Lan Ling Wang (2013)

Lan Ling Wang

A prophecy foretold that victory goes to the one who has the priestess blessing. Yang Xue Wu, the last priestess of her clan, unwittingly embroiled in a war between Northern Qi and Northern Zhou. Although she foresees a tragic fate for the Prince of Lan Ling, the military general of Northern Qi, she nonetheless falls in love with him and helps him win the war against Yuwen Yong, the Emperor of Northern Zhou. However, her action only brings him closer to his fate. As his standing among his people grows, so does the murderous jealousy in Crown prince’s heart. Can she protect him when it’s family who wants him dead?

The prince Lan Ling, Gao Changgong, is said to be one of the four most handsome men in ancient Chinese history. Lan Ling Wang, was general during the Northern Qi dynasty and was known for this bravery and kindness. Lan Ling Wang lead his soldiers through many battles but always wore a fearsome mask to hide his beauty.

I had been listening to "Hearts of Palms" by Ding Della without knowing that it was attached to anything until I saw the video and recognized Ariel Lin from the show Seventh Fairy from Wonderland (that show's title is a bit...), Legend of the Condor Heroes also with Hu Ge and It Started with a Kiss I and II. Despite this it took a while for me to start the show. 

William Feng as Gao Changong, Lan Ling Wang

Lan Ling Wang also called "The beautiful God of War" is a great general who cares and treats everyone with kindness, but to fight battles that he hopes is necessary in bringing world peace, he wears a mask that hides his beauty and helps him to face his enemies fearlessly. 

I liked Gao Changgong, I could understand his character but it was also said because you knew that is flaws got him into a lot of trouble though he was always trying to help people and be a good person.

Ariel Lin as Yang Xue Wu

Yang Xue Wu is a young girl, who is the last of a line of female seers they call Heavenly Maiden.  Yang Xue Wu has lived her life hidden away in village on White Mountain until the day she meets Lan Ling Wang.  I liked Yang Xue Wu, she was smart, innocent and naive, always trying to help, but never went against what she believed in even if her life was in danger. Yet another of Ariel Lin's character that I liked. I think she is a very good actress. 

Daniel Chan as Yuwen Yong

Yuwen Yong is the young Emperor of Northern Zhou, who is intelligent and wise but is under the control of another. Things begin to change when he becomes trapped in Northern Qi and has a chance encounter with Yang Xue Wu.  Yuwen Yong changes through out the show but is always such a ruthless person if you dare try to cross him.  It was such a feeling just a imaging what a great team him and Lan Ling Wang could make if the situation was different. 

Nikita Mao as Zheng'er

Zheng'er was a character that I initially felt sorry for how the Queen and the Astrologer had used her. However, after a point she had just turned evil. Though, I feel that the actress did a good job, because even after she had done some horrible things and looked as if she might be remorseful, you started to maybe think differently of her. 

This show was very good. It had a good story and focused on characters and what were compelling about them.  It also had a good pace, I did not really get bored or stopped watching when I didn't have too. I also really liked the songs. 

One of the best part of the show for me were the relationships. Particularly between Lan Ling Wang and Yang Xue Wu.  It was fun and interesting watching them together, their interaction, their separation, then reunion.  I also liked that they had well done and real scenes of affection.  It was fun watching the Lan Ling Wang group together, especially when they got together to tease him.

 Though it was a very good show, there are things for me that stopped it becoming great. There were some tiny things, but I think the main thing that annoyed me was a little bit in how the world was constructed and some of the logic that was followed.  When the world is established magic or supernatural power is shown to be a real part of the world of Lan Ling Wang.  The village, the bird and the grandmother, not only is magic real but people believe in it. They even made a huge deal out of the prophesy about what would happen to Lan Ling Wang. That is why I don't understand why they detoured from it. Yang Xue Wu is a very smart and clever girl there is no taking that from her, but it was just too convenient and incredible some of the things she could come up with. When she goes to Lan Ling Wang's manor and she sees that old woman that was suppose to be the old nanny, I thought they would explain by saying that because Xue Wu's grandmother did not teach her how to be a seer then her powers manifested itself in other ways. Which is why she was able to come up with filtering water and prosthetic. But then that was shown to be false.  I could completely understand the fireworks, because at the beginning she is experimenting with it and the growing of crops, she learned from her books and studies.  But coming up with how to filter water by just seeing water dripping in a cave is a bit of a stretch.   So they either should have continued with the world having some magic or just have there be no magic and the title Heavenly Maiden is given to her by the people because of how she came to their aid. 

Bu Bu Jing Xin

Bu Bu Jing Xin 

Bu Bu Jing Xi (Startling by each step or Scarlet heart) is a ancient Chinese television series adapted from the novel by Tang Hua.  Zhang Xiao, suffers a near fatal accident that sends her back in time to the Qing dynasty during the rule of Emperor Kangxi.  She finds herself trapped in the body of the younger daughter of a Manchu general, Ma'ertai Rouxi.

