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[SPOILERS] CLICK HERE to Read a Very Long Ending Explanation

AmericanoLover

Thanks for waiting on this analysis of TLP and its ending and why I believe it is framed to be a happy ending based on  the central themes of the story and the characteristics  of the Xianxia genre  that might have been overlooked on the first watch. It's going to be a super long read because I had to cover a lot of material placed throughout the show to thoroughly back up my points.  This analysis was made in good fun and is for the people who are either confused about the ending or are open to hearing a more optimistic interpretation of it. I just really love this drama and think it deserves more appreciation among  international fans. Too many people were fixated more on the shocking ending that it framed how they viewed the overall plot and characterization—which is not fair on the drama that I discovered to be more complex within its storytelling than I assumed. I wonder how many people who were here at the beginning of this drama are still camping on this discussion page to see this lol.  

Being able to analyze TLP in retrospective way helped me figure out the major themes which completely changed how I viewed this drama and now I can’t believe how many important details and hints I missed on the first watch. What I took away from this drama has made me appreciate it 10x more and I can see why Chinese media sources are praising it as a breakthrough in Xianxia storytelling. 

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SuspiciousFlowerBuyerNo9

Thank you so much. It's a very good read!

I felt TLP had a happy ending the first time I saw it. You just reinforced my original thought :) I didn't even think about how ShiYing achieved the 'real state' at the end . I am not a big XianXia or even WuXia watcher so correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this 'real state' the ultimate goal of Cultivation? Is 'real state' the same as immortality? If so, does it means he can come and go to the mortal world? 

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AmericanoLover
 SuspiciousFlowerBuyerNo9:

Thank you so much. It's a very good read!

I felt TLP had a happy ending the first time I saw it. You just reinforced my original thought :) I didn't even think about how ShiYing achieved the 'real state' at the end . I am not a big XianXia or even WuXia watcher so correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this 'real state' the ultimate goal of Cultivation? Is 'real state' the same as immortality? If so, does it means he can come and go to the mortal world? 

Yeah it’s so funny how once I actually watched the ending sequence it just gave me the vibes that this was their well-deserved reward to finally be together after all the trials in life they overcame. I liked the way the final shots under the tree were built up and shown because it reminded me alot of mythology/fairytale stories where a couple’s love is so strong they can remain together in any shape or form. I was also  on the same boat where I “felt” it was a happy ending but once I actually dissected how their relationship was written and how they conveyed the major themes of changing fate everything about the ending just clicked and made me love this show 1000x more.

I’m not too much of a xianxia expert myself but based on this description from wikipedia:

In these stories protagonists are usually "cultivators" or "practitioners" (修心者; xiūxīnzhě; 修心者; xiūxīnzhě; 修士; xiūshì; or 修仙者; xiūxiānzhě) who seek to become immortal beings called xian. Along the way, they attain eternal life, supernatural powers, and incredible levels of strength. The fictional theme of cultivation or immortal arts practice in xianxia is heavily based on the real-life meditation practice of qigong.

Like I said in my analysis the drama lore did not specify what the ‘real state’ ever entailed for a cultivator but it is just highly implied to be the only way a moral cultivator can obtain immortality. That is why I speculated it was more of a state of content within his mind/body/spirit that Shi Ying was only able to reach thanks to the trials of life he went through as a mortal. The trials that had him confront the ghosts of his traumatic past and meet Zhu Yan herself and fall in love. So yes immortality is always meant to be the ultimate goal for cultivators and Shi Ying and Xing Zun were the only ones powerful enough to reach the “real state” within the history of 7000 years in their universe. However one was a phony ?

If Shi Ying can come and go as he wants… well that is ultimately up to the viewer if they want to bend the rules using their imagination or not. I just  say screw it and believe he can do whatever he wants as the only freakin mortal to ever obtain immortality in his world. The final shots were left vague for that very purpose 

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waverlinda

Thank you so much for your dissertation.  Absolutely amazed at the time and effort you put into this.  You've articulated what I've read and thought of ever since the series ended.    Thank you for your thorough analysis.   I am like you wherein I very much enjoyed this series.  There's so much more to the story than meets the eye. It has many layers and deeper meanings.  

To be honest, I started this drama and was attracted to it because of the master / student relationship and being on opposing sides. That was what I got from the trailer. I didn't know anything about the story or characters so I went in without any biases.  I am quite picky when it comes to watching dramas. I will refuse to watch a drama because I don't like a certain actor or actress. I have to like the story and or actor/actress for me to watch it. I am not a fan of both Xiao Zhan and Ren Min but I was there for the story. And it delivered. I looked at it from a story perspective and everything made sense. From the pacing and how the story unfolded. There's  logic as to why they decided to  show the story that way.  It's like peeling an onion. The first layer is the actual show that you see. But the thing is, this series deserves a second watch  and multiple watches. That's when you are able to see more of what's beneath the drama's surface.  

