[Mainland Chinese Web Drama 2020] Three Lives Three Worlds The Pillow Book 三生三世枕上书

[MayanEcho]

1 hour ago, Koreandramafan said:

Why do love trials end in two people splitting ? Is the fate intend to separate them apart ??

 

There is a timeframe** for the trials in their book of fate. When the two people separate, it's because their time together is over, or the person's part in the trial has been fulfilled. Like story plots, it's how the love trial plays out from beginning to its end. (**From the way Si Ming was prodding Feng Jiu in TMOPB and ELOD, when he refers to particular times something must take place.)

 

In 3L3W drama adaptations, Bai Qian's trial involves Ye Hua while she was a mortal. It is inevitable that they had to separate as Su Su and Ye Hua, so that Bai Qian can ascend to high goddess and regain the immortal state locked by Qing Cang. 

 

That is why Consort Lexu raged to Bai Qian that whatever happened and experienced during her love trial, should not be begrudged against Ye Hua as Bai Qian did when she regained her memories. What Ye Hua did wrong at that time she was Su Su were parts and parcel for her ascension. 

 

What complicated it between Ye Hua and Bai Qian was that she had to experience her love trial with her fated beloved. Even Ye Hua had his doubts, whether he was just that, the love trial, or they have eternal love.

 

For Dong Hua in TMOPB, Feng Jiu had to make him taste the bitterness of betrayal by the one he loves the most while he was Emperor Song. Her "indiscretion" with Emperor Song's son would have led to her execution; hence, that would supposedly "separate" her from him after giving him immense heartache, except he literally died of the heartache.

 

In ELOD, Feng Jiu had to stay in the mortal realm with Song Xuan Ren due to her interference that led to changes in the story. Since she has to replace the person with whom he would experience unrequited love, she would have to betray him and then leave him in keeping to the book of fate Si Ming wrote for the mortal incarnation of Dong Hua.

 

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@UnluckyWhiteCat if I find something I'll let you know. The additional details and the footnotes are very much appreciated...the dissection can be done later. 

[Koreandramafan]

1 hour ago, MayanEcho said:

 

There is a timeframe** for the trials in their book of fate. When the two people separate, it's because their time together is over, or the person's part in the trial has been fulfilled. Like story plots, it's how the love trial plays out from beginning to its end. (**From the way Si Ming was prodding Feng Jiu in TMOPB and ELOD, when he refers to particular times something must take place.)

 

In 3L3W drama adaptations, Bai Qian's trial involves Ye Hua while she was a mortal. It is inevitable that they had to separate as Su Su and Ye Hua, so that Bai Qian can ascend to high goddess and regain the immortal state locked by Qing Cang. 

 

That is why Consort Lexu raged to Bai Qian that whatever happened and experienced during her love trial, should not be begrudged against Ye Hua as Bai Qian did when she regained her memories. What Ye Hua did wrong at that time she was Su Su were parts and parcel for her ascension. 

 

What complicated it between Ye Hua and Bai Qian was that she had to experience her love trial with her fated beloved. Even Ye Hua had his doubts, whether he was just that, the love trial, or they have eternal love.

 

For Dong Hua in TMOPB, Feng Jiu had to make him taste the bitterness of betrayal by the one he loves the most while he was Emperor Song. Her "indiscretion" with Emperor Song's son would have led to her execution; hence, that would supposedly "separate" her from him after giving him immense heartache, except he literally died of the heartache.

 

In ELOD, Feng Jiu had to stay in the mortal realm with Song Xuan Ren due to her interference that led to changes in the story. Since she has to replace the person with whom he would experience unrequited love, she would have to betray him and then leave him in keeping to the book of fate Si Ming wrote for the mortal incarnation of Dong Hua.

 

×××××××××

 

@UnluckyWhiteCat if I find something I'll let you know. The additional details and the footnotes are very much appreciated...the dissection can be done later. 

So the love trial is beyond your control what is happening to you because it is all written down ? 
yeah just hard to understand if it what they have is love trial or eternal love 

[MayanEcho]

22 minutes ago, Koreandramafan said:

So the love trial is beyond your control what is happening to you because it is all written down ? 
yeah just hard to understand if it what they have is love trial or eternal love 

 

The "story" and the other factors(situation, other people, etc) the person on trial can do nothing about, but he has control on what would be his choices and decisions. His reactions would be all his, and how he copes and passes his tests. 

[MayanEcho]

More quotable quotes by Aranya. Su Moye raised her so well.

