I orginally posted this translation at the Asianfanatics forum... don't know if anyone here read it.... so I'll share it again.

This "analysis" is just for fun, so don't take it too seriously. :grin:



The Homosexuality Beneath Wuxia - The Truth About LWOLAP

Translation by GeLiGuoLu:

What is TVB's LWOLAP about? Half comedy, half drama, polygonal love interests, legendary weapons, ethnocentricity -- does it not make you confused and hazy? In truth, these are all just delusions, necessary because of television censorship and conservatism. In truth, at the core of LWOLAP is the deep, great, limitless love of man and man.

Trailers embedded with hints
In TLB, Leila once said that Bosco is a desperate mistress ditched by Ray. Of course she was kidding. But in the LWOLAP Bosco-Ray trailer, this came true. Bosco strips his comedic typecast, looks sadly at Ray, using a tone of deep despair he said "Since we can't be together, then we could only forget our feelings and love. " The scene continues with Bosco raising his sabre and swears to fight Ray til death. Could it be that Hon Pak loves Fung Hang Lit and is not reciprocated? In truth, the trailer is just testing waters. So who loves who and who will hurt who? -- The answer is quite surprising.

Pong Ban - the greatest love of all
Watching just the first few episodes, one would never guess that the man so cruel and cynical to FHL did everything out of his boundless love for him. When FHL remembers his past, we understand that Pong Ban wants to help him succeed, thus tailored an unconventional crash course for him. Behind FHL's success is Pong Ban's selfless sacrifice, even giving his precious life.
Evidence of love: Look at Pong Ban's eyes when he looks at FHL. It is all without words....
Reasons for love: Pong Ban fell in love at first sight with the adolescent FHL, and from then on gave him his all with no regrets.

Long Fan Wan - most reserved love
Due to personality and social status, LFW is very proud when dealing with love. Even if he's attacted to someone, he waits for that person to approach him, like Gok Ji Sin (Akina). If the person has no reaction, he just moves on. LFW had his eyes on FHL way in the beginning, but was waiting for FHL to make the first move. Waiting and waiting, he finally gets a chance when Hon Pak plays matchmaker for the two, but FHL just bluntly rejected him. To keep his face, LFW settled with Hong Pak as his disciple. If FHL were his disciple, you think LFW would cruelly hang him for 3 days and 3 nights?
Evidence of love: Knowing all along that FHL was playing Inferno Affairs, the intelligent LFW still repeatedly sided with FHL.
Reasons for love: When Hon Pak was transferring inner power to FHL, FHL cut his own pulse to save HP, thus LFW thought they were two of a kind.

Fung Hang Lit - the deepest love of all
Here comes the meat: LFW was right, FHL is queer, and his true love is Hon Pak! However, his love was too deep, so deep that he didn't realize at first. In a way, Pong Ban's selflessness made FHL finally realize and face his true side. Meeting Hon Pak was an arrangement by his newlywed wife Gan Bing Wan, then using seung sau method with Mung Yiu -- he's been rolling in rouge and thought that his love should be a woman. FHL did not love Hon Pak in the beginning. Even when thieves were about to use their knives on Hon Pak, he didn't care. Yet since falling in love with Hon Pak, every time he's in danger, FHL will naturally show his concern and not let anyone hurt Hon Pak. For example:
----- 1. When FHL first attempted to assassinate the emperor, he was already a top fighter and Hon Pak had only a few moves, how could he not complete his mission? Just because he was afraid he may hurt Hon Pak.
----- 2. On his second attempt, he already learned the kungfu in the sword and was teaming with Pong Ban, so he should be invincible. Again, Hon Pak was shielding the emperor and FHL's attention was all on him, leaving his back open to attack, which allowed CMY to successfully stab him.
----- 3. General Hui lost the battle in the forest and FHL let him live, only because he is Hon Pak's father.
----- 4. FHL's army surrounded Yin Wong and under absolutely winning circumstances, he let Yin Wong walk because Hon Pak swears to protect Yin Wong til death.
So, when FHL was about to win the kingdom, he realized that although he gains everything he wished for, Hon Pak will hate him to the bones. During the duel, Hon Pak's cold sabre swings and FHL's heart breaks into pieces. At the most crucial moment, FHL welcomed Hon Pak's sabre into his body, but used only his sword handle to touch his lover's heart. All that Pong Ban sacrificed is now meaningless. FHL's blood stained the sabre and he gave up his kingdom and life, only in exchange for Hon Pak's passionate cry "Fung dai goh".
Evidence of love: Too many. No matter how FHL does his Inferno Affairs, he tries hard to not let Hon Pak feel any bit of sadness. Many plans thus failed. He loves the kingdom, but loves Hon Pak more, so history was able to stay intact.
Reasons for love: When Hon Pak "jou fo yap mo", during the chaos the two embraced each other and rolled onto the ground -- an intimate experience.

