[Mainland Chinese Drama 2022] Love like the Galaxy 星汉灿烂

[rabbit_casa]

I just finished reading the novel. Gosh, the author surely knows how to put her readers through the roller coaster of emotions. There are so many heart-breaking scenes. I cldnt stop crying while reading the novel, and I suspect we will need a box of tissue nearby watching the 2nd part of the drama.

[hush puppy]

13 hours ago, ElleSor said:

I love their dynamic and chemistry.

Both are trying to feel each other but are cautious but optimistic.

I hope CSS learns to trust LBY.

 

It is getting better.   Initially It is very difficult for Cheng Shao Shang to trust Ling Bu Yi because:

 

1) As she said, she has never been loved before.  So she does not know how to love others.  Her mother's actions made her even more insecure and distrustful of people.  On the first day of her parents' return, she told herself that she will just had to continue to rely on herself.  

2) She is still young (at 15 years) and immature.  She is still growing mentally and emotionally.  Perhaps even physically.

3) Which is why she is doubtful about marrying Ling Bu Yi and almost broke off their Betrothal.  

- Ling Bu Yi never confessed his feelings to her personally.  But suddenly announced his intentions publicly in the Palace.  

- And after that Ling Bu Yi brought his Black Armoured Guards to guard her manor.  Practically force her entire household to do Military Exercises every morning.  Thus frightening her.  She felt Threatened and Overpowered.  She felt her Freedom and Rights taken away.  

 

So it is not Surprising if she wants to Break Off.  Ling Bu Yi has to Re-Assure her.  That is what she needs.   

 

But Ling Bu Yi is not in a position to do that.   He himself has been a Loner since he was 5+ years.  When he Witnessed the Massacre of his Family.  He himself has been Distrustful of others.  A similarity between Ling Bu Yi and Cheng Shao Shang.  

 

Ling Bu Yi's Sole Aim is to Revenge.  ....... until Cheng Shao Shang comes along.   I am sure Ling Bu Yi must be in a Quandary too:  To Propose or Not To Propose.

 

Sooner or later, he will have to make this Choice:  To Go For Revenge.    Or To Live Happily Ever After With Cheng Shao Shang ????  A Difficult Choice For Him.

 

It is like the Famous Question:  If both your Mother and Wife fell into the Deep-Flowing River, who would you save First?   Your Mother or Your Wife?

 

Sigmund Freud once said there are 2 Types Of Love: 

Immature Love says: "I Love You Because I Need You. 

Mature Love says:      "I Need You Because I Love You."

 

Which do you all think is theirs ??

 

Edited

[ElleSor]

2 hours ago, hush puppy said:

 

It is getting better.   Initially It is very difficult for Cheng Shao Shang to trust Ling Bu Yi because:

 

1) As she said, she has never been loved before.  So she does not know how to love others.  Her mother's actions made her even more insecure and distrustful of people.  On the first day of her parents' return, she told herself that she will just had to continue to rely on herself.  

2) She is still young (at 15 years) and immature.  She is still growing mentally and emotionally.  Perhaps even physically.

3) Which is why she is doubtful about marrying Ling Bu Yi and almost broke off their Betrothal.  

- Ling Bu Yi never confessed his feelings to her personally.  But suddenly announced his intentions publicly in the Palace.  

- And after that Ling Bu Yi brought his Black Armoured Guards to guard her manor.  Practically force her entire household to do Military Exercises every morning.  Thus frightening her.  She felt Threatened and Overpowered.  She felt her Freedom and Rights taken away.  

 

So it is not Surprising if she wants to Break Off.  Ling Bu Yi has to Re-Assure her.  That is what she needs.   

 

But Ling Bu Yi is not in a position to do that.   He himself has been a Loner since he was 5+ years.  When he Witnessed the Massacre of his Family.  He himself has been Distrustful of others.  A similarity between Ling Bu Yi and Cheng Shao Shang.  

 

Ling Bu Yi's Sole Aim is to Revenge.  ....... until Cheng Shao Shang comes along.   I am sure Ling Bu Yi must be in a Quandary too:  To Propose or Not To Propose.

