Wei Wuxian on Mo Ziyuan’s suspicious behavior: a translation note
In this novel excerpt, Wei Wuxian makes a scene before the Lan delegation and the Mo family
He mentions “not making himself suspicious”, but it means more than that
Let’s go!
Ok so! In Chapter 3 of the novel, Wei Wuxian uses the phrase 瓜田李下 to refer to his own conduct, in direct contrast to Mo Ziyuan’s.
In the official translation, 瓜田李下 is reflected as “(I know) not to make myself suspicious.” (Note that this exchange does not take place in CQL at all)
It’s a decent, factual translation. But let’s look a little deeper into the meaning behind 瓜田李下.
瓜田 literally refers to “melon field”, while 李下 means “underneath the plum (tree)”. The couplet 瓜田不纳履，李下不正冠 literally means “when in the melon field, do not bend to adjust (one’s) shoes; when below the plum tree, do not reach up to straighten (one’s) headpiece or hat.”
Doing so would cause the individual to fall under suspicion, as they may be seen to be bending down to steal a melon, or reaching up to snatch a plum.
The couplet 瓜田不纳履，李下不正冠 originates from the poem 《君子行》 by Three Kingdoms scholar Cao Zhi 曹植. The entire poem is an allegory of gentlemanly conduct and uprightness.
It emphasizes the importance of not putting yourself in the position where others might become suspicious of you. In doing so, you disdain corruption and preserve a pure and righteous self-image.
With this in mind, let’s get back to Wei Wuxian.
He wasn’t just saying that he knew not to make himself suspicious — he was also arguing for his own (and to everyone else present, Mo Xuanyu’s) uprightness and morality, while simultaneously (and slyly) belittling Mo Ziyuan’s!
This is an interesting choice of phrase for Wei Wuxian, considering that his good intentions in his previous life were frequently interpreted as being evil and heretic. I’ve touched on this previously in his choice of name for his flute, Chenqing 陈情, in my critique of CQL ep 21 (para 223).
So, there you have it! What 瓜田李下 really means in this context, and the story behind it!
I analyze 3zun’s oath of fraternity and compare it against Liu/Guan/Zhang’s in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
I explain the public and personal reasons for their alliance
Some notes before we begin:
I previously covered the brotherhood oath ceremony in the CQL subs critique, but now I’m back with an Actual Essay™️ because I find the whole thing endlessly fascinating
I’ll be referencing both CQL and novel canon. Note that the full dialogue from the sworn brotherhood ceremony only appears in CQL and not the novel
I’ll only be covering the conception of the sworn brotherhood, and not the events that followed their oath
I reference Luo Guanzhong’s 罗贯中 Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Ro3K) 三国演义 a little, but you don’t need to know much about it to read the post
All translations will be by me, unless stated otherwise
The text from the oath that I’ll be translating is in 文言文 (Classical Chinese), so most expressions are not used in modern speech/writing
This post will contain spoilers
Ok so! I was fascinated by the brotherhood oath ceremony when I saw it in Episode 23 of CQL. The dialogue and symbolism in that particular scene immediately reminded me of the famous oath between Liu Bei 刘备, Guan Yu 关羽, and Zhang Fei 张飞 in Ro3K.
A little bit of background on Ro3K
Ro3K is one of the 4 great classic novels of Chinese literature
It details the battles and political intrigue between rival warlords from three feuding states, Shu Han 蜀汉, Cao Wei 曹魏, and Dong Wu 东吴
Ro3K’s Liu Bei swore an oath of fraternity with two of his closest generals, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Later in the story, he would rise to become the ruler of Shu Han
Liu/Guan/Zhang became sworn brothers to protect their people from the Yellow Turban Rebellion and restore the glory of the Han dynasty
Liu Bei and his sworn brothers loved each other deeply
So how exactly did 3zun’s ceremony compare to that of the Ro3K trio?
Let’s take a look at their vows, which were a sacred covenant sworn before the heavens. For this reason, they had to be taken as seriously and as literally as possible.
The vows are largely the same, but there are a few key differences. Let’s break them down!
虽然异姓，既结为兄弟，则同心协力，救国扶危
The Ro3K trio have an extra line at the beginning:
虽然异姓，既结为兄弟，则同心协力，救国扶危
“Even though we have different family names, we unite as brothers, and align our hearts towards the common goal of protecting our country from threats”.
This was an acknowledgement of the different family origins of each member of the Ro3K trio. None of them were nobly born. Liu Bei, though distantly related to an emperor, was reportedly a shoemaker by trade. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were a door guard and butcher respectively.
However, they all had a common interest in suppressing the rebellion. The act of setting their differences aside to unite in brotherhood was thus an apt expression of their chivalry, honor, and loyalty.
Though 3zun expressed similar sentiments at their own oath-taking post-Sunshot, this line was conspicuously missing from their pledge.
异姓 in the context of the Ro3K trio’s vows means “different family origins”. However, 异 can also be taken to mean “abnormal” or “odd”.
For 3zun, this line would only have drawn unwanted attention to their differences in terms of status. Though Jin Guangyao had just been publicly acknowledged by his father, it was still common knowledge that he was illegitimate. Had 3zun spoken this line, it would have been seen as a veiled criticism of Jin Guangyao’s low birth. It would have sullied his newly-minted glory, and further undermined 3zun’s union as a whole.
Second, moving on to the phrase 则同心协力 / “aligning our hearts to a common purpose”.
Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen were already clan leaders at the time of the oath, and they had to put the well-being of their respective clans first. At some point, these personal obligations would likely have gotten in the way of their commitment to a common cause.
Also, unlike the Ro3K trio, each member of 3zun had their own personal reasons for taking the oath (more on this later)!
上报国家，下安黎庶 / 上报仙门，下安黎庶
The Ro3K trio swore to 上报国家，下安黎庶, while 3zun swore to 上报仙门，下安黎庶. The only difference here is 国家 (“country”) vs 仙门 (loosely, “cultivation society”).
This line means “we serve and are accountable to our country/cultivation society, and we take care of the bustling masses (i.e. the common people)”.
不求同年同月同日生，只愿同年同月同日死
The Ro3K trio had this iconic couplet in their vows:
不求同年同月同日生，只愿同年同月同日死
“We do not have to be born on the same year, month, or day, as long as we die on the same year, month, and day”.
It’s a beautiful line, and it aptly illustrates the deep respect and regard between Liu Bei and his sworn brothers. The subtext is “let not any one of us live without the others”. It’s so obviously missing from 3zun’s vows, and here’s why.
First, 3zun’s oath had started out on a rocky note. The Sunshot Campaign was over, and Jin Guangyao had been hailed as a war hero for his deeds in Buyetian. But the three men had just been involved in an ugly altercation in Wen Ruohan’s abandoned throne room. Lan Xichen had barely managed to stop Nie Mingjue from killing Jin Guangyao for his murder of the Nie disciples.
With the shadow of animosity so fresh on their minds, it’s unthinkable that 3zun would have truly wanted to share the honor of dying on the same day. Theirs was not a brotherhood born out of reciprocal love and common interests, but political necessity and personal ambition.
Second, as I’ve mentioned above, they each had their duties to their respective clans. Such a promise was impractical, and would have been immensely difficult to fulfill.
Third, given the three’s high standing in cultivation society, the upheaval to the political landscape would have been enormous if they had truly died on the same day.
// cw: blood, bodily fluids consumption
Fun fact: a lot of modern-day triads and secret societies use this line in their loyalty ceremonies to bind their members to the gangs for life. In TV dramas, it’s common to see rituals where each recruit sheds a drop of blood into a common bowl, which would then be passed around the circle for everyone to imbibe. Psychologically, this ensures the gang members’ commitment, which in turn prevents them from betraying each other to rival organizations or law enforcement.
皇天后土，实鉴此心，背义忘恩，天人共戮 / 天地同证，如有异心，千夫所指，天人共怒
The Ro3K trio ended their pledge with this line:
皇天后土，实鉴此心，背义忘恩，天人共戮
In contrast, 3zun ended theirs with
天地同证，如有异心，千夫所指，天人共怒
On a superficial level the general meaning is largely similar, but there are some subtle differences in tone and interpretation.
Here’s a (loose and fast) phrase-by-phrase translation:
Ro3K trio
皇天后土: as witnessed by heaven and earth
实鉴此心: and honest reflection of our hearts
背义忘恩: if we betray each other or show ingratitude
天人共戮: may we be smited by both heaven and the people
3zun
天地同证: let heaven and earth bear witness
如有异心: if one of us came to harbor different intentions
千夫所指: may he be condemned by everyone (in the cultivation world)
天人共怒: and suffer the anger of both heaven and the people
The first important difference is the emphasis on the basis of condemnation. For the Ro3K trio, it was 背义忘恩 (betrayal and ingratitude).
