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sid_guardian2020-09-20 09:21 am
china_shop) wrote in sid_guardian2020-09-20 09:21 am
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Focus on Zhang Shi: I'm different from them
Zhang Shi says he is 9,900 years old and the only Dixingren to have remained on the surface after the war. His Dixing power is being able to co-exist in another's body or to take over a dead body. Ma Gui was his teacher.
About twenty years ago, shortly before the SID was established, Zhang Shi's then-host died (presumed suicide, hm) and he helped himself to Zhao Xinci's corporeal spare room. He told Zhao Xinci, "I'm a good person. I won't control you, take you over, or commit any crimes. [...] I remember when humans and Dixing people lived in harmony. Now Dixing people are causing problems and I don't like that, either." He later explains to Zhao Yunlan, "I didn't expect your mother's death, and [Zhao Xinci's] obsession from then to exterminate Dixing people. I'm from Dixing too; I don't want my own kind to be killed. But he's extremely determined. A lot of times, I don't manage to intervene."
So the "I won't control you or take you over" promise was, apparently, a little overstated. He doesn't seem too concerned about the consent side of appropriating another person's body, either. Perhaps 10k years has inured him to that, or perhaps some situations are urgent enough to overrule any qualms. Still, he helped Zhao Xinci with his work, keeping him safe and contributing to his promotions and growing influence, until the Hallows start to reappear. Then Zhang Shi begins to work behind the scenes to interfere in events himself.
We first meet Zhang Shi directly after a scene in the Dixing bar where Zhao Yunlan tells the bartender, "Masquerades are all the rage Up There."
The most obvious cues that Zhang Shi is in charge of Zhao Xinci's body are:
More subtle indicators are that he's right-handed (Zhao Xinci is left-handed), and he tends to smile more. (Did I miss anything?)
Zhang Shi comes across as kinder, concerned with the big picture (understandably, given his age), and more emotionally available than Zhao Xinci, to the point where people can quickly identify he's not the same person. Those who notice the difference include Zhao Yunlan, Wang Xiangyang, and Sha Ya. Even Chu Shuzhi, who doesn't know Zhao Xinci, says he gives him a feeling, although presumably that's more about the presence of dark energy.
Zhang Shi is given to waxing philosophical. For example, he gives a speech to Zhao Yunlan outside the apartment block, while Zhao Yunlan is blind:
When Wang Xiangyang, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are on the rooftop, just before Wang Xiangyang dissipates, Zhang Shi makes another philosophical statement.
And at the end, when Zhang Shi is in Zhao Yunlan's body, bowing to the grateful citizens of Dragon City, he thinks,
Zhang Shi is definitely not above reproach. He takes over Zhao Xinci (and quite possibly previous hosts) without consent. He presents himself to Zhao Xinci as an ordinary Dixingren with an unusual power, giving no hint that he's thousands of years old and has foreknowledge of the SID and Zhao Yunlan. He puts an unwitting Guo Changcheng in place at the SID, in the hope of sacrificing him instead of Zhao Yunlan. He later breaks each of his promises to Zhao Xinci not to control him, take him over, or commit any crimes (he tries to help Guo Changcheng, who is absconding with the Hallows in ep 36). When Zhao Yunlan confronts Zhang Shi outright in ep 31, Zhang Shi attempts to gaslight him, saying, "You're in shock and talking nonsense."
Presumably most of these things are in service to his agenda, but it's never made entirely clear what that is. He leaves The Ancient Mysteries, about Kunlun and the Hallows, in the SID library for Zhao Yunlan to find as if he believes Zhao Yunlan is in the habit of browsing the bookshelves, but doesn't tell him about the Lantern until it's too late to find the missing wick. Possibly Ma Gui warned him not to speak too early for fear of affecting the timeline?
He also:
If you know of any others or have made related fanworks or meta yourself, please do link in comments.
Feel free to answer just some (or none) of the questions and/or weigh in with your own thoughts. Share links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old! Self-recs whole-heartedly encouraged. Zhang Shi is a drama-only character.
