In case anyone’s interested, Brother Guo (who also worked as Zelia’s assistant director) wrote a few words about Episode 13, and I took the time to translate them.
ENJOY -
First of all, I hope this post can be a place for everyone to let their emotions out.
As for Episode 13, there are still a few things I’d like to say.
Regarding Qing Tian’s departure, during filming Xiao Hu was actually on set with us the whole time. Back then, it still felt like Qing Tian was by our side, so the grief never hit us that deeply. Only now, with the episode finally airing, have we gone through this farewell for a second time alongside all of you, and only now do we truly understand how painful it is.
If you ever miss Qing Tian in the future, go watch Xiao Hu. Thanks to him, that bright young boy will always remain alive in our hearts.
As someone who was deeply involved in both the creation and filming of this series, I’d like to share a few thoughts.
From a storytelling perspective, Episode 13 is probably my favorite.
Its central theme is incredibly clear: Qing Tian’s departure serves as the conclusion to everything that came before it. The pacing, editing, soundtrack, and the iconic falling leaves sequence all come together beautifully. With delicate, gentle, and restrained direction, the director quietly prepared Qing Tian’s path toward heaven, letting him walk forward with a smile, one step at a time.
If Qing Jie’s tragedy was a sudden and devastating blow, then Qing Tian’s departure is a lesson every one of us has to learn:
Let go of our obsession with perfect endings, and learn to accept the impermanence of life.
Qing Tian had been trapped in the past for far too long. When Chen Ning turned into a plant, more than half of his soul had already been taken away. Whatever strength he had left, he gave entirely to his mother, his grandmother, Qing Lang, Wen Mei, and Yu Xiang… while completely forgetting to show the same kindness to himself.
It may seem as though Tea Mountain healed him, but in truth, it wasn’t the mountain itself. It was that pure place that finally allowed him to let go of his worldly attachments, quiet his heart, and clearly see what he truly longed for.
Tea Mountain remains Tea Mountain. The Great Snow Mountain remains the Great Snow Mountain.
Neither changes because of anyone’s regrets or obsessions.
Life comes from nature, and ultimately returns to nature. Respecting life, respecting heaven and earth, should be instinctive to us. Yet we often become lost in the uncertainty of this world, exhausting ourselves while searching for a perfect, definitive answer to ease our fears.
But that perfect answer is ultimately just an illusion.
Humanity has always searched for the truth of life. Perhaps we’ll never fully understand it, but we’ll never stop searching.
We are as insignificant as ants before nature. The same is true for the village, for Yu Xiang, and even for Qing Lang, who is slowly learning to accept this reality.
Heaven and earth will never bend to human wishes.
The gentle salvation you long for may instead become life’s most difficult lesson.
Only by changing ourselves from within can we truly be reborn.
Seen from another perspective, Qing Tian was actually fortunate.
After enduring so much suffering, he still retained the ability to love. He learned to adjust himself, to face himself honestly, and to remain true to his heart.
The final moment of his life was also the brightest moment of his entire existence.
The mountains and rivers remain unchanged.
Tea Mountain has never changed either.
And Tea Mountain will always love that young man.
To all of us, he will forever be Tea Mountain’s little prince.
Those worn canvas shoes left behind are proof that he has finally returned to where he truly belongs.
Life itself is a journey. There are reunions and farewells, joy and regret. He experienced them all, and his life was complete.
By now, my heart feels empty.
But emptiness is also a state of being.
A truly great story shouldn’t only leave us feeling “full.” Like the stillness that follows a storm, it is in silence that we begin to understand that life and death, good and evil, light and darkness, cause and effect are the deepest laws of existence.
Love, hatred, attachment, joy, and sorrow are all fleeting emotions.
Finally, I’d like to leave everyone with a quote by Rabindranath Tagore:
“The world has kissed my soul with its pain, asking for its return in songs.”
I hope that, even after understanding the truth of impermanence, all of us can continue to live sincerely and freely. 🫂
After crying for 24 hours straight, I think my brain is finally working again and I think I’ve finally calmed down enough to put my thoughts together.
I think a lot of people are looking at episode 13 from a Western perspective, but I don’t think that’s how Zelia writes.