An act of betrayal would have gone against the Confucian standard of gentlemanly conduct. Even if it hadn’t been explicitly stated in their vows, it would still have been universally understood that such behavior was undesirable and deserving of punishment.
On the other hand, for 3zun, the basis for condemnation was 异心 (differing intentions). Though 异心 had a negative connotation, it was still considered a gray area in the context of the pledge. Realistically speaking, there was nothing wrong with each member of 3zun acting in their own clan’s interests.
But Nie Mingjue was already suspicious of Jin Guangyao because of their history. And Lan Xichen was intent on preserving harmony between the other two, as a consequence.
The result? A pledge to keep each other in line; an assurance that no one of them would take advantage of the other two in pursuit of their private ambitions.
Second, the inclusion of the phrase 千夫所指 in 3zun’s vows is also telling — it implies “may (the offender’s) deeds be known to all (so he may be universally condemned)”. This line expressed the need to make any infractions publicly known, for the sake of vindication and justice.
This was in line with Nie Mingjue’s personal philosophy and upright morals, and his reputation as a 江湖好汉 (righteous warrior). As evident from his condemnation of the Wen stragglers, he strongly believed in a singular good-evil dichotomy, and in the need for wrongdoing to be met with appropriate and absolute punishment.
Such a phrase would not have been necessary for the Ro3K trio. As the leaders of Shu Han, they needed to present a united front to their troops by endeavoring to resolve their quarrels in private. The public exposure of any misdeeds, even for the sake of justice, would have exposed their weaknesses. This was especially pertinent because of the twin threats of Cao Wei and Dong Wu on the horizon.
The third difference lay in the degree of the collectivistic nature of the consequences. The Ro3K trio’s pledge was all-encompassing. Each person was responsible for the conduct of the other two. The failure of one would be taken as the failure of all. In other words, they would all suffer the same punishment 天人共戮, regardless of which one of them broke the faith.
3zun’s pledge reads slightly differently. 如有异心 and the subsequent lines imply that only the person who diverged from the others would suffer the consequences. It was an interesting balance, and one that signaled an unequal distribution of power from the outset.
Bonus: the setting of the oath-taking
The Ro3K trio famously took their oath in a peach garden 桃园三结义. The symbolism here is heavy: peaches represented paradise, immortality, and prosperity. The peach garden was thus an auspicious location for a pledge. It helped set the stage for the longevity of the brotherhood, and for the success of Liu Bei’s military and political campaign.
In contrast, 3zun took their vows on the bones of Qishan, on a hilltop overlooking Buyetian. Standing above Wen Ruohan’s former seat of power represented their desire to rebuild and rise above his negative influence. However, Qishan provided a tainted foundation to the beginning of 3zun’s relationship, signaling their struggles ahead to rebuild and live in harmony with each other.
So, why did 3zun swear the oath? It seems unthinkable that they would have wanted to become sworn brothers, considering the deception and animosity that had plagued their relationship from the beginning.
Let’s take a look at both their public reasons and individual motivations.
Public reasons
We’ll start with the public reasons.
First, the union was a celebration of the finest warriors of the Sunshot campaign.
Second, it promised close diplomatic relations between the three clans, and signaled to everyone that there would be a powerful alliance in place to protect them from future despots.
Third, it provided assurance to the rest of the cultivation world that the three strongest clans (Qinghe Nie, Gusu Lan, and Lanling Jin) would effectively be on equal footing with each other. They would have the political and moral grounds for keeping each other in check, which would vastly reduce the possibility of one of them seizing too much power.
The sworn brotherhood was supposed to be a signal of unity between the strongest clans in the Sunshot alliance. Yet, there were some important people who had been excluded from it. Let’s take a look at the reasons.
Excluded: Jiang Cheng
I’ve covered this briefly in the Jiang Cheng meta post, and I’ll go over it again. It was never explicitly mentioned in canon, but the exclusion of Jiang Cheng was very likely due to his close relationship with Wei Wuxian.
Though Wei Wuxian had catalyzed the alliance’s victory against Qishan Wen, his unorthodox methods were widely regarded with fear and suspicion. And instead of condemning his behavior to allay the concerns of the other clans, Jiang Cheng continued to indulge and celebrate him.
The advent of 3zun would have provided the cultivation world with a concerted means of placing pressure on Jiang Cheng to keep Wei Wuxian in check. If Wei Wuxian chose to unleash his unnatural abilities against everyone, Yunmeng Jiang would have had to confront the combined might of the other three clans.
Excluded: Jin Zixuan
It seems unthinkable that they excluded Jin Zixuan from the union, seeing that he was the only legitimate heir to Lanling Jin, and that he was on equal footing with Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen. And yet, it made perfect sense.
For Jin Zixuan, joining Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen in brotherhood (in place of Jin Guangyao) would have been politically detrimental to his career as the future clan leader of Lanling Jin.
At the time of the oath, Jin Zixuan was the son of the incumbent Chief Cultivator, Jin Guangshan. Joining the sworn brotherhood would have placed him in an overly deferential position to Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen, who were both his elders. He would have had to address them as 大哥 “da-ge” and 二哥 “er-ge”, and respectfully accept their judgement and advice, even if he disagreed.
At some point, he would have been inevitably torn between his duty to his sworn brothers, and his filial obligations to his father and clan. Joining 3zun would therefore have been a lose-lose situation for him.
Next, let’s look at each of 3zun’s personal reasons for swearing the oath.
Nie Mingjue’s personal reasons
I’m guessing that Nie Mingjue would have needed very little convincing to enter the sworn brotherhood arrangement.
His relationship with Lan Xichen was straightforward — they were already friends to begin with.
On the other hand, we can’t say the same for Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao. Jin Guangyao was rising too rapidly through the ranks of the cultivation world for Nie Mingjue’s comfort. Plus, he was doing so by forming questionable alliances (e.g. with Xue Yang) and by constantly latching on to people who were more powerful than him (e.g. Lan Xichen, Wen Ruohan, and his own father, Jin Guangshan).
Nie Mingjue had always admired Jin Guangyao’s talent, up until the moment in which he had witnessed him using Qishan Wen sword techniques. That had been the turning point in their otherwise mutually respectful relationship.
On the other hand, Jin Guangyao had also risked blowing his cover to keep Nie Mingjue alive during his failed infiltration of Buyetian.
However, let’s not forget that Nie Mingjue had not wanted to be spared. He thought it dishonorable; a coward’s way out.
Jin Guangyao had a good grasp of Nie Mingjue’s values. He needed the higher moral ground. As such, he was keenly aware that Nie Mingjue would feel reluctantly indebted to him for his mercy, as unwanted as it was.
As a result, Nie Mingjue harbored a conflicting mix of mistrust, resentment, and grudging gratitude towards Jin Guangyao. Joining the sworn brotherhood thus served a dual purpose for Nie Mingjue. One, it provided him with a convenient means to keep an eye on Jin Guangyao. Two, it was a means for him to publicly acknowledge Jin Guangyao for sparing his life.
Furthermore, Nie Mingjue likely felt protective towards Lan Xichen. As evident from the heated exchange in Wen Ruohan’s throne room, Nie Mingjue was thoroughly convinced that Lan Xichen was being manipulated by Jin Guangyao. Swearing the oath thus provided Nie Mingjue with the opportunity to remain close to Lan Xichen, so that he would be better able to protect him.
“In the midst of the war, (Nie Mingjue) had been heavily reliant on the secret reports that Meng Yao had been sending to Lan Xichen. He still thought that Jin Guangyao was a rare talent, and he intended to put him on the correct path. Furthermore, Jin Guangyao was no longer his subordinate. After taking the oath, he would regain the authority to keep an eye on him, just like how he kept a close eye on his younger brother, Nie Huaisang.”
Jin Guangyao’s personal reasons
First; it was a strategic move. If we know Jin Guangyao, we know that he was very good at big-picture thinking and forward planning. He had a clear, detailed plan for advancing to the topmost ranks of cultivation society. Joining Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen in brotherhood was just the first step for him.
One of the 36 Stratagems is 远交近攻 (keeping allies at a distance and enemies close), which Jin Guangyao deployed to maximum effect.
