tendrilsofwind
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Posts posted by tendrilsofwind
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On 2/24/2019 at 1:40 PM, MLM said:
Hi I’m new to the forum. I just finished series with so many questions like the little wool satche that NY had that ended up in FZ hands what is the meaning of the little purse?
In ancient China a lot of people would carry around these little fragrance satchels. They are usually exchanged between lovers to signify their affections for each other because the satchels are considered intimate/personal belongings. I think Zhiwei inadvertently grabbed it from Ning Yi when they were in that dark room and in the confusion it seemed like Ning Yi was the one who gave it to her. She later carries it within her robes, which is a bold thing to do considering how significant the item is. It kind of counts as her accepting his affections for her. That's why Ning Yi is kind of shocked when he finds out she still had it, but since he inadvertently gave it to her, neither of them can be certain of what kind of relationship they are in.
1 hour ago, Neil Bohrs said:I think Chen Kun is in love with Ni Ni for several reasons. One was his essay on Ni Ni’s role as Azi in the movie “Wukong”. Another was a clip of him and Ni Ni on the ship during filming. He was talking to her when she looked away and seemed a little uncomfortable. This did not look like a scene from the series. Not long after he posted on Weibo that there was a little girl who said he was a little old for her. He added a picture of himself with caption on there saying he was a little heartbroken. In September 2018, he posted that he was in Nanjing and that he liked the city and he liked the people here (Ni Ni lives there). He later removed the quotes from the post, but someone posted a picture of his original post and quite humorously added this quote from TROP, “There is no one more awkward than you in the entire world.” In January, he posted that he was oddly nervous and liked it. 2 weeks later posted that when he is nervous, he stutters and that he stuttered 3 times that day. 2 days later he posted that an actress wanted to get coffee at his work, but that he happened to be away at a meeting when she got there. He said that maybe coffee was more important than seeing him. We later learn that this actress was Ni Ni.
Lol. I think there are plenty of evidences that he likes Ni Ni, but there are fewer evidences that Ni Ni likes him. But they were holding hands and seemed to have eyes only for each other on the Happy Camp show, so who knows.
Oh wow you really compiled an entire timeline loool I admire your dedication.
There are a lot of behind the scenes pictures too. I really want to ship them, but it's so dangerous to ship real people. We should probably stick to the characters instead to avoid infringing upon their personal lives.
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They will be rebroadcasting The Rise of Phoenixes in China! 70 episodes at primetime instead of the 56 episodes HunanTV randomly wedged in between variety shows.
Hopefully that means more people get to appreciate it~
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12 hours ago, niniandkun said:
However, the imperial system is different in different regions and eras. All monarchies don't operate the same way. Earlier others had remarked on the forum how Tiansheng's system itself is different from Jinshi. Zhiwei wouldn't be as free being empress of Tiansheng like she was Queen of Jinshi.
As a lay person and a foreigner, idk how unrealistic it will be if Zhiwei was co-regent in a kingdom based on the Tang Dynasty. Others had mentioned the importance of support from the officials. @skibbies think you said before there was a rule that empresses/consorts cannot interfere with politics whatsoever? Course this is fiction so anything should be possible but again we don't know how odd it will seem to viewers who understand the culture of that era.
Personally I'm all for it. This is what I hoped for them. I don't see why NingYi can't manipulate and make it happen if he wanted to. I can see drama Zhiwei being opposed to it in the beginning because she isn't thirsty for that level of power (and headache that comes with it) but later wanting it so she will have power to protect those she cares about.
@tendrilsofwind and @skibbies what do you guys think?
@skibbies pretty much covered everything. I agree that it would be completely unrealistic for her to be coregent. Wu Zetian is really peerless and managed that feat through both tactical brilliance and ruthlessness, which the drama version of Zhiwei would never resort to. After her death, her daughter and daughter in law as well (I think) tried to emulate her, but were both killed. Wu Zetian is actually my favorite historical figure. Please don't watch the recent drama about her as they made her too insipid to bear.
