The Untamed (Chén Qíng Lìng), (2019) Review and Guide

For my first blog post, I'm focusing on the 2019 Chinese historical fantasy Xianxia drama, Chén Qíng Lìng or in English, The Untamed. This series is composed of fifty 45 minute long episodes and is available to watch on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, WeTV's Facebook page and Youtube channel. Xianxia is a Chinese genre that is heavily influenced by ancient Chinese spirituality and religion such as Taoism and Buddhism. Essentially, Xianxia is to Asia what European medieval fantasy is to the Western word. Everything from gods, spirits, ghosts, and demons can be found inside the Xianxia genre paired with mystical martial arts and cultivating protagonists, (cultivation is a practice within the Taoist religion involving magical spiritual powers).

The Untamed is based off of the novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi (Translation: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation OR Master of Diabolism), written by an anonymous Chinese author using the pen name Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. In addition the live action C-drama, the novel also has a donghua (Chinese animation), audio drama, manhua (Chinese comic) and mobile game as well.

Even though it is one of the most acknowledged C-drama's globally, it still is very culturally distant for a Western viewer with little knowledge of Chinese culture and philosophy (specifically Daoism and Confucianism). Globalization and making their television shows easily understood by most if not all cultures is not a consumerism tool that China practices as often as Japan or Korea, but The Untamed is a good step in the right direction and therefore I applaud it. With the show's strong cultural odor in mind, I will share my knowledge to hopefully help bridge this cultural gap and serve as a guide to better comprehend and enjoy the show.

There are many advantages to watching foreign media and if you're thinking "I don't like to read subtitles'' or "If it's not easy for me to understand, why even watch it?" remember that Asia loved stories like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings when they came out. For them those stories are just as culturally distant and slower to understand as The Untamed will be for you. I ask that if you do check out the show please keep an open mind. Eastern media such as The Untamed tends to have a lesser budget than the West. Our technology is better and our industry is bigger. The special effects may not be as great as what you're used to but don't let that ruin your experience. Also, please skip the opening and ending sequences. I have found that in these types of dramas they contain so many spoiler scenes.

Summary

The Untamed is set in a fictional cultivation world (cultivation is easiest to define as a form of magic linked to a persons spirituality) inspired by Ancient china. In this fictional world there are five clans; Gusu Lan, Yunmeng Jiang, Qinghe Nie, Qishan Wen and Lanling Jin. The series begins by announcing to us that the main character, Wei Wuxian, has died, eventually flashing back to the events leading up to it. Wei Wuxian is then revealed as a young carefree and spirited 15 year old disciple of the Yunmeng Jiang clan whose clan leader took him in after his parents' death. Wei Wuxian slowly befriends the younger brother of the Gusu Lan clans' leader, Lan Wangji, who in personality is his polar opposite, while studying cultivation in the same classroom. While Lan Wangji is introverted and disciplined, often mistaken as emotionless, in contrast to Wei Wuxian's outgoing, expressive and impulsive nature, they're both naturally gifted young cultivators from respectable families who despite their differences, morally align with one another.

Together they find themselves in possession of 1/4 of an overwhelming source of power (much like the ring from Lord of the Rings) named Yin Iron, that the corrupted leader of the Qishan Wen clan, Wen Ruohan, is after all 4 shards of. Wei Wuxian later finds himself an outcast of all five clans and is accused of using demonic cultivation and crafty tricks to resurrect the dead and control them like puppets, this earning him the title of "Yiling Patriarch." A title people from everywhere come to fear just through here say and speculation.

These events and accusations lead to Wei Wuxian's death and then mysterious resurrection 16 years later. He is reunited with his old childhood friend, Lan Wangji, and solves a series of murder mysteries that uncover the truth about the events leading up to his death 16 years ago. The Untamed is a story about the never-ending power struggle of man, found family, clan rivalry, betrayal after betrayal leading to revenge scheme after revenge scheme and the upholding of justice even when going up against your loved ones and orthodoxy.

Clans & Characters:

As I mentioned, there are 5 clans. The names of the clans are made up of the region they reside in followed by the surname. Every clan has one main residence where the cultivators and main family are located. Also for easier reference I will list what colors are associated with each clan as well as their clan's symbol/crest too to help differentiate between them. (Although, this does not work with Wei Wuxian, the main character. He does not wear the Yunmeng Jiang clans' colors and as an adopted child, does not have Jiang as his surname either.)

