Ming Dynasty (2019 TV series)
Ming Dynasty is a 2019 Chinese television series giving a fictionalised account of the life of Empress Sun, who was an empress consort of the Xuande Emperor. Starring Tang Wei and Zhu Yawen,[1][2] it aired on Hunan Television until 2020.[3] Loosely adapted from the novel The Chronicle of the Six Eras (Chinese: 六朝纪事) by Lianjing Zhuyi (Chinese: 莲静竹衣),[4] the show gained much attention and viewership from non-Chinese viewers after it achieved high ratings in mainland China.
| Ming Dynasty | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||
| Also known as | Empress of the Ming | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 大明風華 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 大明风华 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | The Elegant and Talented (Consort) of the Great Ming | ||||||
| |||||||
| Genre | Historical fiction | ||||||
| Based on | The Chronicle of the Six Eras by Lianjing Zhuyi | ||||||
| Written by | An Jian, Daijin, Zhang Ting | ||||||
| Directed by | Zhang Ting | ||||||
| Starring | Tang Wei Zhu Yawen Deng Jiajia Lay Zhang | ||||||
| Country of origin | China | ||||||
| Original language | Mandarin | ||||||
| No. of episodes | 62 | ||||||
| Production | |||||||
| Producer | Yao Yuzhu | ||||||
| Production locations | Hengdian World Studios, Wuxi, Inner Mongolia | ||||||
| Running time | 45 mins | ||||||
| Production companies | Youku, Ruyi Films, Yuekai Media | ||||||
| Release | |||||||
| Original network | Hunan Television | ||||||
| Original release | 17 December 2019 – 23 January 2020 | ||||||
Synopsis
After a successful insurrection against Jianwen Emperor, the Yongle Emperor orders the execution of many high-ranking officials of the court loyal to his deposed predecessor.[5] Among them is the royal doctor Jing Qing, whose entire family is condemned alongside him. His two daughters escape and are separated in the process.
The younger daughter is adopted by a high ranking inner court attendant named Hu and renamed Hu Shanxiang. The elder daughter is rescued and adopted by the general Sun Yu and given the name Sun Ruowei. The two daughters live out different lives: the younger is raised in the Imperial Palace as a maid and the older with a group of rebels loyal to the previous emperor. Ruowei gains literacy and martial arts skills, which prove helpful later.
Years later, Qingzheng Cult, in which Ruowei is raised, continues to plot to overthrow Yongle and re-establish Jianwen. During this time, Yongle's favorite grandson Zhu Zhangji is zealous in purging the remaining rebels; he meets Ruowei while doing so. Zhangji's attraction toward her grows, as her character and behavior differ from those of other palace ladies, such as Ruowei's penchant for speaking her mind.
During this time, her younger sister, Hu Shanxiang, rises through the ranks to a fairly high ranking attendant. She makes a deal with Zhangji's second uncle (Prince Han): he recommends her to be Zhangji's main wife; in exchange, Shanxiang will be his agent embedded in Zhangji's palace. Ruowei and Zhangji also marry, upon which she becomes the Imperial Concubine to the Imperial Grandson.
Afterward, Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi is left in Beijing to run the country while Yongle, his other sons, and grandson are go to war in the north. Already ill and needing help with the war correspondence with his father in the battlefield, Gaochi finds out that his new daughter-in-law, Ruowei, is literate and that her calligraphy is very similar to his. She becomes his personal scribe for the war effort and learns the ropes of running the country at war. As Gaochi's health deteriorates, she has to deliberate and give orders to the imperial counsels.
Over time, Ruowei's hatred for the Emperor and her quest for revenge dissipates as she weighs the costs of many other human lives to achieve revenge. After the untimely passing of Yongle, Gaochi who succeeds him as the Hongxi Emperor, and Zhangji who succeeds him as the Xuande Emperor; Ruowei finds herself in the middle of a power struggle between her son Emperor Yingzong of Ming and the Jingtai Emperor.
