What is Danmei?

Danmei, a genre that has recently gained significant popularity, offers a unique reading experience. Originating from China, these novels not only explore gay relationships (particularly between men) but also provide a window into Chinese culture and societal norms. 

What sets this genre apart from Western romance is that most Danmei novels have elaborate world-building and a slow-burn romance. I'm here to assure you that once you get into this rabbit hole of gayness, you'll find yourself yearning for more. Beyond representation, they explore deeper and morally complex themes, setting them apart from classical romance stories.  

Most novels will not only involve high stakes for the characters but will challenge your righteousness. We follow the romance story of murderers, assassins, and demon lords amid political wars where you ask yourself, "Who is right, who is wrong? What is black, and what is white?". We walk the single-plank bridge of questionable choices with the characters and watch as two dissasters fall in love. 

Danmei novels are a feast for the mind and heart; let me explain. For any reader that likes romance, finding a protagonist that keeps their head on their shoulders or doesn't lose their cool when they are in love is hard. In Danmei novels, the characters' choices are within the range of human expectations. These characters have a high level of emotional complexity. There are layers of trauma and life happening all at once that add to the complexity of their well-written characters. 

My first encounter with danmei was chaotic at best. I started The Untamed but was deterred by their 50-hour-long episodes. So I began to read the novel and found that it was tough to picture the political struggles at the time, so I chose to read the webcomic to get a better grasp, and that is how I really came to understand what it was about. I found a protagonist who makes all the righteous choices to stand up to their beliefs and upholds loyalty and debt to others present. However, they did not care about world politics and keeping up appearances; ultimately, it was their downfall.

After catching up with the webcomic, I finished the novel and the live-action. I was thoroughly surprised when every version had slightly different endings. I started investigating and found out that the censorship of 2SLGBTQIA+ content in Chinese media makes it hard to cover the novel's details mainstream.

Of course, this is not something to be concerned about because most of these stories start as web novels, and they publish weekly chapters on the web rather than send a complete manuscript to a publishing company. This method allows the audience to slowly digest the book in its entirety.

 For the author, it also gives the freedom to edit the story at the end if they wish. It should be noted that some authors change some of the content between the web novel and the published version, adding an element of surprise to each reading experience. A good example is Heaven's Official Blessing, from MXTX, where the web novel version has been translated. However, a revised printed version in May 2023 was released in China (uncensored web version on March 25, 2024). For more information, see here.   

 Although most of these novels are historical fantasies (wuxia), time regressions, or simple reincarnation stories, these novels are more than just romance. We get to experience a different cultural perspective and a different take on romance. A romance that, if lost, can be mourned for 13 years (16 in the live-action). Something that I have not seen as much in many typical romance stories. 

As it is a Chinese fantasy with many historical settings, some new readers would be uncomfortable and confused with the same character having three to four different names. Still, most publications thoroughly explain titles, names, sects, and more in the glossary at the back. Please do not be discouraged by the different names, as they can convey different relationships between characters, unique to Asian novels. There is a distinctive difference between calling someone's courtesy name versus calling someone's birth name, which only close family and friends can do. 

In general, these characters prove their love through their actions. Apart from romance, some different types and subgenres can go under the umbrella of danmei. There is a story for everyone, from the soft and happy stories, with the slice of life or the rom-com school days, to memory loss, bound in a coma, reincarnated into the villain, with complex family dynamics, near-death experiences and more. 

The genre is so diverse that I recommend googling the name before you jump in, blinded to a series that might leave you emotionally devastated (it has happened to me, that's why). As always, trigger warnings are appreciated, so do not be afraid and search for a novel to your taste!