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

[aziandreamz]

Wow... I had no idea this show was even a possibilty!!

tMOPB was the show that got me hooked to cdramas and this pairing was  major part of it.

Im so excited!

[hara128]

So, because I'm obsessed and waiting for next December is just so hard, I'm writing a fanfiction about Dijun and Fengjiu (I'm only about a thousand words in at the moment) starting from where the drama left off. I know that the Pillow Book drama probably won't line up with TMoPB since it'll be adapting the Pillow Book, which is why I want to write about the drama after story. Drama Dijun and Fengjiu need a happy ending, or at least an ending....and that's when you know you're an obsessed fan. You can't find fanfiction to resolve your pain so you decide to write it yourself...The withdrawal is real, guys. Half a year isn't enough to make me stop rewatching this drama.

 

The fanfiction probably won't have much to do with the Pillow Book plotline, because I've only read small parts of it since I'm bad at reading Chinese, but I've gotten my hands on the hamster translation so I'll probably be reading that soon.

 

Just as a question though, would anyone be interested in reading it? And if so, where would I put it?

[Kimberly Amor]

11 hours ago, hara128 said:

So, because I'm obsessed and waiting for next December is just so hard, I'm writing a fanfiction about Dijun and Fengjiu (I'm only about a thousand words in at the moment) starting from where the drama left off. I know that the Pillow Book drama probably won't line up with TMoPB since it'll be adapting the Pillow Book, which is why I want to write about the drama after story. Drama Dijun and Fengjiu need a happy ending, or at least an ending....and that's when you know you're an obsessed fan. You can't find fanfiction to resolve your pain so you decide to write it yourself...The withdrawal is real, guys. Half a year isn't enough to make me stop rewatching this drama.

 

The fanfiction probably won't have much to do with the Pillow Book plotline, because I've only read small parts of it since I'm bad at reading Chinese, but I've gotten my hands on the hamster translation so I'll probably be reading that soon.

 

Just as a question though, would anyone be interested in reading it? And if so, where would I put it?

How about Wattpad? Easy access or if you have wordpress. ☺ Ill surely be reading it once available

 

[lovelygoddess]

New here !! Just finished reading the book and couldn’t put it down. Wasted many hours of sleep to stay up to read. Couldn’t put it down!!  Also didn’t have anyone to truly talk about it so I am so happy to have found this place. I can truly let out my inner fan nerd ness !! 

 

Does anyone know if the author finished writing the other books ? I know theres two other ones after this ?? 

[redfoxprincess]

@enigmatic_zephy In Chinese dramas, 99% of the time, it’s not their own voice. They are all voiced by professional voice actors. The most important reason for this is because China is HUGE with hundreds of provinces and dialects (heavily affecting their accents), and not everyone can speak Mandarin (or to the required proficiency) due to many actors being brought in from Hong Kong, Taiwan (Mark Chao i.e. Ye Hua is Taiwanese) and even Korea and Japan. Many people remark on how strange it is that Chinese dramas use voice actors. But if they didn’t use voice actors, it would be even stranger, eg. imagine Dijun speaking with a strong country accent or something like that. Just an example. In this case, both Vengo and Dilraba’s own voices are fine, but the practice is to have voice actors for all of them, as it is probably logistically easier. I had no issue with FJ’s voice actor and did not feel she spoke like a 3yo (probably because it was already a marked improvement from the audiobook’s voices of DH & FJ! ) An earlier post has a video of FJ’s voice actor and she is a middle-aged lady. FJ was, however, portrayed to be naive and with the typical annoying thought-processes and quirks of a teenager, because she is supposed to be only about 16-18 in human years. That is her age in the book. She was annoying and dumb and made very questionable decisions in the drama. But Dilraba was super cute and DH was super hot and that was enough for me! I agree with @jimmylyne and think Vengo portrayed DH to perfection, even with all the changes, and i have absolute confidence he’ll do it again with all the complexities of the true DH character in The Pillow Book. But people seem to either say he was flipping excellent or his acting lacked, so a matter of opinion and preference, i guess.

 

However, as i and others have pointed out, FJ is much more mature in the book and completely opposite to the way she was characterised in the drama. Her maturity for a 16yo is refreshing, her reasoning is fine, her integrity is admirable and her innocence is adorable. She is also very compassionate and caring, if perhaps sometimes a little naive, but she is a teenager! The huge difference in characterisation is due to the premise of the book: FJ avoids DH while DH chases her. Eternal Love was mainly about YH & BQ so they can’t have 2 female leads, which is why they had to dumb down FJ’s character. With the complexities and, frankly, AWESOMENESS, of The Pillow Book and all the characters in it, DH & FJ would easily, EASILY outshine YH & BQ if they brought in everything from The Pillow Book. But that is NOT what Eternal Love is about. Chronologically, since DH & FJ’s love story happens almost 300 years after the end of Eternal Love, they also can’t really have the 2 stories happen at the same time. I mean, the first time DH & FJ meet properly is at YH & BQ’s wedding! Instead, they made up DH & FJ’s story to fit into the timeline of Eternal Love. In fact, if it was according to the book, DH would have been asleep the ENTIRE TIME due to his 100-year sleep coinciding with most of the events in Eternal Love. The other reason is Yang Mi’s Jaywalk studio does not own the production rights to The Pillow Book, hence the DH & FJ story in the drama is basically COMPLETELY made up, and their characters, although with some similarities in clothing or status or whatever to The Pillow Book, actually have completely different personalities. Luckily, Jaywalk studio is partnering with Penguin for The Pillow Book drama, so some actors will get to reprise their roles.

