This review may contain spoilers
A review from a chinese speaker :) (watched 2 yrs ago)
I will keep this review straight to the point than reviews I normally write because this is by far my top one favorite show at the moment. I usually like to break everything down but this show is a lot harder to in this review because my english and chinese brain isn’t working lol so bear with me.
I love our main character, acted by Chengyi (成毅). I speak mandarin thus I watched the show in mandarin, but I chose to give this review in English since I wanted others to see my view or whether the translation might be different in English :)
PLOT
After going back and forth through the show for about 10 times…. not exaggerating — I would always find new details to Li LianHua (李莲花) and how he had lived his life somewhat peacefully for ten years until the final goodbye. I thought this show was made to show how ten years was enough for him to understand that it’s okay to have regrets and that like a lotus, one should turn away from the past and focus on the present. He was such a beautiful character, acted by Chengyi who had a very special kind of acting different from actors you have never seen before, his acting makes a character come to life — by first, adding his own style, interpretation and also taking the time to live this character’s life to fully understand him. I think he did it because this is the 李相夷 (Li Xiangyi) or 李莲花 (Li LianHua) we see.
I really really enjoy this show not just because Chengyi’s acting but because I see Li LianHua as an actual person with a kind soul — someone who should’ve existed or had existed. I saw him as a character who has the ability to understand 众生 (common people) and thus, became just an ordinary person. This was a story where 李相夷 (Li Xiangyi) who believed his arrogance made 四顾门 (the sect that stands for righteousness) whom he was the leader/master of the sect back then, turn into shambles and people blamed him for his arrogance which added to his hatred of his past self. Then again, I believe it’s a beautiful story of someone falling from a high pedestal in society to just an ordinary being like the common people. He blamed himself when he saw how many people died because of him — but I FELT BAD for him. He didn’t do anything wrong, sure he was young, but the jealousy of other people made me see how ugly humanity can be.
Li Xiangyi, now Li Lianhua saw how he was betrayed by his very own sect, the person who he used to be his friend and now hates him for no freaking reason (OMG if you have watched the show — you know who), married his love and the other people of the sect who couldn’t even recognize him when he came back while Di Feisheng (老笛), his nemesis (“so called enemy”) and soulmate hahaha — more like confidante, recognized him first. Even the bad guys who wanted him dead too, recognize he was 李相夷 — sometimes I wonder if people from his sect don’t want him back — because he’s a burden that should be dead and if alive would make other people feel guilty. I hated how Li Lianhua is too kind to the people who betrayed him even if they’re evil to us. I guess he just doesn’t care anymore. 老笛 was portrayed in the beginning as an enemy but when you have finished watching the show, you will see how lovable and kind he is to Li Lianhua. He has a cold heart due to his past, but his actions are warm towards people he cherish. I think he loves Li Lianhua as a very dear friend and nemesis but don’t want him to die, so his way of showing his affections appear harsh to the audience. I love their dynamic so much, wish Li Lianhua didn’t have a love interest though and I hope the three of them can live their life all together (I mean they have each other right?).
This show told us a lot about friendships, people you meet along the way, and how you never know what someone is going through. Fang Duo Bing (方多病) was Li Xiangyi’s Senior brother’s son whom his Senior Brother neglected and abandoned while he was trying so hard to kill Li Lianhua for the last time in ten years. His hatred for our Hua Hua has come so far that I am laughing AT how much he will fail when he realized no matter how strong he becomes (he didn’t even become stronger lmao, killed their master who was like a father figure to them and stole his master’s sword/strength) and how much poison he tries to inject into our Lotus, he can never kill it. Someone who has kindness and compassion for others will never lose even without the Wuxia context. Li Lianhua’s swordsmanship (少师 & 刎颈), his two swords, even till this day only belongs to him. I hate how much this jealousy could make him kill someone who was trying to find him… who thought he was dead…who bared the guilt of making him die…who hurt the most when he found out the truth: that his brother whom he loved was jealous of what he had — the skills — all along. There was no brotherly love, it was all fake and a facade.
