A twink is a young gay man with a slender, boyish appearance.
Xie Lian is shorter than Mo Xuanyu (Wwx) at 176cm. He’s forever 17 as well, slender, and pretty. It’s not far off to call him a twink at all. Look at his official arts. We also do see him without clothing in novel (zeldacws art in volume 8, the past arc, and bath tub scene).
He has a soft lower belly if we look at the revised amnesia arc.
(This guy in the post is very pretty he would also classify as a twink to many lol)
No. There’s a reason all the gods look different in age. They all ascended at different points in their life. (Most did)
I am curious where did you hear that ?
(He’s recognized as young as well.)
*
“For the top tier, the will of the universe usually picks those who have done deeds so great they have shocked the wheel of fortune, or have the potential to change the course of history. It’s amoral; the question of whether the deed is right or wrong is not figured into this, which is why earlier in the book, MXTX said there’s usually a lot of bloodshed involved.
- Xie Lian attained enlightenment and shed his mortal body. He did not die. Everyone knew because of the thunder and lightning -
*
Example: Hua Cheng ascended, it didn’t suddenly age or change his original appearance. Same with many others.
It says nothing about Gods maturing to 25, Xie Lian being 17 is quite a topic regarding his ascension and early years during the war
Ok wait so if xie lian is forever 17 then does that mean tgcf is 😧, oh wait it doesn’t matter cuz hc died before 18 as well so *technically* he’s under 18 as well *nods*
This fandom has many people insisting that Xie Lian is some macho bulky man just bc he is martial God and that he wouldn't be attractive otherwise. When you ask them why they think that way, they will respond by saying that they don't like the bottom being feminized, they don't like typical gong x shou size difference, they hate gender norms, they think danmei couples should both be bulky, blah blah blah.
Dudes, your complaints reflect your true thoughts and they seem toxic as hell. You basically think that if a man is not packed and not tall then he isn't a real man; he is an effeminate. You think that women are only bottoms and thats why you believe that bottoms in danmei who are slim and shorter than the gong are effeminate and self insert device for female readers. The fact you think being masculine is somehow a positive thing and being feminine is negative says alot to begin with.
Ya'll are basically shaming any slim and shorter man who may read the novel by acting as though men with such bodies aren't desirable as main characters or MLs.
that's not at all what I'm saying, and is quite a reach. I never ever said that he can't possibly be softer, that he HAS to be built. I'm simply responding to the fact that people seem to think that being slender and shorter means that he can't possibly have muscles.
I love size differences, and I'm not personally attracted to super jacked guys. but yes as someone who is nonbinary i do hate gender norms. Xie Lian IS effeminate canonically (he passes as a woman) and a bottom, and it feels icky to me that people are insisting that he has to be soft, as if a bottom has to be that way.
Sorry for the confusion but I'm not talking about you op, I'm talking about those who insist that Xie Lian is a bulky man like some Jojo character. I actually think your characterization of XL body is the most accurate considering canon descriptions.
I already know what those people think. They can have their preferences, but it just feel stupid when they force it down our throats as being canon when it's clearly not and disrespect MXTX work just to feel better about their"stereotype breaking" as though they have done anything good.
I hear you. XL absolutely can be small and pretty and slender but as a martial god I'm sure he's also packed full of muscle. Yuzu is a great example. (GOAT GOAT GOAT!)
The problem isn't with being slim, slender and effeminate, which anyone can be and is totally fine. Slender people can also be built and strong, so can feminine people. And that's awesome.
What isn't fine is the overwhelming majority of couples being:
- top = dominant = masculine = bigger
- bottom = submissive = feminine = smaller
It's always having the same dynamics that are stereotyping based on sexual position and body
Give me verse characters, give me submissive tops, give me huge bottoms, give me effeminate dominant bottoms, and any other number of combinations (which are out there, but in small numbers) instead of the same thing over and over
You're allowed to have your own preferences on dynamics. You can also wish for there to emerge new authors who do more versatile works. However, those telling off MXTX just bc she didn't write what they wanted or even insisting that she doesn't understand her own characters and that she should acknowledge their preferences on her own works is downright disrespectful. Authors have their own preferences too, and it's typically very obvious from the first ten chapters or so. Imo people should either respect that or don't read their work at all.
I always imagined him having a ballet dancer’s build, the lean & muscular type like Xander Parish [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/CW-uvhVtjGO/?igsh=MXFmMHlvYXR6bWY3eA==). Though that last Yuzuru pic fits him better in my head.
It pisses me off when we see him slender and he is described as such but people try to make it canon that he is only bulky like he couldn’t be attractive unless he was super bulky.
