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pastelcheckereddreams · 1 year

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我做梦都想回去... Even in my dreams, I want to go back… The Untamed locations: Lotus Pier 莲花坞/Liánhuā Wù

It’s finally here! The third installment in my ongoing Chén Qíng Lìng drafting saga, Lotus Pier! As the residence of the Yúnmèng Jiāng Sect, Lotus Pier (莲花坞/Liánhuā Wù) is arguably one of the most important locations in the narrative of Mó Dào Zǔ Shī. Built among sprawling lotus ponds in the lazy shallows of a vast, meandering river, Lotus Pier shapes the halcyon days of the Jiāng siblings’ youth. It is a warm and lively place, its people welcoming and carefree.

The complete diagram:

(Full set details/meta below.)

Part 1: The Jingshi Part 2: The Hanshi

Prints now available at ✨ INPRNT! ✨ You can also support me on Ko-fi ☕

Honestly, the few gifs I have used do not come close to showing you the huge scale, or the level of detail and care that has evidently been put into this set by the CQL production team.

Before I attempt to describe the place that shaped much of our main characters’ lives, let me first share with you the set layout with reference to some aspects of traditional Chinese architecture (and please bear in mind, I’m not an authority on the subject. Links to sources/appropriate references are provided).

Understanding the set layout:

The main compound of Lotus Pier is set out loosely following the typical, traditional layout for residences containing a courtyard.* Rooms are placed at the four cardinal points, creating a central axis and a secondary horizontal axis. With the courtyard facing south, the most important buildings are placed to the rear (north), such as the parents and grandparents’ bedrooms and the ancestral hall, while the siderooms (typically for the sons’ families) are placed to the east and west according to auspicious philosophies (like fēng shuǐ) and social hierarchy:

* At least, in the northern regions of China. Although Héngdiàn World Studios, where most historical and xiānxiá dramas are filmed, is located in Zhèjiāng, it seems a lot of the sets at Hengdian are based on northern designs.

In true “courtyard houses” (sìhéyuàn or sānhéyuàn, depending on whether the courtyard is fully enclosed), this quadrangle layout would then repeat along the central (N-S) axis if the residence contains one or more ‘inner courtyards’ (Fig.3 below):

However, I would not call Lotus Pier a true “courtyard house” as it is freer and more spacious in form than, say, the Hanshi’s courtyard design** and both sets are part of a larger compound anyway, rather than a standalone residence for a single family - so the comparison may be redundant. For instance, Lotus Pier’s stilt foundation and large, sloping roofs also bear an interesting resemblence to the wooden storied houses of Yúnnán, which is a completely different type of vernacular architecture.

** That being said, there is a wealth of research on the different variations in this type of vernacular architecture [x] [x], which does include differences in siheyuan design based on climate (wherein the buildings are quite generously spaced apart, and the courtyard much larger, to deal with the warmer climate in southern regions of China).

Nevertheless, we can see the cultural and cosmic philosophies which influence these courtyard homes used at times in the design of Lotus Pier.

For instance, we see in episodes 14 and 18 that first Jiāng Chéng, and then Wèi Wúxiàn lived in the eastern room - both seperately and together - in their childhoods. (We can assume that Yànlí would have lived in a room nearer her parents, located in the back of the residence so as to lessen her appearance in public as an unwed daughter.)

(Although the two rooms have been dressed differently, the raised platform, reused props, and WWX’s running shot from the inside to the outside in episode 14 show that it is the same building. Additionally, you can head here for some ramblings on the interior of WWX’s room and some analysis on camera angles.)

You may also be able to see from these gifs that these siderooms are divided into three sections, which relates to the construction of traditional buildings in three or five ‘bay’ structures:

A ‘bay’ is the space between columns of a building. An even number of bays, or jiān/間, was thought to be unlucky, therefore the three bay structure was the basic layout of a commoner’s home, with additional bays added based on the need for space or the wealth of a family.

Interestingly, the room on the west side of the courtyard is shown to be Jiāng Fēngmián’s study, rather than another bedroom as I originally assumed - one that may have been for an older Jiang Cheng, although as the son and heir of the Jiang famly, his room would traditionally remain on the eastern side of the house (where WWX’s is). Then again, the main courtyard is an odd place for a bedroom in the first place, so perhaps we might be looking at a conflation of public and private spaces due to constraints on the set designers.

As a sidenote, JFM’s study appears to back onto a private lake, seen through the rear viewing window. I think this must be CGI, however, as I can find no angle of the set that shows this exists as part of the structure.

With all this said, let’s not forget that this is a xiānxiá drama: historical accuracy is not the goal. Instead, the producers took their time finding a ‘cultural location’ for each Sect, through which they could develop a more artistic aesthetic by drawing on the atmosphere and charm of their desired location. This brings us to the set’s design, and what it may represent about the people of MDZS’s Yunmeng.

The set’s design:

For the Yunmeng Jiang, producer Yáng Xià states in the link above that the showrunners drew inspiration from Húběi province, particularly the Jiānghàn plain that now lies in the heart of Wǔhàn. It is here the Hàn river joins the vast flow of the Yangtze as it meanders its way through the eastern provinces of Central China.

Just as Wuhan has been a major port city since the earliest dynasties of Imperial China, it’s fair to assume that the river that flows through MDZS’s Yunmeng has likewise influenced those living on its banks:

One of our first, and repeated, impressions of Lotus Pier and Yunmeng is how lively and welcoming this busy harbor and its people are. A major transport hub in its own right, with links to Lánlíng, Yumeng people are at home on the water.