Jin Guangyao had already laid plans on how he would proceed after Jin Guangshan’s passing. He was well aware that Jin Zixuan would succeed Jin Guangshan as clan leader. To him, both these men presented potential obstacles to his success. Jin Guangyao knew that he would always be left on the sidelines under Jin Zixuan’s reign, and that Jin Zixuan’s future children would take precedence over him in all aspects of courtly life.
The 3zun brotherhood provided Jin Guangyao with the opportunity to build his reputation and gain a foothold in society, outside the confines of his lowly position in the Jin family.
In the cultivation world, Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen were widely regarded as shining examples of virtue and courage. Jin Guangyao knew that publicly aligning himself with them would raise his pedigree by a significant amount.
Should his future in Lanling Jin become unstable, or should he fall out of favor with Jin Guangshan or Jin Zixuan, he would be able to count on support from his sworn brothers, who made for powerful external allies.
Second; on diplomacy. Jin Guangyao also foresaw the possibility of Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen moving against him.
Naturally, he couldn’t allow that. Joining them in their oath was therefore a defensive move; a way of strengthening his diplomatic relations with two of the other strongest clans. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a common real-world political strategy — the act of using diplomacy in bilateral (in this case, trilateral) relations as a form of deterrence.
Third; on power and influence. Jin Guangyao knew that Nie Mingjue was suspicious of him, and he needed to win him to his side for his support. However, such an endeavor would have been impossible without Lan Xichen to maintain the peace. By keeping both of them close and cementing his place as a valued member of the trio, Jin Guangyao would be able to play to their respective needs. In doing so, he would make himself indispensable to both of them.
Broadly speaking, Jin Guangyao was also envisioning his future as the Chief Cultivator, or minimally, as the clan leader of Lanling Jin. In order to sway future political decisions in his favor, he needed to be able to influence Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen on a personal level. To Jin Guangyao, the intimacy of the sworn brotherhood provided the perfect solution to this difficulty.
And fourth, the prospect of the sworn brotherhood probably allowed Jin Guangyao to experience familial belonging for the first time in his life. Where he had once been shunned and insulted, he was now intentionally included, recognized, and viewed as an equal. It was as good a reason to join as any.
Lan Xichen’s personal reasons
Of the three, Lan Xichen probably stood to benefit the least from the sworn brotherhood, at least on an individual level.
He was already close to both Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao. His reputation in the cultivation world was solid, and he did not need the intervention of the other two to strengthen it. Other than some help to rebuild his family home, which had been destroyed in the war, he also did not necessarily need any financial resources or military support.
Why, then, did he do it?
Lan Xichen had witnessed firsthand how strife and disharmony had torn his own family apart — first in the wedge between his parents, and later between his father and the rest of the clan.
As such, he prided himself on being a peacemaker and mediator. He saw it as his responsibility to mend relationships and bring people together. Case in point: after Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had both been beaten for scuffling past curfew, he went out of his way to encourage their friendship by allowing Wei Wuxian to visit the cold pond.
Lan Xichen loved both Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao. It pained him to see them in opposition with each other. He didn’t understand why Nie Mingjue was suspicious of Jin Guangyao, who had always appeared to be hard-working, intelligent, and self-sacrificing. Likewise, he couldn’t comprehend why Jin Guangyao always seemed to draw Nie Mingjue’s ire, seeing that Nie Mingjue tended to treat people fairly, and was quick to appreciate competent behavior.
On a broader level, Lan Xichen also needed them to set their differences aside so that the sworn brotherhood could serve its intended purposes. These included establishing closer relations between their clans for economic and military benefits, and maintaining a strong overseeing unit to ensure peace in the cultivation world at large.
The sworn brotherhood thus provided Lan Xichen with the moral authority to act as mediator for his sworn brothers. By virtue of their newly-established relationship, his personal interests naturally became theirs as well.
When Jin Guangyao appeared to be earnest about learning the qin scores to ease Nie Mingjue’s condition, Lan Xichen considered it a significant victory. It both reinforced the harmony that the cultivation world so desperately needed in the aftermath of war, and it also eased the doubt in his heart.
Final thoughts
The lines in 3zun’s pledge did not necessarily foreshadow the failure of their sworn brotherhood. Taken on their own, the vows could have provided a strong foundation for 3zun to embrace their differences and come to a position of mutual respect. It’s only when we contrast their relationship with that of the Ro3K trio do we see their shortcomings.
This is perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I believe that each member of 3zun had an equal part to play in the deterioration of the brotherhood.
Nie Mingjue could have taken a more empathetic position with Jin Guangyao, and tried harder to understand why certain concepts such as achievement and status meant so much to him.
Lan Xichen could have taken a step back instead of forward, and critically evaluated his individual relationships with the other two men.
And finally, Jin Guangyao could have kept better faith in his sworn brothers, and refrained from taking advantage of them in his quest for recognition and belonging.
It’s worth mentioning that the Ro3K trio had their fair share of disagreements while alive. Also, in a tragic twist of fate, they did not eventually die on the same year, month, or day, as they had sworn. Guan Yu died defending one of Liu Bei’s territories. Shortly after, Zhang Fei was killed by his own men. Later, Liu Bei himself died of illness and heartbreak.
Jiang Cheng has had the weight of all these responsibilities thrust upon him since his birth. As the heir, he has been raised to always put the clan first.
He had grown up knowing that he was different from his sister, who would eventually “marry out” 外嫁. After marrying Jin Zixuan, she then “belonged” to the Jin family, and in doing so, renounced most of her obligations to the Jiang clan.
He is also aware that he is different from Wei Wuxian, who, as the lead disciple, is only responsible for instructing the other disciples and attending to various administrative jobs for the Jiang family.
As the heir, Jiang Cheng is expected to put the well-being of the clan ahead of his own selfish needs and desires, and ahead of his relationship with Wei Wuxian.
What’s central to Jiang Cheng’s being is a very simple commandment — family and duty come first. And this is precisely why he acts in the way that he does throughout the story.
Now, with this context in mind, let’s look at the criticisms leveled at him, one by one.
1. Cowardly
Jiang Cheng’s unwillingness to defend the Wens alongside Wei Wuxian didn’t mean that he was being cowardly — in fact, it was exactly the opposite.
Imagine a world in which Jiang Cheng had spoken up at the Phoenix Mountain hunt to protest the use of the Wens as human targets.
Imagine a world in which he had gone with Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing to Qiongqi to retrieve Wen Ning’s remains.
Now, think of the position of the Jiang clan, post-Sunshot. Jiang Cheng was the youngest of the new clan leaders, and the only one from the Sunshot alliance who was not sworn into the brotherhood with the Nie, Lan, and Jin clan leaders.
The Jiang clan had the weakest position of the four large clans. One misstep, and it would have easily been annihilated by any of the other three. Jiang Cheng could not afford to offend anyone, not when he needed to establish himself, rebuild his home, and recruit more disciples to strengthen his position.
He had come into power at an inopportune time. He was inexperienced, alone, and bereft of the political capital his parents enjoyed when they ruled the clan. His family home was in ruins, and many of his disciples were dead. Wei Wuxian’s presence by his side was another volatile factor — the other clans saw him as belligerent and unstable, and at the time, no one was sure if he really strengthened Jiang Cheng’s position, or weakened it.
For Jiang Cheng to have ridden off to Qiongqi or to have run his mouth during the Jin hunt in defense of the Wens would have effectively resulted in the demise of his clan.
Even if the other clans chose not to overwhelm him with their military might, they would have publicly condemned his clan, making it virtually impossible for him to establish critical alliances and relationships.
As much as Jiang Cheng may have loved Wei Wuxian and agreed with him in principle, it was wise of him to show restraint, remain silent on the matter, and act with diplomatic haste to remedy the solution — all for the good of his clan.
Don’t forget: Wei Wuxian understood all of this too. That was why he never asked Jiang Cheng to back him at the victory banquet, when he was confronting Jin Zixun. That was why he suggested they stage their fight, because he wanted to give Jiang Cheng an acceptable excuse to sever ties with him. That was why he never once forced contact with Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli after he was disowned. And finally, that was why he understood the tremendous risk Jiang Cheng took when he brought Jiang Yanli to visit him in Yiling.
Why was Wei Wuxian able to do all of these things, though?
Unlike Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian’s parents were independent cultivators. At the time of his birth, they had no formal ties to any major clans, nor were they heads of a clan.
Wei Wuxian had no such obligations as Jiang Cheng did. He had nothing to lose. He had no dynastic considerations, ancestors to honor, or a family name to protect. He had only a martial bond to the Jiang clan, and not a blood one. And he rightly severed that tie to free Jiang Cheng from the repercussions of his actions.
