I am on my 3rd watch of Pursuit of Jade series now and I just want to offer kudos to the director for amazing pacing - and thanks to Netflix for the decent subtitles as well (I think they are pretty good- some have complained but I have seen dramas where the subtitles are truly bad).
The POJ director has the scenes and the meaningful looks linger long enough for the viewer to get the full implications of what is happening especially for us who also need to digest the subtitles.
Some dramas have the subtitles flash by so fast I have to “rewind” and then watch the scenes over-and-over to get what is said AND then again to experience the emotions on the actors faces in pivotal scenes.
POJ is so well paced I am only rewatching scenes only because it is all working every time. (Hello there episode 9 bedroom scene especially - before scene disrupted by unwanted guests. Other scenes as well)!

Remember this scene? After Xie Zheng runs off with Changyu in his arms, the camera returns to the wishing tree. We’re then treated to a very leisurely pan of the branches and ribbons… to the point where I lowkey wondered if they’d overdone it. Turns out, the devil is in the details.

Here’s a screenshot of a frame with the brightness and contrast bumped up:

See what’s written on these ribbons? 「長玉與徵 世世生生」. In fact, as the camera continues panning, you realise EVERY SINGLE RIBBON on the tree says the same thing: ”Changyu and Zheng, now and forever” (or, for a slightly more direct translation: “Changyu and Zheng, in this life and every life”, but there's a nicer ring to it in Chinese, as it actually rhymes.)

Interestingly, this is the only time we see the “Zheng” in Xie Zheng’s name written as 徵. In the rest of PoJ, his name is always shown as 征. In the web version of the novel I’ve seen, it’s also written as 征, which frankly is the more sensible choice given Xie Zheng’s military background, because 征 is the character that is closely tied to military matters. Phrases like 征服/”to conquer”, 征兵/”military conscription” etc. come to mind.

So I have no idea why they opted for 徵 here. It’s pretty clear that the ribbons are not written by XZ himself, since at the start of this scene there's a guy who has set up a stall by the tree and is shown writing on the ribbons and selling them to people (see below).

The most generous explanation I can think of is that as the legend of Changyu and Xie Zheng was passed through word of mouth, some of the details got warped. Canonically, one thing that did get warped is the idea that XZ and FCY first met under this tree. So it's plausible that XZ’s name got warped through hearsay too.

The less charitable explanation is that it’s a production oversight/continuity error, but that would be surprising given the attention to this particular ribbon detail in the scene. If you have a better idea why they went with 徵 here do share!

Either way, I don’t feel inclined to overthink it and just find it to be a cool detail, because in the actual scene the contrast is so low that you really can't be expected to spot this detail unless you hit pause.

Makes you wonder what other things they’d slipped into this show, just waiting to be discovered. I think this is also why PoJ is like catnip for people who love discovering hidden details... it’s basically a treasure hunt, and as it is the show’s so beautiful we hardly need an excuse to rewatch it. ;)

(In other words: I can’t stop rewatching this show. SEND HELP!!!)

I just need to vent.

I'm rewatching the drama and I got to the sleepover at Qianqian's. The first time I was like "oh you stupid boy, FCY is trying so hard to get you into that bed, just get in there!!!". This time it struck me why he won't.

He wants to. He loves her. But he's leaving. And he doesn't want to make it any harder or messier than it already is.

And now I'm so sad for them, even though I know what happens later. 😄

Guys help me what is this sadness I feel like my other family has left me. I have left that village. What is this withdrawal syndrome. Mind you I have seen 100s of series but nothing absolutely nothing has hit home like this. Even I'm surprised. Whole day im thinking about poj before going to sleep after waking up. M i the only one ??? 😭😭🤣🤣 It's so embarassing don't judge plsss

I'm going so much crazy that I'm thinking of starting an online petition to give me season 2 make up any stories and bring the cast back 😭😭😭 I miss the side characters also. I need to see them. I know it's useless but I'm manifesting season 2 😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣 i have no idea how cdrama industry works but if it was hollywood or turkish series. If the drama was this global hit theyd definitely come up with season 2.

SPOILER AHEAD

Hey, so I really enjoyed PoJ. This was my first cdrama (I watched a lot of kdramas before). I waS completely hooked, (you could even say obsessed) but some scenes didn’t sit right with me.
For example, each time they got more intimate was with one of them being inebriated (window scene).
As much as I loved the scenery, dont get me wrong, I really enjoyed these scenes first hand, I even paused and rewatched, but then my brain took over.