Zhiwei would probably have even less power than most other empresses due to the fact that she was a princess from a former dynasty. Ning Yi seems to do what he wants, but he still has to consult his advisors/court. They would probably have allowed him to marry her and then raised an uproar about designating her as his empress. NY would also have been forced to marry multiple consorts in order to ensure he had enough heirs.
I also feel like NY's position is not that secure. His dad set a precedent for usurping the throne if you believe the emperor to have lost the mandate of heaven, and that destabilizes the position. It's why Ning Shizheng was so paranoid all the time and why he asked FZW that third test question. I think Zhao Kuangyin used a similar line of reasoning to legitimize himself as emperor, founding the Song Dynasty, and he asked all his old friends and generals to retire. In this atmosphere, it is even more important for NY to follow all the rules.
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28 minutes ago, troptina said:
I'm still in denial that NY will need to propagate with someone else....
Actually, doesn't Sec Yao look like he's almost 60? Assuming his daughter is in her 20s, doesn't it mean he had her at a very old age? In fact, the Emperor seems pretty old too, compared to the age of the Princes. Is it that common back then for men to marry young but bear kids much later in life? Even for Dahua who seems to have been married to XZY for a long time, she was barren until the miscarriage. Or was it that it was actually biologically difficult to bear children back then (ie because of plagues or disease?
It wasn't biologically difficult to bear children, it's just that all the rich men keep acquiring more consorts. One of those situations where the men get older, but the girls they marry stay the same age.
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On 11/30/2018 at 10:57 AM, skibbies said:
The drama have wuxia elements, but it's mostly when Gu Nanyi is concerned, I wouldn't tag it as such because it's so minimal. It's meant to be gliding + jumping really high, and you have to practice for it. The martial arts bit are kind of ??? here because they keep having to come up with stupid reasons for Gu Nanyi to not get involved.
The martial arts choreography is really not the best. I fast forwarded to spare myself from the cringe, especially since Ni Ni doesn't have a martial arts background, but I just keep telling myself the fight scenes are not the focus of the show, so I should just ignore it.
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4 hours ago, niniandkun said:
Spot on about her hypocrisy. I hate her but I do think she was genuinely confused on what to do with zhiwei since the beginning of the show. It does make her character more interesting that, she was struggling with her commitment to dacheng vs her love of zhiwei as a mother. Not that her maternal instincts are anything to go on about (miss sacrifice your own kids for dacheng). I think ultimately that's where it went wrong. She is a better dacheng subject than a mom. Hmm can we draw a parallel between her and the emperor as parents?
Just one scene of her being nice to Zhiwei would've greyed her character more. I really want to understand her for Zhiwei's sake but damn that woman is a b.itch. FZW is way too kind lol.
I saw Qiu Mingying as a little more of a gray character though. In one of the flashback scenes, it was shown that her husband carried off one of her sons right after she gave birth, when she was too weak to stop him. Maybe it is the sunk cost fallacy? She might have felt that she already lost so much for Dacheng, she might as well keep going on this path.
I think all the Chinese viewers are aware of this parallel, but those who aren't can check out Orphan of Zhao to see what this story line is referencing. It was written even before the Han dynasty, so it gives a glimpse into the kind of mindless loyalty that was lauded at the time.
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8 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:
Actually, I think Ning Yi gave Zhiwei credit more than any Tiansheng man ever could... it's just that, in the end Tiansheng wasn't Jinshi. Zhiwei came up with the plan about deceiving Zhongyi which Ning Yi obediently followed. Also followed her advice to light the flare. Sent her to the Yan family to conduct investigation. Believed that she already had a plan to handle Zhongxin and agreed to her plans. Told the head of the guards in Minhai (???) to consult with Zhiwei instead of him. Left her in charge of finding a cure. He allowed Zhiwei to do her job.
In fact, before her gender came out to the public, Ning Yi was willing to let her go alone to Minhai. Not once did Ning Yi treat her like a woman tbh, unless he was flirting with her. However, his protectiveness always came first, since of course, he was in love with her and I don't think Ning Yi has ever been in love before. But then I think had Zhiwei been in the same situation she might have done the same thing too. Anyway, for a person who lived in a very patriarchal society, it amazes me how Ning Yi allows Zhiwei to run around at all.