2. Harsh
Perhaps it was unfair for Jiang Cheng to say that Wei Wuxian’s rescue of Lan Wangji from the xuanwu effectively caused the Jiang family’s demise. But, is there any truth in it?
To answer that question, let’s look at Wei Wuxian’s behavior during their captivity in Qishan.
Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian had very different attitudes while being held hostage by the Wens. Wei Wuxian was fueled by a righteous anger at the tyranny of the Wens. Throughout their time in Qishan, he was constantly looking for opportunities to help other people outside of the Jiang clan, to unite his fellow captives against their oppressors, and to take control of the situation.
To Wei Wuxian, the immediate destruction of the Wen clan would have been a favorable outcome. Like a typical wuxia hero, he was driven by his innate sense of justice and fairness 侠肝义胆.
What about Jiang Cheng? As we know, Jiang Cheng’s values and motivations were very different. Jiang Cheng’s focus was solely on preservation. Not just his own self-preservation, but the ultimate survival of his clan.
He needed to protect his parents and sister, and ancestral home, which were vulnerable targets despite being far away from Qishan. Even before formally assuming the mantle of a clan leader, he was already thinking and acting like one.
Chinese kids always hear this phrase growing up: 不要出风头. It’s a unique phrase that has a special place in collectivistic cultures. The essence of it means “don’t attract unnecessary attention; don’t make waves for no good reason (because actions have consequences, and other people will be affected by them, not just yourself)”.
Part of being a good leader is being able to perceive the interconnectedness and the natural consequences of things. Jiang Cheng knew that the Wens would definitely retaliate. That was why he was so incensed that Wei Wuxian incurred the Wen clan’s ire by rescuing Lan Wangji and killing the xuanwu.
Wei Wuxian may have acted like a hero, driven by his courage and innate sense of fairness, but ultimately, his actions catalyzed the Jiang clan’s destruction. Unlike Jiang Cheng, he likely did not consider the impact it would have on the Jiang clan.
Jiang Cheng was partly right — if Wei Wuxian had perhaps acted less honorably, Wang Lingjiao and the rest of the Wens would perhaps have had to dig deeper for an excuse to visit Yunmeng, which would have given the Jiangs more time to prepare for the attack.
It may not have prevented the battle entirely, but those few days’ grace may have meant the difference between life and death for Jiang Cheng’s parents, and the survival of hundreds of Jiang disciples.
I’d argue that Jiang Cheng’s priorities are not selfish, just different. He does value human life — but he chose to prioritize his own family over outsiders like Lan Wangji and Jin Zixuan. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with that! In fact, it was a perfectly rational way for Jiang Cheng to behave.
3. Weak
Okay, this one really made me raise an eyebrow. Jiang Cheng, weak for not arguing back when his parents scolded him?
If you consider what I wrote earlier on filial piety, this argument doesn’t have much of a place in the overall context of Jiang Cheng’s upbringing.
There are very few universes in which it’s acceptable for a Chinese kid to talk back to their parents (even when their parents are obviously wrong). It especially wasn’t acceptable during the time period in which Jiang Cheng was raised.
So what was Jiang Cheng supposed to do, stand there and take it?
Yes!
Think about why Yu Ziyuan scolded Jiang Cheng for his panicked reaction when Wang Lingjiao kidnapped one of their disciples. Think about why Jiang Fengmian criticized him for grumbling about Wei Wuxian’s heroic deeds in Muxi. In both cases, he was not acting like a clan leader.
Jiang Cheng, by all accounts, had a comfortable and loving childhood. Yu Ziyuan and Jiang Fengmian showed their love for him the way many Chinese parents do — by being deliberately harsh on him to push him to do better, so he would come into his role as a future clan leader.
In Yu Ziyuan’s eyes, Jiang Cheng was too soft, too excitable. Instead of calmly assessing the situation and options available to him, he panicked when Wang Lingjiao showed up. Worse; he lost his cool in front of his own subordinates, the Jiang disciples — the very people that he would eventually lead and protect.
In that moment, he fully deserved that particular admonishment. His behavior didn’t exactly inspire confidence in his subordinates. It also reflected badly on Yu Ziyuan as both a mother and a prominent clan leader’s wife. It would have been a tremendous loss of face for her child to be seen as incapable or lacking.
What about Jiang Fengmian? In principle, Jiang Cheng’s assessment of the situation was, in fact, correct. Wei Wuxian should indeed have acted with more deliberation in the xuanwu cave. But, perhaps as accurate as Jiang Cheng’s opinion was, it was very ungracious. As a future clan leader, it would have been unbecoming to say it out loud.
Though he had disagreed, Jiang Cheng should have commended Wei Wuxian for his actions and acknowledged his deeds. Not doing so made him seem jealous and petty — and it’s something his father was quick to point out and correct him for on the spot.
Wei Wuxian really hit the nail on the head with this one — “你是江叔叔的亲生儿子，未来的江家家主。江叔叔对你自然是要更严厉的。可我就不一样，我是别人家的儿子，爹妈都是江叔叔的好朋友，他对我当然要客气一些。”
“You’re Uncle Jiang’s own son, and the future leader of the Jiang Clan. Naturally, Uncle Jiang would be hard on you. But I’m different. I’m someone else’s son, and my parents were good friends with Uncle Jiang. Of course he’ll be more courteous towards me.” (translation by me)
Which Chinese kid hasn’t experienced this? Watching their parents regard their peers with more leniency than what’s usually accorded to them for similar behavior at home?
Generally, Chinese parents are responsible for their children’s behavior and upbringing, even when they are nearly adults (as Jiang Cheng was). We have a controversial saying which I’ve heard a thousand times growing up — 打是疼 骂是爱, or “hitting or scolding your child is an act of love”.
It may sound fucked up in a modern context where there are diluted standards of what’s acceptable and what’s not, but then again, it’s relevant to a lot of Chinese people’s experiences.
Jiang Cheng may appear to have been the scapegoat, the least favorite child, but in fact the opposite was true. He was the heir. He was the youngest, and therefore he would have been the most spoiled. He had the entire future of the clan resting on his shoulders. He was not by any stretch a disappointment to his parents. He was a diamond in the rough. Had they not loved or cared about him, they would not have bothered admonishing him even once. Jiang Fengmian would have found a way to produce another heir and raise him to Jiang Cheng’s position.
So that’s why Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan were so hard on him. And that’s why Jiang Cheng was supposed to accept their criticisms with grace, and understand that in doing so, that he was deeply, irreplaceably, and unconditionally loved.
4. Envy of Wei Wuxian
Can you really blame Jiang Cheng for this? He was so young during the pre-Sunshot arc, and he was constantly and objectively overshadowed by Wei Wuxian in almost every aspect of his life.
Jiang Fengmian’s constant praise of Wei Wuxian was a sore point throughout Jiang Cheng’s formative years, in particular regarding his embodiment of the Jiang family motto 明之不可为而为之/有所不为方有可为.
I don’t wish to defend Jiang Fengmian’s actions too much, but again, this is a common thing that Chinese parents like to do — point at someone who is performing better than their own child and compare the two, in hopes of motivating their child to work harder. This is the 别人家的孩子 effect, which I’ve previously written about here.
And the point of that is, none of it is Jiang Cheng’s fault (or Wei Wuxian’s, really). He was a victim of these constant comparisons throughout his childhood. While Jiang Fengmian’s methods may be seen as harmful in a modern or non-Chinese context, he definitely meant well. He wanted the best for Jiang Cheng.
It’s very subtle, but he was certainly not favoring Wei Wuxian by doing this! By using Wei Wuxian as an example, he was expressing his hopes for Jiang Cheng to surpass Wei Wuxian, or at the very least, be on par with him.
At worst, his praises for Wei Wuxian were indulgent words; a gracious acknowledgement of his best friends’ child’s abilities and work ethic.
And at best, they were meant to motivate Wei Wuxian to continue being an example for the younger disciples. He did not place any other expectations on Wei Wuxian. Had Wei Wuxian failed in his duties as a head disciple, there would have been little to no impact on the Jiang clan. They would have simply replaced him with the next best candidate.
Jiang Fengmian certainly never saw Wei Wuxian as a potential successor to the Jiang clan. If he had, he would have given up on Jiang Cheng entirely.
And Wei Wuxian understood this, and he understood his own place in the clan, both in the present moment and for the future.