 

I don’t think people will get sensitive to what you say when it’s your own opinion and interpretation. It’s clear you have NOT read any of the books and you are also not watching the drama in its original language, so it’s completely understandable that your interpretation and understanding is framed around both all the nuances and context you’ve missed, as well as all the extra things you’ve picked up when relying solely on the drama (which has changed and added many things). Still, i don’t agree with any of the things you’ve written about BQ, but we can agree to disagree. I also want to mention that the “rumours” you’ve brought up a few times about how everyone says she’s in love with Mo Yuan - again, that’s drama-only. They really played it up in the drama but it’s not like that in the book. No one really cares about Si Yin’s disappearance and people are not gossiping about that aspect, because it would be abhorrent in the Nine Heavens for them to suggest that their revered God of War Mo Yuan is homosexual. Not even Li Jing knows about Si Yin being a girl until AFTER the 70,000 years, and he only “cheated” on her because he was struggling with his homosexual feelings towards her and felt ashamed, not because he couldn’t be with her supposed tribe or because he was jealous of Mo Yuan - that’s all drama-only. DH certainly wasn’t around to fan the gossip like in the drama, and BQ’s family members did NOT misunderstand her devotion to Mo Yuan as romantic love - they know she honours her master and feels deep gratitude. This was all played up in the drama to remove all the homosexual themes (China censorship). Only Ye Hua really greatly misunderstood BQ’s relationship with Mo Yuan, but that’s because he knows BQ/SY is female. Also, the book never clarifies how Mo Yuan truly feels towards BQ, though he is protective of her. The drama makes it clear that he has always been in love with her and wanted her to wait for him, which is why people like Zhe Yan makes those comments, and rumours get spread. BUT Mo Yuan’s true love is actually Shao Wan in the books (book 3 currently still being written), and after he awakes, Shao Wan gets mentioned and it sets him off (the drama has him trying to confess to BQ, but that is drama-only). All this is a roundabout way of me trying to say - BQ doesn’t respond to rumours or clarify misunderstandings because she didn’t constantly need to in the book. The drama created all the rumours, but still had her react the same nonchalant way as in the books, which actually makes her seem a bit ridiculous. In fact, in the book, the only time someone (Xuan Nu) openly insinuates that BQ is romantically involved with Mo Yuan, BQ flares into anger and disgust and rebukes her immediately. When BQ break ties with Li Jing for the final time, the drama includes the part where BQ tells Li Jing that she did love him, but omits the part in the book where she explains clearly to him about her deep gratitude for her master. What i’m trying to say is, so much is actually modified in the drama, but gets confusing/misinterpreted when you don’t have the context of the book and where changes were made, where things were kept the same.

 

I actually think the drama dumbed down BQ’s character a fair bit and made her EVEN LESS sure of what she wants and her own emotions. In the book, SHE gets turned on when Ye Hua kisses her and wants it, she partakes in tongue-kissing, etc... in the drama, she acts a lot more frigid and pushes him away/slaps him. In the book, SHE wants to sleep with him and not only initiates it very directly and brazenly, shocking Ye Hua, but she also dictates WHERE they’ll do the deed, wonders if she should remove her own clothes, helps him remove his clothes, she even reads erotica, etc. So i guess, in a sense, she does know what she wants. But she does all this NOT because she is confident, bossy, modern/feminist and all that, but rather because she is socially awkward, inexperienced for someone her age and she knows it, and doesn’t know what to do, so she ends up doing things she finds very, very embarrassing, digs a hole, then keeps digging, and digging... The book also repeatedly talks about how she purposely puts on godly airs and wisdom to cut short conversations and awkward situations, either because she is freaking out about needing to make any interactions with people, or because she can’t be bothered and just wants to be left alone to drink or to have yet another granny nap (she drinks and naps a LOT!). She is a hermit, a geek, a tomboy, a terrible alcoholic, and a very old lady. She spent the prime of her life first as a boy, then she stayed in Qing Qiu for 70,000 years waiting for Mo Yuan. If it’s true that she knows what she wants, then all she ever seems to want is wine and sleep. Even Ye Hua comments on how lazy she is. The best thing she does as Queen of Qing Qiu is that she does nothing. She doesn’t govern. She uses her goddess status when it is convenient to her to get what she wants, or more like, get out of what she should be doing and get away with what she’s done. She loves the perks, like how she compared how many maids she gets as a goddess, and how many she’ll get after she marries Ye Hua.

 