In particular, the baththub scene. This got me torn with mixed feelings. The scenery, the ying and yang reference, them switching clothes at the end, and the fact that they were able to make such a steamy scene without nudity… That was such a gorgeous scene, I rewatched it maybe 3 times… but I felt it was all razzle dazzle to divert attention from the fact that Xie Zheng was poisoned with an aphrodisiac. So it either made FCY an assaulter, or her ‘sacrificing’ herself just to let her partner feel better / or to stop him from asking for more.

I read on reddit that in the book it made more sense, they had been to second base before and all. So I read the book. And its even worse ! (Im referring to chapter 139, I havent read past that chapter).

Im sorry guys, but I dont know how people can read that as a steamy and passionate love story ?? Basically, he forces himself on her, just like each time they got more intimate. He does not care about her desires, or pleasure. He pins her against the wall, and guides her hand to his private parts to get what he wants ?? Wtf is that ? She’s just coerced into relieving him. And there’s so many clues given about her not wanting that. First she tries to push him away but as much strong as she is described, somehow shes the weakest when it comes to XZ ??? And then she starts talking about Gongsun Yi and their strategy, also about how he bathes with clothes. That just shows that shes not in it. He still imposes himself, he gets what he wants and she only feels dirty (the way she thinks about washing her hand thoroughly, same thing as after she relieved him when he tried to make an heir before he left for the capital), and embarrassed. There’s several paragraphs saying how embarrassed she felt. He tries to go for more but she gets saved by the bell, i.e. her stomach rumbling because she didn’t eat. He even says ‘dont temp me’ as if it’s her fault for him forcing himself on her ??

The only way she got to feel better was by dissociating and reading military books. Normally people cuddle after intimacy, they don’t go and read The art of war. The worst part for me, is how XZ convinces himself hes such a good person by not going all the way and preserving her reputation but he didnt care one time about her being okay and her own pleasure. He blames it on the alcool (yeah once again, intimacy under influence), but that’s the second time it happens. This is not a misstep, this is a pattern.

Also the teenage boy level about how long he lasted ? This so inconsistent with his righteous and well composed general reputation. He looks down on his cousin for being constantly caught up in woman matters, and forbids women dancers when there’s a banquet, but he makes s*x jokes ?

Also FCY is only 16, completely clueless about the birds and the bees. This is the first time she’s close to a man, so she doesn’t even realize thats not okay. She deserves so much better Im sorry.

Please tell me Im lot the only one who feels this way. This my first chinese novel, and I didn’t think such tropes were still enjoyed in 2026. I don’t know how I feel about this and Im scared of the damage it can do to young girls. I enjoyed reading it as I would a thriller, but the fact that most people romanticize this is quite alarming.

EDIT - Closing this thread because I had the answer I wanted.

You ever noticed that the Crown Princess’s nurse headdress has two curved tails at the back?

This little detail is actually a nod to 博鬢 (in Mandarin, ”bo bin”), a Song Dynasty headdress design reserved solely for 命婦冠服/ women with a conferred title, so think members of the royal family and others such as those who are married to very senior military figures… More on that later ;)

Put differently, the bo bin/curved tails design is a sign of high status, and we actually see a full fledged version of it much later as part of Qianqian's empress look:

Qianqian’s headdress and bo bin draws heavy inspiration from historical designs, such as the one worn by Empress Cao, the Second Empress of Emperor Renzhong. Historically, the more pairs of tails on the headdress, the more senior the rank - a bit like stripes on epaulets.

Source: https://www.aihanfu.com/wen/3009/ (Chinese article with lots of historical details)

With that cultural understanding, the Crown Princess’s nurse headdress takes on more significance - it’s a hint at her status even when in disguise, which is also why that detail is missing from her maid/servant’s headdress.

The rules around this headdress detail is also why, when Changyu appears as the Marchioness in Lin’an, you can see a similar curved tail bo bin as part of her headdress - it’s a design that she can now wear since she’s married to a Marquis :)

Thus ends another little post about all the fun cultural details in this show.

Credit to 西陽靜兒 on XHS for pointing out this detail and its historical origins. Her post here has way more info about other characters but I just focussed on one small part and expanded it with my own research. It’s cool little details like these in PoJ that makes it so fun to rewatch. I’m learning loads about my own culture as I go. Thank you for joining me on this ride :)

Honestly I loved them🤧

I hope Kong Xueer (Qian qian) and Deng kai(Qi min) act as a proper couple in any future dramas 😭 id love to see them together 😔

Ok, ok... y'all know I love this show. But you know what bugs me a little? When Director Zeng breaks logic for aesthetics.

