Frost_edelweiss

@Thuc Duyen I am happy that this was of some use to you. I like maps and documents to complement what I watch or read even if it is about imaginary places 😉

The warlords in this drama are fictional and only very remotely based on existing ones.
The story spans roughly the years 1916-1932.
Some reminders about Chinese"Republican era"history and places:

* The Qing empire fell in October 1911. A provisional government was established in Nanjing the following year under Sun Yat-sen, who had returned from his long exile to lead the revolution. But the "southern" revolutionaries were not strong enough to defeat the Beiyang army of Yuan Shikai, in the north, who became the de facto dictator of China after the Xinhai Revolution established the Republic of China in 1912.

* The Warlord Era began in 1916 upon Yuan Shikai's death.

* Two of the most powerful strongmen of the Warlord Era were the "Old Marshal" ZHANG ZUOLIN (warlord of Manchuria from 1916 to 1928) and WU PEIFU in Zhili, known as Hebei province now. (Today, the C-shaped area of Hebei, surrounding Beijing and Tianjin municipalities, makes up the Jing-Jin-Ji megalopolis region bordering the Bohai sea, the Shandong peninsula to the south and the Dongbei north-east region to the north, which borders with the Korean peninsula).

Among other famous warlords, the "Christian General" FENG YUXIANG was a soldier since childhood. Like Wu, he was a graduate of Paoting military academy. He seized Beijing in 1924 and demonstrated how easily a major Chinese city could be overthrown.

[Paoting/now Baoding, was the capital of Zhili Province, and the headquarters for Yuan Shikai's New Army, which until 1901 was based in Xiaozhan, near Tianjin. Yuan Shikai had founded a military academy to train officers in Paoting; it closed in 1923, but served as a model for the Whampoa Military Academy, which was founded in Canton/Guangzhou in 1924]

*The Empire of Japan 's Kwantung Army invaded Manchuria, following a small explosion on a railway line near Mukden on 18 September 1931, which is known as the Mukden Incident. [Mukden was the Manchu name of present-day Shenyang, also formerly known as Fengtian ( 奉天) ]. In February 1932, the Japanese established the puppet state of Manchukuo. The war of resistance against the Japanese invasion continued until 1945, while the civil war between the "Nationalist" Guomindang and the Communists started as early as 1931 (destruction of the jiangxi Chinese Soviet Republic and regrouping of the Communists after the Long March) and lasted until the PRC was proclaimed on October 1, 1949.

Of course dramas are only for aesthetics and not to be construed as true to life documents!
But there is a case for dodgy medical conditions on board a train in China in the 1920s
Western medicine on battlefields of First World War showed hospitals were not equipped with much sanitation there either.

Antimicrobial substances for fighting bacterial infections were not much used before the late 1920s (and not available in just any traditional pharmacy!!) The first penicillin, penicillin G, was used in 1942, but it did not become widely available outside the Allied military before 1945.

Of course, all this is very subjective and individual, people can change their opinion to follow a way of viewing and judging, or avoid herd-thought, and that's all legitimate. You know that wonderful song: We are all different... but hope to come together eventually.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHl69DMrzvU= 😎

I also like some types of word of mouth from "Peggy Tanaka", who comments and adds data on Marcus' YouTube channel. When she waxes lyrical about something, I get curious.

On the other hand, a couple of shows that many liked, I found stupid and pretentious in 2021. I will not say which ones, since I don't wish to spoil the enjoyment of those who like them... My views are different.

Those who need reassurance because they are not familiar with Asian culture and prefer to rely on others' advice and explanations can go to "guidelines"representing them of course. I understand that newcomers to c-drama, k-drama, j-drama and other Asian shows (lakorn etc) may need some advice. Chinese culture is rather familiar to me, so I am happy to watch C-dramas, if they keep my attention, not from a new moral grid. Guilty pleasures sometimes, hehehe! Like exploring the various takes on the hana yori dango phenomenon, from the past millennium to the latest F4 Thailand! But these are not for "mature" audience, just like much xianxia, wuxia, xuanhuan is also for some aficionados or for curious people who will not scoff at the concepts of "cultivation" and layers of Heaven and Hell. (Amazing that TTEOTM is breaking new records in reservations! This is one xianxia fantasy drama far removed from almost slice-of-life Road Home, but which I am highly anticipating).