Granted, my understanding of her character is heavily influenced by the book, and i can only, with that context, observe how Yang Mi tried to portray her, which i thought was also fairly accurate and she did a great job. I guess BQ is not your typical female protagonist, but it’s not for the likeable reasons you mentioned, and i find her completely unrelatable, with basically zero actual achievements that make her deserving of her goddess status (the drama already tried to make her seem a lot more heroic and empathetic). She was born a princess of direct godly descent, hence, destined to be a goddess if she survives the trials. In the book, even she acknowledges that she is lucky and really has it easy. For her first ascension trial, Mo Yuan took the lightning bolts for her, but she was immediately treated with respect as a high immortal. For her second ascension trial, her memories were suppressed so she didn’t even know she was undergoing a trial, then when she regained her memories, rather than process and learn from what happened, she immediately drank Zhe Yan’s amnesia potion to forget everything she experienced as Su Su in order to become a high goddess (which is extremely stupid, because she knows Ye Hua is her heavenly fiance, and even if she forgets everything, she will likely encounter him again in the future as BQ). As a result, she also has zero character development. All the way to the end, even after regaining her memories for a second time, she is STILL a drunk and terrible child-abandoning mother who is unable to handle any situations. Compare BQ to the Ghost Princess Yan Zhi, 16th disciple Zi Lan, Li Jing, Ye Hua, DH & even FJ by the end - they were all able to accept their (lack of) fate with dignity and graciously move on with their lives with the other person’s interest at heart. Zi Lan, knowing he couldn’t be with Yan Zhi, sacrifices his future to save Li Jing’s child for her sake. Yan Zhi even adopts Li Jing’s child and cares for her as her own while starting a new life in the mortal realm. Everyone goes through tragedy but resiliently accepts their lot in life. Despite Li Jing’s brokenness and reluctance, he becomes Ghost Lord for the sake of his people (and in the book, he doesn’t die that pointless death, he lives on to lead his people). Even crazy Xuan Nu actually loves her “dead” baby and does everything in her power, however twisted, to save her child. And even Ye Hua grows through his pain and acts sacrificially for BQ and for the greater good, but BQ always turns into a drunk zombie whose as good as dead (after Mo Yuan’s death, after Ye Hua’s death), abandoning Ah Li for a second time even though she now knows he really is her son (actually, the first time she abandons Ah Li as Su Su, she also obviously knew he was her son). That spectacular scene near the end where Ye Hua’s mother loudly and at length scolded BQ about how selfish, inconsiderate and useless she is - the IRONY is that it is all VERY TRUE, and the author included that intentionally! And even then, when BQ finally for the first time truly sees her own character flaws and is filled with regret, instead of taking the opportunity to learn or change or grow, her response is obviously to get drunk and drunk and drunk again. You gotta get her true internal monologue from the book, but the drama doesn’t change much - she is still selfish, useless and drunk for the next 3 years. Ye Hua’s mother is awesome and continues caring for Ah Li in those 3 years. As a mother of 2 beloved children myself, i think BQ is despicable as a mother with zero maternal instincts or tenderness. (Okay, FJ does the child-abandoning thing too, and this is really my only gripe about FJ, but in previous posts i’ve already discussed at length about my theories on why Tang Qi resorts to these convenient plotholes and character inconsistencies, as well as the Fox Clan’s tendency to leave their young offspring).

 

Even worse, in The Pillow Book, BQ captialises on her Crown Princess position, and she is mean, spoilt and entitled... lazes around all day watching opera while enjoying being served and entertained, and palms off her son to be looked after by FJ, then punishes FJ because she doesn’t like what FJ teaches Ah Li. She’s still not particularly nice to Ye Hua or Ah Li, and is most focused on her own comfort, continuing the idle life she led in Qing Qiu, only now she gets to live it up even more in the Nine Heavens. I never liked BQ’s character to begin with, not after reading the books, nor after watching the drama, so...  You’ll probably find a lot more people singing BQ’s praises in the Eternal Love thread! 

 

P.S. I mean no offence at all!  You have every right and reason to like BQ’s character based on your interpretation after watching the drama. Just don’t be surprised that book purists will likely hold a very different view because of BQ’s POV/internal monologue, that you’re on The Pillow Book thread here so many people will jump to defend FJ because the Eternal Love drama did not do her justice at all, and that overall if you’ve lurked across different social media for long enough, you’ll find that BQ is probably still the most criticised character in all 3L3W.

 

P.P.S. Despite all this, most people (all of us, i’m sure) still really loved the book, the drama, the story and the romance between YH & BQ. It’s just rarer that i’ve seen anyone so taken by BQ’s character specifically, although admittedly the drama really did try to improve her characterisation, soften her up a bit and give her character more depth through added storylines, make her more heroic as BQ, make her a bit silly as Su Su, make her a bit cute as Si Yin (there was absolutely zero cuteness/loveableness about her in the book). She’s pretty badass when she pierces her heart to feed her blood to Mo Yuan, when she takes on the Ghost Realm, and when she rips Su Jin’s eyes out, but she has always been badass (though she’s lucky she gets to rely on her Kunlun magical fan too haha). I gotta say... the drama heavily utilises YH’s POV, much of which is also made up by the scriptwriters, and he really appears to drive the story and all developments much more than BQ. In the book, YH’s POV is basically non-existent until the short Epilogue at the end. You never know what he’s thinking, what his intentions are, how he feels towards Su Jin, whether he even truly loves BQ, until the very end. As it is BQ’s POV, you as the reader are as clueless as her. All the touching drama scenes with YH & Su Su, and all the scenes about YH’s grief and trauma are drama-only. The book begins when BQ attends the banquet for the East Sea Lord’s son’s one-month celebration. A random guy called Ye Hua, whom she only knows by name as the young Crown Prince she’s been arranged to marry but for 50,000 years has not shown any intention to honour that engagement, seems to suddenly be hitting on her. 

 

P.P.P.S. Maybe if you haven’t already, you could watch Once Upon A Time starring the angelic Liu Yifei as BQ, heartthrob Yang Yang as YH, and charming Luo Jin as Zhe Yan. For all its flaws as a movie adaptation, i actually much prefer their characterisations there, both BQ & YH. BQ is confident and kind (they really changed her completely), and YH is gentle and more playful like in the book. Ah Li is super duper cute and chubby like in the book. And the CGI is stunning too, thanks to its big budget and collab with a Hollywood director. There is also a nice little twist. But maybe you should read the book first... hehe. Buy To The Sky Kingdom (translated by Poppy Toland) on Amazon. After you’ve read that, i can send you a fan-translated version of Ye Hua’s Epilogue, which is in the original Chinese books but was omitted from the English. I can also send you The Pillow Book in English.

[redfoxprincess]

10 hours ago, lovelygoddess said:

New here !! Just finished reading the book and couldn’t put it down. Wasted many hours of sleep to stay up to read. Couldn’t put it down!!  Also didn’t have anyone to truly talk about it so I am so happy to have found this place. I can truly let out my inner fan nerd ness !! 

 

Does anyone know if the author finished writing the other books ? I know theres two other ones after this ?? 