About twenty years ago, shortly before the SID was established, Zhang Shi's then-host died (presumed suicide, hm) and he helped himself to Zhao Xinci's corporeal spare room. He told Zhao Xinci, "I'm a good person. I won't control you, take you over, or commit any crimes. [...] I remember when humans and Dixing people lived in harmony. Now Dixing people are causing problems and I don't like that, either." He later explains to Zhao Yunlan, "I didn't expect your mother's death, and [Zhao Xinci's] obsession from then to exterminate Dixing people. I'm from Dixing too; I don't want my own kind to be killed. But he's extremely determined. A lot of times, I don't manage to intervene."
So the "I won't control you or take you over" promise was, apparently, a little overstated. He doesn't seem too concerned about the consent side of appropriating another person's body, either. Perhaps 10k years has inured him to that, or perhaps some situations are urgent enough to overrule any qualms. Still, he helped Zhao Xinci with his work, keeping him safe and contributing to his promotions and growing influence, until the Hallows start to reappear. Then Zhang Shi begins to work behind the scenes to interfere in events himself.
We first meet Zhang Shi directly after a scene in the Dixing bar where Zhao Yunlan tells the bartender, "Masquerades are all the rage Up There."
How to tell who's in charge
The most obvious cues that Zhang Shi is in charge of Zhao Xinci's body are:
- his eyes sometimes flash golden
- he likes to give philosophical speeches
- he doesn't criticise Zhao Yunlan
- how other people react to him.
More subtle indicators are that he's right-handed (Zhao Xinci is left-handed), and he tends to smile more. (Did I miss anything?)
A Kind Philosopher?
Zhang Shi comes across as kinder, concerned with the big picture (understandably, given his age), and more emotionally available than Zhao Xinci, to the point where people can quickly identify he's not the same person. Those who notice the difference include Zhao Yunlan, Wang Xiangyang, and Sha Ya. Even Chu Shuzhi, who doesn't know Zhao Xinci, says he gives him a feeling, although presumably that's more about the presence of dark energy.
Zhang Shi is given to waxing philosophical. For example, he gives a speech to Zhao Yunlan outside the apartment block, while Zhao Yunlan is blind:
the speech.
I was told from a young age there are four things we mustn't obsess over: First, permanence. Second, right and wrong. Third, good and evil. Fourth, life and death. […] Holding onto something isn't always a virtue; becoming too attached may lead to unhappiness, and make you stray from your path. Being too obsessed with right and wrong will make you narrow-minded; in this world absolute rights and wrongs are rare. Obsession with good and evil will not let you see anyone as good; it may even make you arrogant, wanting to set the rules yourself and change them at will. Being too obsessed with life and death, your vision will become narrow. In this life, people can avoid at most two of these four. That's why a lot of things can't be scrutinized too closely. So it's not worth your time considering them. Since you've already made your decision, don't wonder if it's right or wrong. Plan your next step instead.
When Wang Xiangyang, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are on the rooftop, just before Wang Xiangyang dissipates, Zhang Shi makes another philosophical statement.
another speech.
People have many worries. The more worries they have, the harder it will be for them. Frustration makes them angry, then resentful, so they do things that shouldn't be done. Therefore the three words 'do no harm' are the greatest good in the world, and the only ones to guard the safety of mankind.Zhao Yunlan definitely knows something's up.
And at the end, when Zhang Shi is in Zhao Yunlan's body, bowing to the grateful citizens of Dragon City, he thinks,
a third speech.
Only two kinds of people don't fear death: one, the ones who know what lies on the other side. No fear, no worry. Second, the ones who know what life is originally for. No complaint, no regrets. The reason why the Guardian Lantern is so called is because it not only guards against evil but also guards against our own restless minds. Yunlan, all your sacrifices were worth it.
Actions and agenda
Zhang Shi is definitely not above reproach. He takes over Zhao Xinci (and quite possibly previous hosts) without consent. He presents himself to Zhao Xinci as an ordinary Dixingren with an unusual power, giving no hint that he's thousands of years old and has foreknowledge of the SID and Zhao Yunlan. He puts an unwitting Guo Changcheng in place at the SID, in the hope of sacrificing him instead of Zhao Yunlan. He later breaks each of his promises to Zhao Xinci not to control him, take him over, or commit any crimes (he tries to help Guo Changcheng, who is absconding with the Hallows in ep 36). When Zhao Yunlan confronts Zhang Shi outright in ep 31, Zhang Shi attempts to gaslight him, saying, "You're in shock and talking nonsense."
