“Why must I travel back in time (in chinese, 穿越 chuan yue)? Why must I travel (穿 chuan)?”
“不穿 (Don’t wear) will be cold…”
If you once thought this was a time travelling novel…
What is a Benz? Beautiful men step aside. As a knowledgable woman who has gone through higher education, how can I tolerate a backward life without a computer, without chocolate, without a flushing toilet bowl? No matter what I must return back to the future! Thus started, Gu Qing Qiao’s silly ridiculous legend, a side-splittingly funny case that started with one bowl of roast pork rice.
But sadly, we may have guessed the start, but we weren’t able to guess the end…
[Ebook] [Audiobook] [Radiodrama till 11] [Review & Spoilers] [Eng Translation] [Ngọ Môn quẫn sự][Drama]
One of the more famous time-travelling c-novels, particularly because the author set out to subvert the typical expectations of a time travelling novel. I give it 4 stars. It’s very funny at the start but becomes more dramatic with a lot of heart but still some laughter as it continues.
A brief summary:
Gu Qing Qiao has time-travelled back and took over the body of the (adopted) daughter of a high ranking official. She learns from a monk that if she gathers four treasures, she will be able to open the Wu Gate and travel back to her time. So, the novel’s three parts essentially tells Xiao Qiao’s (her nick name, Little Qiao) journey in gathering the four treasures to return to her time and in which she meets three extraordinary men who are caught up in her mission. Who will she choose? And, will she leave these men behind and return to her time?
For spoilers and to know which guy to ship safely, see my full review:
http://onesecondspring.blogspot.hk/2014/02/the-crazy-adventures-of-wu-gate-by-ying.html
Thanks for writing this. I checked this out long ago & was reluctant to read it inspite of the good audiobook bcos there are 3 males. Luckily I trusted my instinct so I saved my heart from being broken to pieces, heehee…
I finished reading your blog and will comment here bcos I had trouble posting on your blog last night. Oh, reading your summary already made me feel sad. Hence, I don’t think I’ll touch these books. Moreover there are 3 of them which scared the hell out of me, lol. Anyway, your feature is very well-written in accordance to the mood of the book as well as the intention of the author.
Btw, I thought 囧 means embarrassing but how come you translated it as crazy? Haha, I am not questioning your language proficiency but I am just curious. Also, ME is not a well-known acronym, so can we stick to OE to represent open to interpretation ending which means you can feel either sad or happy abt it?
Lastly, I won’t simply assume the first male who turns up in a novel will get the girl. It is not a case of first come, first serve, lol. At the same time, I’ll not assume the last one standing will get the girl. But I’ll assume the guy who makes sacrifices and loves the girl purely and whole-heartedly will get the girl. Even without the spoiler, I think I should be able to board the right ship. However that being said, I’ll still feel bad for the loser(s) unless they are written as purely evil or total scumbag. Thus, it is best to read a novel which have a dominant male lead and weak supporting males if any, lol.
Thanks for reading 🙂 Haha! I still recommend it though, because I was happy – I really liked the guy she ended up with, it’s just that I really really really liked the guy she didn’t end up with too. Haha. I suppose that’s the mark of a good c-novel, plus no one died – which is better than Tong Hua i guess?
Oh, sure feel free to change it. OE for me suggest that the girl doesn’t end up with someone, hence I used ME – mixed ending.
I went a little mad with the review – it became a full on thesis!!! Haha. Shows how much I like the male lead she didn’t end up with I guess :). I really liked what you said – it should be the guy who sacrifices and loves the girl purely and whole-heartedly. In that sense, the guy TOTALLY deserved the girl and i’m so happy for them. I really think everyone will board the right ship but still end up aching for the guy who got left behind heh.
Oh no, I think it’s always great when ppl ask me when I translate certain words a certain way, my chinese isn’t very good. I took creative license with the title considering the plot and tone – 囧’s original meaning was bright light, but in popular usage it’s actually liked a sad, melancholy,depressed – like the three sweat drops on your head kind of expression. It’s like 囧 shows the person’s face! So you see it often used when the character is embarassed. But, I usually translate it as Silly or Crazy because I felt that’s closer to the tone and intent of the author. Haha creative license!
That was a great summary of the novel on your blog, decembi! Maybe I will go and listen to the audiobook. I actually do not mind sad or bittersweet endings, as those types of ending usually make me think about a story the most after finishing it. Happy endings make me smile but then I simply forget about those stories and move on.
I, too, especially love peanuts’ statement that the guy who loves the girl purely and wholeheartedly should get the girl, because such a man is truly deserving of her love.
Since I have not read the novel (or listened to the audiobook), I don’t want to make too many assumptions. However, I feel that there is no need to feel sad or pity Lu Zhi Zheng. He has clearly made a conscious decision to sacrifice love for ambition. Whether that is the right choice, it does not matter. What matters is that he feels it is the choice that he will be able to live with most for the rest of his life. The minute he has made that choice to abandon his love for Xiao Qiao, he has already prepared his heart and mind to lose her. Therefore, there is no need for us to pity him, for that is the path he has consciously chosen. Life is full of choices, and some choices may lead to regret later on. Unfortunately, we must live with decisions we make, and so must Lu Zhi Zheng.
