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Story of Yanxi Palace
2018 Chinese historical series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Story of Yanxi Palace (Chinese: 延禧攻略; pinyin: Yánxǐgōnglüè) is a 2018 Chinese television series recounting the struggles of a palace maid in the court of the Qianlong Emperor. It was created by Yu Zheng, with original screenplay written by Zhou Mo, and later developed into a novel by Xiao Lianmao. Starring Wu Jinyan, Charmaine Sheh, Qin Lan and Nie Yuan, the series premiered on iQIYI from July 19, 2018 to August 26, 2018.[1]
Distributed in more than 70 markets worldwide, Story of Yanxi Palace became a huge hit across Asia, catapulting Wu Jinyan and Xu Kai to stardom and revitalizing the careers of Qin Lan and Charmaine Sheh. It was the most googled TV show in the world in 2018, despite Google being blocked in Mainland China, and was streamed over 15 billion times on iQIYI that year.[2] A spin-off/sequel titled Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures was released on Netflix on December 31, 2019.[3]
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Plot
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Embroidery Bureau (Episode 1–7)
During the Qing dynasty, Wei Yingluo enters the court of the Qianlong Emperor as an embroidery maid to secretly investigate her older sister Wei Yingning's mysterious death. Yingluo survives the machinations of other embroidery maids jealous of her skills and impresses Empress Fuca with her wit.
Changchun Palace I (Episode 8–27)
At first believing the imperial guard Fuca Fuheng to be the prime suspect, Yingluo schemes to approach his older sister, the Empress Fuca, and succeeds in getting transferred from the Embroidery Bureau to her quarters Changchun Palace. Yingluo serves the Empress together with head palace maids Erqing and Mingyu, where she eventually becomes a trusted confidante of the Empress and learns that the Fuca siblings are innocent of the crime. Yingluo and Fuheng also fall for each other in the meantime.
Yingluo eventually catches the attention of the Emperor himself. Although she is not of noble birth and illiterate, the Empress teaches her how to read and write, as well as the proper etiquette and mannerisms for noblewomen. The Empress also saves her several times from punishment for probing too deeply into her sister's death. In turn, Yingluo helps the Empress survive a series of schemes by her rivals. The two develop a close friendship.
Over time, Yingluo discovers that her sister was raped by Prince He, the fifth son of the late Yongzheng Emperor and a younger half-brother of the current Emperor. To cover up the crime, the Prince's mother, Consort Dowager Yu ordered Yingning to be put to death. Yingluo successfully hatches a plot and murders her by electrocution.
Hard Labour Department (Episode 28–36)
The Empress feigns anger over Yingluo's actions and banishes her to the Hard Labor Department, allowing her to escape a potentially more severe punishment from the Emperor. There, Yingluo befriends a conniving eunuch, Yuan Chunwang.
Without Yingluo, the Empress falls victim to the machinations of Noble Consort Gao, which puts her in a coma. News reaches Yingluo, who visits the Empress' chamber to care for her. Her devotion, quick wit and defiance infatuates the Emperor; he even forbids Fuheng and Yingluo from marrying, citing Yingluo's lowly origins and cunning character. Despite this, Fuheng persists in his feelings. However, when Yingluo faces a death sentence, Fuheng backs down to appease the Emperor; to saver her; he agrees to marry Erqing, breaking Yingluo's heart.
Meanwhile, Consort Xian leverages on Yingluo's plan to avenge the Empress and eventually drives Noble Consort Gao to commit suicide. The Emperor eventually relents on his tough stance towards Yingluo and allows her to return to Empress Fuca's side.
Changchun Palace II (Episode 37–40)
Empress Fuca eventually wakes from her coma and recovers. She becomes pregnant once again and delivers to a son. However, she is betrayed by her longtime ally Consort Chun, who is scorned by her unrequited longtime crush on Fuheng and blames Empress Fuca for not telling her the truth. On the New Year's Eve that Yingluo is away, Consort Chun starts a fire in the Empress' palace, killing her infant son. The devastated Empress Fuca commits suicide.
Summer Palace I (Episode 41–42)
After her death, Yingluo goes into self-imposed exile at the at the Summer Palace to guard over Empress Fuca's spirit. She stays there with Yuan Chunwang until the Emperor and the imperial consorts arrive for the summer to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday. During the celebrations, Yingluo learns that Consort Chun was responsible for the late Empress Fuca's death. She decides to reenter the Forbidden City and avenge Empress Fuca. However, her decision also breaks Yuan Chunwang's heart.
Yanxi Palace I (Episode 43–57)
To achieve her goal, Yingluo skillfully charms the Empress Dowager and becomes part of the Imperial Harem, being bestowed the rank of noble lady (five ranks below the empress). With the help of fellow friend Mingyu, Hailan Cha and Fu Heng after his return, she easily captivates the Emperor, topples her rivals and quickly rises to the rank of Consort. She exposes Consort Chun's role in the late Empress Fuca's death, and personally kills Erqing for her involvement in Empress Fuca's suicide.
