Breathtaking Cinematography and Rich Cultural/Historical Detail

Yay! Another drama where we’re not stuck in the same old Hengdian sets. This drama filmed all over China, and it’s breathtaking to watch. From the frozen tundra of Ninguta in Northeast China where Gu Ping Yuan is exiled, to the vast grassy plains of Mongolia, to the beautiful tea fields in Huizhou, to the opulent properties in Beijing. Gu Ping Yuan’s story brings him across the entire country and even into interactions with foreigners. By filming at various locations, the drama added tremendous depth, effectively delineating each stage of Gu Ping Yuan’s journey.

Beyond the stunning locations, the drama took painstaking care to showcase the rich culture of each region. Take the clothing and customs portrayed during Gu Ping Yuan’s time in Mongolia, for example.

My all-time favorite scene was the “Tea Competition,” where tea merchants from across the country congregated to compete for the title of China’s Number One tea. The grandeur of this event showcased both the opulence and excess of the Qing dynasty while providing an opportunity to display the depth and intricacy of Chinese tea culture. Teas from Huizhou or Sichuan, for instance, each had different brewing methods, and the tea cups used were all stunning. If you don’t watch the drama otherwise, I recommend watching the end of episode 18 through 19.

Additionally, we haven’t seen a drama set in the late Qing dynasty in quite some time. There’s different history portrayed during this period of Chinese history. You still had classic Chinese tropes like the imperial spring exams, but at the same time, Western influences were starting to impact the Qing dynasty. I didn’t know much about the rebel forces fighting against the Qing that late in the dynasty’s history, so having merchants, rebels, tea farmers, Qing officials, and Westerners all part of the story was a breath of fresh air. I learned quite a lot.

The basis of a business man

From the very beginning of the drama where we are introduced to Gu Ping Yuan, he commands respect from others who are exiled with him because of his upstanding character. He treats everyone fairly and tries to help when he can. Importantly, he’s not in it for the money. It is his kind heart that ultimately allows him to escape exile from Ning Guo Ta. In Imperial China, social hierarchy was very strict. As is stated in the drama, and we’ve talked about this at length on our podcast, the scholar class is at the top, while the merchant class is the lowest tier. People don’t like or trust merchants for a myriad of reasons. In this drama, we see that despite wanting to make money, the core of a human should always be to be a good person. Gu Ping Yuan at his core IS that kind of person and it is amplified when he meets Chang Si and Chang Yu’Er. Chang Si tries to do right by his staff and it is touching to see. One of the themes from this drama is about how to be a good person at the most nuclear level of family and friends, but how to be a good person at the national level. How do you save people you’ve never met who are caught in war or also, how do you save the entire kingdom. It seems like a grandiose message but I thought the drama did a good job of anchoring “be a good person” message first. 

Li Chun’s Su Zi Xuan

The most enigmatic, mysterious but powerful person in the entire show. Who cares if Li Chun is not Chen Xiao’s “female lead” or love interest? She was THE most interesting person in the entire drama. Stunningly beautiful, she oozed power and intellect with just enough ruthlessness to strike fear into anyone in her vicinity. You never knew what her end goal was and you don’t know if she’s a good guy or a bad guy which makes her even more intriguing to watch.  How is she so connected to all the most powerful men in China? How is she connected to both the Qing court and also the rebels?  You learn more about her backstory later which helps explain some of that confidence but she commanded respect in every room she entered. That type of Qi Chang or aura is not easy to master. 

Empress Dowager Ci Xi’s cameo

She only had a brief couple of scenes in the drama, but seeing this portrayal of Empress Dowager Ci Xi was an absolute treat to watch. Actress Lin Xia Wei knocked it out of the park in episodes 18 and 19 with her scenes as THE infamous Empress Dowager Ci Xi as she newly ascends to power. Her performance was magnetic and you could believe that she held ultimate power. She commands a different type of respect than Li Chun’s Su Zi Xuan but I absolutely relished it. Just through her intonation and subtle word choice, she made 2 prince’s shake uncontrollably with fear. Even though Ci Xi caused unimaginable harm to China, it was delightful to watch her gaining all that power.

Yes. If you couldn’t tell. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED episodes 18-19 of this drama. GO WATCH IT. 

Regular plain old citizen

I would be remiss in pointing out that I quite enjoyed the fact that the main character Gu Ping Yuan is just an ordinary person, trying to live his life. Sure, he is given life changing opportunities, but at least from his lens and ours, we see the world as an ordinary citizen. What it feels like for an ordinary citizen to be caught up in the grandeur of royalty and the wealthy. It was nice that the character was not a prince, a duke, a general etc etc etc.