the ink in the well

So, we all know that the names and certain attributes of the Five Sects are effectively direct allusions to the Daoist WuXing, but I was thinking about MDZS recently (as you do) and I found myself wondering if the sect SYMBOLS and MOTTOS had similar allusions

So here goes !!

First, the Yunmeng Jiang’s purple lotus. But first l, their motto - the infamous “Attempt the impossible”. Or more accurately “明知不可而为之” - “Do what you know cannot be done”

It is a variation on a famous part of the Analects of Confucius - “知其不可而为之” - having the same thing but being a bit harder to parse

Idiomatically, “知其不可而为之” is used when someone insists on doing something they know is futile - undertake a Sisyphean task, to use an English idiom.

As with most of the Analects, the idiom can be translated many different ways, of which some are positive : “not taking things lying down”, “persevering against all odds”, “to attempt something before writing it off as impossible”, etc. Thus: “attempt the impossible.” however…

The more conceptual meaning of the phrase gets lost with this direct translation.

In a more detail-oriented translation, 知其不可而为之 doesn’t mean you should insist on doing what you know you can’t achieve. Rather, in your actions, don’t ask yourself if you can, but if you should. It’s not about the result, but the journey—to have a clear conscience regardless of the outcome

“‘不可为’ is not necessarily that one is *unable* to do X but rather, that regular people view X as an impossibility, as wasted effort without reward (or even with negative repercussions), so they feel there’s no reason to do it. They act only after ensuring immediate results or personal benefits to them or their in-group are guaranteed. To act only to achieve merit or reward

In the eyes of Confucius, for the virtuous (“君子 “) man, the most important thing is morality, virtue, and justice. The achievement of merit is not placed over justice, but rather found in it’s pursuit

Actions that don’t align with morality and virtue may have brief benefits, but will ensure grave and deadly consequences. Individual or immediate benefits may not exist as a result of virtue, but enduring benefits to the whole will eventually come about

As you can see, the Jiang precept heavily relate to the actions of the Jiangs - JC and WWX in particular, but also Madam Yu.

WWX truly embodies the Jiang precept, as we are told. Again and again, he does good deeds because he believes he should, despite the lack of any personal gain, despite the unclear outcome

his actions are placed in stark contrast with how JC (as WWX’s foil) responds to the same situations.

This is best shown in the scene in the Xuanwu cave. WWX puts himself at risk by protecting JZX and LWJ, and again to distract the beast and allow everyone else the chance to escape. JC outright states later that he believes that WWX should have escaped, or kept his head down, not “played the hero”

Now, this doesn’t mean JC is evil. He does good - working tirelessly to save WWX - but only because WWX is a member of his immediate family, and likely wouldn’t have done so if someone he didn’t know that well - like LWJ or JZX - were trapped instead, because what do they have to do with him ?

He acts, and he acts righteously, but only when he and his have immediate, personal, benefits

This is why JC brings up the Jiang precept so bitterly regarding the Wens and WWX - because he knows his fault, and knows he would never be able to truly embody the motto the way WWX does (and also, you know, Daddy issues and Mommy issues and who knows what else)

Narratively, this is also why MXTX keeps the reveal of Lan Sizhui’s parentage from WWX to the very end - because the fact that WWX went into his second life thinking that all those he had tried to protect were dead, and nevertheless chose to do good and be good, without hope of reward or fear of loss, is the full realisation of the Jiang precept

(There’s also something to be said about how this relates to the Buddhist concept of renunciation of the self and worldly attachments, and of the ephemerality of gain and loss, but this post ain’t about that)

Also, not for nothing - all the Lan Sect’s rules start with “不可” (“should not”), and, well… 明知不可而为之. Is it any wonder he broke pretty much every rule the Lan Sect had ?

Now, the symbolism behind the Jiang Sect is (correct me if I’m wrong) a lot less in-depth, and a lot more straightforward.

Now, the symbol is - very explicitly - a nine-petalled lotus. This is interesting, because typically lotuses are depicted with eight petals - representing the Buddhist eightfold path.

This is also, in real life, the typical way a lotus flower blooms - with an even number of petals. The nine-petalled lotus, in this way, is an outlier and an exception - a great representation, I think, for both how the Jiang sect conducts itself, and - more minutely - for how Wei Wuxian conducts himself

Outside of this, however, the nine-petalled lotus itself holds some symbolism, too. They are a monocot - a type of flower with petals that are a multiple of three

In certain interpretations, this makes them - and thus the lotus - a representation of the three most basic elements that make up each one of us: the mind, body, and soul.

