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


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15 hours ago, rhaps said:

I think I just remember where I watched Guo Jingfei (as Puyang Ying). Wasnt he in Decoded, as the main lead's mentor? Decoded was a drama set in the 30s-40s about a group of people/youngsters trying to decode secret codes, and IIRC correctly, he was a wise handsome mentor back then. The drama itself was not special for me. I skipped a lot and stopped watching, but wow, he looked so different there. Great acting.

 

I've watched 25-26 :

 

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OMG, all spoilers that I've read were true!! Nooooooo :bawling:, this is too sad!! I was crying eventhough I was watching the Raw!!! :bawling: . How would I survive next week until the end?? :bawling:
 

 

 

 

Btw, is NIF 2 based on a novel? Sorry, just curious. 

Spoiler

NIF2 is original no book and we gotta wait til next week for those episodes ahhh , did he die sacrificing him self? 

 

where are the raws

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Hi everyone! May I join the thread? I love NIF, the drama and the novel so I was really hyped to NIF2. What can i say? I love it! I didn't find the inicial part slow or boring, since when I first watched NIF I had a really hard time to pass the first 12 episodes. I didn't have this problem with NIF2, I love the family bond, the brother, even some childness of PJ.

 

SPOLIER ALERT!

ep 26

Spoiler

 I cried so much! I knew he would die, but it was so sad and cruel, poor PZ. I feel this will put PJ and LX apart, how I wish our Lin Shu could come back and save everyone foreseing those evil actions. Brace yourselves the drama is on.

 

Sorry for the bad English, lets survive next week together.

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Finally found a place to discuss my favourite drama currently!

 

I really love how this show is so unique and different from the first season but also maintains a similar vibe and levity. Its hard to explain - but there's just something about the show that distinguishes it and its predecessor from all the other historical drama out there. It really is lightning in the bottle that we get chinese historical shows with originality, flair, tight script, and seamless storytelling. I mean, the contrast couldn't be stronger with T&E, which has a bloated plot, messy script, disastrous editing the kills tension etc. (most historical dramas have similar errors, along with cookie-cutter storylines and characters). Even the recently well-received The Advisors Alliance suffered in similar ways.

 

The only shows that I consider 'transcendental' in the historical genre are Three Kingdoms and Nirvana In Fire 1, and if this show continues the strong first half (i've watched up to ep. 28), then it may make it there as well.

 

I'm seriously in awe of the script - the arcs transition beautifully (you can go re-watch several episodes back and find connections to an arc happening later, you can see how events the happened in the past have directly influenced an arc happening in the present in unpredictable ways), the dialogue is tight, the plot is unpredictable and exciting. 

 

In fact, I might be starting to love this season more than the first. I thought the character relationships in NiF1, e.g. between Lin Shu and Prince Jing, Lin Shu and Fei Liu etc. were beautifully done, but honestly the relationships that are being presented in this show, as well as the difficulties they encounter during the plot, perhaps even surpasses the first season. The brotherly relationship between PZ and PJ (and who can forget their relationship with their father), the mirroring with the relationship between the King and Tingsheng... 

 

The villains are also very well written, imho done even better than the first season. In the first season, a villain was a villain - greedy and scrupulous princes, disloyal and treasonous subjects, villainous external threats. In the second season, indeed there is still a clear villainous presence in PYY and co. (who's back-story was also done very well and motivations well-explained; I love the parallel of his insincere relationship with his brother and mother compared to that of the Changlin family), but there are also more grey villains. Grand Secretary Xun and the other court officials clearly care for the country, but have misguided suspicious on Changlin Manor, which is understandable because Changlin is indeed powerful with achievements that surpass even the King and they think the intrusion of a military house into civil affairs will disrupt the balance of power, and that whilst Tingsheng is honourable his future generations may hold higher ambitions. Unfortunately they fail to see the hypocrisy in their beliefs: The Xun family hold even more power and control over the court, and yet they seem hungry to amass more power. In then opens a new discussion: does being the family of a new monarch mean that the clan should essentially be 'entitled' to the power of the throne?

 

Suffice to say Ep. 27-28 was so devastating, but so beautifully done too.

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2 hours ago, LyraYoo said:

@rhaps i will take my time and prepare myself for a heartbreak showdown come episode 25-27.

