038 Review: The Legend of Zhen Huan (甄嬛传)

19/4/18

14:48

Summary

The Legend of Zhen Huan depicts life in the Forbidden City during Emperor Yong’s reign (雍正). The story follows Huan (甄嬛) as she overcomes the trials and tribulations of concubinage in the palace. With each strife and betrayal, she was forced to cope and adapt to the virulent environment.

Thoughts

I finished 76 episodes in 4 days, that’s how fucked up my schedule was. Anyway, this was a real good watch. I thoroughly enjoyed how well the messages were presented to the audience. Though, at some points it gets quite boring, like really. I had to skim through some episodes. But it only happens after something big happened and the boredom is just the calm before another storm. I enjoyed watching Yan Xi more than Zhen Huan, with Yan Xi each episode kept me entertained and there were no abysmal troughs. But at some point in Zhen Huan, I thought to myself, how much longer is this arc going to go on? I was bored out of my mind and just read the recaps to skim some episodes and determine which one I wanted to watch. But I only did that for the late-game episodes, 6x and beyond. However, Zhen Huan has the edge in terms of character depth, I like how Huan and the emperor is portrayed. Huan’s evolution and the emperor’s silent struggles. The story doesn’t talk much about the emperor’s frustration, you kind of just grasp it from his actions. Yan Xi’s episodes are concentrated on the imperial harem, whereas Zhen Huan puts the emperor’s thoughts and struggles into perspective. For Yan Xi, the story ended for me when Yinluo and Qianlong had their happily ever after, the 10 years later simply felt like an epilogue, even if conflict still arose after the fact. As for Zhen Huan, its ending felt like THEE ending. I have to say the finale is a great way to end the series.

Complete Summary (SPOILERS)

Huan is a level-headed and witty lady born to a nobleman, and at the age of 17 became the emperor’s concubine by obligation. Huan has always desired a husband loyal to her, and though she knew that wasn’t the kind of man an emperor could be, she still treated him with her sincerest feelings. Huan is gentle, graceful, pure and intelligent. Those were the traits that made her the emperor’s favorite concubine. But then Huan learned that the emperor only loved her for her resemblance to Chun (纯元), the late empress. When Huan expressed disappointment to the fact, in the emperor’s own words, he responded “What’s wrong with that?” To Huan, those words were like a hammer to her heart, it shattered her. The emperor had her palace sealed off, and just then doctors discovered that she was pregnant. After giving birth to a baby princess 8 months later, the emperor sat by her bedside and promised Huan the same happiness they had before the conflict. However, Huan’s ego couldn’t accept such a life and asked to be sent to the temple retreat (甘露寺). She spent 3 years of her life there and eventually married Prince Guo (果郡王 / 允礼) informally after giving in to his pursuits. Huan and Guo met many times in the palace, and through those interactions, they realize their compatibility in love and begin harboring feelings for each other, but as such feelings were forbidden, they denied it. Now as a free woman, Huan followed her desires. But that was cut short when Guo was thought to have died on an imperial mission. Huan, having learned that her beloved died and that her parents were on the verge of death, decided to rekindle the relationship she had with the emperor. She understands that only through the emperor’s power could she save what remains of her family. With Guo dead, that was the only path ahead. By then, she had already bore Guo’s child and disguised them as the emperor’s with the help of an imperial doctor, Wen (温实初). It was only then Guo rose from the dead and came back unharmed, but much to his dismay, he had to bid farewell to Huan. After returning to the palace, the emperor gave Huan a new identity (钮钴禄 甄嬛) to clear her name and silence the officials opposing her return. Months later, Huan birthed fraternal twins. After a string of events, the emperor came to suspect Huan’s whereabouts during her retreat, and in the end, forced Huan to poison Guo. In retaliation, Huan turned a blind eye when concubine Ye (叶澜依) plotted to kill the emperor (Ye had a crush on Guo). In his last moments, Huan revealed every filthy truth and sent Yong on his way to the afterlife.

Review

Huan - My type of Hero/Heroine, I like that she innately holds firm to her convictions, possess sharp perception and is capable of protecting herself. Without those traits, she would just be a boring, boring, main character. There was a concubine by the name of Nian (年世兰 / 华妃) who was the main antagonist for the 1st episode up to the 42nd before she committed suicide from heartbreak. Over the series, Huan has develop characteristics similar to that of Nian. Although she still retains some her humanity, she begins to commit questionable acts in order to survive and avenge. Before moving to the temple, she overcame the accusations of jealous concubines through honesty and believing in the emperor to take her side. That was when she was truly innocent. But later, she resorts to lies and trickery to fool the emperor into believing her. Huan was always capable of such feat, just that she chose not to in the beginning. It’s only when push comes to shove the she starts baring her fangs. That’s what I like about her, innately able. I’m not going to talk a lot about conflicts in the imperial harem, because in hindsight none of them were that noteworthy. It’s just episodes of outsmarting the enemy over and over, still it’s very enjoyable. If I were to compare Huan to Yinluo of Yan Xi Palace, I might even like Huan better! Huan is not afraid to show vulnerability to the people she trusts, whereas Yinluo is too headstrong for that, she almost never expresses herself in a naked fashion, which I can find frustrating at times. Favorite quote of Huan to the emperor in his deathbed : “Every contact I had with you disgusts me.” “每一次与你接触，我都无比恶心.”