The Step-Empress leverages on Yingluo's plans, putting Yingluo is precarious positions every now and then. Meanwhile, Yuan Chunwang returns to Yingluo's side; seeking payback for perceivedly abandoning him, Yuan Chunwang allies himself with the Step-Empress and makes it known that Yingluo is secretly taking contraceptives. Yingluo falls out of favour with the Emperor, who has fallen for her at this point.
Yingluo teams up with the Empress Dowager, whose own relationship with the Emperor has been put to the test after the Step-Empress reveals that the Emperor is not the biological son of the Empress Dowager, but of Lady Qian, a Han Chinese consort of the late Yongzheng Emperor who had died under mysterious circumstances. It is implied that the Empress Dowager had killed Lady Qian to adopt her son.
Summer Palace II (Episode 58)
The two women once most dear to the Emperor go into self-imposed exile in the Summer Palace, leading the Emperor to feel guilty for doubting his adoptive mother, who is undeniably the one who raised and protected him for years.
Yanxi Palace II (Episode 59–70)
Some time later, a new threat in the form of newcomer Concubine Shun calls Yingluo back to the Forbidden City. Yingluo sets out to reclaim the Emperor's favour, but finds herself befriended by her rival. However, the beautiful Concubine Shun has her own agenda and proves to be cunning and dangerous. Teaming up with the Step-Empress Nara, she frames Yingluo for attempted assassination and put Yingluo under house arrest; this gives Yuan Chunwang the oppurtunity to starve and mistreat Yingluo. Nevertheless, Yingluo is able to reverse her situation, reveal Concubine Shun's treachery, and reclaim the Emperor's affections for her. At the same time, Yingluo is discovered to be pregnant with the Emperor's child, much to his happiness. Having reached a stalemate at this point, Yingluo negotiates a truce with the Step-Empress Nara on the condition that neither of them will harm any imperial offspring despite their rivalry.
Over the next ten years, Yingluo goes on to bear four children— two daughters and two sons— over the next ten years; one of her sons dies young, much to her devastation and deteriorating health. She also raises the Fifth Prince Yongqi.
Yuan Chunwang, now Step-Empress Nara's trusted servant, betrays his new mistress by causing a series of mishaps in the palace that destabilise her rule. He uses Prince He's affections for the Step-Empress to instigate a rebellion; they plot to sabotage the imperial southern tour and seize power, hoping to free each other from their eroding positions. One night during the tour, a band of rebels suddenly storm the imperial ship; to make matters worse, a fire breaks out in the Empress Dowager's cabin, prompting the Emperor to charge into the flames to save his mother, seemingly perishing in the process.
The next morning, as Prince He gallantly appears to restore order from the overnight coup, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager emerge safely from a secret passageway designed by Fuheng and expose the treachery. The Step-Empress betrays Prince He, having always loved the Emperor and hoping to use the rebellion to prove her devotion to her husband. Just then, Yingluo emerges from hiding under the protection of the Emperor's guards, being the only consort to have received such protection. This apparent favouritism, after all of her years of devotion, causes the Step-Empress to break down into a fit of rage and cut off her hair, a taboo in Manchu tradition.
As the Emperor sentences Prince He to confinement and the Step-Empress is taken away, Yuan Chunwang proclaims his innocence, only for Yingluo to reveal his role in the failed coup and recent chaos. Yuan Chunwang announces that he is the illegitimate son of the late Yongzheng Emperor and the full-brother of the Emperor. Years ago, the late emperor was met with a bandit attack in the Taihang Mountains; Lady Qian happened upon the attack and exchanged clothes with the late emperor to distract the bandits away from him and took him home to recover from the attack. Years later after Lady Qian's death, Lady Qian's family was approached by the Prince Lian , who told Yuan Chunwang of his supposed imperial heritage. Hoping to meet his father and claim his birthright as a prince, Yuan Chunwang allowed himself to be castrated and serve as a eunuch at the Yongzheng Emperor's manor, but was instead met with denial and labor. Feeling owed, he vowed revenge upon the imperial family.
While the Empress Dowager confirms the Yongzheng Emperor's attack, she denies that Yuan Chunwang is the late emperor's son, implying that he is the child of a bandit who took advantage of the situation and raped the disguised Lady Qian. Realizing he has been misled by a lie and all his scheming was for nothing, Yuan Chunwang is driven into madness. But when the Emperor decides to execute Yuan Chunwang, the Empress Dowager asks the Emperor to spare him. The insane Yuan Chunwang is banished to the Hard Labour Department for life.
Back in the Forbidden City, the Step-Empress Nara is placed under house arrest and stripped of her authority for committing taboo as well as her role in the failed coup, but is permitted to keep her title as well as taken care of at Yingluo's intervention and arrangement. Yingluo visits the Step-Empress, and reveals that she pleaded for leniency to repay an act of kindness the Step-Empress showed her years ago; back when Yingluo was working in the Hard Labour Department, the Step-Empress (then known as Consort Xian) had sent for an imperial physician to treat her after she had collapsed, thereby saving her life. Meanwhile, Prince He is given poisoned wine by the Emperor, who has spared him but also arranged for him to die of an illness in the comfort of his manor. With Prince He executed for his crimes, Yingluo's mission to avenge her sister is finally complete.