No, she hasn’t. Tang Qi only very recently decided she’ll continue writing The Bodhi Fate (Mo Yuan & Shao Wan) and Lotus Steps (Liang Song & Cheng Yu). For many years, she dropped these 2 books due to the “plagiarism” scandal with 10MOPB. But i think the literary magnificence of The Pillow Book and the skyhigh success and popularity of the Eternal Love drama has mostly redeemed her in people’s eyes, as well as given her the confidence and motivation to continue writing again.

 

I worry about how Tang Qi says The Pillow Book is “very cute”, but The Bodhi Fate will be “a lot darker”. Poor Mo Yuan.  And i suppose Tang Qi will really increase the steamy, sexy stuff in Lotus Steps for naughty LS & CY! 

 

As an aside, I find it so interesting that Tang Qi considers The Pillow Book to be her first experience/experiment in writing “a true love story”. To me, The Pillow Book certainly was a thousand times more romantic, heartwrenching and memorable than 10MOPB. I would consider 10MOPB more an epic thriller that features a love story where BQ talks about the people she comes across, including the 5 men that were her “peach blossoms”, and ended up with the last one, Ye Hua. So much of the story is also about Mo Yuan, Li Jing and the kingdom wars. 10MOPB is more like the epic adventures of Bai Qian, while The Pillow Book is literally all about DH & FJ’s love story. I guess you can also really tell by how differently Tang Qi characterised BQ & FJ. One didn’t need/want love and singlemindedly served her master. The other chased love with all her heart and then (thought she) gave up when she felt all hope was lost.

[lovelygoddess]

Can't get enough of the drama filming updates/photos/behind the scenes clips!!!  Thank you to those that are posting...it's keeping my obsession somewhat contained.  I just realized today that online the Pillow Book drama isn't going to be released until DECEMBER 2019??!??! that's almost 1.5years from now ??~?!   WHAT are we all going to do in the meantime....like seriously?!?!?  I've already decided i'm going to rewatch 10MOPB just for all the FJ and DH clips.  Was searching youtube and found this which is a pretty good summary of all the key parts of the 10MOPB: I cried for their love story everytime!!  (so maybe this will tie some of you superfans over!!)

 

 

10MOPB soundtrack is actually really amazing too!!  Stirs up lots of emotions and memories while watching the drama. 

 

IN MY OPINION:

 

1)  Mortal DH&FJ arc:  I LOVED IT.  I know that there is a lot of backlash about how is he a horny emperor but I don't think that's the intention of the screenwriters.  I think that we know the reality of the mortal realm and how emperors are like in those days.  DH did not choose specifically to be that I think.  I know the novel purists all poo-poo this arc as it's not in the novel BUT ACTUALLY I think this is where  the drama makes it better!! For me I've secretly been rooting for FJ&DH love relationship which they could not get in as immortals so this arc provided a wish fulfillment.  I was so happy for both of them when they finally got together.  Seriously, try to watch the above youtube compilation to the end and tell me you don't shed a tear!!  I really was lost in all the love and I think it sets up PILLOW BOOK drama well because you can see the potential of their love it was allowed to be so the next series would be even better than the arc....the arc was like a appetizer and makes you EXCITED for the main course PILLOW BOOK (or in my case more Vengo !! ).  I have many questions of how the drama will be (what's this mortal prince business, how does aranya dream play in all this) but I'm hoping they do keep to the general story of the book but I'm not opposed to some creative additions.  After all, it's an "adaption" meaning we already know how the book goes .... the drama adds to that dimension so that it's not the same and boring.

 

2)  Aranya's dream:  When I read to the end of the dream part and everything made sense....it was like A BOMB....went off in my head!!! I WAS LIKE OMG!!!!!! and that just sealed the deal for me.....i love the characters and I love even more the actors that play it.  I even changed my phone background to DH hahahahaha (is it weird I think Vengo in white hair is cuter than in real life!?)

....please someone agree with me so i don't feel like a total fan girl fool for him?!?!  *DROOL*  .....................and what would you do if one day you met him in the street and he asked you for something simple like directions???

Edited September 7, 2018 by lovelygoddess

[lovelygoddess]

11 hours ago, redfoxprincess said:

No, she hasn’t. Tang Qi only very recently decided she’ll continue writing The Bodhi Fate (Mo Yuan & Shao Wan) and Lotus Steps (Liang Song & Cheng Yu). For many years, she dropped these 2 books due to the “plagiarism” scandal with 10MOPB. But i think the literary magnificence of The Pillow Book and the skyhigh success and popularity of the Eternal Love drama has mostly redeemed her in people’s eyes, as well as given her the confidence and motivation to continue writing again.

 

I worry about how Tang Qi says The Pillow Book is “very cute”, but The Bodhi Fate will be “a lot darker”. Poor Mo Yuan.  And i suppose Tang Qi will really increase the steamy, sexy stuff in Lotus Steps for naughty LS & CY! 

 

As an aside, I find it so interesting that Tang Qi considers The Pillow Book to be her first experience/experiment in writing “a true love story”. To me, The Pillow Book certainly was a thousand times more romantic, heartwrenching and memorable than 10MOPB. I would consider 10MOPB more an epic thriller that features a love story where BQ talks about the people she comes across, including the 5 men that were her “peach blossoms”, and ended up with the last one, Ye Hua. So much of the story is also about Mo Yuan, Li Jing and the kingdom wars. 10MOPB is more like the epic adventures of Bai Qian, while The Pillow Book is literally all about DH & FJ’s love story. I guess you can also really tell by how differently Tang Qi characterised BQ & FJ. One didn’t need/want love and singlemindedly served her master. The other chased love with all her heart and then (thought she) gave up when she felt all hope was lost.

