In the later years of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, then-Fourth Prince Yinzhen and his eight brothers are embroiled in a bitter power struggle for the Qing throne. With the help of powerful allies, Yinzhen becomes the Yongzheng Emperor and the brothers who fought against him are either killed or imprisoned.
Despite becoming emperor, Yinzhen grows increasingly paranoid of being usurped and vows to not follow his father's footsteps.
Prior to his ascension, he was deeply in love with his first wife, Empress Chunyuan, who died; her younger sister became his second wife. The sisters are Yinzhen's maternal kinswomen, as is his mother, Empress Dowager Renshou, who is also a member of the Ula-Nara clan.
Plot
Six months after his ascension to the throne, Empress Dowager Renshou organizes a selection to bring newer members into the Imperial Harem of the Yongzheng Emperor. Despite not wanting to be selected, the titular Zhen Huan is forced to join the selection and ends up being chosen due to her resemblance to the late Empress Chunyuan. She joins the Imperial Harem alongside her childhood friend Shen Meizhuang, and the low-born An Lingrong.
Zhen Huan attempts to avoid the Imperial Harem's politics but ultimately falls in love with the Emperor, resulting the other consorts in plotting various schemes against her and Shen Meizhuang as retaliation. Due to some misunderstandings and her own sensitive and suspicious personality, as well as out of jealousy toward Zhen Huan, An Lingrong also begins plotting against her and works alongside higher-ranking imperial consorts, notably the Empress, Ula-Nara Yixiu.
While avoiding the pitfalls of such schemes, Zhen Huan befriends the neglected Fourth Prince Hongli, promising to care for him when she can. She also learns the reason behind the Emperor's favor toward her, and this disillusionment ultimately leads her to become a nun at Ganlu Temple. There, her relationship with Prince Guo secretly blossoms and the two become intimate with each other.
Despite the two planning to elope, Prince Guo is sent away to Tibet by the Emperor and presumed to be dead. Now seeking both revenge and protection, Zhen Huan convinces the Emperor to bring her back into the Imperial Harem. She takes on a new identity as Consort Xi, or Niohuru Zhenhuan, Hongli's biological mother who had supposedly spent years away from the palace praying at Ganlu Temple, and she formally adopts Hongli. With her new status, Zhenhuan gains more allies.
Prince Guo is revealed to be alive, but he and Zhenhuan have to cease their relationship now that she has returned to the Imperial Harem. Despite doing what she can to remain favored by the Emperor and distance herself from Prince Guo, the Emperor's suspicion towards their relationship escalates as time passes and Zhenhuan is ordered to kill Prince Guo but the latter commits suicide instead.
The Empress begins to lose favor as her schemes against Zhenhuan backfire and she ultimately confesses to her role in her sister's death and several other crimes. The Emperor attempts to depose her as punishment, but the will of the Empress Dowager, who wishes to maintain the influence of the Ula-Nara clan, forbids him from doing so; he unwillingly puts the Empress under house arrest instead.
The Emperor is slowly poisoned by Zhenhuan and she meets with him one final time to narrate the infidelities of some of his concubines, before announcing his death.
Hongli becomes the Qianlong Emperor and Zhenhuan is granted the coveted title of empress dowager. Although the Empress should have also become an empress dowager upon the Yongzheng Emperor's death, a loophole in the previous Empress Dowager's will forces her to remain empress indefinitely instead.
Zhenhuan spends the rest of her life serving as the sole empress dowager: planning the next selection for the Imperial Harem, advising the Qianlong Emperor on state matters, and warning his imperial consorts about the consequences of harming each other.
Lady Zhen → First Class Attendant Wan → Noble Lady Wan → Concubine Wan → Nun → Consort Xi → Noble Consort Xi → Empress Dowager Chongqing
The titular protagonist who becomes a favored imperial consort. She is very clever, socially skilled and well-educated, and has a keen eye for strategy. She is the biological mother of Hongyan, Longyue, and Lingxi and the adoptive mother of Hongli and Jinghe.
