Heaven Official's Blessing
| Heaven Official's Blessing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 天官赐福 | |
| Genre | Xianxia[1] |
| Based on | Tian Guan Ci Fu by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu |
| Written by | Season 1: Chunri Youling (春日幽鈴) Season 2: Heibai Hujiao (黒白胡椒) |
| Directed by | Season 1: Li Haoling (李豪凌) Season 2: Hu Ya (虎牙) |
| Music by | Yang Bingyin (楊秉音) |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language | Mandarin Chinese |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Zhang Shengyan (张圣晏) Luo Yanyan (骆艳艳) |
| Producers | Liu Qi (刘綦) Pan Linlin (潘琳琳) Wang Rong (王蓉) |
| Animators | Season 1: Haoliners Animation League Season 2: Red Dog Culture House |
| Production company | Bilibili |
| Original release | |
| Network | Bilibili Funimation |
| Release | 31 October 2020 – 17 January 2024 |
| Heaven Official's Blessing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 天官赐福 | ||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 天官賜福 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Heaven Official's Blessing (Chinese: 天官赐福, pinyin: Tiān Guān Cì Fú) is a Chinese novel series written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (Chinese: 墨香铜臭). The serialization started on Jinjiang Literature City, a popular Chinese website for publishing and serializing web fiction, on June 16, 2017, and was completed on February 25, 2018.[citation needed] It consists of 244 chapters and eight extra chapters. A manhua adaptation, illustrated by STARember and published by Bilibili, was released on October 19, 2019.[citation needed] A donghua adaptation was released on Bilibili and Funimation on October 31, 2020.[2]
Synopsis[edit]
Eight hundred years ago, Xie Lian was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Xianle. He was loved by his citizens and was considered the darling of the world. He ascended to the heavens at a young age; however, due to unfortunate circumstances, was quickly banished back to the mortal realm. Years later, he ascends again–only to be banished again a few minutes after his ascension.
Now, eight hundred years later, Xie Lian ascends to the heavens for the third time as the laughing stock among all three realms. On his first task as a god thrice ascended, he meets a mysterious ghost who rules the ghosts and terrifies the heavens, yet, unbeknownst to Xie Lian, this ghost king has been paying attention to him for a very, very long time.[3]
Plot[edit]
"啊那个收破烂的天界公务员，跟鬼界第一大佬有一腿！"
(English: "Ah! That Scrap-Collecting Heavenly Official is having an affair with the King of the Ghost Realm!")— Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, Heaven Official's Blessing epigraph
Novel[edit]
Though not chronologically, the novel follows the life of Xie Lian, a once-human crown prince of the Kingdom of Xianle in the east who ascends to godhood at seventeen after dedicating himself to cultivation and martial training. During the inaugural years of his divinity, his kingdom experiences upheaval and war, due in part to drought and a terrifying new disease. Going against the edicts of both the heavenly realm and of fate, Xie Lian involves himself in the affairs of the mortals who have always loved and supported him, hoping to achieve peace and relieve suffering in his kingdom. Unfortunately, his appearance in the mortal world only amplifies the conflicts between his people, and their desperation leads to the dramatic and abrupt downfall of Xianle, as well as the downfall of Xie Lian. The people destroy his temples, statues, and shrines, abandoning him as their most respected religious figure and earning him the reputation of a God of Misfortune.
Much later in his immortal life, after being banished twice by the Emperor of the Heavenly Realm, Xie Lian again ascends to the heavens to work as a godly official. Now known as a peculiar, peripatetic scrap-collector with perennially bad luck, Xie Lian is ridiculed or ignored by most other heavenly officials. Nevertheless, he retains his good-hearted nature and only wishes to fulfill his duties as a god.
