Entry tags:

type: culture

Exhibits from the Hong Kong Palace Museum

This isn't directly C-ent related, but yesterday I visited the Hong Kong Palace Museum (a partner museum of the Beijing Palace Museum in the Forbidden City), and thought I'd post about it here. It just opened in 2022. There are nine galleries, seven of which were filled with displays from Chinese history, mostly things from the imperial palace. The vast majority of the items on display were from the Qing Dynasty, mainly from the time of Qianlong's reign (1736-1795). But there were also some displays from earlier reigns and earlier dynasties, and even one display of pottery dating back as far as 4,000 years.

( To connect this at least slightly to Cnovels/Cdramas... )

Anyway, I thought I'd share some of what's on display. This is nowhere near everything, just a selection; there are hundreds and hundreds of objects in the galleries. (Er, also apologies for the low quality. My phone is old and the museum has very low lighting. :P)

( Museum exterior )

( Entering the Forbidden City )

( Life and Art in the Forbidden City )

( The Art of Armaments: Qing Dynasty Military Collection )

And moving backwards in history:

( Ming Dynasty Ceramic Treasures from the Palace Museum, 1368-1644. )

And the last gallery I visited, ( the Founding Donations gallery, which had some even older items on display. )

( A couple of scenery shots outside. )

(I'm not sure how best to tag this! Let me know. :)

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Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Chapters 17 & 18

Hi, and welcome to this week's installment of the Guardian novel readalong! ♡

Here are last week's chapters, and you can find all previous discussions in the schedule posts (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5), or via the !readalong tag.

This week's chapters:

Chapter 17: Guo Changcheng can't get ahold of the rest of the team, and drives alone to the nearest town. An angry crowd is begging the police to find their loved ones who went missing at Spring Harbor Resort. Guo Changcheng manages the crowd and promises them that the SID is already on the case. Zhao Yunlan's sacrifices some of the true Soul-Guarding Order to save Shen Wei. Shen Wei defeats the Chaos shadow that chased them, but Ghost Face stabs him in the heart with an icicle and takes him away, demanding that Zhao Yunlan brings him the Soul-Guarding Lamp in exchange.

Chapter 18: Zhao Yunlan asks the Magistrate to take him to the Reincarnation Cycle in order to awaken Kunlun's spirit. Lin Jing regains the use of his senses and finds himself imprisoned at the Seal, surrounded by youchu. Ghost Face brings Shen Wei there too, and shackles him to the Merit Tree. Shen Wei is in pain, but he mocks Ghost Face and reveals that he's always had the power over the Mountain-River Awl, and that he has tracked Ghost Face and manipulated his actions. Ghost Face attacks him with the icicle again and Shen Wei passes out.

The corresponding chapters in the Chinese version on JJWXC/the fan translation are 98-99.

Excerpts:

( 1) Xiao Guo manages the crowd )

( 2) Zhao Yunlan's burns the Soul-Guarding Order )

( 3) Ghost Face kidnaps Shen Wei )

( 4) Lin Jing talks to the youchu )

( 5) Shen Wei mocks Ghost Face )

Questions:

Are you as surprised by Xiao Guo's bravery and competence as he is? What do you think about Zhao Yunlan's decision to sacrifice the Soul-Guarding Order? What's your favorite comic relief moment? Favorite angsty moment? Any thoughts about the many parallels between these chapters and their drama adaptation?

You can answer as many or as few questions as you like, or just comment without answering any of them at all! And if you see this post and you're not actually reading the novel, I would love to know what you think about any of this with limited context. :D

And here is the schedule, where you can sign up to host a post!

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weekly chat

Weekly Chat

The weekly chat posts are intended for just that, chatting among each other. What are you currently watching? Reading? What actor/idol are you currently following? What are you looking forward to? Are you busy writing, creating art? Or did you have no time at all for anything, and are bemoaning that fact?

Whatever it is, talk to us about it here. Tell us what you liked or didn't like, and if you want to talk about spoilery things, please hide them under either of these codes:
or

Current Mood: pensive

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Idle Friday post that turned out to be half about Pokemon Go

At the start of the month I entertained the fleeting thought of trying to post every day in July, especially with

sunshine_revival (in which I have in no way participated) going on, but. Well. *gestures at current date* And as we all know, something-something-only-perfect-results-matter, etc. etc. etc.

