Random Thoughts of Wuxia

[Ken Cheng]

Once again I'm remind of the DGSD Irony: the more you want something, the harder it is to have it.

...which sort of defeats the whole purpose of wanting. It's pretzel logic.

I like Mr. Spock's logic on this better: "Having is somehow never as good as wanting."

[tape]

Yeah that theme doesn't feel quite applicable to real life. We'd have a bunch of lazy bums instead of geniuses slaving tens of hours a day in order to get what we wanted . Kind of runs opposite to Gladwell's "If you want something, practice it for 10,000 hours and you'll probably get there".

[PJ]

To be fair, friends, if you want something badly and you go about it without seeming like you want it badly, then you're probably OK.

It's those folks who show their badly-wanted-ness in a heavy-handed way (natural emotion) that won't get it.

So the concealer wins.

[Ken Cheng]

Damn, that TVB actress who played Dream Girl in DGSD '81 was *horrible* at acting.

Granted, she was a last-minute replacement for Mirta Ging, who was in a contract dispute with TVB at the time, but surely TVB could have found someone with better acting skills.

This actress also appeared in THE BUND as (of all things) a hopelessly bad actress in a stage play.

[PJ]

Dream Girl is a throwaway character anyhow. I forgot she existed until this post.

[Ken Cheng]

Dream Girl is a throwaway character anyhow. I forgot she existed until this post.

I suppose; I was hoping that the novel version had more personality than the DGSD '81 version. In DGSD 81, she seemed to be just plugged in to give Hui Juk the requisite love interest, and for no other reason. Maybe that's why TVB decided one of their regular background actresses could do the job just fine and they didn't need the services of Mirta Ging.

[tape]

To be fair, friends, if you want something badly and you go about it without seeming like you want it badly, then you're probably OK.

It's those folks who show their badly-wanted-ness in a heavy-handed way (natural emotion) that won't get it.

So the concealer wins.

Strangely enough, if you show a lot of drive and initiative it's a positive thing on a professional level, and possibly to new acquaintances.

To friends and family that know you, and especially to a girl you're going after, it kind of makes you the weird guy that tries too hard.

[PJ]

Strangely enough, if you show a lot of drive and initiative it's a positive thing on a professional level, and possibly to new acquaintances.

Depends on what the enthusiasm is for. If it's for the good of the business and has support, then it's a good thing, but if it's just for his personal gain (which is what the DGSD cases are), then it's just going to put people off (rightfully) and create enemies.

[PJ]

Eight-Armed Swordsman Fang Dongbai was described as extremely miserable looking. I think it was said something like anyone who looked at him will feel miserable instantly. I wonder what caused his misery.

[Trien Chieu]

I suppose; I was hoping that the novel version had more personality than the DGSD '81 version. In DGSD 81, she seemed to be just plugged in to give Hui Juk the requisite love interest, and for no other reason. Maybe that's why TVB decided one of their regular background actresses could do the job just fine and they didn't need the services of Mirta Ging.

Few days ago, I took my mom to see a Chinese doctor for acupuncture. I waited at a waiting room while my mom got the treatment. There are few Chinese magazines about Chinese actors and actresses. Mirta Ging is on one of them. Her look change a lot. I remember she was so beautiful in TVB serials, but her current look is very very ordinary, nothing special at all . What a big shock....

[Trien Chieu]

I always attributed it to silly deterioration theory to which I am vehemently opposed. Deterioration theory only seems to apply because it nicely describes the relatively weak Qing dynasty martial arts feats. However, we've seen strong evidence against it already in Ming dynasty XAJH. Too bad the theory already seems to be ingrained in everyone's minds.

There are some really really powerful fighters in XAJH. I don't think anyone think DFBB is weaker than any of the greats, Gwok Jing, Yeung Gor, Cheung 3 Fung or Cheung Mo Gei. It's suck that all the cool martial arts from DGSD and Condor trilogy are no longer available in XAJH.

[Trien Chieu]

how did they brush their teeth? use the toilet? shampoo? some characters say they don't shower for months. how did girls deal with periods?

According to TVB serials of the 80s, their cloth is probably cleaner than yours.

[Ken Cheng]

Few days ago, I took my mom to see a Chinese doctor for acupuncture. I waited at a waiting room while my mom got the treatment. There are few Chinese magazines about Chinese actors and actresses. Mirta Ging is on one of them. Her look change a lot. I remember she was so beautiful in TVB serials, but her current look is very very ordinary, nothing special at all . What a big shock....