I agree that NY treated her better than you would expect in a patriarchal society and I don't really think that reflects badly on him since it is human nature to do something like this, but FZW still seemed miffed that he didn't share everything with her (like when he was sick with plague).
7 hours ago, niniandkun said:Woah really?? That does make me feel better. Is it just a Wuxia thing tho? I just finished watching a show called Bloody Romance. I didn't take it too seriously just started seeing casually because of its opening theme (so pretty) and somehow stuck till the end. Anyway I found it hilarious when everyone was flying around like superman on this show but only during the fight scenes or when they have to get away from danger. Does the anti gravity not work in other situations? LOOL..
I think someone described tRop as wuxia too but I didn't find the sequences that absurd. It didn't stand out to me even though its the first time I'm seeing this sort of flying martial arts.
It is kind of a wuxia thing. They always find a secret manual or whatever and emerge more OP than they were before. Flying takes effort though. It's kind of like how I would never run unless it was urgent lol
7 hours ago, niniandkun said:Out of topic, but its always a joy seeing your perspective on here. If you ever start a review blog/vlog anything I'd follow for sure.
Along with this I think he felt really insecure and guilty at that point too. Don't think he got over what Zhi Wei told him when she was drugged.
Also can we not forget the oath !!
Thank you so much! I enjoy reading everyone's perspectives here as well, even the ones I disagree with, since they are all so well thought out. The oath thing really is important even if the mindset makes no sense to me. People in the past really were all in on that whole consummate loyalty thing, what with this oath and the whole restore the previous dynasty even thought it sucked group.
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12 hours ago, skibbies said:
Fun trivia I should mention before I forget, AGAIN. C!net mentioned the way Ning Yi paid respects during Mama Qiu's burial is for parents. He's a prince and he treated her mum like a parent.
That's such an amazing detail. I love it when other people pick up on things like this and share it.
5 hours ago, sonosong said:Yes, I think the editing robbed me of my former joy. (Sadistic writers!) Did he do this because he now knew his mother was alive and he would be returning to basically give up everything and just wanted her to be happy in Jinshi? I never really did understand why he turned her down there.
I don't think Ning Yi knows what a healthy relationship looks like. He loves his mother like an eight year old boy--with an insatiable hunger for contact, all petulant tantrums and reckless behavior. Throughout the show, he craves intimacy, but also draws away at its unfamiliarity. The only thing he seems certain of is his mother's unconditional love for him. I can't think of a logical reason for him rejecting Zhiwei either, but NY is never logical when it comes to matters of the heart. I guess that's what happens when you start repressing your emotions at birth. Even in Minhai, he never let her plot with him. He always felt the urge to protect her, even after she learned to protect herself, even when it involved decisions he had no right to make. I don't want to say this applies to all men, but a lot of men, especially those who believe themselves to be brilliant, truly think they always know better.
On 11/27/2018 at 4:42 AM, storyofthestone said:Just finished 63 and I am all out of emotional reserves. I must be a masochist. My eyelids are raw and my chest hurts. I am going to Italy in a couple days and I am not going to watch the rest until I get home so this show doesn't ruin my vacation. It still kinda might. All I want to do is talk about this show. Apologies if I am incoherent or way too intense, I literally just finished five minutes ago.
Is your username a reference to Dream of the Red Chamber? You should be used to anguish and misery then haha that show messed me up when I watched it as a child.For those of you devastated by the ending, just keep in mind no one in Chinese drama history has ever died after jumping off a cliff. The statistics are on our side.
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I feel like tRoP is more magical realism than fantasy. All the magical elements are nonchalantly thrown in and are more rooted in cultural beliefs than straight up fantasy. Check out One Hundred Years of Solitude or anything else by Marquez (or Borges) for some really outstanding examples and beautiful prose. The English and Chinese translations for both authors happen to have been done exceptionally well, although it is likely to pale in comparison to the original Spanish.
