The Story of Minglan
The Story of Minglan (Chinese: 知否？知否？应是绿肥红瘦) is a 2018 Chinese television series adapted from the novel Do you know? Do you know? If the green is still plump and the red still lean? by Guanxin Zeluan. It stars Zhao Liying, Feng Shaofeng and Zhu Yilong. The series premiered on December 25, 2018, on Hunan TV.[1]
| The Story of Minglan | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Also known as | Legend of the Concubine's Daughter: Minglan |
| Genre | |
| Based on | Do you know? Do You Know? If the green is still plump and the red still lean? by Guanxin Zeluan. |
| Written by |
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| Directed by | Zhang Kaizhou |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language(s) | Mandarin |
| No. of episodes | 73 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Hou Hongliang |
| Production location(s) | |
| Production company(s) | Daylight Entertainment |
| Release | |
| Original network | Hunan TV |
| First shown in | China |
| Original release | December 25, 2018 |
| The Story of Minglan | |||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 知否？知否？应是绿肥红瘦 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 知否？知否？應是綠肥紅瘦 | ||||||
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Synopsis
Set in the Northern Song dynasty, the story revolves around Sheng Minglan, the unfavored sixth daughter of an official. After being mistreated by her legal mother and bullied by her half-sisters, Minglan learns to hide her skills and true intentions, and ultimately succeeds in avenging her biological mother's death. She meets Gu Tingye, who initially dislikes her but after witnessing her wits and intelligence, decides to help her. They eventually fall in love with each other. After Gu Tingye becomes a powerful official, he successfully makes Minglan his wife. As his wife, Minglan helps guard against his unpleasant relatives and purges the court of corrupt ministers. The couple eventually earned their happily-ever-after, and Minglan rose to prominence as an influential figure of the Sheng family.
Cast
Main
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Zhao Liying[2] | Sheng Minglan | Sheng Hong's sixth child and fourth daughter, by his concubine Wei Shuyi. Gu Tingye's wife. The mother of Tuan and Yuan. Despite her intelligence and bright nature, she is the most disadvantaged and overlooked child of the family and has tried from a young age to perfect herself and refrain from being a bother to avoid being discarded. An astute observer and predictor of human behavior, Minglan often hides her natural talents in favor of drawing people into situations where their own bad natures defeat themselves. Due to her upbringing, she is used to being underestimated and punished without reason, and finds it very difficult to trust the selfless intent of others, or to let herself become emotionally attached. She often feels like she must provide merit to prove her continued worth. Her temperament is normally calm, pragmatic, and pleasant, and she can endure any hardship demanded of her without complaint, but she will attack fiercely on behalf of a wronged loved one. |
| Feng Shaofeng[3] | Gu Tingye | The second son of the Marquis of Ningyuan, by his second wife, Lady Bai. Possessing high intelligence and astonishing levels of military and physical prowess, Gu Tingye nevertheless has a horrible reputation as an unfilial, worthless womanizer. Extremely bold and brash, Gu Tingye goes after what he wants in the most direct way possible to ensure he gets it, regardless of what, or who, he has to cut through to get there. Nonetheless, he always has good intentions. Generous towards strangers to a fault, he will move heaven and earth to aid those close to him. He grew up being the scapegoat for every wrongdoing in his family; as a result, he cares little to nothing for public opinion or social norms, and does and says what he wants regardless of how it paints him as a villain. His method of facing every enemy directly head on with full strength often wins him Pyrrhic personal battles and worsens his reputation. He is desperate for the genuine affection of those he cares for most, and deeply hurt if they betray his sincerity or fail to trust him. With Minglan's help and socially-conscientious touch, he is able to improve his reputation and becomes a trustworthy subject of the emperor. |
| Zhu Yilong[4] | Qi Heng | The only son of the Duke of Qi, by his wife, the Princess of Pingning. Minglan’s childhood sweetheart. An earnest, handsome gentleman with a genuine, amiable nature and sincere soul, Qi Heng is considered the capital's most desirable bachelor, to his eventual sorrow. From his privileged vantage point, Qi Heng can be somewhat oblivious to the inconvenience and plight of others, but never in a malicious way. Qi Heng is bound to his family and social norms in ways Gu Tingye will never be. Qi Heng obstinately pursues a relationship with Minglan despite her more realistic view on their circumstances. Qi Heng is often guilty of underestimating Minglan and is frequently surprised when he misunderstands her true nature under the idealized view he has of her. He