Asian Drama

Sui Tang Yanyi begins in the 580s with the conquest of the Chen dynasty (557-589) by the Sui dynasty under Emperor Wen, and concludes with the return of the Tang dynasty's Emperor Xuanzong to the capital Chang'an in 758 near the end of the An Lushan Rebellion (755-763).

The plot is made up of three main story lines.

The first, with Emperor Yang of Sui and his concubine Zhu Gui'er (朱貴兒) as the central characters, covers the events in the political arena and inner palace in the final years of the Sui dynasty.

The second story line narrates a turbulent period known as the transition from Sui to Tang, when heroes such as Qin Shubao,Shan Xiongxin (單雄信), Cheng Yaojin (程咬金) and Xu Maogong rise up to overthrow the Sui dynasty, followed by stories of how Li Shimin (the future Emperor Taizong of Tang) defeated his rivals and eventually solidified the Tang dynasty's sovereignty over China.

The last story line tells of the romance between Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Consort Yang, and the events of the An Lushan Rebellion.

The 76-episode TV serial drama "Legend of Zhen Huan" (???) is adapted from a novel of the same name by Liu Lianzi.The story centers on the schemes between Emperor Yongzheng's concubines in the imperial palace duringthe Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The pure and innocent 17-year-old Zhen Huan is chosen for the emperor's harem, and after entering the palace,she finds herself caught in the fierce infighting between the empress and the concubines.Realizing that the palace is actually a cruel and harsh place, Zhen has to learn to survive on her own, sometimes by unscrupulous methods.With her wits and talents, Zhen fights her way through and wins the emperor's affection,ultimatelybecoming the most powerful concubine in the imperial palace and ascending to unparalleled glory and wealth.However, she also becomes a woman with few true friends at her side, even after she is rid of all her enemies. Directed by Zheng Xiaolong and starring Sun Li and Chen Jianbin, "Legend of Zhen Huan" has been praised as one of the best historical dramas in the Chinese mainland in recent years. Through the thrilling story, audiencescan also learn about ancient Chinese poetry, wardrobes, court etiquettes, and herbal medicine. The show alsoeatures many refined dialogues that become trending quotes among its followers on the internet. Some viewers have also begun using the story to allude to the present and describe the schemes and trickery between rivals in the palace as "a treasured book for survival in today's professional world." Psychological experts disagreed, saying that violent infighting is not a characteristic in modern workplaces." 

A young woman born of Eigh Banners family marries the Emperor. After surviving through many murderous scandals and betrayals, she prevails as the most powerful woman in the Emperor's harem, the Empress dowager. In the process, she transforms from a kind-hearted, clever girl to a power hungry, manipulative woman