I just watched the official kick-ass long preview for an upcoming period C-drama that reminds me so much of the currently airing Empress Ki, but with the two male leads combined into one and the female lead a strong warrior lady who becomes his Empress with a love story ending. History books write of countless royal political marriages and it’s rare to actually have a real life love story between an Emperor and his Empress. Soon we’re all going to be watching a drama based on one such grand love story set during one of the most amazing political rebellions and dynasty restorations in Chinese history. The powerful Han dynasty was bisected into Western Han and Eastern Han by the coup staged by a calculating official named Wang Mang who created the short-lived Xin dynasty (which royally sucked). After the fall of the ruling Liu family, some were content to be farmers and live the quiet life while others plotted to overthrow Wang Mang and restore the Han dynasty. It wasn’t all personal since Wang Mang was a terrible ruler, and in this time period of great insurgency came a man who would go down in Chinese history as both a smart military leader, wise rule, and quite a loverboy. The upcoming C-drama Chang Ge Xing (长歌行 Long Song March) is based on a C-novel called Xiu Li Jiang Shan (秀丽江山 Beautiful Rivers and Mountains) dramatizing the real life love story of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu and his Empress Yin Li Hua. Theirs was a love story with a happy ending, and its so rare in history books it’s easier to spot unicorns. Starring two of my faves Yuan Hong and Ruby Lin, their chemistry and acting ability in this drama appears to be through the roof, the production values are insanely gorgeous without being jarring and inauthentic, and the passion already leaves a mark on me. Liu Xiu left a real life saying that goes down as one of THE most romantic declarations in history when he knew he loved Yin Li Hua and wanted only her – 娶妻當娶陰麗華 – “To take as a wife, there is only Yin Li Hua”. *swooning forever* Read on for a short summary of their story and watch the long drama preview.
A little history of the Han dynasty set during Chang Ge Xing:
Liu Xiu is one of the direct descendants of the Liu family line, the ruling family of the Han dynasty. He was the second son who was content to be a farmer during the period right after Wang Mang, a Han dynasty official, staged a coup and ended the Liu family rule. Wang Mang started the Xin dynasty, to be short-lived from AD 9–23 at a mere 14 years reign, but he didn’t know it at the time. The story of Chang Ge Xing dramatizes how Liu Xiu overthrew Wang Mang and restored the Han dynasty, with the history books marking the period before the Xin dynasty as the Western Han Dynasty and the ruling period after Liu Xiu restored the empire to the Eastern Han Dynasty. Liu Xiu will go down in history as Emperor Guangwu – other famous Han dynasty Emperors in recent film and fiction include Founding Emperor of the dynasty Liu Bang (White Vengeance), Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che (Da Mo Yao), and Emperor Zhao of Han Liu Fu Ling and his direct successor Emperor Xuan of Han Liu Xun (Yun Zhong Ge).
Wang Mang’s entire rule was a cesspool of incompetence so it wasn’t just the Liu family but everyone hated him. Liu Yan, the older brother of Liu Xiu, led the rebellion to overthrow Wang Mang. There were also lots of other Liu cousins involved in his rebellion or staging their own. The novel and drama will be about then Liu Xiu-led rebellion and how in the end he became the restored Han dynasty Emperor over his brother and other Liu cousins. The love story in the novel is based on history as Liu Xiu married his childhood sweetheart, the famed beauty Yin Li Hua who was the daughter of a respected Han dynasty official. He was a great military leader and later a great ruler, as history shows that Emperor Guangwu’s reign was marked by promulgating sensible laws and cutting wasteful spending. Despite Liu Xiu marrying his true love Yin Li Hua, in the rebellion to overthrow Wang Mang, he was forced to marry to sister of a powerful local warlord in order to gain control of his armed forces and financial backing. Her name was Guo Sheng Tong and it was Yin Li Hua that told him the defeat of Wang Mang was more important than their love and pushed him to marry her.
Liu Xiu made no secret that his marriage to Yin Li Hua was for love, and in the drama she is a warrior princess that accompanied him on his military exploits as well as a devoted wife. Guo Sheng Tong was made Empress due to her powerful background and she had a son with Liu Xiu who was made Crown Prince. But she was a spiteful and jealous woman who could not live with the Emperor not loving her and tried to eliminate Consort Yin Li Hua. She angered Emperor Guangwu so much that he deposed her, but did not kill her but instead gave her a honorary title of Dowager Empress and sent her to live elsewhere. He made Yin Li Hua his Empress in the end, and by then they had a son together. The Crown Prince wanted to step down but his father chose him to remain as successor. Eventually the Crown Prince did step down and ruled as a Prince over a region, and it was the son of Liu Xiu and Yin Li Hua who became the next Emperor Ming. All in all, in real life Liu Xiu was an AWESOME EMPEROR and his love story with Yin Li Hua was even MORE AWESOME. And this is the story we’re going to be able to watch soon! Bring it on, drama, bring it on!
Long preview for Chang Ge Xing:
[youtube id=”cAF3SfUYJhU” w=”635″ h=”445″]
Yin Li Hua is so freaking amazing. The action sequences where she fights the men coming to kill her baby and when she goes to battle alongside Liu Xiu convince me that she is pure steel wrapped in silk. When she speared enemies from astride her horse and then pulled Liu Xiu up behind her, I was smiling from cheek to cheek. Thank god Liu Xiu sees how amazing she is and loves her from beginning to end. The drama is scheduled to air sometime in 2014. I am so excited for this it’s not even funny.
