P Lam

I am finding out that this type of makeup with pearls on the face is popular with empresses and aristocrats in the Song dynasty. Since pearls were very expensive only women of wealth would wear them.

Love the women with pearls on their faces in Ep 5. Though some of them were overdone with too many pearls in my opinion. It’s my first time seeing this facial pearl embellishment in a Chinese drama. I have seen a painting of the Song dynasty Empress Wu with a few pearls on her face. Just love how these dramas bring to life the various costumes, jewelry, and assessories that men and women wore in ancient times.

This drama is not for everyone. Those who do not like business/ financial dramas may not like this drama. I also like and collect fine porcelain so I found the episodes after Xiao Man returned home very interesting. Part of the theme is also about the revitalization of old, ancient towns and how it‘s financed, probably a concern in many parts of China due to incredible development and modernization. If not done right, these quaint places lose their souls. I recently saw a video of a small town I visited in China 25 years ago and sadly, it is so developed, it’s unrecognizable to me today. I think there is also an underlying message about the evils of capitalism.

You mean between him and Xiao Man? If yes, the one sided love is from Zhou Yu Jian, father’s apprentice not cousin though someone referred to him as pottery cousin. Xiao Man always thought of him as a ‘brother’ and told him so.

It all depends on your definition of a love triangle. Love from ‘Pottery cousin’ ( not cousin but father’s apprentice Zhou Yu Jian) is one sided. Xiao Man told him she always thought of him as a brother. After that, he backed off but that’s not to say his feelings for her ended. Both Ke Yan and pottery cousins were n pursuit of Xiao Man.

1) Ep 16
2) yes. Her father’s apprentice (Zhou Yu Jian) but it’s a one sided love
3) No love triangle though Ke Yan’s ex tried but ended up befriending Xiao Man
4) see above
5)broke up Ep 24, reconciled Ep 29

It’s just a ploy from the directors to show, at the beginning, a clip from ep 24 where they broke up temporarily. I have finished the entire series and it is a happy ending for the main leads.

Right, there is no love triangle just 2 men in pursuit of a woman and one won her affections, the other, she treats as a brother and good friend.

You’re most welcome. I can’t handle bad endings and I would want to know too if I hadn’t finished the drama.

Definitely!

https://youtu.be/HR9SmnQO914?si=wAnFmFQGVSHYzZRj

I don’t like most of the characters but I do like Xiao Man. She is plucky, hard working, articulate and capable. She so badly wants to belong to her family that she is willing to overlook her aunt’s back stabbing ( she knows fully her aunt is not on her side) and the ditherings of her uncle and bratty cousins. And though Ke Yan is scheming, he is not a bad person and redeemed himself towards the end. They make a nice on screen couple. Ke Yan’s partner Xie brings a bit of comic relief and there’s Mudhead - such a cute doggie. I also like Ma Mu Zhi who became Ke Yan’s mentor and friend and I feel for Zhou Yu Jian and Chen Hua Yun , whose lives were ruined by a terrible youthful mistake but as Xiao Man explains later, her father refused to seek medical treatment and who really caused his fatal heart attack?

Till ep 29. No love triangle. Ke Yan’s ex girlfriend showed up but Ke Yan only wanted to talk business with her

I think the daughter is 3rd uncle’s biological daughter but not the son, unless they are twins.

I am enjoying this drama very much. I’ve always known of Jiangdezhen porcelain and have a tea set I received as a wedding present. It’s very interesting to learn a bit more of the Chinese porcelain industry and the backdrop is so scenic. I would want to visit Jiangdezhen if I have the chance and ofourse buy some of the beautiful porcelain.

I maybe in the minority, but I like her clothes and jewlery. They look like what the Chinese ethnic minorities would wear but with a modern take. Does anyone know if her character is an ethnic minority or her fashion is just what the stylist decided to have her wear? I also think VS is beautiful and young looking enough to play a woman in her late 20’s. Maybe some of her mannerisms in this drama are too teenagerish. I think if I didn’t know her actual age, I would not have known she’s in her late 30’s. Kudos to those in the industry for casting her and other older actresses as younger women. Needless to say, older actors had always been casted as younger men so it’s good to see this happening to actresses. I’m not saying if they look their age that they should be casted as teenagers but I think VS does not look her age.

Right, Xutong’s biological father is Zhao zi Hong. Uncle’s wife is so greedy. Why is she so afraid of losing the business to Xiaoman? She and her kids already are shareholders and as uncle had stated, they also have the house which originally belonged to Xiaoman’s father. . Xiaoman has a share of the business but it’s just a share. Uncle’s 2 kids aren’t interested in the creative part of the business. So what’s wrong with Xiaoman taking over from uncle and his 2 kids taking over the business side from their mother? Maybe uncle’s wife is so greedy that she wants it all for her 2 kids, one of which does not even share the Chen’s bloodline. Or does she have other reasons to cut Xiaoman off?

I really have to thank you for solving a huge mystery for me. I grew up in SE Asia to traditional Chinese parents In a predominantly Chinese communityand spent Decades of my adult years in the west. I noticed when I make comments here and also for different dramas too, I get flack from different groups and they get very riled up with my views. I now realize if I commented with my more Westernized frame of mind, I get flack from the more traditional Chinese/asian viewers and vice versa, although unfortunately, some people are just plain rude. I had forgotten about the cultural divide. You are definitely more insightful than me.

So true, there are fewer men watching romance dramas or reading romance novels.

I appreciate you putting forth your arguments in a neutral tone. Some people were rude and there is no need for that. Yesterday, someone asked me to leave this forum because she was tired of my counter viewpoints as if this platform belonged to her. It’s not entertaining anymore.