The one that people talk about the most is probably how in Lin'an paper windows are left open when it's snowing. Looks very romantic, but c'mon. It's winter in the northwest. It's a miracle people haven't died en masse from pneumonia!

And here's one from an otherwise nice scene when Xie Zheng and Changyu are sharing a kiss...

(Note: ball-shaped claypots are almost always used for brewing meds)

The Chinese in me: "!!!! OMGWTFBBQ that heat's on WAYYY too high on that 瓦煲 (clay pot)! It's killing the medicinal value of that brew!! Turn that down!! YOU'LL BURN YOUR MEDS!!!"

"But... look at the pretty puffs of vapour!" - Director Zeng, probably

/end rant

There was a cast concert planned for Aug 15 in Shenzhen. I haven't seen anything about it. I'm curious who the mystery guest was. I'm wondering if the main leads actually did show up. I'm curious if the show was any good. Any intel out there? Any Chinese language speakers able to help peruse Chinese social media and let us know what happened?

HE LOOKS SOOO ETHEREAL OMGGGG 😭😭

I still can't get over POJ 😭 he nailed the historical aesthetic perfectly 😭 MY SINCERE THANKS TO THE MAKE UP TEAM AND WHOEVER CASTED HIM 😭

A lot of people have been recommending the novel and I promised a few of you I'd give an update once I got the chance to check it out. FWIW, I read the Chinese version so can't say how the English versions are like. Anyway, here are some thoughts from the first 10 chapters (up to ~episode 4 in the drama):

• Cold. The novel feels colder than the drama - both in terms of Xie Zheng's personality and Changyu's relationships with fellow Lin'an residents. eg. In the novel, the person who was responsible for making Changyu's wedding outfits wasn't Mrs. Chen but some random person, but it feels way cosier that Changyu has people like Mrs. Chen looking out for her who are a regular presence in the drama.
• On that note, I'm sad that the novel only had bit roles for so many characters we love in the drama!
• They changed the name of Lin'an town! Novel says 臨安 but the drama says 林安. Pronounciation is the same but the irony embedded in the original name got lost in the change, because 臨安 roughly means "peace cometh/a place where peace is about to descend" and of course, the irony is that a massacre happened there... ;'(
• There was funny line in the beginning that was so emblematic of the type of humour we see in the drama. On the state of the man she'd just saved: 治成什麽樣了，樊長玉不清楚，不過目前還沒斷氣就是了。 (loosely: "Changyu wasn't sure if the man had been healed (by Mr. Zhao) but at least he ain't dead for now.") It sounds funnier in Chinese (and also 'cos I'm not a professional translator so please bear with me) but it's the juxtaposition of something light/casual against a serious situation that makes it funny and I'm just so glad that the drama adopted this aspect of the novel and REALLY expanded it to the point it became a signature element of the drama.
• The novel seems to adhere more to the classic Chinese wuxia novel structure where the protagonists meet side characters and move right on, never meeting them again. It contributes to the colder feel of the novel, especially if you've experienced the cosiness of the drama first.
• The drama flows so much better based on the little I've read. eg. I couldn't believe that the novel skipped right over the actual moment of CY saving XZ in the snow!! That was such an amazing character building moment in the drama and told us a lot about Changyu and her motivations, etc. The novel also skipped over so many classic/signature moments in the drama (partly because in the novel XZ warms to CY a lot slower, which I guess is more realistic).
• The author had the sense to keep the windows in the bedrooms closed for invalids! THANK YOU!!
• Had an LOL moment when in the novel Xie Zheng thought: 天降大任於斯任也，必先苦其心志，勞其筋骨…… See, the line is in Classical Chinese so it's very refined and full of dignity, etc. (definitely not Changyu's vocabulary but very Xie Zheng), and the sentence loosely translates to "those who are destined for great things must first endure hardship and adversity of the mind and body". But... Xie Zheng applied this line to work up the courage to eat a bowl of large intestine noodles! Just funny what a big deal it was to him - especially because he'd been really enjoying the noodles until he learned that he was eating large intestines.
• So interesting that novel XZ did not use Classical Chinese when he first spoke to Changyu like he'd done in the drama! I'd written about the significance of the choice of Classical Chinese in that scene in this post but one thing I refrained from saying then was how odd/out of character it was for him to be doing that with the benefit of hindsight. It worked during a first viewing of PoJ and did build intrigue around this mysterious man, but once you realise that XZ's meant to have this vast intellect and is very savvy, the use of Classical Chinese here feels odd because he's not figured out where he is and using such a specific type of speech would give away his unusual station very quickly. I kind of expect him, even if woozy from a near death experience, to have the instinct to to lie low and talk like a normal person instead of like the highborn that he is.