With her experience and ability, she guides her son through danger and helps him become a noble and virtuous ruler. In the end, Ruowei realizes that she cannot save the imperial family from the violence and bloodshed engendered by the struggle for the throne. She abdicates her position as Empress Dowager and leaves with her longtime true love, Xu Bin, on a treasure ship to explore the world together.
Cast
Main
- Tang Wei as Sun Ruowei, Empress Sun – The daughter of an Imperial Physician killed during the reign of Yongle Emperor later adopted by Sun Zhong and renamed as Sun Ruowei. She is intelligent and brave; however, she is manipulated by the Qingzheng cult to seek revenge for her parents' death. She longs to be reunited with her younger sister, who was separated from her while they were running away. They reunite as members of Zhu Zhanji's harem: Ruowei as his concubine and her long-lost sister Hu Shanxiang, Zhanji's legitimate wife and upon his ascension, Empress. Ruowei tries to protect Shanxiang from Zhanji's suspicion and mistrust but fails when Zhanji discovers Shanxiang betrayed him in favor of Prince Han, who had sponsored her and Zhanji's marriage. Zhanji then deposes her and promotes Ruowei as his Empress. After his death, Ruowei is tasked with the regnancy of the kingdom while raising their son and dealing with rivals to power. She grows tired of the deaths and political machinations she witnessed, severs ties with her son, and leaves the kingdom to travel the world with her true love Xu Bin, fulfilling her wish from when she was a young woman.
- Deng Jiajia as Hu Shanxiang, Empress Gongrangzhang – Sun Ruowei's long lost sister. After their separation, she is adopted by Hu Shangyi and becomes a palace maid. Ambitious and obsessed with power, she becomes Zhu Zhanji's legitimate wife with the help of Prince Han.
- Zhu Yawen as Zhu Zhanji, Xuande Emperor, Hongxi Emperor's first son (Crown prince) – the son of Hongxi Emperor and Empress Zhang. He is ambitious, proud and aims to be like his grandfather. A favorite of the Yongle Emperor, he encounters Ruowei while investigating an attempt to assassinate the Emperor. He falls in love with Ruowei and promises her dying father to take care of her. However, he is forced to marry Hu Shanxiang, a candidate nominated by Prince Han, and takes Ruowei as his concubine. Through various political machinations, he ensures his father is the Emperor's successor and through that, his own ascension to the throne. After discovering the depth of his uncles' betrayal, Zhanji distances himself from all politics and grows immensely sick.
Royal family
- Tan Xueliang as Zhu Yunwen, Jianwen Emperor
- Wang Xueqi as Zhu Di, Yongle Emperor
- Liang Guanhua as Zhu Gaochi, Hongxi Emperor – Yongle Emperor's first son (Crown Prince)
- Yu Haoming as Zhu Gaoxu, Prince of Han – Yongle Emperor's second son, a highly ambitious individual
- Luan Yuanhui as Zhu Gaosui, Prince of Zhao – Yongle Emperor's third son
- Wu Yue as Zhang Yan, Empress Zhang – wife of the Hongxi Emperor
- Long Ni as Consort Wei – Prince Han's consort
- Lay Zhang as Zhu Qizhen, Yingzong Emperor – Xuande Emperor's eldest son by Sun Ruowei. He becomes the Emperor at a young age with no governing experience. He is loved by his people through his determination to govern.
- Li Xinliang as Zhu Qiyu, Jingtai Emperor – Xuande Emperor's second son
- Hu Lingmeng as Empress Qian
- Chu Junchen as Sima Guang
- Zhao Yingzi as Noble Consort An – Zhu Di's concubine, the daughter of King Taejong of Joseon and Consort Piao's older sister. Although she holds a high position in the palace (Noble Consort (Chinese: 貴妃; pinyin: guìfēi)), she is not favoured and had no children.
- Sun Xiaoxiao as Consort Piao – Zhu Di's concubine. With the help of her older sister Noble Consort An, she is able to meet the Emperor.