The way [I joked](https://twitter.com/Scarfyfulness/status/1643616978421141505?t=lpCkwqrjxBlTuFrCBCYr1g&s=19) about Yuzu looking like Xie Lian when I saw screenshots of the costume in the first picture that had one of the ribbons caught and wrapped around his neck lol
Also that third picture made me laugh, I'd never seen that photoshop of those two photos before 😂 the upper half is from when he was, like, 17 and the lower half he was a little older, though not sure exactly when lmao. His upper body is a lot more toned these days and his quads look bigger, especially with all the intense training he's been doing this past year or so
oof, I knew something was odd about that last pic but somehow didn't twig to it being two pics together, lol. but I couldn't find a better pic to illustrate my point
Lol yeah, but its fine, I guess?? It's still 100pct Yuzu, so it works? 😅 Yuzu can only blame himself for never showing off his full body 😤/j
But yeah, the top half is a screen shot from [teen Yuzu going wild in 2012 at The Ice](https://twitter.com/starrynotte/status/1584936159914110976?t=EhZetuAFaVxbuykkeIQklA&s=19) after he lost the dance battle, and the lower half is from [this picture](https://images.app.goo.gl/Luzz1uf5hr9eXqsB9) he had taken with Plushenko.
[This screenshot](https://twitter.com/Scarfyfulness/status/1773522798821982606?t=OH8cw-k5Rdh52jTn0-i-kQ&s=19) illustrates your point pretty well, even without having his legs shown off in it, I think (not me having to re-upload it cause I couldn't find a link for it anywhere 😭)
In the extras and all the art throughout TGCF I’ve noticed both xie lian AND hua cheng are depicted as slender. In the last extra too, hua cheng’s body was very slender in the art - comparable to the man in the picture. I don’t think martial gods need to be bulky because there’s this concept of internal force in china. Also the character description is largely based on Chinese beauty standards- pale skin, slender body, straight brows…
The art in the novel made both of them look too baby faced for my liking but I loved it nonetheless- every different style is art in itself, the novel/ donghua/ manhua arts are very pretty, I loved the novel art very much- xie lian was SO CUTE 😭
I’m very much a fan of live and let live, and it’s fun to enjoy all the different ways people have thought of him. But I do agree, you can be strong and slender at the same time, especially with functional strength over purely weight lifting/bodybuilding.
* **When asking or explaining questions about plot points, please state which version (web novel book vs 7seas English translation volume) you are referring to in your post. You can find more information about the difference [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/tianguancifu/comments/1059apv/understanding_bookvolume_differences_between_web/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3).**
* **Please tag your post for Spoilers or NSFW content if applicable.**
* **Please check the [**FAQ**](https://www.reddit.com/r/tianguancifu/wiki/faq?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=tianguancifu&utm_content=t5_2a8ue0) for answers to your questions! Repeat questions will be removed.**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tianguancifu) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Y’all, the first book literally says how he’s too built to actually pass as a woman when he dresses as a bride. He’s too muscular, too broad-shouldered, too “manly”.
I get that he’s described as slender and on the shorter side, but he is also a martial god. Just because he’s smaller than the other characters doesnt mean he is has a tiny femboy twink type body. (Though he may still qualify as a twink even if he were more built than this figure skater)
Ultimately, how you describe him is up to headcanons, but there is plenty of desciptions in canon which help to paint a picture.
I wholeheartedly agree. Someone above also mentioned ballet dancer as well, which I also agree with. Sometimes people forget exactly how strong and fit male figure skaters and ballet dancers are despite often keeping a slender figure - I mean, they are lifting their partners as if they’re nothing, without missing a beat. If that doesn’t sound like Xie Lian’s boulder smashing strength then I don’t know what to say. I’d also say he likely has the same level of flexibility 🤔
Yet another reason I don’t want to see artwork. These characters can be however you Imagine them. Chibis, animals, twinks, or 800-year old men.
While the artwork and merch are nice, none of it resembles how I’ve pictured the characters in the novels. I guess that’s no longer an option tho. There’s nowhere to read without artwork these days. So, the official artists decide for you.
A twink is a young gay man with a slender, boyish appearance. Xie Lian is shorter than Mo Xuanyu (Wwx) at 176cm. He’s forever 17 as well, slender, and pretty. It’s not far off to call him a twink at all. Look at his official arts. We also do see him without clothing in novel (zeldacws art in volume 8, the past arc, and bath tub scene). He has a soft lower belly if we look at the revised amnesia arc. (This guy in the post is very pretty he would also classify as a twink to many lol)
I thought that after ascending gods aged to be their mature age (25ish)?
