The Legend of Mi Yue
The Legend of Mi Yue (Chinese: 羋月傳; pinyin: Mǐ Yuè Zhuàn; Wade–Giles: Mi3 Yüeh4 Chuan4) is a 2015 Chinese television series directed by Zheng Xiaolong and based on Jiang Shengnan's eponymous historical novel. It stars Sun Li in the title role of Mi Yue. The series aired 2 episodes daily on Beijing TV and Dragon TV from 30 November 2015 to 9 January 2016.[1]
| The Legend of Mi Yue | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Traditional | 羋月傳 |
| Simplified | 芈月传 |
| Mandarin | Mǐ Yuè Zhuàn |
| Genre | Historical fiction |
| Based on | Miyue Zhuan by Jiang Shenghuntnan |
| Written by | Jiang Shengnan Wang Xiaoping |
| Directed by | Zheng Xiaolong |
| Starring | Sun Li Liu Tao Alex Fong Huang Xuan Gao Yunxiang Ma Su |
| Opening theme | Full Moon by Chen Sisi |
| Ending theme | Beauty is a Dream by Henry Huo West Wind by Alu Azhuo |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language(s) | Mandarin |
| No. of episodes | 81 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Cao Ping |
| Production location(s) | Inner Mongolia Zhuzhou Beijing Expo Park Xiangshan Hengdian World Studios |
| Production company(s) | Dongyang Flowers Film and Television Culture Co., LTD. Ruyi Xinxin Pictures Xianggela Film and Television Culture Dissemination Co. , LTD. |
| Release | |
| Original network | Dragon TV Beijing TV |
| First shown in | China |
| Original release | 30 November 2015 – 9 January 2016 |
Synopsis
The story of Mi Yue (Queen Dowager Xuan), the first stateswoman in the history of China. Mi Yue was a young princess who lived in the Kingdom of Chu during the Warring States period. She was sent to Qin as a concubine and part of her sister Mi Shu's dowry, separating her from first love Huang Xie. King Ying Si (King Huiwen of Qin), passes away, Ying Dang (King Wu of Qin), becomes his successor. Mi Yue is sent as an ambassador (banishment) to Yan with her son Ying Ji (King Zhaoxiang of Qin). However, Ying Dang suddenly dies, leaving Qin in a state of chaos where King Ying Si's sons are battling for the throne. Mi Yue enlists the help of the "barbarian" Yiqu army, successfully returning to Qin, suppressing political revolts and instates her son Ying Ji on the throne. Mi Yue goes on to become the first Empress Dowager (Empress Mother) (Chinese: 太后; pinyin: tàihòu), in China's history.
Cast
Main
- Sun Li as Mi Yue
- Liu Tao as Mi Shu
- Ma Su as Wei Yan
- Alex Fong as King Huiwen of Qin
- Huang Xuan as Lord Chunshen
- Gao Yunxiang as Zhai Li, King of Yiqu
Supporting
Chu
- Winston Chao as King Wei of Chu
- Jiang Hongbo as Queen Wei of Chu
- Sun Qian as Lady Xiang
- Jiang Xin as Princess of Ju
- Cao Zheng as King Huai of Chu
- Yuan Zhibo as Zheng Xiu
- He Dujuan as Lady of Wei
- Su Hang as King Qingxiang of Chu
- Zu Feng as Qu Yuan
- Jiang Feng as Jin Shang
- Sun Shuaihang as Zhao Yang
- Liu Yijun as Tang Mei
- Zheng Yecheng as Song Yu
- Lu Ying as Lian'er
- Zhang Yujian as Tang Le
Qin
|
Yan
Others
|
Production
Filming started on September 6, 2014 and ended on 29 January 2015.[2] The television series took place in Inner Mongolia, Zhuzhou, Beijing Expo Park, Xiangshan, and Hengdian World Studios.[3]
Soundtrack
Reception
The series initially attracted attention due to its predecessor, Empresses in the Palace, which is also directed by Zheng Xiaolong and stars Sun Li. During its broadcast, it attained high ratings and over 20 billion views online. However, the series did not receive the same critical acclaim and only has a Douban score of 5.5/10. Viewers feel that the plot of Mi Yue, which involves court intrigue between queens and concubines, was no longer fresh. The series has also been criticized for historical inaccuracies, plot (inconsistency and slow pace) and production quality.[4][5]
