Beyond Cloudfall: Chinese Cultural Guide
The following is a supplementary cultural guide for those of you who wish to delve deeper into the overt Chinese cultural aspects of the myth in the CN version Beyond Cloudfall.
This is not a cultural guide, as I assume that most people reading this are likely to be Westerners who are already familiar with Western mythology, so this will focus exclusively on the Chinese aspects.
Genre
Beyond Cloudfall is a xuanhuan.
Xuanhuan (玄幻）is a genre in Chinese fiction that combines traditional Chinese mythology, cultural elements, and storytelling with Western fantasy and mythological elements to produce a fantasy world that is still quintessentially Chinese. Most often, xuanhuan will combine elements of xianxia（仙侠） fantasy and Chinese mythology with other Western elements.
Xianxia is one of the most popular genres in Chinese fiction that is heavily influenced by Daoism and heavily features Chinese mythology, Chinese philosophy, and traditional martial arts narratives. An overarching narrative found in xianxia is the concept of cultivating one’s power to achieve immortality or godhood, often across multiple lifetimes and tribulations, sometimes through reincarnation. Often in xianxia, we also see characters fighting against fate in an effort to take control of their own self-determination.
All xianxia worlds always include three realms at an absolute minimum, which include the Celestial/Immortal Realm (仙界 xianjie), the Human/Mortal Realm (人间 renjian), and the Demon Realm (魔界 mojie). Some xianxia narratives also might feature a Heavenly Realm (天界 tianjie) and a Netherworld or Underworld (冥界 mingjie or 阴间 yinjian). These different realms are ultimately inspired by the Daoist Three Realms, which include the Heavenly, Human/Mortal Realm, and the Underworld.
Glossary
Demon (恶魔 emo)
Sylus is an 恶魔 (emo), which can be translated in English to “evil devil” or “evil demon.”
In Chinese mythology, demons are not fundamentally evil nor are they soulless. In some myths, they are morally ambiguous, nuanced figures that represent chaos and the endless battle for balance between yin and yang—darkness and light.
In other myths, demons serve as allegorical lessons or catalysts for spiritual growth. In Daoism, demons represent the chaos that disrupts or opposes the Dao (“the Way”), which is 1.) the eternal force that governs the flow of all things; 2.) the fundamental natural, harmonious force of the universe, and 3.) the source of all of creation.
Xianxia, which is heavily influenced by Daoism, depicts demons as morally ambiguous beings who are neither fully evil nor good, and are often cast as antiheroes. Instead of demons who disrupt or oppose the Dao, in xianxia, we typically see demons who oppose and disrupt Heaven, which usually represents the cosmic order of the universe. Demonic antiheroes are very often seen fighting against predetermined fate, refusing to accept Heaven’s Mandate (天命 tianming).
What is very important to understand about Chinese demon mythology is that there are many different kinds of demons.
As stated, Sylus is an 恶魔 (èmó) - Evil demon/devil - A malevolent being of chaos.
In Daoism, èmó represent chaos, imbalance, and harmonic disruption of yin/yang and the Dao, upsetting the balance of the universe. However, despite being called “evil”, they are still considered necessary to maintain balance in the universe.
In xianxia, èmó are depicted either as pure villains, antagonists, or antiheroes. They are often cast as the Demon King or a Demon Lord; some are depicted as cursed beings who became corrupted due to cultivating a demonic path. Others are fallen celestial beings or spirits with tragic backstories. They often represent a challenge against Heaven’s Mandate and fiercely resist accepting predetermined fate, often through destructive, chaotic methods.
Within most xianxia narratives, èmó are considered the most ultimate, powerful type of evil and chaos-bringer; and èmó rulers who are either Demon Kings or Demon Lords often rule over all other types of demons, both good and bad. (Remember: not all demons are inherently bad!)
In modern Chinese, 恶魔 (èmó) is also used to describe the devil in Christianity. This can be seen in Yan Di’s discussion on different depictions of dragons as “devil”, when the term she uses for “devil” throughout the video is 恶魔 (èmó) .
Notably, 恶魔 (èmó) have the ability to shapeshift into other forms, such as powerful demonic or fallen dragons, monstrous snakes or other serpentine creatures, beasts such as tigers or wolves, birds or winged monsters, and ethereal dark mist or shadow.