ends up being forced to marry a princess who favored him or else his family risk execution only for his wife and her family to be executed due to their relation to a rebel prince. HE then studies hard and becomes a scholar in the hopes of having enough prestige to marry Minglan who becomes betrothed to Gu Tingye instead. As an imperial official, he begins to antagonize Gu Tingye under the claim that he does not approve of his reforms and policies, though it becomes apparent he remains jealous and aggrieved and wallowing in self pity over not having been able to marry Minglan. He marries another woman though their relationship is initially not a loving one. Eventually, he moves on from Minglan, repairs his friendship with Gu Tingye to the point of coming to his defense when he is charged with the murder of Madame Kang (in complete self defense as she had attempted to murder his wife and newborn son) and eventually falls in love with his wife. |
Supporting
Sheng household
Kaifeng
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Old Mr. Sheng | Sheng Huaizhong's younger brother. Sheng Hong's father. He placed third in the Hanlin Academy examination. | |
| Cao Cuifen | Old Mrs. Sheng | The only daughter of the Marquis of Yongyi. Old Mr. Sheng's wife. Sheng Hong's legal mother. She adopted Sheng Hong, who is the son of her husband's concubine Lady Chun, as her own. She takes a particular liking to Minglan, and raises her after her mother's death. She is often irritated by Sheng Hong's inability to control the women of his household or give his official wife due respect. Old Mrs. Sheng is an adept player, able to easily side-step malicious schemes and get her way gracefully, but prefers to stay out of the way and live quietly. |
| Liu Jun[5] | Sheng Hong | The father of Hualan, Changbai, Changfeng, Molan, Rulan and Minglan. He puts Lin Qinshuang over the rest of his family, thus straining his relationship with his adoptive mother. He is tactful and sensitive, but dislikes confrontation and turns helpless and ineffectual at the conflicts between his wives, often choosing the path easiest for him. He is fond of all of his children, but easily swayed by compliments, and often believing surface evidence over the truth, making him particularly susceptible to manipulation and favoritism. The Sheng family's public reputation is of greatest importance to him. |
| Liu Lin | Wang Ruofu | Sheng Hong's official wife. The mother of Hualan, Changbai and Rulan. Her explosive bad temper hides her reasonable and kind side, and also causes her husband to avoid her or assume she is the villain in situations. Wang Ruofu has reason to be resentful: she spent the early years of her marriage struggling alone with a baby while her husband was far away on business, and when he returned, he made Lin Qinshuang his concubine. Though she does not mind Wei Shuyi, Wang Ruofu openly hates Lin Qinshuang. Wang Ruofu has a very direct, proud nature, which makes her a poor match for Lin Qinshuang's emotional manipulations. She often finds her plans to finally oust her husband's concubine flipped by Lin Qinshuang's hand into making Wang Ruofu look bad. She is a very devoted mother to her children and longs for her husband's undivided attention. She is easily manipulated by others and is later manipulated by her sister Madame Kang to antagonize Minglan and even is even tricked into giving Old Mrs. Sheng poisoned pastries. She is punished by being sent to live with her relatives in her hometown to meditate on her actions, though does grow to realize the foolishness of her actions and even tries to give advice for Minglan, who no longer holds a grudge for what happened. |
| Gao Lu[6] | Lin Qinshuang | Sheng Hong's favorite concubine. The mother of Changfeng and Molan. She has a gentle and weak appearance, but is particularly vicious and good at scheming, thus allowing her to establish and secure her position in the household despite being a former servant of Old Mrs. Sheng. When given temporary control of the household management and budget, Lin Qinshuang embezzled Wei Shuyi's allotment, and her later actions regarding Wei Shuyi's medical care contributed to Wei Shuyi's death. Lin Qinshuang frequently uses tactics such as bribing or framing servants, planting false evidence, dramatic emotional displays, and pretending to be ill to escape the consequences of her scheming. After her and her daughter Sheng Molan's plans of secretly having Sheng Molan rendezvous with the Li lord are exposed, she reveals her true nature to her husband, who has her beaten and sent to the outskirts of town as a result. Minglan reveals she purposely deceived her and Sheng Molan into having Sheng Molan meet with the Liang lord in a bid to get her married off and Lin Qinshuang dies from her wounds a few days later. |
