SO MUCH Hidden Meaning in Their NAMES! Characters' Names Explained -Word of Honor [CC] 

WoH is actually the first BL drama that's made it passed censorship, and managed to express the romantic relationship between the two male leads very openly, tenderly and successfully. I think it's a milestone in Chinese entertainment

"he carried out his flirting spirit to the end of the world." lmao

13:07 Thank you, I shall now proceed to go cry in my little corner. Cheng Ling really considered Gu Xiang his sister. I can't anymore

As someone that is not versed on Chinese culture, I really appreciate how you take the time to research and explain things. Thank you

We highly respect our Queen, who gives us so many interesting information !

The script writer is definitely a huge fan of “Dream of the Red Chamber” (one of the Four Great Classic Novels). The last name of “Zhen”, the reference to “sticking pancakes”, and WKX likening A’Xu to a “beauty lamp” (the male lead in Red Chamber calls the female lead a “beauty lamp” cuz her health is delicate and a wind can easily extinguish her). There’s also a poem that’s partially taken from Red Chamber, but I forgot which one.

Aaaah ‘A gentleman’s character should be as warm and as gentle, as smooth and as rounded as jade’ Chinese poetry really knows how to move my heart.

I really adore this type of video where we (non-Chinese speakers) can learn more about Chinese language and culture, deepening our understanding of the dramas/novels. You're really good at explaining it too! thank you so much for taking the time to make this video :)

As a native Chinese speaker I have to say I feel like I am illiterate when watching this drama and your explanations bc so much hidden meanings behind the story,lines, poems and names.Thank you for all of the information.

Mandarin is so freaking fascinating! So many meaning, so many interconnections! Thank you, super interesting video (and very clear explanations!).

I still can't believe that priest wrote tian ya ke, almost a decade ago as it was so good

She's whipped for word of honour and I can relate. I love love love this drama

沈慎不慎，赵敬不敬，龙孝不孝。这几个名字真的起得很符合人物啊！当然最戳我的还是客行悲故乡，从第一集就挂在我们头上的一把大刀

To say as 32 years old rookie screenwriter her ideas is really amazing and very new and lively. Thanks miss Nada!

客行還有一個說法：背水離鄉是為客，衍字無水是為行！衍分水行，人行水上，離鄉異客，是為客行！ 後面阿絮說「客行雖雲樂；不如早旋歸」也很好嗑，因為知道老溫一心奔赴死局，他用各種方式告訴他有人在四季山莊等著他需要他，真是太溫柔了！

not at me on the edge of tears when kè xíng bēi gù xiāng comes up ಥ‿ಥ

Thank you! When you said 40% of this video will be about one name, I immediately knew it was going to be Wen Kexing! His name just fascinated me to the end!

I like how you pointed out "Faraway Wanderer" and how it connects to Wen Kexing. I always thought it was referencing Zhou Zishu and how he wandered away from the martial arts world. But I guess it can apply to both.

"And Zhou Zishu was totally like fine, fine, whatever you wanna play with it" IM CRYING AND LAUGHING AT THE SAME TIME OMG ZHOU ZISHU!!!

How many WOH related videos are you making, really? 😆 I'll watch all of them.

This is the type of video I like to watch when an RU-vidr shares incredible information on literature of their culture. This was really a fantastic video.

After watching your video, it seems to me it’s mostly the script writer’s brilliance that made this show so famous!

I recently found your channel because of your lip reading in Word of Honor and wOw- thank you for opening me in these culture and beliefs- And now I binge watch all these kind of videos to understand and cry more-

The script writer is amazing. You're also super awesome for pointing out all the meanings behind everything :)

AND from the line "行舟绿水前", there are literally characters 行 and 水 which just constitute 衍

These interpretations make me even more excited to watch more of 山河令. I'm an advanced Chinese learner, but I have such a hard time even noticing details like these. It all makes sense after you have explained it. Thank you!

虽然姐姐说的这些内容在中文语境中大家都懂了 但是看到你能用这么好的英语解释出来 真的很佩服 好喜欢 顺便还能学英语 感谢！

I love the explanation of the names. I could picture WKX naming this orphaned street child who follows him around after something he longs for 'home' and 'family'.

