As the first half of 2023 draws to a close, various Chinese video platform' top-performing drama statistics have been released. According to the data collected, there have been changes in audience preferences and creative directions within the industry. Despite an overall improvement in Cdramas' quality this year, with particular emphasis on high-scoring productions such as "Three-Body," "The Knockout" and "The Long Season," few stand out as true blockbusters based on viewership numbers alone. After "The Knockout", the second-highest-ranked series was Xuanhuan cdrama "Till The End Of The Moon," with a total view count of 2.71 billion. So far this year, only “The Knockout” has exceeded three billion views during its initial broadcast period; none have reached three billion or more since then. Of course, some of the highly popular works with limited airplay are closely related to the short number of episodes. For example, the summer hottest cdrama "Love Between Fairy and Devil", with a total of 36 episodes, had a playback volume of around 2.2 billion during its hit period. Last year's hottest cdramas like “A Lifelong Journey”, “New Life Begins” and “Love Like the Galaxy,” all had episode counts exceeding forty episodes, with “Love Like the Galaxy” split…

The premiere of "The Longest Promise" undoubtedly brings the most pleasant surprise in this July. After all, this fantasy drama had generated immense anticipation across various online platforms before its release and even topped the new drama expectation charts multiple times. With solid production quality, beautiful visuals, and a high-profile cast led by Xiao Zhan, Ren Min, and Wang Churan, it has already laid a solid foundation for its popularity. "The Longest Promise" is a Wuxia & fantasy drama adapted from Cang Yue's novel "Zhu Yan." It tells the story of Shiyin, the aloof crown prince of Kong Sang Empire, and Zhuyan, the passionate princess of Chi Tribe. Their fates intertwine due to an act of kindness when they were young. Shiyin accompanies Zhuyan on her journey while they both strive to protect the Kong Sang Dynasty. In terms of viewership data presented during its premiere broadcast, "The Longest Promise" indeed lives up to audience expectations. Jiang Jiajun's expertise in costume dramas is evident in this series. His rich experience in martial arts filming ensures smooth transitions between scenes and fluid camera movements. The quality showcased in numerous action sequences highlights his skillset. Moreover, the visual effects are also commendable…

The Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Festival, 端午节) is considered one of the oldest traditional folk festivals in China, alongside the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival. According to records, the Dragon Boat Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from ancient dragon rituals. The Dragon Boat Festival is an auspicious day associated with this imagery of a soaring dragon; thus, both dragons and dragon boat culture have always been an integral part of its historical legacy. The term "Duan Wu" itself first appeared in Fengtu Ji during the Jin Dynasty. However, nowadays when most people mention the Dragon Boat Festival, they often associate it with Qu Yuan's legend. Legend has it that on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, Qu Yuan tragically sacrificed himself by plunging into Miluo River out of loyalty to his country. Upon hearing this news, local villagers rushed to their boats to rescue him. Worried about their speed not being fast enough, they vigorously rowed while also fearing that fish would devour Qu Yuan's body, hence throwing rice dumplings into the river. Later on, people designated the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar…

In June 2023, the Chinese television industry entered summer along with high temperatures. At the beginning of the month, the first China Drama Conference was held in grand style. Meanwhile, after a year's hiatus, the Shanghai Television Festival reopened its doors. The industry's exhibition & activities were among the first to resume, bringing back smiles on people's faces who had not seen each other for a long time. Production started slowly with only a few projects underway but picked up pace suddenly in May as 27 new productions began filming during that month alone - matching those from all three months of Q1. The quality of dramas receiving high reviews has significantly improved compared to previous years. Outstanding works have found their recipe for success against short videos' challenges. In June, four historical drama series that had been quiet for many years successfully passed regulatory filing procedures and reignited dreams within this once glorious genre. At this moment, important changes are happening in creating Chinese dramas.   Insights from hit dramas The above are the popular dramas that aired during the first five months of 2023, with most premiering in the first four months and one in late December last…

