With oriental mythology as the base to interpret the magnificent three realms, the traditional cultural core to build a solid humanistic heritage, the traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage elements perfectly mixed into the scene creation, the oriental fantasy romance cdrama “Love Between Fairy and Devil” through the new world view, the audience can totally experience what is the immersive oriental cultural imagination.
“Love Between Fairy and Devil (苍兰诀)” is a costume fantasy cdrama starring Yu Shu Xin and Dylan Wang, with Xu Hai Qiao and Cristy Guo in special roles. The drama is adapted from the novel of the same name by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, which tells the story of a sweet and sadistic love story between the fairy Xiao Lan Hua and the Moon Goddess Dong Fang Qing Cang, who accidentally swap bodies. The drama aired on August 7, 2022.
The Xi Lan family was exterminated, the goddess of Xishan, Xiao Lan Hua, was protected by the clan and was reborn as a low-level fairy in the heavens after ten thousand years, and she accidentally resurrected the Moon Goddess Dong Fang Qing Cang who was trapped in the Haotian Tower. To gain freedom, Dong Fang Qing Cang has to sacrifice the soul of Xiao Lan Hua to unlock the spell seal on his body. In the process, Dong Fang Qing Cang, who was heartless, falls in love with the gentle and lovely Xiao Lan Hua.
The novel positioning of the oriental fantasy love fairy tale, the anti-canonical main character persona, the differentiated tone of the drama, and the injection of intangible cultural heritage elements and other advanced aesthetics rich in oriental flavor have forged the breakout weapon of “Love Between Fairy and Devil” from inside and outside. From the novel worldview and complex human characters to the high density and fast-paced advancement, there are many ingenious and small ideas buried everywhere within this drama.
Main Character of Love Between Fairy and Devil
1. Xiao Lan Hua (Played by Yu Shu Xing)
Xiao Lan Hua is a simple, kind-hearted, low-level fairy in the Heavenly Realm, who was a goddess of the Po Xin Clan (魄心族) in her previous life. After meeting with Dong Fang Qing Cang by mistake, a series of interesting stories happened between them and Xiao Lan Hua finally fell in love with Dong Fang Qing Cang.
About the character of Xiao Lan Hua, her persona is very pleasing, both cute and sober, with great willpower and compassion. When Dong Fang Qing Cang said he wanted to eradicate the Shui Yun Tian (水云天), Xiao Lan Hua was not overwhelmed by love, she defended: “That's where she grew up for thousands of years”, she was firm in her position and would not give up the bottom line for Dong Fang Qing Cang, such a heroine is really attractive!
2. Dong Fang Qing Cang (Played by Dylan Wang )
He was a devil in ancient times. He was injured after the battle with Chi Di Nu Zi and was later killed by the gods. After being saved by the Prime Minister of the Devil Realms, he was still obsessed with reviving Chi Di Nu Zi and defeating her, and then he met Xiao Lan Hua by accident.
Although Dongfang Qingcang is very powerful but never forces Xiao Lan Hua to do anything she did not want to do. He wanted Xiao Lan Hua to take off the heart pin, despite Xiao Lan Hua's refusal, he did not use his power to take it away, but left the heart pin still on Xiao Lan Hua's head, even though he was very unhappy.
Dong Fang Qing Cang is seemingly cruel, but he will be at a loss when he faces such pure and innocent people like Xiao Lan Hua and Xiao Run. In fact. it just proved that he was a kind man.
The plot offer the character's divine power and his boyfriend's power after he falls in love with Xiao Lan Hua to form a tension that makes the audience enjoy watching.
In the Haotian Tower, the scene where Dong Fang Qing Cang and Xiao Lan Hua swap bodies are played without any sense of incongruity. It allows the audience to witness the actor's ability to shape the role, Dylan Wang can be said to have played the role of Dongfang Qingcang alive.
3. Chang Heng (Played by Zhang Ling He)
He is the god who is concerned about heaven and earth, able to set the four seas and make people feel safe, he loved Xiao Lan Hua, and he has never been able to accompany her forever.