Also I am so happy everyone here disagrees with all those people calling FZW a Mary Sue. I was really annoyed reading all those comments when the show was airing. Those same people never call guys Gary Stus despite their abundance. All the things they criticized FZW for could also have been applied to Wang Kai's character in NiF.
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1 hour ago, sonosong said:
Because he looked absolutely gorgeous bathed in that swatch of sunlight? Kekeke. There should be an official photo of it somewhere. This was a beautiful shot, seriously. (But I should not be on Netflix at work lol oops.)
Yes! This is the one. It's so gloriously composed. I thought it was one of those scenes after he was inadvertently poisoned by the eunuch, but I may be wrong. I searched everywhere and couldn't find a hd photo. They really should have used this for promotion.
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2 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:
Back on topic, I also totally noticed Xin Ziyan not holding the stones properly. I didn't want to say it, because I thought it might sound petty and mean, but since you mentioned it (yes I am blaming you, lol), I can't believe no one corrected him on that. As a scholar, shouldn't he be really good at it? He looked like it was his first time playing. And as for the stones, they could have copied a Go board from an original game. It's not that hard. Hikaru no Go actually just copies most of it's plays from real live game plays. I was hoping that all the nuances that NIng Yi made using the Go board to communicate with his father is actually on the board itself. I was actually thinking of checking those out at one time. But I guess, it's not really there.
I honestly have no idea why not a single show manages to showcase Go correctly. It's especially important here because Ning Yi's name literally refers to playing a game of Go. His matches with his father are also supposed to emphasize this competition that has forever existed between them, transitioning at times from just within the game to their real power struggle.
Also does anyone have a high quality picture of Ning Yi with his hair down, sprawled in the walkway (I guess in English it might be cloisters?) dressed all in white underclothes? The one where he is soaked in the light seeping through the carved window. I think it's one of the scenes where he is in a drug induced haze.
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Yea people used to dub because of accents, but now they dub because so many of the actors can't act. I think this might be the first major show to not dub? It has gotten a lot of praise for it, but unfortunately some complaints as well. I think Chinese people like women's voices to be high pitched so Ni Ni has gotten some flak for her voice. Chen Kun was also criticized for having a Sichuan accent. I couldn't discern an accent, but then again, my mandarin is also slightly accented. I don't really understand the outrage but the internet has some crazy people who are very much opposed to those seeking to change and improve the established standard. Using real voices is really incomparable and conveys a depth of emotion you don't get with dubbing.
However, I will admit that one time I heard a Taiwanese accent when I was watching The Emperor in the Han Dynasty, and I was completely thrown off. Maybe that's what its like for people with perfect, Northern Mandarin when they hear us speak haha
The actress for Feng Zhiwei's mother does fantastic accent work. She can transition into different local accents beautifully, a much neglected skill in the Chinese industry.
A friend of mine also commented on the squeaky factor. I didn't notice either until she brought it up and then I couldn't not hear it. They have a tendency to use the same dubber for all the leads so many female protagonists end up sounding the same. A lot of girls have naturally high voices, but you are right in that the way they are dubbed, it has a strange quality to it.
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23 hours ago, whisper1 said:
I totally agree. The subtle erotic notes in RotP allow a viewer to fill the blanks. For example as FW is undressing behind the screen she asks NY to put out the candle, code for bed time. Couple that with the sound of silk falling or being drawn over the screen, and NYS expression ...well that's the stuff of dreams.
Or as they avoid attack falling to the floor NY whispers I'm so tired. Aren't you tired? Very hot stuff.
The way he looked away with practiced insouciance, staring into the distance with unfocused eyes, listening for the sound of her clothing falling to the floor...It contrasted so well with the previous scenes, where it is established that Ning Yi makes clothing for all the ladies at the brothel. He is constantly exposed to beautiful, willing women, but it is this moment that leaves him spellbound.
I also feel like it's notable that she never asked him to step out and he never offered to step out either. It is highly improper for him to be in the room alone with her.
6 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:Ning Yi said, "There are some things that only exist in the dark." I wonder if he was pertaining to "light can only shine when there is darkness" or that "some things can only be hidden." Was kinda confused about it.