But here. It's Friday. The world is terrifying, but at least for this moment the sun is out. I spent most of my workday in a style guide meeting, which was genuinely pretty fun; tonight we're seeing Ginny and Kas because this week it's better for them than our usual Saturday hangout.

Tomorrow the (very) wee farmers' market that's only a few blocks away is getting underway for the season. I have ambitions of actually rolling out of bed and walking over in hopes of strawberries, even though tomorrow and Sunday are also Eevee community day in Pokemon Go, so I'm also hoping to leave the house those afternoons. Leaving the house twice in one day is not exactly a thing that happens often, and as a result, the prospect of it is exhausting. ^^; But here's hoping!

There's been zero doubt for a long time now that my only actual investment in Pokemon Go is the pursuit of shinies, and community days are the best chance to get shinies of a given critter, and Eevee, see, has EIGHT possible evolutions, so if there's any faint hope of ever having a full set of shinies of those, well, it's this weekend.

(I can't remember if I've said here that this is a crystalized perfect demonstration of why it's really, really good that I don't gamble. I'm usually pleased when I catch a new-to-me Pokemon, but it's pretty minor. But rather than setting the game aside, since it mostly hasn't resulted in me actually getting outside and walking much more than I had been, the hope of catching a shiny critter keeps me opening it back up. Nobody get me into slot machines, okay? [That sounds facetious, but I mean it very seriously.])

That's all I've got right now. Stay well, friends.

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Two Weilan fics: Sunshine and Honey (M-rated) and Pages for You (T-rated)

I wrote a treat for

idproquo and another

fan_flashworks flashfic. :-)

Title: Sunshine and Honey (4126 words) [Mature]
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Ye Olde Haixing Era, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Outdoor Sex, Feeding, Finger Sucking, Oral Fixation, First Kiss (for one of them), First time (for one of them), Treat
Summary:

They were halfway to the Allied Forces’ southern boundary when the sun came out. Shen Wei pulled back his hood and looked around, conscious of the breeze on his bare face. The heavy clouds were finally breaking up.

Meanwhile, Kunlun had dropped his bag and flopped onto his back on the grassy slope. “Let’s rest here a while.”

Title: Pages for You (1762 words) [Teen and Up]
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Established Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Fade to Black, Community: fan_flashworks
Summary:

Over the course of the evening, an impulse had taken root, and now Shen Wei submitted to it. He switched on his desk lamp, laid out several large sheets of paper and quietly ground some ink. If Zhao Yunlan wanted to read of their time together through the eyes of a Dixingren soldier, who better than Shen Wei to write an account—to show Zhao Yunlan exactly how much his arrival had meant to the war effort and to Shen Wei himself.

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Admin Post: Drawing Challenge #72 - What Makes You Happy

Thanks to mekare, who suggested a version of this prompt.

alt

Challenge #72: What Makes You Happy

We all need some positive vibes these days, so this month the challenge is to draw or paint anything that makes you happy, or that makes your favourite characters happy. It could be a person, a place, a garden, a cup of tea or coffee, a pet, a stack of books - anything at all!

If you're into Star Trek, Spock could be what makes Jim happy, or for Blackbeard, it might be Stede. You can draw something fannish, or something personal, as long as it makes you or your characters happy.

A round-up post for submissions to this challenge will be done at the end of July.

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Admin Post: Drawing Challenge #71 (Pride!) - Round-Up Post

Congrats to those who took part in this challenge!

drawing of a group of smiling, diverse people holding up the pride flag, and smaller asexual and bisexual pennants. Two women are kissing. Text at right says: Pride - Drawesome Challenge 71.

drawing of a group of smiling, diverse people holding up the pride flag, and smaller asexual and bisexual pennants. Two women are kissing. Text at right says: Pride - Drawesome Challenge 71.

Entries submitted for Drawing Challenge #71 - Pride:

Caeneus/Riddy sketch by mekare - Kaos, G
Show Your Colours by mific - Stargate Atlantis, G
Jim by goss - Our Flag Means Death, G
Joan and Meredith by mific - Stargate Atlantis, G
Goodbye Kiss by mekare - Star Trek: Discovery, G

As usual, this challenge as well as all of our previous challenges will remain open, so you can continue to submit entries to the community any time after the Round Up date. Be sure to tag your art post with the challenge name, so that it can be added to the list.

