Heaven Official’s Blessing
Beginner's Guide
"A God Fallen... A Ghost Risen"Welcome to the beginner's guide for "Heaven Official's Blessing," or TGCF for short! If you're just starting out with this story, you might find it a bit complex. But don't worry, that's exactly why I made this guide!Basic Info:The setting of this story is heavily influenced by ancient China, featuring a blend of supernatural and fantasy elements. It falls within the wuxia and xianxia genres, which may be familiar to fans of Chinese fantasy dramas or novels. If these genres are new to you, learning about their themes first can provide better context for the story.In Heaven Official’s Blessing, people can ascend to godhood by acquiring enough power through cultivation. The spiritual power of the gods correlates with the number of worshippers they possess; the more worshippers they have, the more powerful they become. This story also features ghosts who remain in the mortal realm due to lingering attachments or their refusal to reincarnate. Gods see themselves as righteous, viewing ghosts as purely evil. However, in reality things are not so clear-cut.
Synopsis:The main story begins with the protagonist, Xie Lian, ascending to heaven for the third time. He is looked down upon by his peers due to being expelled from Heaven twice before, while also lacking worshippers and wealth. Upon returning to Heaven, he follows the commands of the ruler, Jun Wu, who assigns him to investigate certain mysteries tormenting mortals.
During his investigation, Xie Lian encounters a mysterious figure dressed in red who briefly guides him before vanishing, leaving Xie Lian baffled. However, focused on his mission, he lets it go. Once the case is closed, Xie Lian continues his travels through the mortal realm. Along his journey, he encounters and befriends a young man in red named San Lang, with whom he feels an instant connection. However, Xie Lian soon realizes that San Lang is more than he seems.
Note: This guide contains minor spoilers; major spoilers are hidden. Please also note that it is based on the unrevised version of the books, which also serves as the basis for the donghua adaptation.
Main Characters
XIE LIANAlso known as:
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Xianle, Flower Crown Martial God, His Highness Who Pleased the Gods,
Species: Born human, ascended to Godhood at age 17, currently Immortal.Current Weapon: Ruoye, a white magic silk band that's around his arm.Previous Weapon: Ancient black sword,
Backstory and additional info:Xie Lian was born as the Crown Prince of a country called Xianle. He had two close friends and helpers, Mu Qing and Feng Xin. He ascended to godhood at a young age and was beloved and powerful.
His defiance of Heavenly order resulted in his banishment from heaven and the collapse of his friendships with Mu Qing and Feng Xin.
HUA CHENG / SAN LANGAlso known as:
Crimson Rain Sought Flower, San Lang, Hua Chengzhu, Ghost King,
Species: Born as a human, died young [about 18 years old] and became a Ghost. By refusing reincarnation, he remained in the world as a restless spirit and gained power, eventually becoming a Ghost King, currently Immortal.Current Weapon: E-ming, a magic scimitar/saber/sword. The hilt of the sword has one red eye on it. Hua Cheng also uses Silver Butterflies, which can cut through anything in their path.
Additional info:Throughout the story, there are hints that Hua Cheng has a history with Xie Lian, of which Xie Lian is unaware. As readers, we can speculate about their connection while reading different parts of the story, but for Xie Lian, it's not so straightforward. Xie Lian suspects early on that Hua Cheng might be from his past, but it's only much later that he uncovers the whole truth and his connection to Hua Cheng.
Other Characters
Heavenly Officials/Other Gods:Jun Wu, male, also known as Shenwu, Lord, Emperor, basically heavenly rulerFeng Xin, male, also known as Nan Yang, martial god, used to be Xie Lians subordinateMu Qing, male, also known as Xuan Zhen, martial god, used to be Xie Lians subordinateLing Wen, female, civil god, an overworked secretary in heaven, switches to male form sometimesPei Ming, male, also known as Ming Guang, martial god, womanizerPei Xiu, male, also known as Pei Junior, martial god, descendant of Pei MingWind Master, male, also known as Shi Qingxuan, master of wind, switches between male and female form, becomes Xie Lians friendNan Feng, male, a junior under Feng Xin, send down to help Xie LianFu Yao, male, a junior under Mu Qing, send down to help Xie LianFour Famous Tales- The Crown Prince Who Pleased The Gods [Xie Lian, first ascension]
- The Young Lord Who Poured Wine [Shi Qingxuan, Wind Master]
- The General Who Broke His Sword [Pei Ming]
- The Princess Who Slit Her Throat [Yushi Huang, Lord Rain Master, shows up in the story much later]How the four tales came about was not particularly due to which officials had more power, but rather which one of their tales was more profound, spread the furthest amongst mortals who shared them with enthusiasmRelevant Later:Lang Qianqiu, male, also known as Tai Hua, martial god, former crown prince of Kingdom of Yong-an, often referred to as 'his highness', which can be confusing sometimes as thats also how Xie Lian is usually referred toMing Yi, Earth Master, male, friend of Wind Master, switches between male and female formQuan Yizhen, male, also known as Qi Ying, martial god, former shidi of Yin YuGhost Characters:Xuan Ji, female, former general of a fallen kingdom, the ghost bride, obsessed with Pei MingLang Ying, male, the young boy in bandages that Xie Lian stumbles upon,
- Ship-Sinking Black Water
- White No-Face
- Night-Touring Green Lantern [Qi Rong, not a ghost king, just highly ranked wrath ghost,