Hon Pak - the most foolish love
In the beginning, Hon Pak was a blank piece of paper. Regarding love, homosexual and heterosexual, he did not have a clue. He considered FHL his savior and repaid him with true friendship. When he and FHL were rolling on the ground, he was almost unconscious, thus did not have any feelings of intimacy. Then the womanizer Chek Jun Sun gave him 40 years of inner power, and he met the perverted Fan Leung Gik that taught him about porn, so we were able to see the Hon Pak that was curiously attacted to woman. Though the aroused Hon Pak was interesting to watch, what the director really wanted was to create obstacles for FHL's love, a common dramatic element. Because nobody was guiding Hon Pak in this aspect -- he's so stupid, subtle hints are useless -- it took Hon Pak the entire series' time, til the end when FHL gave his life, for him to diffrentiate between friendship and love. Of course, he still required CMY to explain a bit before he fully understands. The out-of-the-closet Hon Pak also finds his own lover. Unfortunately, like how Pong Ban brings FHL out of the closet but FHL didn't love him back, Hon Pak did not love FHL. He loves the one he's admired since he was a little boy - his idol, Yin Wong. Even more unfortunately, nobody teaches him how to love, so til the end of the series it seems as if he didn't do anything.
Evidence of love: When Yin Wong was crowned emperor, Hon Pak looked at him with love and admiration. Usually inarticulate, he was surprisingly the first to kiss the new emperor's ass.
Reason for love: Hon Pak admired Yin Wong for 10+ years, slowly accumulating into love.

Yin Wong - the most forgiving love
The compassionate Yin Wong would take man or woman. Regarding love, his thought is always: 'If you'll be happier than me, then I am willing to let you go.' He loved Ye Yuet, courting her with all his heart, but he also loved Hon Pak. Yet, he thought Hon Pak was straight -- which he was at that point -- so he never bothered him, even helped him get together with Ye Yuet. Even after Ye Yuet began to love him, he purposely pulled the already out of loop Hon Pak back into the love triangle. And afterwards, Ye Yuet wore both bracelets and couldn't decide between the two, he decided to order their wedding. Like Hon Pak said, Yin Wong could definitely give Ye Yuet happiness, but he'd never guess that Yin Wong would give him happiness as well. And, Yin Wong would never guess that Hon Pak loves him too. A perfect match regretfully miss each other, because Hon Pak's too slow and Yin Wong just gave up.
Evidence of love: Yin Wong repeatedly pulls Hon Pak into the race for Ye Yuet, but did so to detect Hon Pak's sexual preference.
Reason for love: Hon Pak dodged a palm for him, fell into his embrace, and died. He miraculously resurrected the next day, letting Yin Wong experience the joy of gaining something that was once lost, and feel the added preciousness. And of course, during the emotional roller coaster, Hon Pak was wearing the most trendy of costumes -- the ancient Korean outfit.

