History ValuesDissonance / GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivationMoDaoZuShi

* Wei Wuxian calling Lan Wangji his birth name during the Cloud Recess arc may not be a big deal for non-Chinese readers, but per Ancient Chinese naming custom, using birth names is a sign of close intimacy and even using someone's courtesy name was considered rude if you were of much lower social ranking than them or are not in any way close. Wei Wuxian is deliberately rude to Lan Wangji when he addresses him by his birth name for the first time, thus Lan Wangji's angry reaction.

** In Imperial China where the setting is, the [[FamilyExtermination complete annihilation]] of a Sect is accepted as a fitting and righteous retribution for monstrous crimes like what Wen Rouhan did. Adding to this, the slaughter of the innocent relatives was not technically considered "wrong", despite it being obviously appalling to modern times, as they are considered to be [[GuiltByAssociation equally guilty of their clan's crimes]] and to prevent the remnants from avenging their fallen leader as expected of filial piety. This is why, in-universe, the cultivators do not bat an eye if an entire sect is murdered and the cultivation world feels justified with the killing of the Wen Remnants even if the story doesn't support their justification while Western readers regard the event as a genocide and are left frustrated as to why none of the sects made any attempts of apology/accountability over their crimes.

* The manhua initially depicted Lan Wangji slapping (instead of merely shoving) Wen Ning in a fit of jealousy the first time he gets drunk and was later changed to shoving after criticism from Chinese fans. While Western fans wouldn't bat an eye at this at first, in China slapping someone has harsher and more demeaning connotations.

* A detail lost on non-Chinese readers is also the sects' treatment of the Wen Remnants' corpses. The custom at the time was, if you profess yourself to be righteous and slay someone seen as 'evil/villain', it's customary to hang their corpses up for all to see. This is done when Nie Mingjue beheads Wen Xu and hangs Wen Xu's head at the gate of Uncleam Realm for all to see. However, when the cultivation sects throw the bodies of the Wen Remnants into the Blood Pool, it is implied that the sects are all well aware what they did to the Wen remnants was a sin, and they concealed the bodies in the hopes that the Wens would not reincarnate and seek retribution. The phrase the novel uses to describe the bodies in the Bllod Pool is 永不超生 (lit. to never again be reborn, to be barred from the cycle of reincarnation forever).

* While Jiang Fengmian's aloof and passive way of dealing with his kids' issues can earn much disdain from Western audiences, the Asian audience is not as fazed by it as by their culture's standards he isn't anything special as a parent, fitting into the actual position and approach to parenting that real-life Asian fathers do.
* [[spoiler:Lan Wangi's actions after the Bloodbath of Nightless City and his punishment get different reactions/interpretations depending on one's stance on collectivism or individualism. For Chinese audiences and those familiar with collectivist society, it's understood his whipping is lenient and deserving as he essentially committed ''treason'' by betraying his clan for someone who killed thousands, some of whom might be their clan members; that he was fortunate he wasn't executed because his clan hid his transgression to save his life while keeping his reputation intact. This is lost on many Western audiences who make the misassumption that Lan Wangji is unjustly punished and locked away for three years for saving his loved one and for being morally right in modern-day values. The entire Lan Clan, especially Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen, is criticized as being abusive for whipping him, with some even arguing they could have the power to stop him from being punished.]]

** In Imperial China where the setting is, the [[FamilyExtermination complete annihilation]] of a Sect is accepted as a fitting and righteous retribution for monstrous crimes like what Wen Rouhan did. Adding to this, the slaughter of the innocent relatives was not technically considered "wrong", despite it being obviously appalling to modern times, as they are considered to be [[GuiltByAssociation equally guilty of their clan's crimes]] and to prevent the remnants from avenging their fallen leader as expected of filial piety. This is why, in-universe, society doesn't bat an eye if an entire sect is murdered and the cultivation world feels justified with the killing of the Wen Remnants even if the story doesn't support their justification while Western readers regard the event as a genocide and are left frustrated as to why none of the sects made any attempts of apology/accountability over their crimes.

* Wei Wuxian inviting Lan Wangi inside the Jiang Ancestral Hall (and them walking around unsupervised in Lotus Pier) is appalling for the Chinese readers as he isn't part of the Jiang Clan anymore and both he, Lan Wangji, and Wen Ning even entered the hall without permission. While his anger issues make him a huge asshole during their confrontation, Jiang Cheng is well within his right to be pissed for the trespass for two reasons: Guests must only stay in specified areas or must be accompanied while moving around. For the second, Ancestral Halls in China are considered sacred places for the dead and, unlike cemeteries where anyone can visit, only family members of the clan can enter, and entering and bringing someone who’s not part of the “family” is disrespectful behavior.

* As much as his other issues make him a huge asshole during their confrontation, Jiang Cheng is well within his right to be pissed when the protagonists trespassed in his family's Ancestral Hall. Ancestral Halls in China are considered sacred places for the dead and, unlike cemeteries where anyone can visit, only family members can enter, and bringing someone who’s not part of the “family” is generally disrespectful. As Wei Wuxian isn't part of the Jiang Clan anymore and both he, Lan Wangji, and Wen Ning entered without permission, they are technically committing faux pas which is why Wei Wuxian kept apologizing to the Jiang Ancestors many times while inside.
* Wei Wuxian defending his shijie's honor from Jin Zixuan may come off as overprotective for non-Chinese readers, but there's actually a good reason why he's very cross with the other man. Jin Zixuan's constant badmouthing would negatively affect Jiang Yanli's reputation and if word came out that he, as a man with a higher station, rejected their arrangement, she would be labeled as an undesirable woman to marry[[note]]Jiang Yanli's lack of physical strength, cultivation skills and being plain are unappealing traits for a woman in a society that values power and beauty, even if she is born in a high-ranking sect[[/note]] and would have a hard time finding another sect to marry into.

