Joy of Life
The story takes place during the Qing Dynasty and follows the
extraordinary journey of Fan Shen, who is transported to a different
realm. He is reborn as Fan Xian, the illegitimate son of a
nobleman, carrying the weight of hidden political truths and an
extraordinary maternal heritage.
Fan Xian realizes that to navigate and thrive in such a harsh
environment, he must acquire exceptional martial arts skills, accumulate
considerable wealth, and gain substantial political influence. There is no
room for weakness; his determination is unwavering, and he is resolved to
seize his destiny with both hands.
As he begins his journey, discovering his origins alters his destiny. His strength will become legendary, surpassing all who dare challenge him, as he stands resolute in defense of his loved ones.
I discovered "Joy of Life" (Qing Yu Nian) through a series of logical events—at least, they seemed logical to me! After watching a teaser on YouTube, I looked it up on MyDramaList (MDL) and felt compelled to binge-watch Season 1 immediately. While my enthusiasm for "Love Like the Galaxy" was intense, my obsession with "Joy of Life" reached an entirely different level! However, I was disappointed when it ended on a cliffhanger. After reading a few comments from novel enthusiasts, I decided to dive into the novel myself. This was my first Chinese novel.
No surprise, the novel differs significantly from the C-drama, which features talented actors such as Zhang Ruo Yun, Wu Yang, Chen Dao Ming, Yu Yang, and Tian Yu. Although Season 1 was heavily inspired by the novel, Season 2 took a dramatically different approach, introducing a twisted plot with much more interaction among characters that were barely featured in the novel. Ultimately, very few scenes remained faithful to the original story. Season 3 has not aired yet and is expected in 2027.
The novel significantly differs from the drama, which isn’t surprising given that each season was directed by a different crew (though it features the same actors). While Season 1 remained relatively faithful to the book, Season 2 took many more liberties, introducing elements such as increased romance and a conflict involving princes that didn't exist in the original story.
Beware: The novel includes instances of violence and sexual scenes. Although they are few and not detailed, such content is present.
Mao Ni, the author, primarily writes for a male audience. If you are expecting a romance similar to that in the drama, you may end up disappointed. The main character does experience love, but it plays only a minor role in his overall journey. The narrative follows a man who transmigrates to a feudal era and rises to power due to his unique background. While Mao Ni includes themes of love and cultivation as supporting elements in the story, the main focus is on palace intrigues.
The cultivation system is presented at a very basic level, primarily focusing on Zhenqi. I get the impression that Mao Ni doesn’t have an extensive understanding of cultivation concepts. As a result, we don’t explore many details about the various realms and breakthroughs. Instead, the narrative quickly jumps from the protagonist being an average martial artist (levels 4-7) to a mid-tier martial artist (level 8), then to a top-tier martial artist (level 9), and eventually to grandmasters, akin to gods. Despite its length, I found the novel to be quite engaging and free of the tedious, repetitive sections often present in his other works, such as "Way of Choices." "Joy of Life" stands out as one of my favorite novels.
I identified two major issues in his work: 1. **Misogyny**: Although I really enjoyed this story, I found myself questioning whether the translator projected their own misogynistic views onto the novel or if these attitudes originated with the author himself. Given that I have read another novel by this author, I lean towards the idea that it is his perspective. His stories tend to categorize women into two distinct groups: "little angels" and "real bitches," irrespective of their ages. 2. **Epilogues**: Mao Ni often struggles to conclude his stories with satisfying epilogues. They often feel rushed and unpolished, leaving readers feeling disappointed after engaging with such compelling narratives. While there are many pages dedicated to battle descriptions, the epilogues typically consist of only a few pages, leaving several storylines unresolved and only briefly addressing a couple of main characters..
This said, Joy of Life remains one of my favorite story! -FD
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Genre: Wuxia, Male Hero, Romance, Martial Arts, Fights, |
Author: Māo Nì (猫腻) 2007-2009 | Country: China |
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| 7 volumes - 746 chapters | Name of the Novel: Joy of Life (Qìng Yúnián) - Author Mao
Ni Name of the C-Drama: Joy of Life (S1, S2, S3 in production, airing estimated in 2026) - Tencent (WeTV), Viki |