Thank you! I was a bit worried I gave away too many spoilers, but there were a lot of details and nuances I couldn’t capture and a lot of side characters that I liked 🙂 so hopefully you will enjoy it when you read it. I really don’t enjoy sad or bittersweet endings, it’s funny because most of the english literature I read is serious and more open-ended, but I guess I see c-novels more like fairy tales.
Heehee, I agree, peanut’s statement is classic!
What you wrote about LZZ is very sound, and that’s what I thought too mostly when I started reading – I read the ending and epilogues and I was all ready to board the correct ship, but my heart couldn’t help aching for LZZ I guess, regardless of his choices. Oh, the writing quality varies, but the author’s epilogues are vvv good. I hope that’s captured in the audio books.
Hey Mel, I think the audio book only covers part 1 of the novel and there is no audio book for novel 2 & 3. I am not 100% sure so listen at your own risk:P
Oh that’s surprising! Hopefully, someone finished all three books!
Thank you Decembi for the great review on your blog – it has certainly piqued my interest in the book.
The audiobook has 97 chapters with 2 epilogues – is that all the 3 books already or is it still only the first book as peanuts mentioned?
I don’t want to start and be totally frustrated at the end of one book only.
Hmm, I think it should be the whole book? Because, the one I read from jjwxc has 87 chapters for all three books? Haha.
Decembi, thank you for your explanation about the male leads. I might give it a try later. It’s sound interesting. After reading your introduction about the male leads I think I will definitely choose YSQ. But I feel curious because you choose LZZ.
Decembi, I want to comment in your blog but I can’t type more than few words there.
Hello Redhazel! Oh, I’m glad you enjoyed my explanation. Actually I chose YSQ too, but in the end, my heart just could not stop aching for LZZ. Hahaha. I’m perplexed myself.
Oh no! Blogger is a bit of a headache. Which web browser do you use? I use mac and google chrome and it’s usually fine!
That’s why i feel curious. There must be a great reason for you to choose LZZ. I feel pity the first male lead too.
Decembi, I want to ask a spoiler here. Is the female lead travel back to present time with YSQ?
I use safari from my iPhone. I tried several times but it’s always stop/can’t typing anymore so I have to close the page and try again. When I succeed enter my comment suddenly I can’t type the security word so it fail again. I want to try using opera but it’s very slow.
Oh yeah! I think mobile phones don’t work well on my blog :(. You could email me at onesecondspring@gmail.com! I just love discussing c novels heehee.
I wrote part of my reasons in my longest review ever. I do think you will know what I mean after you hear/listen the book, because unlike Duan Yu or YSQ who gets a book dedicated to each of them, LZZ is in all 3 books and he is amazing! Haha. He is cruel and clearly unsuitable for any girl to daydream to be with, but there's just something about him that is unforgettably heartbreaking.
Oh, I actually did not pitied the first male lead, Duan Yu, AT ALL. But he was soooo heartbreaking in the final epilogue that I did pity him in the end. Oh wells, it was his own folly after all!
I have to wait until I can download the novel later when I’m back to my PC. Calm down decembi, i don’t want you to get high blood tension because Duan Yu. Yes, maybe it’s just the epilogue that portray him better.
Well I really want to discuss c novel with everyone here but unfortunately I don’t understand Chinese at all. So I only catch the main point but miss many details in the novel because I depend on google translate 🙁
I might end up asking a lot of thing to you. LOL
But don’t worry, I won’t give up! 😀
This bar make me abandon a lot of dramas :p but it’s absolutely a treasure!
Now my phone is full with novel translation.
Hahaha! Actually, Duan Yu was quite dashing in Book 1.
Ok, take your time to read! There are parts of nonsensical writing in the author’s novel, she’s known for her nonsensical humour haha! Like Stephen Chow? Sometimes it’s very funny, sometimes it’s ridiculous. So, don’t take it too seriously, it’s a crazy and embarrassing adventure for our female lead after all!
I will be happy to answer all your questions! Bombard away :). Feel free to ask also if you don’t understand particular parts. If I have the time, I will try and translate them for you.
Hahaha I like Stephen chow. It’s silly ad embarrassing sometimes 😀
Waaa thank you decembi *hug*
Everybody here is so kind 🙂
Don’t worry, I’ll ask you shamelessly. LOL
Yaya, redhazel reminds me of Jin Mi, so shameless lol. Btw that is meant as a compliment, lol.
Hahaha peanuts! Teehee, no worries, enjoy the book!!!
RedHazel,
May i join in your shameless party?
Like you, I mostly get the main points only and miss the details and nuances which enrich the story.
This sounds like a worthwhile project for me to multitask google translate, “read” ebook + listen to the audiobook.
LOL, Thanks for the compliment Peanuts 😀
Petunia, let’s be shameless! LOL
but decembi and peanuts might have a hard time because of us :p
You’re lucky coz you understand Chinese verbal. Google translate is my only savior.
Heehee! Only too happy to answer, although my memory is also a bit of a cheese haha.
Hello! Sparklingdawnlights has picked this book up for translation.
Give her your support!
http://sparklingdawnlights-.tumblr.com/
Competent female leads are good. Though, I suppose it is easier to relate to a weak-willed and unconfident female lead if that is also how you are in real life so I understand why some people can find an strong female lead foreign and off-putting.