#ping'an

I'll go straight to the point: my main reason to draw this was because I wanted to draw the most somber, dark-looking Helian Qi possible with some dark cross-hatching effect. And because I don't want to draw a Helian Qi solo image because who the HELL does that, I had to turn it into an ensemble cast thing again. I just REALLY like to do that for Qi Ye, for some reasons!!! For a general note, first: shading was a PAIN but making a nice composition and thinking about how to make a hierarchy that both works in terms of storytelling and visual composition was fun. I also liked finding out the "color scheme" to use and I do like lineart. So, now, little notes about each character, and the obligatory name poster just so I'm sure we all know whom I'm talking about:

Jing Beiyuan: I've mentioned it before but drawing Beiyuan is like. The easiest for me, I think, out of ALL Qi Ye/TYK characters combined. He happens to have my general goto "pretty face" (which conveniently has peach blossom eyes). I'm happy with how he turned out here! And got to put the sable around his neck which makes for a nice additional touch. Helian Yi: He's easy to draw as well and I'm glad with how the guan turned out. He initally looked sideways, but I liked it better having him wistfully stare into the distance. Helian Zhao: has the exact same face as in the other, coloured poster, and that cracks me up bc that wasn't even intentional. Helian Pei: GDI I find him so hilarious. He looks so done and out of it. Shout out to all his bird as well, which, I find, really complete the look. Helian Qi: I can't possibly say that I love him as an antagonist because there's nothing to love about this literal trash, but I'm still grateful that we got some of the most rancid stuff going on in Qi Ye just because of him and I'm always here for that. He deserves the villain visual treatment, at least. He was VERY fun to draw and I tried to push that nasty grin and shading as much as possible. He turned out exactly how I wanted him to! (the shading on his face and the balance of light and shadow was a bit of a challenge, actually)

Wuxi: Again, a rather easy one, always pleasant to draw! I loved working on his hair (but complained a lot while doing so)--which I think turned out nicely. Bai Wuchang: Finally! Finally I draw him!! He had to be there, since he's like. The base of the whole Qi Ye plot. Lining him was....... a pain, but at least it looks nice.

Given Name: 平安 (Píng'ān)

If you put these two characters into Google Translate, it gives you the result “safety”. Which in itself just says something to me about how we meet Ping’an, how he is introduced in the narrative, and the role he plays in Jing Beiyuan’s life (/lives, arguably). Another common translation, which I like, is “safe and sound”—a state of security, where nothing can hurt you, and everything is all right and at peace. At the point we meet Ping’an in Jing Qi’s story, I think no one would argue that Jing Qi is decidedly not feeling all right and is certainly not at peace. He has been through centuries of trauma, permeated with long periods of depression, and has most recently received quite a shock—waking into his seventh life not as a creature or plant, which he most likely expected (seeing as how he failed to purge his memories, no matter that he tried this time), but as a human, and a familiar one at that. Indeed, it isn’t until he sees Ping’an that he realizes what has happened and remembers who he is.

Before I go much further, I want to break down the two characters in Ping’an’s name. First, we have 平, meaning balanced, or equal, with connotations also of calm or peace (think an even surface—like calm seas). 安 means calm, content, safe. It is used in the phrases “good morning” (早安,  zǎo ān) and “good night” (晚安, wǎn ān). Putting them together is an example of a common linguistic phenomenon in Chinese where two characters with similar meanings are put together to make a binome (a two-character word) that essentially emphasizes and clarifies that overlapping meaning.

平 : level, equal

When I take it separately, I find the use of 平 for this character amusing and appropriate, because he is literally the one who balances the books for the Prince Nan’ning estate (although I should note that Chinese uses a different word for this type of balance). It also calls to my mind how much Ping’an is treated in the narrative (in spite of being a literal slave) almost as Jing Beiyuan’s equal, or if not precisely equal (because, again, major power imbalance), a near perfect counterbalance. Hear me out: for all his teasing, Jing Qi would never get rid of Ping’an; he needs him, and he knows it. He needs Ping’an to manage the money so he doesn’t have to; he needs Ping’an to take care of heaven knows what all in order to enact any number of schemes. And, I think, he needs Ping’an because he doesn’t have a lot of people who truly care about him, which I believe Ping’an does. In fact, his frequent teasing almost certainly comes from a place of camaraderie. I can’t go too deeply into their relationship with regards to Ping’an’s legal status as a part of the Prince Nan’ning estate since I’ve not done the necessary research, but suffice it to say that I fully believe that, if he wasn’t already, Ping’an certainly becomes a salaried employee upon the conclusion of 七爷 (I mean, he’s earned it). And regardless of the vast difference in their social status, Ping’an actually treats Jing Beiyuan almost like a brother. An annoying, favored, spoiled, little brother who Ping’an is responsible for keeping from getting himself (along with the rest of the household) in trouble, but a brother. I don’t think we ever see him truly fearful of Jing Beiyuan in the text, like others in his place might rightfully be; afraid of losing their jobs (or their lives). If anything, he is more frequently worried for him (and most frequently annoyed by him). And, again, Jing Qi also treats Ping’an like a brother in a lot of ways, albeit also like a little brother over whom he has a measure of control by nature of their relationship. They have grown up together and it shows. And considering the only other character who really grew up together with Jing Beiyuan is Helian Yi, you can see how this relationship might be uniquely important to him.