He's referring to their affections for each other. If I remember correctly, there was a flashback to their dalliance in that little room. Both of their most intimate moments up to that point (her undressing in his manor and the scene with him on top of her) occurred in the dark. It's the only then that they allow their pretenses to drop. There is a practical element to this in that revealing their relationship would endanger Zhiwei, but it's also because Ning Yi is really emotionally repressed and thus unable/unwilling to verbalize the extent of his feelings. This motif is echoed throughout the show, like their underwater kiss before they both took their leave of each other. The only time when they were upfront was, like you mentioned, in Minhai.
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@sonosong That nickname might seem a little cringe worthy if it were applied to anyone else, but as soon as Ning Yi said it, I just thought it fit Ni Ni so perfectly.
I'm glad your family ended up liking this drama. My dad also pretended to think the show was frivolous nonsense, but then I went home for break and saw that he had finished watching the entire show. Some guys believe themselves too pragmatic and sophisticated for anything girls like, but that is predicated on the assumption that girls only like silly things. This show, especially the first half, very much echoes HBO prestige dramas. I started it kind of apprehensive because of what a train wreck Tribes and Empires turned out to be (with some of the worst, flattest female characters I have seen in a long time might I add) despite visually looking stunning, but I was blown away by the intricacy of everything. The plot isn't as tight at the end, but it really was obscenely tight in the beginning.
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7 hours ago, sonosong said:
I agree with @skibbies previous comment that, like in Japanese, it's a cultural thing. I don't speak Chinese, but I speak Japanese. It isn't really childish thing to say "I like you" because adults in these two cultures hardly use the word "love." It goes "unspoken" for the most part.
There were multiple translators for Netflix subs, but I don't find this to be a translation error like how "little civet cat/little racoon" was translated as "imposter" in the earlier episodes. (That was one of the cases where they should have translated literally but didn't.)
The fact that they are both "testing the waters" makes "like" appropriate at this point in time. Ning Yi barely recognized his feelings for her as romantic (guy was super in denial all this time although we sure as hell knew better) as he was too focused on everything else. Same goes for Zhiwei.
I agree with you. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say I love you in Chinese in real life.
It's kind of hard to translate 狸猫 to english. For some reason everyone translates it as civet cat/raccoon cat, but in Chinese it just means a little cat or little leopard cat. There is a very popular Chinese legend where a consort substitutes the newborn son of a rival consort, who would be crown prince, for a skinned cat, causing the consort to be lose favor ad be locked up (kind of like Ning Yi's mother's situation). Ning Yi calls Zhiwei 狸猫 because in the beginning, she was an impostor in the sense that she was assuming the identity of her cousin. It must have been kind of weird for people watching the subtitles though.
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4 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:
As for chemistry, OMG, I think I see more chemistry with the tRoP leads standing so far away from each other than the skinship of most dramas. Their love was based on admiration of their unique characters. They were intrigued with each other. They both were not into love and marriage. But they were pulled towards each other. I feel the tug every time they were on the same screen even when they were not looking at each other. Just seeing Ning Yi beam proudly as Zhiwei answered the Emperor's question made my heart flutter. And Zhiwei smiling at Ning Yi's answers to Zhongxin during the Minhai arc was so sweet even though I didn't really understand most of the "proverbs" that he was stating. Ning Yi hiding his amusement as Zhiwei tries to explain away his blank paper. The two of them making fun of Helian Zheng. The two of them mocking Qui Yuluo and Hua Gongmei. To me, what they had was greater than any love. To be so proud of the other person. To feel joy with simply an exchange of wits. They were perfect. Well until the last few episodes...
Love scenes easily gets cheesy to me, which is why I can't stand most romance centered dramas. But not once did this series have anything cheesy on it. The moment they get something going, they get pulled away fast. It only lasts for a few minutes and leave you wanting for more. It is what makes me obsessed with this couple. You want to see them together more instead of thinking "I know you love each other already so get on with the story".
Same. I've watched much more explicit shows, like game of thrones, but to be perfectly honest, those scenes leave me cold. I know it's going to happen and I've seen it played out so many times that it's devoid of any anticipation. I'm all about that buildup and unresolved tension.