The Jiang are unrestrained and easy-going, open-minded and generous. To reflect this, Lotus Pier was likewise built to be “broad and open”, the easy curves of the roofs and the wide, open walkways creating a sense of transparency and openness; the fluttering gauze curtains soften and compliment what otherwise might be an imposingly broad structure of warm-coloured wood:

The marketplace that sprawls from the main landing likewise tells us that Lotus Pier and the wider Yunmeng area is a place of trade and craftsmanship.

We see lotus seeds and pods harvested frequently, and as strong swimmers and talented fishermen, we might assume that the Yunmeng people are also skilled at weaving fishing nets and other such tools from the abundance of natural materials the fertile floodplains afford them.

As an aside, I do wonder why JFM decided to decorate his seat of power with rolls of reed matting/blinds.

I like to think they’re wares from the market, to display his peoples’ craftsmanship. You have to admit, the effect is impressive, immitating an unfurling lotus:

The one area that intrigues me the most in this main courtyard, however, is the kitchen. The private dock in the kitchen really exemplifies how the river has had such a huge influence on the design of Lotus Pier, by virtue of the waterborne livelihood it has curated among the Yunmeng people:

I like to imagine that fresh produce from the market would arrive by boat early in the morning, and Yanli would be there to help unload the goods while she prepares breakfast for her family...

What struck me most, though, during the course of this whole study was the dreamy, almost fantastical quality to the set. As I said above, the xianxia genre allows much more creative license with the aesthetic of the Sects and their domains, as the genre does not need to replicate a time or place with rigid historical accuracy. As such, much care and ingenuinty has been taken by the show’s designers to merge the Pier with the river, giving the impression that, like the lotus flowers that give it its name, the Pier also floats on the water itself.

To that end, let’s lastly think about the lotus imagery we see around the set, and how it applies to the role of Lotus Pier as a place in the narrative.

The symbolism of the lotus

Revered for its beauty and much loved for its versitility in Asian cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine, the lotus holds significance in Chinese culture for many reasons. As one of the 'Flowers of the Four Seaons' (四季名花, Sìjì Mínghuā), the lotus flower represents summer, blooming through the season in the shallows of slow-moving rivers and river deltas.

「出淤泥而不染 / chū yūní ér bù rǎn」, an idiom meaning “growing out of mud, but remaining untainted”, is often attributed to a poem by controversial Confucian and Neo-Confucian scholar Zhōu Dūnyí called 'On the Love of the Lotus' ( 爱莲说, Ài Lián Shuō). Zhou calls the lotus flower a "gentleman among flowers" (not to be confused with the Four Gentlemen) as, rising dignified from the mud, it exemplifies the cosmic and spiritual harmony all humans should aspire to achieve. As such, it represents a moral ideal of dignity and integrity for a Confucian gentleman. As Zhou writes, “I love only the lotus, for rising from the mud yet remaining unstained; bathed by pure currents and yet not seductive.”

We cannot wholly attribute this idiom to Zhou, however, as this metaphor of the lotus flower, symbollic of purity of mind and body as it rises out of the muddy waters of worldly affairs, actually has its roots in the religious teachings of Buddhism and the Lotus Sutra. In it, the sacred lotus symbolises spiritual enlightenment and self-actualisation, where one is able to detach themselves from worldly affairs and overcome personal sufferings.

N.B. 18/04/2023 Edits have been made to reflect more accurate context regarding the prevailance of Buddhist thought in China since its introduction in the Han dynasty, and how Zhou’s ‘On the Love of the Lotus’ drew upon its teachings. See here for the original text and a review of its inaccuracies, as well as further resources.

How can we relate this back to the setting, Lotus Pier, and the Yunmeng Jiang? I think the most obvious parallel has to be the burning of Lotus Pier.

The event is the catalyst for a number of tragedies that occur throughout the narrative, and the Jiang siblings' attempts to reconcile the many layers of guilt, blame and grief they each feel with the enormity of losing their entire Sect, their home, their bonds with each other - the lotus emblem of their Sect is perhaps a reminder that there is no happiness without hardship.

Of course, more important than its cosmic symbolism, for these siblings lotus ponds represent home, and are a way the three siblings can remain connected as they travel seperate paths in life, forming new families after the tragedy of their own:

In the scene pictured above - where WWX, after many months in self-imposed exile, succeeds in cultivating his lotus pond in the Burial Mounds - the pond represents his longing for Lotus Pier while also bringing him some comfort and connection to what he has lost. Just as Jīn Zixuān seeks to bring comfort to Yanli by planting a lotus pond for her, too:

(Bonus gif of a different type of "gentlemen rising from the mud”):

But as an aside, it's also interesting to note that WWX tells A-Yuan in that above scene, that the lotus seeds are not to be eaten because they are grown in the soil of the Burial Mounds. Instead, they are 'the perfect thing to protect from evil spirits'. This may be a simple child’s tale for WWX to discourage A-Yuan from eating the tainted seeds, or it may refer to the spiritual purity the lotus symbolises. But as an interesting coincidence, lotus plants actually have the potential to filter nitrogen, phosphorous, and heavy metals from watersources, so it’s possible they taste bad because they are literally cleansing the soil of the Burial Mounds.

It seems appropriate, then, that WWX is tied closely to this lotus motif, perhaps even moreso than Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng. This is especially poignant when we consider that the lotus is also symbollic of resurrection and rebirth: the blooms, closing and opening with the sun in a daily cycle, can be compared to the cycle of reincarnation.