In the scene after Wei Wuxian wakes up from his injuries post-Muxi, he says to Jiang Cheng “将来你做家主，我就做你的下属，像你父亲和我父亲一样。”
“When you become the leader in future, I’ll be your right-hand man, just like how our fathers were.” (translation by me)
Ok, moving on. How does the core transfer factor into this? A lot of people like to gleefully refer to the core transfer reveal as an “aha!” moment for Jiang Cheng to realize the error of his ways, but I personally find this viewpoint very painful.
Wen Ning’s reveal hurt Jiang Cheng more deeply than he could ever have imagined. No matter how much it was presented as a sacrifice, the deception was there.
Jiang Cheng had been lied to and tricked by Wei Wuxian and Wen Qing. He had to suffer the indignity of Wei Wuxian (rightfully or otherwise) assuming that he would be unable to accept the truth.
He was forced to look back at his past treatment of Wen Qing and Wen Ning with horror and regret, and to realize that very few of his current spiritual abilities were due to his own effort or talent.
How would it have felt for him, then? Knowing that even after everything had been done and dusted, that he was still inferior to Wei Wuxian in many ways?
I can’t imagine it must have been pleasant at all, and I’m perhaps one of the few who thinks that it would have driven a deeper wedge between the two.
The only thing that would possibly put Jiang Cheng on equal footing would be if he revealed the circumstances surrounding his capture by Wen Chao to Wei Wuxian, but that would be horribly ungracious of him. And, knowing Jiang Cheng, he would not.
5. Abusive behavior towards Jin Ling and people he suspected of being Wei Wuxian
To really explain this part in detail, we have to consider the events at Qiongqi that led to Jin Zixuan’s death. And we should also consider what happened later: Wei Wuxian’s actions at Buyetian, which resulted in Jiang Yanli’s.
It’s no secret that Jiang Cheng carried a chip on his shoulder following these two events. Everyone he had ever loved and cared about was dead.
His parents, his beloved sister, his brother-in-law, and Wei Wuxian. The only person he had left after the events of Buyetian was Jin Ling, who was just an infant at the time.
At the time, Jiang Cheng didn’t (and couldn’t) trust anyone to look after Jin Ling properly. He barely knew Jin Guangyao and Jin Guangshan, who were Jin Ling’s closest relatives, on a personal level.
It was not really Jiang Cheng’s place to take charge of Jin Ling’s care. In a patriarchal context, Jin Ling technically had a closer association with his father’s blood relatives (even Jin Guangyao, who wasn’t nobly born). There was no good reason for Jiang Cheng to be so involved — Jin Ling would not be able to pass on the Jiang family name.
And yet, Jiang Cheng did it anyway.
While he could probably have trusted Jin Guangshan to hand the reins to Jin Ling once he came of age, seeing that Jin Ling was Jin Guangshan’s precious true-blooded grandson, he couldn’t have taken a similar risk with Jin Guangyao.
Jin Guangshan’s sudden passing would have upset Jiang Cheng’s plans, and thrown Jin Ling’s future into uncertainty.
Jin Guangyao (the natural successor to Jin Guangshan and Jin Zixuan) was soon to be married, which meant that he would eventually have a family of his own. Jiang Cheng likely understood that any of Jin Guangyao’s future children would pose a direct threat to Jin Ling’s future claim to the title of clan leader. He had to take charge of the situation.
And this is precisely why he raised Jin Ling with such tough love. He was doing what his own parents did to him — attempting to whip Jin Ling into shape to make him into the best version of himself.
Beneath Jiang Cheng’s verbal admonishments, there was always an undercurrent of fear.
Fear that Jin Ling would look weak and unbecoming in public and thus show that he is unworthy of the role of clan leader.
Fear that someone would seize the opportunity to kill Jin Ling and remove him as an obstacle.
Fear that Jin Ling would turn to demonic cultivation and meet the same end as Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Cheng wanted Jin Ling to succeed. He hated it when Jin Ling looked incompetent, because he knew it would sully people’s impressions of Jin Ling. For that reason, he was constantly teaching Jin Ling to keep his guard up.
In case it isn’t clear, Jiang Cheng loved Jin Ling because he was the only family he had left, and he was terrified of losing him.
It doesn’t justify his constant threats to break Jin Ling’s legs, but it explains a lot. Jiang Cheng was willing to go to any lengths to protect and instruct Jin Ling, even if it made him look cruel and mean.
This is a common refrain in Chinese parenting; the attitude of “I know what’s best for you, and I don’t care if you hate me for it”.
Now, let’s talk about him arresting and torturing people he suspected of being Wei Wuxian.
At the time of the events of Qiongqi and Buyetian, most of the cultivation world saw Jin Zixuan’s and Jiang Yanli’s deaths as Wei Wuxian’s fault. It’s no secret that Jiang Cheng definitely thought so too. Had Wei Wuxian survived the battle at Buyetian, he would have been held accountable for his actions, and Jiang Cheng would not have been expected to defend him. Since Wei Wuxian died after the battle, the other clans likely decided it was the end of the matter. There was no need for any punishment to be meted out.
But in Jiang Cheng’s eyes, Wei Wuxian had committed worse crimes than those the cultivation world had accused him of. He had wounded and betrayed Jiang Cheng in the most fundamental of ways.
He had reneged on all of his promises. His promise to serve Jiang Cheng as a loyal right-hand man. His promise to keep the Yunmeng trio together. His promise to preserve Jiang Yanli’s happiness. And most critically, his promise to keep his demonic cultivation under control.
Therefore, it’s easy to understand why Jiang Cheng continued to pick at this particular scab. The impact of Wei Wuxian’s actions affected him more than anybody in the cultivation world (except, perhaps Lan Wangji). But I’m not excusing the fact that Jiang Cheng most definitely went off the rails in his pursuit of answers.
It was inhumane, but interrogating innocent people provided an outlet for Jiang Cheng’s anger and hurt. He needed answers, and most importantly, closure. It does not absolve him from these accusations, but it explains the motivation behind his actions.
6. Uncaring towards Wen Qing and Wen Ning
Okay, let’s look at a common trope in wuxia and xianxia — the concept of 报仇血恨. There’s no direct equivalent in English that’s as fraught with meaning. Google Translate would give its meaning as “seeking revenge”, but the true definition leans more towards “seeking to avenge”.
In the context of wuxia, characters usually set out on the path of 报仇 when their families or martial sects have been murdered. 报仇 does not just carry an emotional component, but a ethical one as well. Simple revenge wouldn’t bring back the dead, but exacting vengeance on the people who hurt your family would ensure that your loved ones rest in peace.
That’s why many mass murderers tended to kill every member of a family or sect 斩草除根 “destroying the grass down to the roots”, and not just one or two people.
First, this would ensure that no one would be left to avenge the dead.
Second, it was a cruelly thorough way of destroying an enemy. In a society that placed importance on venerating one’s ancestors and passing glory and teachings to future generations, eliminating everyone in the bloodline (including innocents) would ensure that nothing of their name would survive.
Back to Jiang Cheng. Simply destroying Lianhuawu wasn’t enough for the Wens. They had to hunt down Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian as well, for these very reasons. Jiang Cheng’s hatred of the Wen clan thus became the forefront of his motivation.
Wen Chao and co wanted to extinguish Jiang Cheng’s entire bloodline. It was only fair that Jiang Cheng wanted to extinguish everyone in his family in return — and that included everyone surnamed Wen.
It didn’t matter that the Wen siblings were risking their own lives to help him (and in Wen Qing’s case, performing a complicated surgical procedure that would leave him forever in her debt).
报仇 is an obligation that runs deep, and it seldom takes deeds of redemption into account — only family ties. Wen Qing and Wen Ning were doomed to be the enemies of the Jiang clan forever, simply because they shared Wen Ruohan’s blood.
Bythe unwritten laws of the jianghu, Jiang Cheng was expected to harbor a lifetime’s hatred for the Wens, and to kill every single one of them for what they did to his home and family.
If he had brought his men to Burial Mounds and attacked everyone in sight, including the elderly people and the children, he would have been fully justified in the eyes of all the cultivation clans.
Again, looking at everything in context, that’s not Jiang Cheng’s fault. If we’re going by novel canon (and not cql canon), he barely knew them. He had no reason to trust them. They were easy targets for his hatred.
And yet, the remarkable thing is — each time, he held himself back. He refrained from attacking Wen Ning both times he visited Wei Wuxian (once during their staged fight, and the second time when escorting Jiang Yanli to Lanling), and again during the second siege of Burial Mounds. In all three instances, he had legitimate reasons to do so.