Some people get tattoos of nine petal lotus flowers to symbolize various personal things and goals. For example, a common reinterpretation used by people struggling with any kind of addiction, anxiety, or mental disorder is freedom from the restrictions and burdens they place on themselves.

It can also represent, among other things, having the strength and determination to rise above the hardships and darkness to bloom into the light, and having a second chance, a fresh start, and the strength to rise above temptations.

Sound familiar ?

On top of that, the lotus in general also has a meaning in and of itself. In Buddhism, it stands for awakening, purity, spiritual perfection, compassion, unity, and the ability to remain untouched by the negative aspects of our surroundings

Again, sound familiar ?

Now, for the colour.

Now, purple (紫 zǐ) has deep associations in Daoist thought with the ascent to immortality, and of harmony between heaven and Earth. The term “Purple Forbidden City” (紫禁城), is often used for Beijing’s Imperial Palace. Today, it is used as a colour representative of luxury, creativity, and spiritual awareness

It is also not ON the WuXing directly, unlike the colours of the other Sects (again, painting the Jiangs as outliers). It is instead on the 五間色 wǔjiànsè, the colours formed OUT of the colours of WuXing

Namely, it is formed as a mix of red (红 hóng) and black (黑 hēi). When Wei Wuxian goes full Yiling Patriarch, the two colours of his robes are ? That’s right. Red and black

Notably, though, it has significantly less red (representative of good luck and joy) and a lot more black (traditionally seen in the I Ching as the colour of both Heaven and the Dao, and yet seen as the colour of crime and negativity in modern sense, with “black cult” (黑幫 hēibāng) being the traditional term for organised crime)

And yet, despite the overwhelming amount of black - Wei Wuxian retains his red ribbon. Despite the overwhelming negativity and hate around I’m him, he strives to keeps some measure of joy.

And - I may be misremembering - but the two times we see him lose the ribbon - and thus metaphorically his positive outlook on life - are in the Burial Mounds… and after Wen Qing and Wen Ning sacrifice themselves for him

It should also be known that these are the only two times he fully disavows the Jiang Sect, when the red (ribbon) separates from the black (hair) and breaks the purple on his body

Not for nothing, it is also important to note that I believe Wei Wuxian snapped back out of his trauma-induced trance when Jiang Yanli died, when her blood (red) spilled onto his robes (black) and brought the purple indelibly back

Now for the Lanling Jin. The motto is easy - we don’t know it. TV tropes implies it as being “opening the doors toward wisdom and aspiration; illuminating the world with the vermilion light”, but thats just the meaning behind the vermillion dot direct Jin disciples have on their foreheads

The dot itself is quite interesting, however - it is neither a bindi nor a huadian, like I’ve heard it be called. It is what’s called a 朱砂痣 zhushazhi, literally a ‘cinnabar mole,’

Now, the history of cinnabar is very entwined with Daoist thought and the pursuit of immortality. Prized for it’s deep vermillion hue, a colour considered to be “the zenith of the colour representing the sun, fire, royalty and energy”, the fact that the zhushazhi is made with it both stands as a representation of the Jin’s own imperialistic self-view, and their close associated with the Wens (the red sect of the Sun, fire, and energy)

Metaphorically, the zhushazhi itself is related to the concept of 开天眼 kaitianyan (literally, ‘to open heaven’s eye’), which is very related to Daoism and the third eye. This is also why some schools still apply it to their students - that and because the 痣 zhi in 朱砂痣 zhushazhi is homophonous with 智 zhi, ‘wisdom’

Correspondingly, the zhushazhi symbolizes the concept of ‘启智’ qizhi (which is the phrase MXTX uses to describe it’s purpose “启智明志 qizhi mingzhi / Initiate wisdom, declare intent “) which can be translated literally as “commencing the methods of wisdom”

It can also be read as an abbreviation of “以道启心、以心启智” yidaoqixin, yixinqizhi / ‘initiate the heart with the way, initiate wisdom with the heart,’ a variation from this line from the Liu Tao

“心以啟智 xin yi qi zhi / initiate wisdom with the heart

智以啟財，zhi yi qi cai / initiate wealth with wisdom

財以啟眾，cai yi qi zhong / initiate [the favor of] the masses with wealth

眾以啟賢。zhong yi qi xian / initiate worthiness with [the favor of] the masses

賢之有啟，xian zhi you qi / Once worthiness has a starting point,

以王天下。yi wang tianxia / one can rule as king over all under heaven with this”

Now, this might be a bit of a stretch, but that definitely feels like a goal the imperialistic, wealth-focused Jins would want for themselves, right ?