For Xie Lian's first assignment of his third ascension, he is tasked with solving the mystery of a number of brides who have disappeared during their wedding processions through Mount Yujun in the mortal world. During his investigation, he is unexpectedly greeted by a ghost whose form resembles that of a young man wearing maple-red robes and silver vambraces, with black boots and attached silver chains. Silver butterflies and a rain of blood also accompany the first appearance of the youthful ghost. He interacts with Xie Lian only to briefly guide him in his mission, by taking his hand and walking with him through Mount Yujun, simultaneously breaking an enchantment array on the mountain that was preventing Xie Lian from detecting the culprit of the disappearances. After his completion of the assignment, bemused by an encounter he describes as "oddly charming to the extreme," Xie Lian learns from heaven that he had encountered Hua Cheng, or Crimson Rain Sought Flower (血雨探花), one of four fearsome ghost kings known as the Four Great Calamities.[4]
Heedless of warnings to stay away from Hua Cheng, Xie Lian continues to cross paths with the nonchalant and intelligent ghost king as he becomes increasingly enveloped in the affairs of the three realms of heaven, earth, and ghost. Their interactions gradually lead to the building of a close, mutually protective relationship. As he unravels his feelings for Hua Cheng, and as Hua Cheng establishes himself as a steady fixture in his life, Xie Lian is yet to realize just how long their pasts have been entwined.
Translation[edit]
The novels were officially translated into English by Seven Seas Entertainment, with eight volumes in total. The translation is accompanied by illustrations from ZeldaCW, and the first volume was released on December 14, 2021.[5] The final volume of the series was released November 28, 2023,[6] alongside two special editions.[7]
The seventh volume of the translation reached #5 on The New York Times Best Seller list for the week of October 1, 2023,[8] which was the highest ranking of any novel written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu up to that point.[9]
Origin[edit]
Regarding her conception of the story, Mo Xiang Tong Xiu has said:
...In a broken and defeated temple with a soon-to-be forgotten god and a young devout follower was the first image that floated into my mind for this novel, and was also what gave me the impulse to write it. I'm the kind that would write up an entire book just for a scene.
— Heaven Official's Blessing Book 2, Author's Notes
Adaptations[edit]
Donghua[edit]
The donghua was released on Bilibili and Funimation in October 2020.[10] The production of a second season was confirmed by Bilibili in January 2021.[11] A special episode was released on February 16, 2021.[12] Netflix also began streaming the series (including the special episode) as of April 9, 2021.[13] A trailer for the upcoming second season was released on November 24, 2021.[14] The second season started airing from October 26, 2023. [15]
The English dub premiered on November 12, 2021, on Funimation.[16]
Season 1 (2020–2021)[edit]
| No. | Title [17][a][18] | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Bride Prince" Transliteration: "Tàizǐ xīnniáng" (Chinese: 太子新娘) | October 31, 2020 | |
| After incurring a debt of 8.88 million merit credits, Xie Lian is tasked with heading to the mortal realm to deal with a ghost bridegroom kidnapping brides on Mount Yujun. Xie Lian sets a trap to catch the bridegroom in the act with the help of two middle heaven junior officials, Fu Yao and Nan Feng. | |||
| 2 | "Mountain-Locked Ming Guang" Transliteration: "Shān suǒ míngguāng" (Chinese: 山锁明光) | October 31, 2020 | |
| Xie Lian eventually comes upon a temple of Ming Guang on Mount Yujun. He finds the missing brides inside and comes to a startling conclusion. | |||
