BLISS RATING: ★★★★★
“Mountain and rivers are not important, but finding a soulmate is.” – Quote from Word Of Honor
This is a triumph of storytelling and artistry. Simply put, it is brilliant and one of the best cinematic BL series I have seen. I rank this on the same level as CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON in terms of cinematic prowess. This series grabbed me from the beginning and frankly never let me go. I was mesmerized by its beauty, its story, its visual effects, and of course its stunningly handsome lead actors. It is a story of incomprehensible allurement illustrated by the beauty of the landscape of China, the breathtaking costumes, and its thesis to the exotic world of martial arts. For the 37 episodes I eagerly watched, I was transposed to ancient China with its natural beauty and stunning surroundings. Shockingly, even as a Westerner (and old), I was able to follow the story with relative ease even with all the references to ancient proverbs and to China’s vast and rich history and customs. While I know nothing about the Chinse language, the translation into English afforded me some appreciation of the impact of its language and expressions on its way of life. I was engrossed and captivated.
Although the story is highly involved around a lot of characters, in essence, there are only five major characters. Zhou Xi (Zhe Han Zhang). Wen Ke Xing (Jun Gong), Gu Xiang (Ye Zhou), Cao Wei Ning (Wen Yuan Ma [Asher]), and Zhang Cheng Ling (Sun Xi Lun). To attempt to summarize this story and its intricacies would not come even close to what this series feels like. It requires your full attention and emersion.
Honestly, I do not believe I have ever been so engrossed in a series (or movie) as this one. It is a journey into beauty, intrigue, fantasy, love, and passion. Dear God, this is one of the most romantic BL series I have ever seen. If anyone does not see this as a romance, then they are blind. It is such an intense love story that is not evidenced in physicality but in ways that touches the inner selves of Zhou and Wen. Indeed, they have a much deeper connection to each other that not just touches their souls but their destinies. They sometimes did not have to speak to show their connection. Even when they were not present, they felt each other; they were in each other’s hearts and minds constantly. Their actions and behaviors were always focused on each other and serving something greater than themselves.
This was a breathtaking production leaving nothing to the imagination and yet it carried you to the mysterious and mystic world of Martial Arts. The story flowed so stunningly that even I could follow its intricacies and story lines. I was transported back in time as an actual observer of events but felt powerless to change any outcomes. I could only look, wonder, and hope and be with them. Feel what they felt, see what they saw, cry when they cried, and fly through the tree just as gracefully as they did. It was liking watching the beauty of beauty. The devotion of Zhou and Wen to each other and to the individuals whom they loved was remarkable.
As the series progressed, the intensity of their love simply grew exponentially. They in essence defined beautifully what Love is. These main actors are some of the handsomest and most ravishing men on the planet and so looked the part. Their attraction simply grew as the series continued because we journeyed into their reality and truly got to know who they are. We espied their flaws, their strengths, the growth of their love for each other culminating in both changing to become better persons. But always with a reckoning.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. the series? Perhaps I am grossly misunderstanding this series and that is a possibility. Being a gay person, I truly loved the relationship between Zhou Zi Shu and Wen Ke Xing. And who cannot love the romance between two of the most unorthodox characters in Gu Xiang and Cao Wei Ning. But the glue, if you will, that connects and solidifies this story and who is most pivotal is the role of Zhang Cheng-Ling, played so stunningly by Sun Xi Lun. His story is so complex and so meshed into the fabric of this story it is hard to not see him as THE protagonist. Sun Xi Lun is a phenomenally good actor for being so young. And he has been blessed three-fold with good-looks, handsomeness, and pulchritude. Beginning as a frightened intimated but kind-hearted and compassionate individual, he begins his slow journey to becoming his own person. An individual who has class, grace, and through time will learn to be astute, calculating, and a strong leader, if not warrior. He will NOT be Zhou or Wen but be a combination of the two of them plus the influence of his own family background and history. While his innocence was palpable, he learned quickly and effectively to being true to himself. At almost every twist and turn in this sage, he was a part of, or the cause of, or benefitted from its actions. He is so pivotal to the story while appearing to be a secondary layer to it. He is not. Without him, you have no story. He also saw and supported the connection between Zhou and Wen from the beginning and recognized both the love they had for each other and the indisputable realization that they were soulmates. He accepted that as if it was self-evident and a truism. Cheng-Ling must grow up fast, overcome his fears, and become responsible for his own fate all while still acting, thinking, and sometimes being a child. His acting was simply superb and a testament to his range as he wore so many different hats in this series. Besides, Zhou and Wen, he was the only other consistent and constant character. Literally, we see him grow before our very eyes. Because he is so young, his learning and growing is akin to tabula-rosa while all the others are unlearning old habits or returning to who they were. He is a joy to watch.
Without exception, all the cast in this remarkable series deserves acolytes in which words are not adequate. I wish I could express myself as eloquently as the poetic expressions so often mentioned in this series. The Chinese have an adroit way of describing ordinary life experiences in idiomatic expressions of beauty, grace, and poetic style. I am just not that literate but am a great admirer of that type of alliteration.
The filming of this series made it an epic production filled with all the wonders and splendors of a block-buster film. It has love, combat scenes, tender moments, endearing encounters, and stunningly beautiful costumes as well as breathtaking locations. At times, the CGI is a bit too obvious, but it did not take away from its overall splendor.
This series is more than merely sitting down and watching it. It is an experience, enjoyed individually on your own. It transports you to a time and place to an exotic world filled with fantasy and imagination. A reality where you can immerse yourself in it and fancy yourself a great ninja warrior. Although this is a tale of intrigue, it is more importantly an intensely beautiful, emotionally passionate love story between two men, destined to be soulmates from an early age.
It must have driven the censors in China crazy to monitor the covert, soft, gentle, and sensuous nature of their relationship. Their flirtatious bantering and continuous almost longing stares at each other had to have overwhelmed them with anxiety. Do they or do they not allow it? Their inseparable connection and physical closeness, almost as if they had to be together, is overwhelming sensual. They did all of that without one overture of sexual physicality. It was like watching a romance novel come alive. Only this was a romance between men I can only describe as exceeding the usual definition of what we might call handsome and whose occupancy belongs in the highest stratosphere of sumptuousness.
This is a masterpiece worthy of praise and accolades. But its best tribute is how it will leave you.
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