This is the interview with the head scriptwriter / the director & writer of donghua version, Wang Yuren. I think it's quite interesting. I use MTL, since my Chinese proficiency isn't enough to translate this text. If anyone can read the original text, here is the link:
While the screen is dominated by the cliché of ‘immortals falling in love to save the world,’ the currently popular series *The Immortal Ascension* breaks the mould with its ‘mortal-centric’ approach, bringing the lofty world of immortals back down to earth and rediscovering the long-lost ‘human touch.’ Wang Yuren, the series' chief screenwriter and producer, stated in an interview that *The Legend of the Mortal Cultivator* is an attempt to tell a contemporary fable within the framework of the xianxia genre, as well as a return to simplicity and authenticity in genre innovation. Yang Yang has intentionally stepped back from the public eye in recent years Yang Yang: If you don't like me, I'll just appear less often
In the series, Yang Yang portrays Han Li, a young man from a mountain village who initially joins the Seven Mysteries Sect to provide his family with pancakes. He evolves into a cultivator who hides his abilities and acts with strategic foresight, presenting a character arc markedly different from traditional xianxia protagonists. The series opens with a dialogue between Han Li and his parents, conveying simple humanistic principles such as ‘before doing great things, you must first eat your fill,’ ‘if you borrow something from others, you must return it,’ and ‘when trouble comes, don't be afraid, but don't go looking for trouble either,’ forming a value foundation that is completely different from the common ‘cultivating immortality as a member of a noble family.’
Wang Yuren explains that the core trait of the ‘mortal-centric’ genre lies in its ‘immortal-mortal dichotomy’ structure, which returns immortals to their mortal origins and tells the story of ordinary people embarking on the path of cultivation through their own efforts. ‘When cultivators have the roots of mortals, mythology gains a human touch.’
In response to the recent controversy over aesthetic fatigue in xianxia dramas, Wang Yuren proposes three strategies to break the impasse: works should reject grand slogans like ‘saving the world’ in their themes; weaken emotional subplots and emphasise individual survival struggles under the law of the jungle; and in character development, Han Li's charm lies not in defying fate but in remembering his mortal origins even after altering it.
In the series, the power struggles and resource competitions within the cultivation world are interpreted by audiences as a ‘xianxia version of the workplace,’ with the narrative setting seen as a mirror of modern workplace dynamics. Wang Yuren openly acknowledges that this is the work's ‘social realist’ foundation. It does not focus on saving the world or romantic love, but rather on how an ordinary person survives and grows within the law of the jungle. The cultivation process is imbued with a modern spiritual core of ‘pursuing freedom,’ resonating with young people's real-world aspirations to rise against the tide through struggle. ‘This path of changing one's circumstances through personal effort resonates deeply with the survival pressures and workplace competition faced by contemporary young people.’
Wang Yuren is also the director and head writer of the donghua version of ‘A Record of Mortal's Journey to Immortality.’ He admits that the live-action adaptation faces dual challenges: creating a sense of novelty while addressing the limitations of the donghua. The core challenge lies in achieving a breakthrough transformation of the animation's signature hard-core action sequences and special effects in the live-action adaptation. Action design blends martial arts, dance, and gaming skills, while the special effects team directly leverages the animation team's expertise. Camera work draws inspiration from animation storyboarding logic, and industrial-grade upgrades are achieved through the use of film-grade robotic arms and rotating wire systems. Actor performances reference animation storyboards to precisely capture emotions in scenes without physical props.
Wang Yuren believes that the irreplaceable charm of live-action dramas lies in their nuanced performances and heartfelt emotional impact, which are the key focuses of the adaptation. The weakening of Han Li's ‘selfish’ traits in the original work is also a crucial trade-off in the adaptation.
How did they transform the visually striking Yang Yang into the ‘ordinary’ Han Li? Wang Yuren explained that Yang Yang's costume design abandoned silk and brocade, opting instead for coarse hemp clothing, while his performance emphasised a reserved demeanour. ‘We reached a consensus with Yang Yang: reduce dialogue and convey inner turmoil through stable, restrained body language.’ ‘ Wang Yuren admitted that during filming, they intentionally included numerous scenes of the character alone, using silent interactions with spirit pets and plants to externalise the complex emotions of the silent protagonist—an effective means for audiences to understand the character. Action sequences cleverly leverage Yang Yang's dance background, designing fluid, extended shots in scenes like the mine battle to create a ’steady, precise, and ruthless" combat aesthetic.