Most of the characters in The Untamed belong to one of the five major clans and have more than one name. Remember that in Asia your family name comes first followed by your individual name. Individual characters will most likely have a birth name and a courtesy name. Courtesy names are a part of east Asian culture culture as well. It is a name bestowed upon you at adulthood in addition to your birth name. Some characters may even have a formal title and/or nickname as well.

For example, one of the main characters belonging to the Gusu Lan clan's birth name is Lan Zhan (Pronounced Lan Z-huh-N), his courtesy name is Lan Wangji (Pronounced: Lan Wuh-n-ji), and as a respectable and honorable member of his clan he has the title, Hanguang-Jun (Pronounced: Ha-N-gwan-ju-N). Depending who is speaking to him and their station, depends on what name will be used. A close friend or family member may refer to him as Lan Zhan (his birthname), his equals, acquaintances' and allies will refer to him more formally as Lan Wangji (his courtesy name). Those below him in rank, allies, and the common people who may never meet him will speak about him in the most respectable/formal manner as Hanguang-Jun (his title).

Knowing all of the character' names and understanding the context/meaning behind using them helps you read a situation easier. If two friends who were referring to each other by their birthnames, start calling each other by their courtesy names, that is an indirect way of expressing animosity between two characters.

Yunmeng Jiang

Free spirited and morally just, the Yunmeng Jiang clan are known for practicing and cultivating with a special sword technique.

Region: Yunmeng

Surname: Jiang

Color: Purple

Main Residence: Lotus Pier

Yunmeng Jiang Clan Members:

Courtesy Name: Wei Wuxian

Birthname: Wei Ying

Nickname: A-Xian

Title: Yiling Patriarch

Be ready to fall in love with this character right away because there is something special about Wei Wuxian that makes him a truly remarkable main protagonist. Wei Wuxian does not care about his status and reputation. It may not seem like it but he isn't interested in being the most powerful man in the room or necessarily being perceived as a hero either. He only cares that his family is safe and justice is upheld no matter how that is achieved. He is always actively hiding his feelings and struggles behind jokes, laughter and has an innate ability to win people over. Wei Wuxian's compassionate and self sacrificing nature paired with his preference to take on his burdens alone land him in a great number of misunderstandings that could be resolved if he only asked for help. His high value of personal freedom and nature to always do the right thing even when his methods are out of tune with society and followed by the heart, make for a great example of a morally grey character.

Courtesy name: Jiang Wanyin

Birth name: Jiang Cheng

Title: Sandu Shengshou

The younger adoptive brother of Wei Wuxian and biological sister, Jiang Yanli. Even though he is the youngest, he is the only biological son of the Jiang clan leader and as such, the heir to the clan. Because of this, their father was harder on him than his siblings growing up leading him to develop quite the ego and a superiority complex. Thrusted into a leadership role way too early and caring far too much about how he is viewed, his insecure character contrasts his older brother, Wei Wuxian's, perfectly. Jiang Cheng struggles to understand and support his brother because of their different personalities and morals but despite his harsh, self righteous and defensive attitude, he does love his family very much. To be honest, Jiang Cheng is the character I most sympathize with and I find to be the most realistic/relatable.

Birthname: Jiang Yanli

A favorite character of my mother, Yanli, is the older adoptive sister of Wei Wuxian and biological older sister of Jiang Cheng, wife of Jin Zixuan and mother of Jin Ling. As a woman she has no real say in things within clan society, for example, her own love life. Yet she influences and inspires those around her with her unconditional love for her family, a smile and a bowl of soup. Yanli is not weak and is not above speaking up for and protecting those she loves and cares deeply for. In a lot of ways Jiang Yanli fills the maternal role in Wei Wuxian's life since his mother died when he was very young and his adoptive mother could care less about him. As such, Jiang Yanli is the glue keeping the family together and often times keeping her younger brothers, Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, from fighting.

Birthname: Yu Ziyuan

Other names: Madam Yu, Violent Spider

Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli's mother and Wei Wuxian's adoptive mother. She's cold and assertive but loves her children very much, except for Wei Wuxian whose parents were a close friend of her husband, Jiang Fengmian and taken in by him as a favor. Her dislike for Wei Wuxian also has to do with her husbands' obvious favor of him over their own son, Jiang Cheng. She believes Wei Wuxian will only bring trouble to their clan and ruin their reputation due to his impulsive nature.