Ministers
- Qiao Zhenyu as Xu Bin – The son of a deceased minister and an orphan at Jingnan. He has always loved Sun Ruowei and does everything he can to protect her.
- Gao Kaiyuan as Xie Jin
- Zhang Hao as Yang Shiqi
- Jiang Yang as Yang Rong
- Yang Weiqi as Yang Pu
- Zhou Yunshen as Jing Qing
- Su Ke as Yu Qian
- Guo Zhiting as Fan Zhong
- Tang Jianjun as Xu Youzhen
- Fu Lei as Shi Heng
- Dai Chaodong as Cao Bin
- Jianuo Guo as Chen Wenrong
Others
- Sun Yaoqi as Shuang Xi – a palace maid
- Shi Yueling as Hu Shangyi – Hu Shanxiang's adoptive mother. The highest-ranking palace maid, she is cruel and ruthless, very skilled, and well-versed in the way of the harem.
- Choenyi Tsering as Qi Muge – Princess of Wala. She fell in love with Zhu Qizhen, gave birth to his son Zhu Jianshen, and is killed by Zhu Qiyu.
- Wei Wei as Huangpu Yunhe
- Cao Minghua as Mahamud
- Zhu Jiayi as Jing Qing's wife
- Lobsang Namdak as Nie Xing
- Cui Tianyi as Xiao Douzi
- Li Haohan as Yao Guangxiao – Buddhist monk serving as adviser of Yongle Emperor and mentor of Xuande Emperor
Production
Director Zhang Ting had written the script of many well-known dramas, including Four Generations Under One Roof. Zhang Li had produced many famous historical drama, including Towards the Republic, Ming Dynasty in 1566 and The Road We Have Taken. The crew also included creative director Zhao Hai, winner of both the Hong Kong Film Award and Golden Rooster Awards. Academy Award-nominated costume designer William Chang designed 140 costumes for Tang Wei's character in the series.[6]
Casting
To immerse herself in the role, Tang Wei spent 8 months before shooting studying the history and culture of the Ming dynasty.[7] About 400 extras auditioned for the drama, and the line-up for the main cast exceeded ten actors.[6]
Filming
Principal photography began at Wuxi on 18 December 2017 and wrapped up on 29 July 2018.[8]
Original soundtrack
| Ming Dynasty Original Soundtrack (OST) | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various artists | |
| Released | 25 December 2019 |
| Genre | Mandopop Instrumental |
| Language | Mandarin |
| Label | Mai Tong Music |
| Producer | Dong Yingda |
The main composer of the Ming Dynasty OST is Dong Yingda, who also worked on The Great River (2018) and Like a Flowing River (2019).[9] All versions of "One Heart" and "Life Guardian" were not included in the album and were released independently.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Zhu Di's lamp (朱棣的灯)" | Dong Yingda | 1:16 | ||
| 2. | "The Hidden Worries of War (战争的隐忧)" | Dong Yingda | 1:08 | ||
| 3. | "If I refer to that person (如朕指亲临牌)" | Dong Yingda | 1:04 | ||
| 4. | "Exotic warfare (异域战争)" | Dong Yingda | 1:24 | ||
| 5. | "Ancient Love Song (上古情歌)" | Dong Yingda | Dong Yingda | Qi Yu | 1:02 |
| 6. | "Do you want Military Power? (你要兵权？)" | Dong Yingda | 1:02 | ||
| 7. | "Unwillingness (其木格不舍)" | Dong Yingda | 1:24 | ||
| 8. | "Good Two Brothers (哥俩好)" | Dong Yingda | 1:14 | ||
| 9. | "For Food (对食儿)" | Dong Yingda | 1:18 | ||