The reveal of the core transfer procedure only served to muddle Jiang Cheng’s feelings of hatred. Suddenly, his lifetime 仇恨 vengeful grievance had turned into 恩怨 (literally, “obligation and resentment interlaced”). And he recognized this. Given the very mechanic of 报仇, it would be unrealistic to expect Jiang Cheng to ever apologize to Wen Ning, or for them to ever become friends.
I’d say Wen Ning got off very lightly indeed where Jiang Cheng was concerned.
7. Rudeness towards Wangxian at the Jiang ancestral shrine
I’d like to talk about one simple, irrefutable fact. Wei Wuxian had been formally disowned. He was, at the time of the visit to the ancestral shrine, no longer a member of the Jiang clan.
It didn’t matter that the fight between him and Jiang Cheng many years ago was staged, or that he had earlier rescued everyone (including Jin Ling) at Burial Mounds. None of that mattered.
Wei Wuxian was a guest at Lianhuawu, there by the grace of Jiang Cheng and his hospitality. He no longer lived there. Yunmeng may have once been his home, but in that moment, it was not.
What Wei Wuxian did (walking around Lianhuawu unsupervised) was extremely rude, a shocking breach of formal etiquette. The other guests abided by the unspoken courtesy by sitting in the entrance hall where they had been confined, but Wei Wuxian did not.
He left his host’s side to enter a private compound without permission. He knowingly entered one of the most sacred and personal of areas in someone’s home — the ancestral shrine — because he wanted, selfishly, to pay respects to those he no longer had any right to claim ties to.
When I read this scene in the novel and watched it in cql, I was appalled. Wei Wuxian’s behavior was so far out of line, I was surprised that Jiang Cheng wasted time standing there and arguing with them instead of chasing them out immediately.
I’m not excusing Jiang Cheng’s loss of temper, his insults, or his attempts to physically assault Wei Wuxian, but it’s understandable why he felt the way he did. Of course, the appropriate thing for Jiang Cheng to have done would have been to politely suggest that perhaps Wangxian had gotten lost, and personally escort them back to the entrance hall. There, he should then have reminded them that their needs would be met so they wouldn’t have to wander around on their own.
8. Bonus: the sacrifices he made for Wei Wuxian
Many critics like to focus on how Wei Wuxian was often wronged and mistreated by Jiang Cheng. Here are some canon examples of how Jiang Cheng never stopped caring for Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Cheng went without food, rest, or weapons for days on end to get help for Wei Wuxian when he was trapped with the xuanwu
And after all that, Jiang Cheng carried him back home and looked after him
Jiang Cheng tried to prevent his mother from beating Wei Wuxian
Jiang Cheng surrendered himself for capture to protect Wei Wuxian when they were running from the Wens
When Wei Wuxian disappeared for three months, Jiang Cheng kept his sword safe, and never stopped looking for him
When Jiang Cheng rose to the position of clan leader, he gave Wei Wuxian more freedom than he deserved
Jiang Cheng didn’t scold Wei Wuxian in public for not carrying his sword, or for behaving arrogantly during meetings and banquets, though it was his prerogative to do so
Jiang Cheng tried to talk Wei Wuxian out of protecting the Wens, because he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to protect him
Jiang Cheng agreed to a staged fight instead of an actual fight at Burial Mounds, because he didn’t want to hurt Wei Wuxian
Jiang Cheng went out of his way to bring Jiang Yanli for a visit to Yiling
Jiang Cheng suggested Wei Wuxian name Jin Ling. This was a tremendous honor, and his offering of peace to Wei Wuxian. It was also a way of mending the relationship between the Yunmeng trio. He could have simply named Jin Ling himself, or let someone else from the Jin clan do it
Jiang Cheng kept Chenqing after Wei Wuxian’s death, and carried it around with him wherever he went. Not as a war trophy, but as a symbol of remembrance
Jiang Cheng returned it to Wei Wuxian in the end, accepting Wei Wuxian’s help to use his demonic abilities to protect Jin Ling
Final thoughts
Many of us would certainly like to believe that we are like Wei Wuxian — unconventional, carefree, unflinching in the face of injustice, deserving of a happy ending.
But in reality, a lot of us are more like Jiang Cheng — bound by familial and societal obligations, torn between love and duty, and often plagued by hatred, uncertainty, and fear.
Despite having the best of intentions, Jiang Cheng’s struggles are very real, and he does not always make good decisions.
Jiang Cheng is by no means a perfect character. He has his flaws, which admittedly make him unappealing to some people.
If you already dislike Jiang Cheng, I’m not sure I can or should change your mind, but I hope that this piece at the very least provides some additional context to aid in understanding his behavior, and perhaps, to explain why I related to him as much as I did.
The moment Nie Mingjue acted like a true Chinese parent in canon
What 别人家的孩子 means
How it was used on Nie Huaisang in this instance
Even Wei Wuxian noticed it!
Let’s go!
Ok so! This all takes place in Chapter 48, when Lan Xichen arrived at Hejian in the middle of the Sunshot Campaign. This is a flashback, in which Wei Wuxian is looking at the scene from behind Nie Mingjue’s eyes during his investigation at Jinlintai.
Here, Nie Mingjue asked Lan Xichen, “Your brother is (in Jiangling)?”
He then promptly followed it up with “Your brother’s cultivation level is very high, he can handle it alone well enough, why do you need to go?” (translation by me)
Taken on its own, it sounds like a respectful exchange between two clan leaders on roughly the same footing. Nie Mingjue appears to be commending Lan Wangji’s skills because:
Lan Wangji was objectively outstanding
It was an indirect way of expressing courtesy to Lan Xichen, who was his guest and close friend
It was in line with Nie Mingjue’s straightforward personality, where he expressed both praise and criticism in the plainest, most direct manner
But let’s look at this other exchange later in the same chapter. Here, Nie Mingjue retrieved his brother’s saber and handed it to Lan Xichen.
He said, “Although it can be said that (Nie Huaisang) is safe with you, he cannot fall behind on his studies. Tell whoever is free to supervise him. The next time we meet, I want to test his saber technique, and his knowledge of the scriptures.” (translation by me)
Why was this significant?
Though Nie Huaisang and Lan Wangji were contemporaries, Nie Mingjue described his brother very differently, compared to Lan Wangji. In Nie Mingjue’s eyes, Nie Huaisang was behaving like an unruly child in need of discipline.
There was a subtle comparison going on here that would probably resonate with a lot of people who have grown up in Chinese households — the concept of “别人家的孩子”.
What does 别人家的孩子 mean, and why are Chinese parents so fond of doing it?
别人家的孩子 literally means “another person’s child”. More abstractly, it refers to your cousin who is a music prodigy, the neighbor’s child who is better behaved (i.e. more filial) than you, or your classmate who consistently achieves top exam results.
In sum, 别人家的孩子 represents a high standard set by your parents for the sake of comparing you to others. This is usually with the end in mind of pushing you to do better, so that you would be ultimately successful in life.
From the parent’s perspective (in this case, Nie Mingjue’s, seeing that he was responsible for overseeing Nie Huaisang’s education), there is a certain measure of self-deprecation and reflection in 别人家的孩子 as well. In other words, “where did I fall short as a parent/instructor, that my child is not currently able to measure up to their peers of the same generation?”
We have a saying 望子成龙, which is a wish for one’s children to be “dragons” — i.e. successful in their studies and professions, to the extent of surpassing their own parents. The feminine equivalent for daughters is 望女成凤, i.e. to be “phoenixes”.
This was exactly what Nie Mingjue was hoping for here! Nie Mingjue felt that his ultimate responsibility was to oversee his brother’s studies, which would in turn ensure that Qinghe would never appear weak in the future, or worse, fall.
At this point, Nie Mingjue would already have sensed that he was affected by his saber cultivation, and he absolutely needed Nie Huaisang to be strong enough to step into his position in the future. And on a more personal level, Nie Mingjue also hoped that Nie Huaisang would quickly improve and become someone that he would be able to be proud of — on his own terms, and for his own sake.
Most importantly of all, it would have been his greatest gift to Nie Huaisang: in imparting the Nie family legacy, and in expressing just how much Nie Huaisang meant to him, both as a younger brother and a future clan leader.
Finally, it is worth noting that Nie Mingjue deprecated Nie Huaisang (and by extension, himself) before Lan Xichen, while simultaneously uplifting Lan Wangji. His informality and familiarity hints at their closeness, and the deep trust between them.
⛰ It’s a common saying in wuxia that was also included in one of CQL’s ending sequences
⛰ Long story short, the English subs didn’t handle this particularly well
Let’s go!