In terms of aesthetics, *The Immortal Ascension* remains committed to returning to simplicity, adhering to the principle of ‘following nature,’ and abandoning the lavish, fantastical imagery of similar genres. Instead, it returns to the Daoist essence of ‘eating wind and drinking dew, rinsing with streams and resting on stones’ as described in classical texts. Wang Yuren explained that the production team filmed across five locations, using the rugged beauty of real landscapes to replace green-screen composites. Prop design delves into traditional cultural codes, showcasing the reclusive imagery found in ancient paintings and classics.
In the series, the design of Han Li's ‘Divine Wind Boat’ draws inspiration from ancient paintings of immortals riding a raft, while the scene of immortals ‘eating wind and drinking dew’ in their caves originates from the Daoist practice of subsisting on clouds and dew. The scene where Han Li returns home to find the innkeeper aged and weathered draws from the proverb ‘Seven days in the mountains, a thousand years in the world.’ The special effects of the ‘Inverted Five Elements Array’ are not merely battle scenes but also symbolise a trial of the cultivator's character. The five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—correspond to human weaknesses such as greed and obsession, forcing cultivators to confront their inner demons. Here, visual effects become a crucial narrative tool.
In the current era where short videos are reshaping viewing habits, the slow-burning narrative of ‘The Legend of the Immortal Cultivator’ can be considered a bold experiment. Wang Yuren admitted that this is a challenge to the audience's patience, but only a slow-paced narrative rhythm can carry the profound philosophical thoughts of the original work, such as ‘The Dao is impartial; before eternity, time is merely a process.’ In his view, short videos may be reshaping entertainment formats, but literary works still require ample space for a well-paced narrative. ‘Dramatic tension does not necessarily rely on a fast pace; when emotional depth is sufficiently built up, the impact and satisfaction of an emotional release become more penetrating.’
Maybe you guys have already discussed it. So, sorry for my ignorance, but there are over 2k comments and it's a bit difficult to scroll down 1k comments to find the answer. My question is... how can this BL subgenre be aired on like every Chinese platform while BL is seemingly banned?
I just finished the novel and I was so impressed! Is the drama version very different from the novel? I vaguely remember dropping the drama after the first episode, but that was way before I even started reading the novel. (wait, it's almost 5 years ago?)
Is this based on a novel? If so, could someone tell me the name? If not, can anyone recommend similar Chinese…
it's the original ip. However! The writers' team posted a bunch of scripts, which were not used in S1, like a prequel, the side story with he rongyue and ballistic lady, another case with new member, etc. My Chinese proficiency is still super bumpy but I really hope, I will translate them, cuz they recently posted another one!
wow, there is no single episode which is boring. well acted, well paced drama with good writing & tight plot. I hope, the last two episodes won't disappoint me!
rewatching time after S2! And I already miss this crazy Du Cheng lol Oh, yes! he could have been dead in the very first scene hahahaha. I really missed this level of craziness.
Thanks for posting this. I just watched and I agree with her. I don't see technical things, like the way scenes…
Yes, I was so satisfied with her final review. And since she is famously a huge fan of the original UTS and a long-time TJC fan, at least no one would say, she tries to slander the series or TJC. AS for the rooftop scene, when I watched that scene, i was already quite upset. So, I just didn't take that heart-to-heart convo really seriously. But yes, that scene alone was quite cringy and stupid lol The writers totally abandoned the idea of making a crime drama. Still, the title says the Visual Encyclopedia of Crime Hunting or something, no? If you wanna make some groundbreaking, very unorthodox police drama, go for it, but not under the name of this IP. Suppose they agree to write the second season. In that case, i wish they showed some respect for the original plot/setting and characterizations and cared about the details more, but above all, the characters' professions, i.g. the forensic artist.
While she brings up some technical points, almost everything in this review is in comparison to season 1. If that's…
AvX's analogy of mother and stepmother may sound a bit inappropriate but it also reminds me of the team's head writer's comment. He said, even if the script is the screenwriter's IP once the contract is signed, the screenwriter becomes a "nanny" from a "mother" in the legal sense.
