Popular Fantasy Wuxia Novel Hua Qian Gu Gets Drama Adaptation with Wallace Huo and Zhao Li Ying
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There’s a new C-drama filming based on the adaptation of a very popular fantasy wuxia novel and it’s already getting readers and netizens abuzz with excitement and concern. Excitement over their favorite C-novel getting to the small screen mixed with the usual concern that the casting of iconic characters is all wrong and the plot may be tweaked for the television audiences and ruin the story. I’ve been there before but this time I’m watching from afar since I haven’t yet read the book. Without being personally invested in the characters or the story, I’m actually quite pleased with the casting of Wallace Huo and Zhao Li Ying as the leads for the drama version of Hua Qian Gu. The full novel title is Xian Xia Qi Yuan Zi Hua Qiang Gu 仙侠奇缘之花千骨 (Chivalrous God Destiny of the Flower Thousand Bone), but everyone just calls it Hua Qian Gu which is the name of the leading lady. The story is part fantasy part wuxia, with the leading lady the last descendant of the gods and is trying to make her way in the world now inhabited solely by humans.
Hua Qian Gu learns martial arts under her master Bai Zi Hua who is played by leading man Wallace Huo, and apparently there is angst aplenty as they fall in love but also get separated due to misunderstandings. The drama synopsis submitted to SARFT for approval apparently eliminated all the fantasy elements and made it a political battle story with Hua Qian Gu now an orphaned child of a battle torn country. Novel fans are furious about that as well as some are not pleased with pixie Zhao Li Ying cast as Hua Qian Gu. I adore Zhao Li Ying, she’s the cutest thing ever and manages to be adorable without ever overacting. She’s plucky without being yucky. Her pairing with Wallace rubs me in all the right ways so I’ll let the novel sticklers be mad while I gush over all the pretty drama stills from the currently filming production. An additional treat for me will be cameo roles by the stunning Jiang Xin as the villainess as well as Hu Ge in a small but important appearance. Me likes!
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I, too, have not read this novel, so I am okay with the changes, but the changes IMO don’t seem too drastic. Wallace Huo looks unreal in the steals, with that beatifully peircing stare of his. And I love Zhao Li Ying. She is very capable. After Lu Zhen Quan Qi and Gong the movie, she had me completely impressed. Cute, kindhearted, strong, evil, etc ZYL delivered persuasive performances. Wallace Huo has been improving much over the years as well, so I am jumping with excitement for what this pairing could become.
stills*
I liked ZYL after watching Lu Zhen but after watching Zhui Yu Chuan Qi I was starting to think that acting cutesy was her only style but then I saw her in Gong and she had me hating that character so much! So I’m looking forward to watching her as Hua Qian Gu 😀
LOL those photos of Wallace have been modified with Kris’ face so many times I forgot he was the original person
Initially, I had read that the drama would eliminate the fantasy elements and be purely wuxia to pass SARFT’s censorship, but now the latest rumor is that the drama can be like the novel. It doesn’t matter either way because I believe the production company has promised no matter what, the version released to overseas viewers will be like the novel and yes, will include the fantasy plot!!
This is one of my most anticipated C-dramas because I loved the book.
Oh yay! I was hoping the fantasy elements could stay in it 🙂 Such good news for overseas viewers 😀
Let’s face it, this will not work if there’s no fantasy plot. The main point for Xiao Gu is to collect the heavenly weapons and be turned into a xxx. And to see Bai Bai flying around and ascending like a true gorgeous immortal that he is. So glad to learn that they are sticking to the real deal.
I’m currently enamored with Wallace after seeing him in Perfect Couple then CP3. He is so good looking in wuxia costumes. Zhao Li Ying is just adorable. I’m excited for the pairing and series. So no air date yet? I’m highly anticipating this one.
wallace looks so hawt and elegant here. this is how my Meng Jiu Looks like. hu ge shd be HQB
Wallace is SO. Damn. HOT. I’ve been on a bit of Wallace high because of Perfect Couple. I’m really excited for this even if I think Zhao Li Ying is a little to young-looking for him. But since that’s the premise, I’m okay with it. Wallace can have chemistry with a rock, I wouldn’t doubt they’d be great together.
Fingers crossed for a happy ending!
Have you seen Guai Xia Yi Zhi Mei? That was the drama that made me look up everything else he’d appeared in 😉
Oooh! No I haven’t actually! I’d call myself a new fan although I have seen some of his past works. This one is with LSS right? As long as you guarantee its a happy ending, I’ll watch right now 😛
lol… he was awesome in Xiao Ao Jiang Hu (Smile Proud Wanderer). I’m drooling thinking of it. HAHA.
