An Article on Misinterpretations and Reversals of Cannon Dynamics in Wangxian MDZS.
Quick note: If you reverse CDO, that’s your choice. I don’t care - just laying out what's canonically there. Feel free to scroll past. I understand everyone has different preferences.
(intro.) There has been a lot of debate in the MDZS fandom of weather reversing the MDZS dynamics is okay or not or weather it would be cannon or not so I've written some points on why MDZS only follows cannon dynamics. CHARACTERIZATION: (1) Introduction to WangXian's love: LWJ has lived his entire life in restraint, bound by rules, silence, righteousness, and stoicism. WWX however, is defiant. He challenges norms, follows his heart and purses justice, never hesitating to stand against the world’s prejudice. This is what draws LWJ to him: not just his smile, or sense of justice, but the freedom he represents. WWX does what LWJ can’t. He chooses. He acts. He’s unrestrained. WWX lets LWJ shed his restraint. LWJ’s silence is not shyness - it’s conviction. He doesn’t need approval or reassurance. He chooses WWX freely, to stand by him. That’s not submission; it’s strength in love. (2) Control, Obedience, and Surrender: LWJ doesn’t demand obedience from WWX - only that WWX lets him protect him. For WWX’s whole life, he’s rarely had the space to be still, to give up control. In childhood, he’s fighting to survive on the streets. In the Burial Mounds, he never lets himself be weak - he’s the protector, the savior, the provider, holding up the world. To surrender was to give an opening for others to attack. But with LWJ, for once, he can rest. He can surrender - not in defeat, but in trust. LWJ is WWX’s stillness in a chaotic world. Their love is wildness and stillness, held in balance.
(3) Protection: Another thing is LWJ isn’t exactly domineering (actually… maybe he is 🫠). He’s instead firm. Unwavering. It’s not about power but protection, presence. He doesn’t suppress the YLLZ. He grounds him. LWJ walks beside him, stands against the world with him, and never falters in claiming him. When the world scorns him, LWJ will be his peace. LWJ’s love is quiet but constant through action and presence. WWX for once allows LWJ to hold him. In his first life, LWJ loved in silence. (4) Loss and Restraint: LWJ didn’t get to keep WWX then. But now? Now he finally does. He lets go of restraint and holds the man he spent a lifetime enduring for. LWJ doesn’t need to become loud in sound; instead, WWX gives him the space to hold him in the way he needs. LWJ finally lets go of restraint, lets go of control, and holds the one he endured so much for. WWX’s arc is about release. Letting go of power. Finally being loved in the way he deserves.
(edit:) I also wanted to add that during the YLLZ era, LWJ felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Despite his strength and steadfastness, there was so much beyond his control. He had to endure watching YLLZ constantly deflect attacks, protect others, and bear suffering, all while LWJ himself could do nothing but stand by, powerless to change the course of events. Unlike YLLZ who was forced to control the chaos, LWJ had no such authority or respite. His role was one of silent vigilance and unwavering support, yet it was also marked by frustration and exhaustion. LWJ has control with MXY!WWX which he needed, he is able to finally in control of everything and is able to protect. Also, it's not really "control" in dominance in with this point - it's more about LWJ finally having the ability to be able to protect, to be able to hold and support, to stand by WWX, it's more of a relief-like control, being able to do something.
(5) It's always been CDO: Now… In the novel. A major example is the incense burner arc, a scene to finalize WX’s dynamics. Some readers were misinterpreting WX’s dynamic, so MXTX wrote a literal proof: that YLLZ was always the shou. WWX gets his original body back and meets a younger LWJ, yet even with that, he still chooses to remain the shou. That scene clarifies two things at once - proving that LWJ was always the gong (even as a youth), and WWX was always the shou. People misinterpret it and say when they were younger it was reversed - but that scene completely shuts that down. It was never about the bodies. LWJ even says that no matter what form, “he would have always done” - he would always have done WWX.
(6) Night Hunt Scene: In the Night Hunt scene LWJ had clearly dominated the YLLZ!WWX during their first kiss till the point where the YLLZ's knees were weak and lips swollen. LWJ were the one who had dominated WWX. (7) Boundaries: In the bush scene, when WWX says “let me be on top,” LWJ misinterprets and clearly pauses, uncomfortable - until WWX quickly clarifies that he meant literally riding LWJ. It’s played for humor, but it also reaffirms their dynamic - LWJ is not comfortable switching. It’s not his role. WWX never implied that he wanted to switch.
MXTX Before I get into it I just wanted to state that: - It's already confirmed by the author (MXTX) that Wangxian's dynamics are set. - MXTX had said that the main CP in her novels would never switch. - Never once has the main CP in MXTX's novels switched. CP: means couple (8) Stereotypes: MXTX breaks stereotypes - where the “evil” one is the gong and the “righteous” one is the shou. Reversing it just reverts everything MXTX worked to diverge from. For once, the quiet one becomes the protector - and the untamed one becomes the protected. (9) Boundaries: MXTX has also explicitly stated she is not okay with reversing or changing her main couples. MXTX has been vocal about this. She does not approve of reversing her main pairings. Sure, people argue that readers have the right to reinterpret - but that kind of disregards the author's very specific intent and the fact It’s MXTX’s work! She should be in control of the boundaries of her novel, she should be able to share it on her terms. Headcannons are perfectly fine with her - but this breaks a boundary. (As an author myself, if readers did that to my work (which has nearly happened and I absolutely hated it), I’d be seriously irritated.) (10) WuJi Misinterpretation + The Untamed: MXTX explicitly said “Wuji” (from The Untamed) is not a reversal of their roles telling viewers NOT to misinterpret anything (in relation to the character’s name place first being the gong). Her Weibo makes it very clear: it has always been shou WWX and gong LWJ. "Wuji" is a word (meaning: "untamed" or "unrestrained") - it may have double meaning (which isn't confirmed) in reference to Wangxian though not in terms of reversing the character's dynamics.
Also, people do tend to separate MDZS and CQL however the above clearly confirmed that even in CQL the dynamics remain as it is. (I won't delve into CQL dynamics this time, I may consider writing a separate article for this later on.)
(Conc.) This isn’t hate toward people who reverse CDO. You can enjoy OOC, AUs, or anything you like. But canonically? This is just how it is. WX’s dynamics aren’t just fanservice - they are core to their characters and arcs. And that dynamic is: Gong LWJ, shou WWX. Always has been. Extension: I rarely bring up strength however YLLZ!WWX is weaker physically and has lost a significant amount of weight and is paler in comparison to his past. I do understand that there are roles such as sub!top so that control isn't required yet the other points clearly points towards WWX being a shou even then.