“子舒”真的是个好名字。好得很传统，很和美。的的确确就是父母想要给予子女的那种祝福和祈望。有一种中国式的温情在里面。

This is like studying while having fun. Thanks very much😍

Zhang Nianxiang Such a beautiful name 😖 Immma go and cry now

I've seen people call Wen Kexing 'Wink Xing', which I love.

"in memory of gu xiang" that's so sweet and sad omg

You missed one thing. Kexing and Gu Xiang appear simultaneously in one poem: 客行悲故乡. Here 客行 is Kexing, the same as the name in this drama. 故乡 pronounce as the same as Gu Xiang, though different characters. 悲 means sorrow, or feel grieved for something. Literally, this line means the travelling guest feels sorrow for his homeland. In this drama, you can interpret it as Kexing feels grieved for Gu Xiang. So if you know this poem, you would have expected a bad ending for Gu Xiang at the beginning.

I love your intense enthusiasm for this topic. I sent your first video on Wen Kexing’s flirty poetry to my family, since we are collectively watching Word of Honor on our Tv night, and my mother, who is a literature and poetry teacher in our family’s home tongue, said, “You can tell that she really delights in language!” It’s so clear that you’re knowledgeable and thoughtful and your passion for these kinds of topics is infectious.

Are you kidding! Every minute i spent watching you for last 2 years (since i discovered you by chance) was/is meaningful and worth it. Thanks for taking time to enlighten us as usual.

A lot of these names are also referenced in the ending song of the show. Because the ending song is all about how things are dream-like and you want to take life slowly and live a peaceful life drinking tea.

Your reveal about Cheng Ling; dauhgter, burst my tears T___T

Much respect and in awe of the Script Writer's wit and intelligence! Need to find out more about this writer and check out other work. Thank you @AvenueX for these wonderful translations!

Is it ridiculous if I say it was mind-blowingly beautiful after three years? Gosh, I'm speechless! Both the series and the way you analyzed everything drive me crazy. [sobbing]

This is where I learned why "Granting You A Dreamlike Life" is the title of ZYL's drama from 2018. Cuz both Fusheng and Ruomeng is a part of a piece. Woahhhhh

That would be so awesome if there is a season 2 for Cheng Ling’s story. I would love to see him and his daughter 🥺🥺

Im sorry, but i seriously cried after you explained the meaning behind wen kexing, gu ciang, and nian xiang. The meaning behind these names makes it all the more devastating

i think ur just as smart as the scriptwriter cuz ur able to decode all her puzzles and I also fell in love with Chinese from watching ur videos your explanations are lovely. thanks

Mad respect for the script writer and all the thought put into a name that didn't exist in the novel

Wow. from my Filipino-Chinese friends i kinda have an idea how difficult the chinese language is, but from your explanation i got to see how beautiful, and scary to learn, it is. thank you for your explanation, Ma'am

Your videos are totally making me interested with Chinese literature, I remember we've studied some Chinese poems and songs but it wasn't explained well by our teacher. Also I totally understand why Chengling would name her daughter like that. From the beginning when they almost died, Gu Xiang came and when he was having a really hard time because he's being bullied by other disciples in Yueyang Sect, Gu Xiang came. Plus Gu Xiang and Chengling really had that sibling relationship. These characters really made a soft place in my heart as their home.

13:07 when you said "go cry", my eyes tears instantly T.T

I see AvenueX's video with WOH in the title, I click - no question asked.

There is another interpretation of Zhou Xu's name that is worth sharing!!! In episode 2 when WenKeXing first knew ZhouXu's name is "willow", he commented "周而不比，身若飞絮“！ 周而不比(Zhou Er Bu Bi) originated from the Analects of Confucius(论语), describing someone that is fair and just; not bias and without favoritism. While 身若飞絮(Shen Ruo Fei Xu) originates from a poem named Zheguiling - Inchoate Passions (折桂令 · 春情). The original lines of Zheguiling translated are: "身似浮云(My body feels as a drifting cloud,)， 心如飞絮(my heart as willow catkins in the air,)， 气若游丝(my breaths as gossamer.)， 空一缕馀香在此(there is but only leftover incense,)， 盼千金游子何之(to wonder the whereabouts of the aristocratic wanderer.)" . In short it describes a young woman missing and long to see her lover! Awwwwwwww its so sweet to see how WenKeXing put these two lines together to describe the first impression of ZhouXu's name on the very first day they met! I just can't get enough of WoH!!! Read the original full translation of Zheguiling in huaqingsimeng.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/translation-xu-zaisis-zheguiling-inchoate-passions/

Just discovering Chinese Drama television programming. Your explanations adds so much to my enjoyment of Word of Honor. Thanks!

