Empresses in the Palace

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Empresses in the Palace (simplified Chinese: ??·???; traditional Chinese: ??·???, lit. The Legend of Zhen Huan), is a 2011 Chinese television series based on the Internet novel of the same name by Liu Lianzi. Directed by Zheng Xiaolong, it stars Sun Li in the title role of Zhen Huan. The series was first aired in China on 17 November 2011.

Video Empresses in the Palace

Synopsis

The series centres on the schemes between Emperor Yongzheng's concubines in the Imperial Palace during the Qing Dynasty. The innocent 17-year-old Zhen Huan (Huan Huan) is chosen for the Emperor's harem, and after entering the palace finds herself caught in the fierce infighting between the Empress and the concubines. Realising that the palace is a cruel and harsh place, she has to learn to survive on her own, sometimes by unorthodox methods. With her wits and talents, Huan Huan fights her way through and wins the Emperor's affection, ultimately becoming the most influential concubine in the imperial palace, and she ascends to unparalleled glory and wealth. However, she also becomes a woman with few real friends at her side, even after she is rid of all her enemies.

Along the way, she experiences a miscarriage due to mistreatment by Consort Hua, who is the second most powerful woman in the harem, second only to the Empress in rank. However, even though Consort Hua's mistreatment of Huan Huan contributed to her miscarriage, the primary reason for it was because of an ointment that she used regularly to heal a wound. The ointment had ingredients that could induce a miscarriage, given to her by another concubine who Huan Huan thought of as a sister, An Lingrong, the same girl she had once saved. Eventually, Consort Hua is imprisoned in the Cold Palace, a place for discarded concubines, for her many misdeeds, and is eventually given a death sentence and told to commit suicide. Although Consort Hua refuses at first, Zhen Huan makes a visit and tells her that the Emperor has never loved her and only favoured her to please her brother, the general Nian Gengyao. She also tells her the reason for her infertility was a special incense granted to her by the Emperor. In the end, Consort Hua commits suicide but refuses to do so in a way that was decreed.

The Empress plots against Huan Huan, arranging things so that she ends up unknowingly wearing the Emperor's most beloved late Chunyuan Empress's clothes. The Emperor is enraged by this and grounds her to her palace, where she becomes disillusioned with him. At this time, she is pregnant, and only days after she gives birth to a daughter she is transferred over to a nunnery where she becomes a nun. While there she falls in love with the Emperor's brother, Yunli. However, she eventually comes back to the Forbidden Palace when she mistakenly believes that the Emperor's brother is dead. In the palace, she gives birth to twins, fathered by Yunli (Prince Guo), but she convinces all that they are the Emperor's. She also adopts the fourth prince, who was looked down upon, as his mother was a lowly palace maid. Gradually she regains the love of the Emperor. She also erodes the power of the Empress and kills An Lingrong who caused the death of Shen Meizhuang.

Finally, the Empress confesses her crime and admits that she was the one who killed the late Chunyuan Empress and caused several miscarriages. However, the Empress, who has been granted amnesty by the late Empress Dowager, is not killed but discarded. Towards the end, the Emperor suspects that Zhen Huan and Yunli, the seventeenth prince, of having an affair. He orders her to kill him to prove that she has no feelings towards him. Yunli sacrifices himself for her, and although she does not intentionally kill him, he dies. Following this incident, the Emperor makes Zhen Huan the leader of the Imperial Harem, a post that carries supreme authority in the inner palace. However, increasingly the Emperor grows suspicious regarding the paternity of his children with Huan Huan. In order to save her children, she and a concubine named Ye Lanyi plot against the Emperor, and eventually manage to kill him. As the senior most widow, she plays a crucial role in the succession and installs her adopted son, the fourth prince, upon the Dragon Throne. In the end, Huan Huan becomes the sad and lonely Empress Dowager.

Maps Empresses in the Palace

Cast

Main

Supporting

Yongzheng's Harem

Imperial Family

Court officials

Others

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Soundtrack

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Reception

The series had sweeping popularity in mainland China, that Sina termed it as "a whole town tunes in to watch when it airs on TV". It has been praised for being one of the best historical dramas broadcast in mainland China in recent years. Critics attribute the success of the series to its delicately designed plot, fancy costumes reflecting a certain period of old China, and an addictive storyline. Director Zheng also said that the series is not a "simple ancient or idol love story", but a righteous historic values that reflects the cruelty of feudal society.

In Japan, after just one week, the series amassed more than 39 million Japanese viewers. A Fuji TV employee revealed that after the first episode aired, the number of hits for their website multiplied five-fold, and that they also received many phone calls inquiring about the drama. Since the series airs at 5 p.m. on weekday evenings, it is particularly popular among housewives and students. Taka Tsukazaki, the CEO of Asia Republic Entertainment, perhaps said it best when he called the series an "an immortal masterpiece that will still give rise to discussion even after five or ten years."

Through the series, the audience can learn much about ancient Chinese poetry, fashions, court etiquette, and herbal medicine. The show also features intensely sophisticated dialogue that has sparked trending quotes among its followers on the internet. One particular popular phrase is "Jian ren jiu shi jiao qing," spoken by the Consort Hua, which literally means "bitches are hypocrites".

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Cultural influence

The Style of Zhen Huan

After the series become popular, audiences began to imitate the way people spoke and behaved during the Qing Dynasty. Many individuals discuss problems or issues by using the language of this drama in forums. The drama helped promote interest in classic Chinese philosophy.

Controversial values

The drama elicits a controversial debate that divided two sides. People's Daily pointed out that in the series, it appears good characters cannot win against evil characters unless they stoop to their level of cunning. Furthermore, when evaluating the production of historical themes, the most significant critique standard should focus on the values standard instead of authenticity standard. Social media is able to shape people's mind in visible and invisible ways,and incorrect values would lead the audience to the survival of the incorrect ideas into real life. Conversely, the article of Seeking Truth holds an opposite viewpoint; and they assert this drama reveals the decadent essence of ancient Chinese feudal society and traditional and outdated lifestyle obstructs the development of society. It also praises and appreciates the brave women constantly pursue their happiness and fight against with the forces of evil.

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Accolades

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International broadcast

The drama was first aired in China in 2011 on Dragon TV.

The drama was split into three parts for its Japanese broadcast and was aired under the title Women Vying for Power in the Palace <??????>. The name change was due to the hanzi and kanji characters for "Zhen huan" (??), which are not frequently used in the Japanese language and are therefore unrecognizable to most Japanese viewers. However, some netizens complained that the new title was "too bare" and lacked the implicit appeal of the original.

In April 2015, the series was added to US region of Netflix. It was edited down to six episodes, each with a ninety-minute duration. The original audio was kept intact with the addition of closed captions in English.

In Thailand, the series was aired in 2016 and broadcast on Channel 7.

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References

Source of article : Wikipedia