| 10. | "Disturbing at the Time (当时已惘然)" | Dong Yingda | Dong Yingda | Wang Xiaomin | 2:00 |
| 11. | "Emotional Fluctuation (情感波动)" | Dong Yingda | 1:06 | ||
| 12. | "New Emperor (新皇)" | Dong Yingda | 2:02 | ||
| 13. | "Pu Fei's Palace (朴妃宫廷)" | Dong Yingda | 0:52 | ||
| 14. | "White Cloud Dog (白云苍狗)" | Dong Yingda, Zhang Ting | Dong Yingda | Xu Hebin | 1:56 |
| 15. | "Nie Xing Ruowei (聂兴若微)" | Dong Yingda | 1:28 | ||
| 16. | "Relaxed (轻松)" | Dong Yingda | 1:02 | ||
| 17. | "Easy – pipa version (轻松 – 琵琶版)" | Dong Yingda | 1:04 | ||
| 18. | "One Heart – Theme song (一次心 (主题曲))" | Nan Jiu'er | Liu Fengyao | Henry Huo, Mi Liang | 4:46 |
| 19. | "One Heart – Theme song (一次心 (主题曲))" | Nan Jiu'er | Liu Fengyao | Henry Huo | 4:49 |
| 20. | "Lifetime Guardian – Interlude (生世守护（插曲）米靓)" | Liu Fengyao | Liu Fengyao | Shuang Sheng | 3:08 |
| 21. | "Lifetime Guardian – Interlude (生世守护（插曲）双笙)" | Liu Fengyao | Liu Fengyao | Mi Liang | 3:05 |
Ratings
- Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue
| Hunan TV CSM59 City ratings[10] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast date | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank |
| 2019.12.17 | 1.918 | 7.23 | 1 |
| 2019.12.18 | 1.918 | 7.36 | 1 |
| 2019.12.19 | 1.892 | 7.08 | 1 |
| 2019.12.20 | 1.854 | 6.15 | 1 |
| 2019.12.21 | 1.718 | 5.79 | 1 |
| 2019.12.22 | 1.993 | 7.09 | 1 |
| 2019.12.23 | 1.949 | 7.51 | 1 |
| 2019.12.24 | 1.909 | 7.26 | 1 |
| 2019.12.25 | 1.975 | 7.36 | 1 |
| 2019.12.26 | 2.044 | 7.73 | 1 |
| 2019.12.27 | 1.549 | 5.37 | 2 |
| 2019.12.28 | 1.504 | 4.99 | 2 |
| 2019.12.29 | 1.906 | 6.91 | 1 |
| 2019.12.30 | 2.078 | 7.72 | 1 |
| 2020.1.1 | 2.111 | 7.56 | 1 |
| 2020.1.2 | 1.913 | 7 | 1 |
| 2020.1.3 | 1.672 | 5.65 | 1 |
| 2020.1.4 | 1.69 | 5.48 | 2 |
| 2020.1.5 | 2.048 | 7.13 | 1 |
| 2020.1.6 | 2.288 | 8.32 | 2 |
| 2020.1.7 | 2.191 | 7.83 | 1 |
| 2020.1.8 | 2.266 | 8.15 | 1 |
| 2020.1.9 | 2.28 | 8.06 | 1 |
| 2020.1.10 | 2.095 | 7.12 | 1 |
| 2020.1.11 | 1.714 | 5.59 | 1 |
| 2020.1.12 | 2.256 | 7.77 | 1 |
| 2020.1.13 | 2.136 | 7.69 | 1 |
| 2020.1.14 | 2.034 | 7.26 | 1 |
| 2020.1.15 | 2.01 | 7.06 | 1 |
| 2020.1.16 | 2.012 | 7.11 | 1 |
| 2020.1.17 | 1.959 | 6.88 | 1 |
| 2020.1.19 | 1.033 | 3.56 | 5 |
| 2020.1.20 | 1.951 | 6.97 | 1 |
| 2020.1.21 | 1.951 | 7.05 | 1 |
| 2020.1.22 | 1.926 | 6.7 | 1 |
| 2020.1.23 | 1.911 | 6.11 | 1 |
| Average ratings | 1.935 | 6.88 | / |
| Hunan TV CSM National Network ratings[10] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast date | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank
(including CCTV) |
Rank
(excluding CCTV) |
| 2019.12.17 | 0.75 | 3.4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2019.12.18 | 0.82 | 3.75 | 2 | 1 |
| 2019.12.19 | 0.81 | 3.64 | 2 | 1 |
| 2019.12.20 | 0.92 | 3.3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2019.12.21 | 0.82 | 2.94 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019.12.22 | 0.81 | 3.45 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019.12.23 | 0.77 | 3.55 | 2 | 1 |
| 2019.12.24 | 0.76 | 3.39 | 4 | 1 |