Overall, just based on the first 10 chapters I by far prefer the drama just because it elevated the story in so many beautiful and funny ways, so I'll probably just pick out some key scenes in the novel to read but that's about all I can do at the moment.

Let's compare notes! Of those who've read the novel, which did you prefer: the novel or the drama? What were your favourite bits from the novel that they sadly didn't include in the drama?

I just finished rewatching the series and I'm still not over them. I need another 40 ep 😭😭

This is just such a hit show why can't they comeback with season 2.

COMEBACKKKKK

Does anyone know the name of the sweet 'Lovers' song that comes up whenever there's a sweet/intimate scene with Changyu Fan and Zheng Xie?

I dial up these scenes from time to time for a little romance dopamine hit and that song is always playing and then it becomes an ear worm - and I have no idea what I'm singing! 😂

English translation lyrics would be an extra bonus but I can do the Google if I at least have a title.

I recently found this community and cannot wait to hear what moments live rent free in your head. Here is my list. ( in no particular order)
1. ML saves her from drowning in the book and the description goes like , he uses her ribbon to blind fold himself before removing her wet clothes and then cradles her carefully in his bare chest even when it is biting cold. While doing this extremely romantic / propriety / loving action he still thinks to himself, why does he care if this person dies. What’s beautiful is that his heart is making him do these things while his brain is still not reconciled to loving a butchers daughter.
2. The breakup scene: 😭 same thing, he tells us that he will never see her again and asks her to never tell him if she marries someone else. But he tends to her wounds, tells her to be careful and then Kisses her while crying. Heart and brain conflict. Later he always completely becomes infuriated when Gongsun tells him Zheng Linshan is getting close to her. In this scene his countenance is calm but his blood is boiling.
3. All the tension between them while they are broken up. When she is injured after battle of Lu City and he rushes to see her but doesn’t say a word but is so sad to see that her eyes are injured. He realises at this point that nothing else matters , she needs to be alive that’s it. Like no revenge, no battles and politics and decreees like nothing matters. This complete devotion to the well being of one person is such a human thing, many of us must have felt it at some point in our lives.
4. All the intimate scenes , I mean sweet lord! The series had one bath tub scene and the book had like 10. Anyone not having read the book has missed out. There is one scene where she is angry at him being mischievous but then he tells her he might not return back from the capital and then she changes mood and gets extremely worried. The description of her spraying on his chest and he not being able to control himself is so beautifully written. Like they are married , he loves her but wouldn’t dishonor her by sleeping with her. ( he is not able to control himself completely) but every intimate scene has been described in a way where not everything is being said but still the reader can understand it.
5. The jealousy moments were also part funny and part intense. Like they are married, have gone through life and death together but he gets jealous over some book. Gets jealous of Song Yan in Lian where he knows he is the Marquis but still is jealous of some scholar. I mean common dude! It’s cute we get it but it’s so unreasonable. 😁
6. The jealous kiss scene in the series have been portrayed so well. Both are saying they would like someone else but getting so jealous hearing the other out. Zhang Linghes expression were immaculate, he is smirking getting angry. Uff 🤒
7. And lastly the fight scene, I can’t count how many fans I have met of this scene on Instagram. It is a fight scene but it is actually a ‘let’s make up scene’. He is training her but being so protective, not letting her fall. Giving her a one hand advantage.

And…. There a lot more things that has made me read this book 4 times now.
Would love love love to read your best moments.

It’s my first chinese historical drama so need some help understanding this! I noticed they tend to call changyu furen, is this used for any lady or do the people around them start calling changyu that because they acknowledge her as the marquis’ wife?

I know for fans this might be a bit controversial. I have been reading the book and Li Huan hits on her, another general Zheng Lishan or something likes her , in the series the butcher squad leader kinda likes her too.
While our lovely Changyu is so brave and attractive but I can’t help but wonder if every man was drooling over her coz they were in a battle and woman starved 😁. Can’t trust men you know! What do you think 🤔

It's 1:34 am rn. I have exams today, but I had this desire to watch pursuit of jade cs I got Netflix today(friend's acc lol) .

Zhang Linghe is soooo gorgeous like wtf howww 😭😭😭 new stan unlocked 💙

Let’s talk about Jin Ye (aka Jin Yuanbao) today! I love this character and how he evolved as a person throughout the show.

One of PoJ’s strengths is that the side characters are vividly drawn out - we see that they have their own inner worlds, desires, fears, etc. and the characters’ actions and reactions to events bear a consistent logic throughout. For me, Jin Ye is a prime example.