WARNING: FROM THIS POINT ON, THIS DOCUMENT IS FULL OF SPOILERS, AS THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES FROM OTHER XIANXIA SHOWS. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, SKIP THE EXAMPLES. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Most often in xianxia and xuanhuan, characters who are considered 恶魔 (èmó) or demonic are often depicted with red eyes and powers that most commonly are red and black. Sometimes, this is also depicted with black and either purple or blue mist. Examples:
Fall/Corruption (堕落 duoluo）
The word 堕落 (duoluo), which means fall from grace, corrupt, degenerate, is used 8 times in this myth. Sylus’s myth is the only myth that uses this term. They also use the term 落 (luo) which means to fall a total of 58 times, which is more than 2x the amount found in all other myths.
Demonic corruption or “falls” are most often depicted in xianxia when a cultivator or a dragon either encounters demonic energy, attempts to cultivate a forbidden path using demonic power, has an excess of yin energy, or an excess of too many “dark” emotions such as anger, hatred, resentment, grief, etc. Sometimes, it can also occur due to demonic possession or due to an encounter with a demonic artifact.
This is quite often seen with black and/or red (or black and/or purple/blue) mist which often represents some kind of “resentment power” flowing into the person who is undergoing demonization.
Examples:
Till the End of the Moon Cang Jiuming/Tantai JIn experiences complete demonization and becomes the Devil God. Note the black and red mist and particles rising off the demonic body and into his hand before it overwhelms him completely. Also note how it coalesces as a “core” at the center of his chest.
Back from the Brink Cultivating a demonic path turns Yanhui demonic. Once again, note the red and black mist and red eyes after transformation.
Note: This exact sort of demonization depiction actually happens in a lot of other dramas, but I don’t have time to go through and find too many more examples right now.
Heaven (天 Tian)
Heaven (天, Tian) is the natural order of the universe and the representation of cosmic order. It is the highest authority in the universe, which governs all living beings and all three realms within the universe. It is not a deity but as the personification of natural law and cosmic will.
Heaven maintains the equilibrium between yin and yang, which creates harmony. It oversees the Way of Heaven, (天道 tiandao), also known as the Dao, which is the source of all natural and moral laws which must never be broken.
Heaven governs the Heavenly Gods (天神 tianshen) who carry out its will. It is also responsible for overseeing ultimate judgment in the case of Heavenly Punishment.
Heavenly Realm (天界 tianjie） is typically where deities and gods reside. Sometimes, immortals (cultivators who have achieved immortality) also reside there along with them.
Heavenly Gods （天神 tianshen）
天神 (Heavenly Gods) refers to gods or deities within Chinese mythology who live in Heaven (天 Tian). This term originates from Chinese cosmology and most often is used to refer to celestial gods or beings. (The Christian God, on the other hand, is never called 天神 tianshen, but instead is referred to as just 神 shen or 上帝 shangdi, which are very different terms.)
Heavenly Punishment (天罚 tianfa）
Heavenly Punishment (天罚 tianfa) is carried out by the Will of Heaven (天意 tianyi）to punish those who have violated either cosmic or moral order, the balance of yin/yang, or a violation of karma. In this case, Heaven itself is the executioner and typically wields 天雷 (Heavenly Lightning tianlei)，which is the physical manifestation of Heaven’s Wrath (天怒 tiannu). Heavenly Punishment that is carried out specifically using Heavenly Lightning (天雷 tianlei）is one of the most common forms of divine punishment depicted in xianxia and wuxia stories. Heavenly Lightning that is used to carry out Heavenly Punishment is extremely genre-specific and is never depicted outside of xianxia or wuxia in Chinese cultural works with the term “天罚” tianfa.
Heavenly Punishment is also known as 天道惩罚 (tiandao chengfa Heavenly Path Punishment) or 天谴 (tianqian Heavenly Censure). Sometimes it can also be considered 天劫 (tianjie Heavenly Tribulation), though Tribulations are not always punishments.
Often, Heavenly Punishment takes place on some kind of celestial platform that is in the clouds, but this is not always the case.