A great deal of the narrative focuses upon WWX’s decision to forge his own path through life, a ‘single-log bridge’ that sweeps him away from convention and propriety that governs the rest of the cultivation world as he struggles to maintain his own integrity and compassion. He suffers for this choice, especially once he gives up his golden core and is thought to be actively choosing an ‘evil’ path. Yanli even dreams of him floating away from Lotus Pier, carried on the rapid current of the river:

After his resurrection, however, it seems WWX has been able to finally rise above the Sects’ biases and political machinations. Once the Yin Iron has finally been sealed away, and the mystery of the Fierce Corpse solved, he no longer has any obligation to stay in those muddy waters of the cultivation world. He is free to wander, as his parents did - the single log bride widening to encompass the whole world.

Although still tied to the world by his love for his family and friends, we could say that WWX is close to that enlightenment the lotus represents. He has risen from the mud and, despite all his suffering, has remained untainted.

Bonus details!

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! This got... so long... But of course, I had to do Lotus Pier justice as such a beautiful and thematic set. As a final point, here are some small details you may have missed or that I couldn’t fit in the main analysis!

Here is a cute interior shot of WWX’s room, and a view of the rear courtyard that shows the moon gate entrance, which presumably provides access for boats to dock in the kitchen:

Also join me in appreciating how detailed the design on the door panels is! So much so that I couldn’t do the finer details justice in my sketch:

Special mention to the fish doorhandles on the main hall, as well. As a Pisces, this brings me joy.

And finally, some reference shots for the gate:

As always, thank you everyone for your continued support and encouragement - and your patience! Lotus Pier was a massive project, that has taken me over a year to complete. I am so proud to finally present it to you, and bring you the news that I have finally opened a print shop! As always, you can also buy me a coffee on kofi to show you support.

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thelibranarchives · 11 months

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JC: I'm a peaceful person.

WWX: You threw a chair at me earlier.

JC: Which is a peaceful compromise from the table I initially wanted to throw.

#wangxian #wei ying #lan zhan #wang yibo #xiao zhan #jiang cheng #yunmeng jiang #lotus pier #twin prides of yunmeng #yunmeng siblings #yunmeng duo

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nanasibrushes · 2 years

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The hell flames eat our homes, our lives, our love. Who is born from the ashes? The hero or the villain? Or is it both?

This is probably one of the most painful scene in mdzs 😭 the sudden upheaval and destruction of Lotus Pier, the siblings forced to mature in one night, the absolute loss of their identity. And the fact that even though Lotus Pier was rebuilt, it was never the same again; the memory of blood and screams and smoke permeating everything.

Happy 3rd anniversary to The Untamed

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starlightprincessart · 6 months

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My precious treasure.

#jin ling #jiang wanyin #jiang cheng #the untamed #mdzs #digital art #mo dao zu shi fanart #mxtx fanart #mo dao zu shi #my art #cql #lotus pier #twin heroes of yunmeng #yunmeng jiang

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yustinamishka · 1 year

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Dreaming of Yunmeng again.

#mdzs #jiang cheng #jiang wanyin #wei wuxian #wei ying #twin heroes of yunmeng #I just really want them to reconcile dammit is that too much to ask for #give me back my yunmeng bros #lotus pier

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haifoct · 8 months

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Paint over his scars.

I’m so in love with this commission. I wish I could thank f_ckinglotte enough for my tender boys. I love them too much.

#chengzhan #zhancheng #twin lotus of yunmeng #zhancheng museum #mdzs #cql #the untamed #jiang cheng #lan wangji #you don’t understand they have matching scars

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limitbreaker23 · 7 months

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“You are my rest.”💜🤍

Commission drawn by the marvellous @rounove based on a scene from my Chengzhan Sunshot Campaign fic Before the Sun Sets.🥺You can find this beloved piece hiding somewhere in the fic even.

On their way to retake Lotus Pier, Jiang Cheng finds himself getting unexpectantly close to Lan Wangji. Realising his greatest asset against the Wens is just as human as he is, however, leaves him far more than only intrigued. But is sharing a little comfort worth the risk of losing Lan Wangji’s sword at his side?

#chengzhan #zhancheng #lan wangji #jiang cheng #mdzs #cql #the untamed #twin lotus of yunmeng #zhancheng museum #bottomJi rights

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wangxianficfinder · 10 months

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In the mood for...

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1. Hi!i love your blog and the hardwork the admins put it into it . It absolutely regenerates my energy to see more and more FANFICS .So thank you ! I wanted to read a fix where the plot of the fic revolves in Lotus pier only Wangxian centric like the Twelve Moons and a Fortnight fanfic It can be canon divergence (preferred) or compliant or any AU (arranged marriage etc.) Secondary - It would be great if it implied the abuse by Madam you and Jiang fengmian but like the Jiang siblings are close !

💖 sweet chaos by eachandeverydimension (G, 86k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Canon Divergence, Fluff, Romance, Light Angst, Falling In Love, Different First Meeting, Qīnghéng-jūn’s A+ Parenting, Night Hunts, Chinese Language, Good Sibling LXC, Good Sibling JYL, POV LWJ, Getting Together, Love Confessions, First Kiss, Chinese Culture, Slow Burn, No Homophobia AU, Chinese festivals)