 

Sooner or later, he will have to make this Choice:  To Go For Revenge.    Or To Live Happily Ever After With Cheng Shao Shang ????  A Difficult Choice For Him.

 

It is like the Famous Question:  If both your Mother and Wife fell into the Deep-Flowing River, who would you save First?   Your Mother or Your Wife?

 

Freud once said there are 2 Types Of Love: 

Immature Love says: "I Love You Because I Need You. 

Mature Love says:      "I Need You Because I Love You."

 

Which do you all think is theirs ??

 

Edited

I see your points and I agree!

A little mature thinking and selfless love will go a long way.

I am so invested in CSS and LBY love story.

I hope they work it out soon so we have lots of fluff before the angst.

I want to see them experience a bit of happiness before we cry!!!

[QSD]

 

She’s still a kid after all.

[taekwang]

i am happy that theres no break in the show schedule for part 1 and part 2, and we seamlessly continue to enjoy the continuous broadcast. 

i was laffing at how she treated buyi as her horse while she was drunk!

[hush puppy]

I'm glad to see this thread so "Alive" now.    I must say we have a good Scriptwriter and Director here, who pays attentions to details.   I discovered that every little action or item are inserted in the story for a reason.

 

For example, from the situation of the 3 Men riding the carriage with Cheng Shao Shang, we can predict their Ending Status with Cheng Shao Shang.  See if you all agree with me. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

1) Lou Yao and Shao Shang went out in a convertible car.  Hm.  Looks fun on sunny days.  But should the wind blows.  Or the rain falls, these two will be in trouble.

 

Lou Yao is more or less like Shao Shang's Puppy Love.  They enjoy each other's company. But Lou Yao has no job, no source of income.   Should they face complex family conflicts in future, Lou Yao will not be able to protect Cheng Shao Shang.  Lou Yao is a "Follower".

 

My Opinion :

Lou Yao is only suitable for Dating.  Not Marriage.

 

 

 

2) Yuan Shen:  The first time Cheng Shao Shang took a ride in Yuan Shen's carriage was when she ran away from her mother, in a windy night.   Yuan Shen invited her into his carriage.

 

Yuan Shen always sits high above the throne and lectures Shao Shang.  After he finished his "lectures", he asked Shao Shang to get out of his carriage.  That was so Rude of him !

 

Yuan Sheng had a high and mighty mentality.  He liked Shao Shang right from the moment when she solved his Riddle (the Well).  And then threw the "Embroidered Ball' to her.  As though Cheng Shao Shang was asking to marry him.  He liked Shao Shang.  But feel that she was not worthy of him.

 

My Opinion:

Too Egoistic.  He will only treat his wife as a Maid.   Run away from him, Shao Shang.

 

 

 

3) General Ling Bu Yi :

Ling Bu Yi and Cheng Shao Shang rode together several times.  I notice each time, Ling Bu Yi gives the Main Seat to Cheng Shao Shang.  

 

Ling Bu Yi fell in love with Cheng Shao Shang at First Sight.  Since then he has been silently protecting her.  Which is why each time, she is in Danger, he is there to save her.

 

My Opinion : 

This is a Man who truly loves her.  She will be the Centre of his life.  His Queen.   Yes.  Cheng Shao Shang.  He is the "One" for you.

 

 

What do you all think?

 

 

[rabbit_casa]

Yes, I never thought abt it this way but everything is clear after your explanation.

Spoiler

To be fair, Yuan Shen's love for her will deepen over time, to the point he threw caution to the wind and pursued her relentlessly. Even he himself couldn't understand his feelings, only that he wanted to be by her side, even after she was married to LBY. 

 

The last epilogue of the novel was really heartbreaking for him. Despite years passing by, they both each got their own family, but he still remembered the promise she made to him about growing old with him and laying in the tomb of his family when they were engaged.

 

At the time of riding the carriage, he was still unsure abt his feelings. He was surely interested in her, but he was too rational, worried abt the pros and cons of marrying her (since she was not his ideal partner in his mind). And that's how he lost his chance with her. 