Courtesy Name: Jiang Fengmian

Jiang Fengmian is the father of Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli as well as the adoptive father of Wei Wuxian and husband of Yu Ziyuan. He is a patient and understanding man as well as a loving father. While he does seem to be more strict on Jiang Cheng than Wei Wuxian that is because he knows Jiang Cheng will be leader of their clan someday and has high expectations for him.

Gusu Lan

A very stoic and traditional sect, the Gusu Lan clan members are expected to live and abide by a set of 3,000 rules written on stone at their residence and they cultivate with swords as well as special spiritually infused music.

Region: Gusu

Surname: Lan

Color: White, Blue

Main Residence: Cloud Recesses

Gusu Lan Clan Members:

Courtesy Name: Lan Wangji

Birthname: Lan Zhan

Title: Hanguang-Jun

Other name: One of the "Twin Jades of Lan" alongside his elder brother.

At first you may find him to be plain and awkward and possibly blame the actor's acting. Trust that the actor, Wang Yibo, is doing a great job bringing this very complex and seemingly emotionless character to life and that Lan Wangji's almost robotic nature at first is intentional. Lan Wangji before meeting Wei Wuxian had devoted his life to living by his clan's rules and suppressing his emotions in order to follow the right path but finds himself questioning them at his detriment. His friendship with Wei Wuxian shows him that true justice can go against orthodox and the correct actions where justice is concerned aren't so easily determined by his clan's set of 3,000 rules but instead, his heart.

Courtesy Name: Lan Xichen

Birthname: Lan Huan

Title: Zewu Jun

Other name: One of the "Twin Jades of Lan" alongside his younger brother.

Lan Xichen is the older brother of Lan Wangji and the leader of the Gusu Lan clan. Unlike many in clan society, Lan Xichen is genuine and kind to everyone, regardless of social status or ranking. He believes that despite wrong actions, most people do act with good intentions. This makes Lan Xichen a very level headed character who tends to only see the best in others and only provoked to anger if a loved one is being threatened, such as his brother.

Courtesy name: Lan Qiren

An elder of the Gusu Lan clan, Lan Quiren is Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen's paternal uncle. He is is best known for producing the best students of cultivation and intolerant of any views that contradict any of the Gusu Lan Clan's 3,000 rules and traditions. This definitely does not make him Wei Wuxian's biggest fan when Wei Wuxian was visiting cloud recesses to study cultivation as his student. Having been the one to raise both of his nephews and lead the clan, he made certain they were well disciplined and familiar with the clan's traditions through his strict nature and does not approve of his nephew associating with Wei Wuxian's unorthodox ways.

Courtesy name: Lan Shizui

Birthname: Spoilers

Lan Shizui is a kindhearted and gentle leader of the junior disciples of the Gusu Lan Clan after the 16 year time skip, who sees beyond the black and white morality of the cultivation world. He doesn't believe the ill gossip and legends about those such as Wei Wuxian (Yiling Patriarch) who are out of tune with society and instead tends to offer Wei Wuxian support whenever he can. Him and the other junior disciples are quick to understand some situations are not black and white and the right or wrong side are harder to determine.

Qinghe Nie

While the other clans practice with swords and instruments, the Qinghe Nie clan takes a different approach and cultivate with blades that corrupt their temperament over time.

Region: Qinghe

Surname: Nie

Color: Black, Grey

Main Residence: Unclean Realm

Qinghe Nie Clan Members:

Courtesy name: Nie Huaisang

Nicknames: Head-Shaker (一问三不知, translated: one question, three I don't knows), Mr. Know Nothing

Nie Huaisang is one of my personal favorite characters. Just trust that in a world where everyone carries swords and blades, the ditsy boy who carries a fan instead and is oblivious as much as he is defenseless is a fan favorite. During scenes you'll find yourself asking, "Why is he even there?" but not complaining that he is at the same time. Huaisang is the younger half brother of the highly respected Qinghe Nie clan leader, Nie Mingjue. Someone who couldn't be any different from him in terms of guts and skill on the battlefield but Huaisang, is in fact quite skillful and intelligent in his own right.