Zelia is Buddhist. She believes in reincarnation, so the whole “life is short, cherish every moment” interpretation doesn’t really fit her worldview. Death isn’t necessarily the end in Buddhism, so I don’t think that’s the message she’s trying to send here.
Tian has been saying for 10 episodes that he wants to die. He literally says that he died the day his bf fell into a coma. Tian isn’t just grief, it’s a form of pain that runs deeper and that’s almost impossible to overcome. His love is completely consumed by guilt. Zelia herself has said over and over again that his pain had turned his life into hell. That’s why I don’t think he climbed the mountain because he suddenly wanted to live. I think he climbed it because he wanted to find the flower for Wenshu. Not for himself. One last gift. One last act of love. Also the story about the bird.. I genuinely think Tian is that bird. Sometimes an injured bird can’t be saved, and the only thing you can do is let nature take its course. I think that’s exactly what the story was trying to tell us. Could the bear have attacked him? Sure. It’s the wilderness. But I don’t think that’s the point.
To me, Tian wasn’t searching for a reason to keep living. He had already decided a long time ago that he died with his first love.
Episode 13 feels like the conclusion of that emotional journey, not a sudden change of heart.
Well… since I was already crying and having a complete emotional breakdown in the Don’t Be Too Emotional comment section, I figured this was the perfect time to come here to suffer a little bit more.
BECAUSE THAT GOODBYE??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
I CAN’T. I ACTUALLY CAN’T. Every time I think about it I start crying all over again 😩😩😩
WHY IS EVERYONE DETERMINED TO BREAK MY HEART THESE DAYS???
TEAM WENSHU, WE’RE STILL FIGHTING 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻MY BOY YOU’VE GOT THIS. NEVER GIVE UP!
Anyway… I almost choked on my piadina and my coffee because of the anxiety while watching this episode. I was this close to cry all my tears and I’m not even joking 😂
Zelia, my love, my one and only, I love you. Please keep doing what you’re doing. This episode was an absolute masterpiece, and I can’t wait for the next one (I’m scared)
P.S. Chang Yang DON’T EVER DISAPPEAR LIKE THAT ever again! Are you insane? QL was this close to kill himself with the bamboo tree (You can’t leave him alone one second) also I’ve missed you so, so much 😭😭
P.P.S. The rat seriously needs to fuck off. Enough is enough. Time’s up.
1 
ENJOY -
First of all, I hope this post can be a place for everyone to let their emotions out.
As for Episode 13, there are still a few things I’d like to say.
Regarding Qing Tian’s departure, during filming Xiao Hu was actually on set with us the whole time. Back then, it still felt like Qing Tian was by our side, so the grief never hit us that deeply. Only now, with the episode finally airing, have we gone through this farewell for a second time alongside all of you, and only now do we truly understand how painful it is.
If you ever miss Qing Tian in the future, go watch Xiao Hu. Thanks to him, that bright young boy will always remain alive in our hearts.
As someone who was deeply involved in both the creation and filming of this series, I’d like to share a few thoughts.
From a storytelling perspective, Episode 13 is probably my favorite.
Its central theme is incredibly clear: Qing Tian’s departure serves as the conclusion to everything that came before it. The pacing, editing, soundtrack, and the iconic falling leaves sequence all come together beautifully. With delicate, gentle, and restrained direction, the director quietly prepared Qing Tian’s path toward heaven, letting him walk forward with a smile, one step at a time.
If Qing Jie’s tragedy was a sudden and devastating blow, then Qing Tian’s departure is a lesson every one of us has to learn:
Let go of our obsession with perfect endings, and learn to accept the impermanence of life.
Qing Tian had been trapped in the past for far too long. When Chen Ning turned into a plant, more than half of his soul had already been taken away. Whatever strength he had left, he gave entirely to his mother, his grandmother, Qing Lang, Wen Mei, and Yu Xiang… while completely forgetting to show the same kindness to himself.
It may seem as though Tea Mountain healed him, but in truth, it wasn’t the mountain itself. It was that pure place that finally allowed him to let go of his worldly attachments, quiet his heart, and clearly see what he truly longed for.
Tea Mountain remains Tea Mountain. The Great Snow Mountain remains the Great Snow Mountain.
Neither changes because of anyone’s regrets or obsessions.