| 3 | "Confidant's Past Grudge" Transliteration: "Jiù hèn hóngyán" (Chinese: 旧恨红颜) | November 7, 2020 | |
| The ghost behind all the kidnappings is revealed and Xie Lian is caught between catching the perpetrator and keeping the villagers safe. However, capturing the ghost only brings up more questions than answers as a disease is found which should have died out centuries ago. | |||
| 4 | "Ghost King Hua Cheng" Transliteration: "Guǐ wáng huāchéng" (Chinese: 鬼王花城) | November 14, 2020 | |
| Xie Lian goes to the other gods to ask about all he saw on Mount Yujun. We learn of 4 ghost kings, in particular Hua Cheng who caused the demise of thirty-three heavenly officials. Xie Lian clears his debt and heads once more to the mortal realm with plans to open a temple and gain followers. | |||
| 5 | "Daily Life at Puqi Temple" Transliteration: "Pú qí jìshì" (Chinese: 菩荠记事) | November 21, 2020 | |
| Xie Lian meets a young man while travelling on ox-pulled cart. The two have a long discussion about gods and ghosts, before being interrupted by ghosts along the forest path. While Xie Lian attempts to sneak by, the ghosts confront him only to abruptly back down in fear. Once back at his temple, Xie Lian offers the young man a place to stay in his shrine. | |||
| 6 | "Lost In Banyue" Transliteration: "Bànyuè mí zōng" (Chinese: 半月迷踪) | November 28, 2020 | |
| A puppet disguised as a disease-ridden man appears at the shrine, panicked. The men realize he was not human and subdue him. After the former State Preceptor of Banyue was brought up, the two men along with Fu Yao and Nan Feng travel to Banyue. During their journey, they spotted 2 running women and got engulfed in a heavy sandstorm. | |||
| 7 | "Scorpion-Tailed Snake Shadow" Transliteration: "Xiē wěi shé yǐng" (Chinese: 蝎尾蛇影) | December 5, 2020 | |
| The group survives the sandstorm and enters a cave with some merchants and artifacts from Banyue. Among the artifacts is a tablet with details the life of a Lieutenant from the army which opposed Banyue. After a nearly-lethal run in with a scorpion-tailed snake leaving a merchant and Xie Lian injured, the group and the merchant's guide head to Banyue for an herbal antidote. Upon reaching Banyue, they see the two running women from the previous episode and hide, only to be spotted. | |||
| 8 | "Foreboding Wind in the Ancient Country" Transliteration: "Fēng qǐ gǔguó" (Chinese: 风起古国) | December 12, 2020 | |
| 9 | "Scourge of Evil Taoist" Transliteration: "Yāo dào zhī huò" (Chinese: 妖道之祸) | December 19, 2020 | |
| 10 | "Bygone Banyue Days" Transliteration: "Bànyuè wǎngshì" (Chinese: 半月往事) | December 26, 2020 | |
| 11 | "Sand-buried Rights and Wrongs" Transliteration: "Shā mái gōngguò" (Chinese: 沙埋功过) | January 2, 2021 | |
| 12 | "Special Episode" | February 14, 2021 | |
Season 2 (2023–2024)[edit]
| No. | Title [19][b][20] | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Ghost King Appears" | October 18, 2023 |
| 2 | "Accidentally Entered a Gambling Den" | October 25, 2023 |
| 3 | "Ghost Binding Cursed Shackle" | November 1, 2023 |
| 4 | "The Secret Chamber" | November 8, 2023 |
| 5 | "The Second Coming of Fang Xin" | November 15, 2023 |
| 6 | "Heavenly Palace Raid" | December 6, 2023 |
| 7 | "A Thousand Miles Away" | December 13, 2023 |
| 8 | "The Green-Clothed Ghost Qi Rong" | December 20, 2023 |
| 9 | "Yong An and Xian Le" | December 27, 2023 |
| 10 | "Bloodstained Banquet" | January 3, 2024 |
| 11 | "A Sad Parting Under Moonlight" | January 10, 2024 |
| 12 | "May All Taboos be Shattered" | January 17, 2024 |
Live-action[edit]
A live-action series, Eternal Faith, began production in 2021.[21] Chen Jialin will direct the series.[22]
Characters[edit]
Main characters[edit]
Xie Lian 谢怜 (The Crown Prince, God-Pleasing Crown Prince, Flower-Crowned Martial God, Scrap Immortal, God of Misfortune)
- Protagonist. A very unlucky god who collects scraps for a living.
