Xiao Yan Zi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Xiao Yan Zi (Chinese: 小燕子; pinyin: xiǎo yàn zi; literally "little swallow") is a fictional character from the popular Taiwanese series Huan Zhu Ge Ge. The two notable actresses who have portrayed Xiao Yan Zi are Zhao Wei and Huang Yi.
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[edit] Biography
- Name: Xiao Yan Zi
- Birth Name: Fang Ci (方慈)
- Gender: Female
- Birth Date: (unknown)
- Birth Place: Hangzhou
- Brother: Xiao Jian
- Sister (sworn): Xia Zi Wei
- Husband: Yong Qi
[edit] Story
The character Xiao Yan Zi is first introduced as an 18-year-old teenager who roams the city with her friends, Liu Qing and Liu Hong. Having been orphaned at a young age, Xiao Yan Zi is an independent thinker and knows little about rules and regulations. She earns money using jianghu ways, and is not unwilling to steal in order to survive. Although mischievous, Xiao Yan Zi helps others in need regardless of the circumstances.
Xiao Yan Zi's entire existence is altered when she meets Xia Zi Wei. The night before their first meeting, Xiao Yan Zi had agreed to switch places with a bride who was to marry into the Liang household. The bride was extremely unwilling and planned on committing suicide, but Xiao Yan Zi arranged for her to escape. Zi Wei happened to be at the wedding as well, for different reasons. When Zi Wei helps Xiao Yan Zi hide from guards, the two begin to admire each other. They meet again at one of Xiao Yan Zi's performances. Through several other meetings, Zi Wei agrees to live with Xiao Yan Zi. The two become sworn sisters.
As sworn sisters, Zi Wei reveals her most important secrets to Xiao Yan Zi, including her background (that she is the emperor's illegitimate child). Xiao Yan Zi is shocked to find out that she is sisters with a princess, or ge ge. However, she vows to help Zi Wei find her father. The two decide to intrude on one of Qianlong's hunting trips on a local mountain. However, the feeble Zi Wei cannot climb the mountain, so she sends Xiao Yan Zi as her messenger. There, Yong Qi, the fifth prince, accidentally shoots her with an arrow. Through a series of misunderstandings, Qianlong mistakenly names Xiao Yan Zi his daughter, rather than Zi Wei. A confused Xiao Yan Zi, unaware of the punishments for lying to an emperor, is proclaimed Huan Zhu Ge Ge. Qianlong dotes on Xiao Yan Zi greatly, making it more difficult for Xiao Yan Zi to admit the truth.
Xiao Yan Zi lives an equally adventurous life inside the palace, where she meets her lover, Yong Qi, as well as friends Er Tai and Er Kang. She also becomes rivals with the Empress, Huang Hou, who is jealous when Xiao Yan Zi receives so much attention from Qianlong. After discovering the enormosity of her mistakes, she vows to return the title of princess to Zi Wei, but is still too afraid to tell the truth. Tension grows as Xiao Yan Zi struggles to adapt to life in the Forbidden City, violating the rules several times. Additionally, her guilt about stealing Zi Wei's title becomes unbearable, to the point where she unsuccessfully attempts to escape from the Forbidden City. Xiao Yan Zi later learns that Zi Wei is living in the Fu household. She temporarily disguises herself as an eunuch and leaves the Forbidden City to visit Zi Wei. Although Zi Wei forgives her for taking her title, Xiao Yan Zi still intends to return Qianlong to Zi Wei.
[edit] Relationship with Yong Qi
A fictional romance blossoms between Aisin Gioro Yongqi, the fifth prince, and Xiao Yan Zi in Huan Zhu Ge Ge 1. Yongqi quickly develops feelings for Xiao Yan Zi shortly after meeting her, but Xiao Yan Zi's tomboy attitude, along with her false title, causes her to only think of him as a brother. However, after Yongqi learns Xiao Yan Zi is not his biological sister, he shares his feelings with her. Xiao Yan Zi becomes confused, unsure of how she feels about Yongqi. But, after a girl named Cai Lian falls for Yongqi, Xiao Yan Zi becomes extremely jealous. She refuses to eat or speak in Yongqi's presence. Irritated, Yongqi calls Xiao Yan Zi a girl with no virtue. Xiao Yan Zi's anger causes her to act recklessly. When she falls off a horse, Yongqi soon feels sorry about the incident and kisses her. Xiao Yan Zi forgives Yongqi after she realizes she is truly in love with him. The challenge between them is their supposed brother-sister relationship. This causes the group to reveal that Xiao Yan Zi is not Qianlong's daughter. Although Qianlong is initially angry, he soon forgives them. The two are betrothed and later married.
In real-life, Yongqi never had a serious romance. Their love story is purely fictional.
[edit] Unknown Past
Xiao Yan Zi's past is never known for certain. In Huan Zhu Ge Ge 2, she meets Xiao Jian, a man who claims to be her older brother. However, this is merely based on the account of a nun who raised Xiao Yan Zi during her childhood. If Xiao Yan Zi is truly Xiao Jian's younger sister, then her birth name was Fang Ci. When Xiao Yan Zi was but a baby, her father was beheaded at the order of Qianlong for writing a poem that offended the Qing Dynasty. Her mother died shortly after, committing suicide. Xiao Yan Zi's other family members were beheaded as well, but Xiao Jian and Xiao Yan Zi managed to escape. Xiao Yan Zi was sent north, in Beijing, and Xiao Jian sent to the south, in Dali. This is ironic as Xiao Yan Zi later became Qianlong's adopted daughter. Tension grows because of this situation.
In the third installment of the series, it is confirmed that Xiao Yan Zi is indeed Xiao Jian's sister. After the turmoils of the third installment, Xiao Yan Zi and Xiao Jian, along with Yong Qi, Zi Wei, Er Kang and Qing Er go to Dali, where they meet Xiao Jian's foster parents. Xiao Jian's foster parents reveal that Fang Ci has a birthmark on her body, but at first they are reluctant to say outloud where the birthmark really is. Eventually, much to Xiao Yan Zi's embarrassment and everyone else' amusement, they tell Xiao Yan Zi that if she is the real Fang Ci, she would have a mole on her buttock. In the scene after this, Yongqi pulls Xiao Jian aside to confirm this fact, albeit with much amusement at Xiao Yan Zi's expense.