 

I am glad a lot of people are already talking about this on tumblr. More gifs

 

 

@SyntaxError welcome to the forum ! The more, the merrier ! :)

I agree, while everyone here could be a NIF bluff since memoriam, I think NIF2 is if not at par , exceeded my expectations because of the quality of production that it gushes on TV. Not only the smooth character development and progress of storyline, we can see how slick the editing of each scenes. I was literally oggling frame by frame on the action sequence in episode 17

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I love NIF 2 but i still think the first is better for me, NIF had more emotional impact for me.

 

Also after seeing the newer episodes anyone calling Liu Hao Ran a bad actor are clearly blind or something, looking forward to follow him . Novoland Eagle eye has like $75 million budget and hes the lead so excited for that. 

 

What a start hes having , NIF 2 and then Novoland Eagle eye. 

 

I would give NIF 10/10 and this like 9.0 , i still think this show is one of the best Chinese shows . 

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Oh man... Those last 4 episodes (25-28) really turned on the waterworks. If I hadn't been so invested in these relationships, I don't know that I would have cared half as much. At its heart this show is really about family... even with all the trappings of court, battle and behind the scenes scheming, when one comes right down to it, we've been treated to the ongoing dynamic of a loving family.


 

Spoiler

 

It struck me hard watching the the emperor's last moments with the Prince of Changlin that this first chapter had been in part a tale of 4 brothers climaxing in the death of 2. The two that die had the greater power and greater respect so how will the brothers that are left behind deal with what's left... That must surely be the question going into the second half of the drama. 

 

There was never any doubt in my mind that Lin Xi would tell PJ about the choice that PZ and her made for him. That would be consistent with her character and the fact that she would never want to live with a secret between them both. There was never any doubt either how PJ would react to her part in all of this even while acknowledging that she wasn't wrong. However, this would sound the death knell to the carefree, sometimes immature young second master. No longer can he shirk his responsibilities and rely on his older brother. The baton has now been passed on to him and it behooves him to take up the family mantle. Everyone makes it a point to articulate in no uncertain terms that PZ was the obvious choice and the better one to be successor but sometimes perhaps... when the world is in a different place, the less obvious choice might end up being the more suitable one to deal with what's coming. I keep thinking about something that the old prince said to PZ once about PJ... "He thinks differently and does things differently from us because of his jiang hu background." I expect that observation will prove itself to be a crucial turning point for PJ down the track.

 

PJ and LX can't go back to where they were. In a world where PYY has darkened his steps, no one can go back to where they were. I imagine PJ feels guilt when he sees her and thinks regretfully about what could have been. But also I hope that he will come to see that she made her choice because she loves him. After all, she was quite willing to put herself forward as candidate for the snake gall treatment.

 

The empress' seething resentment against the Changlin borders on the irrational IMO. I suppose it comes from jealousy from the emperor's favour of his brother and the Changlin household. It's a wonder that she manages to perceive every action committed by the family as some kind power grab. Even as PJ takes off to the northern border to replace his brother, she construes that not as taking responsibility but as the old prince trying to consolidate his power. Projection much, my lady? And then when her brother the Grand Secretary advises her not to dress the Crown Prince in red while the emperor in mourning over PZ, she sulks. I imagine that will boil over some time and I also wonder if the order she gave during the epidemic will come back to haunt her down the track.

 

Feizhan, as ever is a straight arrow. He won't allow himself to be manipulated by his family when they insist that it is important to take precautions when the handover occurs. It'll be interesting to see how all that plays out when things boil over.

 

 

 

 

 

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39 minutes ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Those last 4 episodes (25-28) really turned on the waterworks.

 

I agree... 

Spoiler

It was so sad.. we lost 2 people in the last two eps. Would you mind explaining something, if you understand it. What did PJ say to LY before LY and his Sister-in-law left? Why did they leave and not stay near home? Why did Xiao Yuanqi decide to leave with PJ? Do you think in this part of the show, Xiao Yuanqi genuinely cares for PJ or is he trying to gain something out of it? 

 

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17 hours ago, JoycceeDreamer said:

 

I agree... 

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It was so sad.. we lost 2 people in the last two eps. Would you mind explaining something, if you understand it. What did PJ say to LY before LY and his Sister-in-law left? Why did they leave and not stay near home? Why did Xiao Yuanqi decide to leave with PJ? Do you think in this part of the show, Xiao Yuanqi genuinely cares for PJ or is he trying to gain something out of it? 

