[Mainland Chinese Drama 2017-2018] Nirvana in Fire: The Wind Blows in Changlin 琅琊榜之凤起长林

[liddi]

Funny post by the Liang king Liu Jun from his new drama "The Story of Minglan"  Gosh... I miss this cast: 

 

莱阳太夫人，你曾经把我做成小人偶，在家天天拿针扎我，别以为我已经不记得了。#知否知否应是绿肥红瘦# @刘琳

Grand Lady Laiyang, you once made an effigy of me and stabbed me daily with needles, don't think I have forgotten. #TheStoryOfMinglan @LiuLin

[liddi]

At long last, my NiF2 novel is finally here, along with the picture postcards of the 2 couples. Unexpectedly, Pingjing and Linxi's postcards are in Vol 1, while Pingzhang and Qianxue's are in Vol 2. Guess I expected them to be the other way round, since Vol 2 starts with Pingzhang's death. Anyway, can't wait to start reading!

 

[njoac]

On 4/16/2018 at 4:31 PM, liddi said:

At long last, my NiF2 novel is finally here, along with the picture postcards of the 2 couples. Unexpectedly, Pingjing and Linxi's postcards are in Vol 1, while Pingzhang and Qianxue's are in Vol 2. Guess I expected them to be the other way round, since Vol 2 starts with Pingzhang's death. Anyway, can't wait to start reading!

 

 

 

Patiently waiting for your review on the book.

[liddi]

On 4/19/2018 at 7:29 AM, njoac said:

 

Patiently waiting for your review on the book.

I can't promise it will be soon due to various other demands on my attention... but I'll definitely post my thoughts as and when I can.

[Lids]

For the Pingjing and Linxi lovers:

 

 

[liddi]

NiF2 will be broadcast on Taiwan cable channel 緯來戲劇台 Videoland Television Network starting May 29th Mon-Fri 9-11PM, and the novels are re-published by 尖端 in 6 volumes, with Vol 4 released April 30th. Wonder how many episodes is this broadcast. Would it be the same as the iQiyi version, or is it possibly the rumoured Director's cut. Hopefully more information will be available soon!

 

cr. 桂花糕&鳳凰酥－尖端華文小說坊 Facebook

 

[amyhpbrett]

On 1/6/2018 at 12:08 PM, littlemay said:

After watching the first 18 episodes with English Subtitle, "I like it!"

I expected  Nirvana in Fire #2 to be boring, but the Xiao family grow on me. The love between the 2 brothers and the Father is fun to watch. Especially the interactions between Father and the 2nd son. so far, the story is not that crazy (especially with the wacko High priest) and i love how Ping Jing flirt with Dr. Lin. This romance is low key and sweet to watch.

https://m.weibo.cn/5398402701/4244440715762819

Hi littlemay, I translated your comment into Chinese, and the Royal Father Tingsheng/the actor Sun Chun replied on weibo.

Click the link:)

[liddi]

Sighting of our Changlin heir at the 10th Annual Cross-Strait Film Exhibition. Has it been almost 4 months since the broadcast ended? Feels like only yesterday...

 

 

[littlemay]

On 5/27/2018 at 7:17 PM, amyhpbrett said:

https://m.weibo.cn/5398402701/4244440715762819

Hi littlemay, I translated your comment into Chinese, and the Royal Father Tingsheng/the actor Sun Chun replied on weibo.

Click the link:)

 OMG! OMG! you made my day! Wow. Being American, I never expected Mainland China Actors/Actress will ever see my comments! Going to take a pic of that link and save it! Thank you so much!

[celebrianna]

Gosh, I’m on episode 12 and I confess I am watching this in constant trepidation of the first prince dying. According to the synopsis on DramaFever he will be killed but I can’t even prepare my heart and I’m hoping they just mean the battle at the beginning of the show.

[liddi]

@celebrianna Welcome! So happy to see the drama drawing in new viewers, and hope that you will find much to love about it. Do share your thoughts here as you watch - would love to hear how you find it  

 

Revisiting scenes and aching once more over the immovable bond between father and sons of the Changlin family... one that defines this unforgettable drama. I miss them...

 

 

[celebrianna]

@liddi, thanks for the welcome. Work was so hectic this week that I haven’t watched an episode since last Saturday but at least I’m on episode 17 and hope to pick it up again tomorrow. 

 

I have to say I love the Changlin family too. I particularly love how well the brothers get along and their relationship with their father is solid. I’m really not looking forward to the difficult road ahead for PJ but I made it through NIF with many tears so I suppose I have what it takes to weather the storm ahead. It just seems like everyone is scheming against the Changlin family even though like PZ says, they have no political ambition. It’s pretty sad to learn what they did to Sister Meng. Things can only get worse as the trusted cousin turns on them.