I remember the quotes Li Lianhua mentioned:
“有人弃剑如遗 有的人终身不复
人和人的信念 总是有所不同的”
“Some will abandon their swords as if discarding a burden, while others never break their promise for a lifetime. People's beliefs are always different from one another.”
This means everyone is different, if one day you are tired holding the sword, then maybe this is a burden you are not able to carry. Li Lianhua wanted to start a brand new life and thus want to acknowledge Li Xiangyi is dead, his past life is over and now, only the lotus in his heart exists that is the real him.
I remember wanting to hug Hua Hua, and now this poison he had within him for 10 years will truly kill him in the end — the only medicine he gave to the emperor and now he is truly making the audience cry for him. But I am happy, even with the skills, his skills are unmatched and no one would be able to beat him. I guess in the beginning, he wanted to hide that it was poison and he trusted Di Fei Sheng (笛飞声) so he didn’t care if he was related to the one who gave him poison or what — he doesn’t care. If 笛飞声 wanted first place then he can have it — but I don’t think Fang Duo Bing (方多病) would be happy hahaha. Li Xiangyi is the number one in the audiences’ and his heart.
I guess the answer is, maybe Li Lianhua (莲花花) never wanted to live and after that incident 10 years ago, he has always blamed himself and now he’s free from that burden so perhaps dying is the best ending.
BUT….
That was originally what I think, yet the alternate ending made me think otherwise! I think Li Lianhua’s two buddies found him since I remember he said he didn't have anything to regret or miss — but now he does! He has two people who genuinely cares about him :) and would risk getting hurt to save him.
So maybe…. just maybe — he chose a secret ending — an ending we don't know because now his life is starting as the actual Li Lianhua. However, in the book's ending, he lost the normal mentality of a human being — and his two buddies are taking care of him while Di Fei Sheng help him get crabs to play hahaha. i love this show since it made me so happy when I was sad.
It’s a nice gift after I legally became an adult :)
I love our main character, acted by Chengyi (成毅). I speak mandarin thus I watched the show in mandarin, but I chose to give this review in English since I wanted others to see my view or whether the translation might be different in English :)
PLOT
After going back and forth through the show for about 10 times…. not exaggerating — I would always find new details to Li LianHua (李莲花) and how he had lived his life somewhat peacefully for ten years until the final goodbye. I thought this show was made to show how ten years was enough for him to understand that it’s okay to have regrets and that like a lotus, one should turn away from the past and focus on the present. He was such a beautiful character, acted by Chengyi who had a very special kind of acting different from actors you have never seen before, his acting makes a character come to life — by first, adding his own style, interpretation and also taking the time to live this character’s life to fully understand him. I think he did it because this is the 李相夷 (Li Xiangyi) or 李莲花 (Li LianHua) we see.
I really really enjoy this show not just because Chengyi’s acting but because I see Li LianHua as an actual person with a kind soul — someone who should’ve existed or had existed. I saw him as a character who has the ability to understand 众生 (common people) and thus, became just an ordinary person. This was a story where 李相夷 (Li Xiangyi) who believed his arrogance made 四顾门 (the sect that stands for righteousness) whom he was the leader/master of the sect back then, turn into shambles and people blamed him for his arrogance which added to his hatred of his past self. Then again, I believe it’s a beautiful story of someone falling from a high pedestal in society to just an ordinary being like the common people. He blamed himself when he saw how many people died because of him — but I FELT BAD for him. He didn’t do anything wrong, sure he was young, but the jealousy of other people made me see how ugly humanity can be.