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12 hours ago, mspilgrims said:
Hello to you all! I’d like to let you know my opinion - so far - about this show.
Unfortunately, I had great expectations for this drama and now, that I’ve almost finished watching episode 37, they have all been disappointed.
First of all, it’s too slow paced for me. If they had reduced all the sequences regarding bows and the phrases with “Yes, Your Majesty”, “Thank you, Your Majesty”, “You can rise” etc, it would have been a very wise thing to do. The scenes with all the drinking too and then we hear so many times the same project explained, said to a different person and said again. Ok, we get it: in a world similar to the ancient China, you had to have the utmost respect for the Emperor if you didn’t want to lose your life. We know it: all that the main character wants is revenge and absolution for his lost brother, then for his mother.
Plus, I can count the episodes worth watching on the fingers of my right hand. They are really a few and I will avoid spoilers.
The setting, the costumes, the cinematography are top-notch and also the acting but it gets frequently too boring and I have already skipped many parts and still I know what’s going on without losing much.
As for the romance, the male and the female lead are very good with their acting but also their story is underdeveloped: I don’t really see this great love blooming. Most parts of their scenes are deceitful and, even if they are interested in each other saving the life of the other one many times, it doesn’t feel like a romantic sentiment at all, they lack chemistry.
Even if full of clichés, I’ve loved Legend of Furyao and the portrayal of the protagonists' profound love. As far as political intrigues are concerned, I adored (and watched twice) Nirvana in Fire and its outstanding cast. Where does that leave The Rise of The Phoenixes?Is it getting any better in the remaining episodes? Please, share your thoughts!
I don't think this is the type of drama you will enjoy continuing. I know Fuyao takes place in the same world, but the two are very different types of shows, which does cause some issues depending on what people come in expecting. Most viewers who end up enjoying Rise of Phoenixes don't find the pace slow, myself included, because there is so much to unpack with each line and gesture. The characterizations here are more complex, maybe a little darker, than what is typically seen in dramas, and it can be off putting if that's not what you're into.
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3 hours ago, skibbies said:
Voting is always a popularity contest, not how well they perform the role. Wallace Huo have pretty steady fanbase. That contest's votes are kind of suspicious though, they jump up very suddenly. Apparently this award is weird in that if you don't attend, the award goes to the next person, which is...uhhh. Yang Zi already lost out on Golden Eagle and she's extremely popular at the moment so her fans will definitely try to get her the award, she did pretty well in her role too.
Zhao Li Xin, the actor who play Xin Ziyan have also been nominated. Also, I know this is super slim, but since Netflix licensed QIn Empire 2 (why 2 or is it 3?), and previously All Quiet in Peking, I hope they pick up Ming Dynasty 1566 at some point. Both Zhao Li Xin and Ni Da Hong (the emperor) are in it and they did amazing job there. (sidenote: Ni Da Hong are in so many high rated dramas omg) Since it's too heavy and serious for fansubs to ever consider picking up lol.
Douban cheers every time it rise by 0.1, it's super cute. Before Chen Kun would post screencaps, then bunch of antis will come and give one stars and it would drop again. I think 8ish is a decent score, if it gets too high, it'd invite people with high expectations, then they'll end up disappointed by the drama's fairly noticable flaws and it'll drive it down.
The Golden Eagle awards led to a lot drama. I was shocked by the results as well since it's supposed to be one of the most prestigious Chinese tv awards. These polls are just popularity contests so I am more hoping Rise of the Phoenixes wins some of the serious awards.
Ming Dynasty 1566 has very nice eng subs, but the complete version is extremely hard to find. You need like a private investigator to dig through the internet archives.
@niniandkun Liulang is usually used to refer to the sixth son in a family. I don't have a good way to translate into English that doesn't sound kind of weird.
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The ratings on douban have risen to 8.3! Steadily rising.
I think Chen Kun might win the poll, but looking at the female actress lineup, Ni Ni's chances are very slim
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1 hour ago, morganian said:
Haven't heard of Bates Motel. Hubby watches Mr Robot. Will have to ask him whether he thinks I'll like it.