Examples:
Till the End of the Moon - Lightning Punishment while being judged by cultivators.
Lightning Punishment round 2. Bonus attempt at breaking the Devil God’s curse. “You were already the greatest curse in this world… destined to destroy heaven and earth and overturn the universe.”
A demon receives Heavenly Punishment in the form of lightning, which will destroy her soul, but the God of War tries to protect her from it. Just like the Court of Justitia, punishment begins on a celestial platform in the clouds.
(Fun fact: there’s even an Abyss in Till the End of the Moon that the Devil God was ALSO sealed into!)
The Legend of Shen Li - A god receives Heavenly Punishment in the form of lightning due to defying Heaven’s Mandate and trying to turn back fate.
Back from the Brink - Lightning Punishment on a celestial platform. In this case, she’s actually successfully rescued by her dragon, but at a tremendous cost.
Heavenly Lightning (天雷）/ Lightning Punishment (雷劫）
In Daoism, xianxia, xuanhuan, and broader Chinese culture, Lightning Punishment/Heavenly Lightning is one of the primary forms of divine punishment. Within Chinese traditions, it represents Heaven’s wrath and judgment and is typically carried out against those who have violated cosmic and moral laws.
In Daoism, it is believed that lightning represents yang (light) energy and can dispel yin (darkness) as well as demons. The Thunder God uses lightning as a tool of justice to exterminate and exorcise demons or spirits as well as individuals who have violated cosmic or moral laws.
In xianxia and xuanhuan, Heavenly Lightning/Lightning Punishment is often used to carry out severe punishments or executions. Oftentimes, during the course of this punishment, the soul can be completely obliterated or fragmented. For example, in Till the End of the Moon, the Lightning Punishment is so severe that it can even shred apart a god and ensure that the god will never be able to reincarnate.
In other xianxia and xuanhuan depictions, when Lightning Punishment is actually a Lightning Tribulation, the cultivator undergoes a trial to resist the pain of the punishment in order to achieve higher levels of cultivation. In this case, the lightning actually cleanses and purifies the cultivator. Lightning Tribulations are always depicted as incredibly dangerous, life-threatening trials, as a failed tribulation will lead to the soul being shattered or the cultivator losing their immortality or spiritual power forever.
Heaven’s Will / Will of Heaven (天意 tianyi）
Heaven’s Will / the Will of Heaven (天意 tianyi) is the idea that Heaven, as a force of nature, is a conscious force that governs fate, all natural events, and the universe. It is thought that the Will of Heaven shapes the world by determining the fate of the universe and everyone within it.
In other words, Heaven’s Will is in charge of fate, and by fighting against fate, you fight directly against Heaven and its Will.
Fate’s Decree （命中注定 ming zhong zhu ding）
Fate’s Decree (命中注定 ming zhong zhu ding) is a central theme and one of the most prominent concepts found in xianxia, xuanhuan, and wuxia narratives, usually used to describe a fate or destiny ordained by Heaven itself, which is typically thought of as unable to be changed.
It is typically used to describe fated relationships, such as romantic soul mates or enemies, as well as circumstances that are predetermined and directly written by Heaven. Often this is described as a fate that has already been “written” and involves a fixed destiny that can’t be changed.
Many stories specifically deal with this conflict, whereby they attempt to fight against Heaven itself in order to change their fate. (The specific term for this is 逆天改命 ni tian gai ming, or defying Heaven to change fate.)
Those who dare to defy Heaven or attempt to change fate’s decree often incur Heaven’s Wrath, which can lead to Heavenly Punishment or other horrible misfortunes as Heaven attempts to force the defiant subject back onto their preordained path.
Fate’s Decree (命中注定 ming zhong zhu ding) is not used outside xianxia, xuanhuan, or wuxia and is genre-specific as it is a Daoist term. When writing on non-Daoist fate, the terms that are used include: “命运" (mingyun) for fate in general, or for predetermined fate: “宿命.” (suming)
Here are a couple of examples of how Chinese scholars who write on fate in Greek and Chinese mythology use the term:
In 《浅谈古希腊神话中的命运观念》 (A Brief Discussion on the Concept of Fate in Ancient Greek Mythology), Liu Jie writes, “古希腊人认为在人与神之上还有命运主宰一切，它既支配人，也支配神。” (Ancient Greeks believed that fate dominated everything above humans and gods and governed both humans and deities.)