With the official start of the summer broadcast season, there is a flood of new drama information. On one hand, "Destined" has already become very popular upon its release, while on the other hand, "Snow Eagle Lord" is eager to compete with it. There are also several costume dramas that have not been aired yet but have already gained popularity. Among them is "Romance on the Farm," starring Zeng Shunxi and Tian Xiwei which recently obtained its distribution license. With its unique plotline, all-star cast with excellent looks and acting skills, and strong creative team leading the way behind-the-scenes, once this show airs it may just be another hit cdrama for viewers to enjoy. Unlike typical historical dramas that focus on imperial or wealthy households, "Romance on the Farm" takes place in ancient rural China with a time-travel element added into the mix. The story follows a modern girl named Lian Man'er who travels back in time where she meets her male protagonist counterpart and together they embark on an adventure of becoming elite farmers and achieving wealth as well as ultimately finding love. This fresh take on themes and storyline makes "Romance on the Farm" highly intriguing for audiences.…

Eight years ago, the first season of "Inheritor" (2015) premiered. This documentary series focused on the skills and emotions of inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, showcasing little-known traditional techniques to the public and arousing people's interest in experiencing, watching, and exploring intangible cultural heritage. Eight years later, what kind of sparks can be generated when traditional intangible cultural heritage collides with modern technology? On June 10th, the documentary "Cultural Inheritor" premiered. Based on inheriting outstanding traditional culture and holding a modern scientific perspective, this program allows ancient techniques to collide with modern technology while further examining the civilization codes hidden in intangible cultural heritage. It not only showcases the charm of integrating culture and technology but also helps tell stories about intangible cultural heritage while conveying China's cultural charm and confidence to audiences worldwide.   Perceiving the aesthetic value of drama and technology The inheritance and innovation of intangible cultural heritage cannot be separated from generations' adherence to tradition while innovating. "Cultural Inheritor" excavates true stories between inheritors and projects, telling stories about intangible cultural projects through dramatic means while recounting wonderful life experiences by inheritors. With advances in technological methods, there are now more opportunities for projects related to…

On June 18th, the romance costume drama "Destined (Chang Feng Du, 长风渡)", adapted from the novel of the same name by author Mo Shu Bai, directed by Yin Tao and starring Bai Jingting and Song Yi, began airing. The main characters are well-defined and the plot progresses rapidly. As for the current plot, it has outstanding highlights and logical development. As a debut in the summer of 2023, it has stabilized its position. The plot of "Destined" is full of ups and downs while also paying attention to family and national sentiments. The casting and filming were highly anticipated, not to mention that after wrapping up production, lead actors Bai Jingting and Song Yi were rumored to be in a relationship. Fans as well as viewers who enjoy costume dramas are eagerly anticipating watching this ancient love story which combines palace intrigue, business endeavors, and imperial court politics. The female lead Liu Yuru. She is an aristocratic daughter from a cloth merchant's family but her father is notorious for favoring his concubines over his wife. Liu Yuru was never valued by her father growing up; her stepmother was unkind towards her while her biological mother suffered from serious illness. This…

This summer, the most anticipated film is undoubtedly "Creation of The Gods Ⅰ: Kingdom of Storms". Originally scheduled for release in the summer of 2020, this mythological blockbuster will finally meet audiences on July 20th. Although some industry insiders are cautiously optimistic about its box office performance, it cannot be denied that it has already raised audience expectations to their fullest. With the announcement of this large-scale investment movie's release date, another phenomenon is emerging: a resurgence of ancient costume films. Of course, "Creation of The Gods" is not alone in this trend. During the Shanghai International Film Festival, Beijing Baination released their film lineup which includes three costume films: Cao Dun's directed and Ma Boyong's scripted "Heroes of Dunhuang", Wu Youyin's self-written and directed "Sha Hai Zhi Men (沙海之门)," and “Su Wu”. Also during the same festival was when Bona Film Group Co announced twenty new films with historical themes including costume dramas such as “Fighting for Love”, “The Story of the Stone” & “The Legend”. If we include movies like last month’s poster-released "The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero" and other films that have been rumored since last year such as"Zheng He Xia Xi Yang:…