 

“I cannot banish my sorrowful longing, so there is no point in hastening it away. The many changes in this ephemeral existence, are but predetermined fate at play. This sorrow and grief, this worry and fear, all shall in due course go on their way.”A-PB2, p175.

 

 

"...Half of the hatred in this world stems from nothing more than the idea itself..."A-PB2, 176

[Megan]

When i think about how naughty Feng Jiu can be, it makes me wonder if she had been in Zhihe’s position, in love with her foster brother DH, would she have bullied a pretty maid to get her out of the way?

[UnluckyWhiteCat]

27 minutes ago, Megan said:

When i think about how naughty Feng Jiu can be, it makes me wonder if she had been in Zhihe’s position, in love with her foster brother DH, would she have bullied a pretty maid to get her out of the way?

 

I think its unlikely if Fengjiu is retaining her personality and base nature. By Su Moye's words: 

 

“Do you still remember the white lotuses which are formed from people’s hearts in the Pundarika Pond in front of Taichen Palace? Lotuses in the Jade Pond change with each season, dawn always comes as night passes, but the tens of thousands of white lotus blossoms in the Pundarika Pond remain forever unchanged... Is what’s unchanged the lotus, or a person’s heart?... Yes, only a person’s heart can’t be changed so easily. For example, Junuo towards you; for example, Changdi towards you; or for example, Shangjun and Junhou towards you.” -A-PB2, 77-78

 

In the same way Junuo, Changdi, Shangjun and Junhou always treated Aranya terribly, no matter if she is the real Aranya or Fengjiu, Fengjiu's base nature won't change even if she were in Zhi'he's shoes. Even if she is naughty, she has never really been a bully in the same way Zhi'he is. Moreover, we see that it isn't a part of her nature to cling onto something so stubbornly no matter what. Yes, she is persistent, and very persistent at that, but she never once deliberately harmed someone else for her own gratification, and she knew when it was time to give up and let it go. Zhi'he was never really able to do that, she even let her jealousy consume her so thoroughly that she wound up bullying a lowly maid. Everything goes back to their base nature: their natures are just too different for them to wind up having the same reactions to a situation. 

[Megan]

35 minutes ago, UnluckyWhiteCat said:

 

I think its unlikely if Fengjiu is retaining her personality and base nature. By Su Moye's words: 

 

“Do you still remember the white lotuses which are formed from people’s hearts in the Pundarika Pond in front of Taichen Palace? Lotuses in the Jade Pond change with each season, dawn always comes as night passes, but the tens of thousands of white lotus blossoms in the Pundarika Pond remain forever unchanged... Is what’s unchanged the lotus, or a person’s heart?... Yes, only a person’s heart can’t be changed so easily. For example, Junuo towards you; for example, Changdi towards you; or for example, Shangjun and Junhou towards you.” -A-PB2, 77-78

 

In the same way Junuo, Changdi, Shangjun and Junhou always treated Aranya terribly, no matter if she is the real Aranya or Fengjiu, Fengjiu's base nature won't change even if she were in Zhi'he's shoes. Even if she is naughty, she has never really been a bully in the same way Zhi'he is. Moreover, we see that it isn't a part of her nature to cling onto something so stubbornly no matter what. Yes, she is persistent, and very persistent at that, but she never once deliberately harmed someone else for her own gratification, and she knew when it was time to give up and let it go. Zhi'he was never really able to do that, she even let her jealousy consume her so thoroughly that she wound up bullying a lowly maid. Everything goes back to their base nature: their natures are just too different for them to wind up having the same reactions to a situation. 

True, when Feng Jiu heard about Jiheng being the fiancée, she never did sabotage her, but avoided her whenever she could. And while not the pampered sister, she was a beloved pet that Dong Hua definitely adored and prized above his own wedding.

[ChibiLy]

22 hours ago, Megan said:

When i think about how naughty Feng Jiu can be, it makes me wonder if she had been in Zhihe’s position, in love with her foster brother DH, would she have bullied a pretty maid to get her out of the way?

 

I think FJ may be playful and at times stubborn, she is innately a kind person. So I doubt she would behave as extreme as ZH.

 

On 11/18/2020 at 8:26 AM, Koreandramafan said:

So the love trial is beyond your control what is happening to you because it is all written down ? 
yeah just hard to understand if it what they have is love trial or eternal 

 

 

These love trials are suppose to help deities boost their cultivation before they are qualified to ascend to higher god status. Living as mortals, the deities would experience and understand life; to suffer through ill health, love, old age and lack of family etc. If the deity end up having a smooth mortal life, that would mean he had not experienced the suffering mortal life can bring. 