| Liu Xiyuan | Wei Shuyi | Sheng Hong's small concubine. Minglan's mother. Unlike her husband's official wife, or other concubine, Wei Shuyi has no powerful family connections or wealth to aid and protect her. She is from a poor family who needed her to become a concubine to aid with expenses and debts. Wei Shuyi is a gracious, long-suffering woman who dislikes causing fuss or drawing attention to herself, preferring neglect over the negative consequences of standing out. She taught Minglan how to ride horses and play pot-arrows. She often tries to teach Minglan the benefits of accepting what is given without demanding more, and to hide talents in order to pass without notice. She died giving birth to Minglan's stillborn younger brother. |
| Wang Herun | Sheng Hualan | Sheng Hong's first child and eldest daughter, by his wife Wang Ruofu. The mother of Zhuang and Shi. Though considered a good and ideal daughter, her higher status in-laws mock her lack of palace refinement and her husband installs 4-5 concubines. Wang Ruofu worries for her eldest daughter, and Hualan's marriage, which her mother opposed but her father fought for, is a point of contention between Wang Ruofu and Sheng Hong. Through Minglan's help, she is eventually able to reach an amicable separation (rather than a divorce which would've harmed her family's reputation). She later remarries into a happier marriage with Yuan Wenshao though she is still tormented by her mother in law who sometimes even tries to separate her from her children and neglects them to the point of near abuse. |
| Wang Renjun[7] | Sheng Changbai | Sheng Hong's second child and elder son, by his wife Wang Ruofu. Quan's father. He is knowledgeable and well-learnt but humble. He puts his family's interest over his own welfare, and is seen as a dependable sibling and son. Unlike his father, however, he cares more for honor and justice than his family's reputation and will uphold the law against his own scheming relatives, proving to be a fair and just person. Friends with Gu Tingye. |
| Ren Wanjing | Hai Zhaoyun | Sheng Changbai's wife. Quan's mother. Like her husband, she is intelligent and sensible. She is on good terms with Sheng Minglan and Sheng Rulan but strongly dislikes Sheng Molan. |
| Sheng Quan | Sheng Changbai's first child and son, by his wife Hai Zhaoyun. | |
| Zhang Xiaoqian | Sheng Changfeng | Sheng Hong's third child and younger son, by his concubine Lin Qinshuang. Changfeng nearly causes a shameful disaster for the Sheng clan at Hualan's wedding when he became drunk and began gambling away the bridal gifts. He is easily discouraged in the face of hardship or embarrassment, and favors partying and drinking with his higher-status friends over advancing himself, but is very loyal to his mother and will defy great lengths to save her when he can. |
| Lady Liu | Sheng Changfeng's wife. | |
| Shi Shi[8] | Sheng Molan | Sheng Hong's fourth child and second daughter, by his concubine Lin Qinshuang. Liang Han's wife. The most academic of the sisters, Molan is highly intelligent and enjoys composing poetry. Molan was raised by her mother to stand out and always strive to be the best. Molan deeply resents her own lack of status and can become cruel, violent, and vengeful when denied. She often uses her mother's low tactics to antagonize her sisters and gain her father's favor. Desperate to improve her social status, with the help of her mother, Molan uses an underhanded method to become Liang Han's wife. |
| Zhang Jianing[9] | Sheng Rulan | Sheng Hong's fifth child and third daughter, by his wife Wang Ruofu. Wen Yanjing's wife. Childish, pampered, and impetuous, as a legitimate daughter, she has a security her illegitimate sisters do not share. She is honest and forthright, and her pride does not allow her to back down when she feels she is in the right, even if it means more suffering for herself. Rulan lacks ambition and wants to live an easy, happy life enjoying things. Though she normally has a kind heart, she enjoys maliciously needling Molan about their respective statuses, especially when Molan calls attention to Rulan's lack of intelligence or skill. She later grows close to Sheng Minglan, especially after Sheng Molan leaves and Sheng Rulan falls in love with Wen Yangjing, a kind man who is devoted to and loves her. She begins confiding in Sheng Minglan regarding her relationship with him and the two eventually become close as sisters and as friends. |
| Zhang Lu | Wen Yanjing | Sheng Hong's student. He is a good man and devoted to Rulan, though he lacks importance. |
| Shi Yan | Mother Fang | Old Mrs. Sheng's servant. |
| Suqin | Old Mrs. Sheng's servant. | |
| Dongrong | Sheng Hong's servant. | |
| Hong Hua | Mother Liu Jia | Yinxing's mother. Wang Ruofu's servant. |
| Wang Yi | Caihuan | Wang Ruofu's servant. |
| Ma Ding[10] | Zhou Xueniang | Lin Qinshuang's servant. She is faithful to her master and uses all means to ensure her safety, no matter how underhanded. |
| Lu Yanqi | Liu Xiaodie | Wei Shuyi's servant. She is framed for theft by Lin Qinshuang. Wei Shuyi manages to save Xiaodie from being beaten to death, instead having her dismissed from the household, and gives Xiaodie a precious token in farewell. |
| Yuan Yuan | Zhulou | Lin Qinshuang's servant, later sent to serve Wei Shuyi. |
| Zhang Shuwei | Lümeng | Lin Qinshuang's servant, later sent to serve Wei Shuyi. |
| Hanniu | Sheng Changbai's servant. | |
| Yanghao | Sheng Changbai's servant. | |
| Langhao | Sheng Changbai's servant. | |
| Yunzai | Sheng Molan's servant. | |
