antiherodiaries

True... I've always tried my best to engage and have met plenty of Jing fans who are honest about their experience with LYF. We cry and laugh about all the characters, and express our nuanced issues with all of them.

I understand XY's character very much, despite her flaws overshadowing her achievements for me. This is a fantasy, after all, and to have a character who can be anyone choose to compromise is a letdown for me. That being said, it doesn't mean that I'm going to go around insulting someone who finds her character admirable.

My views just happen to lean towards XL and the unspoken, star-crossed love of YaoLiu because it is the most poetic, and it speaks volumes to me through the film composition, cinematography, and TH poetry and prose.

What’s irritating is that people need to remember TH or the actors' opinions about the work shouldn't be taken as the law or the only true way to interpret a piece of literary masterpiece like LYF. Works of art are meant for open interpretation, and artists and writers throw their hearts out there, knowing very well that the test of time may change the work itself.

Just don't make it a mission to invalidate other people's experiences by dictating that their interpretation is the only way to understand the novel and its characters.

Adding to this list:
Emasculated male figure
Nine tails maiden troupe (if the script was flipped, these same women would be raging of how stupid she is)
Damsel in distress
Plot device

Somewhere between the TH prequel where XL was the main character and LYF, TH found writing about XL’s transformation through XY's eyes more interesting. Thus, in the end, we ended up with what we have.

LYF, story structure-wise, is a mash-up of Scarlet Heart and Once Promised. XY is basically the main character in Scarlet Heart but is determined to be everything opposite of her mother, Aheng, who is the main character of Once Promised. XL, character-wise, is built like TH's most beloved other male characters, specifically Chi Chen, XY's dad. So you see, even though XL has the least words dedicated to him, he always was the male lead in theory.

The story of LYF started with XL in theory and ended in the Epilogue.

In adapting the story, TH wrote it in a linear fashion, probably to help with world-building for those who are not familiar with the novel. But the novel starts with XY and ends with XL.

I not going to answer your questions because my brain cells are too precious. But I'll leave this conversation here: Jing is a unique plot device in placed to run parallel to the Lovers Bugs. Whether it was intentional or not, it does create alot of open-ended circumstances. My interpretation is no more right or wrong than yours. But there is no friends in the word lovers. K, bye.

Girl...you have a point...let me go and revised...lest my words come back to bite me in the buttocks.

I just lump the fact that he can suppressed the bugs as him controlling them. Hehe...but you do bring out a point about the equal power, because it is said right there in the quote "everything is in balance."

If you are to analyze LYF from a very literal perspective, then you would think this story is just about XY and her journey for a lifelong partner. But any avid Tong Hua fan can tell you that LYF started with XL, and she built all the other characters around him.

I, imagine that, perhaps, in TH's writing method, she may have accidentally written a novel that truly challenges her audience of what is considered a male lead, what constitutes as a reverse-harem story, and redefined modern definitions of tragedies.

Does a male lead the man with the most words, or the male lead the one that impacts the winds of time? Have you ever thought that perhaps this story is also about Xiang Liu's journey to love and demise through XY's eyes? Have you stopped to think that LYF could be actually be a star-crossed love story that challenged literary norms of this genre by writing the FL choosing someone other than the one she truly loves due to their circumstances?

There are adaptations and then there are atrocities. Novel readers are always going to be more passionate about the integrity of the characters and plot. Even if this story was not based on a novel, I can guarantee that having the story end like that of the leaked script is a damn shame because the character set up was so strong.

I think Feng Long was more mad over the fact that Jing broke "Bro Code" rather than that Jing and XY were frolicking under his nose. 🤣😅😂 Once he and Jing restored thier Bro Code, he was alright again. Priorities, am I right?!

Yes, but TH didn't describe anything in Once Promised that was distinctly of the bull in her introduction of the beast in Jiuli.

The bugs listen to the one with the more spiritual powers, not the person who raised them. Xiang Liu suppresses the bugs, prevents them from hurting Xiao Yao when she betrays his heart, and keeps the pain to himself, while taking thier poisons for the both of them.

There are three instances where XY felt the pain of the bugs. 1) CX assassination attempt in Chiusui where she threw her body to protect him. She felt a slight sharp pain, which was XL pain of seeing XY desperately shielding CX. 2) At CX first wedding, shortly after she found out about FFYY pregnancy, her heart hurt so much, she almost fainted. But the pain quickly dissipated. 3) After the runaway wedding from FL, XL let her feel the pain he endured. It was so painful, it rendered her paralyzed. He used this pain the push her away, she interpreted it as him wanting to kill her.

Seven days left...just counting down til I meet Xiang Liu again. In the meantime, just dropping it here one of the most important plot devices in Lost You Forever.

What are the 情人蛊 (Qing Ren Gu)?
情人蛊 (Qing Ren Gu) literally means Lovers (情人) Poisonous Bugs (蛊). It does not mean Friendship Poisonous Bugs (朋友蛊).

"Lover's Poisonous Bugs symbolize a pair of male-female ancient toxic insects, where the lives of a man and a woman intertwine. Their hearts are ENTANGLED, communicating simultaneously. If one person is hurt, the other also feels the pain; if one person is wounded, the other will be wounded as well.

With masculinity alone, there is no flourishing, and with femininity alone, there is no development. When everything is in balance, there is an inherent presence of imbalance. The greater the advantage, the greater the disadvantage; this holds true for love curses, such as the Lovers Poisonous Bugs. They enable LOVERS to share each other's emotions, with both lifelines interwoven. The Lovers Poisonous Bugs reflect TWO LOVERS IN LOVE and are extremely difficult to tame. Once they break, both will perish. Hence, the Lovers Poisonous Bugs are also known by another name—grief-stricken heartbroken poisonous bugs.

