Longevity in Legacy: An Examination of the Theme of Longevity from Cheng Heguang's Perspective
In the latest RV1999 3.4 patch, Spring Unending, we are introduced to the three playable characters: Paper Heron, Cheng Heguang, and Reed. From the onset, it is obvious that the main theme is the concept of longevity. What does it mean to live forever?
You can see this in Paper Heron, the immortal. Whether it be the Mei blossoms in her hair (which represent longevity), her Daoist roots, which emphasize self-cultivation (that often delves into the lengthening of one's life), and the fact that she is THE immortal, the one that the entire festival was about! The story goes into great length about her struggles with immortality, whether it be the relative passage of time or her conflict with short-lived species like her pupil and Mayfly regarding the concept.
You can also see this theme of longevity with Reed and Mayfly. Unlike the long-lived immortal Daoist, Mayfly and Reed are short-lived. As Yao, their lives are limited to the lives of their original form. For example, if there were a Bee Yao, they'll live for 3 months. Since they are both Reed Yao, they are fated to live from Spring until Winter begins to hit (which is around 11 months). This may explain the name of this patch being Spring Unending, since both Yao kickstart the plot with their desire to live, thus extending that spring and making it unending.
So now, where does Cheng Heguang come to play? In such a story, one can see how an immortal and a short-lived Mayfly can tell a compelling story of longevity, but why a regular young constable? Where does he fit in this story of longevity?
That is what I wish to explore today.
When we first meet Cheng Heguang, he is introduced as the Chief Constable of Zhu County and the person who arrests Paper Heron and Mayfly after the trouble at the gate. After the following funny interrogation scene, Paper Heron is let go and overhears a conversation between Cheng Heguang and his superior officer, Commander Li.
This is where we learn more about Cheng Heguang. He is the son of a disgraceful man. Due to this, he wishes to wash away the stain on his family's name by rising up the ranks as a constable.
At the same time, this position of being a constable exposes him to scrutiny, pressure, and the heavy weight of his superior's orders. He has to tread lightly and appease the superior's commands, even if there are important matters at hand like the School of Mei.
His father's bandit turncoat reputation has even affected his entire life, especially since he faced much harassment and maltreatment. This is an example of the importance of "saving face" and the consequences of losing it. But wait, what do we mean by "saving face"? Why is it important? And what does it have to do with legacy or longevity?
Saving Face
In Asian cultures, the deep emphasis on "saving face" is often oversimplified as a quest for honor. To briefly explain, face is a sociological concept in Asian cultures that could mean many things. Most often, face refers to appearances, prestige, reputation, honor, and social status. In The Chinese Concepts of "Face" by Hsien Chin Hu, there are two types of "face": Mien-tzü and Lien.
Mien-tzü was the reputation achieved by success and ostentation. It's the type that you get from getting a promotion, having a good job, marrying well, getting wealthy, etc. In Cheng Heguang's example, he seeks to gain "face" by being promoted to constable. It's a type of face that you gradually get over time, like building status.
Meanwhile, Lien means a good moral reputation, by showing yourself to be a good person under all circumstances. It refers to the individual's sense of moral character. This is reflected in Cheng Heguang's inner desire, which is to always do the right thing and help others. This "face" is more highly valued than Mien-tzü, because losing one's wealth is one painful, but losing one's dignity is seen as extremely shameful in the most personal manner. It is so bad that at its worst, the dishonored person commits suicide out of shame.
Just like in Cheng Heguang's story, Lien doesn't only apply to yourself but to the people around you. The phrase "Kei mou-mou-jên tiu-lien" can be said as "to lose lien for so-and-so". This refers to the concept that when YOU lose Lien, you also cause the people WITH you to lose Lien too. For example, if you have made a fool of yourself in public, then society may wonder if your parents even raised you properly. In that situation, not only do you lose Lien, but your parents lose Lien as well.
When Cheng Heguang's father was revealed to be siding with bandits and was killed as a result, a lot of his family members moved elsewhere to avoid the social shame of being related to him. As for Cheng Heguang, he lived with it and endured maltreatment for years due to being his father's son. Because yes, betraying the people is a loss of lien, but betraying the people as a HIGHER official? That is an EVEN higher loss of lien, a societal penalty that was unfairly passed down to his son, Cheng Heguang. And that is exactly why Cheng Heguang has been doing his best to clear it.
Other than the immediate social consequences of losing Lien, like ostracization, shame, loss of self-esteem, difficulty in gaining support, and the like, staining your family name is a stain on your longevity.
Filial Piety and Ancestor Worship
Going back to the concept of longevity, it was valued not only for the living but also for the dead. Remembering and honoring the dead person's name and legacy was a way of perpetuating their longevity. From Ancient China to today, they do this by making shrines and giving offerings to their ancestors. You could see this concept of perpetuating longevity this way, in the poems written in the Han Dynasty, such as this one:
Prosperity and decline each has its season,
I grieve that I did not make a name for myself earlier.
Human life lacks the permanence of metal and stone.
How could we lengthen its years?
We suddenly transform, in the way of all matter,
but a glorious name is a lasting treasure.
In this manner, you could see why it was such a big deal that Cheng Heguang wanted to restore his family's name. Though a story isn't a story without conflict. So what if Cheng Heguang's desire to gain Mien-tzü and Lien were to conflict?
That's exactly what happened.
In Chapter 18, Pain and Gain, Paper Heron entrusted to him her most valuable sword, the Longevity Sword, and he swore to take good care of it. Once he heads to his master, Commander Li, he realizes that his commander was in cahoots with Master Ren!
Master Ren gives him a choice: hand over the sword and get a token from her (which will immediately get him the recognition from the higher-ups, thus clearing his father's name), or he keeps his promise to Paper Heron and does the right thing, but he'll lose what he has worked so hard for so long.
He chooses to do what is right.
So did the pursuit mean nothing in the end?
Yes and no.
If we are to look at what happened with his family's name in mind, then yes, it was pretty pointless. After 400 years have passed, does it really matter if Cheng Heguang's father was a bandit? Even a great amount of wealth back then meant nothing much now. What could have benefited him greatly is now a mere scrap of paper.
Other than that, it was revealed in the end that even Cheng Heguang felt this sort of disillusionment even back in the story 400 years ago. What was the point of striving to gain all of these accolades, making his home something respectable, or gaining the approval of such corrupt people?
Yet in the end, the pursuit of his own sort of longevity, a legacy of doing what was right, no matter the circumstances, was worth it in the end. The Zhu County that Reed gets to see is beautiful and alive. It is the way that it is because of what Paper Heron and Cheng Heguang have sacrificed. Because of their noble act of selflessness in sealing themselves inside the Mei Tree, harmony was restored, and Zhu County, though it has long forgotten them, continues to prosper.
Does it matter even if you aren't remembered? Even if you don't live forever? Does it have a point?
You don't remember every single meal that you eat, yet regardless, you are alive today because of each one. You don't remember all the ancestors that made you exist, but regardless, you are alive because of them. It remains immortal, its longevity remains even after it is long forgotten. As Paper Heron and Cheng Heguang witnessed Zhu County evolve over the centuries, live and die, and different generations all grow under the Mei Tree, they saw that even forgotten, their sacrifice meant all of it lives on. So yes, it was worth it.
References:
Hu, H. C. (1944). The Chinese Concepts of "Face". American Anthropologist, 46(1), 45-64. https://www.jstor.org/stable/662926
Cartwright M, Benoxi. Ancestor worship in ancient China. World History Encyclopedia. May 2026. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1132/ancestor-worship-in-ancient-china/.