Now, the peony. The - as we are told explicitly - “King of flowers” in the Chinese worldview. By taking this as their sigil, we are told that the Lanling Jin position themselves as the King of all Sects

But what is the peony they use ?

After a little digging, this is what I found

This is a 金星雪浪, a Sparks-amidst-snow peony, so named for the golden stamens amidst the white whirling petals, like a few golden sparks surrounded by waves of snow, shining out with radiance

Well, that’s almost certainly how the Jin view themselves, right ?

The peony, in Chinese culture, represents wealth and exclusivity, it’s presence for the longest time having been relegated to the gardens of the Emperor and other high-ranking officials of the state

Today, peonies are used to convey great emotions and help celebrate major achievements such as a wedding or a one-month celebration. It should be noted that almost everything major to happen related to the Jins happened at such major events - though that might be pushing it a bit

Now, the colour- yellow (黃 huáng) or gold. To start with the latter first, gold is often considered a lucky colour in Chinese culture, often seen during the New Year and considered representative of wealth and prosperity. That’s all there is to really say about that

Yellow is a bit more interesting. The colour of emperors, it was traditionally a stand in for him, with bright yellow silk robes - especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties - being reserved for the Emperor alone (notice how the Jin sect uniform is bright yellow silk ?)

Thus, it is often seen as an imperial colour, evoking prestige, authority, and wealth. The Chinese saying "Yellow generates yin and yang" implies that yellow is the center of everything, and indeed it is often seen as such in both WuXing and general culture, with the Yellow Dragon is the zoomorphic incarnation of the Yellow Emperor of the center of the universe

The flag of the Qing dynasty, too, featured golden yellow as the background

Now, the element it represents - Earth (土). One of the five concepts that conform the WuXing. It is seen as the element of steadying and balance. Its motion is centralising, and its energy is stabilizing and conserving. Others have already made excellent posts relating the Sects to the WuXing, so I won’t blather on too much, but one final point :

In excess, however, its emotion is self-pity, self-sympathy, greed, gluttony and selfishness. It is also produced by Fire’s ashes (like the Jin rising into prominence once the Wen fell) and is replaced by Metal (metaphorically, the Lan taking the place of the Jin as the leading cultivators).

In the controlling cycle, wood can overcome it by breaking it up (by the roots) (like Nie Mingjue, whose sect colours are implied to be olive-green (wood) standing against JGY and JGS, and NHS defeating JGY). However, in the insulting cycle, earth overcomes wood by stagnating its growth or covering it up (JGY killed NMJ)

Now, while all that seems very positive, yellow has a dark side, too. In contemporary Chinese slang, the term “yellow” can carry an unexpected meaning – “yellow movies” or “yellow books” (黄色书刊/电影) are euphemisms for pornographic material. Prestigious but associated with sexual indulgence. Now, doesn’t that sound like a particular Sect Leader we know ?

(Also, not entirely related to this deep dive, but when Nie Mingjue qi-deviates, we are told that the watching Jin Guangyao isn't smiling or laughing, and that it was "as if the Sparks-amidst-snow Peony on his chest was smiling for him". I choose to interpret that as "Jin Guangyao - or, at least, Meng Yao - was, to some extent, genuinely upset at what he felt he "had to do". The power-hungry, imperialist Jin within him, however, was ecstatic)

Now for the Qinghe Nie sect - possibly the one Sect in canon we know least about. Handling their motto is easy - we don’t have it - and their sect colours can only be guessed at via an official image of Nie Huaisang in olive-green robes

But this whole post is about making something from nothing, so let’s go, anyways !!