Voiced by: Jiang Guangtao (Donghua S1), Deng Youxi (Donghua S2), Hiroshi Kamiya (Japanese dub), Park Yohan (Korean dub), Howard Wang (English dub), Non Sepho (Thai Dub)
Hua Cheng 花城 (Crimson Rain Sought Flower 血雨探花, San Lang 三郎)
- Main character and love interest. A ghost king known as the terror of the heavens. One of the Four Calamities.
Voiced by: Ma Zhengyang (Donghua), Jun Fukuyama (Japanese dub), Jeong Joo-won (Korean dub), James Cheek (English dub), Sakarach Amsom (Thai Dub)
Heavenly Court[edit]
Jun Wu 君吾
- The Heavenly Emperor of the Upper Court. The most powerful martial god.
Ling Wen 灵文 (Ling Wen Zhen Jun, 灵文真君)
- A civil goddess who provides information on assignments through a spiritual communication array.
Voiced by: Huang Ying (Donghua), Yoko Hikasa (Japanese dub), Kim Bo-na (Korean dub), Wendee Lee (English dub)
Shi Wudu 师无渡 (Lord Water Master, The Water Tyrant)
- The elemental master of water. Elder brother of Shi Qingxuan.
Shi Qingxuan 师青玄 (Lord Wind Master, Lady Wind Master)
Voiced by (female form): Qiu Qiu (Donghua), Ayako Kawasumi (Japanese dub), Anjali Kunapaneni (English dub)
Voiced by (male form): Lu Zhixing (Donghua)
- The elemental master of the wind. The younger sibling of Shi Wudu.
Ming Yi 明仪 (Lord Earth Master, Lady Earth Master)
- The elemental master of earth.
Yushi Huang 雨师篁 (Rain Master)
- The elemental master of rain.
Feng Xin 风信 (General Nan Yang 南阳真君)
- The martial god of the southeast. Was in service to Xie Lian when he was still the prince of Xianle.
Voiced by: Wen Sen (Donghua)
Nan Feng 南风
- A Middle Court junior official from the palace of General Nan Yang.
Voiced by: Wen Sen (Donghua), Makoto Furukawa (Japanese dub), Choi Seung-hun (Korean dub), Phil Song (English dub)
Mu Qing 慕情 (General Xuan Zhen 玄真将军)
- The martial god of the southwest. Was also in service to Xie Lian when he was still the prince of Xianle.
Voiced by: Hu Liangwei (Donghua)
Fu Yao 扶摇
- A Middle Court junior official from the palace of General Xuan Zhen.
Voiced by: Hu Liangwei (Donghua), Chiaki Kobayashi (Japanese dub), Nam Doh-hyeong (Korean dub), Lucien Dodge (English dub)
Pei Ming 裴茗 (General Ming Guang, General Pei)
- The martial god of the north.
Voiced by: Tu Xiongfei (Donghua), Junichi Suwabe (Japanese dub), Aaron Campbell (English dub)
Pei Su 裴宿 (Little Pei, A-Zhao)
- A martial god and an indirect descendant of Pei Ming.
Voiced by: Ling Fei (Donghua), Toshiki Masuda (Japanese dub), Aaron Campbell (English dub)
Quan Yizhen 权一真 (Qi Ying)
- The martial god of the west.
Lang Qianqiu 郎千秋 (Prince Tai Hua)
- The current martial god of the east.
Calamities[edit]
Bai Wuxiang 白无相 (White-Clothed Calamity 白衣祸世, White No-Face)
- The main antagonist of the story. The eldest and the most powerful of the Four Great Calamities. He is the one responsible for the fall of the kingdom of Xianle.
He Xuan 贺玄 (Black Water Sinking Ships 黑水沉舟)
- One of the Four Calamities. A powerful water demon.
Qi Rong 戚容 (Night-Touring Green Lantern 青灯夜游, Green Ghost)
- One of the Four Calamities. Ranks as a Savage, one step behind the other three Calamities' rankings of Supreme.