Just Say Yes series by edenwolfie (M, 338k, wangxian, canon divergence, matchmaking, pining, cloud recesses study arc, getting together, fluff, humor, hurt/comfort, everyone lives au) particularly the third story, has some interesting stuff about wangxian at lotus pier and lwj figuring some things out about the family dynamics

could you find a way to let me down slowly, if you’re leaving baby let me down slowly by ravenditefairylights (M, 36k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Golden Core Reveal, Implied/Referenced Sex, Miscommunication, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Dynamics, Hurt WWX, Mutual Pining, Unreliable Narrator, Self-Esteem Issues, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Feels, Protective Siblings, Trauma, Slightly dubious consent, courtesy of drunk sex, Inventor WWX, Genius WWX, Phoenix Mountain, Chronic Pain, Getting Together, Fix-It of Sorts, One Braincell Trio, PTSD) i think it fits? The story mostly in lotus pier

use the wood brought in by the tide by Lirazel (M, 27k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Hurt/Comfort, Warning for Physical Abuse, Falling In Love With Your Husband, pining for your husband, Sibling solidarity, dealing with your in-laws, lwj’s typical inner maelstrom of emotions, WWX Whump, Protective!LWJ, lwj&jyl friendship, intimate hair brushing, Skinny Dipping, Growing Up, Establishing boundaries)

The Scarlet Lotus by rainbowninja167 (M, 137k, WangXian, Marriage of Convenience, Secret Identity, Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Canon-Typical Violence, canon-typical war crimes, Yunmeng Bros, the mortifying ordeal of getting seduced by your own husband, nonlinear chronology we die like cql, just kidding nobody dies in this fic, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Miscommunication)

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2. Hi for itmf are there any fic like disruptions by mondengel ? Merci beaucoup!💛

Wait, What? by MarbleGlove (G, 1k, WangXian, Time Travel, POV Outsider) I took the ask to mean POV lan xichen finding out his didi is in love/is loved in return?

Always the right way round by so_shhy (G, 3k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, modern, fluff, LWJ loves rabbits, good brother LXC, excellent BF WWX, office party, outsider pov)

The Misunderstanding by kisahawklin (T, 9k, wangxian, modern, misunderstanding, outsider POV)

oh brother by lanzhans_rbf (G, 5k, LXC & LWJ, wangxian, modern, outsider pov, twin jades of lan dynamics, twin jades of lan feels)

~*~

3. Do you know any good crossovers with Heaven Official's Blessing? I have a mighty need.

preferably with not too many spoilers bc I read the Seven Seas books and don't know any more than that. @miertje1000

silvery eyes meet silver wraith butterflies by sweetlolixo (T, 17k, HC/WWX, wangxian, romance, fluff, angst, pining)

Hua Xianle by Tiffany_Guinne (Not rated, 144k, hualian, wangxian, TGCF, canon divergence, not Jiang friendly, madam lan lives, WWX adopted by hualian, WWX with different name, overprotective hualian, hurt WWX, WIP)

+1 Life (一生 Yīshēng) by SnowY14 (T, 78k, Time Travel Fix-it, Happy ending, Fluff, Humor, Light angst)

Can we skip to the Good Part? by pink-lotus-pods (Waterlogged_fireflies) (T, 107k, hualian, wangxian, crossover, YLLZ WWX, slow build, canon temporary character death, Fix-It of sorts, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, genius WWX)

Just one person is enough by Sarah_R (T, 11k, hualian, wangxian, HC & WWX & XL, WWX & HX, WWX & SQX, canon divergence, TGCF crossover, hurt/comfort, fluff, angst, hugs, past child abuse, cute, healing, canon-typical violence, WWX protection squad, falling in love)

【银劍探心】| Silver Jian Seeking Hearts by stiltonbasket (M, 26k, wangxian, tgcf fusion, calamity lwj, reincarnation, heavy angst w/ happy ending, WIP)

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4. hiii for ITMF, i'd like to ask for a fic where WY's blindfold slips during the tree scene and this changes things (for the better if possible). if you could, plz recommend those where fewer ppl die thx :) @crazy-gay-killxr

Fallen Belt by vettany2 (T, 4k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Phoenix Mountain Night Hunt Competition, Non-Consensual Kissing, Boys Kissing, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Feels, Confused WWX, Supportive Sibling LXC, Shy LWJ) uhhhhh, this one has LWJ accidentally knock the blindfold off

not a maiden by cannotsleep (examtomorrow) (T, 2k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Open Ending, Baifeng mountain kiss) And this one has the blindfold be see-through? I think these work for what OP wants?

No one else but you by chrisemrys (M, 17k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Stolen Kiss, Love Confessions, Fix-It, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Semi sentient resentful energy, Golden Core Reveal, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, First Time) if OP is OK with a slight divergence to the prompt, this fic has semi-sentient resentful energy basically tell wwx it's lwj who's kissing him because it won't hurt lwj

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5. I'm in the mood for dadji fics

box your errors by mellowflicker (T, 42k, WangXian, Modern AU, single dad lwj, Domestic Fluff, Family Issues, Slow Burn, Kid Fic, let lwj have friends agenda, Hurt/Comfort, Pining)

I know what my heart wants by yakuso5u (Not Rated, 28k, WangXian, Modern AU, Single Father LWJ, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Accidental Child Acquisition, Domestic, Slice of Life, Christmas references)

paint smears on sunny days by SnowshadowAO3 (E, 53k, wangxian, modern, fluff & smut, dad LWJ, pining, happy ending, art teacher WWX, accidentally co-parenting, fatherhood)

finally safe (for me to fall) by sassybluee (E, 77k, wangxian, modern, sugar daddy au, age difference, sex work, rich WWX, older WWX, service top WWX, poor LWJ, single parent LWJ, sugar baby LWJ, family issues, hurt/comfort, angst w happy ending, slow burn, cockblocking, anal sex, blowjobs, no lube & lube, addiction, compulsory heterosexuality, implied/referenced abuse, wangxian + others)

the low sky, raining over by chibilwj (thelogicoftaste) (M, 37k, WangXian, Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Kid Fic)