Every year, there are numerous exquisite Chinese ancient dramas. Among them, the beautiful and elaborate costumes in Xuanhuan dramas often create breakout stars who rely on their good looks alone. In recent years, many popular actors have emerged from these productions. The just-concluded youth fantasy Xuanhuan drama "Back from the Brink" has been a hot topic since its release, with over 1 million views at its peak and an increasingly engaging viewing experience. With meticulous costume designs and adorable pet effects as well as two leads: Neo Hou and Zhou Ye, whose emotional intelligence is evident while they navigate through sweet and anguished plotlines with ease, this show not only caters to Gen Z audiences but also propelled the popularity of both 95s-born lead actors. In the series, Neo Hou (Hou Minghao) portrays thousand year dragon Tianyao with his striking appearance paired with deep love that he wholeheartedly, devotes himself to without complaint or regret despite being battered by injuries. He never blindly blames others out of hatred for what happened but rather grows stronger during his journey to find himself again, resulting in an arc made brilliant by Hou's acting skills that helped him stand out from others. During…

In the minds of most people, Chinese monsters are usually associated with various strange and supernatural creatures in novels and stories. For example, the monster featured in the first episode of "Yao-Chinese Folktales" titled "Nobody" is from the famous novel "Journey to the West". The inspiration for the second episode's story titled "Goose Mountain" comes from a Southern Dynasty supernatural novel called "Yang Xian Shu Sheng". The animation depicts scenes of monsters devouring each other, creating a creepy atmosphere that vividly portrays an imaginative interpretation of “Chinese monsters” and “Chinese aesthetics”. These ancient Chinese monsters or rather Chinese demons have been passed down for thousands of years; therefore more excellent works like "Yao-Chinese Folktales" are needed to celebrate their unique charm. The textual records of monster images date back to the pre-Qin period, with a history spanning more than two thousand years. The "Shanhaijing (山海经, Classic of Mountains and Seas)" is the pioneer in this field and also known as the ancestor of ancient and modern strange stories. The original version of "Shanhaijing" was illustrated; however, those ancient illustrations were lost during Han dynasty, leaving only Ming-Qing engraved illustrations for us to reference. Artist Ren Caifeng attempts to discover an…

The "Jiaoling Youren (交领右衽, cross-collar-and-right-wrapped, the left lapel covers the right lapel when wearing)" based on flat cutting is a typical collar that has been passed down in the Chinese civilization for thousands of years. It fully embodies the diverse and integrated pattern since ancient times, carries Chinese common cultural connotation as a nation, and is a symbol of the spiritual essence extracted from the long history of Chinese civilization. Chinese traditional costumes are profound and have a long history, Jiaoling Youren is like main threads linking thousands of years' of flowery clouds together to inherit continuously with boundless beauty. The character "衣 (clothing)" already existed in oracle bone script which reveals its structural feature: two lapels overlap each other forming into textual symbols.   01 What is Jiaoling Youren One of the most prominent features of Hanfu is the collar design that crosses left over right to form a "Y" shape known as the Jiaoling Youren style. This collar design has more than 5,000 years of history since Zhou Dynasty. Even though Hanfu keeps innovating with different styles such as straight collars, tank tops, and stand-up collars, the cross-collared Hanfu still maintains its mainstream position among these styles.  …

Among the upcoming dramas, "Snow Eagle Lord" starring Xu Kai and Gulnazar has been receiving a lot of attention. The drama, which obtained its license in May, has gained immense popularity and heat with over one million reservations made recently. It is definitely a hot topic before it even airs. The original novel of "Snow Eagle Lord" already had a high level of popularity. The plot is extremely exciting with numerous fighting scenes, grand world-building, and otherworldly plots as well as an all-star cast with attractive looks that are sure to captivate viewers. Additionally, the current topic surrounding the show suggests that it may become the biggest dark horse drama this season. The fantasy drama "Snow Eagle Lord" tells the legendary story about Dongbo Xueying, his wife Yu Jingqiu, and their companions' struggles and adventures in another world continent, eventually achieving unsurpassed achievements. From what we know from promotional materials so far, the costume design and makeup artistry are excellent, fighting scenes are fluent and stunning, and the pacing is also very compact, making for an overall high-quality production. Regarding the cast, Xu Kai and Gulnazar are two recognized ancient costume drama actors that make for a feast of beauty.…