Here's the original commentary written by BB100 @ Baidu

武侠外衣下的同志情结——电视版《覆雨翻云》真面目

TVB拍的FYFY到底讲什么？一半喜剧一半悲剧、N角男女关系、神兵利器、民族大义，是否搞得你一头雾水眼花缭乱？其实这一切都是障眼法，是碍于电视尺度和传统观念而不得已为之。其实，FYFY的核心内容，是深刻伟大、超越一切的男男之爱！

楔子：怨妇宣传片藏心机

《天涯侠医》里，唐宁曾话黄宗泽是被林峰抛弃的怨妇，当时她是在开玩笑；但在黄宗泽主演的时装版FYFY宣传片中，似乎成真了。片中，黄宗泽公然反其喜剧定位，以幽怨的眼神注视林峰，用罕有的沉痛口吻说：既然不能同在一起，惟有忘情弃爱！画面切换到剧中韩柏（黄宗泽）举起翻云刀，宣誓与风行烈（林峰）决一死战。莫非该剧讲的是韩柏爱风行烈而不得？嘿，其实该宣传片只是试探性地表达出男男之爱。到底谁爱了谁，谁又欠了谁，原来出人意表！

魔师宫宗主庞斑：爱得伟大

只看前几集的观众肯定料不到，那个对风行烈处心积虑百般陷害的庞斑（郭政鸿），他所做的一切竟然都是出于对风无尽的爱！风恢复记忆时，大家就明白斑原来是为了助风成就大业，量身打造非同寻常的成材特训。风事业成功的背后，是斑无私的牺牲，直至献出自己宝贵的生命！
爱的证明：看看斑注视风的眼神吧！一切尽在不言中……
爱的因由：斑初见成年的风，一见钟情，从此全心奉献无怨无悔。

怒蛟帮帮主浪翻云：爱得矜持

性格及地位使然，在感情上浪翻云（姜大伟）十分高傲，即使他看上谁，也只是希望对方自己送上门来，比如谷姿仙（康华）。如果对方不回应，他就作罢。浪一早看上了风，却只是等待着风的表白，等啊等，终于等来韩柏的撮合，可是风居然当面拒绝了浪！为保面子，浪惟有下台阶收柏入室。列位，如果入室的是风，你估浪会象对柏那样冷酷地吊他个3天3夜吗？
爱的证明：明知风玩无间道，精明如浪者还一再努力为其开脱。
爱的因由：柏过功给风之际，风为保柏的安全自绝经脉，令浪以为风是同道中人。

蒙古大汗风行烈：爱得深沉

哈哈，戏肉来啦：浪翻云看得没错，风行烈确实是同道中人，他真正的爱人就是韩柏！然而风的爱实在太深沉了，深沉到连他自己都没有及早觉悟。某种程度上亦是庞斑的无私奉献，令风终于心领神会，勇敢正视自己的真实一面。风认识柏是新婚妻子靳冰云（郭羡妮）的安排，后来又与秦梦瑶（佘诗曼）双修，胭脂阵中滚过来，令他自己都以为他爱的应该是女人。而且，风一开始并没有看上柏，即使山贼的刀要招呼到柏身上了，他也无动于衷。然而自从爱上柏后，每逢危难，风对柏的关切就会不由自主流露出来，绝对不愿伤其分毫。例如：
1、 风第一次蒙面杀朱元璋（高雄），当时风已经是高手，柏还只是3脚猫招式，试问风如何不能得手？只因他生怕伤了柏；
2、 虚若无（许绍雄）大败，风刻意留其一命，只因他是柏的生父。后来斑出手杀死虚若无，风还为此与斑大打一架；
3、 风第二次杀璋，同庞斑联手，理当所向披靡。同样是因为柏挡在璋前，吸引了风的全部注意力，才被随后赶到的秦梦瑶偷袭成功；
4、 风率大军围剿燕王朱棣（麦包），在重重包围绝对优势下放走棣，除了还浪翻云一份心意，更因柏已赶到。所以，当风即将取得天下之际，他发现虽然万般求全，柏却恨他入骨。决战时刻，柏绝情挥刀，风的心碎了一地。在间不容发的一刹那，风以血肉之躯迎向柏的翻云刀，却只以覆雨剑柄抵在爱人的心口！斑的一切牺牲就此白费，风血染翻云刀，奉上江山和性命，只为换取柏动情的一声“风大哥”…….
爱的证明：太多了，总之风不管如何无间，都努力不让柏有一丝难过，整整40集的谋划牺牲付诸东流（配角们怒吼：辛苦数月为虾米？！）。爱江山更爱韩柏，历史总算得以维持原貌。
爱的因由：柏走火入魔，混乱中二人抱做一团，肌肤相亲……