 

Even CSS admitted Yuan Shen was probably a better suited partner for her than LBY, because they were similar in temperament and character, while loving LBY was too risky.

 

[QSD]

 

The soldiers couldn’t turn a blinded eye now.

[QSD]

 

He’s everywhere somehow.

[hush puppy]

21 hours ago, rabbit_casa said:

Yes, I never thought abt it this way but everything is clear after your explanation.

  Reveal hidden contents

To be fair, Yuan Shen's love for her will deepen over time, to the point he threw caution to the wind and pursued her relentlessly. Even he himself couldn't understand his feelings, only that he wanted to be by her side, even after she was married to LBY. 

 

The last epilogue of the novel was really heartbreaking for him. Despite years passing by, they both each got their own family, but he still remembered the promise she made to him about growing old with him and laying in the tomb of his family when they were engaged.

 

At the time of riding the carriage, he was still unsure abt his feelings. He was surely interested in her, but he was too rational, worried abt the pros and cons of marrying her (since she was not his ideal partner in his mind). And that's how he lost his chance with her. 

 

Even CSS admitted Yuan Shen was probably a better suited partner for her than LBY, because they were similar in temperament and character, while loving LBY was too risky.

 

 

@rabbit_casa  Thank you very much for the "Tip-Off" dear.  But no matter how he changes himself, I will not like him.  Because his Core Behavior is an Arrogant One, which looks down on people.   Can you imagine the Consequences if CSS had married him without making him Wait?  Will he Change?

 

I feel Safer with People who need not change.  Because their Core Values are Good - no matter what happens.

 

[rabbit_casa]

2 hours ago, hush puppy said:

 

@rabbit_casa  Thank you very much for the "Tips" dear.  But no matter how he changes himself, I will not like him.  Because his Core Behavior is an Arrogant One, which looks down on people.   Can you imagine the Consequences if CSS had married him without making him Wait?  Will he Change?

 

I feel Safer with People who need not change.  Because their Core Values are Good - no matter what happens.

 

Actually LBY did change himself for CSS. When they first got engaged, he nitpicked her on things that he thought was bad for her. Slowly, he realized he need to let her do her own things. You can find this in Wu Lei's interview abt LBY.

 

LBY was actually a worse and more dangerous character than Yuan Shen, because he was very scheming and would resort to all sort of means to achieve his goals, even at the sake of sacrificing himself and his happiness. Being a general, he was also arrogant. CSS was the only one he treated with kid's glove.

 

I'm not saying all that to convince Yuan Shen would be a better partner for CSS, I'm just saying he isn't that bad. LBY, despite his flaws, loved CSS with all his heart and despite loving him was a risk, CSS was willing to make the jump for him. That's all that matter because love is not meant to be rational, it is spontaneous and crazy .

 

Spoiler

At the end of the novel, after breaking the engagement with Yuan Shen, CSS did not get together with LBY right away. She took time to think abt the path that she should take, her values and her relationships. After several tribulations (that I won't go into details, since they are to long and complex to explain), CSS realized LBY was the one she loved, the one she was willing to sacrifice for. And that is the end of her journey to search for herself: she realized what she wanted in life, the things that were important for her, and what love actually was. 

 

I think it is a beautiful message the author tried to convey: to love, you need to understand who you are, only then you can be fully in love.

 

[jadore1]

I am definitely looking forward to all of this ...so our girl got engaged 3 times LOL   

[QSD]

 

 

They can agree on one thing slapping.

[hush puppy]

On 8/1/2022 at 9:32 AM, rabbit_casa said:

Actually LBY did change himself for CSS. When they first got engaged, he nitpicked her on things that he thought was bad for her. Slowly, he realized he need to let her do her own things. You can find this in Wu Lei's interview abt LBY.

 

LBY was actually a worse and more dangerous character than Yuan Shen, because he was very scheming and would resort to all sort of means to achieve his goals, even at the sake of sacrificing himself and his happiness. Being a general, he was also arrogant. CSS was the only one he treated with kid's glove.