I think it's really deep that Wen Kexing thinks of himself as a "traveling guest." That is, until he finds Zhou Zishu, who is his home.

建議你做一集分析天問和天涯客的歌詞，相信很多老外想學唱！

Why is my Literature teacher getting us to analyse Shakespeare? We should be breaking down Chinese dramas here

Daaaaaaaamn. I was enjoying the whole video so much and then you dropped Nian Xiang on me 😭

16:55 yup, in some interview ZZH (if i remember it correctly) said that if this was like common wuxia story then Chengling should be the main character

I love the analysis on names, costumes, poetry, cultural references...it’s so interesting! Thanks for this!

I’ve never been this early I love your videos

Dear lady, u are brilliant! thank you very much. I could literally not learn this anywhere else. Lot of kudos to you~

each time i come to your videos to educate myself, i feels like sitting in a chinese literature lectures that i never knew i needed. thank you Laoshi

I really needed this video. I have been unsuccessfully googling more information about their names for the past couple of days...

This is some precious Chinese nerdiness overload XD I loved it! Thank you for your wonderful work.

This type of videos are the main reason I subscribe to AvenueX. I like before watching and click immediately when I receive a notification. So thankful for your videos. More please!!! Totally loved it! The extra information we learn from you is so educational. I feel so much smarter already! Hahaha.

13:09 when she said 'go cry' i had just started tearing up lol just finished the show a couple hours ago this wound is too freshhh

Awwwww ❤️❤️❤️❤️😍... Directors of Word of Honour r even more clever than the Untamed ones.... 👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻❤️😭 I m now desperately waiting for Immortality...😭❤️

my eyes teared up when gu xiang and wenning's name mentioned

When you said "Ke xing bei gu xiang", I immediately stopped the video. Didn't realize this video contained potential spoilers for the end of the drama, since there wasn't a spoiler warning in the video or the title. But I'm glad you explained why Ke and Xing make up the character Yan. Totally didn't get how 氵could mean 客.

Thank you so much for these videos and your channel and all the interesting tidbits about what happens behind the camera in a Chinese drama. I’ve been watching Asian dramas with my family since 2007 and I’m so grateful that your channel allows others to grasp a deeper meaning of what we watch, despite where we all come from. It’s been a crazy journey with WoH, the Untamed and Guardian - but I’m happy to be here! 😊

I’m from the U.S., loved the show, this is so interesting, thank you

Gotta love Ye Baiyi. Like, imagine you only wear yellow jeans, you're called that way and your weapon of choice is called "yellow jeenz" (for a little change).

omg all of your videos about poetry, classic literature, and history are PRICELESS

This time truly was well spent, thanx for explaining it to us who do not now Chinese and would've otherwise remained clueless :)

This is such a good video. Thank you so much for the effort done in producing this and sharing information relating to Chinese literature. It’s really the first time I’ve chanced upon such video to do with detailed explanation/ elaboration on Chinese characters with cultural & poetry references and it’s made interesting as relating to a drama’s script. Mandarin isn’t my mother tongue, therefore your video is really helpful for me to decipher the implicit meanings. Would surely continue to follow your future works. : )

Would you believe it that I've only just finished watching Word of Honor, and have enjoyed it so much more because of your analysis on the poetry and language used in this drama. I've also enjoyed your video on poetry in Joy of Life and commentaries on WuXia and JinYong. Growing up in a non-native Chinese speaking society, I've never taken a strong interest in the language until now, in my older years when for some reason I feel an inexplicable pull to "XunGen". So thank you for these videos. They have opened a window for me, and you have shared your vast knowledge of Chinese poetry and culture in a way that's very accessible for bananas like me! JiaYou! Wishing you a happy, healthy 2022, may the stars shine brightly for you.