Now, what is the Nie sect’s symbol ? The answer is simple - it’s said to be “the head of a beast”, likely chosen to honour the Nie sect’s founder, a butcher by trade (and, as stated in canon, to honour their own strength)

Now, we can’t very well analyse that, as it’s quite literally nothing. The most I can come up with is that the fact that it’s a disembodied head could help foreshadow the fate of it’s Sect Leader - Nie Mingjue’s head having been removed from his body after death

(I have thoughts about that, too - and how the fact that his body is reduced to a headless fierce corpse symbolises the way he ended up giving into his rage and - both metaphorically and literally - “losing his head”)

There’s also the fact that it’s the head of a beast, metaphorically representing “the intelligence of beasts”, which is a clear representation of Nie Huaisang and his unusual intelligence

Now for the (possible) colour - green (either qīng (青) or lǜ (綠)).

Starting with the simpler explanation first - lǜ is, like purple, among the “intermediary colours” (五間色 wǔjiànsè).

It is generally considered the intermediary colour of the East, and is a combination of the central Yellow hue and the eastern Blue (qīng). A mixture of the strong, stable, earthen hue, and the growing, expanding hue of wood. A pretty solid metaphor for the rigid Nie Mingjue and the significantly more adaptable and socially conscious Nie Huaisang

But more important than the metaphysical aspects of the two colours is the Sects they’re associated with it. The yellow Jin, and the blue Lan. Or, in other words, Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen - Nie Mingjue’s two sworn brothers

Now, for the more complex colour. Qīng, in ancient Chinese thought, was the name used for both blue and green, the two colours having no particular distinction between them at the time.

It is important to note that this could represent Xichen’s and Mingjue’s close friendship, but I’m inclined to believe that’s not the case

It was associated with health (ironic), prosperity (ironic) and harmony (very ironic). As the representation of the element of Wood, it is also a symbol of growth and expansiveness. In modern branding, it is considered a marker of fresh, safe, and trustworthy (ironic, ironic, hilariously ironic) products

Now, the element associated with it - Wood (木) is the element of growth and of expansion. Its attributes are strength (Mingjue) and flexibility (Huaisang). It is associated with the qualities of being socially conscious and courageous. However, it is also associated with anger, hopelessness and the and positive feelings of optimism and patience (both of which Huaisang would have needed in spades for his plan) and the Virtue of benevolence (very, very, ironic)

In the regenerative cycle, Water feeds Wood (a bit of a stretch, but the black-robed Wei Wuxian did play an integral role in Huaisang’s plan) but Wood begets fire as "fire is generated by rubbing together two pieces of wood" (in much the same way Wei Wuxian - who became associated with the Wen fire after he allied with the Remnants only managed to get some semblance of revenge with Huaisang’s covert help)

In the conquest cycle, Wood overcomes earth by binding it together with the roots of trees and drawing sustenance from the soil (Nie Huaisang defeated Jin Guangyao)

Metal overcomes Wood, as the metal axe can topple the largest (now, I have no idea how this relates to the hypothesis, considering the white-robed Lan Wangji didn’t actually hurt the Nie Sect in any way, so… help ?)

Now, for the last of the sects that survived into present day and possibly the most important sect after the Yunmeng Jiang, it’s the Gusu Lan !!

First, their motto. Often translated as “Righteousness” or “Be righteous”, it is literally “雅正 (Yǎ zhèng)”

It is comprised of 雅 (yǎ) - elegant - and 正 (zhèng) - which can mean straight, upright, proper, to correct, to rectify, or just, depending on context. Put together, it can be translated as either “upright” (when used as an adjective), or “I await your esteemed corrections”

In ancient China, “雅” was often used to refer to the civilised, the cultured, and the decorous few, as opposed to the wild and vulgar many

Notably, in some texts, 雅 is also used to refer to elegant or harmonious music, as opposed to more popular, “vulgar” music - which could represent the dichotomy between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian pretty well, or it could mean that I’ve translated it completely incorrectly

Notably, the phrase 雅正 is also homophonous with the yazheng ( 轧筝), a type of bowed zither played while seated on the floor (just to be clear, this is basically unrelated to Lan Wangji’s Wangji, which is explicitly a guqin, but I thought it was a fun nod to the Lan sect’s musical cultivation)

Notably 雅正 is only a few strokes away from 嚴正 (yán zhèng), meaning “sternly and solemn”. Could this metaphorically represent how Lan Wangji is only a few steps away from being impenetrably solemn, but not quite there ? Possibly, or I could be hallucinating

I do feel like the most important part of this is the latter translation of the original phrase, though . “I await your esteemed corrections” . Because thats the philosophy of the Lan Sect, the orthodox correction of unorthodoxy. That’s why Lan Wangji was so heavily punished - because he actively denied that what he did was wrong, actively challenged centuries of tradition and the black and white worldview of both the cultivators at large and the Lan clan in particular.