I don't typically watch xianxia stories. The few I watched I was never able to finish. This hits the spot. While I would've wanted more romance between the ML and FL,  I ended up thinking a lot more about the story and  rationalizations behind the character's actions. Central to this theme is Shi Ying and even the actor himself highlighted that the character did not believe in the prophecy.  And that one's actions determine's ones fate.  Even if he did die in the hands of Zhu Yan in the end, it was because he did it for Kong Sang. He lived life without regrets even if he still had to die by her hands.  Zhu Yan's growth arc was also  there by the end of the story. 

I really enjoyed the ride. The Longest Promise is the THE drama for me in 2023 and even for the last few years because it is not a shallow drama. While the production looks amazing, I am more amazed at the attention to detail and care they put into the story.  There's a lot to take away.

In the market scene when SY was doing the paper cut up, he got the marriage saying 一生一世一双人，莫失莫离莫相忘.  To be a pair together for life, to never lose each other, never be apart and to never forget. And that's why he came back to her in the end because he made her that promise. 

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AmericanoLover

@waverlinda Thanks for the feedback I was hoping you would come across this analysis and I'm glad it resonated with you. I didn't think about that paper cut up quote until your reply and once again we are reminded of just how many nods to their relationship were spread throughout the show under our eyes. 

I knew I just had to put together this analysis because too many people are letting their personal biases, grudges, and other feelings to cloud their judgement of this drama which actually had an amazingly put together story. I can't imagine missing out on this well crafted story just because people are too impatient to sit through Zhu Yan's growing pains phase. If we don't see her at her least developed stage how will her character growth be convincing to the audience? ?

Who would known that this show would end up having more layers beneath the premise of a master/disciple romance drama. TLP is really not meant to be something watched head empty or else all of the themes and messages will fly over your head (in my case haha). This drama deserves a second chance after the initial shock and I wish people can put in the time to figure out its true meaning otherwise they will be missing out on such an amazing Xianxia. Like I said in my analysis TLP is not meant to be viewed within the confines of a romance story nor is it meant to be viewed as a direct copy of the novel. Its reputation on reddit keeps sinking by the day the more people post about prematurely dropping it and I really don't want to have to be the "unpopular opinion" and post an ending explanation because it's too much work BUT THEY'RE TESTING ME.

I am so deeply touched by the theme and message that someone's fate is what they make of it and it is up to them to live life bound by a prophecy or take matters into your own hands. Makes you rethink everything we've seen from the characters. And this is just only one of the themes of the drama, there is a reason why TLP is still increasing in popularity by word-of-mouth among Chinese viewers even after its finale weeks ago. I think it might be because it's normal for them to make videos analyzing various web and tv dramas that international cdrama watchers don't have access to so TLP is not getting the same level of appreciation.

Once again thanks for the reply, I think I'll just defend this show until I die haha because people are unaware they have to see past the surface in order to fully understand the drama's intentions. The reason why I wrote this long dissertation is to explain any point of confusion first time watchers might have and having it all in one document makes it more convenient than constant back and forth since I can tell tons of viewers were confused.

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waverlinda

Totally understand you also.  I feel that a lot were quick to dismiss this drama because of certain factors.  There was a post where it showed that most of the people who watched were older or university graduates. I feel this is meant for older audiences. I mean adults. Not necessarily teenagers or students.  Those who are able to discern the details and subtlety of the drama. 

I try not to look at reddit anymore because all these "I dropped at episode...." or "I can't stand the FL".  I think the FL did a wonderful job.  Even after the finale aired, still a lot more people are watching. I'm really happy that Netflix picked it up right away.  This is a good example of Chinese drama to international audiences.  You get aspects of Eastern culture/philosopy/aesthetics.  And it's not just a drama for entertainment.  You pick up lessons along the way.  They really put a lot of heart into this production. 

I have also been recommending my immediate family and friends to watch The Longest Promise and I shall show your writeup to anyone who feels frustrated or wants to drop it. 

I shall bring up this line they used to describe the young crown Prince Shi Ying  "神灵泽世，如日月之盛，如春华之茂" in episode 1.  And he was able to embody and achieve that with his sacrifice.  He is like "gods become human, like the abundance of days, like the lushness of spring". Because of his sacrifice, he is able to bring a new age of peace and prosperity to Kong Sang. 

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waverlinda

Thank you for humoring me. I swear nobody IRL gets why I super love TLP. At least I get to have a "discussion" here at MDL.  

