Apart from being busy photographing, I was also busy watching some Chinese dramas (I really enjoy watching their ancient costume series though I don't understand the language!) one of which being a historical drama entitled Jang Shang Feng Yu Qing (Simplified Chinese: 江山风雨情) aka "Love Against Kingship".

I'm really into the Ming Dynasty and this drama depicts the reigning life story of the last Chinese Ming emperor Chongzhen. With the help of his loyal eunuch Wang Chen-en, he succeeds his deceased carpenter-emperor brother to the throne at a very young age.
He has the previous emperor wicked eunuch Wei Zhongxian eliminated and does his best to revive the fading dynasty, but to no avail as inside the palace the corrupt officials are busy plotting against each other and outside the people are revolting against the government. In the meantime, Huang Tai Ji of the Manchu Qing dynasty takes advantage of the situation and leads his army to the Ming frontiers only to be kept back by Yuan Chonghuan who is the most capable general of the Ming. Unfortunately he is framed up and executed the cruelest way. Succeeding him is the young Wu Sangui whose beautiful wife Chen Yuanyuan, a palace singer and performer is held hostage in the Forbidden City to make sure that general Wu won't betray them. But the popular army finally captures the capital, the officials abandon the desperate emperor and by his side only the Empress, their daughter, Chen yuanyuan, Wang Cheng-en and some other loyal eunuchs are left. The eunuchs go to fight the outnumbered rebels and soon are captured and beheaded. Emperor goes to kill his family with his sword though he pauses and rethinks his decision before thrusting his sword at his daughter. The Empress sees this and hurriedly pushes her daughter away to prevent her from being stabbed but instead she falls on the sword tip and her body is penetrated by it. The Emperor frightens and the desperate Empress hugs her daughter to have the sharp sword penetrate her body thus ending her life too. The sad emperor and Chen Yuanyuan escape to the nearby imperial garden where a sole Chinese Scholar tree draws the attention of the Chongzhen Emperor. He begs Yuanyuan to help him hang himself and thus he commits suicide. Chen Yuanyuan goes back to the city only to be claimed as one of the rebels wife! Wu Sangui hears of this and opens the gate to the Manchus army. They easily capture the country and establish their Qing dynasty over China. Yuanyuan, managing to at least to save the late emperor's little son and Sangui are united again. But Prince Dorgon of the Qing also learns abouth the little kid and sends his men to take the boy. Chen Yuanyuan persists his deliverance to the Manchus but one day when both of them are asleep, Wu Sangui brings the kid to the Manchus and then goes drinking. Yuanyuan becomes heartbroken and when she learns later it was her husband who invited the enemy to the country, she leaves him and goes away to become a nun.

This is one moving drama and highly recommended. True I don't understand Chinese but when you know who's playing whom, you can go check up the characters in Wikipedia and easily understand what's going on and why. Although it didn't follow the history very closely, it is still worth watching. All the actors did pretty a good job especially Li Qiang and Wang Gang who portrayed the Chongzhen emperor and the eunuch Wang Cheng-en in this drama.



It also has beautiful opening and ending theme songs sung by Han Lei and Liu Jin. If you were interested you can check this to get more info on this beautiful TV series ~_^

PS. I feel really ashamed as I have more knowledge on Chinese history than our own Persian one since our television only produce nonsense series good for the trash can (with the exception of some few ones produced once in a light year) and theirs produce rich historical ones which I joyfully watch and get more information on their culture and history than ours