IMMORTAL-BINDING ROPES: Ropes, nets, and other restraints enchanted to withstand the power of an immortal or god. They can only be cut by high-powered spiritual items or weapons and usually limit the abilities of those trapped by them.
INCENSE TIME: A common way to tell time in ancient China, referring to how long it takes for a single incense stick to burn. Standardized incense sticks were manufactured and calibrated for specific time measurements: a half hour, an hour, a day, etc. These were available to people of all social classes.
In Heaven Official’s Blessing, the incense sticks being referenced are the small sticks one offers when praying at a shrine, so “one incense time” is roughly thirty minutes.
INEDIA: A common ability that allows an immortal to survive without mortal food or sleep by sustaining themselves on purer forms of energy based on Daoist fasting. Depending on the setting, immortals who have achieved inedia may be unable to tolerate mortal food, or they may be able to choose to eat when desired.
JADE: Jade is a culturally and spiritually important mineral in China. Its durability, beauty, and the ease with which it can be utilized for crafting both decorative and functional pieces alike has made it widely beloved since ancient times. The word might cause Westerners to think of green jade （the mineral jadeite）， but Chinese texts are often referring to white jade （the mineral nephrite）。 This is the color referenced when a person’s skin is described as “the color of jade.” Other colors of jade will usually be specified in the text.
JADE EMPEROR: In Daoist cosmology, the Jade Emperor （玉皇大帝） is the emperor of heaven, the chief of the heavenly court, and one of the highest ranked gods in the heavenly realm, lower only to the three primordial emanations. When one says “Oh god/lord” or “My heavens”， it is usually referring to the Jade Emperor. In Heaven Official’s Blessing, Jun Wu’s role replaces that of the Jade Emperor.
JADE MAIDEN: A jade maiden （玉女） is a goddess who, along with her male counterpart golden boy （金童）， are favored servants to the Jade Emperor.
JOSS PAPER: Also referred to as ghost paper, joss paper is a form of paper crafting used to make offerings to the deceased. The paper can be folded into various shapes and is burned as an offering, allowing the deceased person to utilize the gift the paper represents in the realm of the dead. Common gifts include paper money, houses, clothing, toiletries, and dolls to act as the deceased’s servants.
KOWTOW: The kowtow （叩头 / “knock head”） is an act of prostration where one kneels and bows low enough that their forehead touches the ground. A show of deep respect and reverence that can also be used to beg, plead, or show sincerity.
MERIDIANS: The means by which qi travels through the body, like a magical bloodstream. Medical and combat techniques that focus on redirecting, manipulating, or halting qi circulation focus on targeting the meridians at specific points on the body, known as acupoints. Techniques that can manipulate or block qi prevent a cultivator from using magical techniques until the qi block is lifted.
NIGHT PEARLS: Night pearls, or yemingzhu, are luminescent fluorite crystals. Their fluorescence comes from various rare trace elements in igneous rock that collect into ore veins with the movement of the Earth’s crust. To create them, these rare, glow-in-the-dark stones are carved into smooth spheres and polished. These real-life valuable stones feature prominently in many Chinese myths and legends. According to historical records, they were originally discovered near the prehistoric towns of Yandi and Shennong.
Numbers
TWO: Two （二 / “er”） is considered a good number and is referenced in the common idiom “good things come in pairs.” It is common practice to repeat characters in pairs for added effect.
THREE: Three （三 / “san”） sounds like sheng （生 / “living”） and also like san （散 / “separation”）。
FOUR: Four （四 / “si”） sounds like si （死 / “death”）。 A very unlucky number.
SEVEN: Seven （七 / “qi”） sounds like qi （齊 / “together”）， making it a good number for love-related things. However, it also sounds like qi （欺 / “deception”）。
EIGHT: Eight （八 / “ba”） sounds like fa （發 / “prosperity”）， causing it to be considered a very lucky number.
NINE: Nine （九 / “jiu”） is associated with matters surrounding the Emperor and Heaven, and is as such considered an auspicious number.
MXTX’s work has subtle numerical theming around its love interests. In Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, her second book, Lan Wangji is frequently called Lan-er-gege （“second brother Lan”） as a nickname by Wei Wuxian. In her third book, Heaven Official’s Blessing, Hua Cheng is the third son of his family and gives the name San Lang （“third youth”） when Xie Lian asks what to call him.