Courtesy Name: Nie Mingjue

Nickname: Red Blade Master

Title: Chifeng-Zun

Nie Mingjue is the older half brother of Nie Huaisang and the leader of the Qinghe Nie clan known by the name "Red Blade Master" after the blade he carries named Baxia. Stubborn and strict with a violent temper, Nie Mingjue has one of the most extreme cases of black and white morality, never finding it him to see things from other points of views. Although, he is a man who stands by that which is fair and just and respects those who demonstrate strong integrity.

Qishan Wen

The largest, most powerful clan, the Qishan Wen sect has a bloody and oppressive history.

Region: Qishan

Surname: Wen

Color: Black & Red

Main Residence: Nightless City

Qishan Wen Clan Members:

Courtesy name: Wen Ruohan

Wen Ruohan is your stereotypical power hungry villain who just so happens to be the leader of one of the five clans, the Qishan Wen clan. Determined to be the leader of the most powerful and dominant clan in the cultivation world he is after all 4 shards of the yin iron.

Courtesy name: Wen Chao

Wen Chao is the son of Wen Ruohan, the corrupt leader of the Qishan Wen Clan who follows his commands. Wen Chao is unskilled and and cowardly despite showing a brave and arrogant face.

Courtesy name: Wen Qing

Wen Qing is leader of a small subdivision of the Qishan Wen clan and a healer. She has a no-nonsense attitude yet is nonetheless capable of showing compassion, especially towards her younger brother, Wen Ning, but also towards Wei Wuxian, helping him out several times.

Courtesy name: Wen Ning

Nickname: A-Ning

Title: Ghost General

Wen Ning is the younger brother of Wen Qing. After an incident in his childhood he suffers from a stutter and is a very shy and nervous individual who holds in all his negative feelings. Wen Ning cares deeply for others, even those who dislike him and is actively risking his life to ensure their safety. He also has a deep sense of loyalty, to his sister and to Wei Wuxian as well, for being kind and encouraging to him, as well as for saving his life at one point.

Lanling Jin

Wealthy and luxurious, the Lanling Jin clan is the subject of much political intrigue and scandals.

Region: Lanling

Surname: Jin

Color: Gold, White

Main Residence: Carp Tower (aka Koi Tower)

Lanling Jin Clan Members

Courtesy Name: Jin Rulan

Birth Name: Jin Ling

Jin Ling is the son of Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan and the nephew of Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng and Jin Guangyao. He displays a very prideful and argumentative attitude right off the bat but overtime that attitude fades to be more understanding and sympathetic. As one of the youngest characters, Jin Ling has a strong desire to prove himself.

Courtesy Name: Jin Zixuan

Jin Zixuan is the only legitimate child of Jin Guangshan, the Lanling Jin Clan leader, father of Jin Ling and husband of Jiang Yanli, making him Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng's brother in law. At first Jin Zixuan is introduced to us as what Wei Wuxian calls, "a Peacock". He is a rich, spoiled and arrogant son of a clan leader who in Wei Wuxian's opinion does not deserve an arranged marriage to his beloved sister, Yanli. Jin Zixuan's true nature is revealed as he grows up.

Courtesy name: Jin Guangyao

Birthname: Meng Yao

Titles: Lianfang-Zun, Chief Cultivator

The illegitimate son of the Lanling Clan leader, Jin Guangshan, who eventually earns himself a respectable place in the Jin clan. He originally affiliated with the Qinghe Nie clan as Red Blade Master's sworn brother and confidant, under the name Meng Yao, before his father formally acknowledged him as his son, gave him his new name Jin Guangyao and allowed him into the Jin clan. Jin Guangyao is extremely gifted with words, always knowing just what to say to gain that which he wants. His deep insecurity about his roots as the illegitimate son of a clan leader and prostitute make for a very deeply troubled and unstable character.

Courtesy Name: Jin Guangshan

The ambitious leader of the wealthy Lanling Jin clan and father of Jin Zixuan and Jin Guangyao. Jin Guangshan is a womanizer, with many illegitimate children, who is extremely prideful and willing to use or manipulate just about anything for his own political gain and power.

