(China Daily) Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures, a six-episode spinoff of a 2018 runaway hit, is being shown on Netflix since Dec 31.
In the summer of 2018, Story of Yanxi Palace garnered more than 18 billion "clicks" to top all online Chinese dramas that year.
Its producer and scriptwriter Yu Zheng tells China Daily the latest spinoff has subtitles in 23 foreign languages, including English, Thai and Hindi, and is the first such Chinese series to be streamed on a foreign platform before being released in China.
The new tale takes place around 15 years after the end of the first one, which unfolds through 70 episodes to chronicle the rise of Wei Yingluo, a low-born royal maid who overcomes palace intrigue to be crowned the "imperial noble consort" to Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
As the hostess of Forbidden City, China's imperial palace, and the most powerful woman in the king's harem, Wei — a role reprised by actress Wu Jinyan — is seen encountering a new crisis in the latest series: Her princess daughter is urged by a Mongolian prince to cancel their engagement, as he believes the rumor that the young woman is spoiled and willful.
To clear her reputation and win back her love, the princess sneaks out of the palace to embark on an adventure, discovering that the situation is more complicated than she had estimated.
"I have had the Princess Adventures story in my mind for a long time. It's sort of a tale that is more relatable for modern youngsters. The title's protagonist is an adorable and straightforward woman. When she falls for someone, she takes action without hesitation," says Yu, 41.
The statistics from the television market company CSM Media Research show that Chinese TV series ran an average of 42 episodes per production in 2018.
Considering that dramas on Netflix are much shorter, Princess Adventures recounts "a comparatively simple story" to be told in just six episodes, Yu adds.
"Most domestic production companies are still exploring how to better sell Chinese stories abroad. I hope this drama demonstrates the beauty of Chinese culture to foreign audiences," Yu says.
To clear her reputation and win back her love, the princess sneaks out of the palace to embark on an adventure, discovering that the situation is more complicated than she first imagined.
"I have had the Princess Adventures story in my mind for a long time. It's sort of a tale that is more relatable to modern youngsters. The title's protagonist is an adorable and straightforward woman. When she falls for someone, she takes action without hesitation," says Yu, 41.
Statistics from broadcasting tracker CSM Media Research show that the Chinese TV drama ran for 42 episodes per series in 2018 on average.
Considering that dramas on Netflix are much shorter, Princess Adventures recounts "a comparatively simple story" to be told in just six episodes, Yu adds.
"Most domestic production companies are still exploring how to better sell Chinese stories abroad. I hope this drama demonstrates the beauty of Chinese culture to foreign audiences," Yu says.
Yu, who shot to fame after penning the 2005 TV series Yanhua Sanyue (The Spring of March), has since written and produced more than 20 period dramas featuring lavish sets and exquisite costumes.
A production highlight of the Story of Yanxi Palace is that ahead of filming the 2018 series the props team had invited artisans to make replicas of, or seek inspiration from, the jewelry and outfits once worn by the queens and concubines of the Qing Dynasty that are now displayed at the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing.
"We used the same department to design the costumes and makeup for Princess Adventures with the aim of recreating the royal lifestyle of the Qing era as realistically as possible," says Yu.
Yu says he enjoyed the atmosphere, "which felt like traveling back in time" during the shooting of Princess Adventures in Hengdian, the country's largest studio base for TV and film in Zhejiang province, where sets replicating imperial architecture have been built.
"When the camera starts to roll, it feels like you are jumping into another world. You can see 'ancient figures' walk and speak, ... and the kind of scenery that has always captivated me and given me the impetus to keep on writing," he adds.
A key ingredient in making period dramas popular, Yu says, is character development.
"The audience wants to see someone special, but you also need to make the character convincing and relatable," he adds.
Before Princess Adventures, other period dramas that have won recognition in overseas markets include The Legend of Luzhen (2013) and The Legend of Haolan (2019), contributing to an increase in foreign audience's curiosity about Chinese history and culture.
TV series can do more than entertain, Yu says.
"They can create an interest in the legacy of Chinese culture and encourage more people to join the preservation and passing on of traditional craftsmanship."
Source: China Daily