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Isolated, alone and misunderstood... just like Jin GuangYao... (Side blog)

  • Hannah
  • Nov 8, 2020
  • 6 min read

Hi All! Happy late Halloween! :3


I hope that everyone's been safe and well~ Unfortunately, the UK has imposed a whole MONTH long lockdown again so Zara and I won't be able to complete the Gingerbread Project in time for Christmas :(


This does mean that despite having the majority of our university applications almost done (both just got finished with our admissions tests!), we have to put this project on hold until next year (Jan 2021). However, this doesn't mean that we're not going to be updating at all in this period nor will this project be forgotten! We're still planning to keep posting some side posts (like this one) to do with MDZS and our thoughts (or really anything that comes to mind that could prove inspiration for future projects :D ).


If you’ve seen my previous post about our main on-going gingerbread project (found here), you’ll know that I have some pretty strong opinions on Jin GuangYao or Meng Yao as a character and how he is portrayed in the drama and novel.


Obviously, as mentioned in that post, Zara also has some arguments against my opinions to which I have refuted in person on several occasions. However, with this post, I hope to convince you (and her) that JGY is indeed a misunderstood and complex character across 2 of the completed mediums of portrayal: the novel (MDZS) and the drama (CQL).


(This essay is slightly more formal than previous posts as I am here to provide a quick GCSE level character analysis on MY beloved character (forgive me, I haven't written anything like this in almost two years). I hope that you enjoy something a little different this week!)

 

Overview of Jin GuangYao’s characterisation


His physical appearance described in the novel is small, fair and “the shadow of a smile playing on the corners of his lips and brows”.[1] From this, we can tell that the author will not focus on JGY taking part in any fights; they suggest that JGY is physically fairly fragile yet his personality cunning and sly. Similar to Nie HuaiSang (NHS), we find that his intellect and adeptness is unrivalled within the rest of the cultivation world – hence neither of the two need to the additional skill of fighting on field.

In addition to this, JGY possessed an eidetic memory, as he could remember the name, title, age and appearance of a person after just one encounter. Moreover, if he had seen someone more than twice, he could remember all of their likes and dislikes and thereby cater to their needs[2]; he was considered by Nie MingJue as a “rare genius”.[3] His silver tongue, acting talent and adaptability was boasted in the novel when he deduced Wei Wuxian as the paper man who has spied on his wife and Nie MingJue’s head; to cover for this, he quickly hid the head at the same time as using Wei Wuxian’s then-questionable reputation (possessing Mo XuanYu) to his advantage. All within such a short time frame and manage to convince some of the most prestigious Sect Leaders in one room.[4]


In the drama, Zhu ZanJin’s (ZZJ) characterisation is undoubtedly a very unique take on JGY's character who in the novel, seemed malicious without many good intentions. ZZJ effectively blurs the lines between JGY's good and bad traits. For example, the final scene with JGY and Lan XiChen (LXC) moments before JGY’s death uncovers much of JGY's character not seen before in the drama despite subtle hints throughout. We understand where he has come from, why he’s made the decisions he did, what drove him past the edge of sanity yet also why he saved LXC at the very end.


Information taken from here: https://modaozushi.fandom.com/


 
To what extent is Jin GuangYao portrayed as a villain?

Known for his impressive ability to work under extreme pressure, suspicious smile and being a pathological liar, Jin GuangYao has been quickly written off as the main villain in the novel Mo Dao Zu Shi (MDZS). However, this does not explain nor align with his characterisation in the drama and begs the question why Zhu ZanJin decided to portray Jin GuangYao in a slightly more positive light. Therefore, the title of the villain should fall wholly onto the shoulders of those who intentionally (or unintentionally) caused Jin GuangYao's behaviour. Hence, it could be argued that Jin GuangYao was only made the villain by "accident" through hapless circumstances and persistent external pressures.


Jin GuangYao's early life had been littered with a series of unfortunate events from being bullied by other prostitutes to being rejected by his father on his step-brother's birthday. His birth background has been the forefront of the cultivation world's mockery of him and thus caused even the most prestigious sects like YunmengJiang (MDZS, Chapter 71) to look down on him. Needless to say, his hate for the cultivation sects likely stemmed from their vexing outcries. This coupled with his inability to fight physically, had created an image of a weak human and incompetent soldier; adding to the pool of ridicule. Only Lan XiChen viewed him as an equal at the Cloud Recesses summer school event where Jin GuangYao then Meng Yao was the Nie Sect servant. In essence, Jin GuangYao was forced to remain in the higher cultivation circle and did not have the chance at all to prove himself (and his intellectual worth) to the rest of the cultivation world nor fully come to terms with his early childhood. This taught him to place barriers around his true self and keep up false appearances to please the world. To support this, when he showed desire for his wife Qin Su, he did not know that she was his half-sister. This led to him killing their son and her. Perhaps he did this for either of two reasons: one, where he did not want to face the rest of the cultivation sects again with another thing shameful to his name or the other, where he did not want his son nor his wife to live with the humiliation that he alas grew up with.


What makes Jin GuangYao more interesting as a character is his relationship with Lan XiChen - supposedly, breaking all his own moral conducts for him. As someone so high in the cultivation world, perhaps Jin GuangYao was not surprised that Lan XiChen's courtesy and kindness extends further than his social circle. Their relationship appeared to be the unbreakable after becoming close when rebuilding the Cloud Recesses and using his sect leader's power to aid the Gusu Lan sect. However, there was a turning point. On discovering the missing pages of the 'Collection of Turmoil', Lan XiChen's suspicions could no longer be ignored regardless of how he himself felt at the time. Lan XiChen's faith in Jin GuangYao was unwavering (even going against Lan WangJi) up until that point stating, "In the past, it was not that I did not know what you did, but that I believed you had your reasons behind doing them." (MDZS, Chapter 105). This suggests that Lan XiChen tried to understand Jin GuangYao's decisions and chose not to judge him as a character for that - he thought he knew who Jin GuangYao really was. Unfortunately, after being tricked by Nie HuaiSang into mortally wounding Jin GuangYao, Lan XiChen was left to regret his life choices: killing the crafty victim of the cultivation world or the feeling of betrayal afterwards not knowing who he was betrayed by.


Overall, Jin GuangYao definitely did not wholly deserve the reputation he has the cultivation world and in the fandom. He fought them not with brawn but with trickery, deceit and words - everything he knew and could do well. Where his strength prevails in intelligence and persuasion, his downfalls in unluckiness and lack of trust caused him great problems. Having been exposed to such an abhorrent world from the day he was born, it is without a doubt that of course he would be painted as the villain. Nevertheless, the author decorates Jin GuangYao's backstory by placing his contrast, Lan XiChen, beside him in the present day until the end. As a conclusion, the viewers are able to draw not only Lan XiChen's perspective of Jin GuangYao but a perspective of Jin GuangYao that he desperately wanted the other cultivation sects to see.

“Lan XiChen! In this life, I’ve lied countless times, killed countless times. Like you said, I killed my father, my brother, my wife, my son, my teacher, my friend—of all the evil in the world, what haven’t I done?!...But I’ve never even thought of harming you!” (MDZS, Chapter 108)
 

Thank you for reading through this haha~


I don't know if it's able to convince anyone or at least make anyone sympathise more with Jin GuangYao but I certainly enjoyed rereading parts of the novel and rewatching parts of the drama in preparation for this! (Think of this as a contrast to Zara's Jiang Cheng side rant hehe).


Until next time!

Hannah

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