Every one comes to the drama with different expectations and tolerances, so there will be different opinions.…
"Why is the original writing team being attacked on Weibo??? I mean, AFAIK, they didn't badmouth or campaign against this season." ikr? I actually didn't know that until they posted the response to the attack.
"I wonder, if the writers were the ones creating and shopping around the show, and not commissioned, why they didn't get more control / profit shares of the show?" Good question. They also mentioned that they had less creative decision-making power over the content for S2. That was also another disagreement. In S1 they maintained a copyright contract and an art director's contract. So in the first season, they were involved in everything from the content to the style of the images.
" I think the actors had even a larger role in season 2, given they were more familiar with the characters than the new director and writers." That was my initial hope before S2 started. And also, I got an impression, the actors did everything they could.
I think it's quite interesting. I use MTL, since my Chinese proficiency isn't enough to translate this text. If anyone can read the original text, here is the link:
https://weibo.com/1893892941/PFr7z8uZJ?pagetype=detail
While the screen is dominated by the cliché of ‘immortals falling in love to save the world,’ the currently popular series *The Immortal Ascension* breaks the mould with its ‘mortal-centric’ approach, bringing the lofty world of immortals back down to earth and rediscovering the long-lost ‘human touch.’ Wang Yuren, the series' chief screenwriter and producer, stated in an interview that *The Legend of the Mortal Cultivator* is an attempt to tell a contemporary fable within the framework of the xianxia genre, as well as a return to simplicity and authenticity in genre innovation. Yang Yang has intentionally stepped back from the public eye in recent years Yang Yang: If you don't like me, I'll just appear less often
In the series, Yang Yang portrays Han Li, a young man from a mountain village who initially joins the Seven Mysteries Sect to provide his family with pancakes. He evolves into a cultivator who hides his abilities and acts with strategic foresight, presenting a character arc markedly different from traditional xianxia protagonists. The series opens with a dialogue between Han Li and his parents, conveying simple humanistic principles such as ‘before doing great things, you must first eat your fill,’ ‘if you borrow something from others, you must return it,’ and ‘when trouble comes, don't be afraid, but don't go looking for trouble either,’ forming a value foundation that is completely different from the common ‘cultivating immortality as a member of a noble family.’
Wang Yuren explains that the core trait of the ‘mortal-centric’ genre lies in its ‘immortal-mortal dichotomy’ structure, which returns immortals to their mortal origins and tells the story of ordinary people embarking on the path of cultivation through their own efforts. ‘When cultivators have the roots of mortals, mythology gains a human touch.’
In response to the recent controversy over aesthetic fatigue in xianxia dramas, Wang Yuren proposes three strategies to break the impasse: works should reject grand slogans like ‘saving the world’ in their themes; weaken emotional subplots and emphasise individual survival struggles under the law of the jungle; and in character development, Han Li's charm lies not in defying fate but in remembering his mortal origins even after altering it.
In the series, the power struggles and resource competitions within the cultivation world are interpreted by audiences as a ‘xianxia version of the workplace,’ with the narrative setting seen as a mirror of modern workplace dynamics. Wang Yuren openly acknowledges that this is the work's ‘social realist’ foundation. It does not focus on saving the world or romantic love, but rather on how an ordinary person survives and grows within the law of the jungle. The cultivation process is imbued with a modern spiritual core of ‘pursuing freedom,’ resonating with young people's real-world aspirations to rise against the tide through struggle. ‘This path of changing one's circumstances through personal effort resonates deeply with the survival pressures and workplace competition faced by contemporary young people.’
Wang Yuren is also the director and head writer of the donghua version of ‘A Record of Mortal's Journey to Immortality.’ He admits that the live-action adaptation faces dual challenges: creating a sense of novelty while addressing the limitations of the donghua. The core challenge lies in achieving a breakthrough transformation of the animation's signature hard-core action sequences and special effects in the live-action adaptation. Action design blends martial arts, dance, and gaming skills, while the special effects team directly leverages the animation team's expertise. Camera work draws inspiration from animation storyboarding logic, and industrial-grade upgrades are achieved through the use of film-grade robotic arms and rotating wire systems. Actor performances reference animation storyboards to precisely capture emotions in scenes without physical props.
