Pawnshop No. 8

The correct title of this article is Pawnshop #8. The substitution or omission of the # sign is because of technical restrictions.

Pawnshop #8 is a Taiwanese television series produced in 2001 and focusing on two characters who share ownership on a pawnshop. The supernatural-tinged show currently airs on ImaginAsian in the United States. Critically acclaimed and well-received in numerous Asian countries, especially Mainland China, Pawnshop No. 8 blends elements of Western religions such as Christianity excellently with pre-modern and modern Chinese society.

The main theme of the Pawnshop No. 8 is that of love, with the main background of the eternal conflict between Heaven and Hell, good and evil, God and Satan. After being bested by the Creator and his unfallen angels countless eons past, Satan, now banished from Paradise and desperate for vengeance, devised a pawnshop to lure mainly Chinese customers, seeking to capture all of humanity's souls for Darkness to reign supreme, coercing random humans whose souls were bent towards his own and whom could perceive his presence to serve as his minions, the owner of the pawnshop and their assistant. To counter Satan's nefarious strategies, God sent angels in the forms of humans, to help the targeted humans brave through the temptations of Satan and use their own power and will to defeat the Enemy's lure. However, the human force of love turns both God and Satan's plans to both good and ill, and complicates the structure of the Great Game much more than expected...

A man is torn from his family, forced to serve as the slave of a dark master to guarantee the safe future of his family, forced to collect humanity's souls under the guise of a "pawnshop owner" to further the designs of the devil by making business-like bargains and exchanges with him, for almost anything, from material items ranging from watches to rings to emotion, memory, and even one's eternal soul. The man was granted supernatural abilities by his dark master, including immortal life to more adequately serve the devil, and allowed the company of a pawnshop assistant, all in exchange for an eternity's service to Satan. As a last gift to his wife, the man exchanged his own love, his very ability to love, for his wife to have a lifetime of happiness without him.

Allowed by his master (the devil) to claim one mortal as a companion in the Pawnshop No. 8, as his pawnshop "assistant", aiding him in his bargains and deals with customers, for the rest of eternity, the pawnshop owner initially chose a beautiful and fair female, offering her freedom from her restricted life as a servant, but another female, jealous, spiteful and vengeful from a twisted past of sorrow, poverty, and anguish, who Hanuo once sheltered and fed, kills her, and the pawnshop owner instead chooses her: Ajing.

Synopsis (Translated)

The legend has it that if you can locate Pawnshop No. 8, it will honor any request you may have, as long as you are willing to pay for the price. It accepts valuable jewelry or house deed. It also gladly accepts your limbs, your love, your sanity, your child's future, and the most valuable commodity to the pawnshop, your soul.

You want to pawn your ability to love in exchange for saving your dying wife? Done. You want to pawn your fashion design talent for your mother's love? Done. You want to pawn your soul so that coldhearted woman would die a horrendous death in her every reincarnation? Done. By the way, Pawnshop No. 8 loves returning customers. This time, you pawn your friendship to be the top man in your business. Next time, you may just pawn your soul to stay on top.

External links

• Official Website
• ImaginAsian page