 

I'm not saying all that to convince Yuan Shen would be a better partner for CSS, I'm just saying he isn't that bad. LBY, despite his flaws, loved CSS with all his heart and despite loving him was a risk, CSS was willing to make the jump for him. That's all that matter because love is not meant to be rational, it is spontaneous and crazy .

 

  Hide contents

At the end of the novel, after breaking the engagement with Yuan Shen, CSS did not get together with LBY right away. She took time to think abt the path that she should take, her values and her relationships. After several tribulations (that I won't go into details, since they are to long and complex to explain), CSS realized LBY was the one she loved, the one she was willing to sacrifice for. And that is the end of her journey to search for herself: she realized what she wanted in life, the things that were important for her, and what love actually was. 

 

I think it is a beautiful message the author tried to convey: to love, you need to understand who you are, only then you can be fully in love.

 

 

@rabbit_casa   Ha, Ha.  You have told us too much already.  It is better to allow us to discover by ourselves. 

 

I am someone who don't watch BTS.  Because it interferes with my enjoyment of the Drama.  BTS reminds me that everything is a Make-Believe.  If others want to post them, it is ok with me.  I just don't watch that's all. 

 

I don't read Novels either.  Plain Lazy.  I would rather watch the Drama.  BTW where did you read the Novel?  For general knowledge.  

 

1)  As for Ling Bu Yi, sorry I have to Disagree with you.  I don't find him Dangerous at all.  Don't worry.  Nothing you say will make me change my opinions about Yuan Shen.

 

You said: "Actually LBY did change himself for CSS. When they first got engaged, he nitpicked her on things that he thought was bad for her. Slowly, he realized he need to let her do her own things. You can find this in Wu Lei's interview abt LBY."

 

There is no need to watch his Interview.  Most of us have watched till Ep 30.  We have seen how

- he stopped forcing the Cheng Family to do military exercises every morning.

- how he gave the Millet Biscuit to CSS and said she can eat it anytime.

 

2)  To me, LBY did not "Nitpicked" CSS.   He cares for her and her Family:

-  Drinking Cold Water directly after Exercising, is very Dangerous to our Health.  It can even result in Instant Death.  It happens recently to a Teenage Chinese Boy in China - a Real Case. 

-  Eating late at night or having Supper is also Bad for Health.   LBY says it causes Indigestion.  In fact, it also causes our Sugar Level to go up.  So I agree with LBY.  He is doing all of these Out Of Love And Concern for CSS.  In fact, when watching Ep 29, I was surprised that LBY knows so much about Nutrition and a Healthy Lifestyle.

 

To me, these are Not Changes.  

 

3)  Ling Bu Yi is Unlike Yuan Shen.  Yuan Shen is Super-Arrogant, Ego-Centric and Rude.  He is a Highly-Educated Scholar.  So he feels an Uneducated CSS is Not Worthy of him.  Which is why he always speak so Rudely to  and about her.  But at the same time, he is intrigued by her.  (But LBY accepted CSS as she is)

 

Ling Bu Yi grew up in the Military Camps and the Battle Fields.  He rode horses at 6 years.  Went to Wars once he reached his Teenage Years.  Lost his Entire Family in the Massacre of Gu City - also at about 6 years old.  

 

Do you expect him to behave like a Normal Boy or Young Man??

 

Military Life is Very Regimented.  Every morning they have to work out.  To him, that is a very normal way of life.  Also he has "Saved" CSS several times.  So he thought some Military Trainings will make it possible for the Cheng Family (including their Maids and Male Servants) to Protect themselves. 

 

He meant Well. Everything he has done for CSS is UNintentional.  Perhaps - even Ignorance.  But when CSS threatened to call off their Betrothal, he Self-Reflected and "adjusted" his ways.   Very few people will do that.  Much less a Man.  It requires Real Humility to do that.   It also shows that he really loves CSS.

 

So it is Completely Different from Yuan Shen.  

 

"LBY was actually a worse and more dangerous character than Yuan Shen, because he was very scheming and would resort to all sort of means to achieve his goals, even at the sake of sacrificing himself and his happiness. Being a general, he was also arrogant. CSS was the only one he treated with kid's glove.

