Hua Mei

✨ Title: Tomb of the Sea Side Story: Hua Mei

ℹ️ Alternative Title: 沙海番外之画媒

🌎 Country of Origin: China (Mainland)

🍿 Format: Movie (🎞️)

📕 Series: The Grave Robber Chronicles (aka The Lost Tomb)

🕵️ Detective(s): Huo Daofu, Liu Sang

🗓️ Aired: September 18, 2018

🌐 Original Language: Chinese

#️⃣️ Number of Seasons: N/A

⏳Length️: 1 hr and 11 min.

🔥Rating: Not Rated

⚔️ Violent Content: Mild

🫣 Foul Language: Mild

💋 Sexual Content: None

💯 Overall Assessment: Teen Friendly

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The story follows Liu Sang, a young man with extraordinary hearing abilities, who is sent by Wu Xie to the Wu Shan Ju antique shop. The shop is plagued by unsettling events surrounding a mysterious ancient painting of a woman that seems to possess a life of its own. As Liu Sang investigates, he discovers that the painting is not merely an object but a “medium” or “matchmaker” (Hua Mei) that connects the living world to a deeper, darker secret hidden within the walls of the shop and a nearby mysterious cave. 

The investigation quickly escalates into a race against time as the investigators realize the painting is part of a complex “puzzle” set up generations ago. To resolve the supernatural crisis, they must uncover the tragic history of the woman in the portrait and the specific reasons Wu Xie “arranged” for Liu Sang to be there. The film explores themes of fate and redemption while maintaining the suspenseful, occult atmosphere characteristic of the Daomu Biji universe.

The Grave Robber Chronicles

✒️ Author: Xu Lei (Nan Pai San Shu)

🗓️ Publication Date: 2007

#️⃣ There are many prequel, sequel, and side stories in the Grave Robber Chronicles universe. This particular movie is non-canon and is not part of the original series. It does however feature Liu Sang, one of the more significant characters in Reunion: Sound of Providence (TV Show) / Chongqi – Restart (Novels).

The best place to find information about the original Chinese edition and the direct translation by Merebear is the translator’s website here. The first few volumes of the main story has been adapted into a series of English Translated volumes and one graphic novel. There is no official English publication of the prequels or sequels.

⚠️ Please Note: The shows do not directly align with either the original Chinese or the English editions. Nor do the English editions directly align with the original Chinese. Parts are spliced together, cut out, or otherwise edited to create the various adaptations.