Just finished watching second seasons of Harlots and Handmaid's Tale. Strong female protagonists and heavy stuff (i.e. women's rights, sexual assault, dystopian). Not something that will brighten up your day.
You're right there. Ning Qi did some of the most damage to Ning Yi, mostly affecting the women in his life, and yet Ning Yi was just 'meh'. And that rubs off on us viewers.
Gosh, only in RotP would your older brother be like 'Oh little Shaoning just tried to kill me again. I guess I'm still in her bad books. Too bad she's dead now.'
I enjoyed Harlots and Handmaid's Tale as well. You should definitely check out Mr. Robot! And The Americans if anyone is looking for a female protagonist who is both somewhat likable and ruthless.
2 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:I feel exactly the way you do. He was way better off just as a side character. I could not really get convinced he was the big bad, nor did anyone in the show apparently. Despite all the stuff he managed to reveal, no one gave him any credit. He was just pawn material.
I actually liked Shaoning. Not like "like" as in admire her but I enjoyed her scenes. She was quite annoying at times, but that was her role and I appreciated it. She wasn't boring to me. She hated Ning Yi with a passion but the way she was so open about it all the time made her a force on screen. She had presence. I really enjoyed all her efforts to thwart Ning Yi... in his face. She was the only genuine one in the show actually.
You guys are right I never saw him to be the big bad. I think the show set up Prince An and Zhiwei's brother to be the only ones to challenge Ning Yi. The rest of them were all within his control.
In the poster the production crew released for Shaoning, it said that Ning Yi is actually her favorite brother because she knows all the people she expresses affection for dies
Someone mentioned this earlier, but I love how she tells Ning Sheng and his mom to their faces that the children of concubines are worthless. And when all the people supposed to marry her either suddenly acquired ten concubines or developed ED.
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2 hours ago, niniandkun said:
I'm curious if you'd like shows like Bates Motel and Mr. Robot. Where the protagonists have deeply disturbed minds. Not just NingYi disturbed haha but much more.
Yikes am I gonna get banned from here for talking about so many other shows??
Mr. Robot is the one tv show I've watched where I wouldn't change a thing. Season 2 was a little slow, but it transitioned so beautifully into season 3, which was basically a season long climax. Their depiction of coding is also the most accurate I have ever seen.
It's interesting that people here find Ning Qi kind of bland, but I thought his actor was fantastic in the role. When Zhiwei's mom and brother were facing death, that almost imperceptible flash of sympathy in his eyes was so well done. I did like him because when he was introduced, even I was a little confused as to what his intentions were. His introduction to us in court also harkens back to Ning Yi's first appearance. The character Ning Qi takes his facade very seriously; the faces he wore in front of the emperor were so much more effective because Ning Yi always maintains this mocking undercurrent beneath his obsequeence. Ning Qi utilized the fact that Ning Shizheng was unfamiliar with his character due to banishing him to the borders, along with the attacks launched against him by the Changs, to portray himself as this dutiful, much maligned son, so different from the schemers that abound in the palace. This show set up so many foils to Ning Yi's character, what with Ning Qi and Prince An.
I also felt that Ning Qi was the one prince who suffered no delusions of his father's love. As someone already mentioned, the Crown Prince and Ning Yi, and to a lesser extent Ning Sheng, were all at one point showered with affection by virtue of their mother's status. Yet later on, when all the other concubines of the emperor had already fallen, it is his mother's sincere devotion to the emperor that allowed him to seem honest in association.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between the siblings. Every scene with all of them in court lying to each other, you could tell the most predominant thought in their heads were "I hate my family." Also, I know princess Shaoning was evil, but girl was so dumb I found her endearing. Her manipulations were completely incompetent and she gave us that scene with FZW and NY in the little house. They are all soo extra, pretending to pass out, crying on cue. It added a bit of levity even though I knew their dad messed them all up.