Work in Tandem by MimiSpearmint (E, 23k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Single Parent LWJ, when you just want disability-led sword lessons for your child, swordflight instructor!wwx, swordflight instructor!lwj, Fluff, give lwj friends agenda, Protective LWJ, Getting Together, Intercrural Sex, Choking, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Implied off-screen D/s negotiations)

When You Wake, 怎能当梦一场 by MouSanRen (T, 39k, WangXian, Modern AU, WWX is in a coma, Angst with a Happy Ending, Modern AU, Single Dad LWJ, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Parenthood, YZY’s A+ Parenting, JFM’s A+ parenting)

No Need to Change a Tune by yeolinski (T, 9k, WangXian, Modern AU, Single Parent LWJ, Chemistry Teacher!WWX, Music Teacher!LWJ, Kid Fic, Getting to Know Each Other, Getting Together, Fluff, Family Fluff)

🧡 tear out the thread one by one from your skin (’til your bones feel embarrassed by all the attention) by lightningalwaysreturns (E, 40k, WangXian, Modern AU, Holidays, Getting Together, Professors, Pining, Spring, Fluff and Smut, Family, single dad lwj, so many novel refs, Explicit Sexual Content, service top lwj/power bottom wwx vibes)

and still by detention_notes (G, 4k, implied wangxian, parenthood, reminiscing, grief/mourning, diary/journal, epistolary, healing, childhood, love, single parent LWJ, how to love a memory, how to raise the next generation, canonical character death, yearning, bittersweet, hopeful ending)

Wei Wuxian’s Home for Lost Creatures by Stratisphyre (G, 22k, wangxian, LWJ & LSZ & WWX, modern w magic, Julia’s Home for Lost Creatures fusion, fluff, single parent LWJ, near drowning, injured animals, first meeting, falling in love)

~*~

6. Hiii love the page, thanks for the hard work and amazing recs!!!!

For the next itmf I’d like some fics (no modern au) of wangxian basically maturing together. Like fics of them figuring themselves out, figuring their sexuality, their likes, their dynamics, how they work together, etc. Not necessarily in a sexual way but also just in general, like the both of them just growing together.

Sorry if it’s too vague! Anyways thank you!!! :D

Lead Me On Through by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 54k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Practice Kissing, practice other things, horny boys in love, questionable logic, Questionable Choices, slight knives, Happy Ending)

Straight at the Sun by diamondbruise (E, 33k, WangXian, Canon Universe, no war though, Mutual Pining, Pining while fucking, Misunderstandings, First Time, Anal Sex, Miscommunication, Jealousy, in abundance, Happy Ending)

Fentao-laoshi's Guide to Cut-Sleeve Pleasures by occultings (microcomets) (E, 31k, wangxian, canon divergence, pining while fucking, friends with benefits, first time, cloud recesses study arc, practice kissing, sharing a bed, jealousy, getting together, confessions, happy ending)

Teach Me The Ways by likeafox (E, 58k, wangxian, canon divergence, porn with (is) plot, much smut much feelings)

~*~

7. Hi lovely people! I’m itmf fics where either lwj or wwx suddenly safeword out of the blue. Whether done out of love, trauma, confusion, something embarrassing… any situation. Ty!!!

The Boys of Summer by thievinghippo (E, 83k, WangXian, Modern AU, Sports, Baseball, pining for one's husband, mentions of past emotional abuse, Feelings Saturday (it's a thing), slight angst, Happy Ending, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, but mostly top LWJ) I immediately thought of Boys of Summer, in chapter 7.

Honey Roast by uaevuon (E, 54k, wangxian, modern, BDSM au, dom LWJ, sub WWX, disability, HIV/AIDS, impact play, knifeplay, cock & ball torture, closeted character, implied self-harm, ageplay, matchmaker MXY, overstimulation, forced orgasm, S & M, sadism, masochism, body worship, consensual noncon, love confessions, blowjobs)

oh, these are real things by typefortydeductions (E, 15k, WangXian, Modern AU, The Porn Is the Plot, Kink Negotiation, Under-negotiated Kink, Safewording, Light BDSM, Dom/sub, Fisting, Sex Crying, lil bit of gender stuff, Panic Attacks, Top Drop)

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8. Hi luvvv :D for the next itmf I was hoping to find some fics, canon era, of wangxian engaged? Like the whole courtship and negotiations and dowry process and the elation of being about to marry and the meeting the family, the whole deal.

Thank you! And thanks for your hard workkkk

🧡 Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 644k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement)

a light hidden and singing by occultings (microcomets) (E, 48k, wangxian, arranged marriage, pining, getting together, slow burn, misunderstandings, miscommunication, blood & injury, happy ending, smut)

Give Me a Chance to Fall by brooklinegirl (E, 37k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage)

~*~

9. ITMF: I’m obsessed with Truth Will Out (When Caught On Camera). I’m re-reading it every time a chapter comes out. Does anyone know of anything similar? Any other stories where Madam Yu abuses Wei Wuxian and other people find out about it? @anxiousdemonspirit

please don’t let me be misunderstood by sysrae (T, 3k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, getting hit by cars, Past Child Abuse)

the soft animal of your body by sysrae (T, 15k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, modern culitvation, Golden Core Reveal, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Animal Transformation, Shapeshifting, Sort Of, Getting Together, Confessions)

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10. hi!! itmf celebrity/idol/actor au fanfiction or they're just famous people in general and alot of people gossip about them online

He is Wei Wuxian’s by devinokaze (T, 41k, WangXian, Modern AU, Celebrity, actor!wwx, singer!dancer!lwj, Social Media, Entertainment Industry, POV Outsider, Fluff and Humor)

life, drama and action by Akai__hana (G, 13k, WangXian, XuanLi, singer!lwj, actor!wwx, Social Media AU, Fluff and Humor, Established Relationship, Fluff and Crack)