Omg. How awesome is this?
And with a real unadulterated happy ending thrown in? This is what happiness tastes like.
Guaranteed happy ending.
Based on a true life historical couple that got their real life happy ending.
So delicious.
Who the hell would pick drinking tears for breakfast when you can eat tasty happiness. I love EK but gimme this over EK any day where I don’t have love triangle angst.
And Ruby Lin as a badass. Let’s not forget Ruby Lin as a badass. I love how she helps him onto the horse in direct opposition to every other rescue with a horse scene where the man is helping the woman up. When is this going to air? I sure hope someone is planning on subbing this. It looks awesome. Why can we not have more happy endings and more couples working as teams?
It’s 14th Prince!
13th Prince.
Yuan Hong has been prepping to finally play a Chinese Emperor.
He was young Prince Hongli in Shang Shu Fang (Prince Hongli is the son of 4th Prince Emperor Yongzheng, and later becomes Emperor Qianglong), and of course he was 13th Prince in Bu Bu Jing Xin.
He was the young KangXi (his Daddy emperor in BBJX) in his very first role. Charming like a sparkling eye pup in it.
I LOL’d when Liu Xiu insulted Empress Guo Sheng Tong as more evil than Empress Lü Zhi (wife of Liu Bang) and Huo Cheng Jun (Empress to Liu Xun). XD That’s like being crowned the evilest bitch in centuries.
He is sooooooooo good in that scene. I can’t wait I can’t wait. I would both be scared shxtless but still wanna jump him if in her shoes.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!
That looked so good!! I’m so excited for it!! Finally, Yuan Hong baby is coming back on screen <3
He has had 2 full dramas playing one of the leads: Mulan and Love Trouble (just finished first airing a short while ago) out since BBJX.
Hehehe Ruby Lin never fails me! So excited for this!
wow this is awesome.i can’t wait
I love Ruby! She’s not the most amazing actress but she’s a great director. I’m so glad she’s getting good results on her recent projects. Seems like everything she touches is gold.hehe
Though Ruby is late 30s already, I like to see on the screen but I do hope she can settle down and have a normal life. Well the girl is a workaholic.
Kindly like to know, is the original novel has time travelling aspect? Have read from other website that the producer excluded that part.
I have been re-watching Bu Bu Jing Jix for 3 days straight. As much as I love QIHM, this by far was my favorite time travel drama. I love watching historical dramas around the holidays because I have more time. Sadly Empress Ki isn’t doing it for me, that part of Korean history belongs to King Gongmin and Queen Noguk. That was one hell of a love story and thanks to Shin Don for giving it justice.
This is definitely my kind of historical romance, something real and from the history books. I think that’s also why I prefer Jumong over QSD.
Yay to the 13th prince taking on the lead role:). I’m so excited, thanks for making my day <3.
I love a happy ending! So few wuxia/ historical dramas that have a happy ending without one or both otp dead. Yey indeed! ^^ Thanks for info!
woohoo!!! another drama to look forward to. Thx koala!!! ^^
Eeek I’m so excited for this. A historical romance…with leads I like…and a guaranteed happy ending? I’m so happy haha. (Hi Ms. Koala. I’ve been following your site since Da Mo Yao days- but finally decided to de-lurk 🙂 Thanks for all your posts)
Haha, I love it when you are waiting for a drama I’m also waiting for. Because that means we’ll get posts and updates on the drama 😛
sounds good. will definitely watch if it is subtitled.
The trailer looks amazing and all, but I’ll always remember the heartwrench that I felt reading the part where Liu Xiu had to marry Guo Sheng Tong..It was heartbreaking, really 🙁 I also cried when Yin Li Hua had finally returned (from her journey to treat patients around the country) only to find out that her husband already had a baby with his new wife, and that the most he could do is to give her a title of “consort” when really, her rightful title is “wife”, because they loved each other before they became royalties. But that aside, I’m still excited for this drama because this will probably be the first action-packed drama that Ruby has made in years!!
Another Ruby Lin production. Looking forward to it! She is really making a name for herself as producer. Much respect to her.
Ruby Lin portraying action scenes? What?!
–After watching the trailer though, the edits/cuts makes it seem watchable at least; Thanks for spreading word about this! 😀
Loved it…and cannot wait for it to appear on my screen w/subs.
Thanks!
Thanks for letting us know about this drama!!
Garanteed happy ending! The preview looks great!
Just added another c-drama to my list, along with Da Mo Yao and Yun Zhong Ge.
This look so interesting, Ive been waiting for good C-period drama to watch but nothing good at all is out but now I want to watch this… Isn’t this Ruby’s production, damn she is stepping it up, this look better than her other production… On my watch list…
Definitely on my watch list. Yuan Hong and his badass queen Ruby Lin with a happy ending = Excitement to the roof..
Hello, I want to watch this soo bad!
Any suggestions on which websites to watch it?
Thank you 🙂
It’s here me. Koala! Are you watching it? Please recap or summarize. It’s so good do far. The beginning it kept feeling likes Yuan hong was 13 th Prince playing out his love story from bbjx. But he did it! He broke that barrier for me and he’s totally wenshu to me. I am shipping them bad!
Ruby is forever ageless. She is totally bada$$ hard core. Love her performance. Not to say certain scenes or reactions can be different. Lol.