The Myth

“爱不变 是美丽的神话”

Loyalty and faithfulness, are they the same?

Finally caught Jackie Chan's "The Myth" yesterday and it kinda caught me off guard.

All the while I know that Chinese history won't be so colourful and interesting without those change of eras. Only in the movies and those epics will we get to see more personified situations. That's the idea of movies, and it did get me thinking.

"The Myth" was set aginst China's Qing Dynasty background, which was the most flourishing era under Emperor Qing Shi Huang's rein. Although he was a dogmatic tyrant, China for once was unified, and a long period of peace was sustained. What strike me was Emperor Qing may be authoriatative and not necessary the benevolent ruler, he lacked no faithful generals by his side. Fiercefully faithful, I mean. Well, these character perhaps were fictitious in the movie, but I'd rather choose to believe they did exist during that era.

General Meng Yi was so determined to protect Emperor Qing's newly bestowed concubine from Korea, Concubine Li (Li Fei), that his life can be sacrificed with no second thoughts at all. Li Fei would have wished to escape when her ex-fiance came to her rescue, if not for General Meng Yi's fierce loyalty to safeguard her. And with this, came her admiration and emotional attachment for General Meng Yi.

Of course, this attachment might have resulted from the period when they had to rely on each other for survival when they're trying to return to the Chinese mainland. However, due to his loyalty for the Emperor, General Meng could never reciprocrate what Li Fei had expressively given. For his sake, Li Fei lived on, in misery.

Even when she was forced to test the longevity drug, she still cherished the hope General Meng Yi would return to see her. However, by then, it was thousand over years later, General Meng would have reincarnated into the modern era, which he had, in the movie. But, Li Fei couldn't accept the reincarnated General Meng coz he's no longer the Meng Yi that she had strongly loved and faithfully waited for. She refused to leave the tomb of Emperor Qing with Meng and it was with much reluctance that he had to let her go. Furthermore, she didn't belong to the modern era, it'll take lots of persuasion to convince the audience.

What lingers on is the obstinacy of Li Fei's ardent faith and love for General Meng Yi and the latter's subordinates' intense and undying loyalty to him. Will we still be able to find all these traits in our own era? If such people do exist, will they be mocked by their fellowmen, coz faith and loyalty are not supposed to exist now, except in the mafias and triads that we know?

I do believe each of us do have our own faith. Not in the religious sense, but on the emotional level. Have yet to come across anyone with such fierceful faithfulness, and maybe I do cherish the thought to meet one. What about myself? My faithfulness and loyalty will fade in comparison. However, I do possess vehemence to my own faith in love. This is most characteristic of a Leo. No matter how hard I try to shake it off, this can never be abandoned. It's like your shadow. It'll be you and uniquely you.

All I can say is, it's really a shame for us mortals, for not being able to experience this. Pity, pity......