[a7sana]

Hi everyone!! Not sure if anyone comes back in here now but I've just recently finished both nirvana in fires! This was my first time watching anything in chinese. What a way to start amirite?! xD
Now Im going through severe withdrawal symptoms and haven't been able to think about anything but nif2 These two dramas will forever be in my heart.
I came across soompi in my desperation to hold onto anything related to nif2. And this place has been such a recluse for me, I have gone through all 40 pages of it and now that Im done, I feel like im saying goodbye to nif2 all over again!!! Aghhh.

But can I just say all the detailed analyses of the characters, the plot and the writing, are so cleverly articulated, y'all so smart Im in awe. I just couldn't get enough of reading everything you guys wrote, I loved how you all had such diff opinions, diff perspectives but maintained it all with such good discipline. Sometimes some of you had same opinions but had diff justifications for it, and I LOVED reading all that!
All the translations and the weibo links and BTS vedios and yt links are all soooooooooo appreciated THANKYOU. I'm an international fan, so I'm heavily dependent on english translations.

I think im definitely in the minority when I say I love nif2 just a taaaaaaad bit more than nif. I think its because nif2 has been such an emotional rollercoaster for me. It just tugged at all my heartstrings,right from the start! Iam aware nif2 is not without its flaws. Its like I have two kids and one is the ideal most darling child and the other one is this trouble maker that I have a soft spot for. ( i think ill be a terrible mother loll)

After reading all your thoughts and also watching avenueX review on yt, I think there are some things that could have been worked upon!
I for one think that if lx, pj, and yuanqi had a nice friendship, it would have caused all the more anguish to us viewers as well as the characters. An aloof lx helping yuanqi during his times of grief, a mischievous pj telling of his tales from langya and a lonely yuanqi finding home in 2 people he can call friends. If that friendship was developed and properly fleshed out, woah, can you all imagine how hard it would have been for yuanqi when he decides to betray and how heartbreaking for pj to learn of a dear friends betrayal. How heartbreaking would it have been for 3 friends to part ways when things start to change(pj and yuanqi off to northern borders, lx to langya) we'd have had to cry over a broken friendship, and I like the idea v much. Or maybe not. Maybe I'd just like to scream YUANQI, DIE YOU DISGUSTING SNAKE. Hahahaha.

Also when avenueX said in her review that the actor who played yq didn't have enough charisma..I didn't get it at first. But then I thought of how things would have turned if LHR had played yuanqi. I think he would have been really adept at portraying all the emotional turmoil yq goes through, and if someone like LHR level charisma was picked out to play yq, oh our anguish would have been through the roof xD It was a little too easy for me to hate yq tho, from the very start I had a really uneasy feeling about him.

And finally how lx and pjs relationship was handled. I think I might once again find myself in the minority when I say I absolutely loved lx. Although I absolutely love consort meng,I sometimes thought she couldn't be both warrior meng and consort meng at the same time. I mean ofc you cant be warrior meng when you're having dinner with your husband but...you get me? I'm clearly not as articulate as some of you forgive me xDD Whereas lx is the same whether or not she's with pj. Part time cold, full time talented doctor.
And the conversation between lx and pj that made people believe she was giving an unfair ultimatum to pj....mmm I dont think so.
It really didn't feel like an ultimatum to me. Funny how nobody talks about how pj goes back on his promise of 'herb picking' with lx as some of you put it xD I mean if it was another girl from another drama she'd be lying on the floor yelling 'HOW COULD YOU. WHERE'S THE HONOUR IN THY PROMISE!!!' But here we have lx, cool as a cucumber, completely understanding that yes, this boy has changlin blood in him, so yes he has to do what he has to and go where he has to. And then she says something like my heart will always be waiting for you(?) Meaning I believe in
You, I am willing to wait for you, I am so in love with you whether or not you can be physically present with me. And then, 'but my footsteps will not wait for you' bam. Yas YASSSS. Seriously guys, thats healthy. Everyone talking about pjs wasted potential if he goes with lx, but hello? This girl right here has so much to offer. She is so talented has her own dreams, so why shouldn't she go chase after them? I agree this drama is not about her but cmon, she gotta do what she gotta do too. Idk which part of that conversation made lx seem selfish, I never saw it that way. Particularly so bc it was never pjs wish to forever stay in the capital.
And also something tells me pj would never be completely happy going back to the capital. He has lost so much...to go back and be reminded of all that, i really can't picture him happy there.
Also I don't think pj would resort to just herb picking, like someone else said, I can see him doing great things! XD <3
And completely agree on how the changlin spirit transcends blood ties!!!

