YANGZHOU is supposedly roughly where modern day Jiangsu, Anhui, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, provinces and parts of Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong are located, according to one historical text, but it seems like the credibility of all the existing historical texts are in dispute, so it's hard to pinpoint it's the exact geography. Modern day Yangzhou falls within these boundaries, but would fall in the northern part of the estimated region.
QINGZHOU is supposedly roughly where modern Shandong province is located
YOUZHOU at one point covered roughly Shanxi, Shandong, parts of Hebei, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia provinces. As it shrank over time, it apparently became roughly where modern Beijing would be located.
So essentially, GJS and LYR travelled from the south to the north over the course of several months. Given how far north Youzhou stretched and assuming they fictionalized (or at least weren't being super precise with real-world geography), I'm guessing they were crossing the equivalent of the Gobi desert.
Someone more knowledgeable, please correct me if I am wrong...
In both dramas, from what I can tell, they took names of real places in ancient China, but fictionalized the historical context (number of states ruled by the emperor/who ruled/how it was governed, etc.) Someone more familiar with the history and geography would probably have a better idea if they used similar geography or if they completely fictionalized the location as well. My sense is that they approximated the geography, but took some liberties as well. (WRTR is highly fictionalized from what I can tell, since they really mashed together things from very different time periods in Chinese history.)
(Unrelated/related...the same director did both dramas (he also directed BoY, L&R, ALP, etc.))
Oh no! I know what you mean though. I was the same with LBFAD and came so close to dropping it for the exact same reason, but somehow stuck with it for the story. Thankfully she got less annoying for me later on. 😅
8.3?? Isn't it too low? I think this is underrated frr.
Very underrated, but New Life Begins, which was one of my favourtes last year -- and I'm enjoying this one even more -- started in the low 8s, and jumped once it finished airing...
you are so good. You literally understand herlike on the Chinese internet everyone is praising her perf and the…
That's very interesting and cool that Chinese netizens familiar with the original work are loving this adaptation. I'm curious about the novel now. I hope the next 3/4s of the drama are as awesome as the first quarter!
I agree with you. I can't imagine anyone else playing this part. I am not familiar with SY, as the only drama…
oh right! I forgot about JoL, but I don't remember much about her in it. But yes, I am otherwise not familiar with her work either, but she is great here.
A lot of people aren't quite feeling SY's acting yet (this is my first time watching one of her dramas), but I feel like she does a great job acting simultaneously demure yet strong. I actually think this can be a hard combination to pull off.
She's playing a character who has spent her life trying to be the perfect lady to ensure her and her mother's security, without being a pushover. She behaves in a very demure way (the way she talks, the way she carries herself, even the way she cries is very restrained) because that is how "well-bred" ladies are supposed to comport themselves. I think this makes her seem a bit aloof or reserved and perhaps difficult to connect with emotionally. Yet you can tell she has a steel core -- she has proven she can withstsand enormous change/obstacles, isn't easily defeated, and manages to make people fear her (in an affectionate way of course). Conveying that contrasts convincingly isn't easy, in my view.
I also think it makes for a striking contrast with BJT's character who is basically a dandy with a heart of gold and a big softy. But he's had an easy life and male, so it's easy for him to be more relaxed, open, opinionated and unreserved in his actions.
I think both leads are doing a really great job, but I think it's easy to mistake SY's restrained and carefully balanced portrayal as somehow lacking, when in fact, it can be challenging to pull off well.
So many different angles and shots, and most still don’t look like him. Sorry, it’s not the hair. I know it’s…
I think his face is softer here; in previous roles, his cheekbones are usually more pronounced. Also, I think the side of the hair/wig goes a bit lower next to the ears compared to others, but the combination gives his face a slightly different shape and makes him look a bit different.
#8 Why why why why again Liu Xueyi. You always chose such character, why!?!? Story is turning since he showed…
He's great as an ML, but he's also great in these types of roles too. Still early days, but I am somehow reminded of his character in Ancient Love Poetry too.