 

Thanks for the info   but i saw in some places on the internet Bodhi Fate was translated to english already?? is it for real or a fake you think?

 

https://hawonderful.wordpress.com/2017/03/05/三生三世菩提劫-three-lives-three-worlds-bodha-trials-mo-yuans-story/

https://hawonderful.wordpress.com/2017/03/05/三生三世菩提劫-three-lives-three-worlds-bodha-trials-mo-yuans-story-2/

 

[redfoxprincess]

@lovelygoddess Yep, watched that youtube a million times!  So touched every time, especially with the songs. There’s a really hilarious youtube a fan made that cut and mixed all the scenes, superimposed and voice-dubbed Pillow book dialogue, editted some of their faces and props, to try and create a video about Pillow Book! I need to try find it again... then i’ll post it here! I laughed my a$$ off! 

 

I’m definitely a novel purist, but i don’t poo-poo the mortal realm arc in the drama at all! I agree with you and i enjoyed it for what it was, and took it as a standalone. I thought it was very romantic and genuinely enjoyed it much more than YH & BQ’s story. I didn’t really even mind how immature FJ was or how cold DH was or even his horny emperor persona! (It had to be, because the actual emperor in the book was very amorous AND wasn’t DH, as we all know). I only want people to realise if they think THAT was good, then they really NEED to know the REAL story in Pillow Book! You’re so correct in saying that it sets up the potential of their love, but Pillow Book is ten thousand times better and everyone can now look forward to it. 

 

I can tell you’ve read some of my previous and earlier posts, right? I really appreciate it. 

 

I don’t have as big a thing as you for Vengo, or even Dilraba, for that matter, so i don’t fangirl him and i wouldn’t be that crazy about meeting him. My love is for DH & FJ the characters and my excitement is for the drama & movie adaptations, regardless of who’s acting. But i did enjoy Vengo & Dilraba’s acting and they are very cute with so much chemistry, so i’m very happy and relieved they’ll get another crack at the REAL story. Who knows, maybe after the Pillow Book drama, i’ll be smitten with them like you! But they were a bit different to how i imagined DH & FJ, not just personality, but even physically. I love them but i also can’t really take them seriously - i laugh more than cry and they are funny and adorable! So i’ll really have to see if this Pillow Book drama can really pull my heartstrings with some more serious, heartwrenching scenes being acted. I really hope they can meet all our expectations.

 

About the Bodhi Fate links you posted, even the Chinese only has 2 chapters. It could be a leak, or it could be a fake. Regardless, the 2 books have not been mentioned for a long time and Tang Qi dropped it for years. She recently said she’ll pick them up, but they would be far from finished. She’s currently busy with the Pillow Book drama anyway! Also, she originally published her works online on amateur writers forums before she made it big. Things get hacked and leaked, many who worked with her turned against her, so who knows. 

 

 

[karinos]

On 9/7/2018 at 11:38 AM, lovelygoddess said:

Can't get enough of the drama filming updates/photos/behind the scenes clips!!!  Thank you to those that are posting...it's keeping my obsession somewhat contained.  I just realized today that online the Pillow Book drama isn't going to be released until DECEMBER 2019??!??! that's almost 1.5years from now ??~?!   WHAT are we all going to do in the meantime....like seriously?!?!?  I've already decided i'm going to rewatch 10MOPB just for all the FJ and DH clips.  Was searching youtube and found this which is a pretty good summary of all the key parts of the 10MOPB: I cried for their love story everytime!!  (so maybe this will tie some of you superfans over!!)

 

 

10MOPB soundtrack is actually really amazing too!!  Stirs up lots of emotions and memories while watching the drama. 

 

IN MY OPINION:

 

1)  Mortal DH&FJ arc:  I LOVED IT.  I know that there is a lot of backlash about how is he a horny emperor but I don't think that's the intention of the screenwriters.  I think that we know the reality of the mortal realm and how emperors are like in those days.  DH did not choose specifically to be that I think.  I know the novel purists all poo-poo this arc as it's not in the novel BUT ACTUALLY I think this is where  the drama makes it better!! For me I've secretly been rooting for FJ&DH love relationship which they could not get in as immortals so this arc provided a wish fulfillment.  I was so happy for both of them when they finally got together.  Seriously, try to watch the above youtube compilation to the end and tell me you don't shed a tear!!  I really was lost in all the love and I think it sets up PILLOW BOOK drama well because you can see the potential of their love it was allowed to be so the next series would be even better than the arc....the arc was like a appetizer and makes you EXCITED for the main course PILLOW BOOK (or in my case more Vengo !! ).  I have many questions of how the drama will be (what's this mortal prince business, how does aranya dream play in all this) but I'm hoping they do keep to the general story of the book but I'm not opposed to some creative additions.  After all, it's an "adaption" meaning we already know how the book goes .... the drama adds to that dimension so that it's not the same and boring.

 

2)  Aranya's dream:  When I read to the end of the dream part and everything made sense....it was like A BOMB....went off in my head!!! I WAS LIKE OMG!!!!!! and that just sealed the deal for me.....i love the characters and I love even more the actors that play it.  I even changed my phone background to DH hahahahaha (is it weird I think Vengo in white hair is cuter than in real life!?)

....please someone agree with me so i don't feel like a total fan girl fool for him?!?!  *DROOL*  .....................and what would you do if one day you met him in the street and he asked you for something simple like directions???