No clan affiliation

Location:

Burial Mounds (Yiling region)

Characters:

Courtesy Name: Xue Chengmei

Birthname: Xue Yang

As a delinquent in his youth and a hired criminal/demonic cultivator later on in life, Xue Yang generally appears wherever there is trouble. In the beginning of the series he is seen to be helping the Wen clan find the shards of Yin iron and goes missing with one of the shards for a very long time. Xue Yang is not loyal to those he offers assistance to, he does what he wants and on his own terms. During the time that he is missing you may forget about his character all together until he and that missing piece of Yin iron become important again and you learn that more than just the Wen clan was interested in getting assistance from him. Merciless and prideful all paired with a very unnerving evil smile, Xue Yang is a rather intriguing antagonist. In a lot of ways he is like Wei Wuxian if he had not been adopted into the Yunmeng Jiang clan and raised properly.

Courtesy name: Song Lan

Song Lan is a righteous and determined cultivator disassociated from any major clan who travels along with his friend, Xiao Xingchen.

Courtesy Name: Xiao Xingchen

Xiao Xingchen has a very big heart and is soft spirited. He is a disciple of Baoshan Sanren and left his sect to travel alongside his friend, Song Lan, and cultivate. Song Lan comes from the same sect as Wei Wuxian's birth mother and refers to her as his "Martial Sister" which makes him Wei Wuxian's martial uncle.

Non Linear Plotline

The Untamed follows a non linear plot line. The story spans across a period of 20 years. The easiest way to explain this is by splitting the series into two parts. Part one is Wei Wuxian, the protagonist, realizing he has been resurrected 16 years after his death and after a series of encounters with people from his past, flashes back to 20 years in the past before he had died revealing events leading up to it. Part two of the series is about 30 episodes in when the flashback of Wei Wuxian's first life and death ends and the story is brought back to present time to unravel the truth behind those past events.

This is confusing because when Wei Wuxian is resurrected into a boy named Mo Xuanyu’s body at the beginning, the actor (Xiao Zhan) continues to play Wei Wuxian in the flashbacks of his past. According to people who knew Mo Xuanyu, the boy was crazy and wore a mask, never taking it off. Wei Wuxian, in "Mo Xuanyu's" body will often wear this mask to be discreet and convince everyone he is still this "Mo Xuanyu". Why the director did not choose to change actors is uncertain. It could have been a budgetary issue or an artistic choice. I read somewhere that it is most likely done this way to make the story less confusing but ultimately ended up having the opposite affect.

While it is confusing, I have no complaints that they kept Xiao Zhan as Wei Wuxian the whole time. He does a brilliant job bringing the character, Wei Wuxian, to life and trying to fill his shoes would surely be difficult.

On the left (mobile: on top) : Wei Wuxian in the first episode directly after being resurrected into Mo Xuanyu's body.

On the right (mobile: on bottom) : Wei Wuxian in his own body during the flashbacks and for the remainder of the series.

As you can see, it's the same actor. Different look of course but even though it's expressed that he's been brought back to life into someone else's body-- that is hard to comprehend when they use the same actor for flashbacks of his first life.

Important Vocabulary

Cultivation: Cultivation in the Xianxia drama is the pursuit of unimaginable spiritual power and is heavily based off of a meditation practice called, Qigong. Qigong meditation has played a huge role in not only real life Daoist/Taoist practices but Buddhism, Confucianism and Chinese Martial arts as well to promote longevity, good moral character, and intense self defense abilities. This is why the character's temperaments play a huge role in the stability of their magical abilities. You'll see them often meditate or listen to spiritually infused music that calms their temperament and keeps them strong. In these fictional cultivation worlds, cultivation grants the characters a certain extent of spiritual/magical abilities that allow them to expel resentful energy coming from supernatural beings such as ghosts, spirits, monsters, etc. You'll also often see them use talismans and musical instruments when cultivating and expelling evil as well.

Golden Core: A golden core in The Untamed is a core in a cultivators body formed after cultivating to a certain point. It is where a cultivator's spiritual power is held and controlled. A golden core is developed at an early age and gets stronger the more and more you cultivate. The overall strength of a golden core is depending on the person's talent and age it was developed. To my knowledge, Wei Wuxian is a prodigy for having such a strong golden core at a young age. Without a golden core, you cannot be a cultivator or at the very least use proper cultivation, you are just an ordinary person.