Because what he was supposed to say was 雅正 . To humbly await his correction. Instead, what he said was “What is good and what is evil ? What is black and what is white ?”

Now for the more - or, depending on how you view it, less - complex part, the Gusu Lan’s sect colours (blue and white) and their symbol (described as “flowing clouds”)

First , to tackle the symbol. While not explicitly named as such - I believe - the flowing clouds of the Lan Sect bear at least superficial similarity to the Chinese motif of the xiángyún (祥雲), the auspicious cloud

Also known as yunwen (雲紋) - “cloud motif”- the symbol of the cloud symbolised good luck in a broader sense, and, very specifically to Daoists, qi. Wispy and vaporous in nature, clouds were very heavily associated with qi - which fits the Lan sect’s status as the most cultivation-focused of the cultivation sects - and specifically yuanqi (元氣)

Yuanqi, or vital qi, is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (again, the Lan sect has many, many, healers). It is described as “being the inborn constitution and life force, the vital potential that is gradually used up in the course of life. It may be conserved but never replenished”

There’s probably a metaphor there, too, tbh

In addition, xiangyun were often associated with the presence of deities, with many immortals and deities using clouds as their mount, and clouds being heavily associated with Daoist immortals (xian) and their home on Mount Penglai, which is pure white

Again, sound familiar ?

During the Han dynasty, the appearance of xiangyun was considered an auspicious sign (祥瑞; xiángruì), with a sighting being recorded in the Shiji by Sima Qian as “since Heaven has sent down this auspicious sign, it is right that places of worship should be set up to offer sacrifices to the Lord on High in an answer to his omen”. In addition, it was seen as a sign of the Mandate of Heaven

Now, xiangyun came in many types, one of the most major ones were the yunleiwen, the cloud-and-thunder meander, which was in use as far back as Shang dynasty metalworks, and signalled life-giving and abundance - which is what rain would’ve been to the agrarian society of the time. It should be noted that this is also how the Lan are viewed

Another common type was the five-hued xiangyun - called the qingyun (慶雲; qìngyún), wǔcǎi xiángyún( 五彩祥雲), or more commonly wǔsèyún (五色雲). They represented a kingdom at peace, being the unity of the five hues (in this metaphor, the Five Sects)

The Lan clan emblem is very pointedly not a qingyun. This is because, despite clearly aspiring for neutral justness, the Lan clan is still biased towards their own hue - blue and white.

There’s also the fact that this clearly denotes the fact that the Sect is not at peace, not before the Sunshot Campaign (Qingheng-jun’s seclusion, his brother’s more conservative worldviews, and his sons’ trauma), not during it (the war), not before the Siege of the Burial Mounds (Lan Wangji’s despairing attempts at saving Wei Wuxian, the growing influence of Jin Guangyao,), not before the Second Siege (Lan Wangji’s grief, the influence of Jin Guangyao, Xichen’s grief over the death of Nie Mingjue), and not after (Lan Xichen’s seclusion and grief)

It should also be noted that the Lan sect’s xiangyun is explicitly described as “flowing”, and thus likely takes a “lingzhi” shape, a type of mushroom commonly depicted as being associated with Daoists, with temples being called “the abode of mushrooms”

Lingzhi in particular is the “spirit mushroom”, whose ingestion let it’s consumers see spirits, or even become them (cough cough Lan Wangji’s endless attempts at communicating with Wei Wuxian’s spirit cough cough).

In other usages, the lingzhi symbolised great health and longevity, and was a talisman of luck similar to the xiangyun, driving home the message about the Lan clan’s nature

Also, not for nothing, but the clouds are explicitly described as “flowing”. The element most associated with that motion ? Water. The colour of water ? Black. And can you guess who famously wears black robes ?