4. Chi Di Nu Zi (Played by Cristy Guo)
She is an ancient god of war with great love in her heart, after the battle with the Dong Fang Qing Cang, in order to save her disciple against the heavenly god and was punished, into infinite reincarnation, and betrayed again and again by her beloved. Chi Di Nu Zi's appearance in the mortal world stunned the crowd, and the emotional entanglement with her apprentice was also very intriguing!
5. Rong Hao (Played by Xu Hai Qiao)
He is the apprentice of the Chi Di Nu Zi, uninhibited and affectionate. He loves Chi Di Nu Zi deeply. He was punished by heaven for all time.
The “Love Between Fairy and Devil” is not limited to the love between men and women, but also paves multiple character relationships in terms of master and apprentice, father and son, master and servant, and friendship.
For example, the loyalty of Shang Que makes Dong Fang Qing Cang begin to understand the pure relationship between people. Xiao Lan Hua untie the knot for Dong Fang Qing Cang and his father to complete the redemption that makes countless drama fans moved. The master-apprentice friendship between Xiao Lan Hua and Siming, Rong Hao and Chi Di Nu Zi was also go though in the whole drama.
Different character relationships in each episode subtle fermentation, and ultimately emitting moving feelings. Because of the diversity of relationships enhances the saturation of the story, “Love Between Fairy and Devil” becomes more depth and concentrates the story, and determines the breadth of its audience.
Humanistic context connects romantic mythological elements
The Chinese culture has always been concerned with “mood” from ancient mythological stories to human literature and ink paintings, the oriental cognition of culture has always been transcendent, and advanced culture requires imagination, perception, and meaning.
The oriental culture pattern shown by the “Love Between Fairy and Devil” lies in the mood to create and set off the storytelling. The cute Xiao Lan Hua and the domineering and arrogant Dong Fang Qing Cang, the drama uses the Oriental mythological fantasy to set up the love story. At the same time, uses romantic mythological love to present the vast and majestic humanistic context, allowing the audience to experience the romance behind the cultural texture in imagination and perception.
Quiet, clear, and far-reaching are the most traditional and deep-rooted Chinese perceptions of immortals. Based on the mythological system of Southern Chu, “Love Between Fairy and Devil” incorporates the natural elements of “water” and “clouds” which are unpredictable and bizarre, and under the inspiration of the romantic spirit of Chu, the two elements are brought into play to the extreme.
In the play, the two elements are not only expressed in the names of the three realms – Shui Yun Tian (水云天), Cang Yan Hai (苍盐海), and Yun Meng Ze (云梦泽), but also in the “power expression” of oriental fantasy. The drama “Love Between Fairy and Devil” infiltrates a lot of water and cloud elements into the structure and style of the immortal world architecture, which subtly helps to form the world view. The three worlds are independent, yet intertwined.
Shui Yun Tian
For example, in the immortal world Shui Yun Tian set water and cloud as the main elements The first few episodes of the drama presented fully demonstrate the profound meaning of Eastern culture, full of audio-visual impact.
The Yun Zhong Shui Ge (云中水阁) is magnificent, standing on top of the clouds with majestic momentum, giving people a sense of awe. Surrounded by clouds and fog, the fairy air drifting, the mysterious and sacred sense of fairyland in utmost. The sea of clouds rolled over the rooftop of the Yun Zhong Shui Ge, and the first ray of sunlight came out from there, with cloud whales leap, romantic and magical.
In addition to the architecture and style of the immortal world, the dress and makeup also come with the heavy sediment of the inheritance of Eastern culture. The design of dress is inspired by the Chu culture of the Chinese civilization, and the overall costume looks free and dynamic, just like water and clouds.
Cang Yan Hai
Compared with the Shui Yun Tian of the immortal world, the Cang Yan Hai of the moon tribe is known for its mysterious and treacherous style, which is also very imaginative in Eastern culture. The martial arts arena is magnificent, and the hall of the Silent Moon Palace is full of splendor and beauty. Within the Hai Shi, the mysterious moon and the treacherous grotto reflect each other, reminiscent of the “underworld” scene in Eastern mythology, giving people a sense of mystery.
