ZYHLJ:
Translation:

Kissing Xiang Liu


Chapter 2

Oh wonderful, I was looking for this!! Thank you :3

@Kokuto


Is this the case in Europe too? Actually I am curious about how European countries solve this problem of "who invented it"? Or do they just not care?

 ZYHLJ:

@plor20


Thank you for liking it~ I will jiayou! :-) Can you read Mandarin? By the way, you haven’t posted a new chapter in a long time!>_<

I decided to add one more chapter and have not been able to fully flesh out that chapter yet...so I'm stuck and with summer coming up, many kids and family activities have hindered the creative process. Hopefully I'll be ae to finish it by this month.

I am learning to read Mandarin again, I studied it a long time ago in College but haven't practice enough. so far, according to my app, I know 500 vocabularies now...just 3,500 more left to memorize. (ಥ﹏ಥ)( ・ิω・ิ) So I can basically read a sentence, and with a few vocabulary that I don't understand, so with out a dictionary it will be hard for me to fully understand it. I've been reading Chinese novels via Google translate and fan translation only.

@liddi


According to what I read in the following chapters, Xiang Liu noticed that she was acting >_<

What I'm thinking is, maybe her original plan was to go to Huichuntang after shopping? But there always needs to be a reason for a surprise visit to a clinic, and she may have to feign illness to do so. Now that Chuntao's incident has happened, it will become natural for her to get to know Wen Xiaoliu :-)

I have read 缥缈录, and the artistic style in the drama is somewhat different from the Jiuzhou world I imagined. The artistic style of the Jiuzhou world in my imagination may be more similar to the feeling of the Tang and Song Dynasties, that kind of "ancient but not simple", full of vitality, like in The Longest Day In Chang'an. :-) 

Tan didn't explicitly say which role he liked best, but it's certain that he was met with a lot of skepticism when he took both two roles. Many people thought that his height was not suitable for acting in romantic dramas, let alone it was Xiang Liu and Gu Yun, until LYF was released, and it was a long wait. I remember that he was in a very good mood when he was filming the promotional interview. He even danced, and kept laughing while playing games. Maybe it was because he finally got recognition. 

In fact, I think as a voice actor, in addition to being able to accurately grasp emotions, it is also important to have a good voice. For example, Tan's voice is very beautiful, so it is difficult to replace. Competition in China's entertainment industry is fierce, so the remaining voice actors may have good voices as well as acting skills, so it'd be difficult to replace them.

@nathsketch


You are welcome, enjoy sis! ;-)

@plor20


It doesn't matter, we can wait, jiayou! >_< 

Learning a language is difficult and boring at first, but when you can use it freely, I guarantee you will find it worth it. You will suddenly find that there are a large number of new and excellent novels, dramas, and games waiting for you. The channels for obtaining information have also increased, and there are even more places to travel :-)

 ZYHLJ:
You have read 杀破狼? Is this novel available in English or Vietnamese? To be honest, I wasn't very impressed with the love part of this story, but I didn't dislike it either, it just didn't appeal to me very much. What attracted me deeply was, Gu Yun. In addition, Shen Yi is also very charming, and the background setting of the story is very novel and interesting :-)

I'm going to assume that you are referring to Sha Po Lan/Winner is King. I read it in Vietnamese. Typically, if it's a Chinese novel then I would seek out the Vietnamese translation rather than English. However, English translations of Chinese novels (at least the ones like Sha Po Lan and LYF, rather than more serious literature) are not too common. I know that there is an English translation of Sha Po Lan, but there isn't one for LYF. Sha Po Lan would appeal to a larger swatch of audience. 

I didn't finish reading it, but from what I read I thought it was very well written. The setting, background and plot were all well-done. Character-wise, Gu Yun was the stand-out. I picked it up because of the steam-punk element and was curious how the author would incorporate it into ancient China. 


 ZYHLJ:
And, by the way, are you interested in Taoism? I also highly recommend Wudang Mountain!

Yes, I am. I grew up watching TVB series and reading wuixa novels so I'm familiar with Taoism. Whenever I think of Wudang Mountain I think of Wudang sect from Wuxia novels :-). Was the mountain the inspiration for the sect?