#mo dao zu shi #symbolism #meta #mdzs

Now, the colour of the Lans is a little hard to pinpoint. At times, it feels like it’s meant to be blue, which would be fitting, as the term for blue is, guess what, lán (藍), and at times - like when Wei Wuxian repeatedly calls their attire “mourning attire”, it feels like it’s white (白, bái)

However, it should be noted that I believe that Lan Wangji - and to a lesser extent Sizhui- is the only one explicitly noted as wearing white, so we’ll be treating the colours accordingly - Lan Wangji and Sizhui are white, but the Lans in general are blue

Immediately, this tells us that Wangji and Sizhui are, in some way, different from the Lans around them (Wangji because of his decisions, and Sizhui because he was born a Wen), not in the least because the word for blue is lán, literally pulling them away from the rest of the Lans

But, first, let’s tackle their hues - what is white ? White, or 白, is the symbol for Metal on the WuXing, and is directly opposed to Wood, which is blue (again, another hint at Lan Wangji’s stance running counter to his clan’s). Between the two hues stands Yellow, metaphorically dividing them (much like Jin Guangyao divided the Twin Jades into who liked him (Xichen) and who didn’t (Wangji))

It is a mourning hue, which is fitting - as both Wangji and Sizhui are in mourning at almost all times, even as the nominal association with blue presents them as healed and calm.

It is also the colour of purity and innocence (both Lan Wangji and Sizhui being fully innocent, despite the latter being treated with suspicion due to his birth as a Wen, and the former punished for his association with Wei Wuxian), and having only pure intentions

The element associated with it, Metal (金, ironically jīn) is associated with dusk, with the West, with loss and grief. Its direction is going inwards and its energy is contracting (much like how Lan Wangji secluded himself from the world after Wei Wuxian’s death). Despite this, it’s association with silver and gold also makes it an emblem of valuable things

Attributes of Metal are firmness, rigidity, focus, integrity, and quality (very apt for Wangji). When in excess, it can make people controlling, cutoff and arrogant, set in their ways (perhaps representing how, despite everything, Wangji is a relative of Lan Qiren and a member of the Gusu Lan)

They are self-reliant and resilient and prefer to handle their problems alone (all of that sounds about right). He is also intelligent and good at organisation and stability, and can change and transform those who come into contact with them (again, sounds about right). The well-balanced metal person is calm, humble and honest as well as a good person with a focused mind. (yup)

In the regenerative cycle of WuXing, Earth brings about Metal, in much the same way the Jin sect brought about Lan Wangji and Lan Sizhui’s grief. It also brings about Water (again, remember who wears the black robes associated with water ?)

In the conquest cycle, Fire overcomes Metal (the Wen sect killed Lan Wangji’s sect and set in motion the series of events that caused the death of his beloved).

Metal can also add minerals to Wood (blue/green) to help it grow strong and steady (in much the same way Lan Wangji’s actions do end up bolstering the reputation of his Lan Sect, and how they end up helping Nie Huaisang), but can also topple it (like how Wangji’s revealing of the truth behind Guangyao caused his brother immense grief and caused him to recede from the world)

However, it is said that a lot of wood can defeat small amounts of metal

Wood by excessively wanting to grow undermines its integrity and becomes a weed and not a tree (Su She exemplified) or as an axe would be broken or dulled after trying to chop down a forest. (like, how, despite trying his best, Lan Wangji was unable to stop his sect from attacking Wei Wuxian)

Now, for the actual Sect colour of the Lan Sect, either emerald-blue (碧 bì) or blue-green (青, qīng)

Starting, as usual, with the simpler colour, emerald-blue is a member of the wǔjiànsè, and is a combination of eastern blue-green and western white. It could also be said to represent the Lan sect encompassing both it’s general members (blue) and outliers like Wangji and Sizhui (white)

As for qīng, it is associated most with health, prosperity, and harmony (sounds about right for the Lan). It is used in places like the Temple of Heaven to represent Heaven. It also stands to represent Wood on the WuXing

As for modern blue (蓝 lán ), it isn’t without meaning. Generally, it is associated with calm, health, and longevity, as well as dependability and peace (which is the way most of the world view Xichen). It is also seen as a symbol of trust, credibility and reliability (representative of both the trust the cultivation world had in Xichen and the trust that doomed him)

Metaphorically, I feel like qīng represents the Lan Sect at large, and its aspirations and birth, while bì represents Lan Xichen before the Siege, and lán after.