Leaf painting, also known as leaf carving, originated in the Zhou Dynasty and flourished during the Tang and Song Dynasties. It uses the natural form of leaves and cleverly utilizes their natural veins to create stunning works of art. The work is delicate like a cicada's wings, with natural colors that transform decay into magical beauty. However, due to its difficulty in preservation, many exquisite pieces have been lost over time causing this craft to nearly fall into oblivion. Last August though Ding Li's leaf painting artwork series depicting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" went viral bringing this ancient yet captivating technique back into public view. Ding Li hails from Xianyang City in Hubei Province and has loved painting since he was five years old experimenting with sketching, watercolor painting, and oil paintings while also dabbling in woodcarving, bamboo-carving, stone-carving, nuclear carving etc., all out of pure interest for these different forms of artistry. At thirteen years old he attended an art exhibition where he saw an elderly man using small knives to carve on leaves; fascinated by what seemed like magic he watched him work for almost two hours before being asked if he wanted to learn…

After experiencing the oriental beauty of "The Island of Siliang" and the passionate combat in "Douluo Continent", what other expectations can we have for Chinese animation? The release of stylized martial arts animation "Blades of the Guardians" on June 1, 2023, surprises us with something new. Unlike the recent popular science fiction or immortality themes on various streaming platforms, Chinese martial arts finally becomes the theme again in the animated series "Blades of the Guardians (Biao Ren, 镖人)". A mysterious middle-aged martial artist, with a thin horse and a young child, walks in the desert outside of the country. He negotiates deals with bandits while making friends among commoners, he is both a armed escort and possesses an adventurer's courage. This character has rekindled memories of martial arts within society after only four episodes aired. Some see it as embodying Wuxia aesthetics; others use it to refute claims that martial arts are dead - even inspiring some to pick up original comic books once more. For a long time, whenever the content industry reached certain points, it was necessary to discuss the disappearance of martial arts theme. It is believed that lack of audience interest and reluctance from production teams…

In 1904, the construction of the Bianluo Railway began. As a part of the later Longhai Railway, this transportation line passed through Mangshan to the north of Luoyang city, an ideal place for emperors, officials and civilians to choose their burial grounds since at least the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. The construction of modern railways undoubtedly broke the peace of another world, but it also allowed underground treasures to see daylight again. Among many damaged Tang tombs, a type of color-glazed ceramic funerary object that had never been seen before by people drew attention from antiquarians; this is "Tang Sancai". Since then, people have been indulging in the gorgeous and lustrous colors of Tang Sancai as if all the grandeur and majesty of Tang Dynasty were condensed into such an object. It was an era completely different from that during Qing Dynasty; gazing upon and playing with Tang Sancai might help one temporarily withdraw from chaotic times and dream peacefully in a book room filled with sandalwood aroma.   The Legacy of the Tang Dynasty In fact, although they are called Tang Sancai, there is no record of such object names in historical documents. The name "Tang Sancai (唐三彩, Tang Tri-color…

In the 2023 Chinese television drama market, in addition to realistic themes such as "The Knockout", "Our Ordinary Days" and "The Long Season" leading the trend of binge-watching, ancient costume dramas that have been silent for a long time are also regaining their vitality. Currently, the lingering effect of "Till the End of the Moon" is still present. The latest release of the ancient costume Xuanhuan drama "Back From the Brink" has once again sparked a frenzy among viewers. In this upcoming summer season, ancient costume dramas will be taking center stage on video streaming media. New works such as “Gone with the Rain”, “The Scent of Time”, “The Legend of Anle”, “Story of Kunning Palace”, “The Longest Promise” and “Lost You Forever” have all appeared in various broadcasting schedules across major video streaming platforms; it seems like everyone is trying to make headway into this genre. With the overall TV series market entering a positive cycle where good content prevails, coupled with improvements in film and television environment and relaxed government policies, creative modes for ancient costume dramas are also beginning to change. The past pseudo-exquisite products produced from an assembly line have been abandoned by both markets and…