 ZYHLJ:
But it doesn't matter, there are so many delicious things in China, even every small town has its own famous food:-)

I would love to know some speacialty dish from the different regions. The dish that if you mention the region, you would automatically think of.

 liddi:
You mean like this?


cr. Sohu

Now I'm tempted to rewatch the 2017 version just to skip to his scenes!

Do they just have cuts of his scenes? 'Cause I would watch. I've seen so many versions of Legend of The Condor Heroes that I've stopped watching whenever a new one comes out. Although, the anthology of Jing Yong's works that is coming out soon looks fairly interesting and I will probably take a look. These stories are so nostalgic for me. 


 liddi:
I didn't realise Jing Yong wrote such a preface! Would definitely be interested to see what Jing Yong had to say. Yuan Zhonghuan was an upright, honourable man, but Xia Xueyi is a lot more grey in comparison. Do you remember where you read it?

It was on a Vietnamese Jing Yong's group. Apparently, it was from a re-edition of the first? edition of the novel and it was not included in any subsequent editions of the work. I thought it was interesting since neither of these characters was in the novel much. 

 liddi:
Currently I am still in my 长相思 audiobook phase, which my daughter is also listening together with me.

How is your daughter dealing with the novel in the audiobook form? Does she find it easier/less upsetting compared to reading the novel?


 liddi:
You think so? More than Xiang Liu? I know he had a very difficult time moving on after LYF filming wrapped, and was still down when filming for LMLMV started soon after that. Either way, hopefully the drama will air one day. There has been so many rumours about a surprise broadcast, but so far nothing has turned up.

Was it from an interview where he talked about moving on from XL? Do you have a link? 

Going from XL to MQC - what a contrast. It was probably good for him to step into something lighter and non-tragic. I can see why he might prefer playing GY compared to XL. GY is more fun, he has his tragedies, but overall he's more expressive and he gets to be mouthy and sarcastic. The vibe of Sha Po Lan is also more upbeat compared to the air of doom and gloom of LYF. And actually having someone who straightforwardly loves you and not dying probably helped tremendously :-)

 ZYHLJ:
@AH



Wa, you are so rigorous!

Lol, maybe too much so. But I really like thoroughness in a beta reader. You get more feedback, and you can always choose which feedback to incorporate into your work and which feedback not to incorporate. Definitely don't feel obligated to incorporate any or all of my feedback. ^^


 ZYHLJ:
Okay I’ll remember it and will translate it more carefully! >_<

Please take the feedback just as a suggestion rather than a correction or an indication that the original translation wasn't careful. My impression is that it was careful and considered :) Even professional authors writing in their first language have multiple editors to help refine the final product.  


 ZYHLJ:
Indeed, in Chinese literature, details like what you said are generally skipped. When I read the English version of Harry Potter, I also noticed that the author pays much attention to the description of many details. Perhaps this is some kind of cultural or language difference?

Sounds like my impression wasn't totally off base. I'm glad to hear that :) 

I feel like, in English, we are generally taught that good writing should be very clear. Although, of course, there are many exceptions (e.g., mystery writer should write in a way that doesn't spoil the mystery too soon). 

When Mandarin writers are taught about what makes for good writing, are certain particular qualities emphasized as desireable? 

@HeadInTheClouds


Yes, it’s this novel, but actually the pinyin of these three characters should be sha po lang :-). According to Baidu, the meaning of Sha Po Lang (杀破狼) is a fate pattern in Ziwei astrology, that is, when the three stars Qi Sha 七杀, Tan Lang 贪狼 and Po Jun 破军 meet in the three Fang and four Zheng of the fate palace, it means "Sha Po Lang" pattern. The pattern of Sha Po Lang represents a kind of turmoil and change, therefore, those who have the fate pattern of Sha Po Lang wander throughout their lives, with big ups and downs, and have the characteristics of becoming a great hero. It is said that most of the great generals in ancient times who fought all their lives had this fate. The reason why the author used this fate pattern as the title is probably to imply that Gu Yun’s fate is Sha Po Lang :-) 

Yes, the setting of China in the Steam Age is quite interesting, and the author is very humorous. I often laugh while reading it... 