Ok so! This was translated in the English subs to mean “as long as the sea is bound to wash up on the sand, and stars are above you, we will meet again.”
Yeah, this is not what it means at all.
Let’s take a step back and look at the literal meaning behind this phrase.
青山不改: the green/blue mountains do not change
绿水长流: the green water flows forever
后会有期: there will be a time where we will meet again
In the context of wuxia, this is usually said as a parting phrase from one person to another. The relationship between the two parties is usually one that carries a heavy degree of affection and mutual respect.
This phrase can be used between parents and children, between disciples and masters, between blood, sworn, or martial siblings, between strangers, or between friends.
Generally, the relationship between both parties would contain a degree of equality. If used between master and disciple, it’s usally in the context of an established disciple leaving their martial sect to enter the jianghu. There’s a wistful, melancholy connotation to it, and it usually isn’t to be said or taken lightly.
Usually, it’s said when one or both parties know they will probably never cross paths (or blades) again in their lifetimes.
On 青山不改 绿水长流
This is where 青山不改 绿水长流 comes in. There are several possible connotations to this phrase, which are set against the harsh and unforgiving backdrop of the jianghu, and that are all relevant in the context of a farewell:
1️⃣ People and events are ephemeral, but the mountains and rivers will remain constant.
In other words, it implies that people have little control over the passage of time and the forces of nature, and it will be very fortunate if they would ever be able to meet again.
This is best highlighted in the poem 《临江仙·滚滚长江东逝水》by Ming dynasty poet Yang Shen 杨慎. There is a line in the poem that reads 青山依旧在 几度夕阳红, which loosely means “the mountains will remain, and so will the red sunsets”.
2️⃣ Even though time may pass, I hope that we will both remain the same.
Just like the mountains that remain, and the rivers that keep flowing, values and ideals should remain strong and constant, unswayed by outside, negative influences.
3️⃣ Our (martial or coincidental) relationship was beneficial while it lasted, and while we were fortunate to have our paths cross, it’s now time to part ways for practical reasons.
On 后会有期
后会有期 carries a certain degree of hope that the parting will not be an absolute one; and that fate would bring both parties together for one final meeting.
So, unlike what’s been translated in the CQL subs, this phrase doesn’t necessarily contain a romantic connotation at all! It’s part of standard (albeit loaded) jianghu courtesy.
And there certainly are no references to the sea or to the stars!
The Bai Juyi attribution and origins of the phrase
One last thing, which has been confusing for many wuxia and xianxia fans (including me!)
If you search for the phrase 青山不改 绿水长流, you’re likely to come across references to a poem 《离别》, which was supposedly written by Tang poet Bai Juyi 白居易.
In truth, Bai Juyi had never written such a poem! It was written by someone else in modern times and attributed to him. You can read more about this “Bai Juyi poem” and its story here.
So, where did this phrase originally come from? It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume it was derived from the Yang Shen poem referenced above. Alternatively, it could have been adapted from the poem 《林则徐全集》 by Qing dynasty scholar Lin Zexu 林则徐.
Lin Zexu’s poem opens with 青山不墨千秋画 绿水无弦万古琴, which is a patriotic statement that loosely means “even without ink, the mountains are as fine as a thousand-year painting; even without strings, the rivers are as melodic as ten thousand guqin”.
If you like wuxia/xianxia, you’ve probably come across this term before
In the context of fiction, “jianghu” is an intricate term to explain, and it means something entirely different in a modern setting
Let’s go!
Ok so!
The term jianghu 江湖 literally translates to “rivers and lakes”. Literally, it refers to all corners of the earth under the sky. More abstractly, this refers to people in general, or to a loose definition of human society.
Living in the jianghu
And so, “rivers and lakes” is a metaphor for the lifeblood connecting people and events to each other.
The term jianghu has been used by poets and scholars throughout history. The word has a rather romantic connotation because it’s associated with societal freedom, a sphere separate from the constraints of the royal court 朝廷 and its laws.
In the jianghu, people could generally do as they pleased. They could establish their own martial sects, learn the skills they wanted, settle disputes on their own, and wander freely to their heart’s content (in an ideal setting, anyway). Therefore, people who truly lived in the jianghu were usually envied.
The idea of jianghu was most often seen in times or areas where the ruling dynasty was seen to be ineffective/weak, thereby reinforcing the need for a self-governing society.
In the jianghu, people usually made their own laws and resolved conflicts with minimal intervention from the yamen 衙门 or magisterial courts. This is why a lot of wuxia/period dramas feature the concept of personal revenge 报仇. Without effective laws in place, people had to take matters into their own hands. In such instances, strength was the currency of the jianghu — only the best tended to survive.
The advent of martial sects
In many wuxia settings, this gave rise to the formation of martial sects 门派.
These martial sects each developed their own techniques, which they kept as closely-guarded secrets. This helped their members to remain strong in the face of inter-sect clashes. Disciples were generally expected to make a name for themselves in the jianghu after learning their sect’s skills.
In wuxia, this usually meant a title. For example (going back to my favorite wuxia, Xiao Ao Jianghu 笑傲江湖) Yue Buqun’s nickname was 君子剑 “gentlemanly blade”.
It was therefore ideal for many young people to 闯江湖 — literally, “bursting upon the jianghu” to make as quick and deep an impact as possible, so that they would earn widespread recognition and respect.
Crime and punishment in the jianghu
The fact that lawlessness reigned supreme also meant that criminals and bandits had free run. People looking to subdue them were usually termed jianghu heroes 江湖好汉 for protecting the common people, who mostly had no martial skills to call their own. Chivalry and honor were important ideals in the jianghu, especially among people looking to establish themselves. By holding to these unwritten moral codes, they helped preserve the delicate balance of the jianghu and prevent the courts from interfering.
On wulin
Moving briefly to another concept in wuxia — the concept of wulin 武林. This is a subset of the jianghu, comprising the best and most famous fighters. The top fighters would be called 高手, as they were in a position to be envied.
Jianghu governance and control
Ok, now on governance of the jianghu — who helped keep these unruly sects in check by preventing infighting and preserving harmonious relations?
In wuxia settings, leadership is usually unanimously given to the most influential and/or senior person in the wulin. This person would be called the mengzhu 盟主. An equivalent in mdzs/cql is the position of Chief Cultivator or xiandu 仙督.
The position was seldom dynastic — one had to earn it through deeds/achievements, and have the support of the strongest sects. This is why so many wuxia films focus on various people trying to kill the incumbent 盟主 to win the position. (Or, in some cases, working together to overthrow a corrupt 盟主!)
Retiring and returning to the jianghu
Ok, now on to retirement — what happened whenever someone decided they didn’t want to deal with jianghu politics/fighting any longer?
They would leave the jianghu 退出江湖 and begin a life of seclusion or aimless (and often, blissfully anonymous) wandering.
And if they were somehow persuaded out of retirement, they would return to the jianghu 重出江湖.
The jianghu in a modern context
In modern terms, the term jianghu can have a rather negative connotation — in some cases it refers to the underworld, or places free from the law where illicit activities can take place. In other cases, jianghu could refer to a professional industry or closed circle.
Fandom in itself is a jianghu of sorts — it’s generally ungoverned, there are people who are famous/infamous for various things, and people try to make a name for themselves!
Some additional quotes and explanations about the jianghu
相濡以沫，不如相忘于江湖: this was written by the scholar Zhuangzi in Da Zong Shi 大宗师. It means “when the springs are dry, the fish spit on each other to keep themselves from drying out. In such circumstances, why not lose themselves in rivers/lakes instead?” To paraphrase, the meaning behind this is “when we’re all trapped in a difficult situation together, we help each other as much as we can with what little we have. Why not venture into the jianghu (i.e. the freedom of the wider world), and welcome a new life/perspective with a brand-new self?” (tl by me)
This is the underpinning factor why many younger people in wuxia stories choose to leave the closed communities of their martial sects once they master their teachings, and see the wider world for themselves.
人在江湖，身不由己: this was written by popular wuxia author Gu Long in his book 楚留香传奇 (The Legend of Chu Liuxiang). It loosely means “when you are in the jianghu, you are no longer your own person”. (tl by me)
More specifically, it refers to how easily people can be changed/influenced by their surroundings, and be be swept along by the tides and events beyond their control.
It’s an interesting turn of phrase that refers to how far-reaching and influential the jianghu is, particularly on people who are fresh and impressionable. In wuxia, there’s a note of caution here to younger disciples. They should not expect to change the jianghu, but rather, to be changed and moulded by it. They should expect to be tempted, to be challenged, to be horrified, and to be blown away by the beauty and harshness of the world outside their insular sects.
