Immortal Samsara

I was waiting for this drama to air since its filming was complete. I looked forward to this series because of the story. I also trust that Yang Zi and Cheng Yi could do justice to their characters. As expected, they didn't disappoint. Whenever they are in the same scenes, they tell the story of two fated lovers' sweetness and sorrow. They are able to draw the audience into their characters.

Even though the series is based on Taoist and Buddhist religious framework (e.g. People or objects achieve deity status through cultivation), the overarching theme is to love and care for the world, an essential teaching of Confucianism. The latter dictates the main characters' behaviors and decisions. For example, Ying Yuan's name literally means "answer to the deep (the world down below)." As a deity of high rank, Ying Yuan is not aloof but very into the well-being of the world.

The ending of the story came as a surprise to me because it was unlike the other series of Xianxia genre (a combination of Chinese martial arts and folklores or classical stories). As I thought more about the character of Ying Yuan, his choice for the love of the world than his own was reasonable. Yan Dan grew to know his heart and understand his cause. At the end, she forgave him and supported him. Her decision to follow Ying Yuan was understandable. The ending is actually very uplifting. All Ying Yuan's life, he thinks that he didn't deserve to be alive because he was born of a sinful father. However, his very own existence became the salvation of the world. He answered this world with his love even though he had to give up his own.

I love how Yangzi and Cheng Yu portrayed their characters in this drama. I earnestly hope that they can collaborate again.