The Wudang Sect is a Taoist and martial arts sect that actually existed in history. It was founded by Zhang Sanfeng in the Yuan Dynasty. It was most prosperous in the Ming Dynasty and is gone now, but there are still many Taoists practicing Taoism in Wudang Mountain now. If you go, you may not be able to visit them all in one day, because the scenic spots are distributed on different mountain peaks. There are winding roads and bus transportation, but if you don’t want to be too tired, you'd better stay one night outside or in the scenic area and visit for two days :-)

@AH


"I really like thoroughness in a beta reader. You get more feedback, and you can always choose which feedback to incorporate into your work and which feedback not to incorporate." - Yes, totally agree! :-)

I have never specially learned writing. The writing skills I learned came from Chinese classes in school. In school, we need to learn to write prose and argumentative essays. The requirements for prose are generally beautiful writing, clear expression, and clear purpose. The requirements for argumentative essays are generally logical, clear structure, and strong arguments. According to my own experience in reading Chinese novels, Chinese novel writers generally do not describe scenes or objects too much. Generally speaking, describing scenes or objects is either to enhance the atmosphere or to meet the needs of the plot. The description of the scenes to enhance the atmosphere generally does not exceed three or four sentences. If you describe the scene or object too much, it will be regarded as procrastination or excessive rhetoric. So if you want to focus on describing scenery and objects, you will need to choose the form of prose :-)

 HeadInTheClouds:
How is your daughter dealing with the novel in the audiobook form? Does she find it easier/less upsetting compared to reading the novel?

It is a slow process because we only listen when there are no interruptions e.g. on the road. We haven't even left Qingshui town yet - currently got up to Xiao Yao asking Xiang Liu about removing the bug from Cang Xuan, so it's still early days. However, she really enjoys it thus far. To be honest, I don't think it will be any easier listening to the audiobook. If anything, it is potentially worse because the dialogue is acted out by the VAs. I was tearing up listening to Xiao Yao's grief upon learning of his death, and the epilogue, with Xiang Liu speaking the closing lines. 


 HeadInTheClouds:
Was it from an interview where he talked about moving on from XL? Do you have a link?

Going from XL to MQC - what a contrast. It was probably good for him to step into something lighter and non-tragic.

I can't find a subbed link but he mentioned it in this LMLMV interview here circa 2:49-3:19mins:

Q: At last, Teacher Tan is no longer playing an unfortunate character. Do you feel good?
TJC: Yes I did feel good. However, actually during the early stages of shooting, [they] mentioned to me, feeling that I... why in the course of filming a sugary sweet romance, I gave the feeling of being very sad in love. So in the end I slowly adjusted myself, because 
I had to break away from my previous role. Later on, I then began to [feel that] I am filming a sweet drama, with the sense of pink bubbles every day. It was very therapeutic for myself.


 HeadInTheClouds:
Do they just have cuts of his scenes? 'Cause I would watch.

I wish there was an complete compilation of just Huang Yaoshi's scenes. Here are some scenes - the first time he shows up; Mei Chaofeng's death, and the final episode when he fights with Guo Jing on Mount Hua. This FMV is a compilation of his scenes, particularly related to his deceased wife.

My only complaint is the same issue I have with LYF dubbed in Cantonese. In this case, for Huang Yaoshi, I find his VA a little jarring and feel his original voice would have been more suitable.  


 HeadInTheClouds:
It was on a Vietnamese Jing Yong's group. Apparently, it was from a re-edition of the first? edition of the novel and it was not included in any subsequent editions of the work. I thought it was interesting since neither of these characters was in the novel much. 

That's a real shame. Really hope some kind soul would share the original preface somewhere. 

True that none of the characters were featured prominently in the novel. However, their existence  was the primary influence over the course of events in the novel, so it makes sense for Jin Yong to highlight them.

 ZYHLJ:
According to what I read in the following chapters, Xiang Liu noticed that she was acting >_<

That should pique his interest!


