Thursday, February 27, 2020


While the Chinese drama The Untamed based on the novel: The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu isn’t perfect it is perfect to me.



“In a magical world of inter-clan rivalry, two soulmates face treacherous schemes and uncover a dark mystery linked to a tragic event in the past.”

 

 WARNING:


**It will drag you by the hair through 50 magical episodes and give you a happily ever after. (All the feelings might overwhelm you but remain seated and WATCH… you can even see a damn reflection in the character’s pupil > so yes the cast & crew did their utmost to honor the story and not screw the fans.




Keep in mind:
*It was only in 1997 that China stopped considering homosexuality a crime.
*A writer of slash fiction was jailed for 10 years in China.
*It took me (Z. Allora > ME!) 5.5 years to find the only and only gay bar in Suzhou China. That was in 2011.

In the article Chinese homoerotic writer jailed for ten years published on 20 November 2018 shared some facts about China’s take on homoerotic writing:

“Homoerotic novels are not uncommon in China and are easily accessible via different websites, but those who earn 50,000 yuan (US$7,200) or more in producing or disseminating “obscene” material are subject to Chinese criminal law.

Gay romance stories are popular in China too — in fact, there is a term in Chinese for women who are fans of gay love stories, or “funu”.”

But in recent weeks, Beijing has cracked down on “illegal” publications, a broadly defined category that includes pornography, as well as work that “endangers national unity” and “disturbs social order”.

Last week, government regulators increased the amount of cash rewards Chinese citizens can earn for reporting “illegal” publications to authorities — an upper limit of 600,000 yuan ($86,000)….

Gay-themed films struggle to make it into movie theatres, same-sex relationships are banned from television screens and gay content is forbidden on online streaming platforms.”

So I understand the critics who are pissed that in The Untamed we didn’t see Lan Zhan & Wei Wuxian’s love on the page, I would argue we most certainly did to a level (having lived there) shocked and pleased me greatly!

The actors, directors, coaches, ad camera crew took it directly up to the line and nudged the limits as much as they safely could.

I hear the screams of that’s baiting but there was never one moment they back away from the love these two shared. Did they make out onscreen > sadly no. But I, Z. Allora (> sayer of things like “plot is the words between sex scenes”) didn’t think it was necessary. (I know you best sit down right? LOL)

Their shared stares, touches, gestures, and devotion to each other made up for not seeing it what we normally see between a couple. It was more of Pride & Prejudice demostrations than fuck me up against the wall.

You don’t have to be a genius or squint too hard to see these actors and crew gave us as much what Mo Xiang Tong Xiu wrote in The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.

After I finished the story I felt broken down and rebuilt. I started going at the episode one per week in my Yaoified Love group on Facebook if you’d like to join us… I do a blow by blow episode summary, then character POV summaries as well as finding interesting YouTube videos and clips about the story, actors, and behind the scenes.





I promise you might hate me for encouraging you but you'll have zero regrets.


Many hugs, Z.

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