高丽大使/伏魔将军/世袭威远大将军韩柏：爱得懵懂

一开场完全是一张白纸的韩柏，对于爱情——无论男女或男男——都没有开窍。最初柏只当风行烈是救命恩人，对风报以最诚挚的友情。风死命抱着他滚了一地时，柏已失去意识，什么都体验不到。柏继承风流成性的赤尊信（郭峰）40年功力，又碰上大色狼小师傅范良极（陈国邦）教他看色情书籍，于是我们看到了一个对异性充满兴趣的韩柏。韩柏思春固然非常出彩，其实导演是为了给风之恋增加难度，言情片常用手段。因为无人在这方面教导柏——他那么愚蠢，暗示绝对无用——所以柏用了整整一部戏的时间，才在最后关头风舍命之际，感受到友情与爱情的区别。当然，还是要秦梦瑶再费一番唇舌解释，他才算真正明白。终于开窍了的柏，也找到自己的爱人。可惜，就象斑令风开窍而风不爱斑，柏的爱人也不是风，而是他自小倾心仰慕的偶像——燕王朱棣。更可惜的是，没人教他要怎样爱，故事又到了煞科时，所以他几乎什么都没做。
爱的证明：棣登基时，柏一脸爱慕地仰望，一贯拙于言辞的他竟第一个送上超级大马屁。
爱的因由：柏倾慕棣十多年，点滴累积，量变而质变。

燕王朱棣：爱得宽容

燕王朱棣胸怀广阔，男女通吃。对于爱人，他的心意永远是：只要你过得比我好，甘愿放手成全，可敬可佩！棣确实爱虚夜月（陈敏之），费心追求，但同时他也爱韩柏。但他以为柏不是同道中人——确实当时不是，所以他从没有骚扰柏，还努力成全柏与月。甚至在月已爱上他的情况下，特地做了一番努力，强行将已出局的柏拉回3角圈。最后，月带上了柏与棣送给她的手链，难以抉择，棣毅然下旨赐婚柏月。其实就如柏所说，棣一定会给月幸福，但柏估不到棣也要给他幸福，偏偏棣也估不到最终柏也开始爱上自己。一段美好情缘，在柏的迟钝、棣的放手下，遗憾错位……
爱的证明：棣一而再、再而三要柏加入对月的竞争，实则为了试探柏的取向。
爱的因由：柏为棣挡了刺客一掌，倒入棣怀，青春生命转瞬消逝。次日神奇复活，令棣感受到失而复得的巨大惊喜，倍感珍贵。且在此大悲大喜段落中，柏的造型是当今最时尚的——高丽古装！

hehe i've just started reading, and its cracking me up already...so will come back and read the rest later...lol but what does 'wuxia' mean?

in cantonese, it's "mo hap" 武侠

ahaha isnt wuxia like... sword films/stories. nothing excately sword...but... like,...umm....haha nvm cant explain. lol..

anyways... omg this is sooo funny! thanks for the translation!

oh right...thanks for that! lol i vaguely remember not so long ago, i came across this homosexuality mv for LWOPAL and it was really twisted...it was between cmy, kbw, fhl and pb...haha it was really funny lol :keke:

haha thats so true. I thought about that when i was watching that series.

Definitely Ray and his si fu had a thing. But i thought of it as more one way thing. Ray's si fu was rejecting sonji's love and hence all that testo in him made him fall for ray in the end. It was the power of love that saved ray x).


Haha i can so see this turned into a gif or cartoon TT by someone who has alot of time on their hands.