Thanks to all who participated in this challenge! :)

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quote

Julé! 03/31 - Quote of the Day

***

"I like Scandinavians, skiing, swimming and socialists who realize it is our business to promote social progress by peaceful methods. I dislike football, economists, eugenicists, Fascists, Stalinists, and Scottish conservatives. I think that sex is necessary and bankers are not." - Lancelot Hogben

From Kunitz, S.J. and Haycraft, H. (1950) Twentieth century authors: A biographical dictionary of modern literature (3rd edn), New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, pp 658-9, as referenced on the Wiki page.

***

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ZhuBai picspam (sort of)

I'd mentioned to

mumblemumble making desktop wallpaper calendars from Zhu Yilong & Bai Yu photos, and to commemorate my 6th Guardianniversary here's a little picspam of what they have looked like.

( Years 2020-2025 )

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Julé! 02/31 - K.A.R.D. Ficlet: like what you (don't) see

***

Title: like what you (don't) see
Author:

kat_lair
Fandom: K.A.R.D.
Pairing: Matthew Kim | BM/Kim Taehyung | J.Seph, Kim Taehyung | J.Seph/Original Male Character(s)
Tags: Ficlet, Canon Compliant, Jealousy, Denial of Feelings
Rating: G
Word count: 720

Summary: “He’s looking at you,” Matthew murmurs under the guise of bending down to hand over a bottle of water.

Author notes: I was looking for a prompt to write something for the first challenge of

sunshine_revival and then K.A.R.D. dropped Touch. And listen, they know what their target audience (the thirsty bis and pans) want and keep them well fed. I've been low key wanting more fic for this pairing and the MV gave me this brief frame at 2.09 where the (very hot) dancer looks like he's checking Taehyung out and... Well. Longer fic has been written on a flimsier premise. Unbetaed so if you spot a typo you absolutely should tell me about it.

like what you (don't) see on AO3

( like what you (don't) see )

***

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rl-thingslearned

Things learned in June

June was a slow month, but better than nothing. :)

( 14 things, some animal trivia and other random stuff )

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Poll: Location, location, location (drama)

Poll #33318 Location, location, location

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 15

View Respondents

What's your favourite location in the show?

View Answers

the main room at the SID
9 (64.3%)

Zhao Yunlan's flat
9 (64.3%)

Shen Wei's office
2 (14.3%)

the Dijun's palace
0 (0.0%)

the Sky Pillar in its field of ruins
4 (28.6%)

the SID lab
1 (7.1%)

the Inspectorate lab
0 (0.0%)

Shen Wei's flat
3 (21.4%)

the streets of Dragon City
2 (14.3%)

the streets of Dixing
3 (21.4%)

the Dixing bar
4 (28.6%)

the Allied Forces Head Quarters (YOHE)
0 (0.0%)

other (please specify)
2 (14.3%)

When we first see Da Qing in Ye Olde Haixing Era, how long has he been wandering around looking for Kunlun?

View Answers

thanks to the Hallows' planning, only a few hours
2 (13.3%)

a day or less
2 (13.3%)

several days
1 (6.7%)

one to two weeks
0 (0.0%)

he kept getting distracted chasing mice and birds, so more than two weeks
6 (40.0%)

Shen Wei sent news of his benefactor (short hair; strange weapon) to Ma Gui and Fu You, who did the math and sent Da Qing out to find him, so less than an hour
9 (60.0%)

other (please specify)
1 (6.7%)

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wishlist wednesday

Wishlist Wednesday

Wishlist Wednesdays are intended as a catch-all for anything you'd like to ask for in a casual, low-stress setting. No need to create a separate entry to the comm (although you are always welcome to do that, too), just leave a comment with your request right here under this entry.

It can be anything. Are you looking for icons of a specific drama or actor? Do you need a beta for your fic? Do you want to know where to buy merchandise of something? You can ask for recs of any kind (fanfic, drama, novel, music, whatever), or even leave specific fic prompts that others might be able to fill. Or whatever else that you can think of. Right now we're still kinda experimenting with this format, after all.

Feel free to discuss wishes/requests in the comments. And if you want to fill a request, feel free to do so right in the comments, too, or make a separate entry to the comm.

And please also check out the previous entries!

Multiple wishes/requests are definitely all right, just post a new top level comment for each. It would make it easier for people who might be interested in helping you out. The only thing I'd suggest for now is that you hide possible spoilers in the usual ways:

or

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fan meta

6 years

My 6th year Guardianniversary was a couple of days ago. ♥ I have a Guardian-adjacent post in mind but it requires some digging through folders and I haven't finished that yet.