🧡 I Don’t Want to Debut! by countingcr0ws (G, 56k, WangXian, Modern AU, Reality show, Idols, Actor LWJ, Forced Contestant WWX, Tencent’s 2021 Idol Producer, [Podfic] I Don’t Want to Debut! by PandaReads (DrPanda99)) ps: for the last one LWJ is a celeb and WWX is a famous novelist who's on an Idol Servival Show

Some of You by tangerinechar (M, 60k, WangXian, Modern AU, Social Media, Actor AU, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Love Confessions, Matchmaking, Light Angst)

call me, beep me by myung (T, 39k, wangxian, modern, social media, actors au, celebrities, chatting & texting)

【那夏天的我們】a stroke of fate by puddingcatbeans (G, 59k, WangXian, Modern AU, Fluff, Slice of Life, Falling In Love, Summer, Barakamon AU, good times only, YouTuber WWX, Food)

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11. Itmf fix it fics or modern au's (maybe even post canon) that has switch/versatile wangxian

best laid plans by ilip13 (E, 20k, WangXian, Modern AU, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Also some angst for our suffering hero, Developing Relationship, Porn with Feelings, An Ode to Switching, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, Unreliable Narrator)

Waiting for Spring Series by thievinghippo (E, 225k, WangXian, Modern AU, MLB AU, Baseball AU, Mutual Pining, Pining while fucking, slight angst, Happy Ending, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, but mostly top LWJ)

pitiful destiny, point your finger at me by sassybluee (E, 66k, WangXian, Royalty, Yílíng Wèi Sect, Arranged Marriage, Pining while fucking, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Secret Identity, Under-negotiated Kink, Donghua YLLZ, CQL LWJ, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian, Identity Porn, Porn With Plot, Resentacles, YL WWX, Additional Warnings In Author’s Note)

carry me when i’m weary by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 38k, wangxian, WWX/OFC, modern, PWP, character study, touchstarved, pining, sex club, gentle dom WWX, service top WWX, bottom LWJ, versatile wangxian, friends w benefits, light bondage, blindfolds, getting together, happy ending, kink exploration, implied/referenced dubious consent)

Teach Me The Ways by likeafox (E, 58k, wangxian, canon divergence, porn with (is) plot, much smut much feelings) (link in #6)

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12. As an In the Mood for a Fic, I've been struggling to find fics where someone saves WXX from the three months he spent in the burial mounds. Preferably something sweet and with a good helping of hurt/comfort, but anything of the like would be fantastic

Thank you l!

Instead by apathyinreverie (T, 27k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, like self-indulgently so, by way of dark(er) gusu lan, manipulative elders, but in a good way, Golden Core Reveal, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, of sorts, not Jiang friendly, not really gusu lan friendly either, not particularly friendly towards anyone really, aside from wangxian of course, Cultivation World Critical, Sunshot Campaign, Fluff, Politics, Courting Rituals, possibly implied mpreg, Genius WWX, Talismans, No demonic cultivation, but wwx is still the lynchpin of the war, Possessive LWJ, Protective LWJ)

these colours fade for you only by doodlebutt (T, 36k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Everybody Lives, Golden Core Transfer, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, ...eventually, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, bed sharing, Mutual Pining, like really unreasonable amounts of pining, Slow Burn)

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13. Hi!!! Love what you guys do here & I've found so many great fics through you guys!!! For ITMF I was wondering if you knew of any fics with aro/ace jiang cheng? Doesn't have to be jiang cheng centric, but it'd be nice, also no jiang cheng bashing pls 💜 @loveshinesbrightly

Indigo by Eleanor_Fenyx (M, 6k, JC/WQ, ace WQ & JC, dom/sub, rope bondage, subspace, getting together, fluff, praise kink, non-sexual submission, non-sexual bondage, non-sexual kink, dom WQ, sub JC) Ace JC and ace WQ modern AU kinky romance

A Bit of Ruthlessness by jirluvien (M, 110k, LXC/JC, post-canon, epistolary, angst, slow burn, courtship, asexual JC, hurt/comfort) Ace JC Xicheng post canon longfic

Lynchpin by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 103k, WangXian, ChengQing, Time Travel, Fix-It) Aro and romance repulsed JC in a long time travel fixit

Here's to our Future, to honour the past by Cy_an_Blue (T, 5k, background JYL/JZX, background wangxian, canon divergence, aroace JC, JC pov, politics, discussion conferences, plotting, rule bending, loopholes, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, non-graphic character deaths, fix-it of sorts, canon timeline, post-canon, twin prides of yunmeng dynamics, JC & WWX reconciliation, mention of suicide, angst w happy ending)

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14. Hi!! ITMF fics with dead/terminally ill LWJ and bonus points if the death is temporary.

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15. Hi! I just read The Meaning of Silence by The Silverfish (ZephyrAndTheSilverfish) and I was absolutely delighted!

Do you happen to know any fics like that? Canon era with wangxian knowing each other better than anyone, bit of angst like in the fic it’s okay but happy ending is a must!

Thank you! You’re a sweetheart btw, wish you the best!

seeds by antebunny (G, 3k, WangXian, SS & LWJ, Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Identity Porn, Dramatic Irony, identity theft, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, the Inherent Romance of Being Known, BAMF WWX, protective boyfriend!wwx, simp!lwj)

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16. Hiii thank you for your work! For the next ITMF Do you have fics where WXX surrenders to the Jin/lan/Jiang/Nie before JY dies? Specially where he surrenders to The Jin.