Controversy
The production team of the series sued Jiang Shengnan, a scriptwriter on the show, for violating her contract. Jiang had published her novel, a 7,000-character section of The Legend of Mi Yue, online in August 2015 before the series aired. Jiang was dissatisfied with the production team for not recognizing her contributions to the show. The Beijing Chaoyang District Court ruled in favor of the production team. This sparked a discussion about authors writing scripts for adaptations on screen in China.[6]
Ratings
| Broadcast date[7] | Episode | Dragon TV CSM50 ratings | Beijing TV CSM50 ratings | ||||
| Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rank | ||
| 2015.11.30 | 1–2 | 1.56 | 4.16 | 2 | 1.726 | 4.60 | 1 |
| 2015.12.1 | 3–4 | 2.27 | 5.95 | 1 | 1.941 | 5.08 | 2 |
| 2015.12.2 | 5–6 | 1.954 | 5.13 | 1 | 1.951 | 5.13 | 2 |
| 2015.12.3 | 7–8 | 1.898 | 4.88 | 2 | 2.329 | 5.99 | 1 |
| 2015.12.4 | 9–10 | 2.123 | 5.48 | 2 | 2.193 | 5.66 | 1 |
| 2015.12.5 | 11–12 | 2.138 | 5.41 | 1 | 2.128 | 5.39 | 2 |
| 2015.12.6 | 13–14 | 2.192 | 5.68 | 2 | 2.209 | 5.73 | 1 |
| 2015.12.7 | 15–16 | 2.366 | 6.22 | 1 | 2.27 | 5.98 | 2 |
| 2015.12.8 | 17–18 | 2.424 | 6.31 | 2 | 2.544 | 6.60 | 1 |
| 2015.12.9 | 19–20 | 2.537 | 6.54 | 1 | 2.522 | 6.49 | 2 |
| 2015.12.10 | 21–22 | 2.667 | 6.96 | 1 | 2.524 | 6.57 | 2 |
| 2015.12.11 | 23–24 | 2.548 | 6.50 | 2 | 2.576 | 6.57 | 1 |
| 2015.12.12 | 25–26 | 2.478 | 6.40 | 2 | 2.72 | 7.04 | 1 |
| 2015.12.13 | 27–28 | 2.831 | 7.05 | 1 | 2.773 | 6.90 | 2 |
| 2015.12.14 | 29–30 | 2.821 | 7.21 | 1 | 2.533 | 6.46 | 2 |
| 2015.12.15 | 31–32 | 2.893 | 7.5 | 1 | 2.536 | 6.57 | 2 |
| 2015.12.16 | 33–34 | 2.708 | 6.99 | 1 | 2.474 | 6.37 | 2 |
| 2015.12.17 | 35–36 | 2.751 | 7.03 | 1 | 2.58 | 6.58 | 2 |
| 2015.12.18 | 37–38 | 2.794 | 7.19 | 1 | 2.565 | 6.6 | 2 |
| 2015.12.19 | 39–40 | 2.58 | 6.54 | 2 | 2.701 | 6.85 | 1 |
| 2015.12.20 | 41–42 | 2.919 | 7.28 | 1 | 2.805 | 6.99 | 2 |
| 2015.12.21 | 43–44 | 2.712 | 7.011 | 1 | 2.712 | 7.001 | 2 |
| 2015.12.22 | 45–46 | 2.94 | 7.59 | 1 | 2.83 | 7.29 | 2 |
| 2015.12.23 | 47–48 | 2.989 | 7.77 | 1 | 2.802 | 7.28 | 2 |
| 2015.12.24 | 49–50 | 2.718 | 7.21 | 1 | 2.686 | 7.12 | 2 |
| 2015.12.25 | 51–52 | 2.792 | 7.26 | 2 | 2.887 | 7.52 | 1 |
| 2015.12.26 | 53–54 | 2.862 | 7.27 | 2 | 2.994 | 7.48 | 1 |
| 2015.12.27 | 55–56 | 3.354 | 8.32 | 1 | 3.178 | 7.88 | 2 |
| 2015.12.28 | 57–58 | 3.363 | 8.75 | 1 | 3.083 | 8.01 | 2 |
| 2015.12.29 | 59–60 | 3.465 | 8.88 | 1 | 3.294 | 8.44 | 2 |
| 2015.12.30 | 61–62 | 3.395 | 8.82 | 1 | 3.367 | 8.74 | 2 |
| 2015.12.31 | 63–64 | 3.291 | 7.929 | 1 | 3.131 | 7.55 | 2 |
| 2016.1.1 | 65–66 | 3.353 | 8.63 | 2 | 3.417 | 8.8 | 1 |
| 2016.1.2 | 67–68 | 3.593 | 9.17 | 1 | 3.427 | 8.15 | 2 |
| 2016.1.3 | 69–70 | 3.741 | 9.31 | 2 | 3.747 | 9.34 | 1 |
| 2016.1.4 | 71–72 | 3.87 | 9.77 | 1 | 3.63 | 9.18 | 2 |
| 2016.1.5 | 73–74 | 3.739 | 9.42 | 1 | 3.597 | 9.07 | 2 |
| 2016.1.6 | 75–76 | 3.634 | 9.23 | 1 | 3.411 | 8.67 | 2 |
| 2016.1.7 | 77–78 | 3.607 | 9.27 | 1 | 3.46 | 8.9 | 2 |
| 2016.1.8 | 79–80 | 3.461 | 8.85 | 1 | 3.364 | 8.6 | 2 |
| 2016.1.9 | 81 | 3.303 | 8.47 | 1 | 3.213 | 8.23 | 2 |
| Average ratings | 2.867 | 7.36 | - | 2.809 | 7.21 | - | |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st China Quality Television Drama Ceremony | Quality Grand Award | Won | |
| Audience Favorite TV Series (Dragon TV) | Won | ||