| Luzhong | Sheng Molan's servant. | |
| Tian Luo | Mother Cui Ru'an | Old Mrs. Sheng's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. |
| Wang Ziwei | Xiaotao | Sheng Minglan's servant. The two girls are of the same age and grow up together as companions. |
| Han Ye[11] | Danju | Sheng Minglan's servant. |
| Li Yuanyuan | Cuiwei | Old Mrs. Sheng's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. |
| Cao Ying | Jiu'er | Wang Ruofu's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. |
| Yinxing | Mother Liu's daughter. Wang Ruofu's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. | |
| Ke'er | Sheng Changfeng's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. | |
| Mei'er | Sheng Changfeng's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. | |
| Yang Xiaodan | Lady Guan | Head of Kitchen. |
| Liu Qing | Lady Wei | Wei Shuyi's younger sister. She convinces Old Mrs. Sheng and Wang Ruofu to care for an orphaned Minglan, and is very paranoid of the Sheng family's intentions. |
| Ning Xiaozhi | Zhuang Xuejiu | |
| Yu Nannan | Granny Kong | An imperial tutor brought in to instruct the Sheng sisters in feminine graces and imperial court manners. |
Youyang
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Sheng Huaizhong | Old Mr. Sheng's elder brother. The father of Sheng Wei and Sheng Shu. | |
| Zhu Huaixu | The elder Old Mrs. | Sheng Huaizhong's wife. The mother of Sheng Wei and Sheng Shu. |
| Wang Gang | Sheng Wei | Sheng Huaizhong's eldest son. The father of Changsong, Shulan, Changwu and Pinlan. The master of the eldest branch of the Sheng family. |
| Qian Youyou | Lady Li | Sheng Wei's wife. The mother of Changsong, Shulan, Changwu and Pinlan. |
| Sheng Changsong | Sheng Wei's eldest son, by his wife Lady Li. | |
| Zhang Hanyun | Sheng Shulan | Sheng Wei's elder daughter, by his wife Lady Li. Sun Zhigao's ex-wife. |
| Hu Shuoyu | Sheng Changwu | Sheng Wei's second son, by his wife Lady Li. |
| Xu Yue | Sheng Pinlan | Sheng Wei's younger daughter, by his wife Lady Li. |
| Sheng Shu | Sheng Huaizhong's daughter. | |
| Xia Minghao | Sun Zhigao | Sheng Shulan's ex-husband. |
| Xue Yuanyuan | Mrs. Sun | Zhigao's mother. |
Gu household
Cheng garden
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Zhao Qi | Qian Fengxian | Gu Tingye's concubine though Gu Tingye never sleeps with her or show any form of interest in her. Sent by Gu Tingye's stepmother (Old Madam Qin) as a spy. She tries to poison Sheng Minglan and later tries to kill Gu Tuan (2nd son of Gu Tingye) during Gu Tuan's one month old celebration. In the attempt, she will be captured by Shi Tou. |
| Li Yixiao[12] | Zhu Manniang | Gu Tingye's outside mistress. The mother of Shurong and Yanchang. Despite coming from desperate poverty and working as a street performer for a time, her goal is to become the legal wife of the Gu Tingye. She is manipulative and guileful, using both her wits and schemes to try to marry into the Gu family. She bears two children for Gu Tingye but ultimately only cares for herself. Later, when she believes Gu Tingye no longer has wealth or status, she attempts to leave sell off many valuables. When he sees through her lies, she leaves him while taking her son along but leaving her daughter behind, most likely to claim an inheritance later. She does return and tries to become a concubine of Gu Tingye's in exchange for him to meet his son but he sees through her lies and she tries to murder him instead. He later releases her since she was unwilling to say where their son was and has her followed to discover his whereabouts, where it is revealed he fell ill and died. She tries to defame him by claiming in front of a large crowd he abandoned her but he ignores her. She fails and later tries to defame him once more when he is charged of killing Madame Kang. Her final act of vengeance includes attempting to stab Gu Tuan, Gu Tingye's third child but is thwarted by Granny Chang, who kills her in self defense. |
| Ye Xuantong | Gu Shurong | Gu Tingye's first child and only daughter, by his mistress Zhu Manniang. |
| Deng Hanyu | Gu Yanchang | Gu Tingye's second child and eldest son, by his mistress Zhu Manniang. Died. |
| Gu Tuan | Gu Tingye's third child and second son, by his wife Sheng Minglan. | |
| Gu Yuan | Gu Tingye's fourth child and third son, by his wife Sheng Minglan. | |
| Kang Qunzhi | Granny Chang | Gu Tingye's nanny. Gu Tingye is extremely fond of Granny Chang who reciprocates. He purchases her a house and servants to care for her in her old age. Gu Tingye later installs his mistress, Manniang, and children into her household. Granny Chang is unimpressed with Manniang and easily sees through her acts and manipulations. By contrast, she quickly grows deeply fond and protective of Gu Tingye's wife, Sheng Minglan and treats her with utmost respect. Despite her old age, she has a fiery temper and is not afraid to be rude to and even act physically against those who threaten her loved ones. |
| Shen Chi | Shi Tou | Gu Tingye's servant. He is loyal and faithful to his master but knows to give advice to his master and is his close confidante. He likes Xiaotao, Minglan's close maid. |
