As I’m Preparing My Copy Of MDZS To Lend Out, I’m Re-reading About How Crazy And Difficult It Is

Stars of Chaos 杀破狼

Vol 2, Notes 1. Pages 21 - 46.

A very kind tumblr user had to educate me that, yes, Priest edited her work after it was published (stolen on to?) on pirate websites, and so, yes, the translators were working off of a different version than I read.

But I LOVE the version I read, so I'm sharing it with you. You get BOTH.

Please excuse my angry "MISSING PARAGRAPH!" hand-written notes, as I did not realize that official edits were made post-pirate-publication.

Below are many possibly-unnecessary cultural notes that I think are just really neat, plus differences between versions. (I love the old one!)

Here we go:

Very cool word, 帅。

Usually, I read or hear it in reference to some guy being very cool. Devilishly handsome. Dashing.

Here, 大帅 is used as "Commander-in-Chief," which is the same thing as "Marshal," which can mean (dictionary.com) "a military officer of the highest rank" as well as the one I'm more familiar with, "chief of a police or fire department in some cities."

I just like how, in Chinese, I can also-interpret that everyone is calling him "Big Handsome."

Yah, Chen QingXu is a Boss. Who introduces herself as, like, a snake-oil peddler.

讷于言 The young soldier was bad at words. Not sparing, not careful; just bad.

悬壶济世 hang pot save world, because so much of Chinese medicine is boiling herbs for patients to drink.

No one is putting powder in leather sachets. It's dried herbs.

I usually agree with the Seven Seas' formatting, but I think it would be more clear if those sentences were broken into the original two separate paragraphs.

Top: Gold Tank = container for violet gold. It took me a second to figure that out.

Bottom: 小兄弟. I love how you can combine the "older brother" 兄 with the "younger brother" 弟, add a "little" 小 in the front, and it becomes, effectively, "Bro," but respectful.

In case you can't read my tiny bad handwriting: there used to be another paragraph here about how Gu Yun wants to see Chen QingXu because his meds are losing effect. The effects of drinking the meds used to last for months, then weeks, and now they only last two days.

And on the facing page, in the illustration, Chang Geng should be ON his horse.

It hits a little different, I think, to say You have to bathe and change your clothes just to walk your horse? And it has to be this exact time and place?

锋芒毕露 "sharp point must expose"

After years spent guarding the Silk Road, Gu Yun's propensity to show off had gradually faded...

OK. I think ten is enough for this post. More to come...

My DanMei Literary Adventure Masterpost

Stars of Chaos - All Notes Links

MDZS Volume 4 Annotations

Part 10, pages 310 - end

This is it! The last of the annotations for this volume!

Another exhortation to read @boat-full-of-lotus-pods’s translation, and yet more clarifications to make the reading more comprehensible.

Yes, please read

And some more notes under the cut:

he sounds like hes making shit up on the spot……..absolute himbo

病案本。Case File Compendium. 😢😢😭😭😭😭😭

There are still 60-some chapters left. Meatbun can’t just do this to her characters and then just… just… lead the crying fest for 60+ chapters, right? It has to get better eventually, right?

Right?!?

😭

i am once again thinking about lan zhan, lan wangji, hanguang jun, lan er gege and literally how he's the best boy ever

So, I guess that answers my question about when the live-action 2Ha will be released.

I gotta love that production team for trying!!!

Reminder for us fans who haven’t been following this adaptation: the live-action version is called Immortality (皓衣行, Hào Yī Xíng).

i know everyone anguishes over the fact that hyx will probably never see the light of day but the fact that it got filmed at all is a miracle in itself like how did the director read “student becomes a genocidal dictator and forces former teacher to become his sex slave” and go “yeah i can make that pass censorship”

MDZS Vol 4 Annotations

Part 2, pages 51 - 88

Part 2!

Some anti-slang annotations, a few Chinese Family / People Terminology reminders.

Yes, the literal translation is “miraculous.”

No, MXTX is not trying to invoke or reference either Jesus or Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

She’s just trying to show that WWX has fast reflexes.

More below the cut:

MDZS Resources & References:

OR, a collection of meta fiction for MDZS writers and enthusiasts:

Grandmaster of Demonic Timeline by chrisemrys

The timeline of Wei Wuxian’s life with some bonus, worked for my own notes and shared for understanding of my MDZS fic(s)!

MDZS Timeline by thewickling (Diviana)

A guide to MDZS’s confusing chronology that I unwrangle in my spare time.

On Character’s Ages by thewickling (Diviana)

A collection of meta on the possible ages for different characters in MDZS and what ages they would be during key events in the timeline.

Mo Dao Zu Shi Writer Reference: Novel Chapter Summaries by threerings 

A breakdown of all the chapters in the Mo Dao Zu Shi/ Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation novel, with what happens when. To help in referring back to specific scenes, because who can remember with every version happening in a different order.

Reference for Modao Zushi Writers: Chinese terms & Naming Conventions by chaoticjoy

This is to provide a reference for writers who are unfamiliar with Chinese literary conventions or terms used in canon. Hopefully someone will find this helpful.

Chinese naming basis for fanfiction writers by miqqumi

I notice a lot of people struggling with how to use Chinese names in fanfic, so I put together a guide. I hope it’s helpful to someone.

The Untamed / MDZS, resources link post, stuff I needed as a writer by AteanaLenn

Discovering and writing in a new fandom is difficult, but especially in one whose culture you know nothing about. I started writing a The Untamed fic the other day, and ended up spending hours looking up reference posts and blog posts, in order to try and avoid the most obvious mistakes at least.

Eventually, I ended with a lot of info, so here you go, useful stuff I found to understand this fandom.

MDZS Audio Drama Episode Guide by pumpkinpaix 

An episode guide for all seasons of the MDZS Audio Drama, so if you’re searching for a specific scene/quote, it’s easier to find. A breakdown of novel chapters already exists, courtesy of the wonderful threerings, but the audio drama does slightly different things and has some really beautiful changes/scripting, so this is a supplemental guide for anyone who wants to reference the AD instead of the novel for any reason.

Obviously, spoilers for the entirety of the plot.

MDZS Meta Collection on AO3

MDZS Vol 2 Annotations, part 2

Here is Part 2 of my annotations of MDZS Volume 2, pages 87 - 160.