 ZYHLJ:
What I'm thinking is, maybe her original plan was to go to Huichuntang after shopping? But there always needs to be a reason for a surprise visit to a clinic, and she may have to feign illness to do so. Now that Chuntao's incident has happened, it will become natural for her to get to know Wen Xiaoliu :-)

That could be the case. I thought that knowing what happened, she would have not created a ruckus with Chun Tao, but she surprised me by throwing herself all in to recreate the events. I wonder how she would act when Xiao Liu actually shows up. Is she going to throw insults at Xiao Liu like A Nian did? Imagine if she still ended up being kidnapped and trussed up like a sack of potatoes. Definitely interested to see how things unfold. 

 ZYHLJ:
I have read 缥缈录, and the artistic style in the drama is somewhat different from the Jiuzhou world I imagined.

I see. As a book fan, how do you feel about the drama changes to Xiao Zhou and Lv Guichen's dynamics?


 ZYHLJ:
Tan didn't explicitly say which role he liked best, but it's certain that he was met with a lot of skepticism when he took both two roles.

True. And he has already proven naysayers wrong with Xiang Liu, so I am hoping that he will get to do the same with Gu Yun, which will not happen if the drama never gets to air.


 ZYHLJ:
In fact, I think as a voice actor, in addition to being able to accurately grasp emotions, it is also important to have a good voice. For example, Tan's voice is very beautiful, so it is difficult to replace. Competition in China's entertainment industry is fierce, so the remaining voice actors may have good voices as well as acting skills, so it'd be difficult to replace them.

Yes. He is unique in that his talent is multi-faceted, not the least of which is his acting (particularly his eyes) and his voice, the timbre of which carries so much emotion. Even in the early days of LYF when I haven't really started watching, I loved his and Yang Zi's duet of 偏爱人间烟火 better than the official version, because his voice makes you feel the emotions behind the lyrics.

Which voice actors do you like? I love 赵路 but it appears he rarely voices dramas anymore (he was Ninth Prince in BBJX, and 卫无忌 Wei Wuji in Sound of the Desert), and focuses more on dubbing games. 边江 Bian Jiang and 阿杰 A Jie are still active in the drama industry though. Is it just me, or I find that dramas these days mostly have the actors voicing their own roles these days, and the use of VAs is far less? 

@liddi


The subsequent development of this novel is really unexpected, but is also very reasonable, so stay tuned! >_< 

I read Piao Miao Lu a long time ago, probably when I was in junior high school. Except for the first one (Telling Stories on the Prairie) that I liked very much, I don’t remember much about it. The story "Piao Miao Lu" is part of the Jiuzhou series, and the original intention of this series was that a group of young Chinese authors tried to create an oriental fantasy world like The Lord of the Rings. Although this attempt cannot be considered a success in the end, it still has some excellent works. Facts have proved that when writing fantasy stories, you still have to find inspiration from ancient legends.

Xiao Zhou is Yu Ran, right? There have been rumors among readers of the Jiuzhou series that Lv Guichen, the male protagonist of Piao Miao Lu, is actually the author Jiang Nan's portrayal of himself, and Yu Ran is his ideal girl. I think this is at least partially correct, because the heroines in his other works are basically the same type: lively, proud, smart, independent, and a little sexy. In this regard, he is similar to 南派三叔, the author of 盗墓笔记. The girls their male protagonists love are active, sexy, capable and independent. The interaction between the male and female protagonists is often that the girl is teasing, boy can't help but slowly fall in love, like this. This kind of female protagonist who is very independent and can even control the male protagonist is rare in the works of male writers. 

Ha ha! I suddenly feel that you must be an audio-sensitive person. Does a person's voice greatly affect your favorability towards him or her? :-) I'm actually not an audio-sensitive person, so I don't pay special attention to voice actors, but I can tell if a person's voice or dubbing skills are too poor. This is a preview trailer for Deng Wei's new drama. After watching it, you will know why the LYF crew did not use his own voice. I will comment without any personal prejudice that his dubbing is not good: 

https://m.bilibili.com/video/BV19F4m1w7bd 

Yes, today's dramas use the actor's own voice if possible. First, it is to better match the dubbing with the performance. In addition, more and more dramas now use on-site recording during filming, dubbing is only used for minor touch-ups, as is the case with LYF. According to Tan in the interview, if dubbing and acting are done separately, it will not be easy to recreate the emotional state during the performance. But of course, this kind of shooting requires higher abilities from actors :-)