Banyue 半月
- A Savage-ranked female ghost. Former State Preceptor of Banyue Kingdom.
Voiced by: Tao Dian (Donghua), Kana Hanazawa (Japanese dub), Emi Lo (English dub)
Xuan Ji 宣姬
- A Wrath-ranked female ghost. A former lover of Pei Ming before he ascended to the heavens.
Voiced by: Shan Xin (Donghua), Yuko Kaida (Japanese dub), Michelle Rojas (English dub)
Spiritual devices[edit]
Ruoye 若邪
- Xie Lian's spiritual device. A sentient strip of white silk.
E'ming 厄命
- Hua Cheng's spiritual device. A sentient scimitar.
Notes[edit]
- ^ All English titles are taken from Funimation.
- ^ All English titles are taken from Crunchyroll.
References[edit]
- ^ Kavanagh, Emily (January 29, 2022). "Why You Should Watch 'Heaven Official's Blessing'". Collider.
- ^ "Funimation, bilibili Partner to Stream Chinese Animated Series Heaven Official's Blessing". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
- ^ "[消息]《天官赐福》首播获豆瓣9.2开分 精良质感引网友催加更_谢怜". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ^ "《天官赐福》墨香铜臭_同名漫画已上线 ^第8章^ 最新更新:2017-06-24 01:45:09 晋江文学城". Jinjiang Literature City. Archived from the original on 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "Book: Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 1". Seven Seas Entertainment. December 14, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ "Heaven Official's Blessing". Seven Seas Danmei. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "Seven Seas Entertainment Announces Upcoming Special Editions for Finale Volume of Heaven Official's Blessing". danmeinews.com. July 6, 2023.
- ^ "Paperback Trade Fiction". The New York Times. October 1, 2023.
- ^ "Heaven Official's Blessing's Penultimate Volume Lands on the New York Times Bestseller's List". danmeinews.com. September 21, 2023.
- ^ "Heaven Official's Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu) to be Simulcast on Funimation!". The Geekiary. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "Tian Guan Ci Fu / Heaven Official's Blessing Confirmed for Season 2!". The Geekiary. 2 January 2021.
- ^ "'Heaven Official's Blessing' Will Have a Special Episode February 16th!". The Geekiary. 22 November 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ "Tian Guan Ci Fu / Heaven Official's Blessing May Be Coming To Netflix". The Geekiary. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ 【欢迎加入会员】《#天官赐福 第二季》预告PV发布：血雨探花现鬼市 | BGM：#怜城辞, retrieved 2023-04-17
- ^ "Heaven Official's Blessing Season 2 Episode 2 - Release date, time and all you need to know". Hindustan Times.
- ^ "Heaven Official's Blessing to Be First Donghua Dubbed By Funimation, Cast and Crew Revealed". Funimation. November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Heaven Official's Blessing". Funimation.
- ^ "Tian Guan Ci Fu". BiliBili. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "Heaven Official's Blessing". Crunchyroll.
- ^ "Tian Guan Ci Fu". BiliBili. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ^ "Tian Guan Ci Fu Live-Action Drama to Begin Production 2021". The Geekiary. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ @guangmeow (December 9, 2020). "tgcf live action director is chen jialin (u know. from cql) costume designer is fang sizhe (did work for 天盛长歌), art…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
External links[edit]
- Official Website (in Chinese)
- Heaven Official's Blessing at Funimation
- Heaven Official's Blessing at Crunchyroll
- 2020 Chinese television series debuts
- 2020s LGBT-related television series
- Animated series based on novels
- Aniplex
- Chinese animated television series
- Chinese boys' love television series
- Chinese web series
- Funimation
- Haoliners Animation League
- Heaven in popular culture
- LGBT-related animated series
- Mandarin-language television shows
- Seven Seas Entertainment titles
- Xianxia television series
- Danmei novels
- Manhua titles