CKtalon Hi, here is what I love about Tang Dynasty Tour, pardon me for writing so long, because I really love this novel.
- I love the personality of the main character.
The main character is Yun Ye, he is a man from the 21st century and reincarnated into the Tang Dynasty as a 14 year old boy who was his “ancestor”. So far amongst all the books I have read, Yun Ye is one of the few characters that I fall in love with. In this book, Yun Ye’s personality is vividly portrayed. He is brave yet cautious, talented yet modest, fun-loving yet serious, and is true to everyone around him. He is so intelligent and wise, yet he knows to hide his shines and is never arrogant about it. He seems to always avoid responsibilities, yet he is always the person to step out when the kingdom or when his friends are in need. He has a big heart, always thinking about improving the lives of people in the Tang Dynasty and indeed has made revolutionary changes to the era. He is sincere to everyone, including the Emperor, Queen, the elders who treat him like their own son, his wives, and made many life-long friends. His wisdom and truthful personality made him an extremely reliable person, making people trust that everything will be alright as long as he is present.
He is someone whom I want to become.
- The plot: calm on the surface but stirring underneath
Everything in the novel seem to fit in the right place, every event happen at the correct time, everything just make sense. It is just like throwing the main character from the 21st century into the Tang Dynasty, and then all the characters play out the whole story.
Yun Ye came peacefully into the Tang Dynasty, and peacefully left. From a teenager to an old person. Every stage in his life seem so peaceful but yet not at all. Since the start, all he wanted to do is to live a normal life and hide from everything. But again and again his is pushed into major events in history, and knowingly or unwittingly, he has changed the flow of history completely.
In this novel there is nothing special, no magic, no special talents that the main character has. But it is just because this story seem so normal, that makes it not normal. The peacefulness of this story make it not peaceful at all. Because all the stories are so true to real life and so vividly written, it makes you believe it really happens, a peaceful trap that makes you fall into it completely. It makes you feel what the character feels, make you cry and laugh with the character’s emotions. From the moment I start to read it, I’m hooked.
Vivid portrayal of the Tang Dynasty.
As a Chinese, I am a fan of the Tang Dynasty, the most prosperous era in China’s history, I am also a fan of Emperor Li Shiming, whom some may consider the greatest emperor of all times. In this novel, it is clear that the author fully understand the historical figures in this era, or has his own interpretation of it, as each figure is portrayed so vividly. The strong yet weak Emperor Li Shiming, the motherly Queen, the seemingly rough but yet cunning General Cheng Yaojin.
The most important thing: friendship and brotherhood.
The main character’s life can’t be what it is like without the help of many elders, who respected his abilities and loved him and protected him like their own son. All his friendships are so touching. The efforts he put in to help Prince Li Tai to become the best scientist, and Price Li Chengqian to ascend the throne; how one friend died in his arms; another friends’ betrayal and regaining friendship. Also his love for his wives, his children and his relatives.
I feel that every time I read this novel, I can gain different insights about life.