Nirvana in Fire (2015)

Stellar Drama Combing a Revenge Story With Complex Character Dynamics

Nirvana in Fire took a few episodes to grab me, and I was definitely hesitant to start such a long series. But, in the end, it turned out to be a captivating story with interesting, tense character dynamics and a brilliantly dramatic overarching conflict.

ACTING
There's not really much I can say here - all the performances are quite good, with a special commendation to those who play Changsu's retainers, Eunuch Gao, The Emperor, and Prince Jingyan. The interaction between The Emperor and Jingyan especially feels very natural and portrays the complex dynamic between absolute ruler and son quite well.

MUSIC
The music took a while to grow on me, but like the series, it's a bit of a slow burn. The OST is well-placed in each episode and rarely feels awkward, while the opening and ending are both references to some of the underlying themes in the show (with the butterfly prevalent in the opening being a particularly poignant double-metaphor). I rated the music slightly less for those few times that the songs feel a bit overplayed.

STORY
The story and characters - these are the real reason to watch Nirvana in Fire. The plot could be roughly broken down into several arcs in which tie together in Mei Changsu's ultimate "revenge" plot. I won't go into details here for risk of spoilers, but each arc roughly involves a new event or circumstance that at least one major actor - Changsu being the most common - tries to take advantage of. The other characters in advisory positions react and attempt to put out fires (sometimes literally) while slowly shifting the politics of the court one way or the other.
All of the plotting one way or the other eventually comes down to The Emperor. Nirvana in Fire portrays the role between various court actors and The Emperor better than any other series I've seen. How The Emperor will react, what he wishes, who he'll be suspicious of - everyone who plays the game of the court ultimately has their focus on its head. And given the goals of each of the characters - which often conflict with The Emperor's desires - subtly changing the atmosphere by planning events days in advance can be essential to ensuring a plan succeeds.

SUMMARY
From start-to-finish, Nirvana in Fire is a stellar drama that combines a driven revenge story with complex character dynamics and courtly politics to create a masterpiece of intrigue and planning.

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10 10 10 10 If I could give this drama a score of more than ten, I definitely would!
This is one of the series than I've watched more than 10 times. The story, the actors, the costumes, EVERYTHING is perfect & when I say perfect it's not an exaggeration but an understatement.

Although if you are looking for a lot of romance then this may not be the series for you. But this does not mean that the drama lacks "love" cause trust me it has, just not much

This is a must watch for someone who is looking for a mind boggling, exciting series.

Don't get discourage about the bloody first part, It's not that heavy on fighting.

A MUST WATCH SERIES!! You won't be disappointed!

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MUST WATCH THIS

Well, I just wouldn't know where to start. This is my first completed Wu Xia drama I was completely amazed by it. I have so much to say and it'll probably be long so let me summarize it first. If you like Scheming dramas, where wining isn't really about how strong you are, or how strong your army is, but how smart, then this is a drama you'll definitely enjoy. However there is much more that this drama offers. The characters, their relationships and how things develop around them are at the heart of the drama. Love, loyalty, brotherhood portrayed in such a beautiful way. Like one of the comments I read on a blog said about this drama: *It hurts so good!*



As for the plot, it basically is a Chinese version of The Count of Monti Cristo transposed in Chinese empire. However, the story felt grander than the original French novel, and more than just a revenge tale. It is a story that goes beyond life and death, but setting the truth free. We are introduced to Mei Chang Su, a sickly man and part of the pugilistic world. He has established the Jiangzuo Alliance, a very powerful alliance with eyes and ears basically everywhere. Such power has given Mr. Su the title of Divine Talent. Two princes that are fighting for the throne sought after such talent. He was welcomed to the capital, but he had his own agenda. The two princes have been set against each other by the emperor. However such an act has corrupted the royal court, making the whole empire lose its strength. Mr. Su wants to remove both princes as contenders to the throne and bring forth the seventh prince, who's unfavoured by the emperor and looked down upon in the court. Mr.Su does so by studying the whole situation, going after each of the corrupt officials and brings their misdeeds to light. This is his way of removing corruption, and rebuilding the empire's strength.



That set the story forth as things start changing since the appearance of the mysterious Mei Chang Su. Soon enough, people start realizing that things are moving, and interest starts to increase in that mysterious figure. Little do they know he’s Lin Shu, survivor of the Chiyang army, and a victim of a tragedy from 12 years ago. The capital is full of people who benefitted from his tragedy, and those whose time has stopped since that time, unable to accept reality, but incapable of changing reality. Among them loyal friends join our protagonist in his quest to set things right.