Locations
Heavenly Realm [where gods are]Mortal Realm [where humans are]Puqi Village, a countryside place where Xie Lian decides to settle down and live after his latest ascension
Banyue, a kingdom in the desert
Mount Tonglu, a volcano, located in city of Gu, the place where ghosts can go through a trial to become ghost kings
Yong-an, a fallen kingdom, was a city in Xianle Kingdom
Xianle Kingdom, a fallen kingdom, birthplace of Xie LianGhost Realm [where ghosts are]Paradise Manor, Hua Chengs residence
Words & Phrases
Important note: Most definitions here are copied over either directly from the book guide or the Heaven Official’s Blessing Wiki, only a few are added by me to explain additional words or phrases.DefinitionsTGCF: Short for Tian Guan Ci Fu, the chinese name for Heaven Official’s BlessingMXTX: Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, the author of TGCF [also known for her other novels "Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation" (commonly known as "The Untamed") and "The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System"]Array: Area-of-effect magic circlesCultivation: Cultivators are practitioners of spirituality and martial arts who seek to gain understanding of the will of the universe while attaining personal strength and extending their life span, in tgcf cultivators can ascend to godhood, but very few are that luckyCut-Sleeve: A term for a gay manHand Seals: Refers to various hand and finger gestures used by cultivators to cast spells, or used while meditatingHeavenly Tribulation: Before a Daoist cultivator can ascend to the heavens, they must go through a trial known as a Heavenly TribulationHualian: Shortened name for the relationship between Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, their ship nameIncense Time: A common way to tell time in ancient China, about 30 minutesKowtow: It's an act where one kneels and bows low enough that their forehead touches the groundState Perceptor: Also known as guoshi, are high-ranking government officials who also have significant religious duties. They serve as religious heads of state under the emperor and act as the tutors, chaplains, and confidants of the emperor and his direct heirsWedding: Red is an important part of traditional Chinese weddings, as the color of prosperity, happiness, and good luck. It remains the standard color for bridal and bridegroom robes and wedding decorations even todayWhisk: A whisk held by a cultivator is not a baking tool but a Daoist symbol and martial arts weapon. Usually made of horsehair bound to a wooden stickZhongyuan: The Ghost Festival / Hungry Ghost Festival, falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Lunar CalendarHua Cheng: his name literally means “Flower City”San Lang: his name literally means “third youth.” It is common for peasants to name their children in numbers, while those of higher status would use the same naming conventions for familiar nicknames. Lang means “man” but also becomes a term of endearment when attached to a name; it is used by women to address their husbands or lovers, akin to “dear”Banyue: literally means “half-moon”The Human Face Disease: A contagious disease that contributed to the fall of the Xianle KingdomA budaoweng: an oblong doll, weighted so that it rolls back into an upright position whenever it is knocked downMerits: Gods are powered by the faith and worship of their believers, so much so that the currency used in heaven are the number of incense sticks burnt and offerings left in the temple of each official. Those are called "merits"Shangyuan: the Lantern FestivalChengzhu: a title for the master/ruler of an independent city-stateThe Spiritual Communication Array: used by Heavenly Officials and ghosts to communicate telepathically, basically a Telepathic discord server, in manga it's shown in text bubbles, literally like a chat room, while in anime it's shown like a conference room where they can see each other, like a video callRolling snake eyes: two dice rolled a one on eachCursed shackles: markings on the body after banishment from heavenWords used in the community:Dianxia: literally means 'your highness' in chinese, usually referring to Xie LianFengqing: Feng Xin & Mu Qing ship nameBeefleaf: A ship name of some characters, irrelevant unless you are familiar with most of the storyFenglian: Less popular ship of Xie Lian and Feng XinFafa: Another way fans refer to Hua Cheng, explanation can be found here
About this guide
Thank you for reading this beginner's guide to TGCF. This guide began as a personal passion project, basically a way for me to organize the many layers of Heaven Official's Blessing.Over time, I realized it could be helpful to others, not just for beginners starting the story but also for those who find it tricky to keep track of all the characters, places, and complex plot points. So, I decided to make it a public resource.The goal of this guide is to simplify the complexity of Heaven Official's Blessing and provide you with a better foundation to follow and enjoy the story.
I have tried to make all the topics as concise as possible while including all relevant information. This guide is designed to be quite basic, focusing on simple character information and a few story points. Although there are some spoilers, I aimed to keep only those necessary for understanding the story and avoided any major spoilers.I hope this guide not only helps you understand and enjoy the story but also allows you to develop the same love for it that I have.Happy reading!The sources used in this guide have mostly been Books, Donghua, Wikipedia, and Heaven Official’s Blessing WikiIf you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me through Tumblr, MDL, or MAL