| Yang Yang | Lady Che | Shitou's third sister-in-law. |
| Mr. Tu | Gu Tingye's subordinate, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. | |
| Tian Junlian | Mother Diao | The younger Lady Qin's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. |
| Cong Zhongxiao | Mother Lai | Mingyue's mother. The younger Lady Qin's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. |
| Liu Mengke | Mingyue | Mother Lai's elder daughter. The younger Lady Qin's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. |
| Jing Tian | Mother Tian | Fourth Aunt's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. |
| Mother Hua | Fifth Aunt's servant, later sent to serve Sheng Minglan. | |
| An Wei | Wang Wu's wife. | |
| Zhang Jing | Xiaocui | Zhu Manniang's servant. |
| Zhou Yihua | Ba Laofu | The manager of Heishan Farmstead. |
Ningyuan manor
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Li Hongtao | Gu Yankai | The father of Tingyu, Tingye and Tingwei. The Marquis of Ningyuan. With a surly, military, and unyielding disposition, Gu Yankai was very fond of his first wife, but bowed to family pressure to divorce her and marry the much wealthier Lady Bai. He takes his resentment out on Lady Bai, and later her son, Gu Tingye. He dislikes shows of wealth and impropriety, and is the only one of his brothers considered a gentleman. |
| The elder Lady Qin | Gu Yankai's first wife. Tingyu's mother. Her husband's family took advantage of her sickly physical health to force him to divorce her. She kills herself due to their pressure. | |
| Wang Jingyun | Lady Bai | Gu Yankai's second wife. Tingye's mother. Lady Bai was from a very wealthy merchant family who only recently became lesser nobility. Her excellent reputation and massive dowry made her a target to the aristocratic Gu family, who had significant debts. Her parents initially refused their matches since the Gu sons offered had very poor reputations as gambling womanizers, and the only son of the family they'd consider worthy of Lady Bai, Gu Yankai, was already married. Lady Bai's family was persuaded to arrange a match between Lady Bai and the newly, and conveniently, widowed Gu Yankai, but the marriage was an unhappy one. Lady Bai was mocked for being lower class and her husband ignored and resented her unwitting role in the death of his first wife and the power her family's money had over his family. Lady Bai was unaware that the sole reason her husband married her was for her dowry, and demanded a divorce once she learned the truth behind his mistreatment. She went into labor over the upset and died before she was granted a divorce. |
| Wang Yinan | The younger Lady Qin | Gu Yankai's third wife. Tingwei's mother. She married her late sister's husband shortly after the death of Lady Bai. She carefully cultivates a reputation for having the temperament of a bodhisattva and is sure to always keep her hands clean of wrongdoing. Though she appears even-handed among her step-sons, and a calming influence on her husband, she privately favors her own son's advancement over his two, older half-brothers. |
| Gao Zifeng[13] | Gu Tingyu | Gu Yankai's eldest son, by his first wife, the elder Lady Qin. Xian (娴)'s father. Gu Tingyu has been a sickly, frequently-ill person from birth. Though he presents himself as virtuous, he resents Gu Tingye, knowing his younger brother will likely outlive him, and was raised to villainize Lady Bai for usurping his mother. |
| Yang Zhidi | Lady Shao | Gu Tingyu's wife. Xian (娴)'s mother. |
| Kang Jiaye | Gu Xian (娴) | Gu Tingyu's only child and daughter, by his wife Lady Shao. |
| Liu Zhehui | Gu Tingwei | Gu Yankai's third son, by his third wife, the younger Lady Qin. Xian (贤)'s father. Unlike his scheming mother, he is a genuinely kind person and was not involved with his mother's attempts at defaming his two half brothers. He is not as bright or clever as his brothers. He is also ultimately the only family relative of Gu Tingye's from the Ningyuan Manor who genuinely cares for him and the only one who maintains a genuine and friendly relationship with Gu Tingye and Gu Tingye is shown to reciprocate, even giving him the title of Marquis of the Gu family at the end of the series. |
| Xia Yiyao | Lady Zhu | Gu Tingwei's wife. |
| Xu Yulan | Third Aunt | Gu Yankai's third younger sister. |
| Yang Xinming | Fourth Uncle | Gu Yankai's fourth younger brother. Tingbing's father. The master of the fourth branch of the Gu family. |
| Cui Yi | Fourth Aunt | The fourth master's wife. Tingbing's mother. |
| Ye Zicheng | Gu Tingbing | The fourth master's second son. |
| Hu Yuanjun | Gu Tingbing's wife. | |
| Tan Xihe | Fifth Uncle | Gu Yankai's fifth younger brother. Tingdi's father. The master of the fifth branch of the Gu family. |
| Wang Lele | Fifth Aunt | The fifth master's wife. Tingdi's mother. |
| Liu Mianzi | Gu Tingdi | The fifth master's son. |
| Chen Xi | Gu Tingdi's wife. | |
| Zhao Qianzi | Mother Xiang Ji'an | The younger Lady Qin's servant. |
| Youqing | Gu Tingyu's servant. | |
| Zhuique | Gu Tingye's servant. | |
| Hongxiao | Gu Tingye's servant. |
