Hua Cheng’s War with Himself
I’m currently re-reading Heaven Official’s Blessing, which is truly a delight. This is a book that has just as much to delight the reader the second time around as it did the first. I’ll write a series of these posts as I make my way through the book again and find interesting reflections. Please note that this will certainly include spoilers!
I once heard someone refer to Hua Cheng as too perfect, a Mary Sue-type character. While I have read some danmei characters that solidly fall into that category (Strong Winds Return Home comes to mind), I don’t find Hua Cheng to be this way. Instead, I find Hua Cheng’s character and actions throughout the book to be fascinating. It feels like he’s constantly at war with himself, between his expectations, his hopes, and his desires.
Hua Cheng exists in a constant struggle between his deeply self-critical sense of self and his yearning for more than he believes he deserves. Throughout most of the story, Hua Cheng is not in a good place. He feels as though he has failed Xie Lian for 800 years and believes he neither should nor could earn his god’s attention, let alone his affection.
Despite this, Hua Cheng consistently reaches for more than he thinks he deserves. As a child, when he receives his god’s favor in the temple, he implores him not to leave and asks him more questions. As a soldier, he follows Xie Lian even when he shouldn’t. It’s certainly not because he thinks his modest skills surpass those of a god. The book mentions that many citizens of Xianle desire to be near Xie Lian, but Hua Cheng is more determined than others. He pushes forward, overcomes obstacles, and yearns. He has always wanted more than he believes he should receive. It is this tension that drives much of his character.
And that’s part of what makes this book a delight to read. Hua Cheng is not content silently protecting Xie Lian. He can’t even be close to Xie Lian without flirting, touching, and yearning. He pretends it’s a joke, holding back every time he thinks he detects aversion from Xie Lian, but he can never be content to remain in the background.