The emperor of the Qing dynasty who is still deeply in love with his first wife, Empress Chunyuan despite favoring various imperial consorts throughout the series. He is suspicious of his women due to paranoia against the Imperial Court.
Initially appearing to rule the Imperial Harem as a benevolent empress, her true nature is shown over time as she removes anyone favored by the Emperor who is deemed a threat to her plans, especially Zhen Huan. She is Empress Chunyuan's younger half-sister and the adoptive mother of Hongshi.
Supporting
Imperial Harem
Ranking System: Lady-in-waiting → Second Class Attendant → First Class Attendant → Noble Lady → Concubine → Consort → Noble Consort → Imperial Noble Consort → Empress In the series, it is considered a huge honor to be bestowed a title rather than using one's own surname for one's rank.
The Yongzheng Emperor's favorite consort at the beginning of the series. Due to her family's status in the Imperial Court, she is arrogant and gets away with acting impudently.
Lan Xi
Shen Meizhuang (沈眉庄)
Lady Shen → Noble Lady → Noble Lady Hui → Second Class Attendant → Noble Lady Hui → Concubine Hui → Consort Hui → Noble Consort Hui
Zhen Huan's childhood friend and ally in the Imperial Harem. She is the biological mother of Jinghe.
Tao Xinran
An Lingrong (安陵容)
Lady An → Second Class Attendant → First Class Attendant → Noble Lady → Concubine → Consort Li
Originally Zhen Huan's friend, she grows jealous and tries to scheme against her due to pressure from her family to win the Yongzheng Emperor's favor, as well as the manipulation of other imperial consorts.
A high-ranked imperial consort who is unfavored by the Yongzheng Emperor, and Zhen Huan's close friend and ally. She is the adoptive mother of Longyue.
Lady Fang → First Class Attendant Chun → Noble Lady Chun
The youngest imperial consort to enter the palace at the beginning of the series.
Cui Manli
Yu Ying'er (余莺儿)
Palace Maid → Lady-in-waiting → Second Class Attendant → Commoner
Initially a palace maid in the imperial garden, she witnesses the first encounter between the Yongzheng Emperor and Zhen Huan, and later enters the Imperial Harem by pretending to be Zhen Huan during that encounter.
Liu Yitong
Qiao Songzhi (乔颂芝)
Senior Maid of Consort Hua → Palace Maid → Second Class Attendant Zhi
Consort Hua's loyal maid who joins the Imperial Harem to consolidate the former's failing power.
The Yongzheng Emperor's mother. She protects the Empress throughout the series in order to maintain the power of the Ula-Nara clan, and it is also suggested that she favours her younger son, Yunti, over the Emperor.
Liu Yan
Yuan Yanran (阮嫣然)
Dowager Consort Shu → Master Chongjing
Prince Guo's biological mother. She was the favored imperial consort of the Kangxi Emperor and became a nun after his death.
The Yongzheng Emperor's favored younger half-brother. A free-spirited prince who did not participate in the power struggle for the throne and only indulges in literature, playing the flute and horse riding. He falls hopelessly in love with Zhen Huan.
Maid of Lady Zhen → Maid of Noble Consort Xi → Lady Niohuru → Secondary Consort of Prince Guo of the First Rank → Primary Consort of Prince Guoyi of the First Rank
Zhen Huan's dowry maid and illegitimate half-sister. She later falls in love with Prince Guo and becomes his secondary consort.
Yang Qi
Meng Jingxian (孟静娴)
Lady Meng → Secondary Consort of Prince Guo of the First Rank
Duke Pei's daughter. She is in love with Prince Guo and becomes his secondary consort.
Duan Shaonan
Aisin-Gioro Yuanche (爱新觉罗·元澈)
Eldest son of Prince Guo of the First Rank → Heir of Prince Shen of the Second Rank
Prince Guo's son by Meng Jingxian. He is later adopted by Yurao and Prince Shen.