I have not seen many ancient series that are more drama, although I did see Palace: Lock Heart. Palace is more about a modern girl who travels back and her love with the 8th prince.  I think what I liked most about Bu Bu Jing Xi was the production value.  They costume looked amazing, the setting was also well then and the acting over all was well done.  Other than That I felt like it was just another drama with a love story that had been well created but was not all that especially.  That is just my take but a lot of people love Bu Bu Jing Xi and the central romance.  For my I had some issues and I think because of those and probably just not the type of story for me.

Zhang Xiao is our main character and is suppose to be from the 21st century and travels back in time because of the accident to the Qing dynasty.  A lot of other people keep referring to Ma'ertai Rouxi as a past incarnation and/or avatar of Zhang Xiao.  I am not sure if this was part of the novel but really nothing in the series tells you this, you just assume it because Zhang Xiao ends up in Ma'ertai Rouxi's body.
One thing about this was that we only got one scene of Zhang Xiao from the 21st century and her mentioning, ice cream, democracy and knowing the history of the princes. Other than that we know very little about Zhang Xiao and who she is. The same goes with Ma'ertai Rouxi, we know almost nothing about the type of person she was.  So for me I questioned why there was need for time travel.  Ma'ertai Rouxi was already a more independent girl and grew up a bit differently because she was raised near military camps, her father being a general.

One theme that developed that I found interesting and was liking was the idea of fate and how people did not have any control in what happened to them and the lives
they lived.  This was a especially true and illustrated with the character of Roulan. Roulan is Rouxi's older sister and is now married to the 8th prince.  Roulan was in love with someone else but being a general's daughter. She was forced to get married, even though she marries the prince her lover ends up being killed because the 8th prince was investigating who Roulan was in love with.  Because of her lover's death Roulan miscarries her child.  This to me was a good illustration of people having little control over their fate especially women.  I found this quit compelling especially since it started to show that not only women and the poor were subject to their fate being controlled by someone else but also the princes, who were more powerful were at the mercy of it.  All it took was one word from the Emperor and someone life would be changed.  This was illustrated with the 10th prince when he was forced to marry someone he had little in common with and did not like.

Another thing I like was what Rouxi had decided when she gave the 8th price the choice.  She didn't want to have to compete for her lover affection with another woman.  This played well with the accident scene because she was upset, and suspected her boyfriend of cheating on her with another woman.  The other part was completely her right that she didn't want to be with him since she knew he would end up losing and they would not live a long life together.


Things that made me grow frustrated and lose sympathy with Rouxi was when she would say she didn't want to be part of the politics but always got involved. There were times when she had only a certain opportunity to leave the palace and not be involved. However she did not take it .  I understand that she did not want to marry in name only, but she had no other methods.  Plus that is exactly what she ends up doing in the end.

 Rouxi also gets involved with the 4th prince though she was very well aware that he had a wive, which goes against her own stated criteria that she didn't want to compete with another woman.  From the beginning she knew 4th prince would win the throne but there was not only two option left to her.  Be romantic towards him or be his enemy. I say this because from when she first enters the palace, the 4th prince was already sending her gifts, which she accepted.  By accepting the gifts she was accepting whatever feeling he was sending her though at the time it may not have been the love they later have. But what else could the gifts mean if not something somewhat romantic, since she was a maid and he was a prince. He or any other prince were sending those kind of gifts to other maids.  Rouxi in return was always very attentive towards him. She could have chosen not to be in his radar at all.

Another thing was how the Emperor though powerful was just a man like anyone else.
No matter what 8th prince did the Emperor was suspicious and biased towards him. He had this feeling that the 8th prince should be grateful that he was a prince at all and just do whatever he was told to do.  Even Rouxi said that 4th was master at pretending he didn't want anything and was secretive and patient with his plans.

This bring me to another thing I couldn't quite go along with. When the 8th Prince sent the Emperor the falcon. The 4th Prince intercepted and had it killed and Rouxi seemed to be pleased with his maneuver ever though the attendant who had done this and his family were killed because of it. It seemed that excuses were always found for the 4th Prince actions but he always had a choice in what actions he took and was well aware of it. At times unlike the 8th Prince he never wanted to admit or learn from his mistakes.

The biggest thing for me was really what the story was about. I guess, I had an expectation when the show began that it was a story about the reason why Zhang Xiao ended up in the past and what that experience would teach her. No only that but what was the connotation of the title.   Zhang Xiao ended up in the past because she jumped to conclusion, was angry and took actions that place others and herself in danger. I thought the point of her living in the past was to learn how approaching things with caution had it's benefit and how she would become a better Zhang Xiao because of it. When Rouxi broke up with the 8th Prince she had requirements that completely made sense and were valid but these seemed to go out the window as she got involved with the 4th Prince.  When she returns to the present she is in a way Rouxi, so how is what she went through to help her now when all she wants is to be back in the past and be with someone who is long dead and she could not be with when she was in the past.

I ended up not finishing the show.