| 2019.12.25 | 0.80 | 3.50 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019.12.26 | 0.5 | 3.54 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019.12.27 | 0.60 | 2.18 | 4 | 2 |
| 2019.12.28 | 0.66 | 2.36 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019.12.29 | 0.90 | 3.88 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019.12.30 | 0.85 | 3.76 | 3 | 1 |
| 2020.1.1 | 0.96 | 4.19 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.2 | Not available | |||
| 2020.1.3 | 0.64 | 2.37 | 3 | 1 |
| 2020.1.4 | 0.64 | 2.33 | 4 | 2 |
| 2020.1.5 | 0.85 | 3.53 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.6 | 0.97 | 4.17 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.7 | 0.93 | 2.89 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.8 | 1.02 | 4.25 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.9 | 0.96 | 3.98 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.10 | 1.13 | 4.3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.11 | 0.77 | 2.78 | 3 | 1 |
| 2020.1.12 | 1.16 | 4.56 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.13 | 1.19 | 4.98 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.14 | 1.08 | 4.38 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.15 | 1.03 | 4.08 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.16 | 1.11 | 4.5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2020.1.17 | 1.16 | 4.65 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020.1.19 | 0.70 | 2.70 | 4 | 2 |
| 2020.1.20 | 1.06 | 4.27 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.21 | 1.06 | 4.38 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.22 | 1.16 | 4.64 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020.1.23 | 1.08 | 3.86 | 2 | 1 |
| Average ratings | 0.89 | 3.67 | / | / |
Award and nominations
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result | ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26th Shanghai Television Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Deng Jiajia | Nominated | [11] |
| 30th China TV Golden Eagle Award | Outstanding Television Series | Ming Dynasty | Nominated | [12] |
| Audience's Choice for Actor | Zhang Yixing | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Yang Jun | Nominated |
References
- "大明皇妃孙若微传 全部影人". Douban (in Chinese).
- "《大明皇妃》开机 汤唯朱亚文带妆甜蜜同框" (in Chinese). Sina Corp.
- "从来没拍过古装剧汤唯时隔十六年再演电视剧". NetEase (in Chinese). 25 October 2017.
- "汤唯确认参演《大明皇妃》 自曝古装怕踩裙摆". NetEase (in Chinese).
- "电视剧拍摄制作备案公示表". SARFT (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- "《大明皇妃·孙若微传》无锡正式开机". China Daily (in Chinese). 18 December 2017.
- "汤唯首演古装巨制 《大明皇妃孙若微传》打造顶级巨制". NetEase (in Chinese). 26 October 2017.
- "大明皇妃》今开机 朱亚文再牵汤唯演绎明朝传奇". NetEase (in Chinese). 18 December 2017.
- "董颖达 – QQ音乐-千万正版音乐海量无损曲库新歌热歌天天畅听的高品质音乐平台！". y.qq.com. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- "电视剧收视率排行榜 | 收视率排行" (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- "第26届上海电视节白玉兰奖入围名单公布". China News (in Chinese). 17 July 2020.
- "第30届金鹰奖提名名单：易烊千玺入围最佳男演员，蒋雯丽赵丽颖争视后". ifeng (in Chinese). 15 September 2020.
External links
- Ming Dynasty at IMDb