Consort Qi's son. He is later adopted by the Empress. Despite being the eldest surviving imperial prince as well as being a legitimate son, he is not favored by his father due to his lack of intelligence and awareness.
Fourth Prince → Prince Bao of the First Rank → Qianlong Emperor
Originally neglected as a result of being born to a palace maid from the Imperial Gardens, he is later adopted by Zhen Huan and registered as her biological son. He devotes himself to studying and ultimately impresses his father.
Lady Ula-Nara → Secondary Consort of Prince Bao of the First Rank → Consort Xian
The Empress's niece. Originally a candidate for Hongshi's consort selection, she is rejected due to being rude toward Longyue. Out of anger, the Empress bestows her as a secondary consort to Hongli.
The Yongzheng Emperor's head eunuch since the latter's youth. He eventually marries Jinxi.
Li Lubing
Xiao Xiazi (小厦子)
The Yongzheng Emperor's eunuch and Su Peisheng's disciple.
Sun Qian
Cui Jinxi (崔槿汐)
Zhen Huan's fiercely loyal senior maid. She ultimately falls in love with Su Peisheng and becomes his wife.
Zhan Jingyi
Liuzhu (流朱)
Zhen Huan's dowry maid.
Luo Kang
Xiao Yunzi (小允子)
Zhen Huan's head eunuch.
Zhai Beibei
Pei'er (佩儿)
Zhen Huan's maid who later serves Concubine Xin, but remains loyal to her former mistress.
Zhao Hailong
Kang Luhai (康禄海)
Zhen Huan's head eunuch to Concubine Li's service.
Guo Zihao
Xiao Yinzi (小印子)
Zhen Huan's eunuch who moves to Concubine Li's service.
He Mengting
Huasui (花穗)
Originally in the service of Yu Ying'er, she later becomes Zhen Huan's maid.
Li Qun
Bin'er (玢儿)
A maid at Zhen Mansion, and later at Gūwalgiya Mansion.
Cheng Nan
Feiwen (斐雯)
Zhen Huan's maid.
Li Yang
Xu Jinliang (徐进良)
The eunuch who manages the Yongzheng Emperor's sleeping arrangements.
Du Xiang
Huang Guiquan (黄规全)
The first director of the Imperial Household Department who is distantly related to Consort Hua.
Zhang Zhiwei
Jiang Zhongmin (江忠敏)
The second director of the Imperial Household Department.
Quan Baojun
Head Eunuch Gou (苟总管)
The third director of the Imperial Household Department.
Zhang Zhiwei
Liang Duorui (梁多瑞)
The fourth director of the Imperial Household Department.
Liang Yixin
Baojuan (宝鹃)
An Lingrong's senior maid.
Hu Xinhui
Baoque (宝鹊)
An Lingrong's maid.
Li Mengyang
Juqing (菊青)
Originally a maid in the service of Zhen Huan, she is later sent to An Lingrong.
Xu Lei
Xiao Guizi (小贵子)
A eunuch working for An Lingrong.
Liu Yin
Jixiang (吉祥)
Consort Duan's senior maid.
Han Yuting
Cuiguo (翠果)
Consort Qi's maid.
Tian Shumei
Sun Zhuxi (孙竹息)
The Empress Dowager's senior maid.
Yang Jingfang
Fangruo (芳若)
Originally a maid in the service of the Yongzheng Emperor, she later moves to the Empress Dowager. She is also the guidance maid to Zhen Huan and An Lingrong upon their selection as imperial consorts.
Yang Kaichun
Jianqiu (剪秋)
The Empress's trusted senior maid. She tries to poison Zhen Huan but poisoned Meng Jingxian instead.
Li Yingya
Huichun (绘春)
The Empress's maid.
Liu Yang
Jiang Fuhai (江福海)
The Empress's head eunuch.
Wang Yiming
Zhou Ninghai (周宁海)
Consort Hua's capable head eunuch who helps her in many schemes.
Wang Xiaoming
Suxi (肃喜)
A eunuch working for Consort Hua.
Sun Fei
Fuzi (福子)
A palace maid sent to spy on Consort Hua by the Empress.
