5 reasons Why Tian Guan Ci Fu (TGCF)/ ‘Heaven Official’s Blessings’ Is A Great Read.
If you have read my previous blog, you are sure to know that MXTX a.k.a. Mo Xiang Tong Xiu is an author worth reading.
This is especially true if you are a fan of slow-burn romance, mind-blowing plot, and complex character designs. Tian Guan Ci Fu, or Heaven Official’s Blessings is one of the 3 danmei novels by MXTX that fits the bill.
Here is a small tailor-made synopsis of the 4 part novel-
Xie Lian is a twice ascended and twice fallen prince turned god, who is back to being a Heaven Official for the third time. Given a task by the Jade Emporer, he sets out to solve a case of missing brides when he comes across a strong demon- Hua Cheng.
Huan Cheng happens to not only be the Demon King but also the most terrifying ghost the gods have ever come across and fought. It also just happens that Hua Cheng is deeply interested in our main guy Xie Lian for unknown reasons and joins the hunt for his case.
Together, this duo of the celibate God and sin-personified Demon King, stick together through thick and thin, while trying to save the world from falling into despair.
Below are a few reasons why you should give this danmei novel a chance.
- The romance between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng:
I could rant about how slow the slow burn in this book is, and how long it takes for the characters to start being obvious with their feelings, but that would be unfair. Most incidents that happen in the novel somehow always have the undertone of undoubted and utmost devotion that exists in this story.
For die-hard romantics, I’ll just say, San Lang took the die-hard… quite literally. And no, that's not a spoiler. If you read this book, it’s almost the most obvious thing. But that is also what makes it so interesting.
I’ll share a few quotes that always make my heart flutter (with the context, of course)
“I pray to never rest in peace.” — Hua Cheng
“If I could, I would have you use me as your stepping stone, the bridge you burn after crossing, the corpse bones you need to trample to climb up, the sinner who deserved the butchering of a million knives. But I know you wouldn’t allow it…” — Hua Cheng
You might feel that's a lot of masochism to fit in one line but that's not even close to the angst this book packs.
- Pats the book* This boy can fill up so much trauma.
Xie Lian on the other hand, imparts on us the common sense many of us might lack in terms of romance.
“Relationships should depend on chance and whether we’re on the same wavelength, not on identity. If I like you, you can be a beggar and I’ll still like you. If I dislike you, you can be the emperor and I’ll still dislike you. Shouldn;t it be like that? It’s simplelogic. So whether you’re human or not is irrelevant.” — Xie Lian
So folks. Make sure to heed Xie Lian’s warning. Except for the human or not part maybe. That is relevant to us mortals.
Back to the romance, now.
Where Xie Lian did not ever entertain the thought of love and relationships, given, you know, his abstinence and celibacy and whatnot, Hua Cheng is all about sticking in the world just for the one he loves without any expectations.
This man really raises the standards for a partner(along with Lan Wangji).
But what starts as devotion leads to love that lasts for a whole 800 years, so not really possible. But awe-inspiring. Lovers of unrequited-but-not-really-unrequited-love will definitely love both TGCF and MDZS.
Even though the love story is given time to grow at its own pace, there are many situations in which we get to see the undertones of intimacy and trust between the main characters.
2. Storyline
This is… a bit tough for me to write about, I concede, because there’s just so much of it to talk about.
But without spoiling the interesting bits, I will try to do justice to the intricate and detailed world that is the one of Tian Guan Ci Fu.
Starting with the mortal world where humans live, the Heavenly Realm- for the ascended gods, and the Ghost Realm- for the ghosts, evil spirits, and Demons.
TGCF or Heaven Official’s Blessing has an interwoven storyline that brings in characters from all the realms together to make an admirable, thought-provoking, and entertaining read. Entertaining, of course, while you cry tears of absolute anguish, but yes, entertaining.
Through the 4 parts of the novel we see- the ascending of the prince, the fall of a God, the destruction and the failure of a man who wanted to be and do more, his coming to terms and making peace with the reality of humankind and Godhood.
There’s a lot to unpack in that sentence, which I will do in the next point.
3. Complexities of the human nature and Godhood.
One thing similar in all the danmei I have read is that they do not shy away from talking about the intricacy and the dark side we humans possess. Almost every one of these books sheds light on how humans are not as kind and worth saving as we make them to be.
Contrasting to that, we somehow still manage to read these books because they bring in the hope that no, human, no matter the evil that still persists, are worth it all.
Given that a lot of problems in TGCF are escalated due to humans, Xie Lian proves that no matter what, humans deserve to live and happiness.
“Remember: when humans ascend, they are still human; when they fall, they are still human.” — Xie Lian
When humans pray, they pray to have their wishes heard. Few times they are, and at times they aren’t.
The portrayal of what it means to be a God is eye-opening. Yes, it's a fictional book, with a Chinese background, but the take on why and how bad things happen to humans is well explained.
All the unheard prayers, the anguished wails, the blind eye turned towards the flames of destruction. All that could have been avoided but wasn’t in the name of the greater good. It really makes one think.
4. Side characters
Never let it be said that TGCF had boring side characters.
From a girl who haunts barbarians to the fallen prince who only wants to save everyone, every character has a backstory in this book.
Which is why it’s the largest novel among them all.
Divided into four parts, every book introduces a few more characters that contribute to the final climax. And each is a victim of their circumstances. Except for Pei Ming, he’s out getting laid and making no promises.
One question is how exactly the author came up with the variety of trauma for every character. I have read another danmei that comes close, but a discussion for another blog.
To all the lovers of case fiction, where every drop makes an ocean, this book is a must-read. Every instance that seems unrelated somehow brings the end together quite beautifully.
5. Finally, the quotes.
Personally, I have a number of quotes that deserve a shout-out, but I’ll end this blog with a few from Xie Lian.
And then again, our boy Xie Lian isn’t lacking in motivation for memorable quotes either.
“I might not be able to decide whether the road is easy or not, but whether I walk it is entirely up to me.” — Xie Lian
And trust me when I say this, that guy had no idea what a devotion of lifetime he was subscribing for when he said this-
“If you don’t know the meaning to your life, then make me that meaning, ad use me as the reason to live.” — Xie Lian
But then again, he also had no idea what kind of ‘calamity’ (if you know, you know, *wink wink*) he invited when he said-
“Body in abyss, heart in paradise” — Xie Lian
Nevertheless, there are too many times, when a fortunate reader with a hard copy of the book feels the urge to highlight the words in the book.
This book has been a ride for me. I did have a small break between books 2 and 3, but picking it up again was the best decision I made in terms of reading. It really scratched the ich of slow burn, angst-filled romance I had.
So, if you have a similar taste to mine, I hope I was able to convince you to read Tian Guan Ci Fu or Heaven Official’s Blessings.
It also has adaptations- Donghua (Chinese anime) on Bilibili(recently aired season 2), Manhua on Bilibili (beautiful illustration), and audio drama.