 

Sorry my dear.  I have to Disagree with you again.  

 

4) To me, Ling Bu Yi is Not A Dangerous Character.  But he "Is Living Dangerously".  Why did I say that ?   

 

a) He "Witnessed"  his Uncle, Ling Yi slaughtered his Father and the Entire Family in Gu Clity.  And then made a "Marquis" after the Massacre.  But he has to pretend to be His Son.  

b) Because of (a), he is assuming the Name and Identity of his Cousin-Brother.

c) He knows the Crown Prince is a Weakling and cannot be relied on if he wants Justice for the Huo Family.  But he has to pretend to support him. 

d) He has to "Tip-Toe" all his Life with No One to Confide in.  Because he has a Mission To Accomplish. Do you know how difficult that is?

 

5)  As for "Scheming", I would not even use that Word.  Because he is Living Among Some Of The Worse "Snakes" in his times.  You don't expect him to act with Fairness and Innocence?  To survive and to avenge his Father's Death, he is right to be Steadfast.  He has to be a Better Schemer than those "Snakes".  If you have read the Novel, I think you would know better than us.  We are only up to Ep 30.

 

The Court Ministers and the Royal Family Members are not easy to deal with.  

 

6)  He never meant to fall-in-love.  Because he does not want to "Implicate" his Girl.  Which is why he has always avoided Girls.  But Cheng Shao Shang came along.  And he could not control himself.

 

7)  If I were him, I would do the same.  When the Right Opportunity To Revenge Comes, You Have To Seize It.  Or it may Never come again.   The Truth Has  To Be Told.  His Father died a Most Unjust Death.  And the Murderers are having a Good Life of Honour, Wealth and Fame.  How do you think he feels all these Years?  

 

It must have been a Very Heart-Rending Decision for Him.

 

Thanks to You, we have a scintillating discussion.  

 

 

[rabbit_casa]

7 minutes ago, hush puppy said:

 

@rabbit_casa   Ha, Ha.  You have told us too much already.  It is better to let us discover by ourselves. 

That's why I put under spoiler tab in case someone doesn't want to be spoiled .

9 minutes ago, hush puppy said:

. 

I don't read Novels either.  Plain Lazy.  I would rather watch the Drama.  BTW where did you read the Novel?

I read the novel in my language. It is already completed translated in Vietnamese. I would say the translator didn't do a very good job with it, since the pronouns and some words didn't suit the era setting of the novel. But the content is much easier to understand and follow than trying to read the original novel by Google translate.

[hush puppy]

How the Falling Bridge Scene in Ep 10 was Filmed.   Watch closely.  They were all - "Stand-Ins".  Even then they used "Wires" for Safety.

 

Afterwards, the Actresses only came in to stand or swim in the shallow waters .

 

 

 

[rabbit_casa]

We all have different opinions about the characters we love. While I adore the character of LBY, I do not think he is a perfect man. He is a complicated person, born of situations he had experienced. In the drama, Wu Lei fleshed out him very well and made us sympathetic with his character. But in the novel, LBY is such an alpha male (not necessary a bad thing unless you have to deal with one), stubborn, bossy and sometimes childish. 

 

The reason I said LBY is a dangerous man because he would use all means to achieve his goals, even the underhand ways, and even at the cost of sacrificing himself (and I don't just mean about the revenge only). It is wonderful to have him as a friend or partner, because he would protect you at all cost (like with CSS). But if you are on the opposite site of him, yeah, you are 100% dead meat. (Btw, being opposite him doesn't necessary you are doing sth bad or wrong, it can also mean that you are blocking him. The reasons I said that may not show in the drama yet, but they are in the later parts of the novel.)

 

The reason that I said he is a scheming person, well, it is also in the later parts of the novel, revealed after series of events, not because he had to plot to take revenge against his 'father'. His schemes, though, are for the better good. 

 

LBY is such a complex character, like Wu Lei mentioned, a coin with 2 sides, with thorns protruded out to protect himself. I think only CSS would be able to break through his shell but no one else (I would love to watch him from afar but coming close, no thanks).