To Mourn the Young Man by Iamnotawriter (T, 56k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, BAMF WWX, Most people live, but not the bad guys, Burial Mounds Settlement Days, Hurt/Comfort, Golden Core Reveal)

pakhnokh's House of Gentians comic fits?

Always walked a very thin line by tucuxi (T, 22k, NHS & WWX, JYL & WWX, WangXian)

If the Sun Never Set by SuibianIsOnVacation (Not rated, 12k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, JC/WQ, graphic depictions of violence, major character death, suicide, angst, triggers, grief/mourning, rage, angst w happy ending, WIP)

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17. Hello! I'm in a mood for your favorite fics with festivals and such

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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***

#wangxian #mdzs #wangxian fic recs #i'm in the mood for a fic #the untamed #wangxian fic search #wangxianficfinder #long post

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esamastation · 1 year

Text

Some mostly Jiang Cheng centric Mdzs fic ideas

1 Jiang Cheng, under the influence of Stress, Pressure, the Concern of a Big Sister, More Stress and flat out panic over the state of Mostly Destroyed Yunmeng Jiang sect, squints at Wei Wuxian's band of Wen Remnants and goes "So, how do we smuggle them to Lotus pier, in pairs, or…?" Because obviously his stupid overachiever elder brother has gone behind his back to replenish their ranks. That's got to be what it is. Right? It's not like Wei Wuxian is just trying to secede from the sect in the most stupidly dramatic way. Right?!

2. Via so many Shenanigans, involving like 300k fic's worth of drama and transmigrations, a version of Shen Yuan and OG Luo Binghe have found eternal, immortal bliss. Then a bullshit plot device shows them a version of Bingliushen and Bingge becomes obsessed with finding his other missing husband. Problem is, in his world Liu Qingge died centuries ago. Best they can do is wait for him to be reborn. Yeah. Jiang Cheng is not prepared.

2.5. Alternatively, Jiang Cheng grows up remembering his life as Liu Qingge. (He's still not prepared.)

3. Jiang Cheng is the one thrown into the Burial Mounds without his Golden Core and unlike Wei Wuxian he doesn't come out a Master of Demonic Cultivation. He comes out a Master of Demons. Aka, Jiang Cheng beastmasters his way to whipping various resentful spirits and beasts under his command. (Wei Wuxian probably follows him down that path, though. And doing better at the whole resentful energy thing because of course he does. Twin resentful heroes of Yunmeng Jiang, though. Hmm.)

4. One of the reasons Jiang Yanli's cultivation is so weak is because she's stuck in a time loop, reliving her life, trying to stop things from going horribly wrong, and it's eating away at her Golden Core. It's been centuries since she was the heir and the far too young sect leader of Yunmeng Jiang of her first life and she's so tired. But now, finally, she's managed to manoeuvre things so that Wei Wuxian has become the Head Disciple Yunmeng Jiang - rather than the dreadful, monstrous, overpowered thing he became in Qishan Wen in her first, awful, life.

5. Jiang Cheng is known for his obsessive hunt for demonic cultivators. It is known that when he catches one of those demonic cultivators, they are never seen again. Is assumed that he does to them what he wishes he could've done to his demonic cultivator of a martial brother, taking the opportunity to live his missed chance on their hides. Yunmeng Jiang's influx of new, powerful disciples is only proof of his fearsome reputation, as who wouldn't want to join such a righteous cause? … Aka, Jiang Cheng conscripts demonic cultivators into Yunmeng Jiang in spite (in preparation) of Wei Wuxian's inevitable return.

#Fanfic ideas #Mdzs #Jiang Cheng

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essekknits · 7 days

Text

Writing a sort of Mulan AU with lesbians Wangxian, and I figured out the funniest ending for them: they get married twice, and take turns being the husband.

They spend half the year in Gusu, where the story is that their lovely young jade Lan Zhan, who had been evacuated south to protect her during the war, found herself falling for a war hero from Yunmeng named Wei Wuxian, who was so smitten with her that he left behind his birthright as the eldest son of Lotus Pier (although he is only a ward) to his younger brother and followed her to her family.

In the rest of the year, they live in Yunmeng, where the story is the exact opposite. Wei Ying, sent up north to be educated under the strict hand of the fabled Lan educators after the madam of the house had enough of her shenanigans, had caught the eye of one of the twin jades of Gusu, a dashing young man by the name Lan Wangji. He, in turn, had fallen for her head over heels, which is why he is so kind as to come with her to spend half the year with her family, knowing her deep love for her siblings.

I just think they’d both have a lot of fun with that.

#mo dao zu shi #wei wuxian #lan wangji #fem wei wuxian #fem wei ying #fem lan wangji #fem lan zhan #they’re lesbians your honor

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fandom-trash-goblin · 11 days

Note

This is a chance to post your not-posted chengxian ideas if you have any. Please gimme gimme gimme gimme-

nonnie you've come at the sort of the right place. i'm like so late to fandom strolling without starbucks because in this house we boycott, and i'm sure this idea must have been done before. but. still. thanks for the ask, i put actual effort into this, hope you like it!! <3<3

A) to the point of invention AU

literally "i love you to the point of invention"

jiang yanli is at lotus pier and she dies :(. wwx and jc proceed to go absolutely feral and codependecy skyrockets

golden core melted-wwx in total breadown canon followed

until golden core transfer fails. fuck. dealers choice how

maybe smthing smthing jiang cheng wakes up to see he's being operated on. his brother lied to him about baoshen sanren and he's about to lose another sibling. #traumatised

both wwx and jc lose their core. they mad angry abt it, at the others throat- codependecy spirals. maybe they fuck. maybe they don't. anyways.

wwx invents demonic cultivation with the intent to protect-- he's mad about it being safe coz his shidi is gonna have to learn it to rebuild lotus pier and take revenge. they'd do it together. cue mad frenzy! wwx, jc handling it with the same ease he's done for years, and wen sibs watching this absolute clusterfuck wondering if these freaks are brothers or lovers or a secret third option.

demonic cultivation being so op and still mad safe because that's his shidi who he has to protect! . maybe they figure out how to power zidian through resentful energy

so you have DEMONIC CULTIVATORS! JC and WWX, both of them. rebuilding lotus pier, taking in E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E that passes their dodgy moral code. unconventional sect numero uno. super-effing-powerful. No. 1 power couple #lifegoals.

nobody knows whether these two are fucking or not. even i don't. parasitic relationship but like lichen.

