budoboo

This is such a good catch! FOF is one of my favorite dramas. Its true, he does remind me Yichen and it feels like his hatred of demons may go the same way as well. Sword vibe is also true. 😅

This drama is adorable - at least for now. Feels like ice cream after running the stab stab TVOA marathon. Not typically a fan of the FL with all her bubbly stuff - at all - though it is working for her here. Wang Duo looks hotter then he has ever looked ❤️❤️❤️!! How is this possible?

😅

The older brother only has half an arm.

Good to know.

Have to wait and see what happens. Surely its a possibility?

Just finished. Didn't take long. Tnx for the reminder. Hope all make note of your comment.

The screenwriter's vision is reflected in the drama, where the intricate plots of “Lotus Blooms Step by Step” are intricately intertwined with their underlying “significance,” forming a seamless whole. Take the earlier episodes as an example: upon leaving Huainan, Xie Huian discovers his friend Zhou Mo is actually a long-dormant “Tiger Guard” secret agent. A clever ruse allows Zhou to slip away, establishing his character as both resourceful and tender-hearted. Upon arriving in Chang'an, the deposed Emperor Xiao Wenjing—whom the new emperor had been searching for in vain—was actually hiding in the Liu family's old residence. A clever ruse to deceive the heavens confirmed the character's far-sightedness and revealed the hidden cards in the conflict between the Tiger Guard and the new emperor.

The third stratagem involved using others' blades to strike. Xie Huian incited internal strife within the Tiger Guard, foreshadowing the protagonist's evolution from “avenger” to “guardian of family and national righteousness.” He had begun to realize that while rulers may change and the world always finds a master, if only military might is used to seize power, the common people will suffer in the ensuing turmoil.

Throughout the script, stratagems are employed to counter political manoeuvring, reflecting upon the struggle for power through its very reversals. Much like the closing scene of the sixth episode, where Xie Huian and his sister follow the world-weary yellow dog into the depths of wild grasses, only to discover that their father—whom they had long believed utterly lost—had been laid to rest by passing elders of Chang'an, his remains gathered and a monument erected in this very spot. Never had it been so clear to him: his father's founding of the Tiger Guard was never about seizing power, but about securing the realm. Similarly, Han Ziling and Xiao Wenjing, clinking cups in a humble tavern, spoke of the common folk's wishes and their aspirations for a peaceful realm. One a scholar yet to achieve renown, the other a puppet emperor caught in the machinations of the imperial court—their discussions might seem mere armchair theorising. Yet, under Xie Huian's careful guidance and support, the ambitions they shared were nothing less than the youthful backbone of the realm. Such was Xie Huian—unconsumed by vengeance. Even amidst stirring the winds of change, he strove to uphold both familial duty and the moral imperative of the realm. As for the schemes hatched to avenge his family, at their core lay the idealism of supporting a virtuous ruler and restoring a world of peace and prosperity.

(skipped copy - talk of distribution and marketing of the drama)

The Twenty-Four Stratagems of Chang'an thus evolves beyond the mere ‘scenery-building’ of past period dramas to craft an immersive ‘atmosphere’. Though set in a fictional era, the imperial court dynamics, urban landscapes, artefacts, and rituals bear Tang dynasty influences, while the characters' conduct is fundamentally shaped by Tang-era ethos. In a sense, the series adopts the broad concept of ‘Chang'an’ as its theme not merely for its capacity to embody specific aesthetics, but more crucially to recreate the ‘atmosphere’ of Chang'an as it exists in the contemporary imagination—that spiritual ethos, aesthetic sensibility, and poetic quality of life consistent with China's outstanding traditional culture.

