The Grand Canal features popular stars now and then to celebrate TVB's 20th Anniversary in 1987. The story originates from well-known historical figures in China during the Sui Dynasty. The TV drama covers different historical events such as the peasant uprising leading to the downfall of the Sui Dynasty, the rise of the Tang Dynasty and the politics involved therein. Tony Leung and Felix Wong, two of the legendary "Five Tigers", led the cast, and this is one of the very few dramas in which Felix Wong plays the villain, Li Mi. The righteous and intelligent hero Zhang San-lang, played by Tony Leung, is exactly the opposite of the cunning and ambitious Li Mi. The two struggle with each other to offer TV fans an exciting 58-episode series! A lot of viewers also find the subplots alluring. Zhang San-lang (Tony Leung) falls in love with a princess (Idy Chan), while another girl (Cheng Yim Fung) is having a crush on him. The love relations among members of the side-cast also create great attraction. The strong casts, their wonderful chemistry, the beautiful costumes and sets, together with the impressive scenic views in Xi'an (the former capital of China) all won big applause from the audience. The TV series also features other famous artists such as Idy Chan, Margie Tsang, Sean Lau Ching Wan, Lawrence Ng, Chan Sau Chu, Liu Kai Chi, etc. Also starring Wong Yee Gum and Cheng Yim Fung who were the winners of the one-time Miss TV pageant.

Story 1: Chichi to Ko

Synopsis: Toho Akihiro (Ishimaru Kanji) opposed his boss and resigned from the large consulting firm he had been working for. His father, Hideo (Takahashi Gentaro), is the owner of a convenience store in the countryside. It is his daily routine to talk to regular customers and he also gets along well with his staff. Because business has been poor, he seeks his son’s help. Akihiro comes to revamp the store by making use of his experience as a consultant. At first, sales increases, but father and son clash over the complete change in management policy which disregards regular customers. Then Hideo collapses and Akihiro works the night shift. He is confronted with an electricity disruption around the store due to a downpour. He realises something that his father had prized above running the store while under pressure to deal with the situation.

Cast: Ishimaru Kanji, Takahashi Gentaro

Story 2: Daifuku Obasan

Synopsis: Igarashi Satomi (Yoshida Yo) has been absent from part-time work at a convenience store for about two months because she has had to take care her mother who had fallen sick. Right after her return, she is informed that an elderly lady (Matsubara Chieko) had been coming to the store daily since a month ago and constantly picked on the staff. The lady is an ordinary customer whom Satomi had occasionally seen before, but she does not understand the reason for her becoming a complainer. Satomi recalls some incident from the woman’s daily visit to the store to purchase daifuku, and decides to go to her house in order to talk to her personally. She learns new facts from her conversation with the lady … …

Cast: Yoshida Yo, Matsubara Chieko

Story 3: 10.30 pm no Jousei Kyaku

Synopsis: Inubushi Kazuma (Mizobata Junpei) works the night-shift at a convenience store. He dreams of becoming a photographer and had been an assistant for a famous photographer, but could not tolerate the hardships of training and stopped going to work one month ago. Kazuma fancies a customer Oikawa Chihiro (Kojima Haruna), who always comes to the store at the same time every night to buy cafe latte. He accidentally learns that her dream is to become a designer. As he hears this, he enthusiastically talks about his own dream despite giving up on it. At some point, Kazuma eventually vents his feelings of depression to Chihiro. This would kick off their future in a big way.

Sun Wukong the Monkey King, monk Tang Sanzang, humanoid pig Zhu Bajie and river demon Sha Wujing embark on a perilous journey to retrieve holy scriptures from the west, as an act of redemption for their past sins. On the way, they encounter a host of spirits, monsters and demons who threaten their lives and their unity.

34-year-old Nishida Rika is about to put an end to a three-year affair and move towards marriage. The man she had been having an affair with is the handsome, desirable Kashiwagi Sota. 20 years her senior, the ambitious Kashiwagi is the managing director of a large corporation. He has a beautiful wife, Mitsuko, and a daughter who is a high school student, Miu. Because her mother died when she was 17, Rika has been attached to her father. She sought a father figure and fell in love with Kashiwagi. Although she realises that their affair has no future, her love for him is deep. However, she is betrayed and dumped by Kashiwagi. Furthermore, Mitsuko orchestrated it. The moment Rika learns about this, the flames of vengeance flare up within her. Even so, she is not able to completely become the wicked woman. She brought it upon herself, but is devastated by the continuous onslaught of evil around her. Then she finds out that Mitsuko is emotionally reliant on businessman Ochiai Keiichi who is the younger brother of Kashiwagi’s good friend. Rika decides to steal his heart and starts to date him with a view to marriage.

Kanbe Takeru chooses to remain in the Special Missions Division, but he seems to continue to keep a distance from his direct superior, Sugishita Ukyo. One day, the dead body of the popular female novelist, Mizumoto Shoko, is found in her own home. The possibility of murder fuelled by a grudge is high from the situation at the crime scene, and a male stalker emerges in the line of investigation. However, Ukyo focuses his attention on a missing section from a document package for a new book that Shoko was working on. It is eventually determined that Shoko was attempting to write a novel with an environmental theme which is completely different from her style of writing so far. Ukyo and Kanbe try to get information from the employees at a trading conglomerate that Shoko had interviewed.

Hyun Min Joo is a single mom who moved to Seoul's Kang Nam district for the sake of her son's education. Seo Sung Won is Min Joo's son's teacher and her tenant, who has looks and brains as well to make him a good catch in the eyes of many women. Han Soo Jin comes from a rich family background, and became a teacher with the purest intentions of wanting to provide an education for children. She is a physical education teacher and she becomes involved in a love competition with Min Joo for the affections of Sung Won.