Jin Ling don't exist (sad face) but Jiang Yuan, sect heir, new gen demonic + spiritual cultivator, all around powerhouse. his xian-gege and wanyin-ge are so so proud.

where's the rest of the world, isaac? where's lan zhan. oops. forgot about them. pretend they're avoiding the demonic cult. (baby there's so many holes in the plot that it's practically cartoon cheese.) I just know there's gonna be a lot of cultivation science. and politics. and worldbuilding. and wwx being shidifucker extraordinaire.

B) blur on the horizon AU

title from Lady Lazarus by Slyvia Plath. //my brother is still alive. still dead. was brought back with a lazarus shot and a slap to the face// when visibility's poor, i'm the blur on the horizon//

wwx dies. and wakes up. not in mo xuanyu's body.. but in some random cultivator's body. like. and year or two post siege or burial mounds

he travels straight to jc. lotus pier still be recruiting. the recruiters take in this shady man.. let's be real. everyone here is just as shady.

he get's the intro. gets shown the rebuilt pier, the rules and The List. The List being how to defend gongzhu from shitty people and shittier politics. he's so fawking proud bit also resentful and angry because he should have been there. twin prides on yunmeng, remember? (for once in my life let wwx be the more bitter one abt yunmeng shuangjie yeah?)

WWX tries to stay away from JC. but he can't. let's be real he cant.

he climbs up the ranks fast... everyone can see this man would give his life for sect leader jiang. cue Second in Command being WWX 2.0 . wwx, for his part is so bitter but also incandescently happy. man never met an emotion he couldn't twist.

Jiang Cheng is wondering why this random cultivator seems so familiar. it get's so bad that he uses zidian to check this one whether he's wwx every once in a while.

but Jiang Cheng is also so tired of seeing ghosts from the corner of his eyes. and jin ling likes this new SIC when he barely likes anyone apart from his jiujiu. he lets go a little. wwx can wait, for once in his life.

cue wwx gaslighting jc into thinking there's no way this one could be wwx. also him being conflicted because on one hand jc's starting to trust him, and this life is almost everything he's dreamed of, but on the other, he's doing this as Random Cultivator and not WWX, how could you forget me, Shidi?

again, for once in my life let wwx be the more bitter one abt yunmeng shuangjie yeah?

idk i havent resolved this one. but there's a scene where wwx finds out abt chenqing, and jc in a fit of anger, after a hell lot of provoking, talks abt how SIC should have been his brother's (the feared yilling laozhu's) and not some strangers. and jc thinks this guy's gonna run far away from the madman his sect leader is but he's only more loyal more sticky more everything? is everything alright up in his head??

C) digging your grave AU (attempted sexual assault tw. it fails and the man's dead.)

title from Richard Siken's / our father who art in heaven / our father who art buried in the yard / someone is digging your grave right now. /

all of jiang cheng's life, he's never been wanted first, yeah? His father prefers his elder, adopted brother. His mother prefers her work and if she has to interact with someone it's his elder sister. His elder sister's got her own life- a boyfriend madly in love with her- a future mother-in-law who's more of a mother than her own- and sometimes Jiang Cheng thinks even she prefers Wei Wuxian more than him. (jin guangshan was rich, and is dead, good riddance.)

the only one who's cared about him is Wei Wuxian- JC's always been his person for wwx. and that matters so much... here's the person who loves Jiang Cheng for himself, someone for who he isn't a disappointment.

so when one day, on the day of wei changze and cangse sanren's tenth death anniversary, jiang fengmian, drunk out of his mind, tries to kiss wwx, saying how he looks so much like his parents and jc watches it happen. he sees how wwx is so fucking scared.. his brother, his person, the only person who has ever mattered is terrified.. and he just. sees scared and so fucking angry that he doesn't think. it's red. grabs his mother's favourite vase, and smashes is against his father's head

there's a dead man on the floor, bleeding into the carpet. baby jc going hysterical that he killed his dad. and wwx is cold. he can think it through. he's been betrayed by a man he thought as a father... and there's no one he can trust anymore. he has to save jc.

they bury jiang fengmian in the backyard, and run. they dont look back.

years later, jiang fengmian is a homicide case, wwx is a deranged kidnapper and murderer still at large, and jiang cheng is presumed dead. meanwhile, there's two lovely men living in a backwater town, bickering like old married couples do, and it's so nice to see love is in the air. nothing strange about them, yeah? they must have had those old-fashioned prejudiced people for parents. good on them for running away.

@jcs-singular-slut-strand come see what i wrote!!

#mdzs #the untamed #jiang cheng #jiang wanyin #wei ying #wei wuxian #chengxian #xiancheng #to the point of invention AU #blur on the horizon AU #digging your grave AU #anon asks #anon #asks #people are sending me fandom asks?? i'm so flattered!!#*mine: fanfic #if you guys let this one flunk i'll start crying #love my aus please

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