Tencent Video’s costume romance political drama Love Of Nirvana stars Allen Ren Jialun, Li Landi and Xu Zhengxi in the lead roles. Based on the novel “Liu Shui Tiao Tiao” (流水迢迢), the series is directed by Zhou Jing Tao, best known for Noble Aspirations (2016) and A Journey To Love (2023).
My Ratings: 8/10: The strategic battle between the male protagonists, the court’s struggle for power and authority, and the underlying mystery keep viewers engaged. However, some audiences may find the male lead’s initial coldness and ruthlessness towards the female lead off-putting. If you can overlook this aspect, you’re likely to enjoy the story.
Episodes: 40
Genre: Historical, Politics, Romance
Broadcast Platform: Tencent Video, iQIYI
Release Date: September 2024
Photos credit: Tencent Video/Weibo
Love Of Nirvana Synopsis
In the story, there are two powerful states, Liang and Wei, who are sworn enemies. Between these two states lies the city of Yueluo, once a beautiful paradise but due to being caught in the crossfire between the two states twenty years ago, Yueluo becomes completely unrecognizable.
Yueluo is the focal point of the storyline as it is the home town of the main protagonist, Xiao Wuxia, also known as Wei Zhao in Liang Kingdom. Back then the lord of the city Yueluo, Xiao Hai Tian (Xiao Wuxia’s father) was falsely accused of treason, allying with the enemy, and then was unjustly annihilated. Since his family was destroyed, and his father’s name is still branded as a traitor in Yueluo, Xiao Wuxia is determined to uncover the truth behind the massacre, vindicate his father and seek justice.
For this, he works hard for years, becomes a trusted official of the emperor in the Liang Kingdom, acts as a sycophant, and begins executing his carefully crafted plan behind the scenes. But unexpectedly, his every plan gets disrupted by this carefree and lively young girl Jiang Ci (portrayed by Li Landi) who has been living in the Mountain with her Master since childhood.
Characters Introduction
Wei Zhao/Xia Wu Xia is a tough and cold young man. He’s on a secret mission to find the real culprit behind a tragic incident from twenty years ago and to save the people and his birthplace, Yueluo.
Jiang Ci: a carefree soul who’s smart, intelligent and skilled in medicinal herbs. For her, freedom means everything. Yet, she finds herself trapped in the perilous schemes of two powerful officials, jeopardizing the very essence of her existence.
Pei Yan: a high ranking official in the court from a noble Pei family.
Supporting Characters
Gao Han as Cui Liang: a physician who also assists Pei Yan with suggestions and advice.
Zhang Feng Yi as Emperor Liang: like any emperor, he wants keep his postion secure with many hidden secrets
Wen Zheng Rong as Rong Yu Die: mother of Pei Yan, who’s very strict with herself and his son
Impressions and Popularity
‘Love Of Nirvana’ was one of the highly anticipated dramas to be released in 2024. The reason for this hype is because of the popular male and female lead including its exciting plotline. Following its premiere on Tencent Video, the drama quickly surpassed 26,000 Heat Index, indicating a certain level of popularity. Given that the series is still airing, there’s a possibility it could reach 28,000 Heat Index, though it’s uncertain whether this will happen.
The drama simply follows the theme of revenge, politics, romance, and retribution. It successfully conveys a message of equality, compassion and love emphasizing that all individuals should be treated with respect. As the Yueluo people are enslaved and treated as inferior to animals, Wei Zhao, a Yueluo lord and a warrior, who after enduring years of humiliation and sufferings, leads his people on a quest for freedom. It’s a battle against overwhelming odds, but he refuses to back down.
Love Of Nirvana Review
The drama literally starts with a cat-and-mouse game between the two main male leads, Wei Zhao and Pei Yan, with the heroine, Jianci, accidentally getting involved in the conspiracies between them. There are no clear black-and-white characters in the show; to be precise, everyone is using each other for their own benefit to achieve their goals.
Except for a few new characters introduced in each episode, the cast remains manageable. The pacing is decent, the story flows smoothly, the cinematography is of high quality, and the action scenes are swift.
Personally, I found the first and last ten episodes to be intense and emotionally compelling, while the rest felt mediocre.
If you’re someone who rely on the subtitles to watch Chinese Dramas, like me or the most of the international fans, then paying close attention to every line and details is crucial especially in the first 10 episodes. Even minor conversations between side characters can significantly impact understanding for later episodes. To avoid confusion, it’s essential to stay focused from the very beginning of this drama.
A Thrilling Cat-And-Mouse Game
Personally, what truly kept me engaged in this series was the inner battle between the two protagonists Wei Zhao and Pei Yan. Since one acts in the shadows while the other is in the spotlight, their conflict becomes even more intense when the one hiding in the shadows is also exposed to the light. One is fighting for humanity and its people, while the other is driven by past glory, pride, and greed. This contrast is also the reason why many end up rooting for Wei Zhao but not Pei Yan, despite both being equally capable. Of Course, there are also viewers who don’t root for either because of their deceptive and scheming nature.
Since their paths intertwine due to their goals—one tasked with guarding something while the other relentlessly tries to destroy it—they have no choice but to fight. Each has their own destination to reach, and they can afford no mistakes, as it would cost them their lives and the things they hold dear. Thus, Wei Zhao and Pei Yan engage in a game of minds, using every possible means to outmaneuver each other.