Puppets: A portion of the story of The Untamed revolves around these undead beings they refer to as puppets. I find that the translation "puppets" to be awfully confusing since they resemble the western idea of a zombie. I can't figure out a more comprehendible word to describe them besides puppets though since they are for the most part living dead people being controlled by someone. So puppet does seem pretty suiting in a sense. In The Untamed the puppets are controlled by whoever has the Yin iron mentioned in the synopsis. To my understanding, a dead person can be a puppet but so can a living person if they're being controlled by the Yin iron and lose control of their consciousness, corrupted by it.

Filial Piety: Filial Piety is never outright said in the show but remains a major theme of the story, a theme that to the same extent is lost to us in modern times. Filial Piety is a Confucianist virtue that in this context is the duty the younger generation has to honor and serve the elders in their family. Nowadays filial piety is more like cleaning your room because your parents told you to but in the Confucianism doctrine filial piety is essentially repaying your parents for being born by respecting, listening, caring for and not not disgracing them. It is also an obligation to your ancestors and your grandparents. Filial piety is also not just your honorable duty to your elders but the body they gave you because in Confucianism your body is viewed as an extension of your parents. Notice how everyone in this show has long hair. This character design is historically accurate because cutting your hair during this time was unfilial behavior and disgraceful to your parents. Any harming of the body such as scars or self inflicted injuries/suicide are also unfilial as well.

Censorship/Canon Divergence

The Untamed is subject to a certain amount of censorship. In the original source novel, audio drama, and manhua the two male main characters Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji get married at the end but because China has banned all depictions of gay romance on TV, The Untamed and its animated adaptations cannot portray this romance. The director and writers of The Untamed work around the censorship perfectly and because the romance is more so a subplot than the main trope of the story taking out the more verbally and physically intimate parts of the source does not affect the overall plot.

Actors Xiao Zhan (Wei Wuxian) and Wang Yibo (Lan Wangji) do a wonderful job conveying the love between their two characters through just the softest of expressions and tiny yet meaningful actions, never having to verbally express it. It was done in such a way that did not violate the censorship regulations but also did not disappoint fans of the original story. Their performances prove that LGBTQ characters can be well developed, three dimensional characters with genuine development and traits that are not just restrained to their sexuality. It is also proof that a love story can be convincing without verbal affirmation and explicit sex. Take my word for it, if you want the characters to be in love you can see their relationship as more than that of a bromance. If you enjoy stories that are more aromantic and do not revolve around a love story than The Untamed can still be for you. I do not find The Untamed to be a case of LGBTQ erasure even though their romantic relationship was removed.

Other aspects of the novel were changed as well. The reason this show is named Chen Qing Ling (The Untamed) instead of the original novel title Mo Dao Zu Shi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) is because changes were done to Wei Wuxian's character to make him a less "dark" protagonist. One of these changes being that Wei Wuxian does not create demonic cultivation, he only learns it. The original novel is named Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation BECAUSE Wei Wuxian created and followed a demonic path. Renaming the show Chen Qing Ling (The Untamed) then became necessary after that characterization change. I'm not sure if this change was due to censorship over Wei Wuxian's controversial character and potential bad influence or because there wasn't a big enough budget to convey the extent of Wei Wuxian's demonic cultivation abilities. While Wei Wuxian is not an antagonist, The Untamed for whatever reason made changes to Wei Wuxian's character to make him more morally upstanding and less chaotic neutral/morally grey.

Wei Wuxian's character in the animated, Mo Dao Zu Shi.

My Review

I will be honest, if it weren't for the fact that The Untamed was one of my screenings for a case study I wrote on Chinese entertainment's globalization, I would not have gotten further than 2 episodes in. The first two episodes introduce you to an abundance of characters that are introduced so dramatically and have such an influence on the main character, Wei Wuxian, that its frustrating to be an outsider. It's like attending a hellish family reunion that isn't yours and you've got no clue who is who and what is going on plus you're reading subtitles because nobody is speaking English.

Quite simply, the non linear plot line route The Untamed chose to take hindered my comprehension and enjoyment of the show, making the first two episodes a difficult pill to swallow and the characters difficult to connect with right away. I think a lot gets lost in translation and that is why it may have been difficult for me to watch the first few episodes. That aside though, once you do get into it and take the time to understand who is who and what their relationships are to one another, the show is beyond delightful and the first two episodes are worth it. This isn't to say that the first two episodes suck but they're overwhelming and part of the reason I wrote such a lengthy blog post in the first place.