Huang Yishu says in 《不可抗与不可知——希腊神话中的”命运观”》 “Uncontrollable and Unknowable: The Concept of Fate in Greek Mythology”: “无论是英勇善战、无人能敌的阿喀琉斯，还是足智多谋的奥德修斯，抑或是尽心为民的俄狄甫斯王，他们都曾被命运这根看不见的’绳索’牢牢拴住。” (“Whether it is the valiant and indomitable Achilles, the clever and resourceful Odysseus, or the devoted King Oedipus, they were all firmly bound by the invisible invisible ‘rope’ of fate.”) Specifically, they use the term 命运 (mingyun), as it would not make sense to use a Chinese Daoist term to discuss a Western concept of fate.
Evil Dragon (恶龙 elong）
In xianxia, evil dragons (恶龙 elong) are demonic fallen dragons or primordial malevolent creatures. Typically, fallen dragons are depicted as a celestial dragon who falls to demonic corruption due to either cultivation of forbidden techniques, exposure to demonic energy, or an excess of yin energy due to hatred, resentment, and other dark emotions.
They are most often depicted as black dragons with black and red energy or mist that surrounds them, as is typical of any other demonic depictions.
Fallen dragons often are given an arc whereby they are able to redeem themselves and regain their original noble/celestial status.
(As an aside, this exact term actually does not appear in the Chinese Bible! Instead, they use 大红龙 da hong long, which means “big red dragon.”)
Primordial Chaos （混沌 hundun）
In Daoism, primordial chaos (混沌 hundun) refers to the state of the universe before creation and order were introduced; it is a state of formlessness and embodies the unformed natural order of things. In xianxia literature, it often is the source of divine or celestial power and predates all creation. It often is seen as a force of simultaneous creation and destruction. Beings that are linked to primordial chaos or can channel its power are usually seen as unfathomably powerful. This term is used 16 times in this myth.
Bonus Tropes
Demonic Frenzy
Often in xianxia, someone can become affected by demonic energy or are possessed by a demon and essentially go into a “demonic frenzy.” Usually, they lose control of their consciousness in those moments and their eyes turn red. Sometimes, they go into a full frenzy, but other times, they’re able to regain control over their faculties.
Examples: Cang Jiuming nearly succumbs to the demonic voice while receiving Heavenly Punishment in Till the End of the Moon. Note the red and black mist vs the golden spiritual cultivation power.
Mo Fang tries to resist Fu Sheng’s demonic power in The Legend of Shen Li
Chi Yuan has been completely possessed by Xuyao and has gone full frenzy in The Longest Promise. He regains control midway through this clip.
Shared Soul Realm / Spiritual Barrier
In some xianxia dramas, cultivators can experience living through a reality that is effectively like a shared realm within their souls or a special reality created within a barrier. This is typically not a dream, even if it might feel dreamlike, but instead an actual lived reality within the universe of two souls. Sometimes this is also represented as one cultivator entering another cultivator’s soul or the creation of a reality within a spiritual barrier.
Examples: In Till the End of the Moon when Tantai Jin and Ye Xiwu are pulled into the “Bo’re Life” during episodes 11-15 when they encounter the sealed dragon, God of War Ming Ye. They end up reliving a different life, but those experiences end up staying with them forever. In Episode 36, as the Devil God, Tantai Jin creates a shared realm in the form of a “memory barrier” to allow himself and his beloved to truly experience happiness. This is represented as a shared reality, and not a dream.
In The Longest Promise, this can be seen when Zhu Yan enters Shi Ying’s spiritual barrier.
Note: I don’t have time to go through all of the other shows, but since I have Till the End of the Moon handy, I’ve been mostly pulling from this show for examples, but this exact trope does appear in a lot of other xianxia and xuanhuan dramas!
Dissipation After Death
While this isn’t always the case, often in xianxia and xuanhuan, death is depicted as the individual dissipating after death. Regardless of whether the individual is a demon, dragon, fairy, immortal, or god, it is quite common for them to dissipate completely.