Did this get long. Idk if anyone would even read this LOL but have to get it off my chest. Also I made a soompi account just for this hahaxD

[liddi]

This beautifully made tribute to the one and only Prince of Changlin, 萧庭生 Xiao Tingsheng - loyal subject, unwavering patriot, wise counsellor, faithful student, filial son, exemplary father, loving brother, ... he was all this and more. Miss him.... 

 

 

[liddi]

The following is a segment of an article dated 13 Jun 2019 which features a recent interview with NiF and NiF2 producer Hou Hongliang:

 

不过，侯鸿亮也坦言，对于真实感的坚持有可能在现实中碰壁，比如《琅琊榜》，电视台因担心观众会入戏太慢而弃剧，在审片时将前5集剪掉了3集，结果，《琅琊榜》播出时，有许多声音反映开篇看不懂。对此侯鸿亮说，“不能舍弃对氛围的营造。我们经常说观众耐心不够，但有时候这是一种审美能力，不能降低了审美去迎合观众，而是要引导观众去具备这个审美能力。

However, Hou Hongliang also admitted that the persistence to maintain a sense of realism may hit a wall in reality. Take for example Nirvana in Fire. Due to concerns by the broadcasting station that audiences would abandon the drama if the pacing was too slow, 3 out of the first 5 episodes were cut during the drama review. As a result, when Nirvana in Fire was broadcast, they received a lot of feedback that [the audience] could not understand the opening of the drama. To this, Hou Hongliang said, "We cannot sacrifice the creation of the atmosphere. We often say that the audience is not patient enough, but sometimes this is a kind of aesthetic sense. Aesthetics should not be sacrificed to cater to the audience, but rather [we] should guide the audience to cultivate aesthetic appreciation."

 

A cut of 3 whole episodes! I am then reminded of reports that the Korean broadcast of NiF2 supposedly had additional scenes that were not shown in the China broadcast. Which once again has me wondering if we will ever have the chance to see all these additional footage. Sigh.

[GiaGia]

I'm late to the party, but is this one good? I love NIF!!!!!! Def NIF is one of the best Chinese producing drama out there. This one have a good reviews of 8.8 on mydramalist. Maybe I'll watch it^^!!!!

[liddi]

@rosierosie Welcome! I personally love NiF2 more than NiF, because it resonates with me thematically far more and showcases the ideals across all manners of relationships amid a backdrop of intrigue, betrayal and peril. Do give it a try and hopefully you will enjoy it too  

[tothestars]

10 hours ago, rosierosie said:

I'm late to the party, but is this one good? I love NIF!!!!!! Def NIF is one of the best Chinese producing drama out there. This one have a good reviews of 8.8 on mydramalist. Maybe I'll watch it^^!!!!

 

The story is very good, how the Xiao Family has underwent so much things because of their family glory, which their loyalty somehow being questioned. The actors also very good, their chemistry is superb! You should try watch it!

[40somethingahjumma]

There are aspects of NiF 2 that I love a lot more than the NiF1  and vice versa but honestly... what a great franchise. Both are quite different in their approach. The family dynamics of NiF 2 is simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. That would be its greatest contribution to the franchise. Definitely worth a watch. 

[ninonosaur]

I just finished watching NiF2 last month and have been trapped in my attachment with the characters (namely the Xiao family) so much. I had been avoiding this sequel for the longest time because I was afraid it wouldn't live up to its original series, but boy was I dead wrong (but also thank goodness I ended up giving it a go, albeit a little too late).

 

I have grown so attached to the Xiao family (namely Pingjing, Tingsheng, Pingzhang and the emperor) and I feel like it's been years since I've grown this attached to any character. I made my whole family watch it after me and all my conversations with my sister have just been revolving around the NiF universe. The love they shared as a family just felt so real, and it was so nice to see warm family bonds being depicted so amazingly on screen. I've been feeling such a huge loss after completing this series - I just keep coming back to rewatch happy scenes as well as emotional scenes and becoming an emotional wreck again and again, but thanks to everyone here sharing all their well constructed thoughts, analyses and translations on the series, I've been somehow managing to keep afloat all the overwhelming feelings. The BTS clips have been so heartwarming to watch and it's so lovely to see how close bonded the cast is!!

 

Thank you as well especially to all the subbers and translators that have been involved in sharing this amazing show! It's thanks to you guys that non-Mandarin speakers like myself have been able to come across and meet all the characters and actors through this wonderful show.