Besides my grievances with the non linear plot line, I don't have many other issues with The Untamed. For an aspiring historical fantasy screenwriter and an Asian studies minor, The Untamed, is quite literally most of my passions into one. On top of that, I am most critical of character development and the overall theme of the movies/television I watch. As far as characterization and themes go, I could not point out one shallow or non complex thing about the plot of The Untamed. Every character is round. They have a backstory, a goal and almost always a foil.

I was most impressed with the character of Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji is a character that can be easily misunderstood because he's such an ice king and doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve much like Wei Wuxian does. He seems so dull at first because Wei Wuxian shines so bright and is far more expressive and fun to watch. It's truly Wang Yibo's acting of Lan Wangji that makes his character so great and it is unbelievable to me this was his first time playing a lead role too. His acting at first seems robotic but then you realize is intentionally awkwardly uptight. Lan Wangji's characterization places importance on every emotion, even the smallest of ones being expressed. You are far more moved when Lan Wangji's lips curve into a half smile than when Wei Wuxian full on beams, teeth and all. Lan Wangji is not indifferent or full of himself like his cold exterior makes it seem. No one loves and cares as deeply as Lan Wangji does yet because he allows very few people in, his capacity for loving and caring goes unknown by most. The tiniest of smiles, spoken sentences instead of one word answers, tiny thoughtful actions and just softer expressions in general paired with his part of the story help express Lan Wangji's growth as a very sheltered and emotionally vulnerable person. These small expressions don't seem like much but really do a great job conveying the influence Wei Wuxian has on his well disciplined, quiet and seemingly indifferent character over time as well.

Another thing I will praise about The Untamed is the power the music has on the story and your connection to it. The soundtrack comprised of a variety of traditional sounding Chinese music (some even accompanied by the actors themselves singing) is beautiful. The music is also an important part of the plot and treated almost like a magical wand at times or a way to communicate with spirits. The songs Wei Wuxian plays on his flute and the songs played on the traditional Chinese instrument (the Xiqin) are not just artistic choices but a part of their cultivation and power source. I'm afraid that my explanation sort of makes The Untamed sound like a musical but I swear it's not like that at all. No one breaks out into song at random, however funny that would be but the songs that do have lyrics and are played in the background of scenes, when translated, have stunning lyrics suited for the character being highlighted at the time when dispensed. For example, Wei Wuxian's sister, Jiang Yanli, has a character song that's most often played in the background during heart warming family scenes. The English translation of the song is her singing about her love for her family, specifically her younger brothers. Probably the most famous song from the series is the outro sung by Wang Yibo who plays Lan Wangji and Xiao Zhan who plays Wei Wuxian.

In conclusion, The Untamed is a beautiful tale about found family, unlikely friendships and bonds, and finding your definition of right and wrong in a black and white world. The right thing to do isn't always the acceptable thing to do and the acceptable actions aren't always what are right either. What choices will you make and what motivates them?

Spin Offs

The Untamed has 2 film spin offs named Living Dead and Fatal Journey that focus more on the side characters. I personally haven't gotten around to watching them yet but I have read favorable things. I have yet to find a reliable site to stream these films, unfortunately.

The Donghua

The animated adaptation is available to watch on Youtube and WeTV's streaming site.

The Novel

There is no official English translated version of the novel yet but it has been translated by fans. It is available to read on exiled rebels website, a group that has dedicated themselves to translating a variety of novels and comics. My only experience with Exiled Rebels resulted in some NSFW (not safe for work) ads so read it there at your own discretion.

https://exiledrebelsscanlations.com/novels/grandmaster-of-demonic-cultivation/

The Manhua

The comic's English translation has yet to be completed but is being updated frequently

here: https://bato.to/series/69160

Disclaimer;

I've done plenty of research on the influence Chinese nationalism and politics has had on their overall global success in entertainment within my film studies so I am in fact familiar with the state of China right now. I must address that while I do not support China in regards to their government especially, I have found nothing about this show to be outraged about or reflective of their unhealthy political climate nor does it influence you to support the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) in anyway.