Anyway, c-dramas are all rather tame, nothing that's going to turn audience into rabid mass-murderers or perverts or have them run to get help for PTSD like the victims of GoT Red wedding episode,or Marathon Man dentist torture. I trust Chinese censors and producers' even stricter autocensure to spare us from anything really bad. At worst, bullies and lawbreakers get punished, and not blown into sulfurous models like the Godfather or 20 Shades of Grey.... Karma is there to keep balance!

No, not LiFoW; except for the military school and poetry book part, I hated that drama! I don't mind tragic endings, but this one had a false good one: come on, sailing back to war torn China with small orphan in tow?? So much was not relatable and unbelievable and to boot pretentious in that mess. I almost dropped it after 1/3 in, but did not feel any reward from staying till end. I regretted that the Chinese opera bit in the beginning got swept away and only revived for a subplot about ML scarred memories about his mom, and a Chi-Ling style stunt much later, rather clumsily mixed there, in my view.
LiFoW was my biggest disappointment of that year.

(Chi-Ling is one of my favorite songs, btw, loving how it was intertwined with footage from Farewell My Concubine, in this MV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw1twVKCsXU
There's also, aside from the original HITA version, an iconic one by Tan Jing, and an interesting one in 2021 by Steven Zhang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWlm1sqwkQ0)

City of Streamer and Fall in Love despite their flaws were more to my taste. Arsenal Military Academy kept me glued to screen: Bai Lu and Xu Kai were great! Hutong was preachy, but watchable despite horrible subtitling. Last Princess starts Ok, although conventional.

I don't mind sad endings, though the first ones just above are not really sad.
One and Only flamboyant tragedy is one of my all-time favorite C-dramas, and I preferred Runyu to Xufeng in Ashes of Love. 😉

To me, some Republican era and later period movies are also. very memorable: Tea House, Ah Q, Little Toys, the Goddess, At the Crossroad, Farewell My Concubine, Spring in a small city, Thirteen Flowers, John Rabe, City of Life and Death ,war movies...

Ahem, not so clear cut!! Me, I enjoy all types: Meteor Garden silliness, Ashes of Love third wheel Runyu (wonderful LYX🥰), One and Only tragedy, About is Love scheming and bossy president, Love Like the Galaxy dark humor, Maid's Revenge shocking twists and Dai Gaozheng's awesome abs 😂, Love in Time complications, Lighter and Princess bad boy genius entrepreneur, The Forbidden Flower rushing against death, Road Home even path... and now Nothing But You rocky one.
So, I don't rely on negative advice from other sensibilities, about dramas.
Not that I agree with all positive either, for instance, I ended up hating much of Love In Flames of War (because of many glaring inconsistencies, and the cold and unbelievable FL played by Chen Duling, but I will try to forget that in TTEOTM)

PM:Don't know if you can watch it, but here's a nice Qingming recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtSd8EpNTXc

Rather like-minded then!

Although I sometimes feel tempted to add views, data, and even appreciation for some dedicated people who dig up MV links or make 中英拼音music lyrics (Peachey Blossom…), video edits (M916), fanvids that I liked (such as a few spawned by LLTG on YT and Bilibili), or companion videos about technical and historical stuff about some dramas. But I refrain from adding too much comment here about characters psychoanalysis, or general judgement about wholesomeness, conformity to old or new-fangled or other norms, etc. Much is derived from cultural pov, so it can be touchy and fruitless to start on it!