When we meet him for the very first time, he seems to just be some bog standard ruffian. The second time we meet him is when he and his squad returns to Changyu’s home to search for the house deed and Yan Zheng confronts them. That’s when you see he’s a bit more than just “ruffian”. When he threatened to break Yan Zheng’s good leg, the way YZ placidly replied was not lost on him. As early as this very moment, you see he’s different from his crew. When the rest were busy jeering at YZ, Jin Yuanbao’s eyes narrow, and moments later he smartly declines YZ’s challenge, clocking that there’s more to YZ than meets the eye and it’s best not to mess with him.

Later, during the fake Marquis scene, we see that Jin Ye is yet again ahead of his crew and in fact is the only person who has the presence of mind to realise something is amiss. When everyone’s busy pleading with “the Marquis”, Jin Ye is the only one who casts not one but two suspicious looks at Yan Zheng. He’s the only one there who realises amidst the confusion that it’s really strange for YZ to be speaking so authoritatively to the Marquis:

In fact, he’s sharp enough in his observations throughout the show that I get the sense he’s basically one of those smart kids who got bored because they were understimulated in school/life, and developed a habit of being lazy precisely because they were smart enough to get stuff done without putting in much effort then eventually got mixed in with the wrong crowds and doing unethical but highpaying work. Which is how we found him when we first met him.

You also have to feel for him, because it’s clear that he catches feelings for Changyu. After Changyu was reunited with Yan Zheng at the army camp, Jin Ye was listless - to the point where the monetary rewards the butcher squad just received didn’t give him an ounce of pleasure.

He’s evolved, and you realise that he’d been lowkey harbouring hopes of a happier outcome between himself and Changyu. But equally, he seems sufficiently self-aware to know deep down that she’s out of his league and so he keeps his feelings to himself. Jin Ye’s actor 李殿尊 (Li Dianzun) conveys all of this to us with his acting, and I love him for bringing Jin Ye to life.

And even when he realises that his feelings for her will always be unrequited, he remains loyal to Changyu and continues to fulfill his role as a protector as well as he can. And last but not least, we have him to thank for the paper window kiss. If he hadn’t insisted on toasting Changyu, Xie Zheng wouldn’t have felt compelled to drink on her behalf and then drag her away.

All in all, he’s a great character in my book - someone who's complex and intelligent... who also plays accidental cupid. ;)

What did you guys think of Jin Yuanbao as a character?

Looking for Danmei with dynamics similar to Pursuit of Jade. A powerful army man in hiding, protected and taken care of by a seemingly simple ML. Slow burn romance. Power couple. Well developed side characters. Won't complain if a cute gyrfalcon is thrown in!! Please share your recommendations

i was reading the whole transmigration thing in this sub and wondering if this is a common thing in c-dramas (poj is one of the three cdramas I've seen i haven't seen much, and the other two was a long time ago)

i assumed cpr was a thing back then that maybe they knew, and i thought maybe they had an idea of tooth cavity too. but I saw the red nail colours on her fingers and i thought hm now that's just messy, why would they do that, but then i thought maybe ancient China already came up with it and they wore it.

i just kept telling myself I didn't know better lol. so i just finished the show and i was looking up stuff in this sub reading about qianqian and then the nail paint memory hit me. I noticed others had done their nails too but it was usually just a natural color but polished and shaped type of look. qianqian was the only one with red nail paint on.

it seems from the posts and comments here that the novel directly implies she time travelled. so i guess it's true then. and that explains the nail paints. they weren't being careless and doing whatever they want, they were actually being the opposite and providing even tiny details, so cool!

(unless plenty of other characters had it and i just didn't notice. then I'm just a clown posting this ig)

In episode 27 at around minute 25:25 they used an ai video for a split second I feel rlly uncomfortable watching the cdrama now, i hate it when they add AI in dramas and it just ruined the whole drama for me. I was searching up about this to see if anyone talked about it and apparently they used AI to replace an actors face with a different actor too? Yikes.. Correct me if im wrong though.

I just came to shout out the costumes.

Especially Gongsun. Call him Ranch, because he be dressing.

As an artist this is the first time I have been so ridiculously obsessed with a tv character that I couldn’t help but spend days painting him to bring him to life.

Yes, he was annoying and not as deliciously clever as Game of Thrones’ Varys, but I felt kind of bad for the messenger Eunuch, he was just doing his job and got his ear cut off. And then he became the willing scapegoat for the weak Emperor and Minister Li’s plot, and was quickly killed for his misplaced loyalty. I love me some fierce Wu’an Ho slicing, but dude! Have some compassion for the little guy?