For instance, the series ingeniously incorporates the twenty-four solar terms. Spring brings birth, summer growth, autumn harvest, and winter storage. Xie Huai'an's fate undergoes pivotal shifts during these distinct seasons, serving both as a narrative device and evoking an atmosphere of harmony between heaven and humanity. Intangible cultural heritage elements also contribute to the world-building. Pu Nicuan's use of the ‘fire knife’ corresponds to the ‘breaking the hells’ ritual found in funeral ceremonies across southern China. The sequence depicting the creation of the ‘passage permit’ naturally incorporates demonstrations of ancient papermaking techniques. Furthermore, classical poetry and texts are reimagined within the narrative. For instance, when Xie Huai'an first enters Chang'an and publicly recites a ‘reverse poem,’ the line ‘Long poems burn for the mountain spirits to hear’ is adapted from Qu Yuan's ‘Nine Songs: Mountain Spirit.’ In this moment, he is not merely reciting verse, but recounting his father's life—a man framed by villains yet honoured with a monument by the people. The phrase ‘Those who follow the Way gain many supporters; those who abandon it gain few’ faithfully echoes the sentiments of loyalty to family and nation, capturing the essence of Chinese aesthetic sensibility.

In the tale, vengeance is Xie Huian's destiny, yet it is not his entire existence. The mundane scenes his sister once described—watching market stalls, listening to old men playing flutes—represent an ordinary world he can never return to, a simple yet distant ultimate ideal. Yet when he withdrew to Huainan County, the scenes of bountiful harvests and contented folk unfolding behind him revealed an unspoken bond: though his camp differed from Zhou Mo's, their yearnings converged. And when the realm enjoys peace and prosperity, who can say this does not resonate with the hearts of ordinary folk throughout the ages and across the world?

Professor Yin Hong of Tsinghua University observes that contemporary audiences increasingly demand meaningful values, stating, ‘Regardless of the genre, viewers seek resonance on a values-based level.’ In this sense, audiences pay for Chang'an not merely for a retelling of historical facts, but for an immersive experience that explores the possibilities within history's “cracks” – a narrative journey distilling the Chinese spiritual core of resilience, strategic deliberation, and devotion to family and nation through character development.

The Vendetta of An article based on an interview with the screenwriter + subjective observations by the reporter including: the characters, underlying themes, and strategems.

https://www.jfdaily.com/staticsg/res/html/web/newsDetail.html?id=1037977

"The series' chief writer, Shuang Cheng, previously worked at TVB for many years, contributing to over a dozen Hong Kong dramas—all “"completely original works starting from scratch.”" His Hong Kong drama background instilled a focus on narrative pacing, eschewing any sluggishness. "“Multiple plot twists don't equate to forced sensationalism or illogicality,”" he explains. "“Instead, they demand meticulous detail to ground even the most extreme concepts in plausibility.”"

Welcome 😅

This is so well written a pleasure to read and picked up a few missed points. If there ever is to be a S2 am now more prepared. Tnx. 😅

HE - sure we can call it that. Romance - Nope. None. Nada. Not happening. Male centric violent bloody mess. They ran out of room for romance.

Thank the drama gods that it ended up being number ONE - a short-armed emperor!

Is The Vendetta of An a very good drama – hell yes!
- The acting was better than good and, in some cases beyond (e.g., Liu Yi Jun, Yin Zhu Sheng,
Wang Zu Yi & Tong Meng Shi, etc.). Check.
- The storyline had one hook right after another and it managed to hold together (although
barely in some instances) throughout the drama. Check.
- The implausible was passible most of the time. Check.
- The need for belief suspension was not more than 30%. Check.
- The rate-ability was medium high to high. Check.
- The fight scenes were fire and there was lots of blood and gore. Check.
- The kill, kill, death, death, kill again, die again was on high alert status. Check.

Was the writing in The Vendetta of An BRILLIANT – never stops going hard and slaps x 1,000!
This man put his heart and soul into the writing of this drama and it was worth every moment of his time. I can just imagine how many battles he had to fight to bring this drama to the end in the condition its in. The story board fights. The editing bay slugfests. The 'I mean what I say and say what I mean' punch ups. Its official – Shuang Cheng is placed in the top echelon of my Cdrama great writers list.

You are right. Did not even think of it. It needs a spoiler tag. Thanks for the heads up.

None. Only Youku. Feel free to sign up. If its an issue in the country you live in use a VPN. Good luck.

Note to self. If there is a season 2 watch out for Ye Zheng's girlfriend that he went off to find. Surely she is from one of the Tiemo factions if not worse.

This is a list worth reading. I hope people here on the board do.

A lot more!

This.

Amen.