Guo - I don’t feel particularly attached to him since he’s such a simple character, but I do approve of his convictions and resolve. I really adore how he professed his love for Huan so shamelessly. He loves Huan and holds onto that feeling even after she re-enters the palace. However, it’s exactly because of his carelessness that aroused the emperor’s suspicion, that’s why the character Guo is generally disliked. I see comments on youtube that are like “Who watches to episode 42 and then skips straight to 55.” with 1,000 upvotes. Episode 42 is the aftermath of Nian’s death and 55 is when Huan returns to the palace, meaning they skipped the tale of Guo and Huan’s romance! I mean it is boring if you watch it over and over, but still, so mean! People also call Guo out for being a dumbass by deliberately meeting up with Huan in the palace and making it so obvious to the emperor that he’s in love with Huan. I get that he’s a dumbass, but he’s a sweet dumbass. Besides, it would only seem that way if one knows the whole plot. Anyway, my favorite scene is on episode 55, when Guo and Huan let loose their grievance, “Our families will be the ones that suffer the consequences of our selfish acts, there is no other choice.” Like the rain, their sorrow flows with tears. I appreciate that Huan told him the truth without pretense. It was the perfect moment for both characters to concede with each other. Had they ruined it, I would hate this scene so much.

The Emperor, Yong - Zhen Huan’s most complex character. Weighed down by the state of China, expectations of the imperial harem and his personal feelings, the pressure of deciding which one to prioritize took a toll on him. He is but a man who too desired something simple, however, that much power came with its downsides. I don’t like him for his role as an antagonist, but I can’t hate him, for all his actions are justified. It’s justified so well, it almost feels unfair. The emperor seemingly has the upper hand at everything, but because of such power, he becomes an individual incapable of trust, he is one and alone in the world. Though he loves Huan and confides in her, with the power he possesses, it is under him to admit to his mistakes. He cannot treat Huan as an equal and be her ideal husband. As the emperor, for the sake of the country and meeting his harem’s expectations, he cannot be a slave to his feelings. That’s why, his only option is to be cold-blooded and treat everyone at a distance. This is first shown during an episode where the emperor reveals that he killed his own child and framed another concubine for it. He killed Nian’s unborn child. Nian had a brother who was a powerful official. Often times, Nian’s brother challenged the emperor and deliberately stepped out of his boundaries. However, the emperor could not dispose of him thoughtlessly for his military prowess is much needed for the country. Nian comes from a line of family that produces talented militants. The emperor, in fear of being usurped by the mighty household, time and time again prevented Nian’s bearing of his children with anti-pregnancy scent. It became apparent that the emperor was capable of cold-blooded manipulation, keeping Nian by his bedside only to quell her brother. However, the emperor is not completely without a heart. As Nian truly loved the emperor, he feels apologetic for his actions and often try to make up for it in some way, to which Nian would always misunderstand as love and affection. Upon learning of the truth from Huan, Nian committed suicide (Regardless of whether Huan provoked her, Nian was already sentenced to death for attempting to murder Huan). The emperor is portrayed to have pure thoughts too, this is shown when he loses his cool when it comes to Chun, his late empress. He has and always will be loyal to Chun, which is what made her death harder for him to bear. The emperor has to be cruel because he is the emperor. He can’t trust easily and risk being manipulated, because he is the emperor, the state of the country lies in his hands. Characters like this make me have a hard time, his actions are so well justified, I don’t know what he could’ve done better. Even when he had Guo executed, it was to keep his concubine in line. If word got out that he condoned such an act, what would be of his reputation? Kings are indoctrinated to rule with pride, to stifle with power is what the emperor does. When he’s under so much pressure to govern the state, what’s so wrong with serving him the way he desires one to? Even if it’s undignifying, why add to his list of problems? What makes a good emperor differs from what makes a good man.

Had Yong not been an emperor, he could’ve been a better man and husband. Huan understands such a concept and wished not to befall such a responsibility to her son that Guo fathered. Thus, before shit hit the fan she convinced Yong to appoint her assigned “son” Hongli to be the next emperor. (Hongli was disliked by the emperor for being a child conceived during his drunk episode with an unattractive palace maid. Hongli was kept in the summer palace until he grew old enough to study alongside his brothers in the royal palace. After that, the emperor assigned Hongli to be Huan’s son in order to dress her new identity when she reenters the palace. That’s how Huan became the empress dowager during Hongli’s ascension.)

Would I rewatch? - Not really, Only parts (ep 42, 55, 75, 76)

Rating - “Prompts me to read about China’s history”/10

Recommend - Definitely

19/4/21

03:24