Cackled and wheezed my way through those recovery scenes in Ep 10, omg. 🤣😂 The way BJT dived for the bed and kicked off his shoes. 😂 They must've had too much fun filming these scenes -- and SY somehow managed to keep a straight face through it all! (It was also very sweet the way he snuggled up to her and clung to her arms when he was pretending to be still in pain and sleepy.)
I think it must be a secret ML’s father is keeping, he looked so guilty when the name was mentioned. And the…
That's a great theory, if so, it could be from before he met the mom, since he's clearly older. First wife? I'm hoping he doesn't turn out to be the villain he appears...
I have not been disappointed with any Bai JinTing drama that I have seen (reset and a new life begins), this one…
100 pct agree! I was thinking the same thing -- BJT's last several dramas have been consistently excellent and I love the FL's poise and quiet strength! (If anything, the ML is the more childish one -- or at least very playful -- than the FL, but is ridiculously adorable about it.)
Yes, GY mom did explain to her son. GY was unconcerned about the matter before QJ raised it. Why she was misunderstanding…
Oooh, that would be a good twist if the heart turned out to be SJ's mom's! Maybe that could explain why she mis-identified the donor? I briefly wondered if maybe SJ's uncle Jiang put his name down to make it look like SJ had died. In any case, major plot holes in C-dramas should not surprise us and this is not even close to being the worst, lol. My friends think it's hilarious when I dissect them like puzzles; I am slowly learning to just roll with it when it comes to these types of tropy low-budget dramas and enjoy them in all their ridiculousness. 😜
YANGZHOU is supposedly roughly where modern day Jiangsu, Anhui, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, provinces and parts of Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong are located, according to one historical text, but it seems like the credibility of all the existing historical texts are in dispute, so it's hard to pinpoint it's the exact geography. Modern day Yangzhou falls within these boundaries, but would fall in the northern part of the estimated region.
QINGZHOU is supposedly roughly where modern Shandong province is located
YOUZHOU at one point covered roughly Shanxi, Shandong, parts of Hebei, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia provinces. As it shrank over time, it apparently became roughly where modern Beijing would be located.
So essentially, GJS and LYR travelled from the south to the north over the course of several months. Given how far north Youzhou stretched and assuming they fictionalized (or at least weren't being super precise with real-world geography), I'm guessing they were crossing the equivalent of the Gobi desert.
Someone more knowledgeable, please correct me if I am wrong...
In both dramas, from what I can tell, they took names of real places in ancient China, but fictionalized the historical context (number of states ruled by the emperor/who ruled/how it was governed, etc.) Someone more familiar with the history and geography would probably have a better idea if they used similar geography or if they completely fictionalized the location as well. My sense is that they approximated the geography, but took some liberties as well. (WRTR is highly fictionalized from what I can tell, since they really mashed together things from very different time periods in Chinese history.)
(Unrelated/related...the same director did both dramas (he also directed BoY, L&R, ALP, etc.))
She's playing a character who has spent her life trying to be the perfect lady to ensure her and her mother's security, without being a pushover. She behaves in a very demure way (the way she talks, the way she carries herself, even the way she cries is very restrained) because that is how "well-bred" ladies are supposed to comport themselves. I think this makes her seem a bit aloof or reserved and perhaps difficult to connect with emotionally. Yet you can tell she has a steel core -- she has proven she can withstsand enormous change/obstacles, isn't easily defeated, and manages to make people fear her (in an affectionate way of course). Conveying that contrasts convincingly isn't easy, in my view.
I also think it makes for a striking contrast with BJT's character who is basically a dandy with a heart of gold and a big softy. But he's had an easy life and male, so it's easy for him to be more relaxed, open, opinionated and unreserved in his actions.
I think both leads are doing a really great job, but I think it's easy to mistake SY's restrained and carefully balanced portrayal as somehow lacking, when in fact, it can be challenging to pull off well.
(It was also very sweet the way he snuggled up to her and clung to her arms when he was pretending to be still in pain and sleepy.)
(Also, a nerdy aside, I love the brief scenes with the accountants -- the clacking of the abacuses/abaci is somehow very soothing, lol)