possibilities are endless in a novel, limited only by one's imagination, but constrained when attempting to adapt it to film.  Nonetheless, if the adaptation actually undermines the actual narrative, it is a massive issue for me. Especially if the changes are decisions that in no way are due to limitations in the actual production itself. I can understand wanting to present something different so that it is not so much a word-for-word recreation of the novel, but not to the extent of subverting the spirit and intent of the original work. 

 liddi:

I'm so sorry. Look at it from another angle. You will always remember August as the day the world first mourned, and continues to mourn the passing of the man who embodied integrity, honour, selflessness and self-sacrificing love. And although he was dead, he continues to live on in the lives of those who knew and loved him, be it within the universe of the novel, or its readers.

That's it! I'm sending you to the corner for a time-out, liddi. Was this supposed to help nathsketch's feels better? 'Cause I don't think it works too well. And it's not making me feel better. Do you have to used the word 'dead' like that :-(? I though Meng Jue's ending was bad, TH one-up herself with XL's ending. At least with Meng Jue, there's hope that he's out there somewhere.

Ah! The connumdrum for XL's fans. We loved him because he is honourable, selfless and all the the things you listed above. But, we also railed against him for the exact same things. Can't he just be a little less of those things - not abandoned them altegether, but just dial them back a smidge? Is that too much to ask?

Whenever I get too angry or sad at him (and TH), I just remind myself of William E. Henley's Invictus:

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul

He did it his way.

(Discalimer: This method doesn't always works)