The Weak Emperor – The Woe of the Tang Dynasty This is the first Chinese drama I have seen. And, you know, The Yang Guifei Story is no worse than South Korean dramas. A few days of viewing and - smack - flew 49 episodes!
The plot is exciting. A beautiful film based on the historical events of the VIII century. After watching the drama Googled - there are deviations from the historical truth about the fate of Jan Guifei. Apparently, the creators of the drama wanted to “sweet the pill” – it’s a shame, probably, for the behavior of the real Xuan Tsung, who gave a slack at the crucial moment.
Emperors are generally not allowed to show weakness and go along with someone. It can't lead to anything good. Xuan-tsong with his looseness and connivance brought the country to chaos, and his dynasty to weaken and then fall. No surprise. Who can a weak person raise? Only a weak man like himself. As they say, in image and likeness. He raised weak sons, they raised their children, etc.
The Chinese History of Yang Guifei seemed to me something similar to the South Korean Empress Ki, although it tells about the events of the XIV century AD. The main heroines are real beauties who fell from the bottom of society first into concubines, and then into the beloved wives of emperors. Women are bright personalities: smart, brave, talented. You can't say that about men.
In Empress Ki, the last emperor of the Mongol dynasty, Yuan Togon-Temur, is neither fish nor meat. Always whining and hiding behind a woman's skirt. Chi Chang-uk played him just fine. He, by the way, revealed new facets of his acting for me. In Heeler and K2 Bodyguard, he plays people with very different characters.
In The History of Yang Guifei, the Chinese emperor of the Tang dynasty, Xuanzong, is constantly hanging out in the harem and the Pear Garden. His thoughts are mainly occupied with the palace theater, and the most important things are playing the pipe and the drums. Had he succeeded in governing the state as well as in procreating (he had more than 50 children by wives and concubines), the fate of his dynasty, and of his empire, would have been different. He was perfectly played by Anthony Vaughn – a cool actor, I remember him from the movie “The Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”.
Drama is another Asian thrilling story about strong women and weak men. But interestingly, women obey men. It is not that they are the rulers and leaders of the country. Women are driven by feelings, including pity for those who are supposed to be strong and powerful. It is strange that the service of a master takes hold of their minds so much that they forget about themselves. The wishes of the emperor become their desires. At some point they lose themselves and completely belong to those whose chosen ones they became.
Yang Guifei (well played by Yin Tao) voluntarily agrees to the sacrifice, and even convinces the old emperor that it will be better for everyone, and first of all for him - the Son of Heaven. Empress Ki in the brilliant performance of Ha Ji-won out of pity for Togon-Temur refuses her beloved, but pathetically informs him that she does it for the good of Goryeo. Similar stories. Similar female fates. Yes, it was fate, because these ladies lived in reality.
In all dramas, the plot around eunuchs is always famously twisted. In some cases, they literally create real gangs in pursuit of power, money and power. Who would have thought: eunuchs, and such ambitions! So: in the “History of Jan Guifei” of course, there is also a eunuch – a cunning villain. Gao Lishi needs to see you guys. Very colorful character!
I didn’t regret spending time watching the drama. Everything is in it, as I love: the courtiers almost fall to their knees and ask the ruler to kill themselves, for any small thing, they bow to the lord and say: “Your mercy is boundless”, the nobility is intriguing, and in the harem among the concubines there are real “cockfights” for the attention of the emperor. The plot is famously twisted, beautiful costumes, the atmosphere of bygone centuries, amazing traditions for a person in the 21st century. A good drama, not like the soap opera.
10 out of 10