Bai household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Tu Nan | Bai Tingyu | Lady Bai's cousin. The eldest son of the second branch of the Bai family. |
Qi household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Liu Pizhong | The Duke of Qi | Qi Heng's father. |
| Chen Jin | The Princess of Pingning | The wife of the Duke of Qi. Qi Heng's mother. A proud, elegant, and highly educated noblewoman, she is the dragon guarding her only son, Qi Heng, and believes no one is good enough for him. |
| Zhang Hengyu | The Princess of Jiacheng | Qi Heng's first wife. The princess' family uses nefarious means to secure Qi Heng's hand in marriage. |
| Chen Yalan | Shen Hezhen | Qi Heng's second wife. |
| Wang Zijie | Buwei | Qi Heng's servant and companion. He often gets roped into Qi Heng's machinations to see Minglan. He died from caning by the Princess of Pingning for helping his master see Minglan. |
| Shi Jingyi | Lady Shen's servant. |
He household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Mu Liyan | Lady Zhuang | Longtime friend of Old Mrs. Sheng, Lady Zhuang is an expert in medical matters. |
| Liu Yue | He Hongwen | Lady Zhuang's only grandson. Hongwen is an excellent doctor and intelligent man. He has a calm, solicitous, and gentle personality, which makes him Old Mrs. Sheng's preference amongst Minglan's potential suitors. |
| Cao Jinxiu | He Hongwen's maternal cousin. | |
| Yan Jingyao | Mrs. Cao | Jinxiu's mother. |
Yuan household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Huang Youming | Yuan Wenchun | The eldest son of the Count of Zhongqin. |
| Cao Yueyao | Yuan Wenchun's wife. | |
| Wang Ziming | Yuan Wenshao | The second son of the Count of Zhongqin. The father of Zhuang and Shi. |
| Yuan Zhuang | Yuan Wenshao's first child and daughter, by his wife Sheng Hualan. | |
| Yuan Shi | Yuan Wenshao's second child and son, by his wife Sheng Hualan. |
Yu household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Ma Yanbin | The Grand Preceptor | Mr. Yu's father. |
| Feng Jun | Old Mrs. Yu | Grand Preceptor Yu's wife. Mr. Yu's mother. |
| Mr. Yu | Grand Preceptor Yu's son. The father of Yanran and Yanhong. The master of the eldest branch of the Yu family. | |
| Liu Shuchen | Lady Fang | Mr. Yu's second wife. Yanhong's mother. |
| Deng Sha | Yu Yanran | Mr. Yu's first child and elder daughter, by his first wife Lady Fan. She is Minglan's best friend. |
| Liu Yanchen | Mr. Yu's second child and only son, by his second wife Lady Fang. | |
| Zhao Qin | Yu Yanhong | Mr. Yu's third child and younger daughter, by his second wife Lady Fang. |
Liang household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Wang Siyu | Lady Wu | The wife of the Count of Yongchang. Liang Han's mother. Bright, sincere, and bold, Lady Wu adores Minglan and earnestly desires to have Minglan marry into her house as the official wife of her sixth son, Liang Han. |
| Wu Hong | Liang Han | The sixth child and youngest son of the Count of Yongchang, by his wife Lady Wu. Liang Han enjoys poetry and flirtation. |
| Chun Ke | Liang Han's concubine. | |
| Qiujiang | Sheng Molan's servant. | |
| Furong | Sheng Molan's servant. |
Wang household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Wang You | The father of Shiping, Ruoyu and Ruofu. He served as the Imperial Tutor, and was buried in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. | |
| Zhao Shuzhen | Old Mrs. Wang | Wang You's wife. The mother of Shiping, Ruoyu and Ruofu. |
| Ma Yan | Wang Shiping | Wang You's first child and only son, by his wife Old Mrs. Wang. |
| Liu Wanting | Mrs. Wang | Wang Shiping's wife. |
Kang household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Li Duo | Kang Haifeng | The father of Jin, Yun'er and Zhao'er. |
| Zhang Yanyan | Wang Ruoyu | Kang Haifeng's wife. The mother of Jin and Yun'er. She is a cruel manipulative woman who grows jealous of Minglan's higher status and happy marriage, especially due to her own unhappy marriage with a husband who frequently installs concubines. She manipulates Zhao Qi to become a concubine of Gu Tingye to cause a scene and kill herself to defame the Gu family. She later manipulates her own sister Wang Ruofu into giving pastries to Old Mrs. Sheng (Minglan's grandmother and Wang Ruofu's mother in law) claiming they would make her sick, when in reality they had a strong concentration of gingko juice that would have killed her had Minglan not intervened. Minglan later captures and severely punishes her, locking her in the courtyard until Sheng Molan learns and releases her due to her own jealousy of Sheng Minglan. She feels no remorse for her actions, relying on her status as the wife of an official to protect her and is even willing to blame her sister and relatives for her actions to escape penalty. She tries to murder Gu Tingye and Minglan's first born son during a fire that breaks out in their manor but is murdered by Gu Tingye in self defense to protect them. Her death is the catalyst for a case against Gu Tingye that grows bigger due to his influence in court and connection with the emperor. |
| Lu Jin | Kang Jin | Kang Haifeng's son, by his wife Wang Ruoyu. |