Though the story is all about machinations, with smart villains, and smarter hero, what make this drama so special, addicting, memorable and endearing are the characters and relationships. Starting with Mei Chang Su, he’s a tragic character. The son of General Lin, and cousin to the princes, his world with filled with love, his potential was infinite and his dreams are big. Suddenly, all was stolen from him, even his face. He goes back home but it isn’t home anymore. As much as he denies himself the desire to go back to his previous self, he can’t help but show it in the most vital moments. Then there’s the 7th prince, Prince Jing. He’s very straight forward, to a fault, and never hides his feelings. What he thinks of the Chiyang army is no secret to all, making him unfavoured by his father, the emperor. He and Lin Shu grew up as brothers, and his feelings for Lin Shu haven’t changed. However he seemed to have inherited his doubtful side from his father. He has a hard time trusting Mei Chang Su since Mr. Su isn’t as straightforward as he’d like him to be, and he has a prejudice against strategist. I have to say seeing the relationship between these two develop is the most appealing in the drama, and the most carefully planned.

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Drama that should be not ignored.

There is reason why this drama is so popular and praised and it is because the whole drama is really really amazing.
Cinematography ,Plot ,charters .. and the music i have no words to describe how flawless and perfect is this drama..
There is funny moments but the whole plot is very serous.
Everyone had their reasons for their actions.And motives was reasonable.Most Charters were smart.
My advice is dont ignore this drama, if you are hesitating to watch . I ignored untill now and i regret.
This is masterpiece that i will never forget.
So definitely want to rewatch this one in the future.

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Most satisfying watch of recent times.

Where do I start from? This drama.. this drama.. is a work of art. Art at its highest level.

The sad story of betrayal from the past as its inspirations kept me hooked from the start. The weight of deceit and betrayal that the charachters carried was felt by us.
The pacing of the show is so well crafted and awe inspiring. Most of the time there are charchters talking and strategising. But it never becomes boring. There is never a dull moment. It is one of the few dramas that I didn't had to fast forward due to boring or cringey crap they put in.
The thing I liked most about this drama was subtlety and layering of the narrative, plot, character. The directors were successful in flaring up the tension and holding it still and then giving it an appropriate outcome. It was so satisfying to watch the triumph of the good. What Who rules the world lacked was this. The machinations, the loyalties, the clashes of filial duties and not going over the top.
Though few characters were not suited to the roles or may be they weren't written well, but they are few in number. The male lead has to be given thumbs up. His mannerisms, his talk, his eyes, his smile, his grimace, everything was on the point.
I at the start of drama hoped for lost love storyline, but as I went in, it didn't matter. There is no big romance or wooing stuff.
The writing is so tight and precise, its simply mind blowing.
As usual with cdramas, the set and dressing was top notch.
The directors did a mighty good job. The end though we knew was coming, was satisfying though made us sad.
This is a drama which while telling a story teaches so many small things of life. I would recommend this drama to everyone to watch atleast once in his/her lifetime.

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Very rarely do I finish a drama and immediately feel a longing and yearning for it, as if a dear friend has departed. I have just finished watching this drama and I am filled to the brim with this feeling. Words cannot explain how this drama conquered my heart and colored it with so many emotions. This is one of those dramas that live up to the hype and go above and beyond. There are plenty of other reviews here on MDL that word it better than I ever could, and I hope they manage to convince you to give this one a try. Don't be daunted by the 54 episodes, the political tag, or the numerous characters. I guarantee you that in just three or four episodes, you will be able to follow the characters and the story easily. I used the help of a recap blog to memorize character names and faces, as well as a character map I found on Google Images. That little effort is worth it, because this drama is an experience you must undergo. It is truly phenomenal. I enjoyed every minute of this drama. I fell in love with Su Ge-Ge and Fei Liu's friendship, with General Meng's cute facial expressions, with Nihuang's grace and undying love, with Jinyang's sense of justice, and even Gao Zhan's wise, caring presence. I want to watch this all over again!

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A drama that lives up to its reputation

In a Nutshell:
Nirvana In Fire is based on a Chinese web novel Lang Ya Bang, or “The Langya list”. This list is updated each year by a spy network and provides intel to the highest bidder about who the most talented people in society are. Mei Changsu is on the list as the best political strategist and is desperately sought after by rivals Prince Yu and Prince Xian in their quest to become the Crown Prince of the Liang Dynasty. Unbeknownst to everyone, Mei Changsu’s real name is Lin Shu, whose father was a loyal Commander of the Chiyan Army. Lin Shu shared a close friendship with the Emperor’s 7th son Prince Jing, and was engaged to marry Princess Nihuang, an accomplished General of the Mu army guarding the Southern borders. Lin Shu and his father was ordered by the Emperor 12 years ago to quell a rebellion. However, the Chiyan Army was framed by political rivals which resulted in the massacre of the entire Lin family and Chiyan Army. Only Lin Shu and a few loyal soldiers survived the slaughter. Severely wounded, Lin Shu was nursed back to life with Poison of the Bitter Flame. The concoction, although lifesaving, completely stripped the once strapping Lin Shu of his physical strength and drastically altered his appearance. He uses this “disguise” to assume a new identity as Mei Changsu and returns to the Capital to bring those responsible for the conspiracy against the Lin family to justice.

The Highlights:
Nirvana in Fire is a smartly written drama with a tight plot that stays 3 steps ahead of its audience. Although the drama is often catagorised as a WuXia, it is more a battle of wits than brawn with each character a chess piece in the larger political arena. The sustained build-up to every checkmate that Mei Changsu / Lin Shu make against his enemies is logically written and well executed in terms of production, editing and design.