In the previous article, the top 20 Chinese museums worth visiting in China were introduced to you. Then, in this article, 14 niche China museums were selected that each represents a specific period in Chinese history, connecting them together to form a visible development context of Chinese history.   01 The Earliest China If we were to compare different stages of Chinese history to different times of day, then the Liangzhu Civilization would be the pre-dawn. From childhood, the concept of "5000 years of Chinese civilization" has been deeply ingrained in Chinese minds. And Liangzhu marks the beginning of those 5000 years. Liangzhu Museum Before the emergence of Liangzhu civilization, what did China look like? Cultural relics such as Hemudu, Banpo and Hongshan can be found from the Yangtze River to Yellow River and even further north in Liaoning and Inner Mongolia. Crossing over from culture to civilization, mark an entirely new stage in human social development: settlements continued to develop, forming embryonic forms of early cities; labor was effectively organized, and massive water conservancy projects with storage capacity reaching 46 million cubic meters (more than three West Lakes) were built to resist floods; meanwhile, surplus productivity was sufficient enough…

The Chinese anime "The Ravages of Time" has finally met with its audience amidst high anticipation on April 29. The animation's production started years ago, but it faced many setbacks. After the release of the first promotional video, fans were dissatisfied with the rough modeling and voice acting quality which led to revisions in hopes of improvement. Unfortunately, after a revised edition was released, there was no further news or updates on development from the production company for some time. Thus, this year's sudden release came as a welcome surprise to viewers. As a Three Kingdoms-themed comic that has been serialized for over 20 years, "The Ravages of Time (Huo Feng Liao Yuan, 火凤燎原)" has becoming the longest-running comic series based on this historical period globally. For many readers and enthusiasts alike, it is undoubtedly one of China's best comics ever created thus far while maintaining close similarities to its original source material within several episodes aired so far. This leads us to question what makes "The Ravages of Time" such an outstanding success story and what inspiration can be drawn from it for future creations based on stories related to this era?   The longest Three Kingdoms comic ever…

As a typical representative of Chinese traditional clothing culture, cheongsam has fascinated people around the world with its outstanding form. Although there are still many disputes over the definition of cheongsam today, it remains one of the most splendid and formal dress cultures in China's long history. At first, the style of Chinese cheongsam had tight cuffs, narrowed edges, slightly embroidered patterns and slightly longer hemlines. In the late 1920s, influenced by Western skirts, cheongsam underwent more obvious changes, tightening waistline to highlight curves and simplifying decorations. Cheongsam became a fitted curve shape that first reflected women's features such as concave-convex lines and laid a foundation for today's basic characteristics and fashion trends in women's wear. After the 1930s and 1940s, Chinese cheongsam reached a perfect maturity in design becoming world-renowned classic attire - this was also the peak period for cheongsams. High-collared necklines with waists sucked-in tightly; short sleeves fastened with knots or buttons; slanting fronts often opened high on one side; some dresses were short while others were long; cutting styles followed western skirt designs emphasizing smoother lines which made Chinese Cheongsams fit better to display female beauty figures. When wearing a Chinese Cheongsam dress woman’s graceful figure…

"Gone with the Rain" is a female costume drama led by Zhang Nan, Wang Yuwen, Sun Yizhou, Zhao Yingbo and Liu Meitong. It was broadcasted on June 5th, 2023. The drama is adapted from the romantic novel "Feng Yu Nong, Yan Zhi Luan" by Ni Luo. It tells the story of two sisters Mo Xi and Bai Fengyao who grow up together through ups and downs while always sticking to their inner justice and working together to resolve various crises. On the day of its broadcast, it immediately sparked discussions among netizens on social networking websites with almost everyone focusing on the portrayal of female characters. By abandoning conventional character designs for costume dramas and creating bold and agile female images that viewers want to see in such dramas. "Gone with the Rain" portrays both personal loyalty as well as national patriotism, during times when the country faces danger, personal emotions are intertwined with patriotism throughout. The drama does not directly focus on struggles between various factions in court but instead focuses on how Mo Xi & Feng Yao support each other against difficulties they face; portraying deep sisterly love as well as women's growth provides new inspiration for creating…