Instead, today's post isn't about Guardian... ( but about a sus AO3 encounter )

what fresh hell is this?

It rained for three hours straight - thunderstorm, hail and torrential rain - and didn't cool done one bit. That shouldn't be allowed. And now we have all the heat and all the humidity, and ugh.

(Hi! I'm still here. Things are just very busy and I can't seem to find the time or energy for posting, much less keeping up with anything other than the

sid_guardian discussions ... I hope everyone's doing well, whether you're caught in this heat wave too or not.)

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!event

Guardian Bonus Bingo July Prompts

Greetings Guardian Bingo Participants!

Somehow we have already made it through one month of Bonus Bingo and July is upon us. New prompts are listed below.

If you missed out on June, no worries! You can join the fest at any point. You can turn in fills for months you missed during our November grace period month.

July (I) Prompts:

Cake | Reconciliation | Emergency

As with last month, you only need to create for one of these prompts to earn a fill for this month, though you’re welcome to create more if you feel so inspired.

While the fest account is located on Tumblr, you don't have to be a Tumblr user to participate or to earn a badge at the end of the fest. (Filling one prompt per month over five months is what matters for earning the badge, not where you post your fills.)

Friendly Fest Reminders:

This is a low-stress fest. The point is to create fan works and have fun.
All modes of creation are accepted!
All ratings, all ships, rpf, Weilan derivatives, and even works based on other Priest novels are accepted. Please tag accordingly.
While each month will have three prompts listed, you only need to create for one prompt to earn a fill for that month. (You are, however, welcome to complete or combine all of them if you wish.)
Prompts are inspiration only – follow them as strictly or as loosely as you’d like
No min/max content requirements.
No works created using generative AI

About/FAQ - Contains full fest info

AO3 Collection - You may also post in other places (tumblr, Dreamwidth, etc.)

If you @ our tumblr account, we’ll happily reblog your fill.

Let us know if you have any questions. Have fun and happy creating!

Fest Prompt Master List:

June (B): Chase | Door Key | Respite

July (I): Cake | Reconciliation | Emergency

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monthly round-up

Monthly Round-Up

This is the monthly round-up for June 2025.

• Fanvid for: 双兔 | Soul Sisters

• Wishlist Wednesday

• Cover reveals for The Beauty's Blade!

• Topic Tuesday: Underrated Dramas

• Graphics/Picspam for: Xiao Zhan as Zang Hai for Wet Man Wednesday!

• Fanvids for: Hikaru no Go, Justice in the Dark

• Quick Rec Wednesday

• Review for: Lament of the River Immortal (Feud)

• Promo/Rec for: Into the Fire (Hong Kong film, 1989)

• Review for: Justice in the Dark

• Fanvids for: Justice in the Dark fanvid + Silent Reading song translations

• Did You Make a Thing?

• Last chance! Pingxie Exchange sign-ups end tomorrow

• Fanvid for: 双镜 | Couple of Mirrors

• DC-Slash Con Seeking Panel Suggestions Today

And of course we had the monthly round-up for May 2025 and our weekly chats on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and the 28th

Did you discover an entry you missed? Come on over and take a look/comment!

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Challenge 71: Goodbye Kiss

Title: Goodbye Kiss
Artist: mekare
Rating: G
Fandom: Star Trek Discovery
Characters/Pairings: Paul Stamets/Hugh Culber
Content Notes: tried out two new grey markers with this one (Sakura Koi brush pens)

Entry tags:

type: fanworks round-up

June fanworks round-up post!

This is the fanworks round-up post for June! Please link in the comments to any Guardian (or related fandoms) fanworks you created or enjoyed last month.

all kinds of fanworks are welcome – fic, art, vids, picspams, etc. - including those made for exchanges and events
new chapters of WIPs count
meta or discussion posts, too
whether or not you've already linked these in a post of their own, we still want them here!

If you're linking to fanworks you didn't create yourself, please clearly mark these "REC", so there's no confusion about authorship/creatorship.

(And please still do link your fanworks, meta, etc. separately, in their own post, at any time!)

So ... what Guardian and related fandoms works did you create or enjoy in June?

Rebuilding journal search again

We're having to rebuild the search server again (previously, previously). It will take a few days to reindex all the content.

Meanwhile search services should be running, but probably returning no results or incomplete results for most queries.