Eternal Faith: Cancelled Or Not?

The upcoming Chinese television series *Eternal Faith* is an adaptation of the xianxia novel *Heaven Official's Blessing* by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. The series stars Zhai Xiaowen and Zhang Linghe. However, the show has faced several challenges, including the Chinese authorities' scrutiny over BL adaptations and the director, Chan Ka Lam, reportedly walking out due to dissatisfaction with its filming progress. With no recent updates, there are speculations about whether the show has been cancelled, postponed, or is still moving forward.

The director of Eternal Faith, Chan Ka Lam, walked out due to dissatisfaction with filming

Chan Ka Lam, the genius behind the popular series The Untamed, was expected to bring similar success to Eternal Faith. However, things took a turn when a rumour surfaced that "the director ran away". It was speculated that Chan Ka Lam was unhappy with the current shooting effects, leading him to gather his team and abruptly depart from the set. The crew had to temporarily halt filming until a new director could be appointed.

This incident occurred amidst heightened scrutiny by Chinese authorities over BL adaptations. The original 60-episode format, which would have made Eternal Faith the longest BL drama, may now face cutbacks and revisions due to The National Radio and Television Administration's (NRTA) criticism of BL dramas and their perceived negative impact on society. It remains unclear if Eternal Faith will undergo significant changes to remove the romance between its male leads in order to secure broadcasting approval.

The future of the drama remains uncertain, and it is unknown if and when it will be released. While some sources indicate that filming wrapped up in January 2022, there has been no official confirmation or updates regarding the status of the project.

The show is based on Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's novel, Heaven's Official Blessing

The upcoming Chinese television series Eternal Faith is based on Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's novel, Heaven's Official Blessing. The novel was first published on JJXWC, an online novel site, and was later serialised on Jinjiang Literature City, a popular Chinese website for publishing and serialising web fiction.

The story follows the life of Xie Lian, a once-human crown prince of the Kingdom of Xianle in the east, who ascends to godhood at seventeen after dedicating himself to cultivation and martial training. However, his kingdom experiences upheaval and war, and he is banished back to the mortal realm. Eight hundred years later, Xie Lian ascends to the heavens for the third time, angering most of the gods in the process. To repay his debts, he is sent to the Mortal Realm to hunt down violent ghosts and troublemaking spirits who prey on the living.

During his travels, he meets a mysterious young man named San Lang, with whom he feels an instant connection. However, San Lang is more than he appears, and his true identity is slowly revealed as the story progresses. The novel explores the romanticised love between these two male characters, known as danmei, and has spawned an ongoing multimedia franchise with worldwide popularity.

The novel has been officially translated into English by Seven Seas Entertainment, with eight volumes released between 2021 and 2023. The English translation includes covers by 日出的小太陽 (tai3_3) and interior illustrations by ZeldaCW. The seventh volume of the translation reached #5 on The New York Times Best Seller list, the highest ranking of any novel written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu at that point.

The success of the novel has led to various adaptations, including a manhua (illustrated by STARember and published by Bilibili) and a donghua (released on Bilibili and Funimation). A second season of the donghua is currently in production. In addition, a live-action series, Eternal Faith, based on the novel is also in the works, with filming completed in January 2022.

China's censorship of BL adaptations

One example of a banned BL adaptation is the 2016 series "Addicted", which was based on the novel "Are You Addicted?" by Chai Jidan. The show was banned in China but a remake, "Stay with Me", was broadcast on a Taiwanese LGBTQ+ streaming platform in 2024 and received worldwide applause. Another example is the drama "Justice in the Dark", which was adapted from Priest's novel "The Silent Reading". Despite attempts to circumvent censorship by changing the setting to a sci-fi future, the show was ultimately withdrawn from the platform after only eight episodes.

Other BL adaptations that have faced censorship and delays include "Immortality", "Chasing the Light", "Winner Is King", "DuoMeng", "The Story of the Bat", and "In Darkness". These shows have faced long delays, with some awaiting release for almost three years despite having completed filming. In some cases, the number of episodes has been cut down, and there are concerns that any released content will be heavily edited.

The censorship of BL adaptations in China has led to disappointment and frustration among fans, particularly those who were anticipating adaptations of popular BL novels. Some have expressed concern that the genre may die out in China due to the strict guidelines and increased scrutiny of BL authors. However, it is worth noting that small-budget Chinese BL dramas are still being made, often for broadcast outside of China, and that other countries in Asia, such as Taiwan and Thailand, are producing their own BL adaptations, sometimes in collaboration with Chinese directors and actors.

Eternal Faith is the biggest BL project announced this year

Eternal Faith, the upcoming Chinese television series adapted from the xianxia novel *Heaven Official's Blessing* by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, is the biggest BL project announced this year. The series, starring Zhang Linghe and Zhai Xiaowen, is expected to turn the actors into the most sought-after actors of their generation.

The drama initially assembled an impressive production crew, including award-winning production designer Han Zhong and director Chan Ka Lam, the genius behind *The Untamed*. However, rumours surfaced that Chan Ka Lam walked out on the project due to dissatisfaction with its filming progress. The crew temporarily halted filming until a new director could take over.

With 60 episodes planned, Eternal Faith would be the longest BL drama, surpassing *The Untamed*, which had 50 episodes. However, due to the National Radio and Television Administration's criticism of BL dramas and their supposed negative impact on society, it is unclear whether Eternal Faith will undergo drastic changes to remove the romance between its male leads to secure broadcasting approval.

Filming for Eternal Faith began in July 2020, with principal photography wrapping up in January 2022. While there is no official release date announced, the series seems to have faced challenges due to increased scrutiny over BL adaptations in China and the director's departure.

The show completed filming in January 2022

Filming for Eternal Faith, the upcoming Chinese television series adapted from the xianxia novel Heaven Official's Blessing, wrapped up in January 2022. The show is based on the web novel Heaven's Official Blessing, written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu.

Principal photography for the show began on July 26, 2020, in Datong, Shanxi, and filming concluded on January 15, 2022, in Xiangshan, Ningbo. The show is co-produced by iQIYI, Croton Media, and China Syndication.

Eternal Faith initially assembled an impressive production crew, including director Chan Ka Lam, who is known for his work on The Untamed. However, there were reports that Chan Ka Lam walked out on the project due to dissatisfaction with its filming progress. Despite this setback, filming for Eternal Faith was completed in January 2022, and the show is expected to air in the future.

The show stars Zhang Linghe and Zhai Xiaowen, and it is anticipated to turn them into the most-sought-after actors from the new generation. The series will follow Xie Lian, played by Zhai Xiaowen, who, after his third ascension to the Heavenly Realm, accidentally destroys some gods' properties. To pay for the damages, he returns to the Mortal Realm to gain merits. During his travels, he meets a mysterious young man named San Lang, played by Zhang Linghe.

While there is no confirmed release date for Eternal Faith, the completion of filming in January 2022 indicates that the show is one step closer to airing. Fans are eagerly awaiting the release and hoping that it will not be heavily edited or censored due to China's crackdown on BL dramas and their negative impact on society.

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