The heartfelt screenplay masterfully weaves the intricacies of relationships fractured by tragedy, injustice and loss. It paints a sombre yet riveting picture of the fallout between fathers and sons, husband and wives, siblings, and best friends, as a result of the Emperor’s paranoid decision to wipe out the entire Lin clan and Chiyan Army. The friendship between Mei Changsu and Prince Jing make for compelling viewing. Mei Changsu never bats an eyelid as he intentionally lies to Prince Jing about his true identity, yet at the same time he is heartbroken about not being able to reconnect with his best friend. It was equally tragic to see Prince Jing finding something oddly familiar about Mei Changsu's mannerisms, but never quite fully connecting the dots. Although Nihuang plays third wheel to the bromance, the character holds her own in terms of delivering some beautiful and poignant moments with Mei Changsu which continue to linger in your mind even after the drama finishes. The acting in this drama is also impeccable, with the bonus of no melodramatic over-the-top acting from the supporting cast (which can be quite common in C-dramas).

The lowlights:
For those not familiar with the Chinese concept of JiangHu and palace hierarchy, I think the first few episodes of this drama can be quite hardwork as it takes a while to get a hang of the lingo. However, the persistence pays off as soon as you get over this hurdle. You also need to suspend your belief that someone’s entire appearance can change so drastically and survive the ordeal. The drama also starts off really slow with an overwhelming introduction of multiple characters and relationship structures. Like I said … the beginning few episodes are hardwork!

The verdict:
Nirvana in Fire is just like a chess game - a slow start to set up moves, but a thrilling finish as endgame approaches. It certainly does live up to its reputation as one of the best Chinese dramas out there.

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My first 10/10!

I'm a relatively-seasoned Asian drama watcher and this is my first 10/10. Even other titles that I've loved and obsessed over haven't gotten ratings this high. I scored rewatch value a little lower as I don't know honestly how much I will want to rewatch it, but it's otherwise really perfect. I won't go on and on on why because there are plenty of other reviews that do just that.

My only tiny gripe which isn't enough to even really knock off any points for? Minor spoilers below:

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I don't know how much the things with the Hua people mattered. I think it did add a layer of shock to Prince Yu and Xia Jiang's ties and added a layer of complexity to motives, but it kinda fizzled out. I'm also a little perplexed on why they started hinting at the Princess Consort (Prince Jing's new wife chosen in the last few episodes) was treated with suspicion but in the last second, Surprise! She's on the good side. Ok that's all it amounted to.

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Top Notch Tale of Revenge

This was my first ever Chinese drama and I have been re-watching it at least once a year ever since. It never gets old. In fact, I just finished another rewatch and wanted to convey how much I love this drama. It is #1 on my greatest of all-time list. The acting of main cast and supporting cast are superb. There really is no weak link in the acting department. The bad guys are really good at being bad guys and the heroes are great at being heroes, especially Hu Ge, who plays brilliant strategist Mei Changsu with a vulnerability that you cannot help but root for. Every one of his subordinates and friends would die for him to help him fulfill his plans. And I as viewer feel the same way! It's fascinating to see how all his precise and carefully made plans came to fruition one by one. The plot keeps building up the more episodes you watch. The romance of Mei Changsu and Ni Huang is heartbreaking, but so are all the amazing friendships as well. The introduction song is poignant, I never skip it when watching and the songs from all 3 leads are amazing! If you start watching this drama, I guarantee you will also re-watch every year! It is just that good!

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The Best

I always stick to kdrama because it's relatable and I have gotten accustomed to the language but I decided to try chinese drama, I watched a few and it was not that great and I was starting to think mmm... chinese drama wasn't worth the change, the Nirvana in fire 1 happened. After I was done watching I told my parents and friends that they need to see this drama... Yes it's that good
The story, the backstory, the cast ,the custom, the beginning, the end... I loved everything about it. We have the main lead Mei chang su who is going into battle with his arsenal fully prepared , a strategy like no other , oppositions he knows how to defeat before the battle start and allies he can depend on until the very end. This story isn't just about getting revenge for his dead families and soldiers, it's about setting wrongs Right. He could get revenge without him coming into their political world but he wants to set what as been wrong which is pased as right, Right (I don't know if that made sense).

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This is the first time i write a review here in dramalist. and ive seen lot of drama before, especially kingdom drama like fire in nirvana. This drama is so good especially the plot and the way the story is told. for everyone who hasnt watch the show, please be patient if you want to start to watch it. this is the kind of drama that you need to figure out what is the connection between the character, you need to be involved into the story and then you will get the explanation later. this is very hard movie to watch at first (at least until ep 7). i failed to watch it twice and i regret it, that im not watch it sooner. anyway, if you need good drama, good acting, good story, good ending this is drama that you need to watch. i dare to put it on my number one list of good kingdom drama above six flying dragon, jewel in the palace or emperor qi. a very good drama.

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