 

Yuan Shen came across rude and arrogant, because he was a young boy having a crush on a girl and not sure how to attract her attention. So what do young boys do? Bully her.

 

I'm not condoning his actions, I'm just saying he isn't a bad guy. He chose the wrong way to express his (confused) feelings, so he lost the girl he loved to another, again and again.

 

Phew, that's the most lengthy analysis of characters I have done for a while.

[hush puppy]

21 hours ago, rabbit_casa said:

We all have different opinions about the characters we love. While I adore the character of LBY, I do not think he is a perfect man. He is a complicated person, born of situations he had experienced. In the drama, Wu Lei fleshed out him very well and made us sympathetic with his character. But in the novel, LBY is such an alpha male (not necessary a bad thing unless you have to deal with one), stubborn, bossy and sometimes childish. 

 

The reason I said LBY is a dangerous man because he would use all means to achieve his goals, even the underhand ways, and even at the cost of sacrificing himself (and I don't just mean about the revenge only). It is wonderful to have him as a friend or partner, because he would protect you at all cost (like with CSS). But if you are on the opposite site of him, yeah, you are 100% dead meat. (Btw, being opposite him doesn't necessary you are doing sth bad or wrong, it can also mean that you are blocking him. The reasons I said that may not show in the drama yet, but they are in the later parts of the novel.)

 

The reason that I said he is a scheming person, well, it is also in the later parts of the novel, revealed after series of events, not because he had to plot to take revenge against his 'father'. His schemes, though, are for the better good. 

 

LBY is such a complex character, like Wu Lei mentioned, a coin with 2 sides, with thorns protruded out to protect himself. I think only CSS would be able to break through his shell but no one else (I would love to watch him from afar but coming close, no thanks).

 

Yuan Shen came across rude and arrogant, because he was a young boy having a crush on a girl and not sure how to attract her attention. So what do young boys do? Bully her.

 

I'm not condoning his actions, I'm just saying he isn't a bad guy. He chose the wrong way to express his (confused) feelings, so he lost the girl he loved to another, again and again.

 

Phew, that's the most lengthy analysis of characters I have done for a while.

 

Nobody Is Perfect !    We are all a bit Stubborn, Bossy and Childish at times.  We are a Combination of a Myriad of Qualities.  Which is why it is Never Easy to deal with Human Beings (King of the Animal Kingdom) 

 

[QSD]

 

Very nice cinematography.

[Lodestar]

@hush puppy & @rabbit_casa

 

Interesting conversation about the suitors. Really enjoyed it. I have not read the novel so all my perspective about the characters is based on the depiction in the drama. 

 

I personally dislike YS as a character or partner for CSS because he is just very self centred. He constantly puts down CSS due to his own conflicting feelings which make CSS dislike him. She doesn't care about him at all. He is a non-entity in her life. His insults & bickering are not good natured. He publically demeans her. He also demeans her suitors- LY & LBY. What is there to like about him? I wouldn't want such a suitor myself. He needs a lot of growing up.

 

LBY is certainly not depicted as some paragon of virtue. His flaws are pretty blatantly displayed. He has not become a celebrated general at such a young age by being the "nice" guy. He is ruthless as a military general. What I have liked about him as a suitor for CSS is the complete respect that he has for CSS regardless of the status of his own relationship with her. He likes her so he is nice to her without placing any burden of reciprocation on CSS until they have been engaged. He has treated both CSS & LY very nicely when they were together. His only wish was for her to be happy with or without him. 

 

Currently as well after being engaged both LBY & CSS are going through an adjustment & getting to know each other phase. He makes mistakes & even she makes mistakes. But the important thing is that they both communicate about their feelings with each other. If they have a problem with the other's behaviour, they tell them & work towards resolving the issue. 

 

Revenge is the Achilles heel for LBY. Based on the trailers & previews it will be the reason for him losing CSS at least for some time. But the love that they are developing for eachother now will sustain over the years. CSS will still choose LBY even if YS becomes the perfect suitor because she loves him. So does perfection even matter unless you really love the person?