 

 

You must mean LX (Lin Xi)?  :wink:

 

Spoiler

 

He says to her:

"I know of course that it wasn't your fault but when I see you, I can't help but think that there could have been a different outcome. I'm sorry, I just can't... I really just can't..."

 

Xiao Xue was very depressed after PZ's death so the old prince thought it would be best for her to go to Langya Pavilion to take her mind off things and have the baby there.

 

I think Yuanqi always wanted to do great things and I believe wanting to do them with PJ is sincere but whether or not he can maintain that sincerity and sense of friendship in the long run without his own ambition getting in the way, that remains to be seen. At present I believe he means well.

 

 

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Welcome @imhoooked. Great to have you on board sharing in the NiF 2 love. I know, the last few episodes have been heartbreaking but can all grieve together here.

 

@SyntaxError (Haha... your username reminds me of my Apple IIe clone days) Glad to have you onboard.

I'm one of those who's loving the second series just a tad more than the first. Of course it's early days yet and the whole thing might fall apart in the second half. Let's hope not. I adored the first... I watched it 6 times back to back. It blew my mind with its cleverness but this one has absolutely stolen my heart. 

Still each season has its own strengths and there's no doubt that the entire franchise is a shining example to other productions as to how serialized television should be done.

 

@LyraYoo That sword fighting scene between PJ and the princess from Northern Yan was the highlight from that arc. A pity that the crown prince was sacrificed because he was the sensible kind of ruler that was needed for that country. As a whole I'm really enjoying how much more wuxia has been integrated into the second series.

 

@rhaps Her mind had been poisoned to some degree by PYY for some time already. I'm not saying she's not responsible for her actions because I think some time down the track this incident may even come back to haunt her. She's too haughty and arrogant for her own good, obviously learning nothing from that incident. No doubt PYY softened her up over time to a point where she was completely under his spell and she turned into a major superstitious wreck. To her he was miracle worker because he was able to heal but really what he was a cult leader and transformed a group of elite students into a fanatical following blindly doing his will. I'm sure there's a lesson in there somewhere for us all. :wink:

As far as I know, it is supposed to be 50 episodes.

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Another point that my mind cannot forget is Prince Yu's son. Where he is? We know that Lin Shu saved he and his mother, and I really doubt this writer would just forget his existence in NIF2.

Maybe he is the mastermind behind all of this...Can't wait for the future episodes!

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Watched 24 episodes in two days!  I'm bingeing like crazy and then come the brakes... NO MORE EPISODES!!!  

What to do?  I can't wait!  

 

Come to this forum where 25-26 are out and see the comments... NOW I REALLY CAN'T WAIT!!!  

 

LOVING this series, the costumes, the settings, the plot, the acting, everything is so beautifully done.  

 

There is the usual conflict between two romantic characters, either status differences, or prior family commitment, or ?? and all the negative talk between the two characters.   I like you - don't say that to me  --- that kind of stuff.  It doesn't create tension, it's annoying.

Finally nice to have a husband/wife team that are loving and in-love with each other. 

I happen to like political intrigue, but this queen is dumb with a capital D.  

 

I am fully-invested in the series and will wait for each and every episode release.  And then wait again for Eng subs.  

Really must learn Chinese!  And Korean.  

 

If get started now, will have it all down in a couple of lifetimes. 

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This might be a spoiler for the future so dont read unless you want some spoiler

Spoiler


 

At 2.52 you see two people clashing in the big hall one is PJ and the other is Yuanqi , this fight should not even be happening. There is no way Yuanqi who basically trained by him self and got trained by someone else for a little while should even be able to last seconds vs PJ who got trained by skilled people . 

 

 

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44 minutes ago, rhaps said:
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I've seen that before. If you look closely, then there are also other spoilers besides that :D . And there are even more in the 6 minutes extended trailer. I really wonder why chinese dramas sometimes give too many spoilers in their trailers *LOL* . 

 Regarding PJ vs Yuanqi, I think it's hard for Yuanqi to match PJ's level. But I believe that Yuanqi will advance a lot, considering that he has great ambitions and a good teacher. Perhaps the fight is just a friendly spar between the two , although Yuanqi should have a strong desire to defeat him. 
 

 

Spoiler

 

Nah i dont think its friendly i think Yuanqi will go against PJ later on and even if hes advancing and has ambitions he should not be advancing this far and whose his teacher? 