In ELOD, Dong Hua descended to mortal realm, because that was the quickest way for him to cultivate. Siming had written a ill fated life for Dong Hua as a mortal, he was suppose to experience the bitterness of lack of parents and sibling love, the lack of true love, the physical pain from war injuries and so on. Feng Jiu, in her desire to protect Dong Hua, altered his mortal trial suffering to a large extent; Feng Jiu had derailed his love trial and he was for a short time experienced some type of love from Feng Jiu. When Feng Jiu died, this caused the mortal Dong Hua to die early, so he did not experience the suffering of old age. 

 

I think the beauty of Dong Hua and Feng Jiu' story is that they defy fate. Fengjiu's persistence helped to change their love fate. Once Dong Hua met Feng Jiu, he was a goner! 

[Megan]

3 hours ago, ChibiLy said:

These love trials are suppose to help deities boost their cultivation before they are qualified to ascend to higher god status. Living as mortals, the deities would experience and understand life. What it is like to suffer through ill health, love, old age and lack of family etc. If the deity end up having a smooth life, that would mean he would have have experienced the suffering mortal life can bring. 

I doubt Ye Hua’s family has ever experienced these love trials as humans. Except maybe Lian Song.

[MayanEcho]

17 minutes ago, Megan said:

I doubt Ye Hua’s family has ever experienced these love trials as humans. Except maybe Lian Song.

 

Lian Song was an immortal when he was in the mortal realm. He was sent there for a mission.

 

Drama POV, in TMOPB,  Ye Hua and his cousins Zhi Yue and Yuan Zhen were in the mortal realm for punishments, and were mortals as they pay their penance.

[Megan]

38 minutes ago, MayanEcho said:

 

Lian Song was an immortal when he was in the mortal realm. He was sent there for a mission.

 

Drama POV, in TMOPB,  Ye Hua and his cousins Zhi Yue and Yuan Zhen were in the mortal realm for punishments, and were mortals as they pay their penance.

I don’t think they count because those were punishment trials, not ascension trials. And how is it that Zhi Yue remembers who Dong Hua is?

[MayanEcho]

On 18/11/2020 at 4:23 PM, Megan said:

I don’t think they count because those were punishment trials, not ascension trials. And how is it that Zhi Yue remembers who Dong Hua is?

 

Although there for punishment, Yuan Zhen was supposed to tangle with Dong Hua over the "fell in the water" maiden.  Zhi Yue, her scene IIRC, was that she just arrived into the Palace, presumably another concubine for Dong Hua just when he died - her inner thought was that why did this happen just when she just arrived? Not necessarily that she remembers, her lines were vague enough to either she's aware of who she is and Dong Hua, or she wasn't. 

 

EDIT: confirming that Zhi Yue's thought dialogue in Ep43 TMOPB is "It can be...I just got here."

[SilverDawn]

20 hours ago, MayanEcho said:

"...Half of the hatred in this world stems from nothing more than the idea itself..."A-PB2, 176

Valid point! I really need to read the book again- Love this quote!

[ChibiLy]

16 hours ago, Megan said:

I doubt Ye Hua’s family has ever experienced these love trials as humans. Except maybe Lian Song.

That is probably why they lack empathy.

[Megan]

I just thought of something ironic. Dilireba was in Qinghua’s position in King’s Woman. She acted as a forced wife of a man she hated so her child would be spared...

And in V Love, Amber’s (Reba) father actually prefers her to date Vengo’s character. A complete contrast to Bai Yi. Lol

[MayanEcho]

15 hours ago, ChibiLy said:

That is probably why they lack empathy.

 

If they are in mortal realms in their immortal state, I can imagine the backfires whenever they resort to do things through magic. 

 

But yes, more than that, they've to learn empathy and kindness in general. There should be no differences in treatment just because the other being has no power and has finite years to live.

[MayanEcho]

 

Like his origin the Tai Chen solitary monk deity infamous for his calamitous smile, the shadow is a good-looking recluse! 

 

 

"You are ridiculously handsome and ridiculously intelligent, but you keep that straight face on all day long. Obviously, your serious face is more handsome than your smiling one, but you should still smile a bit now that you've come to see me off. Make me feel more comfortable, hmm?” A-PB2, p228

 

It was said that in addition to his peerless appearance, this Archmage also possessed an indifferent and proud personality, and was difficult for others to get close to. His behaviors quite fitted the rumors. Ever since he took over Qinan Shrine, the shrine became more low-profile. If there wasn’t a major ceremony, it would be hard to spot the Archmage's shadow. A-PB2, p228

 

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...More than you'll ever think possible, little fox...