I agree on both your opinions especially the second one about Aranya's dream. While reading that part I couldn't help but think that it was dragged out quite a bit because we didn't know how impactful the effects of the dream would be to our chracters. But the conclusion to that dream, once it is revealed,  and the speech DH gives about not needing fates' mercy was climactic AF! I remember how I felt as I was reading that reveal. I literally went "woah!" So reading the book in it's entirety despite the draggy parts was worth it. Every detail really does connect (as you mentioned) solidifying and enhancing the loving bond between DH&FJ. When FJ sent her shadow away to help DH's shadow in Aranya's dream, she'd already been dismayed and spurned by loving DH. Yet she still chose to do it despite being warned that giving a piece of herself will more likely be fruitless than fruitful. And I think in a way, that's one of the aspects of love. To elaborate, realistically speaking, when in a relationship, sometimes a partner can't give 100%. It can be financially, emotionally...whatever you can think of. There are times when you want to give up, and we cannot fault ourselves for that notion because naturally it is the easier route. What makes a relationship sustainable is that we choose to power through it all. Love is literally growing together in all aspects. Our girl, FJ may have given up the first time after pursuing DH, but Aranya's dream was her & DH's saving grace. Without Aranya's dream, DH would never have been able to see the lengths at which FJ had gone through to show how much in love she was with him and in turn he never would have come to the realization it would only be her for him in the end.

 

...ok phew...sorry long rant...but ya @lovelygoddess I definitely agree with chu 

Edited October 13, 2018 by angelangie
Mod Edit: Do not quote Vid

[lovelygoddess]

1 hour ago, redfoxprincess said:

@lovelygoddess Yep, watched that youtube a million times!  So touched every time, especially with the songs. There’s a really hilarious youtube a fan made that cut and mixed all the scenes, superimposed and voice-dubbed Pillow book dialogue, editted some of their faces and props, to try and create a video about Pillow Book! I need to try find it again... then i’ll post it here! I laughed my a$$ off! 

 

I’m definitely a novel purist, but i don’t poo-poo the mortal realm arc in the drama at all! I agree with you and i enjoyed it for what it was, and took it as a standalone. I thought it was very romantic and genuinely enjoyed it much more than YH & BQ’s story. I didn’t really even mind how immature FJ was or how cold DH was or even his horny emperor persona! (It had to be, because the actual emperor in the book was very amorous AND wasn’t DH, as we all know). I only want people to realise if they think THAT was good, then they really NEED to know the REAL story in Pillow Book! You’re so correct in saying that it sets up the potential of their love, but Pillow Book is ten thousand times better and everyone can now look forward to it. 

 

I can tell you’ve read some of my previous and earlier posts, right? I really appreciate it. 

 

I don’t have as big a thing as you for Vengo, or even Dilraba, for that matter, so i don’t fangirl him and i wouldn’t be that crazy about meeting him. My love is for DH & FJ the characters and my excitement is for the drama & movie adaptations, regardless of who’s acting. But i did enjoy Vengo & Dilraba’s acting and they are very cute with so much chemistry, so i’m very happy and relieved they’ll get another crack at the REAL story. Who knows, maybe after the Pillow Book drama, i’ll be smitten with them like you! But they were a bit different to how i imagined DH & FJ, not just personality, but even physically. I love them but i also can’t really take them seriously - i laugh more than cry and they are funny and adorable! So i’ll really have to see if this Pillow Book drama can really pull my heartstrings with some more serious, heartwrenching scenes being acted. I really hope they can meet all our expectations.

 

About the Bodhi Fate links you posted, even the Chinese only has 2 chapters. It could be a leak, or it could be a fake. Regardless, the 2 books have not been mentioned for a long time and Tang Qi dropped it for years. She recently said she’ll pick them up, but they would be far from finished. She’s currently busy with the Pillow Book drama anyway! Also, she originally published her works online on amateur writers forums before she made it big. Things get hacked and leaked, many who worked with her turned against her, so who knows. 

 

 

 

Yes I've read some of your posts ! <3  I have finished the PILLOW BOOK in record time so reading all the posts on here (including yours) is tying me over until the raw feeling of the book being over subsides lol  For me I knew the characters as the drama actors first and eventually found the PILLOW BOOK so when I was reading the book I was imagining Vengo and Dilraba the WHOLE TIME.  For "trying her hand at romance book" the author did an amazing job.  Hopefully she can continue to write the other books because Mo Yuan is a character I think I could really fall in love with too.

 

You mentioned she is busy with the drama filming? how so?  Wondering if she can be a big influence to the writers or on set?

[lovelygoddess]

39 minutes ago, karinos said:

I agree on both your opinions especially the second one about Aranya's dream. While reading that part I couldn't help but think that it was dragged out quite a bit because we didn't know how impactful the effects of the dream would be to our chracters. But the conclusion to that dream, once it is revealed,  and the speech DH gives about not needing fates' mercy was climactic AF! I remember how I felt as I was reading that reveal. I literally went "woah!" So reading the book in it's entirety despite the draggy parts was worth it. Every detail really does connect (as you mentioned) solidifying and enhancing the loving bond between DH&FJ. When FJ sent her shadow away to help DH's shadow in Aranya's dream, she'd already been dismayed and spurned by loving DH. Yet she still chose to do it despite being warned that giving a piece of herself will more likely be fruitless than fruitful. And I think in a way, that's one of the aspects of love. To elaborate, realistically speaking, when in a relationship, sometimes a partner can't give 100%. It can be financially, emotionally...whatever you can think of. There are times when you want to give up, and we cannot fault ourselves for that notion because naturally it is the easier route. What makes a relationship sustainable is that we choose to power through it all. Love is literally growing together in all aspects. Our girl, FJ may have given up the first time after pursuing DH, but Aranya's dream was her & DH's saving grace. Without Aranya's dream, DH would never have been able to see the lengths at which FJ had gone through to show how much in love she was with him and in turn he never would have come to the realization it would only be her for him in the end.

