SLY art poster analysis (slight spoilers)

Interesting meta-analysis of 11/11/23 poster made by 季风号苏打  on weibo ( https://weibo.com/6159487799/Ns4f6bu4g )

The concept poster for "Water Dragon Chant" has been finally unveiled amidst much anticipation. Let's talk about the details of the poster. Compared to the previous teaser image, this concept poster is richer in details and visual presentation. The crown of the lotus flower opens, spilling out an illusionary realm.

The fox-dragon remains a key visual aspect of the series, with its fox head, dragon body, and clear dragon scales. Tang Lici is accompanied by the fox-dragon, emerging from the lotus's illusionary realm, together embarking on the journey into bustling life of the Jianghu.

The fox-dragon's design is not just a simple combination of two elements. Its history can be traced back to the ancient text "Taiping Guangji" (Extensive Records of the Taiping Era). In volume 455, citing the "Record of Marvels," it says, "Under Mount Li, there was a white fox that terrorized the people below, and they could not get rid of it. During the Tang Dynasty's Qianfu era, one day, it suddenly entered a hot spring to bathe. In a short while, clouds and mist surged, a strong wind blew, and it transformed into a white dragon, ascending to heaven."

However, the most fascinating part is that the "fox-dragon" allegory perfectly aligns with the core character of Tang Lici in "Water Dragon Chant."

The allegory mentions "Under Mount Li, there was a white fox" and "the fox-dragon, transformed from a fox into a dragon, and died after three years." In the original story, Tang Lici's nickname is "White-Haired Fox," and the allegory's setting of the fox-dragon dying after three years seems to metaphorically imply the limited lifespan of the fox-dragon. This coincides with the original story where, after Tang places Fang Zhou's heart inside herself, Tang's life becomes limited and could end at any moment. The allegory also states "this fox, born from the righteous qi of the West, white in color, does not mingle with others, does not stay close," which mirrors Tang Lici's aloof and detached character in the original story.

Additionally, "this fox, born from the righteous qi of the West, white in color" matches the white color of the fox-dragon's body in the poster. White represents metal, and metal generates water. The splashes of water under Tang Lici and the fox-dragon in the poster also seem to convey a certain symbolism. It's intriguing to consider whether the element of "water" is one of the conceptual elements set for the fox-dragon in the series. There is much anticipation to see how "Water Dragon Chant" interprets the fox-dragon concept, and it can even be said that the setting of the fox-dragon is a comprehensive setup for the character of Tang Lici.

 Dream_clam:

Thank you for sharing this! Are there any theories on the interesting looking hair/crown of the figure inside the golden lotus? It looks a bit South East Asian to me, but I'm not sure! 

No, so far haven't seen anything regarding that part.

Migu's press conference has also released the 'map' of Shui Long Yin aka the various places Tang Lici will be visiting (already shown on the concept poster, translated L-R, top to bottom):

- Palace of Fallen Jade led by Wanyu Yuedan, Tang Lici's ally

- Wretched Thirteenth Tower, intelligence gathering / assassination sect

- Central Plains' Sword Community, collective of all the orthodox sects, later invites Tang Lici tobe their leader

- Gold Leaf Temple, where Tang Lici and Ah Shei meet

- Room (Ship) of Ten Thousand Apertures, Tang Lici's hoard of treasures and name of his business firm

Other places include:

Liu Yan's 风流店 (Inn of Promiscuity) - the place that creates the deadly and addictive pill that causes havoc in jianghu. Also the base for villains Xi Fang Tao and Ghost Peony

极乐教 (Cult of Eternal Paradise) - another villain's den led by Ye Mo, who was ambushed and killed by orthodox sects a decade ago

Zhoudi Tower (literally Tower of Gazing), sect where Fang Zhou, Tang Lici and Liu Yan were taught martial arts related to music. Descended from the ancient Saint of Music.

In earlier media releases, Migu said each of the places Tang Lici visits will reflect a part of Chinese culture (e.g. the wild Shang Dynasty, rich Jiangnan etc.) so I wouldn't be surprised if everyone's costumes look like they took a piece of 5000 years of Chinese history.