It is not worth the bother to get entangled in possible disputes, and I have (regrets) less watch-time than retirees and full-time stay-at-home people. So, I mostly use spare time to do some "archaeological" C-drama watching to complete my previous mostly movie-watching-only experience in the C-field, while trying to keep up with new trends. Yes, I also watched the amusing romance about the orthodontist and have also a list of e-sports dramas that I enjoyed (including the one you mention, which only went on hold because I was busy with other work, I may complete it later, while awaiting for in-the-future The King's Avatar 2).

I was tempted by Who Is He among other crime/mysteries. But since I don't like to speed through, I am keeping it for later. Will certainly watch it, also encouraged by Marcus' warm recommendation on YT (he only watches, slowly too, a select few dramas, and his mentions are quite valuable, to me).
I have added Falling Before Fireworks, after good first impression when first stumbling on to it, and glad about Peggy Tanaka's uncharacteristically waxing lyrical about it on Marcus' YT channel comments (I sometimes follow her generous personalized advice).

I am a slower drama watcher, sometimes stopping to investigate details, such as the use of fountain pens in post 1911 China (The Last Princess) 😂 ! and comparing with my memories from watching old Chinese movies and Albert Kahn teams film and photo reports from 1910s-1930s, readings of Republican era history + what I observed in BJ, SH, NJ museums and Changchun and Harbin. (I also like biographies and biographical novels, so enjoyed those about Song Qingling, Li Hsiang-lan, Bold Plum, Ruan Lingyu, Li Lili, Pearl of China.... In addition to modern literature classics of Lu Xun, Ba Jing, Mao Dun, Shen Congwen, Lao She, Guo Moruo, etc)

Now, preparing for the 50 eps of TTOTM: lots of love and expectation for LYX & Bai Lu!

Hoping it won't distract me too much from the other dramas that I am still watching: The Last Princess, New Vanity Fair (still far from completed release on YT Youku channel- so only at 25), Romance of a Twin Flower, and especially Nothing But You (Wu Lei and Zhou Yutong 🥰! Liking also some of the OST songs there, the instrumental part of the Liu Yuning song, and the simple Rainy Yang song particularly, which is competing now with the lingering Lucid Dream tune from The Forbidden Flower💖💖💖💖💖, in my head!😂)

Thank you, EmperorPrime. I am happy with your explanation!! I was worrying a tad that you would get as stung by my curiosity, as first shooter above! Really relieved that I didn't annoy you too much!

The shooters seem to be old, so must have grown thin-skinned raising progeny or trying to educate unruly students -something very dangerous in many countries, btw. Even in China, where the well-disciplined and respectful middle and high school classes of 50+ before the mid-2000s gave way to harder-to-handle 30+ ones with kids not shying away anymore from shaming teachers indirectly, although not bullying like in the fearsome drama Meteor Garden. I will not dwell too much on the ladies' ire, then.
(I know I may sound Shakespearean: I stated a few times in other places that I am an ancient alien from deep space! That's not only imagination, I can feel my limbs creaking and needing more oil-----you know : 加油... )

I have grown too lazy to attempt reviewing, perhaps. It's quite a piece of work, can even become a chore, although self-imposed, isn't it. And then you have sometimes readers who will roll their eyes... Aaaaaah! You are a courageous person!
Yes, resting like you did between episodes is necessary. Get up, move a little, go drink water or coffee while gazing at garden (we do have nice ones on the planet-size starship) or celestial bodies and galaxies, relaxing eyes and thinking about what can be of interest in what is watched, or discussing if watching with others. Checking logs to make sure there is no collision course with asteroid to risk a new nuclear winter and mass extinction on the blue planet -phew! latest just sailed between Terra and Moon.