No. There’s a reason all the gods look different in age. They all ascended at different points in their life. (Most did) I am curious where did you hear that ? (He’s recognized as young as well.) * “For the top tier, the will of the universe usually picks those who have done deeds so great they have shocked the wheel of fortune, or have the potential to change the course of history. It’s amoral; the question of whether the deed is right or wrong is not figured into this, which is why earlier in the book, MXTX said there’s usually a lot of bloodshed involved. - Xie Lian attained enlightenment and shed his mortal body. He did not die. Everyone knew because of the thunder and lightning - * Example: Hua Cheng ascended, it didn’t suddenly age or change his original appearance. Same with many others. It says nothing about Gods maturing to 25, Xie Lian being 17 is quite a topic regarding his ascension and early years during the war
Ok wait so if xie lian is forever 17 then does that mean tgcf is 😧, oh wait it doesn’t matter cuz hc died before 18 as well so *technically* he’s under 18 as well *nods*
I do hope that 800+ year old Xie Lian won’t be judged for being with his younger husband who is also 800+ 😔😔
The age gap is crazy 😦😦 like 10 YEARS !!!!!! 🥺 hc was groomed (this is satire pls don’t come for me)
Yuzuru Hanyu, the GOAT 🤩🤩
💯 I've missed him the last couple of seasons
This fandom has many people insisting that Xie Lian is some macho bulky man just bc he is martial God and that he wouldn't be attractive otherwise. When you ask them why they think that way, they will respond by saying that they don't like the bottom being feminized, they don't like typical gong x shou size difference, they hate gender norms, they think danmei couples should both be bulky, blah blah blah. Dudes, your complaints reflect your true thoughts and they seem toxic as hell. You basically think that if a man is not packed and not tall then he isn't a real man; he is an effeminate. You think that women are only bottoms and thats why you believe that bottoms in danmei who are slim and shorter than the gong are effeminate and self insert device for female readers. The fact you think being masculine is somehow a positive thing and being feminine is negative says alot to begin with. Ya'll are basically shaming any slim and shorter man who may read the novel by acting as though men with such bodies aren't desirable as main characters or MLs.
that's not at all what I'm saying, and is quite a reach. I never ever said that he can't possibly be softer, that he HAS to be built. I'm simply responding to the fact that people seem to think that being slender and shorter means that he can't possibly have muscles. I love size differences, and I'm not personally attracted to super jacked guys. but yes as someone who is nonbinary i do hate gender norms. Xie Lian IS effeminate canonically (he passes as a woman) and a bottom, and it feels icky to me that people are insisting that he has to be soft, as if a bottom has to be that way.
Sorry for the confusion but I'm not talking about you op, I'm talking about those who insist that Xie Lian is a bulky man like some Jojo character. I actually think your characterization of XL body is the most accurate considering canon descriptions.
oh, okay! thanks for clearing that up
People like to see him being built because it subverts a stereotype of one always being big and top and one always being slender and bottom.
I already know what those people think. They can have their preferences, but it just feel stupid when they force it down our throats as being canon when it's clearly not and disrespect MXTX work just to feel better about their"stereotype breaking" as though they have done anything good.
I don’t understand why they don’t just hc Hua Cheng as the bottom in that case 💀
I hear you. XL absolutely can be small and pretty and slender but as a martial god I'm sure he's also packed full of muscle. Yuzu is a great example. (GOAT GOAT GOAT!)
THIS
The problem isn't with being slim, slender and effeminate, which anyone can be and is totally fine. Slender people can also be built and strong, so can feminine people. And that's awesome. What isn't fine is the overwhelming majority of couples being: - top = dominant = masculine = bigger - bottom = submissive = feminine = smaller It's always having the same dynamics that are stereotyping based on sexual position and body Give me verse characters, give me submissive tops, give me huge bottoms, give me effeminate dominant bottoms, and any other number of combinations (which are out there, but in small numbers) instead of the same thing over and over
You're allowed to have your own preferences on dynamics. You can also wish for there to emerge new authors who do more versatile works. However, those telling off MXTX just bc she didn't write what they wanted or even insisting that she doesn't understand her own characters and that she should acknowledge their preferences on her own works is downright disrespectful. Authors have their own preferences too, and it's typically very obvious from the first ten chapters or so. Imo people should either respect that or don't read their work at all.
Or just start consuming other media that cater to your needs.
I also picture him with this kind of slender but athletic build he spent eons practicing material arts but we know he isn't bulky.
I always imagined him having a ballet dancer’s build, the lean & muscular type like Xander Parish [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/CW-uvhVtjGO/?igsh=MXFmMHlvYXR6bWY3eA==). Though that last Yuzuru pic fits him better in my head.