Life comes from nature, and ultimately returns to nature. Respecting life, respecting heaven and earth, should be instinctive to us. Yet we often become lost in the uncertainty of this world, exhausting ourselves while searching for a perfect, definitive answer to ease our fears.
But that perfect answer is ultimately just an illusion.
Humanity has always searched for the truth of life. Perhaps we’ll never fully understand it, but we’ll never stop searching.
We are as insignificant as ants before nature. The same is true for the village, for Yu Xiang, and even for Qing Lang, who is slowly learning to accept this reality.
Heaven and earth will never bend to human wishes.
The gentle salvation you long for may instead become life’s most difficult lesson.
Only by changing ourselves from within can we truly be reborn.
Seen from another perspective, Qing Tian was actually fortunate.
After enduring so much suffering, he still retained the ability to love. He learned to adjust himself, to face himself honestly, and to remain true to his heart.
The final moment of his life was also the brightest moment of his entire existence.
The mountains and rivers remain unchanged.
Tea Mountain has never changed either.
And Tea Mountain will always love that young man.
To all of us, he will forever be Tea Mountain’s little prince.
Those worn canvas shoes left behind are proof that he has finally returned to where he truly belongs.
Life itself is a journey. There are reunions and farewells, joy and regret. He experienced them all, and his life was complete.
By now, my heart feels empty.
But emptiness is also a state of being.
A truly great story shouldn’t only leave us feeling “full.” Like the stillness that follows a storm, it is in silence that we begin to understand that life and death, good and evil, light and darkness, cause and effect are the deepest laws of existence.
Love, hatred, attachment, joy, and sorrow are all fleeting emotions.
Finally, I’d like to leave everyone with a quote by Rabindranath Tagore:
“The world has kissed my soul with its pain, asking for its return in songs.”
I hope that, even after understanding the truth of impermanence, all of us can continue to live sincerely and freely. 🫂
I think a lot of people are looking at episode 13 from a Western perspective, but I don’t think that’s how Zelia writes.
Zelia is Buddhist. She believes in reincarnation, so the whole “life is short, cherish every moment” interpretation doesn’t really fit her worldview. Death isn’t necessarily the end in Buddhism, so I don’t think that’s the message she’s trying to send here.
Tian has been saying for 10 episodes that he wants to die. He literally says that he died the day his bf fell into a coma. Tian isn’t just grief, it’s a form of pain that runs deeper and that’s almost impossible to overcome. His love is completely consumed by guilt. Zelia herself has said over and over again that his pain had turned his life into hell.
That’s why I don’t think he climbed the mountain because he suddenly wanted to live. I think he climbed it because he wanted to find the flower for Wenshu. Not for himself. One last gift. One last act of love.
Also the story about the bird..
I genuinely think Tian is that bird. Sometimes an injured bird can’t be saved, and the only thing you can do is let nature take its course. I think that’s exactly what the story was trying to tell us.
Could the bear have attacked him? Sure. It’s the wilderness. But I don’t think that’s the point.
To me, Tian wasn’t searching for a reason to keep living. He had already decided a long time ago that he died with his first love.
Episode 13 feels like the conclusion of that emotional journey, not a sudden change of heart.
BECAUSE THAT GOODBYE??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
I CAN’T. I ACTUALLY CAN’T. Every time I think about it I start crying all over again 😩😩😩
WHY IS EVERYONE DETERMINED TO BREAK MY HEART THESE DAYS???
BIG JANE PLEASE DON’T LEAVE 😭😭😭 COME BACK PLEASE I’M BEGGING YOU. I CAN’T DO THIS 😩😩😩😩
Anyway… I almost choked on my piadina and my coffee because of the anxiety while watching this episode. I was this close to cry all my tears and I’m not even joking 😂
Zelia, my love, my one and only, I love you. Please keep doing what you’re doing. This episode was an absolute masterpiece, and I can’t wait for the next one (I’m scared)
P.S. Chang Yang DON’T EVER DISAPPEAR LIKE THAT ever again! Are you insane? QL was this close to kill himself with the bamboo tree (You can’t leave him alone one second) also I’ve missed you so, so much 😭😭
P.P.S. The rat seriously needs to fuck off. Enough is enough. Time’s up.
Don’t make me come knock some sense into her 😭
I’m not sure what that man does to my soul but he’s doing something 😏