Stars Of Chaos - Blog Posts
More Evidence for How My Favorites are Evil (Geniuses)(but not really evil)
from 杀破狼 Stars of Chaos, Ch 57:
Gu Yun laments not being more decisive about obliterating (murdering) all the evidence that he had previously mostly obliterated; or he should have just collected the evidence and used it to stage a hostile takeover. Sigh. Oh well.
Chang Geng reassures LiaoRan that he won’t attack the emperor (not because being nice is the right thing to do, but) because it’s not the right time.
I’m sure there are plenty of other modern western stories where the main characters are grey, but I just can’t think of any other story where the non-villain-coded main characters are all “darn, I should have murdered that other person” and “don’t worry — I won’t murder until the time is right.”
杀破狼 Stars of Chaos:
This book has more plot than I have Chinese reading comprehension, but I think I see it now.
Chapter 52 is where Chang Geng asserts his superior intellect and problem-solving skills (because his vision isn’t clouded by pesky things like emotions for people who aren’t Gu Yun); and Chapter 53 is where he/Priest lays out Chang Geng’s evil master plan to bring peace and prosperity to the nation so that maybe he can convince Gu Yun to take a vacation.
No details or anything; just “this is the problem and that is what must be done.”
Yet more reasons for Why I Love Chang Geng
(even if he is a possibly-evil genius and love-crazed lunatic)
Stars of Chaos 杀破狼 ch 43:
When asked why he was hanging out everywhere but at the capital for the past 4 years, Chang Geng replies
“我……我想看一看，”长庚道，“了然大师以前跟我说过，心有天地，山大的烦恼也不过一隅，山川河海，众生万物，经常看一看别人，低下头也就能看见自己。
“I….wanted to see,” Chang Geng said, “Teacher Liao Ran had told me before, the heart encompasses the sky and the land; even a mountain-sized worry can only occupy one small corner. Mountains, valleys, rivers, oceans; millions of living creatures; often, through looking at other people you can look down and see yourself.
没经手照料过重病垂死之人，还以为自己身上蹭破的油皮是重伤，没灌一口黄沙砾砾，总觉得金戈铁马只是个威风凛凛的影子，没有吃糠咽菜过，‘民生多艰’不也是无病呻吟吗？”
If you’ve never cared for someone with a grave illness who is on the verge of death, you might think that your broken skin was a major injury; if you haven’t drank a mouthful is yellow sand, you would forever believe that a powerful army was a reflection of awe; if you’ve never eaten chaff and swallowed greens, ‘the peasants have difficult lives’ is only a hollow sentiment.”
(Or something like that. This is a crazy novel that I can’t translate, but I do love it so!)
Anyway, it’s gorgeous to see Chang Geng start to take his place in the world.
And it’s so funny to see Gu Yun constantly surprised at him and wondering why it feels so awkward when they’re touching or alone together or touching while alone together ❤️
I now own Stars of Chaos, Vol 1!!! And pre-ordered Vol. 2 while I was out!! Yay!!!
And now, a brief yet pathetic looking-for-sympathy note:
The 南疆山匪 (southern border mountain bandits??) arc is So Hard for me! It’s all “This character who is a friend of that character who you just met is laying a trap for this other character who is a friend of yet another character that you have Not yet met yet, plot plot convoluted plot” with absolutely no kissing and practically no pining and this is exactly why I am re-reading 杀破狼 Stars of Chaos while making a chapter-by-chapter Notes document of Romance Only for future rereads.
My 杀破狼 Romance Only Notes only have a couple of paragraphs from Ch 40, and it doesn’t look like I’ll have much from Ch 41.
This is taking too much discipline to read.
Priest, give me less massacring and more Mutual Magnetism!
Sha Po Lang 杀破狼 (Stars of Chaos) ch 12,
in which poor Shen Yi expresses how he really feels about working with Gu Yun:
他心道：“打从我上了姓顾的贼船那天开始，就没摊上过好事。”
He said in his heart / he thought: “Ever since the day I got on board that Gu’s pirate ship, nothing good has happened to me.”
(No, Gu Yun is not a pirate. He’s commander in chief of all the military forces in the nation. But Shen Yi consistently considers him to be a stinky pirate.)
I love how in Chinese there’s this construction, 姓顾的 “surnamed Gu,” which is wonderfully specific and concise and terribly derogatory. “That person is so terrible that it’s not even worth it to say his full name, much less any honorifics.”
From Sha Po Lang (Stars of Chaos) Ch 11,
More descriptions of How Gu Yun is an Absolute Rascal:
长庚用尽全力瞪着他，可任凭他目光如剑，顾昀偏偏刀枪不入……像从来都听不见沈先生叫他刷碗一样刀枪不入。
Chang Geng used all of energy to glare at him, but even if his glare was made of swords, Gu Yun was conveniently impervious to the stab of swords and spears……just like he had always been conveniently deaf to the yells of Shen Xiansheng to wash the dishes.
(My own terrible translation.) (The Chinese really conveys very well just how bad a rascal GunYun is. Like, evil smirking all the time.)
(Xiansheng = Mr., or Teacher, both of which work here)
I’m rereading 杀破狼 by Priest (Sha Po Lang) (“Stars of Chaos”). It took me forever to read it the first time, but I don’t really want to leave this universe, so….
I love how in the first 5 chapters, Priest perfectly conveys how Chang Geng is terribly in love with Shen Shiliu, completely against his own better judgement. Chang Geng is just entering adolescence and is having his usual nightmares, but now some of them are wet dreams, and he just doesn’t know what to do about all these feelings and Shiliu is not making it easy on him.
Shiliu is blind and deaf (or pretending to be) and lazy (not pretending there) and constantly trying to distract Chang Geng from his studies. He’s always calling Chang Geng over to play and waste time. He’s always throwing his arms around Chang Geng and giving him childish presents. He’s infuriating! And so, so handsome.
But Chang Geng is already building his life around Shen Shiliu. He has to become smart so that he can earn enough money to support Shiliu. He has to become strong so that he can protect poor blind, deaf Shiliu. He will be a good godson and take care of godfather, Yes.
Chang Geng is frustrated and confused out of his mind, and Shiliu keeps grabbing him as if one of them were a child!, but, even at this tender age, he knows who he wants to be with. Even if that person makes him mad in every sense of the word.
I also just read Sha Po Lang! Those weapons and flying ships and wings have been in my head for months now - it’s lovely to see what they look like (according to idledee, which is gospel enough for me).
ive been reading sha po lang!
My Danmei 耽美 Literary Adventure
Seven Seas Chinese Danmei novels, Notes Masterlist
Some of my favorite books, especially, The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, The Husky and His White Cat Shizun, Stars of Chaos, and Guardian, are now officially in English! Thank you, Seven Seas.
These notes are here to help friends who may not speak Chinese or have enough Chinese cultural background to understand the nuances presented in these works, or are just getting confused with all the different terms of address.
Please forgive me if I have missed anything, and dm or comment if you have anything to add!
魔道祖师 Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation
by MXTX
二哈和他的白猫师尊 The Husky and His White Cat ShiZun
by Meatbun 肉包不吃肉 (Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou)
Usage of the word "Master" vs "Teacher"
How to pronounce people's names (bc it does NOT follow the rules of English pronunciation)
Book Annotations
杀破狼 Stars of Chaos
by Priest
Vol 1-4 are here!
（Volume 5 notes will arrive next.)
镇魂 Guardian
by Priest
Coming eventually :)