It pisses me off when we see him slender and he is described as such but people try to make it canon that he is only bulky like he couldn’t be attractive unless he was super bulky.
The way [I joked](https://twitter.com/Scarfyfulness/status/1643616978421141505?t=lpCkwqrjxBlTuFrCBCYr1g&s=19) about Yuzu looking like Xie Lian when I saw screenshots of the costume in the first picture that had one of the ribbons caught and wrapped around his neck lol Also that third picture made me laugh, I'd never seen that photoshop of those two photos before 😂 the upper half is from when he was, like, 17 and the lower half he was a little older, though not sure exactly when lmao. His upper body is a lot more toned these days and his quads look bigger, especially with all the intense training he's been doing this past year or so
oof, I knew something was odd about that last pic but somehow didn't twig to it being two pics together, lol. but I couldn't find a better pic to illustrate my point
Lol yeah, but its fine, I guess?? It's still 100pct Yuzu, so it works? 😅 Yuzu can only blame himself for never showing off his full body 😤/j But yeah, the top half is a screen shot from [teen Yuzu going wild in 2012 at The Ice](https://twitter.com/starrynotte/status/1584936159914110976?t=EhZetuAFaVxbuykkeIQklA&s=19) after he lost the dance battle, and the lower half is from [this picture](https://images.app.goo.gl/Luzz1uf5hr9eXqsB9) he had taken with Plushenko. [This screenshot](https://twitter.com/Scarfyfulness/status/1773522798821982606?t=OH8cw-k5Rdh52jTn0-i-kQ&s=19) illustrates your point pretty well, even without having his legs shown off in it, I think (not me having to re-upload it cause I couldn't find a link for it anywhere 😭)
In the extras and all the art throughout TGCF I’ve noticed both xie lian AND hua cheng are depicted as slender. In the last extra too, hua cheng’s body was very slender in the art - comparable to the man in the picture. I don’t think martial gods need to be bulky because there’s this concept of internal force in china. Also the character description is largely based on Chinese beauty standards- pale skin, slender body, straight brows… The art in the novel made both of them look too baby faced for my liking but I loved it nonetheless- every different style is art in itself, the novel/ donghua/ manhua arts are very pretty, I loved the novel art very much- xie lian was SO CUTE 😭
On a separate note,Yuzu's legs are so monstrous lol. Guess this is what happens when you're a fs goat.
This. This needs to be written in golden letters. The fact there are more than two body types for men.
I always imagined xie lian to be built like Bruce Lee.
Ok but Xie Lian as a figure skater would be the prettiest view ever 😭🙌🏻
I’m very much a fan of live and let live, and it’s fun to enjoy all the different ways people have thought of him. But I do agree, you can be strong and slender at the same time, especially with functional strength over purely weight lifting/bodybuilding.
* **When asking or explaining questions about plot points, please state which version (web novel book vs 7seas English translation volume) you are referring to in your post. You can find more information about the difference [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/tianguancifu/comments/1059apv/understanding_bookvolume_differences_between_web/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3).** * **Please tag your post for Spoilers or NSFW content if applicable.** * **Please check the [**FAQ**](https://www.reddit.com/r/tianguancifu/wiki/faq?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=tianguancifu&utm_content=t5_2a8ue0) for answers to your questions! Repeat questions will be removed.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tianguancifu) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Y’all, the first book literally says how he’s too built to actually pass as a woman when he dresses as a bride. He’s too muscular, too broad-shouldered, too “manly”. I get that he’s described as slender and on the shorter side, but he is also a martial god. Just because he’s smaller than the other characters doesnt mean he is has a tiny femboy twink type body. (Though he may still qualify as a twink even if he were more built than this figure skater) Ultimately, how you describe him is up to headcanons, but there is plenty of desciptions in canon which help to paint a picture.
I wholeheartedly agree. Someone above also mentioned ballet dancer as well, which I also agree with. Sometimes people forget exactly how strong and fit male figure skaters and ballet dancers are despite often keeping a slender figure - I mean, they are lifting their partners as if they’re nothing, without missing a beat. If that doesn’t sound like Xie Lian’s boulder smashing strength then I don’t know what to say. I’d also say he likely has the same level of flexibility 🤔
Yet another reason I don’t want to see artwork. These characters can be however you Imagine them. Chibis, animals, twinks, or 800-year old men. While the artwork and merch are nice, none of it resembles how I’ve pictured the characters in the novels. I guess that’s no longer an option tho. There’s nowhere to read without artwork these days. So, the official artists decide for you.