** In Imperial China where the setting is, the [[FamilyExtermination complete annihilation]] of a Sect is accepted as a fitting and righteous retribution for monstrous crimes like what Wen Rouhan did. Adding to this, the slaughter of the innocent relatives was not technically considered "wrong", despite it being obviously appalling to modern times, as they are considered to be [[GuiltByAssociation equally guilty of their clan's crimes]] and to prevent the remnants from avenging their fallen leader as expected of filial piety. This is why, in-universe, society feels justified with the killing of the Wen Remnants even if the story doesn't support their justification while Western readers regard the event as a genocide and are left frustrated as to why none of the sects made no attempts of apology/accountability over their crimes.

* Wei Wuxian defending his shijie's honor from Jin Zixuan may come off as overprotective for non-Chinese readers, but there's actually a good reason why he's very cross with the other man. Jin Zixuan's constant badmouthing would negatively affect Jiang Yanli's reputation and if word came out that he, as a man with a higher station, rejected their arrangement, she would be labeled as an undesirable woman to marry[[note]]Jiang Yanli's lack of physical strength, cultivation skills and being plain are unappealing traits for a woman in a society that values power and beauty, even if she is born in a high-ranking sect[[/note]] and would have a hard time finding another sect to marry into.
* Non-Chinese readers might be confused why [[spoiler:Jin Guangyao dismembered and scattered Nie Mingjue's body and Nie Huaisang went out of his way to treat Meng Shi's remains the same way]]. The Chinese popularly thought that desecrating the family grave was the ultimate act of revenge taken toward another individual and disturbing or destroying the body in any way aside from doing the proper burial rituals would prevent the soul from properly reincarnating. This reason is also why Wei Wuxian's cultivation methods and his forcing the Wen Corpses to fight against their loved ones were thought to be too much even in a brutal war, which might not make sense for a reader unaware of this.

* The manhua initially depicted Lan Wangji slapping (instead of merely shoving) Wen Ning in a fit of jealousy the first time he gets drunk, and was later changed to shoving after criticism from Chinese fans. While Western fans wouldn't bat an eye at this at first, in China slapping someone has harsher and more demeaning connotations.

* [[spoiler:Lan Wangi's actions after the Bloodbath of Nightless City and his punishment get different reactions/interpretations depending on one's stance on collectivism or individualism. For Chinese audiences and those familiar with collectivist society, it's understood his whipping is lenient and deserving as he essentially committed ''treason'' by betraying his clan for someone who killed thousands, some of who might be their clan members; that he was fortunate he wasn't executed because his clan hid his transgression to save his life while keeping his reputation intact. This is lost on many Western audiences who make the misassumption Lan Wangji is unjustly punished and locked away for three years for saving his loved one and for being morally right in modern-day values. The entire Lan Clan, especially Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen, is criticized as being abusive for whipping him, with some even arguing they could have the power to stop him from being punished.]]
* Chinese readers barely bat an eye on the practice of seclusion, especially with the time [[spoiler:Qingheng-jun secluded himself and his wife and on Lan Wangji's three-year seclusion.]] Meanwhile, Western and first-time ''xianxia'' readers criticize this practice as they mistakenly equate secluded meditation to being forcefully put in solitary confinement or, even worse, totally cut off from human contact, not recognizing that secluded meditation is a standard cultivation practice in ''Wuxia/Xianxia'' stories[[note]]it's main purpose is to focus/refocus, center/re-center yourself to level up one's core, to help with healing (Lan Wangji's reason for seclusion), or process and work through one's feelings (Lan Xichen's reason for seclusion), all their needs are met during this time, and visitations are allowed unless the person secluded doesn't allow it[[/note]]. While secluded meditation is sometimes used as a punishment,[[note]]Think of it as the equivalent of being sent to detention after offending a teacher or breaking a school rule, only with kneeling[[/note]] the Lan Clan used this as an excuse to hide a bigger secret that would have destroyed their reputations and the aforementioned people are aware of their actions so they all willingly entered seclusion.
* Revenge is a prevalent theme in ''Wuxia/Xianxia'' stories, and avenging one's family if they are killed by others is typically a morally good action that's part of "Code of xia". For many Western Audiences who are used to viewing revenge as a morally bad thing, this may come off as repugnant:
** In the story, Wei Wuxian is shown not to be bothered with the idea of torturing people in revenge many times, and Mianmian even uses reason to defend Wei Wuxian's actions in Qinglong Pass. This created confusion as to why Wei Wuxian is regarded as a morally good person when his methods of revenge paint him as a morally gray character in a Western lens.

* As much as his other issues make him a huge asshole during their confrontation, Jiang Cheng is well within his right to be pissed for trespassing in his family's Ancestral Hall. Ancestral Halls in China are considered sacred places for the dead and, unlike cemeteries where anyone can visit, only family members can enter, and bringing someone who’s not part of the “family” is generally disrespectful. As Wei Wuxian isn't part of the Jiang Clan anymore and both he, Lan Wangji, and Wen Ning entered without permission, they are technically committing faux pas which is why Wei Wuxian kept apologizing to the Jiang Ancestors many times while inside.