70 pages • 2-hour read
Heaven Official's Blessing: Vol. 1
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Symbols & Motifs
Butterflies
Butterflies are a complex and multifaceted symbol in Heaven Official’s Blessing, representing transformation, Redemption and Forgiveness, and The Illusion of Truth. As Hua Cheng’s emblem, they are an extension of his power and presence, both beautiful and ominous. The heavenly officials refer to them as “wraith butterflies,” and they leave “an everlasting impression on [Mu Qing and Feng Xin]” (170). However, while Mu Qing and Feng Xin view them as a sign of danger, Xie Lian finds them cute. This contrast underscores how perception is shaped by experience and bias rather than objective reality.
The butterflies embody the illusion of truth. Xie Lian has no reason to fear them, as he has never been Hua Cheng’s enemy. To him, they are harmless, almost whimsical companions. However, for Feng Xin and Mu Qing, who refused to accept Hua Cheng’s challenge, the butterflies serve as a lingering reminder of their humiliation. During the Zhongyuan Festivals, they attack these gods and their subordinates, reinforcing their fear of both Hua Cheng and his power. This duality reflects the novel’s broader theme of how truth is subjective—what appears threatening to one person may be a source of comfort to another.
Additionally, butterflies symbolize the evolving relationship between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. Xie Lian, known as the “Flower-Crowned Martial God,” is often depicted holding a sword and a flower, while Hua Cheng is frequently associated with butterflies. Just as a butterfly is drawn to a flower, Hua Cheng is drawn to Xie Lian, his unwavering devotion mirroring the way butterflies instinctively seek beauty and sustenance. Like the butterfly’s transformation, their connection is a process of growth, trust, and revelation, reinforcing the novel’s central themes of destiny and redemption.
Flowers
If butterflies symbolize Hua Cheng, then Xie Lian is the flower. Nicknamed the Flower-Crowned Martial God, Xie Lian is often depicted holding a flower in his statues, emphasizing his association with purity, Redemption and Forgiveness. Flowers in Heaven Official’s Blessing symbolize these virtues and The Illusion of Truth. Flowers represent purity, beauty, and love in the novel; the exact qualities of Xie Lian’s that many view as naïve or impractical. While other gods and mortals dismiss his gentleness as weakness, Hua Cheng—whose name means “Flower City”—sees these qualities as Xie Lian’s greatest strength. More than Xie Lian’s martial prowess, his compassion and resilience lead him to ascend three times.
Flowers also represent the illusion of truth, particularly in how both Xie Lian and Hua Cheng use floral imagery to obscure their identities. The name “Hua Cheng” itself is a fabrication, something Xie Lian recognizes early on: “The name Hua Cheng was very obviously fake” (165). However, Xie Lian adopts a similar deception when he takes the surname “Hua” (flower) while in Banyue, disguising himself as General Hua. This dual usage of floral names highlights how identity in the novel is fluid, shaped by perception rather than reality.
Hua Cheng’s title, Crimson Rain Sought Flower, further deepens this symbolism. His name originates from the moment he shielded a single flower from Qi Rong’s blood rain, which encapsulates his devotion to preserving beauty and purity—qualities he associates with Xie Lian. Flowers are more than mere decoration; they are emblems of love, identity, and the power of belief. Their beauty can deceive, but they also serve as a reminder that true strength lies in kindness and perseverance.
The Cursed Shackles
Xie Lian’s cursed shackles symbolize Redemption and Forgiveness and Power and Corruption. After a heavenly official is banished to the mortal realm, Jun Wu seals their divine power with a cursed shackle. The shackle leaves a black imprint on the skin, resembling chains, and serves as a mark of disgrace and punishment. To conceal this sign of his past failures, Xie Lian wraps himself in bandages, an act that symbolizes both his desire to move forward and the way shame lingers despite attempts to hide it.
Since Xie Lian was banished twice, he bears two shackles—one around his neck, which suppresses his divine power, and one around his right ankle, which seals his good luck. These shackles are placed upon him by Jun Wu, the Heavenly Emperor, reinforcing that divine authority is not inherently just but subject to corruption and manipulation. Jun Wu presents himself as the ultimate arbiter of divine will, but his use of the cursed shackles highlights how power can be wielded to control rather than guide. The shackles strip Xie Lian of his abilities and force him into a position of weakness, yet they do not break his spirit. Instead, they contribute to his journey toward self-reliance, demonstrating that true strength is not dependent on divine power but on perseverance and conviction.
At the same time, the shackles symbolize redemption. Unlike other heavenly officials who fear disgrace, Xie Lian does not let his punishment define him. Despite his status as a fallen god, he continues to act with kindness and integrity. His shackles, which were meant to be a mark of failure, instead become proof of his resilience. In this way, they reflect Heaven Official’s Blessing’s larger theme: that true divinity is not measured by power, but by one’s actions and character.
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