In the end, Yingluo is elevated to the rank of Imperial Noble Consort, and as the highest ranking consort, she is made deptuy empress and granted the authority to manage the Inner Palace.[4]
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Cast and characters
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Main
Supporting
Imperial Harem
Palace Maids
Embroidery Bureau and Hard Labour Department
Palace Eunuchs
Imperial Guards and Physicians
Imperial Family
Others
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Production
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Many of the props and costumes were made using traditional Chinese crafts that are dying out, with few master-level experts remaining to pass on their skills to the next generation. The acquisition of these skills requires a lifetime of commitment, since they are unsurprisingly labor-intensive, demanding a sharp eye and tireless hands.[citation needed]
Velvet flowers (ronghua)
The velvet flower headwears used by the main characters were designed based on historical documents or antiques housed in the Palace Museum. Each adornment was created according to the characteristics of individual women. Zhao Shuxian, one of the few craftsmen still making velvet flowers, created all the pieces in the show.[17] The technique dates back to the Tang dynasty (618–907) and refers to the creation of not only floral displays, but also animal shapes made of silk on a twisted wire frame.[18]
Jeweled hairpins (tian-tsui)
Worn by the imperial consorts as status symbols of opulence, these are hairpins of a particular vibrant blue hue, made from the preserved feathers of the wings and back of the kingfisher bird.[19] The technique resembles cloisonné, and when inlaid with pearls and other gemstones, the jewels are especially eye-catching.
Soundtrack
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The original soundtrack was released as an extended play on July 23, 2018. "Willows of the Palace" by Li Chunai was released independently from the album.[20]
A 70-track studio album titled The Story of Yanxi Palace TV soundtrack (延禧攻略 影视剧配乐) was released on July 19, 2018, containing the instrumental music of the series composed by Chen Guoliang. The music was recorded in J Productions House, and features flute player Tan Baoshuo, violin player Leslie Ryang, pipa player Liu Tuotong, erhu player Huang Leting, and Li Junzhu as the female voice.[21] A total of 129 pieces were used in the show.
In the Philippines, "Aahon" JMKO was released under ABS-CBN Star Music and was the show's theme song.[22]
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Reception
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The series generated online buzz for its engaging plot of a "Cinderella" tale with Chinese characteristics.[23] It set the single-day online viewership record in China with a total of 530 million views, and had attracted a cumulative 13 billion views as of August 2018.[24] It was streamed more than 15 billion times on iQIYI in 2018, and was the most watched online drama in China for 39 consecutive days over the summer.[2]
Many viewers praised the story, because unlike the amicable heroines they were used to seeing, the main character Wei Yingluo fights fire with fire and outmaneuvers her opponents.[18] It also received praise for its well-developed characters and exciting interpretation by the actors, beautiful cinematography and intricate costume design, as well as its accurate portrayal of the Qing dynasty setting.[25][26] Owing to its success, there has been an increased number of visitors to the Palace Museum in Beijing.[citation needed]
Ratings
- Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue
Controversy
There was uproar in China after a Vietnamese website managed to acquire episodes not yet shown in China and asked visitors to the website to answer questions confirming their Vietnamese identity before the website loads. "This service is for Vietnamese people only. Please answer the following questions: To which country do the Hoàng Sa Islands (Paracel Islands) belong? Vietnam, China, Philippines or Japan?". The only correct answer to the question was "Vietnam". Copies of the episodes were later removed from the platform.[29]
Censorship
On January 25, 2019, the Beijing Daily, an official government newspaper, criticized the program for failing to promote socialist values.[30] Four days later, on January 29, the Chinese government cancelled the program and similar programs such as Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace.[31] CNN and other media outlets quickly reported on this incident, calling it Chinese censorship.[32][33] A Hong Kong professor stated that the show was censored because it became too popular and defied social norms.[34]
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Awards and nominations
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International broadcast
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Sequel
On December 31, 2019, Netflix released the six-episode spinoff Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures, which covers the marriage of Wei Yingluo's daughter, Zhaohua.[3]
Main Cast
- Wang Herun as Princess Zhaohua
- Wang Yizhe as Fuca Fuk’anggan
- Wang Yuwei as Lhawang Dorji, Prince Chaoyong
- Xu Xiaonuo as Princess Siwan
- Wu Jinyan as Wei Yingluo, Imperial Noble Consort Ling
- Nie Yuan as Aisin-Gioro Hongli, Qianlong Emperor
Recurring & Guest Cast
- Zhang Tianyun as Zhenzhu, personal maid to Imperial Noble Consort Ling
- Xu Yuan as Chisu, personal maid to Princess Zhaohua
- Wang Chenyixian as Dingxiang, personal maid to Princess Siwan
- Liu Enshang as Li Yu, Head Eunuch
- Chang Cheng as Desheng, eunuch in service to the Qianlong Emperor
- Zheng Long as Xiao Quanzi, eunuch in service to Imperial Noble Consort Ling
- Wei Yankan as Fuca Fuqian, uncle of Fuk'anggan
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References
External links
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