Ashes of Love

Synopsis

The flower goddess's daughter Jin Mi, whose emotions were severed by the Meteor Pill, gradually learns love and hatred under the company of the Heavenly Emperor's son Xu Feng. Their immortal romance spans three lifetimes, filled with cycles of love and hatred.

Overview

Ashes of Love (Chinese: 香蜜沉沉烬如霜) is a 2018 Chinese xianxia costume romance drama directed by Zhu Ruibin, starring Yang Zi and Deng Lun in the lead roles, with Chen Yuqi, Luo Yunxi, Wang Yifei, and Zou Tingwei in supporting roles. Adapted from the web novel of the same name by author "Dian Xian", the drama premiered on Jiangsu Television and iQiyi on August 2, 2018, with a total of 63 episodes.

The drama tells the moving story of Jin Mi (played by Yang Zi), the daughter of the Flower Goddess who was fed the "Unfeeling Pill" (Yun Dan) at birth to sever her capacity for love and hate. After meeting Xu Feng (played by Deng Lun), the son of the Heavenly Emperor, she gradually learns about love and hatred. The two endure three lifetimes of reincarnation and entangled love and hate. As one of the most popular TV dramas of the 2018 summer season, it sparked the so-called "Ashes of Love Effect", garnering widespread attention both domestically and internationally.

Plot

The Flower Goddess, Zi Fen, was deeply hurt by love. On her deathbed, she fed the "Unfeeling Pill" to her newborn daughter, Jin Mi. Anyone who consumes this pill becomes incapable of feeling love, hate, or any deep emotions. Jin Mi was raised hidden within the Water Mirror by her mother's arrangement, knowing nothing of the outside world.

By chance, Jin Mi encounters Xu Feng, the Fire God and son of the Heavenly Emperor, who is undergoing rebirth through nirvana. Xu Feng brings Jin Mi out of the Water Mirror, and they spend their days together. Due to the Unfeeling Pill, Jin Mi has no concept of romantic feelings, leading to many comedic situations, yet she unknowingly forms a deep bond with Xu Feng.

However, power struggles in the heavenly realm, the revelation of Jin Mi's true heritage, and the deep affection the Night God, Run Yu (played by Luo Yunxi), holds for Jin Mi, fill their relationship with twists and turns. Misled by a misunderstanding, Jin Mi mistakenly kills Xu Feng. Overwhelmed by regret, her Unfeeling Pill shatters, and she finally experiences heart-wrenching pain, embarking on a long journey to find the reborn Xu Feng.

Cast

Production & Reception

The drama was jointly produced by Yuekai Media and Perfect World Pictures. Director Zhu Ruibin has previously directed several popular costume dramas such as The Long Ballad and Story of Kunning Palace. The original web novel accumulated over 7 million clicks on Jinjiang Literature City, amassing a large fanbase.

Ashes of Love received a rating of 7.8/10 on Douban (with over 500,000 ratings) and a high score of 8.9/10 on iQiyi. On the night of the finale, the lead actors posted lengthy Weibo posts bidding farewell to their characters, and related topics topped the hot search list the next day. The drama's special effects were considered a benchmark for domestic xianxia dramas at the time, with visual effects in scenes like the Heavenly-Demon War receiving praise from audiences.

Cultural Impact

Ashes of Love is one of the most popular xianxia dramas in recent years, often mentioned alongside works like Eternal Love and Love and Redemption as representative of the genre. The drama also performed well in overseas markets, gaining a large fanbase in Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and other regions. Yang Zi and Deng Lun further solidified their status in the entertainment industry through this drama. Luo Yunxi's portrayal of Run Yu also garnered immense popularity, becoming one of his representative roles.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/26920281/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/香蜜沉沉烬如霜/18813778
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/香蜜沉沉烬如霜
4. iQiyi: https://www.iqiyi.com/lib/m_212888014.html