| Du Lingli | Kang Zhao'er | Kang Haifeng's daughter, by his concubine Lady Su. She is a daughter born of Kang Raifeng's concubine who was not favored by him and is threatened by Madame Kang into becoming a concubine of Gu Tingye's and to cause a scene by killing herself to discredit the Gu family. If Zhao'er does not comply, her mother's life will be in danger due to Madame Kang's control and her little sister will be sent to a brothel. Eventually Minglan discovers this and gives her two options: become Gu Tingye's concubine in order for Zhao'Er to be able to protect her family from Madame Kang, or to marry a not well off scholar and live a comfortable life where her family will be protected. Zhao'Er immediately chooses the second option as she understands that no one would willingly be a concubine rather than a main wife and she and her family escape Madame Kang's clutches. Later, she also decides to become a witness of Madame Kang's evil deeds. |
| Lin Dengdeng | Mother Qi | Wang Ruoyu's servant. |
Imperial household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Yang Qing | The Empress Dowager | The Emperor's mother. |
| Qin Yan | The Emperor | |
| Yang Yuting | Noble Consort Rong | |
| Ning Wentong | The Prince of Yong | The Princess of Jiacheng's father. |
| Xie Chengying | The Princess Consort of Yong | The wife of the Prince of Yong. The Princess of Jiacheng's mother. |
| Wang Yongquan | The Prince of Yan | |
| Feng Hui | Zhao Zongquan | The father of Ceying and Zhao Yong. The new Emperor. |
| Juan Zi | Shen Congying | Zhao Zongquan's wife. Ceying's mother. The Empress. |
| Fu Miao | Noble Consort Liu | Zhao Zongquan's concubine. Zhao Yong's mother. |
| Huo Yaming | Zhao Ceying | Zhao Zongquan's elder son, by his wife Shen Congying. The Prince of Huan. |
| Zhao Yong | Zhao Zongquan's younger son, by his concubine Noble Consort Liu. |
Shen household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Yan Xiang | Shen Congxing | Shen Congying's younger brother. |
| Jiao Qiyue | The elder Lady Zou | Shen Congxing's first wife. |
| Wu Xiaoyu | Zhang Guifen | Shen Congxing's second wife. |
| Chen Mengxi | Zou Ping | Shen Congxing's concubine. |
| Wang Yijie | Shen Yuzhen | Shen Congying's younger sister. |
Zhang household
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Wang Yongquan | The Duke of Ying | Guifen's father. |
| Hu Qingyun | The Duchess Consort of Ying | The wife of the Duke of Ying. Guifen's mother. |
| Tian Miao | Mother Fan | Zhang Guifen's servant. |
Imperial court
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Wei Jinsong | Eunuch Li | The new Emperor's servant. |
| Yu Zhe | Qingyun | An eunuch. |
| Wu Yujue | Ruichu | A palace maid. |
| Li Yan | Eunuch Zhu | The Empress Dowager's servant. |
| Mother Su | Shen Congying's servant. | |
| Cheng Guodong | Han Zhang | The Grand Chancellor. |
| Mi Te | Duan Chengyong | A general. |
| Fan Zhechen | Geng Jiechuan | A general. |
| Sun Zhengyu | Xie Pingde | Gu Tingye's superior. |
| Shen Guotao | Hezhen's father. An official. | |
| Dong Zhao | Imperial Physician Zhao |
Other
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Li Ruoning | Prostitute Wei | Gu Tingye's confidante. |
| Zhang Xinyuan | Yunniang | |
| Hao Shuang | Rong Feiyan | Noble Consort Rong's younger sister. |
Production
Crew
The series is produced by Hou Hong Liang and Daylight Entertainment, who has produced several hit television series like Nirvana in Fire and Ode to Joy.[14] It is directed by Zhang Kaizhou of Love Me If You Dare and Ode to Joy 2. The screenplay of the series is written by Zeng Lu and Wu Tong, who were both co-writers of Battle of Changsha.[15]
Casting and shooting
Pre-production started in April 2017. On May 8, 2017, Zhao Liying was announced to play the leading role of Sheng Minglan.[16] Feng Shaofeng was unveiled as the male lead on June 20, 2017.[17] The rest of the supporting cast was announced in August 2017.[18] Filming began in September 2017 at Hengdian World Studios.[19] The series wrapped up filming in April 2018.[20]
Soundtrack
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Don't You Know? (知否知否)" (Theme song) | Li Qingzhao, Zhang Jingyi | Liu Xuandou | Hu Xia & Yisa Yu | |
| 2. | "Dang Ge (当歌)" | Zhang Jingyi | Liu Xuandou | Ye Xuanqing |
Reception
The show has a 8.1 out of 10 on Douban and received mainly positive reviews. It has become a major trending topic on social media, with related hashtags being viewed hundreds of millions of times.[21] Many netizens have praised the television series for revealing problems and contradictions in real life, such as traditional Chinese families' preference for boys over girls (重男轻女), NEET (啃老族), and generational conflicts when it comes to providing care for the elderly (家庭养老).[22][23]
Ratings
| Air date | Episode | CSM52 City network ratings | National Internet ratings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Timeslot Rank | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Timeslot rank | ||
| 2018-12-25 | 1-2 | 0.608 | 2.39 | 5 | 0.59 | 2.47 | 2 |
| 2018-12-26 | 3-4 | 0.751 | 2.93 | 4 | 0.63 | 2.62 | 2 |
| 2018-12-27 | 5-6 | 0.710 | 2.71 | 4 | 0.65 | 2.68 | 1 |
| 2018-12-28 | 7-8 | 0.737 | 2.79 | 4 | 0.68 | 2.75 | 1 |
| 2018-12-29 | 9 | 0.549 | 1.84 | 5 | 0.61 | 2.04 | 2 |
