Drama: The Firmament Of The Pleiades
Chinese Title: 苍穹之昴 / Cang Qiong Zhi Mao
Broadcast Network: Beijing TV
Broadcast Website: iQIYI, Tencent
| Broadcast Date: March 14, 2010 |
Initial Broadcast Network: NHK
Genre: Historical, Palace
Language: Mandarin
Episodes: 28
Director: Wang Jun
Screenwriter: Yang Haiwei
Production Company: NHK, Beijing Hualu Baina Film & TV Inc. (HLBN)
Origin: China
Source: Adapted from the novel Sokyo no Subaru by Asada Jiro
Watch Episodes On: Viki (eng subs), Youtube
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Synopsis and Plot Summary
Set in the foreground of a timespan that follows the First Sino-Japanese War up until the Hundred Day's Reform, the story follows the Chun Er, a poor boy who slowly climbed up the ranks of the palace to become the most trusted eunuch of Empress Dowager Cixi.
The impoverished Chun Er (Yu Shaoqun) lives by collecting cow and horse dung from the streets. Desperate for money to cure his stepmother’s illness, Chun Er castrates himself to become a eunuch and receives money from the government as reward. Liang Wenxiu (Zhou Yiwei), a wealthy landowner and the biological son of Chun Er’s stepmother, feels deeply indebted to Chun Er for his sacrifice.
Liang Wenxiu eventually becomes the top scorer in the imperial exams and takes an important position in the royal court. Chun Er enters the palace as a eunuch. Seeing the head eunuch Li Lianying (Shi Xiaoman), Chun Er vows to move up the ranks. As Chun Er and Liang Wenxiu go on their ways to become prominent individuals in both the palace and the government, their fates become intertwined with that of Empress Dowager Cixi (Yuko Tanaka) – the most powerful figure during that time and Guang Xu (Zhang Bo) – the puppet emperor who struggles to keep his country alive.
Fun Facts
- Filming took place in Hengdian World Studios.
- It is Yu Shaoqun's second acting project and the first time he head to shave his head for a role. He made a lot of preparation before filming, researching information on the Qing Dynasty and learning Japanese. He learned Japanese so that it will be easier to act alongside the Japanese actors.
- It is Zhang Meng's first Qing Dynasty drama.
- To play the role of Empress Dowager Cixi, Japanese actress Yūko Tanaka read about the history of the late Qing Dynasty. She also visited the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace in order to get a sense of how people lived back then.
- Quite a few scenes were added for Zhang Bo during filming to show the tougher side of Guangxu Emperor.
Cast
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Yuko Tanaka as Ci Xi |
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Yu Shaoqun as Chun Er |
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Zhou Yiwei as Liang Wenxiu |
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Xu Baihui as Qing Yun |
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Yin Tao as Zhang Furen |
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Zhang Bo as Guang Xu |
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Lemon Zhang Meng as Zhen Fei |
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Zhou Jun |
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Zanilia Zhao Liying as Ling Er |
Supporting Cast
- Ozawa Yukiyoshi as Gang Gui Zhi Jie
- Mitsuru Hirata as Yi Teng Bo Wen
- Tian Zhong Long San as Chai Shaozuo
Stills
Posters
Behind The Scenes
Character Map
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