 

PJ's skill would not stay the same either, if you think about the timeline and how many years PJ trained no way Yuanqi should even be a threat vs PJ

 

 

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Trailers / Spoilers - Think these may be made and distributed before the final edit ----> can contain scenes that never appear in the movie/series, or, if watching closely, scenes will appear out-of-sequence compared to the actual production.  WHATEVER!  The trailer/spoiler scenes are always beautiful and intriguing:  The flowing fabric, the fight scenes, the longing looks, all look like ballet in slo-mo.  Making trailers must be a specific skill as they make even the dullest series look exciting and enticing.  

 

WHAT IS UP with that Sorcerer?  Every scene he is cookin'-sumthin'-up!  Stirring, adding, measuring, and lately, caressing his pet snake.  How many of his followers can he kill and still have people who will follow him?  

 

Do/Will the Minister ever learn that the Sorcerer contaminated the little ClownPrince with the plague?  Half of the Clown Prince's DNA comes from that DumbQueen, poor kid doesn't stand a chance.  The attempted murder scene was awesome!  

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55 minutes ago, rhaps said:
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Yeah, I meant was the fight might be just a competition between PJ and Yuanqi, since the scene seemed to be happen in the palace. They wont kill each other there, unless if there's gonna be war/an attack in the palace by Yuanqi. 

PJ's skill should be higher too. I also believe that Yuanqi may not be a threat for PJ later in physical fight (since there's Marquis the top fighter, then I believe that he should become PJ's enemy later :tongue: ). Then again, I believe that Yuanqi's martial art skill will advance, so it wont be easy to defeat him
 

 

 

Spoiler

its more like Yuanqi will control palace/emperor and PJ will have to save him i expect. 

50 minutes ago, LyraYoo said:

I am very much tempted to read your spoilers :tongue:

Stills , changes happening to Ping Jing

 

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he looks so good in the black armor in the trailer i posted a page back. 

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Thoughts on Ep 29-30


 

Spoiler

 

While I will miss the earnest carefree Pingjing, there's much also to like about the new, more circumspect Huai Hua General. The earnestness is still there but it's more intense and one can't help noticing the weight of the world on those rather scrawny shoulders. Even when he's talking to the new emperor, it's clear  that he really has left boyhood behind him. He's still suffering survivor's guilt especially when looking at his father and his sister-in-law, considering what they'd lost and feeling like he'd cheated in what he'd gained.

 

I'm glad Lin Xi has gone off wandering and doing research on herbs in the hope of compiling a kind of herbal dictionary or almanac. It's not like her to sit around and mope anyway. If the closing credits are to be believed, I'm sure they'll meet again

 

I'm fascinated by Yuanqi in that I don't really know what he's really thinking or what he's up to... I never know if he's sincere with PJ or just riding on his coattails or if he's the most honest with his uncle Mozi when he yabbers on about his ambitions. I can only imagine that we'll never be sure until the end.

 

It didn't take the Xun clan long to make their move. By dropping suggestions here and there, they are trying to get the young emperor to establish his own imperial battalion answerable only to him. Of course it's also calculated to cause problems for the House of Changlin, the old prince especially.

 

The new dynamic between the old prince and Jingping has shifted. No longer father chastising his aberrant and wilful offspring but a father who is placing utmost confidence in adult son to make his own choices and be his own man. There were many moving exchanges between them but my favourite was  the dialogue just before Jingping leaves Jinling for the northern border.

"His Majesty has grown up, you naturally are no longer a child. PIngjing, from this day forth, Father believes in whatever you decide to do. Whether it is concerning the Changlin army, whether it is your heart. Whatever decisions you make from now onwards, won't be because of your brother's expectations or even more so, your father's strongly held ideas but because you now have this resolve and have taken on this responsibility."

 

A parallel has been set up between the young emperor Yuanshi and Jingping. Both are struggling to fill big shoes and encountering their own respective set of issues in trying to do their jobs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

@rhaps and @Wotad

There's a scene in Ep. 30 which sees PJ practising his swordfighting skills on Langya Mountain and Xiao Xue comments afterwards that he has progressed quite a lot.

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so Happy this forum is starting to move and more viewer for NIF2. It was hard finding reviews and recap on NIF2 that i thought for awhile no one was watching this series.  Back to NIF2, I really want LX to come back soon. PJ will have this puppy look when he looked at her in the last time they met. You can see the shift in his eyes and how he can barely look at her, made my heart hurt watching that scene.

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