Presumably most of these things are in service to his agenda, but it's never made entirely clear what that is. He leaves The Ancient Mysteries, about Kunlun and the Hallows, in the SID library for Zhao Yunlan to find as if he believes Zhao Yunlan is in the habit of browsing the bookshelves, but doesn't tell him about the Lantern until it's too late to find the missing wick. Possibly Ma Gui warned him not to speak too early for fear of affecting the timeline?
He also:
- gives Zhao Yunlan philosophical advice and regards him as his son (in the SID library in episode 16, Zhang Shi tells Sang Zan, "The person I love is here, too," presumably meaning Zhao Yunlan)
- tries to put brakes on the development of the serum, or at least make sure that proper safety protocols are followed
- helps to stage a coup at the Department of Supervision, when Minister Gao wants to bring in the military
- explains to Guo Changcheng about the Guardian Lantern, identifying himself as Dixingren in the process (and later does the same to Zhao Yunlan)
- helps Guo Changcheng escape with the Hallows.
Fanworks
- A lot of the stories in
branch's Changes series feature Zhang Shi.
- Purple (Like the Shadows in Your Heart) by
- Doppelganger by
- I made some Zhang Shi icons as part of my Zhao Xinci icon set
- nnozomi's discussion post on Zhao Xinci naturally includes some discussion about Zhang Shi.
- There are 2 works tagged for Zhāng Shí/Zhào Xīncí.
If you know of any others or have made related fanworks or meta yourself, please do link in comments.
Questions
- What do you think Zhang Shi's relationship with Ma Gui was like? In what sense was Ma Gui his teacher? Was Ma Gui his host -- perhaps his first host?
- What prompted Zhang Shi to send Guo Changcheng to the SID at the start of the show, before anyone else in Haixing (except Zhu Jiu) knew the Hallows were resurfacing?
- When Zhang Shi first took up residence and negotiated with Zhao Xinci, he said if Zhao Xinci tried to oust him, it could hurt him. Is that why Zhao Xinci is in hospital in the flashback in ep 38 -- because he tried and failed to evict Zhang Shi? Do you think Zhao Xinci's heart condition was a result of his body's housing a Dixingren and/or wrestling Zhang Shi for control?
- What do you think of Zhang Shi's philosophy? I'm not quite sure what to make of the "restless minds" part in the third speech -- does he mean his own or Zhao Yunlan's?
- Given that Zhang Shi was a hidden, one-way parent figure, how much influence do you think he had on Zhao Yunlan?
- Why didn't Zhang Shi go to Dixing with Zhao Yunlan and light the lantern himself?
- Are there any lines or scenes where you're not sure if it's Zhang Shi or Zhao Xinci acting or speaking?
- Which of Guardian's themes does Zhang Shi's story resonate with?
- Do you have any ships or crackships involving Zhang Shi?
Feel free to answer just some (or none) of the questions and/or weigh in with your own thoughts. Share links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old! Self-recs whole-heartedly encouraged. Zhang Shi is a drama-only character.
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Oooh, I'd never considered that, but I love that.
I think whatever influence he had probably ended up confusing ZYL/messing him up a little. It's one thing if your dad is always harsh with you. It's another if every so often, unpredicably, he's kind. Mood whiplash.
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Oh, yes -- good point! Though Zhang Shi can't have come out too often, because adult!ZYL definitely notices and thinks it's out of character when Zhao Xinci starts saying kind/philosophical things. :-/
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ETA: And a Zhang Shi & Zhao Xinci backstory fic, about their first evening together: Precious Ordinary Things, G-rated. Warnings: angst, fate.
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I wonder if it was possible for a Dixingren, or someone with light energy was needed? (I cannot remember if something about it was ever mentioned in canon.)