 

...ok phew...sorry long rant...but ya @lovelygoddess I definitely agree with chu 

 

YES!!! FJ essentially TEACHES DH what love means and how to treat someone who you love.  She says she's done but deep down in her hearts of hearts she loves.  Her love and persistence bent FATE!  They MUST show that in the PILLOW BOOK....they have to ! because where we left off in 10MOPB where she was carving his name in the stone.....it's setting up for pillow book.  Its amazing the thought that he is her super duper senior and yet SHE in turn is teaching him something....take that DH! lol  This book is really celebrates feminism and girl power and shows how strong of a woman FJ is.  I really can't imagine how the drama is going to portray the multitude of layers and interconnectedness of Aranya's dream.  It's easy in written form to go back and re read until you get it but it'll be harder on screen i think. 

[redfoxprincess]

46 minutes ago, lovelygoddess said:

You mentioned she is busy with the drama filming? how so?  Wondering if she can be a big influence to the writers or on set?

She is one of the scriptwriters for the drama. 

[redfoxprincess]

52 minutes ago, lovelygoddess said:

This book is really celebrates feminism and girl power and shows how strong of a woman FJ is.

YES. YES. YES!!!!!!!!!!  This is why i love her SOOOOOOOOOO much more than BQ! She also doesn’t need to fake the godly airs like BQ and she doesn’t look down on others. She is so cute, humble, kind, caring, friendly, sensitive, independent and her feminism isn’t in-your-face. She is intelligent, competent and emotionally so strong. She suffers, perseveres, forgives, and always walks away with dignity and integrity. She has her weak moments and that’s when DH comes in and complements her perfectly with his physical strength. All this and she’s only like 16 in human years! I LOVE HER!!!!!!!!!! 

[enigmatic_zephy]

19 hours ago, redfoxprincess said:

@enigmatic_zephy In Chinese dramas, 99% of the time, it’s not their own voice. They are all voiced by professional voice actors. The most important reason for this is because China is HUGE with hundreds of provinces and dialects (heavily affecting their accents), and not everyone can speak Mandarin (or to the required proficiency) due to many actors being brought in from Hong Kong, Taiwan and even Korea and Japan. Many people remark on how strange it is that Chinese dramas use voice actors. But if they didn’t use voice actors, it would be even stranger, eg. imagine Dijun speaking with a strong country accent or something like that. Just an example. In this case, both Vengo and Dilraba’s own voices are fine, but the practice is to

 

Such a long detailed reply.. many thanks..

while i am still analyzing all you are saying, but i am too impatient to hold off asking this..

 

so do you mean, in the book including ten miles peach, its DJ chasing FJ and the drama completely flipped it?

WHY?????????????????????????????

 

 

the original would have been delicious

[redfoxprincess]

1 hour ago, enigmatic_zephy said:

 

Such a long detailed reply.. many thanks..

while i am still analyzing all you are saying, but i am too impatient to hold off asking this..

 

so do you mean, in the book including ten miles peach, its DJ chasing FJ and the drama completely flipped it?

WHY?????????????????????????????

 

 

the original would have been delicious

Yes, they completely flipped it and the detailed answer is above in my reply to you, including details about main characters of each book, timeline differences and production rights. I don’t want to repeat myself so please just read my answer above.

 

Short answer specifically about the 10MOPB book: FJ does go to the mortal realm because she believes DH reincarnated into the emperor.

Spoiler

But in The Pillow Book, we find out that nothing is as it seems. The emperor is not what FJ thinks he is. FJ is caught in numerous secrets, subterfuge and misunderstandings. There were many, many things FJ sacrificed for DH that he never knew about. She loved him for 2000 years and it was unrequited. It’s very heartwrenching and tragic, completely different from the Eternal Love drama’s made-up story of DH & FJ. I don’t want to spoil the twists and turns in The Pillow Book for you, so this is really all you need to know - just go read 10MOPB and The Pillow Book! And yes, The Pillow Book is about DH chasing FJ but it’s not as simple as that. He had hurt her so, so much after all she had sacrificed for him. The beginning of The Pillow Book is set almost 300 years after the end of 10MOPB. It takes almost 300 years for YH & BQ’s wedding to be prepared. At their wedding, DH meets FJ for the first time, where she appears as a widow in white mourning clothes. She had already loved him for 2000 years, married twice to random people because of him, and had basically given up on him. But DH thinks this is the first time they met... and this is where the story of the book begins.

 

The Pillow Book drama is going to be the true and faithful adaptation of DH & FJ’s love story from the book, so it will be delicious, and it will also be much more serious because FJ suffers A LOT.

 

Can i just say, in the nicest way possible, it’ll probably be easier for everyone including yourself if you just go and read the books, 10MOPB and The Pillow Book. Eternal Love drama already changed a LOT of what happens and you don’t know what has been changed, which means you don’t know what really happened in the first book, 10MOPB. But you’re here in a thread that is about the second book, The Pillow Book, and its upcoming drama adaptation, which actually has very little to do with anything in Eternal Love, which is all you know about. Trying to explain Why This and Why That to you is quite difficult, when you haven’t properly read my previous reply, and when you’ve already made a lot of assumptions, but don’t understand the intricate complexities of the books. There’s also an important major twist that happens in The Pillow Book that turns 10MOPB completely on its head, that i don’t want to spoil for you, but also can’t properly answer any of your questions without going into it.  It’s like trying to explain the last book of Harry Potter to you after you’ve only watched the first movie!  The Pillow Book is a VERY, VERY complex book. It makes 10MOPB look like child’s play.