| 2018-12-30 | 10 | 0.720 | 2.39 | 4 | 0.83 | 2.74 | 1 |
| 2019-01-01 | 11-12 | 0.932 | 3.24 | 3 | 0.81 | 3.08 | 1 |
| 2019-01-02 | 13-14 | 1.003 | 3.75 | 2 | 0.77 | 3.16 | 1 |
| 2019-01-03 | 15-16 | 0.981 | 3.67 | 2 | 0.88 | 3.56 | 1 |
| 2019-01-04 | 17 | 0.599 | 2.06 | 5 | 0.54 | 1.82 | 3 |
| 2019-01-05 | 18 | 0.662 | 2.25 | 5 | 0.71 | 2.37 | 1 |
| 2019-01-06 | 19-20 | 0.995 | 3.49 | 1 | 0.77 | 2.87 | 1 |
| 2019-01-07 | 21-22 | 1.146 | 4.19 | 1 | 0.87 | 3.39 | 1 |
| 2019-01-08 | 23-24 | 1.045 | 3.89 | 1 | 0.99 | 3.94 | 1 |
| 2019-01-09 | 25-26 | 1.102 | 4.06 | 1 | 0.92 | 3.51 | 1 |
| 2019-01-10 | 27-28 | 1.140 | 4.24 | 1 | 1.12 | 4.43 | 1 |
| 2019-01-11 | 29 | 0.715 | 2.51 | 3 | 0.75 | 2.62 | 1 |
| 2019-01-12 | 30 | 0.876 | 2.98 | 1 | 0.93 | 3.19 | 1 |
| 2019-01-13 | 31-32 | 1.211 | 4.38 | 1 | 1.14 | 4.34 | 1 |
| 2019-01-14 | 33-34 | 1.418 | 5.26 | 1 | 1.36 | 5.25 | 1 |
| 2019-01-15 | 35-36 | 1.536 | 5.63 | 1 | 1.52 | 5.9 | 1 |
| 2019-01-16 | 37-38 | 1.568 | 5.61 | 1 | 1.49 | 5.61 | 1 |
| 2019-01-17 | 39-40 | 1.552 | 5.71 | 1 | 1.43 | 5.48 | 1 |
| 2019-01-18 | 41 | 1.105 | 3.90 | 1 | 1.05 | 3.66 | 1 |
| 2019-01-19 | 42 | 1.251 | 4.27 | 1 | 1.33 | 4.64 | 1 |
| 2019-01-20 | 43-44 | 1.549 | 5.32 | 1 | 1.51 | 5.41 | 1 |
| 2019-01-21 | 45-46 | 1.803 | 6.6 | 1 | 1.68 | 6.37 | 1 |
| 2019-01-22 | 47-48 | 1.67 | 5.94 | 1 | 1.49 | 5.53 | 1 |
| 2019-01-23 | 49-50 | 1.739 | 6.32 | 1 | 1.69 | 6.42 | 1 |
| 2019-01-24 | 51-52 | 1.61 | 5.82 | 1 | 1.58 | 5.89 | 1 |
| 2019-01-25 | 53 | 0.864 | 3.07 | 4 | 0.87 | 3.07 | 1 |
| 2019-01-26 | 54 | 1.146 | 4.03 | 1 | 1.06 | 3.74 | 1 |
| 2019-01-27 | 55-56 | 1.505 | 5.32 | 1 | 1.43 | 5.22 | 1 |
| 2019-01-28 | 57-58 | 1.751 | 6.31 | 1 | 1.62 | 5.90 | 1 |
| 2019-01-30 | 59-60 | 1.791 | 6.42 | 1 | 1.67 | 6.12 | 1 |
| 2019-01-31 | 61-62 | 1.722 | 6.18 | 1 | 1.69 | 6.12 | 1 |
| 2019-02-01 | 63 | 0.985 | 3.54 | 2 | 0.92 | 3.41 | 1 |
| 2019-02-02 | 64 | 1.303 | 4.55 | 1 | 1.37 | 4.89 | 1 |
| 2019-02-03 | 65-66 | 1.689 | 5.89 | 1 | 1.68 | 5.87 | 1 |
| 2019-02-04 | 67 | 0.881 | 2.97 | 1 | 1.2 | 3.68 | 1 |
| 2019-02-06 | 68-69 | 1.395 | 5.52 | 1 | 1.46 | 5.72 | 1 |
| 2019-02-07 | 70-71 | 1.482 | 5.73 | 1 | 1.7 | 6.49 | 1 |
| 2019-02-08 | 72 | 1.224 | 4.51 | 1 | 1.34 | 4.96 | 1 |
| 2019-02-09 | 73 | 1.374 | 4.96 | 1 | 1.35 | 4.78 | 1 |
| 2019-02-10 | 74 | 1.426 | 4.99 | 1 | 1.42 | 4.91 | 1 |
| 2019-02-11 | 75-76 | 2.061 | 7.36 | 1 | 1.62 | 5.93 | 1 |
| 2019-02-12 | 77 | 2.252 | 7.50 | 1 | 1.99 | 6.68 | 1 |
| 2019-02-13 | 78 | 2.211 | 7.30 | 1 | 2.03 | 6.71 | 1 |
| Average ratings | 1.288 | 4.65 | / | 1.21 | 4.54 | / | |
- Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th Shanghai Television Festival | Best Television Series | Nominated | [25] | |
| Best Director | Zhang Kaizhou | Nominated | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Zeng Lu, Wu Tong | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Zhao Liying | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Zhu Yilong | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Liu Lin | Nominated | ||
| Best Art Direction | Nominated | |||
| 26th Huading Awards | Best Actor (Historical drama) | Feng Shaofeng | Nominated | [26] |
| Best Actress (Historical drama) | Zhao Liying | Nominated | ||
| Golden Bud - The Fourth Network Film And Television Festival | Best Actor | Feng Shaofeng | Nominated | [27] |
| Zhu Yilong | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Zhao Liying | Nominated | ||
| Baidu Fudian Awards | Top Ten Television Series | Won | [28] | |
References
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- "赵丽颖挑梁正午新剧《知否？知否？应是绿肥红瘦》". Tencent (in Chinese). May 28, 2017.
- "《知否知否》男主公布 冯绍峰上演浪子回头". Netease (in Chinese). June 20, 2017.
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- ""知否知否应是绿肥红瘦"开机 王仁君成责任担当". Netease (in Chinese). September 7, 2017.
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- "韩烨睡衣风写真曝光". Netease (in Chinese). December 6, 2017.
- "外弱心狠李依晓《知否》挑战演绎蛇蝎美人". Sina (in Chinese). August 8, 2017.
- "高子沣加盟《知否》 与冯绍峰上演精彩交锋". Netease (in Chinese). October 24, 2017.
- ""宅斗种田文"《知否知否》拍电视剧，出品方是"正午阳光"". ifeng (in Chinese). May 31, 2017.
- "赵丽颖拍新剧《明兰传》 阵容强大超《楚乔传》". dzwww.com (in Chinese). August 5, 2017.
- "《知否》公布女主赵丽颖 正午阳光再次涉足古装". Sina (in Chinese). May 28, 2017.
- "《知否》官宣男主 冯绍峰出演顾二公子搭档赵丽颖". Sina (in Chinese). June 20, 2017.
- "《知否知否应是绿肥红瘦》再曝角色阵容 9月开机". Netease (in Chinese). August 8, 2017.
- "赵丽颖冯绍峰新戏《知否知否应是绿肥红瘦》横店开机". Sina (in Chinese). September 8, 2017.
- "赵丽颖新剧杀青随时随地都在读剧本 网友表示期待". People's Daily (in Chinese). April 2, 2018.
- 《都挺好》收视率低迷，只有年轻人爱看？观众表示没关系后劲足. sina (in Chinese). 2019-03-06.
- 《都挺好》刷屏，比樊胜美还惨的女主出现了！网友：这剧千万别大团圆. Sohu (in Chinese). 2019-03-11.
- "A hit TV series in China skewers cranky old parents". The Economist. 2019-03-21. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
- "电视剧收视率排行榜 | 收视率排行" (in Chinese). Retrieved 2020-06-07.
- "第25届"白玉兰奖"入围名单公布 《都挺好》成夺奖热门". People's Daily (in Chinese). May 23, 2019.
- "第26届华鼎奖提名名单：李现肖战获新锐演员提名". Sina (in Chinese). November 8, 2019.
- "金骨朵网络影视盛典提名揭晓 王一博肖战杨紫等入围". Ynet (in Chinese). November 25, 2019.
- "百度沸点2019年度十大电视剧发布". Sina (in Chinese). December 12, 2019.
External links
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