Nirvana in Fire Season 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin: Dropped Drama Diaries

Aug 14
2 min read

Title:	Nirvana in Fire Season 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin (2017)
Platform:	Youtube (free)
MDL Rating:	8.6
Genre:	Period Political Wuxia (some brief splashes of romance)
Episode Count:	50
Last Episode Watched:	34
Parental Guidance Rating:	PG-13: Violence and blood (battle sequences)
Starring:	Huang Xiao Ming (Winter Begonia) Liu Hao Run (Novoland: Eagle Flag) Zhang Hui Wen (Legend of Fei) Tong Li Ya (Fearless Blood) Wu Hao Chen (Swords into Plowshares)

Synopsis:

Xiao Ping Zhang and Xiao Ping Jing are the talented sons of Xiao Ting Sheng, the Prince of Changlin and general of the Liang dynasty’s most powerful army. Ping Zhang is the eldest and heir of Changlin, while Ping Jing is carefree and receives teachings from the the master of Langya Hall in the jianghu. The Changlin Manor exists, first and foremost, for the people of Da Liang. They are greatly respected and trusted by the current and past emperors, and they act with high integrity and loyalty to the country. However, some worry that the Changlin Manor is gaining too much power and favor, and there are those with old grudges to repay. As such, shadowy plots battle once again with righteous conduct in this sequel, as familial ties, moral values, ambition, and coming-of-age themes take the protagonists through a tumultuous road to finding themselves. @MDL

Non-Spoiler Thoughts:

The long awaited sequel to the sensational Nirvana in Fire, The Wind Blows in Chang Lin can (for the most part) be watched as a standalone, but makes more sense if you check out the original (which you should becuase it's awesome). The drama skips forward a couple generations, following the descendants of the child Mei Chang Su saved in NiF, as they wade through court politics and fight to protect their kingdom. Everything about this felt grand and weighty, with an old fashioned majesty and color grading that made me think of historical epics of bygone days.

The Wind Blows deviates from its predecessor in that this time around, the villains are the expert strategists looking for revenge, while the protagonists are the ones trying to hold on to their pants. This made it a somewhat frustrating watch, that coupled with the slow and methodical pace, made my interest drop off. But in the dramas defense, the sequel does make you feel more, though the first is still more clever.

And we have more romance than in Nirvana in Fire Uno and thank goodness. I LOVED all the couples. In fact, I loved all the characters. The drama was just too slow for my mood, but maybe I will pick it back up one day.

Also, the subtitles are a slap in the face to the english language. I could only find this on Youtube and woof. Shout out to a certain actor for trying to act through his botox. I see you trying sir, and I acknowledge it.