Examples:
Orchid dies in Love Between Fairy and Devil Tantai Jin dies in Till the End of the Moon Sang Jiu dies in Till the End of the Moon A-Yin dies in The Last Immortal (bonus Lightseeker looking sword crashes down!) Chi Yuan dies in The Longest Promise
Resurrection
Resurrection is different from rebirth or reincarnation, as the dead returns to life in a form similar to what they had at death. In xianxia and xuanhuan, a common trope that occurs is that after death, it is possible to resurrect the person who had died through one of the following methods:
Resurrection via recultivation - This occurs where the person resurrecting the dead does this via spirit cultivation. By feeding a fragment of their soul, spiritual energy, or other forms of cultivation energy, one can help resurrect the dead. This is thought to be the “immortal path” or “celestial” path of resurrection. Sometimes, celestial/immortal artifacts are used to help with this process. Examples: Zhu Yan brings Shi Ying back to life in The Longest Promise. Notably, Shi Ying’s body didn’t dissipate, as it hadn’t passed the certain period of time required for full soul dissipation given his spiritual power. Zhu Yan resurrects him by sacrificing half her life force and implanting his “soul flame” inside of her through a very risky magical spell. Dongfang Qingcang resurrects Orchid after she dies in Love Between Fairy and Devil by planting a fragment of her soul and helping to cultivate it carefully. (Orchid is an orchid fairy!) Tianyao dissipates in Back From the Brink and then his soul is turned into a dragon egg which is then fed spiritual power. He hatches as a fully grown man, resurrected. The next examples are actually failed examples, but they’re really great at demonstrating an attempt at resurrection in The Last Immortal: Background: A-Yin is a character that was born from a fragment of the Phoenix God who was about to be born into the world, but upon a disastrous encounter with a young Yuanqi, her divine essence was scattered. The initial plot of the The Last Immortal is centered around Yuanqi finding fragments of the Phoenix God’s soul, which is placed into a divine artifact to try and save her. However, one fragment accidentally fell into the egg of a spiritual beast, and that fragment ended up hatching and growing up into A-Yin. Resurrection: After A-Yin dies and her soul is completely scattered, a fragment of it flies to the god of the Nether Realm, who places it in a blood lotus artifact to protect it. The god Yuanqi spends over 1,000 years searching for the scattered fragments of A-Yin’s soul which is undergoing tribulations after she dies. Notably, he can sense her because he had imprinted his soul upon hers (they have a soul contract.) Once he finds the last fragment of her soul, she refuses to return with him, instead choosing to go through a final tribulation that her soul won’t survive. He sacrifices his divine essence to try and save the last fragment of her soul, but fails.
Resurrection via demonic path magic - Demonic path magic is magic that uses demonic cultivation techniques such as demonic curses, demonic energy, and demonic artifacts, etc. instead of immortal cultivation techniques. It’s usually considered a violation against Heaven, as cultivators often become demons in the process. Resurrection via such means usually requires someone else’s life force or demonic energy. Examples: Wei Wuxian is resurrected after Mo Xuanyu sacrifices his life to summon Wei Wuxian into his body, thereby resurrecting his soul in The Untamed. For the rest of The Untamed, Wei Wuxian summons the dead and resurrects them via demonic path magic. He can also control ghosts and other spirits this way. He actually resurrects countless dead and turns them into his own personal army, but also manages to fully resurrect Wen Ning and restore his consciousness. Hua Shu fails to resurrect her beloved using demonic magic in The Last Immortal. You can see wisps of black mist that represent the demonic energy mixed with her own teal celestial energy as she is not fully demonized, but merely using demonic path magic here.
Note: There are quite a number of demonic path resurrection examples but I don’t have time to find them all, so I’d just suggest watching the entirety of The Untamed.
Resurrection via nirvana - This occurs when a cultivator or deity dies due to any number of reasons but manages to achieve nirvana and returns as a god. In The Last Immortal, A-Yin’s soul fragment flies back to the divine artifact that nurtured the other fragments of her divine soul and she is finally resurrected as the Phoenix God.