Enjoy! On the very late nights (after midnight) till dawn of April 21-23, unimpeded by moon-shine (just after New Moon) the Lyrid meteor shower will be back! Did you know this is among the oldest of known meteor showers? Records of it go back for some 2,700 years. The ancient Chinese observed the Lyrid meteors falling like rain in the year 687 BCE. That time period in ancient China, corresponds with what is called the Spring and Autumn Period (about 771 to 476 BCE), which tradition associates with the Chinese teacher and philosopher Confucius, one of the first to espouse the principle: “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.”

As for dramas, what would you like to watch next?
Me, after having finished Road Home 🥰 and continuing Nothing But You 😍, Royal Rumours 💗, Romance of a twin flower🧡, I am eagerly awaiting TTEOTM!
Although I have grown a few heads more to indulge watching dramas, I sometimes wonder whether I am too greedy! Maybe I ought to take a break, jump into bodysuit and find a nice health coach to fight c-drama and MDL addiction!

The Brightest Star In the Sky (2019) FL Janice Wu Qian is in charge of managing "Zheng Bo Xu" idol's career played by real life idol and singer-songwriter Z.Tao -Expect entertainment agency internal business and fan group management too.

Yes, Wu Lei is indeed awesome ! 😍🤗🎾💖❣
And Zhou Yutong is the best choice in this role ! 💝🏋️‍♀️🥰
The supporting characters are very good too, from Xiao Haoran (Jiang Jr become #95 ) to Ma Fanding (Liang Tao the livestreamer) strife partners,🤗and most of the cast, where each individual is being clearly delineated and adding to the ensemble.
I like the introductory sentences for each episode, and the ever-renewed suspense and new and varied challenges these characters meet.

The three links worked fine for me. 🥰Thanks!
I suggest that you add these links in the OST Discussion launched by Black Jade above!

Yes. Ashes of Love; Word of Honor; The Untamed; Lighter and Princess; The Forbidden Flower....
Not that any are "musicals" like old Hollywood movies that put in pictures what was first stage musical shows. Recalling delightful tunes such as "June is bustin' out all over" with these lovely seasonal rhymes:

March went out like a lion
A-wavin' up the weather in the bay;
Then April cried and stepped aside,
And lone came pretty little May!
May was full of promises ....

Snippet here for those who also like that sort:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khL3AVmPj24
These songs used to make my day in the past millenium -'coz I'm an ancient alien observing from deep space, hehehe'
Here's another one to breeze over annoyances:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrGwxrqzGe4
Yes, I know. I grievously stray away from Qilixiang and other beloved mandopop tunes, or c-drama (= 'Exclusive indulge') OST here. Bear with the ancient alien lol.

I'm going back to the drama soon, noticing with interest the gold-dust resin and laquer repair technique of broken ceramics (kintsukuroi )in episode 1 and recalling thatthis was also an important plot detail in About Is Love (specially Ep5, where Wei Qing tells Zhou Shi about the Kintsugi technique, to have Xiao Fei's precious blessing bowl, that XF needs to eat in because of OCD, be repaired after it was broken by FeiFei accidentally). It is an interesting technique, discussed in the following document:
https://www.ststworld.com/kintsukuroi-art/

Hmm. Since this art is really interesting, I will highlight this info in Discussions too.

Thanks for the observations about music. I value it in dramas, and slow pace does not bother me, so after looking at episode 1, I may continue.Taking my own sweet time...😁

Ah, then I will change my mind, and perhaps watch it too. 😉

Then why do you do it? You are the one to call me "a misanthrope troll" and add fuel to an already unneeded dispute.
Is not that aggression of someone you don't even know and who never replied to you, and you imagining all sorts of malice?
Lucy, I did you the courtesy to read your personal page. You won't find anything on mine because I am not an adept of social media (which you write you don't use, but I can only note that you don't practice your own advice, from the length and tone of your presentation and comments in this thread.)
I think you are looking out to bully anyone who disagrees with you, so I am not going to explain my reaction to my feeling of a time inconsistency of the first reviews any more; wishing you peace anyway in your retirement. If you find my wish condescending, it's from your mindset, only.