Girl, you rock! This video and your explanations are so full of EVERYTHING we wanted to know about this drama! thank you!!!

Thank you for the fascinating video, mandarin is such a fascinating language and I love that the author made the most of it. Thank you as well for taking the time to explain such minute details to non speakers like myself.

As someone who has exactly zero knowledge on Chinese language, I really find your videos very educational and entertaining! Although I'm not sure if I'll even remember any of it (to be honest) it makes me appreciate Word of Honor so much more! So happy I stumbled upon WoH and you while browsing RU-vid! Thanks for another amazing video ❤ P.s. I'm watching the episodes uploaded on YT and I just got spoiled, but it's ok I guess? Gotta ready my heart huhuhu

Wow! Your explanation added so much flavour to the drama! I really enjoyed knowing the meaning of their names. Thank you!

Your every video is worthwhile our time, even more so if it's WOH video. :D Thank you for keeping our shared obsession alive. :)

Wow. Now I understand how "Yan" became "Ke Xing" and meaning of Gu Xiang. Also the meaning of "Xu". Thank you for the explanation. Really appreciate it. Thank you again.

I'm late to the party and only just finished watching Word of Honour, bawling through many many episodes and especially ep 35 of course. I love it! And I was so unsatisfied with the ending, but having just watched ep 37 somewhere, I'm happy to create with the open endedness of ep 36 so I can go ahead and imagine a happy ending! And I love this video of the explanation of the names. I appreciate relearning some of the things I learnt as a child growing up in mainstream Chinese school but have sadly become much too rusty to be fluent in Mandarin. Thank you for your awesome channel!

U deserve a medal and a meal with the stars, and the producer/ script writer/ director/ author.

You know what? Now, everytime I read a CN novel, and read a footnote from the translator about the idioms on that novel, I read it with your tone. your voice when explaining something, is stuck on my head. Lol 😂

Thank you for sharing!!! Your time is appreciated. Names being important is a very universal thing but those with scripts like Hanzi definitely have more room to play around. So it is very nice and interesting to get this extra layer of understanding.

An absolutely brilliant lecture that makes me want to rewatch “Word of Honour” and further strengthens my intention to start learning Chinese

Going through an archaeological excavation of WoH again since the whole hoohah. Have caught quite a few good bl dramas since this, and offhand I kind of forgot why I liked this so much. All your videos have reminded me of all the other ways (other than the acting) this drama has been such a treasure at.

Keep the WOH videos coming jie, I’ll watch them all!!!

没想到看了这么久，真正从一个英文博主大大的视频真正了解了这些含义^_^

Brilliant! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this. 🙏♥️ I am amazed by Priest’s and Xiao Chu’s awesome skills in using language and literature to add even more layers to these characters. Kudos to you for picking up on their clever puns 🤩

you know I go crazy, I watch so many videos about the drama, including reactions(40 mins long with each episode 😂😂😂😂

I appreciate your work, I love the way you explain the cultural and literary references. I was searching for an interesting drama to see and just found, word of honor, and later your explanation about the literature references. I could be amazing learn mandarin in China and read the classics in their original language, thank you

Learning the vast and deep culture of Chinese literature sure seems more interesting with your video here

That was an amazing video, thank you for adding so much context to the show!!!

I am surprised but also very happy :) please continue to do video about WOH =D and thank u from Indonesia

I love that you did this! I'm always curious about name meanings in dramas/books and worry that I'm missing out on hidden info! Thank you so so much!

I feel my mind blown up, there's so much meaning in it! Every time i thought that Wen Kexings name has no extra meaning THERE'S ANOTHER EVEN MORE MIND-BLOWING It was awesome! It looks like much work, thank you for it!

I love, love, love this type of content! It's feeding my love for SHL and everything related to literature commentary. It's beautiful ❤❤

I see you are also so obsessed with this drama like me 😆 More videos please I feel so empty after finishing the drama 🥺

This scriptwriter, fan for life.

Very well explained.and I agree this screenwriter is super talented.