...You will have in your hand

the half of his heart...

 

 

Source: ELOD, YT (screenshots by poster)

[Megan]

8 hours ago, MayanEcho said:

Like his origin the Tai Chen solitary monk deity infamous for his calamitous smile, the shadow is a good-looking recluse! 

 

"You are ridiculously handsome and ridiculously intelligent, but you keep that straight face on all day long. Obviously, your serious face is more handsome than your smiling one, but you should still smile a bit now that you've come to see me off. Make me feel more comfortable, hmm?” A-PB2, p228

 

It was said that in addition to his peerless appearance, this Archmage also possessed an indifferent and proud personality, and was difficult for others to get close to. His behaviors quite fitted the rumors. Ever since he took over Qinan Shrine, the shrine became more low-profile. If there wasn’t a major ceremony, it would be hard to spot the Archmage's shadow. A-PB2, p228

 

××××++++××××

 

...More than you'll ever think possible, little fox...

...You will have in your hand

the half of his heart...

 

Source: ELOD, YT (screenshots by poster)

It’s weird. Shen Ye is more like Dong Hua but Xuan Ren seems so different from them.

he isn’t cold at all. Stern and authoritative, but he is relatively more open than they are. He gets along well with his chief eunuch, Qingti, his mother. He even smiles more...

Edited November 20, 2020 by Jillia
Please do not quote pics! Thanks!

[MayanEcho]

8 hours ago, Megan said:

It’s weird. Shen Ye is more like Dong Hua but Xuan Ren seems so different from them.

he isn’t cold at all. Stern and authoritative, but he is relatively more open than they are. He gets along well with his chief eunuch, Qingti, his mother. He even smiles more...

 

Drama POV,  Song Xuan Ren was young and hasn't dealt yet with very bitter life experiences. He was the Crown Prince at birth, and was treated as if he is her own son by his stepmother. Only his elder sibling Prince Ying didn't favour him much, and that too covertly until he had the chance to collaborate with the enemy state.

 

 

He didn't experience heartbreaks and betrayals one after another yet.

 

 

Whereas Shen Ye, even when he was privileged as the Archmage, has been betrayed and lost with nary a hope of bringing back to life his Aranya. 

 

 

Source: ELOD, YT (screenshots and gif by poster)

 

Also, drama and book POV, Shen Ye is created from half the shadow of Dong Hua, incarnated in the Fanyin Valley for the purpose of guarding the Huiming realm and to counter Miao Luo while the emperor was in his century of deep sleep. Him having very similar traits and disposition with his origin is inevitable.

 

Zhonglin sighed. He said, “Even though Dijun has already subjugated the Miaoyi Huiming Realm and locked up  Miao Luo, if it's known that Dijun fell into a deep sleep for this, even if Miao Luo has already been imprisoned, I’m still afraid she might suddenly wreak some sort of havoc. To protect Dijun's 100-year sleep from a reappearance of Miao Luo’s scourge, I gave some thought and recently found a way. Elder, you are very good at creating souls. If Elder can take half of Dijun’s shadow to make a soul and send it into Fanyin Valley… Of course, when this soul is born, he won’t know that he’s Dijun’s shadow, nor will he know that he is shouldering the great responsibility of guarding the Huiming Realm. Still, this soul will ultimately still have a trace of Dijun’s breath. As long as he is reborn in Fanyin Valley, he will be a deterrent to Miao Luo. Furthermore, the Biyiniao Clan of Fanyin Valley have a finite lifespan. Once their body is turned to dust, the reincarnated soul will naturally return as half of Dijun’s shadow. As far as Dijun is concerned, there is really nothing to worry about later on.”    

 

After a length of silence, Elder Yunzhuang pondered aloud, “Xianjun, you’ve considered this matter so thoroughly.This old man was also just thinking a moment ago that this is the only viable method. But in this old man’s opinion, after this old man creates this soul and sends it to Fanyin Valley, Xianjun and I both need to drink   amnesiac water to forget about this matter. Since Xianjun has always been meticulous, I assume you’ll also agree with this old man. Although this reincarnated soul is said to only be a fraction of Dijun’s shadow, it is still a piece of Dijun. If either of us inadvertently reveal this matter, a determined person could very well give us trouble by devouring this soul. Dijun will be weak during his sleep, and hence his immortal foundation will certainly be   affected.” A-PV2, p243

[Megan]

Do you guys think that if Feng Jiu had been reluctant to accept Dong Hua’s courting in Aranya’s Dream, do you think he would use the amnesia potion on her?