True. I had a short night, so mistook you for one of the two reviewers and still felt rather unbelieving even after your explanation.

But since you computed time to term it as doable: 13hrs non stop? or let's say 17hrs if time is needed for taking care of hurting eyes, limbs, hunger, thirst, other basic needs. Let's be realistic Who are so driven to do that for what other commenters who I don't doubt (bc they just dropped a short comment here,but did not post it as "review") write is a "just ok drama"? Robots? ChatGPT?

I did not check back who had managed the reviewing on speed feat. My mistake & apologies if you felt stung by my disbelief.
....Sarcasm?? I was really trying to imagine how "it could be done"; ff is the usual way. Maybe technical equipment for the review writing part. Perhaps extensive prior knowledge of script, book, story, etc,and an all purpose grid to check and generate sentences (perhaps it already exists and is not only speculative fiction).
I did nowhere target you for writing a review of this drama elsewhere,nor "writing other review". I don't mind if you do,but for health reasons, think it is advisable to be reasonable about time spent thus+watching, except if this is a show you feel exceptionally passionate about.

Anyway We are here to enjoy dramas, not to make dramas, or hook on to attack commenters for such trifles and create a long comment thread for it.

sure. double speed+ ff button too, surely? I am just amused that you still had enough time to look away and type review simultaneously, although maybe you are also equipped with dictating + word processing tools?
Awesome...

Qingming Festival is the next occasion, public holiday in China Wednesday April 5. It is the occasion for you perhaps to brush up on your knowledge of Chinese religions, literature, traditions,customs and superstitions:

Qingming (清明) in Chinese mean 'clearness' and 'brightness'. It is the 5th of the 24 SOLAR TERMS of the traditional Chinese solar calendar, marking the start of the warm weather of spring and the beginning of farm work

ACTIVITIES:
* tomb upkeep and repair, pay homage to the departed (but not participate in other families such activity) Clothes with bright colors or skimpy clothes are no-go traditionally, but some people wear soft willow branches
*feeding and toasting the departed, for example, first, food, fruit and alcohol is placed on an altar on or in front of the monument, then the family will pray and burn incense, and spill the alcohol glasses in a line before the tomb. A double coin toss will determine when the spirits have been satisfied— one heads and one tails — Then,the food is removed from the altar and prepared it for the living to enjoy. For example, one lady "carved the chicken to serve to her family as chicken rice with a dipping sauce of shallots, lime and ground bean sauce."
* putting willow branches on gates and front doors. People believe, under the influence of Buddhism, that the magic of willows will ward off wandering evil spirits during the Qingming. Traditional pictures of the Goddess of Mercy Guanyin often show her seated on a rock with a willow branch in a vase of water at her side. The goddess used this mysterious water and branch to scare away demons.- According to historical records, there is an old saying: ‘Put willow branches up on gates; drive ghosts away from houses.’
*spring outings, kite flying, Qingming is also called TAQING FESTIVAL. Taqing (踏青 'tread green') means a spring outing, when people get out and enjoy the spring blossoms. The festival usually falls on a day not long before everything turns green in the north, and well into the spring flower season in the south. It marks the weather warming up, when people spend more time outside. Flying kites is for relaxation on this holiday, and to some it means getting rid of misfortune.