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5 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:
Unfortunately not. The only princess I have seen is Ning Shao (Shaoning), I have always thought she was the daughter of the Empress and Ning Chuan's biological sister, no I am sure she is. because I remember the Emperor's eunuch, Zhao Yuan said she had been visiting her cousin (Ning Sheng) frequently. The Empress and Consort Chang were sisters. The rest of the princes are supposedly dead before the show started, I believe. And I think there were only 2 more because I remember the Emperor said he had 9 sons. As Ning Ji is the 10th prince, I was thinking Princess Shaoning must be the 8th or 9th princess. The other may have died at child birth or some natural causes.
I think they number princes and princesses separately so in total he has ten sons. Maybe you heard the line about a dragon having nine sons? It's super confusing, but it is a common saying in Chinese about how the nine sons of the dragon are all different. I had to stop for a moment and number all of them as well.
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For anyone interested in his other works, Chen Kun is starring in this movie series to be released in 2020! The posters kill me they are so good and I love Investiture of the Gods.
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19 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:
You are kidding? I heard about the bad ratings and some personal attacks about NiNi. But Chen Kun too? But... that makes no sense? Are these people paid to hate or something? Why so much hate?
And NINi is so beautiful. I remember that scene where she had those walnuts (?) in her mouth and Ning Yi asked her why she was not hideous anymore. She was smiling with those things in her mouth and I thought, how gorgeous.
And how does Chen Kun cause a show to flop when I read his bio and he has made blockbusters like Painted Skin and garnered awards for it? That is just terrible. How can they not appreciate such talent... I would understand if they do not like the film, but why the personal attacks... has it always been like this? Is there a particular reason?
I have seen a few eps of NiF, and it is not bad... but none of the characters drew me in, and I am not really into political drama. I can only enjoy it when I am completely invested in a character at least. A lot of people have heaped praises for NiF so I have tried watching it. Did people hate on NiF too, or was tRoP just an exception... are they picking on my Chen Kun?
I find her to be so breathtaking as well. I guess they attract a lot of hate because of how successful they are. Some people were even criticizing him for his Sichuan accent, but I didn't even really notice it. He just made Ning Yi so captivating, exuding power and masculinity even as he defies it by engaging in traditionally feminine tasks. China has had a trend of pretty boys recently, and I actually love pretty boys, but idk how anyone can compare to this intensity and the wildness, barely contained, glinting in his eyes. (I spent my entire life side eyeing crazy fan girls and desperately trying to not come off as ditsy, yet I just wrote this entire, crazy paragraph)
Yea if you don't like political dramas NiF might have lose its appeal. I love political dramas and I liked all the actors so I really enjoyed it. NiF was much better received in China. It is also easier to watch than this one.
19 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:Ming Dynasty 1566 would have been interesting with what you said about it, but why depressing... I like to enjoy and not be depressed.
Ming Dynasty 1566 is very political. Although not entirely historically accurate, it sets up the decline of the Ming Dynasty. As such, the major focus is on corruption and the extent of human depravity. It might not be as depressing if you aren't Chinese, but a lot of Chinese people saw this to be the beginning of the fall of the glory of China. The following dynasty was ruled by the Manchus, who prosecuted the Han Chinese during their rule. If you don't like political dramas you will not like this at all, but those who do should check it out.
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[Mainland Chinese Drama 2018] The Rise of Phoenixes 凰权·弈天下
in Mainland China
Posted
It pains me to talk about Tribes and Empires. The costumes, the sets, the acting, and the cinematography were all phenomenal, but the script and the editing (oh my god the 20 minute flashbacks whyyy) were complete trash. The female characters were so poorly written it was almost offensive. They also wasted 70+ episodes on complete filler--the plot doesn't truly start until the emperor dies and he just refused to die. I actually spent 50 episodes trying to brainwash myself into liking it because of how visually sumptuous it was, but my brain kept interrupting to remind me that the plot was beyond stupid.
With regards to tROP, I agree that they are most likely not going to film a second season. I don't think they have the budget and investors for it, especially considering tROP set a record for the lowest ratings in the history of the channel. I still believe that the first 50 or so episodes of tROP were as close to perfect as it gets though. If only it were possible for a director's cut of the ending to be released :')