One of the changes made in TGCF audio drama episode 6 is about the origin of the scorpion snake of Banyue. In the original version, the scropion spirit and snake spirit were forced to mate, gave birth to scorpion snakes, then were killed by the king of Banyue. In the revised edition, the ghosts of scorpion spirit and snake spirit lingered on after their death and went to find a ghost king in a faraway place to ask for his help for revenge. The ghost king combined their bodies into the scorpion snake to terrorize the people of Banyue for eternity.
I think this revision reinforced the theme in the story that ghosts and ghost realm, vilified and shunned as they are, stand for justice and fairness to a much greater degree than people might think. The Heavenly Realm headed by Jun Wu enforces order and maintains a semblence of peace and harmony in the world; it rewards perpetrators of violence and covers up any traces of violence. But if you want real justice, if you want to adress the wrongs done to you and seek revenge on evil, it'd be better to ask help from ghosts or even turn into a powerful ghost yourself.
The hierarchy of the world in Chinese myths puts the heavenly realm at the top, human realm in the middle, and ghost realm at the bottom, and most Chinese proverbs and idioms involving ghosts have negative connotations. TGCF challenges the traditional notoriety and lowliness attributed to ghosts in this sense.
TGCF Audio Drama Ep 12: XL asks for HC's company for one night
[context: this scene is just after the gambler's den dice throwing scene, they're back in the gambler's den as SQX said they need a distraction to investigate ghost city more, and XL volunteered to cause a distraction via gambling HC again]
Ghost: One wonders what prize this Daozhang wants to gamble our Lord Chengzhu for. Will it be mountains of gold and seas of silver, or a century's worth of spiritual powers? Will it be ten strokes of good fortune, or a plot of paradise?
XL: There is no need. All the treasures in the world are not what I seek. I only wish to ask Hua Chengzhu to spend one night with me. [1]
HC: (surprised) Hmm? (laughs)
Ghosts: AH??!
Ghost 1: Does he hear himself? Isn't he being far too bold!
Ghost 2: This is the first time I've ever heard of anyone daring to ask this type of request from Chengzhu!
Ghost 3: People really can't be evaluated by their appearances, this little Daozhang is bolder than he looks!
XL: Wait! I only meant that I simply want to ask Hua Chengzhu to play host to me, to take me out for one night to see the full sights of Ghost City, that's all. I wouldn't bring up any outrageous demands!
Ghost 1 (suggestively, implying sexual innuendos): Daozhang, what kind of "outrageous demands" do you mean? Is it to do this this this, or that that that?
Ghost 2: Yes yes yes, describe it to us clearly in detail!
XL: It's really not like that, everyone has misunderstood! All I meant was that I want to ask Hua Chengzhu to accompany me tonight, to stroll around...
Ghosts: Wow! 'Tonight'? Xiao Daozhang, you're really eager and impatient!
SQX: You'd better not explain any further, you're making it worse!
XL: I! I... I really don't mean anything else!
SQX: I know! But listening to you say it, it really sounds very... Aiya!
[*Translation note:]
what XL said literally means "to accompany me for one night", but it was taken by the ghosts as sexual innuendo because it can also be interpreted to mean XL wants HC's (sexual) company for one night. I decided to play up the innuendo when translating for fear that the innuendo wouldn't be as obvious in eng
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