LOL, that was what happened to me too very recently. Wallace Huo is my newly discovered ‘fangirling idol’. After YZM, I watched CP3, Perfect Couple and BOC. Still on some of his old dramas. The characters are different and hell, he looks sooo handsome in whatever you put on his body – deity like robes, emperor robes, toaist disciple robes, uniform, suits etc etc.
Oooh me like!!!!! Love ZLY and so excited to see her pair up with Wallace 🙂 do you know when is the planned release date? Is it this year or next year? Or god forbid, will it sit on the shelf and be released the year after? Yikes, cause that would be a total bummer!!!
I think Zhao Li Ying is too cute to be Hua Qian Gu.
I read the book a while ago, but for a good portion of the novel, she was in her 12 year old form, which would probably be changed in the drama, just so we avoid squiky elements.
I honestly prefer that they keep the fantasy elements because they allow the plot to make sense. And allow for a long period of time to pass so that character relationships can develop without the world changing. The supernatural powers also drives the storyline. Changing it to wuxia would destroy a good portion of the story elements.
I haven’t read the book but yay for two leads I love. ZLY is great in everything I’ve seen her in..she is really naturally plucky buy never annoyingly so. Wallace have been improving lots too since the days I’ve seen him with Chen Qiao En in that switched identity Taiwanese drama. This is a pairing I haven’t seen so keeping my fingers crossed that the story is good whichever version they stick to and praying hard the CG is palatable enough for me to ruin my watching experience.
O WOW
Thanks Koala for finally writing something on this! I am really excited to see this getting adapted into live action especially with Wallace as the cold Zi Hua. He’s gorgeous aint he? I think saying Zhao Li Ying being too cute for the role is unwarrant because Qian Gu IS supposed to be cute & funky. Anyway, fans have to realized film adaptation cant really follow all aspects of the novel. I believe they will add in more romance scenes to the drama as compared to the books! Oh gosh. I can’t wait to get my heart tortured. And more Wallace on screen is always a good thing!!!
Btw, the only qualm I have regarding the casting is Sha jie jie aka Sha Qian Bai. He is supposed to be the most beautiful thing in the world but judging from the images I have seen & the one Koala put up there, did anyone get a chill down your spine? That’s obviously look like a trans instead of a beauty… -.-
@nekoi, agree that Sha looks weird rather than beautiful!
Can’t get enough of Wallace in ancient costumes. He looks incredibly handsome in ancient costumes. Saw him first time in Strange Hero and boy .. swoons over the rugged LiGexio. Then swoons over the priestly innocent and handsome Xu Changjing, then cheeky JinBoa then stubborn GuShingMing .. yeah I can go on and on. Haven’t come across such a handsome actor for a long time.
Not sure whether I like the story of HQG but then with Wallace in, I will give it a go!
ARe they targeting to release the show some time in summer 2015?
the first trailer for this drama was finally released recently! (though i would recommend watching a chinese version with subs than the english version because the dubbing is just, well, just horrendous). The good part is that it looks like they kept a lot of the fantasy elements, from both the settings and the dialogue). Here’s fingers crossed to a good show!
yes! I adore Zhao Li Ying too! I’ve seen her in multiple places and loved her in all of them, but I REALLY fell in love with her after watching Boss&Me/Shan Shan Come Eat. After the trailer for Hua Qian Gu came out, I did a little research on the novel (there’s a great novel based plot discussion by peanuts on https://hui3r.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/xian-xia-qi-yuan-zhi-hua-qian-gu-novel-summary-spoilers-%E4%BB%99%E4%BE%A0%E5%A5%87%E7%BC%98%E4%B9%8B%E8%8A%B1%E5%8D%83%E9%AA%A8/ – beware of spoilers). Anyways I now understand why the novel fans are upset about the SARFT changes; I think the XianXia element is a brilliant touch in the plot, and some of BZH’s actions are better explained with the presence of XianXia, but I don’t know how they’re gonna change some of the key plot elements to fit with the WuXia only version. Looking forward to this though.
And REALLY?! Hu Ge’s making an appearance?! I’ve adored that guy since Chinese Paladin 1 (but he became my ultimate love after Legend of the Condor Heroes. I swear him and Ariel Lin make the perfect Guo Jing/Huang Rong. IMO, 2008 – best version EVER). Do you know what role he’ll be playing in Hua Qian Gu?