The thing with TLP is that there is so much more to it than just what the audience gets from the plot story, dialogue or the visuals of the story.  The spiritual core of TLP is when we as the viewers captures a certain moment in the story.  And then suddenly you understand it. You understand everything  even though the previous plot did not specifically mention it.  It wasn't said outright but it's there.  And that is the essence  or spiritual core of this story. The basis of a truly amazing series is not just  the plot or characters but its spiritual core  and values.  That  spiritual core is reflected in the subtleties of what Shi Ying and in part Zhu Yan said and did throughout the drama. 

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AmericanoLover
 waverlinda:
Totally understand you also.  I feel that a lot were quick to dismiss this drama because of certain factors.  There was a post where it showed that most of the people who watched were older or university graduates. I feel this is meant for older audiences. I mean adults. Not necessarily teenagers or students.  Those who are able to discern the details and subtlety of the drama. 

Lol I wish I could say that age is a factor but many international cdrama watchers are 25+ average. I'm glad I got to observe the disparity of praise and complaints for this drama so I could come to my own conclusion that it isn't the drama's fault for the confusion but the viewers' expectations of what they wanted.  Focused too much on wanting the ending to follow the novel where they rule Kong Sang until death they ended up getting blind sided and were quick to throw the whole show away because they missed so many important story elements laid out since the beginning.  

Let me tell you this is the first time I ever critically analyzed a drama to such a thorough extent and I was so shocked to know my brain could grasp how complex it actually was. I'm usually the type of viewer who goes to other people to explain and spoon feed me everything I wasn't so sure about so it means a lot that I finally became the person doing all the analyzing and explaining in hopes of informing others. Maybe it has something to do with how people these days have been used to being told all the answers or having everything laid out within the show/movie so there's no need to use critical thinking or imagination I dont know... But people shouldnt have to always be told what kind of expectation to set before starting a series. I think it speaks volumes that TLP did the unexpected and subverted the stigma of Xianxia dramas being one dimensional and mindless entertainment. It's receiving its due praise among domestic audiences but over here it almost feels like an unpopular opinion to love the drama lol. 

Wish people wouldn't have so much tunnel vision when watching TLP, because I learned my lesson why it does a huge disservice to the show. I think there's nothing wrong with not getting everything right away on the first watch because I certainly didn't since its such a visual spectacle and emotional rollercoaster. But I just hope that people give the drama a second chance to be analyzed as it was meant to be (if theyre up for it). There are actually badly written dramas out there that cannot be defended but TLP does not deserve to be looped in with them just because its story was taken at face value. 

Very good to know that I am not alone on the TLP appreciation train here.  I'm always down for any discussion because this drama is gonna stick with me for a longgg time

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waverlinda

Agree with the expectations part. They were expecting a typical xianxia romance story with the ending much like in the novel. The drama, however, deviated from the novel source and that's were a lot of the complaints come from. I went in with no expectations  and was ultimately surprised and delighted that I stumbled upon this treasure. 

The biggest difference between "Yu Gu Yao" and other dramas is that it is not a product of fast food culture.   It's not just one and done and move on to the next. It is an outstanding drama with an excellent reputation (for those who can discern). And we are likely to see more acclaim given to it down the road.  It will be a benchmark for xianxia dramas to come. 

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AmericanoLover
 waverlinda:
The biggest difference between "Yu Gu Yao" and other dramas is that it is not a product of fast food culture.   It's not just one and done and move on to the next.

Wow you really nailed it with that fast food analogy. Very gratifying to know that TLP is being praised as the standout drama over there in an industry which model operates on churning out tons of dramas each quarter with more focus on quantity over quality. Or at least banking on star power to carry the show more than seeking to do something different in an already oversaturated genre. (but I understand that it's not easy over there to experiment with certain topics deemed not being competely safe for approval which is the reason why production teams have to whitewash alot of the darker gray themes from novels)

Despite the creative limitations of Xianxia dramas, the execution of TLP story shows that there are ways to stand out amongst the sea of cultivation dramas and not be necessarily confined by the assumption that big budget Xianxia dramas led by an A-list actor are just meant for one-dimensional plots and eye candy. I also appreciate how TLP is challenging international cdrama fans  to critically think  more than ever before and I know I started re-evaluating the drama because the ending blindsided me. Just shows that people have been too used to having everything explained to them or having explicit confirmation to leave no room for doubts (like how they purposely didn't have Shi Ying move or speak at the end to mess with us). Reminds me of the ending to Inception. It's kinda funny how TLP was criticized for following the recent trend of open endings but at least they actually have a reason for doing so based on its themes.  

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marquise

First of all thank you so much for your deep and thorough analysis. Although it matches my thoughts exactly about the ending and the growth of the charas together with their love for each other and their high morality as cultivators, I didn't manage to grasp all the details, as I only watched it once so far.