During the outing,you need food!
QINGMING FESTIVAL FOOD includes, varying with places, sweet green rice balls, crispy cakes, Qingming Zong. These foods are usually cooked one or two days before the arrival of the Qingming Festival so people can eat and recreate during the holidays.
* GREEN RICE BALLS (青团 qīngtuán 'green dumpling(s)') are jade-green in color, glutinous in taste, and sweet in aroma. They are made of a mixture of glutinous rice flour and green vegetable juice and stuffed with sweetened bean paste.
* QINGMING CAKES are called sāzi (撒子) or hánjù (寒具 'cold tools'). They are made of crispy fried wheat flour or glutinous rice flour, eggs, sesame, onion, salt, and other ingredients. Among some Chinese ethnic minorities, such as the Uygur in Xinjiang, the Dongxiang in Gansu, the Naxi in Yunnan, and the Hui in Ningxia, sazi is famed for its great variety and many flavors.
* QINGMING ZONGZI : Rice dumplings are not only for Dragon Boat Festival. In fact, they have become popular as a take-out food. Zongzi are sticky rice dumplings filled with pork, chestnut, and red beans (sometimes this varies), and wrapped in bamboo leaves. They are also commonly used and eaten at Qingming Festival, as they are very convenient for offering and taking on spring outings.
*Snails that have been seasoned with onion and salt (and.cooked!)are also a favorite dish during the Qingming Festival.

QINGMING LEGEND: Mianshan(mountain near Pingyao Ancient Town ) is also called JIESHAN('Jie Mountain') after Jie Zitui (?–636 BC)protected the prince of the State of Jin, Chong'er, who went into exile due to civil unrest and persecution in 655 BC. Jie Zitui cut a piece of flesh off his thigh to cook a meat soup when the prince was almost dying of hunger and cold.

Nineteen years later, in 636 BC, Prince Chong'er took power and became a king as Duke Wen of Jin State (697–628 BC). Duke Wen greatly rewarded and honored all of his followers, but he forgot Jie Zitui. Meanwhile, Jie had lived in seclusion with his mother on Mian Mountain. The duke felt ashamed and decided to find Jie.As it was difficult to find a person in the mountains, a malicious subject who was jealous of Jie suggested setting fire to the mountain to flush him out. After the fire, the duke and his people found the two burned bodies of Jie and his mother on the mountain.
The duke regretted this deeply, and designated the day as ‘Cold Food Festival’. It was the day before Qingming Festival. In order to commemorate Jie, people ate cold food and banned fire on that day. And so, the Qingming cold food tradition lived on with this legend.

As time passed, the two festivals were gradually combined into one. On the day of the Cold Food Festival, people used no fire and only ate cold food. Now people in some places still have the custom of eating cold food on Qingming Festival.

Qingming Festival is most strongly related to respect for departed spirits and sacrifice, which means it is not proper to greet with words like happy, joyful, merry, etc. So,proper greeting without offense on Qingming day,:

Wishing you all best for Qingming Festival. (清明安好)
Wishing you health and safety for Qingming Festival. (清明健康平安)

More info and pictures on this page: https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/qingming-festival.html (from which the main points above are copied or summed up or expanded )

I am just in awe of the reviewers who watched it to completion in less than one day, yesterday, when all 23x45mins were released on iQiyi.

To me, the supposed Beijing locales in the drama did not evoke so much Xi'an. But it is a long while since I was in Xi'an.
It is true that the locales were to me not very distinctive, as school neighborhoods and canals, willows, modern residences and high-end restaurants or tea houses, and Sinopec filling stations can be found in many places. Xiheyuans can also be found in other cities. So only the trips by car and occasional views of landmarks like the three waves of Xizhimen oval office buildings that crown the main Beijing transport node in Xicheng district, and the mention of "4th Ring" (ringroad) can indisputably be Beijing.

Those foreigners who have been in China for longer than a brief tourist tour usually come to love and miss the country whenever they leave and would often return. Some even settle there for good, although it is very rare to get Chinese citizenship, even for Huaren with Chinese family ties, or for spouses of Chinese citizens. It is possible to get "temporary" resident status (a special type of visa) for renewable 1 to 5 years stints, or 10-year "green cards" which have more requirements than the other resident status.

There are tourist visas for 7 to 180 days, although 90 is more usual. They may not allow for multiple entry, so if you need to go and return, you must ask for the appropriate visa and meet the requirements. To drive in China, you need to get a Chinese drivers' license (take an exam on a computer) and still, it will not be easy to rent or buy a car. But there are a lot of convenient ways to travel with public transportation,