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So not really clear... but it's possible that's the reason, yeah. :-)
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Oh, I never thought about it. I always thought that Zhang Shi had his own body when he was working with Ma Gui, and maybe lost it soon after, in the sense that his original physical body died, and then he found out that he could survive in the body of another person, or take control over a dead body. But Ma Gui being his first host is a cool idea. And just now I’ve had a thought that maybe Zhang Shi never had a physical body, but always used the bodies of other people. Hmm... But no, that doesn’t really works with the drama’s universe where there is no magic, and everything can be explained by science. :)
And I agree that he probably didn’t have much influence in raising Zhao Yunlan, because like you’ve said in a comment above Zhao Yunlan notices when Zhang Shi talks through his father and instantly thinks it’s out for character for Zhao Xinci.
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Ha, yeah, it's hard to explain Zhang Shi's power by science, either way, I think. *g* That's an intriguing idea, that he never had a body. That would be so weird for his mother!?!
Maybe sometimes he managed to stop Zhao Xinci from saying something particularly terrible? Heh. *pets bb!ZYL*
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I became extremely anti-Zhang Shi when I was writing up my ZXC post, probably unfairly so. I kind of see him as both kinder and more ruthless than Zhao Xinci; warmer and less critical in his individual interactions, but also willing to play a long game and arrange matters so as to sacrifice, by definition, the best people he knows to the Lantern.
I do think that it's only his air of kindness, especially in comparison to Zhao Xinci's steel, that keeps him from coming off as a villain to rival the Regent or Ye Zun: ten thousand years of borrowing other people's bodies whether they like it or not? Canonically causing (at least some of) his hosts deadly or near-deadly physical and/or mental damage/stress? I don't know. Your excellent fic is one of the few to show real interactions between ZS and ZXC; there's probably an epic novel to be written about their relationship over the years.
I went on about it at length in the ZXC post, but I find the dysfunctional three-way relationship among the Zhaos and Zhang Shi unbearably sad. I will give you that a lot of it is down to Zhao Xinci! That particular father-son relationship has its share of dysfunction regardless of contributions from third parties! But I still feel as if Zhang Shi's approach set himself up as the good dad and Zhao Xinci as the bad one, rather than trying to work with Zhao Xinci to make it easier for the latter to be Zhao Yunlan's dad (an uphill approach, granted).
I had missed most of the connections between Zhang Shi and Ma Gui and I'm glad you raised them. I hope somebody will write something about the two of them, because I feel like a well-thought-out scene between them could clarify a lot of Zhang Shi's approach to Guo Changcheng and Zhao Yunlan as potential Lantern wicks and its unnerving connotations; the more unnerving coming from Zhang Shi, the apparently kind and thoughtful one, as opposed to Zhao Xinci the ruthless pragmatist.
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No, I think that's entirely fair. :-) I mean, I think some of the problems of Zhang Shi are circumstantial (it's a difficult power to use ethically), but I feel like his presence does contribute to many of the Zhao family's problems. I've actually been wondering whether Zhao Xinci got ZYL a dog (which we only hear about when it's lost) as a kind of compensation for his own emotional withdrawal as he tried to protect his family from this newcomer/interloper. :-(
Yeah. Saving the world doesn't come easy, does it? Otoh, he has foreknowledge from Ma Gui that Zhao Yunlan's going to choose to make that sacrifice. Zhang Shi tries to head it off at the pass with Guo Changcheng (who iirc, in the novel, can light the Lantern without it costing him his life? unclear whether that's also true in the show), but the timeline goes the way it goes. And there certainly is a 'working to preserve the timeline and for the greater good' drive to his actions. Zhang Shi, being so old, has perspective on matters. A mortal lifetime must just zoom past. And yet he cares deeply about Yunlan.
Oh, yes! Otoh, it would be just endless angst: the cost to the Zhao family, Shen Xi's death and ZYL's alienation, Zhao Xinci's increasing bigotry and the friction that must have caused between them, the looming endgame... :-(
Yeah, though Zhang Shi wasn't particularly present as a parent. But still, Zhao Xinci might well have compared his own reactions to Zhang Shi's -- how could he not? -- and felt that contrast on top of Zhao Yunlan's resentment. *weeps*