Yun Meng Ze
Then look at Yun Meng Ze in the earth of the three realms, bustling with noise, the aesthetic style more like the Tang Dynasty, bright and prosperous, low-key extravagant and beautiful. As the plot unfolds, the prosperity and splendor of the Tang Dynasty unfold like a scroll, with very earthly life and humanistic style.
In general, the three realms with different styles and echoing each other support a new worldview for the audience and become the basis for opening up the imagination of Eastern culture. In addition, the show is also supported by humanistic colors, making the core of the whole worldview more three-dimensional and rich.
The Culture of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Love Between Fairy and Devil
The oriental cultural imagination of the Love Between Fairy and Devil is not only reflected in the creation of natural images, but also in the integration and innovation of traditional Chinese culture, which is ingenious and beautiful.
The excellent culture accumulated in China's 5000-year civilization heritage has always been about inclusiveness and learning from others' strong points. This cultural fusion and imagination across time, space, and region have been implemented under the bold and imaginative high-energy operation of Love Between Fairy and Devil.
Suzhou embroidery, Qi Yi (漆艺), Tuan Shan (团扇), jade carvings, sandalwood fans, velvet flowers… These non-heritage masterpieces that carry thousands of years of traditional cultural skills have broken through the shackles of time and space, and bloomed brightly in the Love Between Fairy and Devil in their respective forms, so that the audience can feel the charm of Chinese cultural heritage while watching the drama. The series not only opened up a new path for cultural integration but also built a legendary oriental intangible cultural heritage cultural imagination space for the public.
For example, the orchid handkerchief used by Chang Heng to miss the Xiao Lan Hua in the play is a fine product of Suzhou embroidery. The crew invited Lu Jianying, the Suzhou embroidery artist and a famous arts and crafts artist in Jiangsu Province, to use Suzhou embroidery craftsmanship to make a handkerchief. It takes more than half a month to make it. It can be seen from the close-up that the texture and aesthetics are exquisite, romantic, and aesthetic, which invisibly adds a sense of cultural depth to the drama.
The Siming Hall is also remarkable where the Xiao Lan Hua lives in the drama. Many of the objects in the hall and Xiao Lan Hua's ornaments are made of traditional Chinese lacquerware. These objects have a unique oriental cultural charm.
Against the backdrop of the water and cloud elements, it makes people feel like they have entered a fairyland. Even an inconspicuous brocade box in the hall is made of traditional lacquer painting craftsmanship with thousands of years of history, which is elegant and extravagant and looks unique with the texture of oriental culture.
In addition, the sandalwood fan held by the fairies in the play, the Tuan Shan used by Xiao Lan Hua for her wedding, and the velvet flowers embellished on the fairies' heads are all intangible treasures in traditional Chinese culture. They are not only exquisite but also carry the strong essence of Chinese culture. It can be said that the production team's tribute and excavation of oriental traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage can be seen from every minor detail in the drama.
Judging from the grand and majestic background setting of Love Between Fairy and Devil, the diverse presentation of intangible cultural heritage can well assist the realization of oriental cultural imagination. The single object and macro scene in the play can better satisfy the audience's fantasy of oriental mythological scenes providing an opportunity to promote Chinese culture to a certain extent.
In the costumes of Yun Meng Ze in the folk, the drama also incorporates many techniques of the Tang Dynasty. For example, the men's costumes in the drama are mainly round-neck robes and wide-sleeved robes with cross-collars, while the women's are mainly Shan Qun (衫裙), and the fabrics of the clothes are summer cloth known as rich silk, which has better texture and luster, giving people a sense of immersion as if they were in the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
“Love Between Fairy and Devil” focuses on the imagination of oriental culture, shows Chinese cultural heritage, and highly integrates precious cultural elements of intangible cultural heritage. It allows overseas audiences to have the opportunity to understand the profound and splendid history of oriental culture, has promoted the process of Chinese film and television quality and the internationalization of cultural power dissemination.