Abyss
There are countless xianxia and xuanhuan that feature an abyss where demons are sealed. Usually, the abyss can be found in the demon realm. Often, the most evil power is sealed into the abyss, and at some point, said evil breaks out of the abyss due to any given reason. There are far too many shows that feature an abyss, so I won’t list them all, but it is one of the most common tropes that can be found in many, many xianxia and xuanhuan works.
Xuanhuan in Academia
In “A Brief Analysis of Chinese Online Novels: Xuanhuan Novels,” Muhammed Elzayat explains:
In 1988, Zhao Shanchen wrote in the preface, “A new genre that combines metaphysics, science and literature has been born. We call this type of novel ‘xuanhuan’ novels.’ This is the first time the term ‘xuanhuan’ has appeared and has a clear definition.
Xuanhuan novels are a new type of story text that emerged in the mid-to-late 1990s. They are often derived from or borrowed from wuxia novels, science fiction novels, mythological novels, legendary novels, and Western fantasy novels.
Xuanhuan novels, also known as xuanhuan literature, introduce Western magical themes, supplemented by supernatural elements such as cultivation, Taoism, ghosts, magic, fantasy, and mythology.
Wang Yehan tells us in “Xuanhuan Novels in the Context of Consumerism: A Reflection on a Social Trend in Contemporary China”:
The variety of Xuanhuan novels on the literary market is due to their hybrid nature, amalgamating Western fantasy, Chinese martial arts, ancient myths, and modern science fiction. The cultural nature of online fantasy novels can be explained through the theory of “cultural hybridization” (Nayar, 2006). As Wang and Yeh (2007) argue, Xuanhuan novels are a manifestation of the interaction between different cultures in the context of globalization and a special cultural product set in a “third space” beyond the world people inhabit.
Cui Jian further explains:
This god-demon dualism forms the foundation of numerous fantasy narratives in both Eastern and Western traditions, but the local genealogy of this literary motif is particularly pertinent to xuanhuan worldbuilding. [...] Xuanhuan fiction introduces a nuanced reinterpretation of the god-demon dualism within traditional Chinese cultures, adding religious connotations and philosophical depth to the simplified version that has shaped public discourse in recent decades. (Ibid. 44-45)
Compared with the literary classics, xuanhuan fiction may lack philosophical depth and aesthetic sophistication; and because it is very often tamed to conform to official narratives, it can easily lose its critical edge. Pandering to market-oriented consumerism can also sometimes blunt xuanhuan fiction’s otherwise sharp criticism of contemporary society, and its naïve and fantastical elements can tarnish the genre’s utopian aspirations in the eyes of many critics. However, this does not mean that the underlying politics and philosophical ruminations should be read superficially.
Xuanhuan fiction gives teleological learning and self-cultivation an important role in transcending boundaries and exploring new identities.
Cultivating sensitivity to emotions and love, which form the basis of sympathy and compassion, emerges as a new driving force for envisioning a reimagined tianxia tailored to today’s digital-native youth. Xuanhuan fiction should therefore not be dismissed as mere “play,” but also understood as a transformative space that actively engages in the renegotiation of contemporary values and offering new possibilities for personal and societal growth. (Ibid. 50-51)
Works Cited
Cui Jian. “Re-inventing Tianxia Coming-of-Age in Xuanhuan Fantasy Fiction” Digital China: Creativity and Community in the Sinocybersphere. Amsterdam University Press, 2024
Elzayat, Muhammed. “A Brief Analysis of Chinese Online Novels: Xuanhuan Novels.” Transcultural Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences. Volume 5, Issue 4, October 2024, 1160-178
Liu Jie. "浅谈古希腊神话中的命运观念" (A Brief Discussion on the Concept of Fate in Ancient Greek Mythology). 作家 (Writer), no. 17, 2011, p. 123.
Huang Yishu. "不可抗与不可知——希腊神话中的‘命运观’" (The Inevitable and the Unknowable: The Concept of Fate in Greek Mythology). 名作欣赏 (Masterpiece Appreciation), no. 12, 2013, pp. 98–99.
Wang Yehan. “Xuanhuan Novels in the Context of Consumerism: A Reflection on a Social Trend in Contemporary China.” The Journey of Multicultural Society 2020, Vol. 10, No 1. 57-80
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