It represents how, while both Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen were once distinct from the Lan Sect, Lan Xichen leaned much closer to the sect than his brother, standing between the pair as a metaphorical bridge between them. However, after the Siege, that bridge was burned as Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji began leaning opposite ways, and, while Lan Xichen’s reputation grew stronger, it was at the cost of becoming fully “Lan” in a way (though still consciously separate), which is represented by the colour associated with him being literally “lan”

raineofthedragons

Welcome to danmei! We have:

- Guy who’s in love with his pet fish

- Guy whose boyfriend has been dead for 16 years

- Guy whose boyfriend nearly committed genocide

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- Luo Binghe

- Guy who accidentally fell in love with the dude he intended to manipulate into villainy & evil

- And more!

mysterious-blood-pyramid

I love that Luo Binghe is his own category!

#lol #luo binghe #danmei #humor

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Dai Chin i Zhuang Meiling v.v

#menwithsword #men with sword #fanart #migawki #dai chin #zhuang meiling

Mój ulubiony drugoplanowy szip...

"Expectation vs reality" xdddd

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Tak było, nie zmyślam 😁

Wyjątkowo nie Men with sword ;)

#zhao yunlan #fanart #Priest #guardian #zhen hun

Mój spirit animal 😁

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Dawno nie było rysowanych scenek, ale ta musiała powstać:)

Rozdział 86, Duan Chongling gotuje dla nowego mistrza:)

#Duan Chongling #menwithsword #men with sword #fanart #migawki

Kolejny ze słodziaków :)

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Piękny pan She:)

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Mój cudowny :)

fairsweetlonging

imagine an au where shen yuan transmigrates into a blank slate npc with very little system involvement, traveling around for a while until he's found by yue qingyuan and taken back to the sect because apparently shen qingqiu went missing around his transmigration period and shen yuan looks exactly like him, so it must be him, but then a few weeks later when he's just settled in on the peak and accepted his fate the real shen qingqiu shows up who was just on vacation and everyone forgot.

now there are two shen qingqiu's, one of whom is the real one and the other an amnesiac they gaslighted into believing he is shen qingqiu.

anyway—shen qingqiu has a new didi now!

kriaton

Was it inspired by this post?

😂😂😂

#svsss #shen jiu #shen yuan #lol #humor

#Qiao Nianzhu #migawki #men with sword #fanart #menwithsword

Ilustracja do: Migawki z Tianji i okolic - Abelarda Gildenman (abelarda_gildenman) - 刺客列传 | Men with Sword (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Qiao Nianzhu :)

ad-wills

#writing

Ilustracja do: Migawki z Tianji i okolic - Abelarda Gildenman (abelarda_gildenman) - 刺客列传 | Men with Sword (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Rozdział 80: Gen dostał nowy strój:) nie mogłam zdecydować czy lepiej biała czy pomarańczowa peleryna, więc dostał obie ;)

#fanart #men with sword #menwithsword #gen mochi #jian bin #migawki

Moje OTP po raz kolejny :)

fellshish

maybe your fanfic doesn’t have to change someone’s life maybe it can just brighten someone’s day for a bit

#writing

Ilustracja do: Migawki z Tianji i okolic - Chapter 1 - Abelarda Gildenman (abelarda_gildenman) - 刺客列传 | Men with Sword (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Rozdział 79: Jian Bin oprowadza Gena po koszarach:)

#fanart #men with sword #menwithsword #gen mochi #jian bin #migawki

Moi cudowni ❤️

Ilustracja do: Migawki z Tianji i okolic - Chapter 1 - Abelarda Gildenman (abelarda_gildenman) - 刺客列传 | Men with Sword (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Rozdział 79: "(...) ostatnim, co zapamiętał, było strzelanie do celu przez kilku żołnierzy prosto w portret Murong Liego."

;D

#fanart #men with sword #menwithsword #migawki #murong li

Ta scenka bardzo mnie usatysfakcjonowała. 😁

Ilustracja do: Migawki z Tianji i okolic - Chapter 1 - Abelarda Gildenman (abelarda_gildenman) - 刺客列传 | Men with Sword (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Bracia Yingli w młodości ;) A-Wen odziedziczył 'talent' do handlowania kosztownościami po tacie ^^

#fanart #men with sword #menwithsword #migawki #Yingli

Dwa przeciwieństwa :-)

Ilustracja do: Migawki z Tianji i okolic - Chapter 1 - Abelarda Gildenman (abelarda_gildenman) - 刺客列传 | Men with Sword (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Rozdział 78 - A-Wen z warsztacikiem:)