If both hearts are one, GROWTH occurs. If the hearts conflict, there is DEATH. Once the Lovers Poisonous Bugs establish a connection, there is no way to uproot them. In this particular case, I want to mention that, few have raised them; yet, some stubborn women have successfully done so. However, even if the bugs are raised successfully, it is incredibly hard to find men who wish to be connected with them."

Argh! 😩 How could I not remember this one?! We were truly robbed of all the instances.

Yes! They also neglected and chose to cut XY's inner thoughts. She specifically remembers that during her time sleeping, Xiang Liu's company and conversations helped her endure the loneliness. That is the only reason she kept TSJ company and talked to him, because she knew how lonely it could be. And because they robbed us of all the scenes of XL feeding XY his soul blood by lips, non-novel readers missed the correlation between YaoJing's medicine kisses and YaoLiu soul blood kisses, which is that everything XY does for Jing, she had done with XL first. Basically, the lessons XY learned from XL, she will enact onto others.

Tong Hua never really specified if Chi Chen (Chi You) was Jiuli, but in Chinese mythology and Hmong/Miao folklore, Chi You is the ancestor of the Jiuli.

In my initial thought, I've interpreted his true form to be that of a gorilla. He couldn't be Jiuli because they are human and don't possess spiritual powers; that's why they practice shamanism, medicine, and forbidden magic. Kaolo Playground, as well as AI, translate it as witchcraft, which is a mistranslation.

In conclusion, due to the lack of evidence proving he is a demon, I've accepted that he must have been an orphaned deity, running wild.

Omgad...........I'm crying already! Who dares call this plutonic love?! 🥹😭🤧

Most Xiang Liu fans understand XY better than XY understands herself, haha. We admire her when she is genuine, but we think she can do better when she pretends to be someone she's not, especially considering her values and priorities.

As I mentioned in a previous comment, XY's achievements didn't change her life, her outlook, or the course of her life; instead, her flaws dictated her choices and decisions hindering her legacy. One can still have humble goals yet be consistent and true to themselves.

For instance, take her archery skills: after decades of learning, she stopped once Cang Xuan became emperor. Why? Because she claimed Cang Xuan was now safe. What's the point of spending all those years honing a skill only to abandon it once safety is assured? This shows a lack of discipline and consistency.

Another example is her research on the Flame Emperor's work. She opened a clinic but abandoned it after Jing's death, denying herself a chance to find value outside of her psychological and emotional trauma.

She finds all sorts of reasons to halt her progress, which undermines building character, resilience, and self-awareness.

With all this talk about typical gray characters, I would like to break down the character types in Lost You Forever.

GOAT:
Xiang Liu

Hero/Heroine: A character exhibiting admirable qualities such as bravery, self-sacrifice, and integrity, who undertakes significant challenges or quests for the greater good.

1. Chiusui Feng Long
2. Rou Sou
3. Ah Nian

Complex antihero/antiheroine: A character in a story who lacks traditional heroic qualities, often exhibiting morally ambiguous behavior, internal conflicts, and flawed characteristics, making them relatable and multidimensional.

1. Xiao Yao
2. Cang Xuan

Anti-villain: A character who opposes the protagonist but possesses qualities or motivations that make them sympathetic, understandable, or even admirable, often blurring the line between good and evil.

1. Fang Feng Yiying
2. Chiusui Xingyue

Complex villain: A character who engages in antagonistic or evil actions but has a nuanced personality, detailed backstory, and multifaceted motivations, making their behavior and choices more understandable and sometimes even relatable.

1. Tushan Hou
2. Xiyan King (based on his actions/decisions for power)
3. Haoling Emperor (based on his actions/decisions for power)

Villain: A character in a story who opposes the protagonist and engages in harmful, immoral, or malevolent actions, often serving as the primary source of conflict.

1. Xiyan uncles and nephews

Plot device: A narrative technique or element used to advance the storyline, develop characters, or introduce and resolve conflicts within a story.

1. Tushan Jing
2. Lover's Bugs

But......XY did find his INABILITY to live without her romantic 🥴... AND his only reason to live is her which makes thier realtionship extremely unequal -- her position in a savior complex and his position in inferiority complex.

And I disagree. XY loved CX more than anyone. He is the only she would use her body to protect. Romantically, she loved XL the most. He is the only one she is willing to lie and kill for. Jing, she loved him for putting her first.

Xiang Liu is anything but a typical gray character.

Xiang Liu is what you would consider an underdog, lone-wolf type complex antihero!

Give me ONE character that checks all three boxes.

Let me break it down for you with some examples in dramas/films for context:

Complex antihero:
1. Shen Yi (Tan Jianci, Under the Skin)
2. Gu Yun (Tan Jianci, Winner is King)
3. Tantai Jin (Luo Yunxi, Til the End of the World)
4. Wei Wu Xian (Xiao Zhan, The Untamed)
5. Ling Buyi (Wu Lei, Love Like the Galaxy)

Underdog hero:
1. Zhang Chu Lan (Peng Yu Chang, I am Nobody)
2. Tang San (Xiao Zhan, Douluo Continent)
3. Ning Que (Chen Fei Yu, Ever Night)
4. Xiao Yan (Wu Lei, Fight Break Sphere)

Lone wolf warrior:
There are no lone wolf warriors in the current Chinese drama landscape. These types tend to show up in films. Here is a short list:

1. Wong Fei Hong (Jet Li, Once Upon a Time in China)
2. Ip Man (Donnie Yen, Ip Man series)
3. Quan Ngoc Minh (Jackie Chan, The Foreigner)
4. Sing (Stephen Chow, Kung Fu Hustle)
5. Nameless (Jet Li, Hero)

I have all my essays saved in my notepad, so no worries.