NIRVANA IN FIRE

I'm seldom at a loss for words to start a review over something. However, this Chinese historical drama has left me stunned with so much depth and I would like to give it due justice, thus, it took me a while to pen down my thoughts on this.

To be honest, all the great reviews on "Nirvana in Fire" is no exaggeration. From the storyline, the casting, the way the story unfolded- it will leave you in the precipice of emotional roller-coaster. You can feel all sorts of emotions here from pain, fear, hopelessness to gladness, joy, hope and faith in justice. It showed how power corrupts, how some systems can overwhelm a person's good intention and turn him into a disappointing debacle whose very suspicious nature brings about his own demise. The betrayal that shows the conflict in the story though paved the way for the strength of the characters to shine through.

The loyalty and friendship of Lin Shu and Prince Jing is something all of us aspire to have with our close friends. No amount of time passing nor mudslinging could change their faith in each other.

The way Nihuang recognized Lin Shu only after a few short encounters proved how much she knows him and how strongly she had hoped and believed that he has survived and will come back to her.

Commander Meng and Xia Dong are also remarkable characters, whose loyalty to their friends transcended time and circumstances.

Although the Emperor is ruthless and cruel, at times you can feel his love towards his children and his desire to protect them at all cost. So much so that you can question how is it that he was able to give up Prince Qi at the time the latter was framed for treason? Compared to the gravity of Prince Yu's betrayal, it was something that would have been justified given enough time for investigation.

And who can forget Fei Liu? His exceptional martial arts and simple mindedness are something so special that will endear anyone to this cute guard of the Divine Talent Mei Changsu (Lin Shu). His pure heart is as impressive as his ability to protect his master.

This show is heart-stopping. Several times I had to take a pause from watching because my heart could not take it anymore. There were also particular scenes that I watched over and over again as not to miss anything and fully savor the meaning of the words and the way they were uttered. The nuances are sometimes lost to me as I do not speak nor understand a word of Chinese.

I have seen a lot of historical dramas, both Korean and Chinese ones, but not one before this series has compelled me to write an astounding review. It seems like the story is awakening in me such inspiration to commemorate this magnificent work of art, for more people to find time to watch and to appreciate the intricacies and complexities of human relationships and emotions.

Let me make mention too, that this Nirvana in Fire story is of resilience and perseverance, of friendship, love and filial piety.

For someone who is always rooting for love stories, this drama had been one big exception for me. I also used to despise war scenes and any form of violence but this drama cured me of that. It is not to say there is no element of love here. On the contrary, there is selfless love that our world need more today. It is the kind that can heal and will remind us that more than anything, we are one family and we affect each other's lives by every decision that we make.

To top it all, this series will remind you to recognize and appreciate the people who are truly loyal to you. Listen to your heart, not to the people whose only desire is to better their station in life no matter the cost. Let this be our guide so we will not waver from the right course and we can be assured of a meaningful existence- fulfilling the promise of our potentials and improving lives.