I didn't know that Mirta Ging has made any public appearances since around 1987 or so. She is one of numerous Hong Kong TV actresses who were once very popular during the 1980s, but seemed to vanish from the face of the Earth afterwards.

[liubang1992]

Was rewatching DGSD 1997 and 2003, and it just occured to me how relatively little time the others spent with each other. Duan Yu meets Xiao Feng, drinks, swears brotherhood, attends event in forest. Literally does not see him again until Shaolin temple. Duan Yu is a bit closer with Xu Zhu I guess. Meets at chess game, become friends after attack on Lingju Palace, whoop some butt together at Shaolin. Obviously shortest is Xu Zhu meeting Xiao Feng for the first time at shaolin. I haven't read the novels, but they quickly separate (2003) or at least go together (1997) to Western Xia to see the princess. Last time they meet is saving Xiao Feng and having him die. Totally understandable in wuxia how pretty much compatible personalities or surviving one big battle can make you super tight and all, but it's kinda funny in comparison to sworn brotherhoods like Guo Jing and ZBT who basically see each other over and over again throughout their lives. Like seriously, did the trio even spend the equivalent of one month's time with each other? But whatevs, they unbeatable together. XIAO XU DUAN FTW!

[Doc Kwok]

Totally understandable in wuxia how pretty much compatible personalities or surviving one big battle can make you super tight and all, but it's kinda funny in comparison to sworn brotherhoods like Guo Jing and ZBT who basically see each other over and over again throughout their lives.

Actually, after ZBT ran away from Ying Gu at Mount Hua at the end of LOCH, the next time he shows up is some twenty years later, during which he had no contact with Guo Jing at all (to the point of not even knowing he had a daughter). It is not mentioned whether or not they had contact during the 16-year time skip, but if not (probable, since he had retired to the White Flower valley, and didn't know Guo Xiang at all), the first time they meet after LOCH is at the end of ROCH after he was injured at the Mongolian camp some 36 years after!

[Ken Cheng]

I can't think of a single person I've recently reunited with whom I haven't seen since...1978.

[tape]

Hrm. Does that mean they're really close, or not really close?

You still risk your life for them after 36 years of not seeing them...but you couldn't take the time to hang out with them for 36 years!

[liubang1992]

My bad, totally thought ZBT met Guo Jing more than that. I guess I forgot about the major gap in LOCH and ROCH. But yeah's it's still funny how long gaps are: "Hey sworn brother of man, I'm totally glad I bumped into you after 36 years. Really afraid you were gonna die without me knowing, thus breaking our oath to die on the same day"

[tape]

It really is a puzzling concept that is somehow easy to accept for some reason.

ZBT, and GJ for 13 years, didn't really have anything to do but made no effort to see each other despite being brothers. I don't see some of my best friends for long periods of time because of work or money related reasons, but these guys pretty much don't have any concerns in life.

Guess it settles that women are more important than brothers! Could you imagine any protagonist not making an effort to see their lover for even a year?

[liubang1992]

I guess in Wuxia, a lot of times brotherhood is for those you tremendously respect and feel sorta compatable with but not necessarily one who you would hang out with everyday. ZBT would be like "hey let's go mess with some folks" and GJ would just be like "no." Meanwhile, I don't recall (sorry I haven't read most of these, viet dubbed tv guy), getting that sense that XF DY and XZ would totally hang. Sure they would hang, drink some (but XF would prefer a gazillion wine while the other two are more moderate), and talk Buddhism (obviously appeals to the latter two more than XF). Maybe exchange kung fu, but that sounds like stuff non brothers like the greats aside from OYF would do. On a slightly related note, this was something that I found pretty funny and ironic in DGSD. Duan Yu starts off meeting Mu Wanqing, basically decided to marry each other. Obviously that fails cause they thought they were brothers and sisters. Get's poisoned, totally had a chance for sex but obviously passed on that. I assume DY didn't do it with Zhong Ling in the cave (although Benny Chan for some reason throws a really pleasured face in his version) otherwise DY would flip tables when he found out Zhong was his sister. Meets Wang Yuyan and stalks her. XF meets the love of his life in Ah Zhu, but I don't think they ever had sex (at least in the 1997 version), since XF was super hesistant and shy about ever looking at the words on her shoulder as he dies. Next thing you know Xu Zhu pops up, meets TSTL, and ends up losing his virginity first out of the three brothers even though A) as a monk he probably never want to break his celibacy and B) didn't end up loving the princess until the deed was done and experienced the joys of sex. The manliest awesome superhero stays a virgin, monk is the first to lose virginity, while prince symbolically commits incest with 3 different "sisters." Way to go Jin Yong, you da man.