| Outstanding Director Achievement Award | Zheng Xiaolong | Won | |
| Most Popular Actress | Liu Tao (also for Nirvana in Fire) | Won | |
| 19th Huading Awards | Best Director | Zheng Xiaolong | Nominated |
| Best Screenwriter | Wang Xiaoping, Jiang Shengnan | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Sun Li | Nominated | |
| Best Actor (Ancient Drama) | Gao Yunxiang | Won | |
| Alex Fong | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Ma Su | Nominated | |
| Best Producer | Cao Ping | Won | |
| Top 10 Dramas | Won | ||
| 22nd Shanghai Television Festival | Best Television Series | Won | |
| Best Director | Zheng Xiaolong | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Sun Li | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Liu Tao | Won | |
| 28th China TV Golden Eagle Award | Outstanding Television Series | Won | |
| Best Director | Zheng Xiaolong | Won | |
| Best Actress | Liu Tao | Nominated | |
| Ma Su | Nominated | ||
| Xu Baihui | Nominated | ||
| Most Popular Actress | Liu Tao | Won | |
| 3rd Hengdian Film and TV Festival of China [8] | Best Drama | Won | |
| Best Director | Zheng Xiaolong | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Xu Wenguang | Won | |
| 3rd Asia Rainbow TV Awards[9] | Best Historical Drama | Won | |
| Best Director | Zheng Xiaolong | Won | |
| Best OST | "Full Moon" | Won | |
| 2nd Sino-American Int'l TV Festival | Best Screenwriter | Wang Xiaoping | Nominated |
| 12th Chinese American Film Festival[10] | Golden Angel Award for Outstanding Chinese TV Series | Won | |
| 11th National Top-Notch Television Production Award Ceremony[11] | Outstanding Television Series | Won | |
| 8th China TV Drama Awards | Best Director | Zheng Xiaolong | Won |
| Breakthrough Spirit Award | Ma Su | Won |
Broadcast
| Channel | location | Broadcast date | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing TV, Dragon TV | Mainland China | November 30, 2015 | Monday to Sunday 19:35 - 21:00 (two eps) |
| Anhui TV | December 8, 2015 | Daily 22:00 | |
| Hebei TV, Zhejiang TV | May 22, 2016 | Daily 23:05 |
International broadcast
| Channel | location | Broadcast date | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| KSCI LA18 TV | Los Angeles USA | March 2, 2016 | Monday to Friday 19:00 - 20:00 (One eps) |
| Astro Quan Jia HD | Malaysia | February 1, 2016 | Mon-fri 19:00 |
| Jia Le Channel | Singapore | March 24, 2016 | Mon-Fri 22:00 |
| CTS Main Channel | Taiwan | April 4, 2016 | Mon-fri 20:00-22:00 |
| Oh!K | Singapore, Malaysia Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong |
Coming Soon | Wed-Fri 18:00-19:50 |
See also
- The Legend of Zhen Huan (2011)
- Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (2017)
References
- "'The Legend of Mi Yue' garners overseas attention". China.org.cn. 19 November 2015.
- 传奇巨制《芈月传》再曝演员阵容 9月6日正式开机. Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese). 19 August 2014.
- 《芈月传》杀青 孙俪：郑晓龙改变我的人生. Tencent (in Chinese). 30 January 2015.
- "Poor showing for 'Legend of Mi Yue' reveals a demand for higher quality TV". Global Times. 13 December 2015.
- "Legendary viewing figures". Week in China. 8 January 2016.
- "'The Legend of Mi Yue' dispute raises questions about adaptations". Sina. 1 December 2015.
- "电视剧收视率排行榜 | 收视率排行" (in Chinese). Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- 第三届"文荣奖"结果揭晓 黄轩、赵丽颖分获最佳男女主角. People's Daily (in Chinese). October 30, 2016.
- 第三届亚洲彩虹奖2016获奖名单 (in Chinese).
- "第十二屆中美電影節星光熠熠——開幕式暨金天使獎頒獎典禮耀動洛城". cafilmfestival.org. Retrieved 2017-05-15.
- 第十一届电视制片业颁奖落幕 秦海璐蒋欣等获十佳. ifeng. February 20, 2017.