Wang Yuren believes that the irreplaceable charm of live-action dramas lies in their nuanced performances and heartfelt emotional impact, which are the key focuses of the adaptation. The weakening of Han Li's ‘selfish’ traits in the original work is also a crucial trade-off in the adaptation.
How did they transform the visually striking Yang Yang into the ‘ordinary’ Han Li? Wang Yuren explained that Yang Yang's costume design abandoned silk and brocade, opting instead for coarse hemp clothing, while his performance emphasised a reserved demeanour. ‘We reached a consensus with Yang Yang: reduce dialogue and convey inner turmoil through stable, restrained body language.’ ‘ Wang Yuren admitted that during filming, they intentionally included numerous scenes of the character alone, using silent interactions with spirit pets and plants to externalise the complex emotions of the silent protagonist—an effective means for audiences to understand the character. Action sequences cleverly leverage Yang Yang's dance background, designing fluid, extended shots in scenes like the mine battle to create a ’steady, precise, and ruthless" combat aesthetic.
In terms of aesthetics, *The Immortal Ascension* remains committed to returning to simplicity, adhering to the principle of ‘following nature,’ and abandoning the lavish, fantastical imagery of similar genres. Instead, it returns to the Daoist essence of ‘eating wind and drinking dew, rinsing with streams and resting on stones’ as described in classical texts. Wang Yuren explained that the production team filmed across five locations, using the rugged beauty of real landscapes to replace green-screen composites. Prop design delves into traditional cultural codes, showcasing the reclusive imagery found in ancient paintings and classics.
In the series, the design of Han Li's ‘Divine Wind Boat’ draws inspiration from ancient paintings of immortals riding a raft, while the scene of immortals ‘eating wind and drinking dew’ in their caves originates from the Daoist practice of subsisting on clouds and dew. The scene where Han Li returns home to find the innkeeper aged and weathered draws from the proverb ‘Seven days in the mountains, a thousand years in the world.’ The special effects of the ‘Inverted Five Elements Array’ are not merely battle scenes but also symbolise a trial of the cultivator's character. The five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—correspond to human weaknesses such as greed and obsession, forcing cultivators to confront their inner demons. Here, visual effects become a crucial narrative tool.
In the current era where short videos are reshaping viewing habits, the slow-burning narrative of ‘The Legend of the Immortal Cultivator’ can be considered a bold experiment. Wang Yuren admitted that this is a challenge to the audience's patience, but only a slow-paced narrative rhythm can carry the profound philosophical thoughts of the original work, such as ‘The Dao is impartial; before eternity, time is merely a process.’ In his view, short videos may be reshaping entertainment formats, but literary works still require ample space for a well-paced narrative. ‘Dramatic tension does not necessarily rely on a fast pace; when emotional depth is sufficiently built up, the impact and satisfaction of an emotional release become more penetrating.’
I vaguely remember dropping the drama after the first episode, but that was way before I even started reading the novel. (wait, it's almost 5 years ago?)
I really missed this level of craziness.
AS for the rooftop scene, when I watched that scene, i was already quite upset. So, I just didn't take that heart-to-heart convo really seriously. But yes, that scene alone was quite cringy and stupid lol
The writers totally abandoned the idea of making a crime drama. Still, the title says the Visual Encyclopedia of Crime Hunting or something, no? If you wanna make some groundbreaking, very unorthodox police drama, go for it, but not under the name of this IP. Suppose they agree to write the second season. In that case, i wish they showed some respect for the original plot/setting and characterizations and cared about the details more, but above all, the characters' professions, i.g. the forensic artist.
ikr? I actually didn't know that until they posted the response to the attack.
"I wonder, if the writers were the ones creating and shopping around the show, and not commissioned, why they didn't get more control / profit shares of the show?"
Good question. They also mentioned that they had less creative decision-making power over the content for S2. That was also another disagreement. In S1 they maintained a copyright contract and an art director's contract. So in the first season, they were involved in everything from the content to the style of the images.
" I think the actors had even a larger role in season 2, given they were more familiar with the characters than the new director and writers."
That was my initial hope before S2 started. And also, I got an impression, the actors did everything they could.