However, most of the time, Wei Zhao is always ahead of Pei Yan’s moves and tricks, easily anticipating what Pei Yan’s next move will be, which he then uses to his own advantage. But that doesn’t make Pei Yan any less formidable—there are moments when he forces Wei Zhao into such a tight corner that even he is left scrambling to find a way out.
Red Flags, Romance, Love Triangle
Not your typical hero and heroine falling in love at first sight drama. That’s right, Love of Nirvana follows the enemies-to-lovers trope. The interesting part is that the male lead is quite toxic and ruthless toward the female lead in the first 10 episodes, which is quite brutal but also logical because she gets invloved into something that she shouldn’t have. Because of this, Wei Zhao tries every possible way to silence her. Though we can see some development in their relationship as the plot progresses, trust and deception remain major issues. So, yes, viewers who dislike red flag male leads might find this a turn-off.
Actually, we can see where this male lead is coming from: a tragic past filled with suffering, pain, and betrayal that has shaped him into who he is today. Despite this baptism of fire, he still remains kind and cares for his people. It’s also evident that a single mistake in his plan could cost the lives of his loved ones, so he dares not let anything go wrong in the process. However, the way he treated the female lead throughout the series is still problematic. Even after he grows closer to her, he continues to use and deceive her, which made it difficult for me to root for their relationship as romantic partners.
In addition to the main male protagonists, there is also a second male lead, Pei Yan, as a love interest who uses Jianci since the beginning. Over time, his so-called care and protection turns into obsession, which he mistakes for love.
For this very reason, I badly wanted the female lead to spend the rest of her life in peace and tranquility, either alone or with someone who truly cares for her. Instead of chasing/falling in love, it would have been better if she had used her brain to escape from the trap of these two individuals from the start. Hmm..its not like this wish of mine didn’t come true, but it did so in a heartbreaking and bittersweet manner.
From Curiosity to Disappointment: Heroine’s Journey
Initially, Jiang Ci is quite naive and unaware of all the pain and suffering in the world and the lives of the people around her. Driven by curiosity, she ventures out to explore, but this trip ends up becoming one of the most unforgettable memories of her life. She goes from someone who knows nothing about this complicated world to someone who closely observes and experiences it.
The best part about Jiang Ci is that, no matter what she goes through, she never changes her original motive: to be free, kind and independent. Even if someone wrongs her at one point, she forgives them easily, which is both a good and a bad aspect of her as a character. Because despite being clever, she often seems to forget that those who have hurt or used her before might repeat the same actions again. So, this leads her to nothing but heartbreak and sadness.
Sadly, the heroine is shown to be smart and capable, yet the writers seem to dumb her down whenever the romantic plot comes into play. It feels as though they sacrificed her character growth to make the romance part work, and unfortunately, it didn’t. Although the male lead saves her a few times, let’s not forget that he’s also killed her multiple times without mercy! It’s a bit cliché that she falls in love with him so easily or immediately after everything she’s been through because of him. I was really hoping she’d get her revenge at some point, but instead, she just ends up falling for him, which was a big disappointment for me.
So, In “Love of Nirvana,” the heroine kind of feels like she’s just there to fill space in the story. She doesn’t have a strong personal motivation driving her actions, and her role mostly seems to be about pushing the plot forward rather than having her own journey.
Stuck In Familiar Tropes?
I really wish that C-Dramaland writers could bring us something fresh and new or perhaps present the already familiar tropes in an interesting way. May be because I’ve watched too many dramas in the past few years that this type of trope—where the male protagonist meets a tragic past, goes out for revenge, and then saves common people—has become quite repetitive in C-Dramaland in recent years. For instance, Ren Jialun’s drama Burning Flames, which aired early this year, also had a similar plot design despite it being from a different genre (Xuanhuan).
Love Of Nirvana certainly keeps viewers engaged through its dynamic storytelling; however, it falls prey to familiar tropes, as described above, making the plot somewhat predictable. I believe that adding some additional elements would significantly enhance the viewing experience for the audience.
Acting & Chemistry
Talking about the chemistry between Ren Jialun and Li Landi is somewhat okay for me. Since I wasn’t particularly a fan of their romance in the drama, I find their relationship arc just fine. I believe this happened because of how the story progressed after their first cat-and-mouse encounter at the beginning.
Though I loved Ren Jialun’s masked looks at the start and the aura he carries in that role. Afterward, when he was introduced in all his fluttering white robes, it was simply beautiful. His acting, overall, was great too. Meanwhile, Li Landi’s acting and expressions were all impressive. However, I didn’t expect her to play a less interesting female lead in this drama; perhaps I was expecting more from this role. Last year, her performance in ‘The Starry Love’ was much more convincing, which left a lasting impressions on many viewers (note: I’m not comparing the two shows, but rather the character designs).
As for Xu Zheng Xi, actually, it’s kinda hard for me to believe that he is already 39. In the play, every costume he appeared in, from court to typical yueluo costumes, was stunning. Honestly, he can pull off any dress effortlessly. Talking about his acting, it was impressive. He portrayed his role as an obsessed, talented, and handsome Marquis of Jianding well.
My Verdict – Worth Watching
Love of Nirvana is a perfect choice for viewers who appreciate or enjoy intricate plots, complex characters, political intrigue, and romance. However, those who are particularly averse to the ‘red flag male lead’ trope may find it less appealing.
If you’re wondering where to watch this ongoing drama, then it is availble on Tencent Video and Viki.