For further reading, here’s another post on jianghu written by a friend of mine!
This is specifically about the practice of 右衽 (“right panel”) over 左衽 (“left panel”)
I’m not an expert in hanfu but here’s what I know!
Hanfu 汉服 refers to clothing worn by ethnic Han people. A common variant of hanfu has crossed collars 交领, which is what this post is about.
Generally, if you’re designing/cosplaying ethnic Han characters with 交领, 右衽 (“right panel”) is the norm!
Here’s an example of 右衽, literally named because the right panel is folded towards the body first, with the left panel above it. Worn in this manner, the collar would look like the letter “y” when viewed from the front.
On the other hand, this is an example of 左衽 (“left panel”), where the left is folded in towards the body first, followed by the right.
In most Han-centric costume dramas, you will only see characters with the right-panel style.
Here’s why the left-panel style tends to be unpopular among Han people:
One, it was associated with “barbarians” (minor ethnic groups from central and northern territories)
The left-panel style sometimes left the right shoulder bare, which suited minority groups that specialized in shooting arrows from horseback.
Confucius once said: “管仲相桓公，霸诸侯，一匡天下，民到于今受其赐，微管仲，吾其被发左衽矣。” Very loosely, “if not for Guan Zhong (a prominent statesman), we would be wearing clothes in the left-panel style like barbarians”. (tl by me)
So yeah… Confucius was a pretty big proponent of “Han superiority”.
Two, the left side was considered to be the domain of yang 阳, associated with life and vitality.
On the other hand, the right was the domain of yin 阴, associated with death and negative energy. With right-panel style, living persons would place the left side over the right, thus suppressing the yin with the yang.
This is also why left-panel style is associated with death and funerary practices. Corpses would be dressed in burial clothes with left-panel style, as they have no yang energy.
For this reason, the left-panel style is considered inauspicious. It can sometimes provoke strong, visceral reactions in many Han Chinese people, even in modern times.
Some of these left/right panel norms are prevalent in Japanese culture as well. People who wear kimono would also tuck the right panel towards the body first, followed by the left on top.
More reasons why Han people tended to favor the right-panel style:
In line with Han nationalism, Confucius and many other thought leaders considered it a mark of refinement and civilization
Post-Qin/Han, the left side started to be seen as more important than the right, which resulted in more people wearing it on top in right-panel style
Practicality — as most people were right-handed, it made it easier to get dressed/undressed
Related to the point above, as there were no pockets in hanfu, it was easier for right-handed people to store small objects in the main panel 怀
Expression of yang energy, as explained earlier in
Controversies
In Han-centric circles in modern social media, incorrectly-depicted hanfu can sometimes be the topic of intense debate.
This baidu doodle shows the cowherd boy 牛郎 with a greenish left-panel style hanfu, which a lot of people reacted negatively to.
In this other example, a student saw a picture of famous poet Qu Yuan in left-panel style in a history textbook and posted it on her socials. When her post blew up, the publisher had to clarify that it had been a deliberate aesthetic/printing decision.
Final thoughts
A disclaimer; what constitutes a “true” or “authentic” hanfu is still the subject of much debate between different groups, and it can be a very sensitive subject given China’s history and political relations. As with any other sensitive cultural aspect, it’s always a good idea to do your research and check reputable sources first!
I highly recommend the following resources for further reading:
But generally, if you’re unsure about depicting hanfu in your art, cosplay, or writing, the right-panel style (left over right) is always a safe bet, unless you’re portraying a character dressed in funerary clothes.
Let’s assume that he (and not Yu Ziyuan) had absolute authority over this decision
Let’s go!
As Jiang Yanli’s cultivation was relatively weak, Yu Ziyuan made an early and pivotal arrangement for her to marry into the Jin clan. Yu Ziyuan hoped they would be able to shelter her daughter with their status and power. Besides, she had known Madam Jin for a long time, and she trusted her.
But, had the decision been solely left to Jiang Fengmian, I believe he would have taken a different tack, and chosen an entirely different son-in-law.
So, who would he have picked?
If we transpose the setting of MDZS to that of a conventional wuxia story, and draw parallels between the cultivation clans and traditional martial sects prevalent in wuxia, there would only be one logical candidate:
Wei Wuxian.
I get that this is an unpopular scenario because it breaks not just one, but TWO canon pairings (Wangxian and Xuanli).
Besides, both Jiang Yanli and Wei Wuxian make it abundantly clear on separate occasions that they view each other like blood siblings:
He would not be able to attend Jiang Yanli’s wedding, and would not have the opportunity to see what she would look like in her wedding attire. So Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli made a special and secret journey to Yiling, beckoned him into a yard, and let him see what jiejie would look like on her wedding day.
b. Jiang Yanli (ch 70):
江厌离轻声道：“夫人，阿羡是我弟弟，旁人辱他，于我而言，不是小事。”
Jiang Yanli said lightly, “Furen, A-Xian is my little brother. To me, it’s not a trivial matter when outsiders insult him.”
(both translations above by me)
Back to Jiang Fengmian. Why might he have betrothed Jiang Yanli to Wei Wuxian? Let’s take a look.
1. Convention
If we assume that the clans of MDZS are like wuxia sects, it was common practice for the head’s children to marry their martial siblings. This helped ensure that:
Each clan/sect’s secret techniques 秘籍 would “stay within the family” and not be exposed to the covetous eyes of outsiders, who might copy the techniques, or worse, discover weaknesses and learn how to counter them
Future generations would be strong and well-suited for training, since their parents’ caliber would already be known
The matter of inheritance would be assured, and the clan/sect’s future would be entrusted to a worthy candidate as early as possible
Case in point: I always go back to 笑傲江湖 (The Smiling Proud Wanderer) because it’s one of my favorites — Huashan head disciple Linghu Chong has an early romantic entanglement with his shifu’s daughter, Yue Lingshan! (He calls her “shimei” 师妹)
2. Sentiment
Jiang Fengmian saw the parallels between the Yunmeng trio and his own relationship with Wei Wuxian’s parents.
I believe he looked back on their closeness in his youth with a fair amount of nostalgia and longing, and he would have wanted to preserve that in the younger generation by finding a way to cement their relationship further. Wei Wuxian would thus have a legitimate reason to remain at Lotus Pier and serve Jiang Cheng as his right-hand man (and brother-in-law), as Wei Changze never managed to do for him.
This way, the Yunmeng trio would also be able to remain together for life.
3. Regard for Wei Wuxian and love for his daughter
Jiang Fengmian would earnestly have believed that it made for a good match.
He thought well of Wei Wuxian, and he knew Wei Wuxian would treat Jiang Yanli well and look after her needs.
Wei Wuxian’s position as head disciple was significantly prestigious that it would not raise eyebrows among the rest of the cultivation clans.
Furthermore, Wei Wuxian had a positive reputation in the jianghu, even as a teenager. It would have been a widely-celebrated union.
4. Vindication
If we assume Jiang Fengmian was aware of the rumors circulating about Wei Wuxian’s parentage, betrothing Jiang Yanli to him would have smashed these assumptions entirely.
Jiang Fengmian was a respectable and high-ranking person in the jianghu. No one, especially one of his status, would betroth his own beloved daughter to his illegitimate son. It would have been a horrific, despicable thing to do.
So, there you have it! What Jiang Fengmian might have done differently if the decision of Jiang Yanli’s betrothal had been left up to him.
This is translated as “Head Shaker” in the official English version, but it means more than that
I’ve previously covered this in the cql subs critique, but here’s a more detailed explanation
Ok so! We first see Nie Huaisang referred to as 一问三不知 in Ch 21 of the novel. In this scene, Wei Wuxian is talking to a man who claims to know a lot about the happenings in Qinghe.
This same conversation takes place in cql ep 34.
Quite literally, 一问三不知 means “ask once (一问), and hear three ‘I don’t knows’ (三不知)”.
According to modern writer Deng Tuo 邓拓, the three unknowns refer to three different stages for any situation in a person’s life:
始: the beginning, or the origin of the event. In other words, the background and history of the event, and what caused it to happen in the first place
中: the middle, or the process. In other words, what is currently happening, how and whether the event is developing or devolving, and other factors and the reasons behind them
终: the end or conclusion. In other words, how the event was eventually resolved, the impact, and what is supposed to happen next
Deng Tuo covered this in his piece 《变三不知为三知》, or “Turning three unknowns into three knowns”.