Li Xiangyi, now Li Lianhua saw how he was betrayed by his very own sect, the person who he used to be his friend and now hates him for no freaking reason (OMG if you have watched the show — you know who), married his love and the other people of the sect who couldn’t even recognize him when he came back while Di Feisheng (老笛), his nemesis (“so called enemy”) and soulmate hahaha — more like confidante, recognized him first. Even the bad guys who wanted him dead too, recognize he was 李相夷 — sometimes I wonder if people from his sect don’t want him back — because he’s a burden that should be dead and if alive would make other people feel guilty. I hated how Li Lianhua is too kind to the people who betrayed him even if they’re evil to us. I guess he just doesn’t care anymore. 老笛 was portrayed in the beginning as an enemy but when you have finished watching the show, you will see how lovable and kind he is to Li Lianhua. He has a cold heart due to his past, but his actions are warm towards people he cherish. I think he loves Li Lianhua as a very dear friend and nemesis but don’t want him to die, so his way of showing his affections appear harsh to the audience. I love their dynamic so much, wish Li Lianhua didn’t have a love interest though and I hope the three of them can live their life all together (I mean they have each other right?).
This show told us a lot about friendships, people you meet along the way, and how you never know what someone is going through. Fang Duo Bing (方多病) was Li Xiangyi’s Senior brother’s son whom his Senior Brother neglected and abandoned while he was trying so hard to kill Li Lianhua for the last time in ten years. His hatred for our Hua Hua has come so far that I am laughing AT how much he will fail when he realized no matter how strong he becomes (he didn’t even become stronger lmao, killed their master who was like a father figure to them and stole his master’s sword/strength) and how much poison he tries to inject into our Lotus, he can never kill it. Someone who has kindness and compassion for others will never lose even without the Wuxia context. Li Lianhua’s swordsmanship (少师 & 刎颈), his two swords, even till this day only belongs to him. I hate how much this jealousy could make him kill someone who was trying to find him… who thought he was dead…who bared the guilt of making him die…who hurt the most when he found out the truth: that his brother whom he loved was jealous of what he had — the skills — all along. There was no brotherly love, it was all fake and a facade.
I remember the quotes Li Lianhua mentioned:
“有人弃剑如遗 有的人终身不复
人和人的信念 总是有所不同的”
“Some will abandon their swords as if discarding a burden, while others never break their promise for a lifetime. People's beliefs are always different from one another.”
This means everyone is different, if one day you are tired holding the sword, then maybe this is a burden you are not able to carry. Li Lianhua wanted to start a brand new life and thus want to acknowledge Li Xiangyi is dead, his past life is over and now, only the lotus in his heart exists that is the real him.
I remember wanting to hug Hua Hua, and now this poison he had within him for 10 years will truly kill him in the end — the only medicine he gave to the emperor and now he is truly making the audience cry for him. But I am happy, even with the skills, his skills are unmatched and no one would be able to beat him. I guess in the beginning, he wanted to hide that it was poison and he trusted Di Fei Sheng (笛飞声) so he didn’t care if he was related to the one who gave him poison or what — he doesn’t care. If 笛飞声 wanted first place then he can have it — but I don’t think Fang Duo Bing (方多病) would be happy hahaha. Li Xiangyi is the number one in the audiences’ and his heart.
I guess the answer is, maybe Li Lianhua (莲花花) never wanted to live and after that incident 10 years ago, he has always blamed himself and now he’s free from that burden so perhaps dying is the best ending.
BUT….
That was originally what I think, yet the alternate ending made me think otherwise! I think Li Lianhua’s two buddies found him since I remember he said he didn't have anything to regret or miss — but now he does! He has two people who genuinely cares about him :) and would risk getting hurt to save him.
So maybe…. just maybe — he chose a secret ending — an ending we don't know because now his life is starting as the actual Li Lianhua. However, in the book's ending, he lost the normal mentality of a human being — and his two buddies are taking care of him while Di Fei Sheng help him get crabs to play hahaha. i love this show since it made me so happy when I was sad.
It’s a nice gift after I legally became an adult :)
Was this review helpful to you?
