Jinshi appears powerful by rank, beauty, and military authority, but his true development unfolds through restraint rather than dominance. This analysis explores how his leadership, emotional discipline, and relationship with Maomao reflect Taoist principles of yielding, timing, and non-coercive power. His strength is not in force, but in learning when to step back. Read the full Jinshi analysis on Substack →

Part 2 of The Apothecary Diaries Analysis has been uploaded to Substack. In this post, I focus on the story's heroine, Maomao. Maomao doesn’t seek power- and that’s exactly why she has it. Her rule-breaking isn’t rebellion, but precision; her humility isn’t weakness, but strategy. Through Taoist philosophy and psychological analysis, this essay explores how Maomao survives and subtly reshapes a system designed to consume her. Click to read the full essay on Substack →

Recently, I’ve been completely absorbed in The Apothecary Diaries , and I couldn’t resist diving into a full character and theme analysis. In this first post, I’m focusing on the central theme of the series and how it surprisingly aligns with principles from the Tao Te Ching . Don’t worry—I’m not claiming the author based the story on Taoism, but the parallels in how the characters navigate the palace and the rear palace are fascinating. Think of it as a mix of palace intrigu