安 : calm, content

The 安 part is what starts me getting truly sentimental. Here’s the CEDICT entry on this character: “content; calm; still; quiet; safe; secure; in good health; to find a place for; to install; to fix; to fit; to bring (a charge against sb); to pacify; to harbor (good intentions); security; safety; peace; ampere.” With the exception of “to bring (a charge against sb)” (which is arguably amusing in this context) and “ampere” (which I assume is a transliteration), all of these things are so applicable to Ping’an when it comes to his role in Jing Qi’s story. The sense of safety and security embodied in the word 平安 is something Jing Qi has not experienced in over 300 years, and it is something he sorely needs and frankly I think desires, even if he can’t or won’t admit it. And it is something he can find with Ping’an. Ping’an is notably one of the few (if not the only) people in the capital whom Jing Qi actually trusts. I fully believe he would be legitimately shocked if Ping’an were to betray him in any way, counter to the merely disappointed reaction we get to what happened with Ji Xiang. There is also nothing in the text that would lead us to believe that Ping’an was ever disloyal to the Prince Nan’ning in his first life, which leads me to conclude that Jing Qi spent his first 30-odd years trusting Ping’an as well.

平安 : safe and sound

Something Jing Qi severely lacks in his life is security and safety. He is effectively forced by his situation to be constantly on alert. Ping’an is the one person—long before he meets Wu Xi, gets to know him, and learns to trust and love him—with whom Jing Qi feels safe. I even hold this relationship more sacred than the 好兄弟 bond he forms with Zhou Zishu (which I adore, and believe to be truly deep and significant Zhou Zishu and Jing Beiyuan are the real 知己 relationship in this story is another essay), if only due to the fact that Jing Qi will always remember that Zhou Zishu ultimately stood with Helian Yi against him in his first life. Ping’an doesn’t carry that weight. Ping’an has only ever been someone in Jing Qi’s life who made things better, who fixed things, who kept him safe and sound. And the best part is, he keeps doing it. Four years after they’ve left the capital—Jing Beiyuan effectively no longer a Prince, no longer entitled to Ping’an’s service by rite of ownership—Ping’an is still running things for him, is still helping him. And I just think he always will.

Fun facts!

平安 is written the same in traditional and simplified characters

平安 is also, appropriately, the name of a large insurance and financial management institution in China (I was greeted at the Shenzhen airport by  the name on the side of a cargo jet and was amused and delighted)

Bonus! Surname: 宋 (Sòng)

I have to admit my great disappointment when I was told Ping’an is surnamed 宋 as opposed to 松/sōng); my mind had supplied me with the wrong character when I read the (toneless) pinyin for the first time in a 天涯客 translation, and I maintain that 松 > 宋 on any day (apologies to everyone out there surnamed 宋).

The biggest reason I was disappointed was because 宋 has very little meaning beyond just being a surname and a dynastic name (yes, it’s the Song of Song Dynasty fame). Whereas with 松, you can have all sorts of fun! We have 松树/sōngshù, the majestic pine tree! We have 放松/fàngsōng which means “relax,” which I can see Jing Qi really having fun with at Ping’an’s expense. But my very favorite is 松鼠/sōngshǔ—literally, “pine mouse”—which means “squirrel.” I mean, how appropriate of an analog for Ping’an is a squirrel?!

Seeing as how Priest didn’t even deign to give him a surname until she wrote the sequel (correct me if I’m wrong on this one), Ping’an will forever remain 小松鼠 in my heart ♥

Sources

I am still very much an amateur linguist and Chinese student, having spent the past couple of years self-studying Chinese and two months and counting living in Beijing. I would welcome any feedback, criticism, or discussion on the statements I’ve made in this post! My sources are truly many free dictionaries and personal vibes. Indeed, if I’ve made any blatantly wrong connections or observations, please do let me know!

I read 七爷 in English as translated by Chichi, available here. I also own the Chinese raws, purchased prior to the novel being locked on JJWXC, and have spent any number of hours comparing them to Chichi’s translation, running pieces through Google Translate, Pleco, and my Zhongwen browser extension (which uses CEDICT, available for Chrome and Firefox) in an attempt to further analyze the text. I have great aspirations of one day making my own English translation of this novel which I have come to love, but am a long way off!