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, with an estimated 3 million words!
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.
In my search for the novel, I found an English version that was poorly edited, making it difficult to read. While I appreciated the effort behind it, I quickly decided to proofread and edit this version because I couldn't wait to reread this novel without struggling! -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 |