"we are working with Xianxia logic where almost anything is possible within their realm so I can imagine whatever I want" this is precisely it !!!
And my imagination goes further forward, as let's not forget that Zhu Yan is a very powerful cultivator as well and she is, IMHO, not very far from reaching the real state herself.  She has now 26 yrs to achieve immortality and reunite with Shi Ying forever, as their marriage scroll promises. And she can totally achieve it, as her evolution as a chara points towards her being able to overcome even her grief and guilt she might still feel for her parents death. She always had an unlimited capacity to grasp what is important beyond what she can see and her heart was always as big as the world.
They are Really a match made in heaven.

On a side note, the novel ending was rather frustrating for me, with its numerous times repeating the fact that they only have 27 yrs together and whatever happens with the world afterwards cannot be changed / influenced by them. I guess it's the author's way to make room for the sequel and Sumo's story.

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AmericanoLover

On a side note, the novel ending was rather frustrating for me, with its numerous times repeating the fact that they only have 27 yrs together and whatever happens with the world afterwards cannot be changed / influenced by them. I guess it's the author's way to make room for the sequel and Sumo's story.

That's a very interesting piece of detail I have not seen from novel readers and that just one again reinforces my preference of the drama ending over the novel ending. Even before I typed this whole analysis I was already preferring the drama for how much more hopeful and accomplished it was in the long run compared to the 27 years of peace in the novel. There's just an extra oomph to the drama ending because the outcome just ties in directly with the story's major themes and can be seen as a 2 birds 1 stone situation as long as the viewer has a more open perspective on what is considered a "happy" ending for the main couple. 

I just find it interesting how a novel reader said they went into the drama expecting Shi Ying's accomplishments to be futile based on the source material but ended up disproven by the tweaks the drama made to ensure longer lasting peace.  So I guess it's really subjective if people choose between a traditional happily ever for the couple but only temporary peace  vs open ending but more hopeful future. I just really prefer the drama ver because of the sense of tangible accomplishment from the main couple who directly/indirectly had a hand in saving the world together.  And that just really ties in with the theme of humans going against the heavens and changing their own fate-- Shi Ying and Zhu Yan's love and combined efforts prove how nothing is impossible. FFS They defeated a primordial god. In the end they are granted another chance to reunite, just not in the way most first time watchers expected. The final scene was definitely a peace offering to cushion the big blow but a lot of the scenes before that had to be planned in advance to make the interpretation work. And thankfully I figured out that the foreshadowing and hints existed since the beginning and not just within the last 10 minutes like I originally believed. I feel that once people see all the details pointed out in my document the main couple's reunion becomes more than just wishful thinking. 

I just love how their story has a huge impact on their world in the long run and not just in the time they would still be alive to witness it. To me at least that is more emotionally impactful than having the fate of the world depend on Su Mo in 70 years. Nope, our main characters resolved everything themselves. 

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NiaAdea

I felt disheartened after the last episode but you made me realize that there's so much more to the story. I guess I could say that your text challenged me as a viewer.  I have watched this drama with my own expectations and at some point disregarded what the story and characters were trying to tell us viewers. Indeed I didn't get the "normal" happy ending, but that's not what this was never about.  How many times I curse when the dramas end in the same lame way? And now when I see an ending  like this, I don't even stop to appreciate it. I feel like I've betrayed my xianxia/wuxia loving heart :') 

Thank you for writing this. ❤️

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marquise
 AmericanoLover:
So I guess it's really subjective if people choose between a traditional happily ever for the couple but only temporary peace vs open ending but more hopeful future.

I think its a matter of perspective. Shi Ying is a true hero, heart and soul. So how can he resign himself to "just" live a happy 27yrs life with Zhu Yan? For me it doesnt make sense. At least it doesnt match with my understanding of what a pure cultivator should aim for & diminishes the awe I always feel for this type of hero. And the drama gave it to me all hahaha - the hero saves the world, he is not dead (cause xianxia) and there is an open door for my imagination to go wild about their future together. This, for me, is a happy xianxia ending.

"I wonder how many people who were here at the beginning of this drama are still camping on this discussion page to see this lol." I am still kinda camping XD

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AmericanoLover
 NiaAdea:

I felt disheartened after the last episode but you made me realize that there's so much more to the story. I guess I could say that your text challenged me as a viewer.  I have watched this drama with my own expectations and at some point disregarded what the story and characters were trying to tell us viewers. Indeed I didn't get the "normal" happy ending, but that's not what this was never about.  How many times I curse when the dramas end in the same lame way? And now when I see an ending  like this, I don't even stop to appreciate it. I feel like I've betrayed my xianxia/wuxia loving heart :') 

Thank you for writing this. ❤️

Thank you for reading!! :D This shows that not every xianxia drama is cut from the same cloth. It means alot that you took the time to read my post instead of completely dropping the show asap after the shocking ending. I believe that the final scenes were supposed to make viewers seek out answers. It is funny how TLP seems to be following the gloomy open ending trend but in this case I could argue that it works for what this show was going for. 

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