[jimmylyne]

19 hours ago, lovelygoddess said:

 

Yes I've read some of your posts ! <3  I have finished the PILLOW BOOK in record time so reading all the posts on here (including yours) is tying me over until the raw feeling of the book being over subsides lol  For me I knew the characters as the drama actors first and eventually found the PILLOW BOOK so when I was reading the book I was imagining Vengo and Dilraba the WHOLE TIME.  For "trying her hand at romance book" the author did an amazing job.  Hopefully she can continue to write the other books because Mo Yuan is a character I think I could really fall in love with too.

 

You mentioned she is busy with the drama filming? how so?  Wondering if she can be a big influence to the writers or on set?

Tang qi (pillow book author)is personally involved in this drama as one of the script writer..so we can expected the outcomes would be exceptionally satisfying .oh @redfoxprincessalready answer to your questions...

[lovelygoddess]

I want to follow Vengo and Dilraba on social media.  does anyone know if they have official twitter, facebook, instagram, or any other official accounts?  It's getting hard to determine if an account i'm following is fan made or legit. 

 

PS @jimmylyne and @redfoxprincess  THAT'S AMAZING that Tang Qi is screenwriter too!!  I hope her ideas don't get poo poo'd by the other screenwriters although they might have more experience that she as to how it writing for film works.  Now that I know this it's going to really make an interesting drama indeed!

[redfoxprincess]

2 hours ago, lovelygoddess said:

I want to follow Vengo and Dilraba on social media.  does anyone know if they have official twitter, facebook, instagram, or any other official accounts?  It's getting hard to determine if an account i'm following is fan made or legit. 

Those aren’t allowed in China. They both have an official Weibo account, and there’s an official The Pillow Book Weibo account. But it’s all in Chinese, is that ok? Here are the links:

Dilraba

Vengo

The Pillow Book

[jimmylyne]

On 9/7/2018 at 11:38 AM, lovelygoddess said:

Can't get enough of the drama filming updates/photos/behind the scenes clips!!!  Thank you to those that are posting...it's keeping my obsession somewhat contained.  I just realized today that online the Pillow Book drama isn't going to be released until DECEMBER 2019??!??! that's almost 1.5years from now ??~?!   WHAT are we all going to do in the meantime....like seriously?!?!?  I've already decided i'm going to rewatch 10MOPB just for all the FJ and DH clips.  Was searching youtube and found this which is a pretty good summary of all the key parts of the 10MOPB: I cried for their love story everytime!!  (so maybe this will tie some of you superfans over!!)

 

10MOPB soundtrack is actually really amazing too!!  Stirs up lots of emotions and memories while watching the drama. 

 

IN MY OPINION:

 

1)  Mortal DH&FJ arc:  I LOVED IT.  I know that there is a lot of backlash about how is he a horny emperor but I don't think that's the intention of the screenwriters.  I think that we know the reality of the mortal realm and how emperors are like in those days.  DH did not choose specifically to be that I think.  I know the novel purists all poo-poo this arc as it's not in the novel BUT ACTUALLY I think this is where  the drama makes it better!! For me I've secretly been rooting for FJ&DH love relationship which they could not get in as immortals so this arc provided a wish fulfillment.  I was so happy for both of them when they finally got together.  Seriously, try to watch the above youtube compilation to the end and tell me you don't shed a tear!!  I really was lost in all the love and I think it sets up PILLOW BOOK drama well because you can see the potential of their love it was allowed to be so the next series would be even better than the arc....the arc was like a appetizer and makes you EXCITED for the main course PILLOW BOOK (or in my case more Vengo !! ).  I have many questions of how the drama will be (what's this mortal prince business, how does aranya dream play in all this) but I'm hoping they do keep to the general story of the book but I'm not opposed to some creative additions.  After all, it's an "adaption" meaning we already know how the book goes .... the drama adds to that dimension so that it's not the same and boring.

 

2)  Aranya's dream:  When I read to the end of the dream part and everything made sense....it was like A BOMB....went off in my head!!! I WAS LIKE OMG!!!!!! and that just sealed the deal for me.....i love the characters and I love even more the actors that play it.  I even changed my phone background to DH hahahahaha (is it weird I think Vengo in white hair is cuter than in real life!?)

....please someone agree with me so i don't feel like a total fan girl fool for him?!?!  *DROOL*  .....................and what would you do if one day you met him in the street and he asked you for something simple like directions???

Love your post..

 

Sooo....at the first time I read it(Aranya Dream parts) I kind of..didn't seriously concentrated...but the second and the third times I read it..oh my heart..it's so heartbreakingly sad just like DH/FJ's love story..I realized that.. due to the "Unfinished Fate" between Aranya/ChenYe is the reason DH/FJ can be together. There's a few parts/lines in the book I really love because as simple as it was..but the meaning is deeply touching.

 

1.People say the most painful thing is a love where you cannot be together in life and cannot meet in death. But that was not it. The worst grief is when you clearly loved her but she never even know to the day she died and you could no longer let her know.

 

2.That person. You'd never see her again.You could never hear her again.You could never touch her again. She even decidedly gave up on reincarnation.  No matter how many after lives there were no matter who you became, you would never be able to meet her .She was gone, completely and utterly gone.

 

3. "Look at the love to see the lover". For exp: There was the passionate kind of love, the steady kind love and also the courteous kind of love. There were people loved very MUCH but said very LITTLE .Then there were people love very MUCH and said just as MUCH. One could not say that someone else's feelings weren't love just because his love was different from one's own. 

 

PS: I really love the Pillow Book novel and admire Tang Qi imaginations and inspirations. It's so amazingly splendidly beautifully written. I might say she is a genius "A True Love Story" writer.

Ahhh..the YouTube video..just like @redfoxprincesssaid been watched it like a million times!!  @redfoxprincessAdmire and really enjoyed your opinions and your point of views as always.

@karinos also love your latest comments. 

Edited October 13, 2018 by angelangie
Mod Edit: Do not quote Vid