One of the candidates of the Imperial Selection in the first episode.
The character served as a cameo for the original author. Most of the scenes outlining her character profile were deleted from the final cut, but were shown during the author's own wedding.
Soundtrack
Empresses in the Palace – Original Soundtrack (后宫·甄嬛传电视剧原声音乐大碟)
"Bodhisattva (菩萨蛮)" (Male version sung by Liu Huan)
Yao Beina
3.
"Flying Phoenix (凤凰于飞)"
Liu Huan
4.
"Picking Lotus (采莲)"
Yao Beina
5.
"Golden Silk Blouse (金缕衣)"
Yao Beina
6.
"Jinghong Dance (惊鸿舞)"
Yao Beina
Production
Publisher: Zheng Xiaolong, Zhong Yi, Dun Yong, Li Ruigang
Producer: Cao Ping, Dun Qi, Xu Xiaoou
Supervisor: Liu Zhiyuan, Wang Xiaodong, Zhang Suzhou, Chen Liang, Tang Rang, Zhang Ping, Li Junming, Zhang Ping, Zhao Hongmei, Chen Yaping
Director: Zheng Xiaolong
Assistant director: Dong Xiaoyun, Liu Le, Zheng Hanqing
Screenwriter: Liu Lianzi, Wang Xiaoping
Photographer: Li Zhiqiang, Li Qiang, Yu Fei, Zhang Yuanshou, Feng Yucheng, Wang Lindong, Zhao Hao, He Lichun, Chen Jianwei, Wei Liangliang, Li Meng, Yang Jinbo
Music: Liu Huan, Meng Ke, Ding Ji, Zhao Liang, Song Lei, Wang Songyang, Wan Xiaoyuan, Li Wei, Sui Jing, Asian Philharmonic Orchestra, Huang Lijie
Editor: Jin Ye, Jiang Jimei, cao translation
Props: Wang Yue, Liu Yuanfei, Wang Guiqing, Wang Shili, Gao Guiyong, Liu Jiye, Zhang Yanlong, Fang Jie, LiBiao, Cao Yongli, Wang Yanhua, Su Huizhi, Gao Yashi, Gao Xian, Lv Qiang, Zhang Fengjun
Casting: Li Yang
Voice acting: Liao Jing, Zhang Wei
Art: Chen Haozhong, Luan Hexin, Wang Yongkang, Yang Kun
Modeling: Chen Minzheng, Li Yuanyuan, Wang Yingkai, Kou Hainan, Yang Jia, Sun Yue, Guo Yang, Min Cong, Zhang Rongbin, Qin Yiping, Wen Lulu, Xing Lu
Wardrobe: Chen Tongxun, Shi Dongling, Ji Doni, Zhu Yuxiang, Tang Biyun, Liu Xiaohu, Chen Guanglin, Guo Sheng, Shi Jianmin
According to the Overseas Chinese Language and Culture Education Online website, the "Filigree Inlaid Metal Art" (花丝镶嵌), an accessory craft skill that can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn period became a phenomenon due to being featured in the series.[2]
Donkey medicine
A traditional remedy derived from donkey-hide gelatin had its profile increased through product placement in the show.[3]
Ratings
Ratings on Anhui Television and Dragon Television[4]
Broadcast date
Episode
CSM42 City Anhui Television ratings
CSM42 City Dragon Television ratings
Ratings
Audience share
Rank
Ratings
Audience share
Rank
March 26, 2012
1–2
0.813
2.17
3
0.601
1.61
8
March 27, 2012
3–4
0.959
2.57
3
0.677
1.82
5
March 28, 2012
5–6
0.854
2.22
3
0.727
1.88
6
March 29, 2012
7–8
1.058
2.75
3
0.844
2.19
5
March 30, 2012
9–10
1.087
2.72
3
0.930
2.32
4
March 31, 2012
11–12
1.005
2.67
3
0.894
2.37
4
April 1, 2012
13–14
1.080
2.85
3
0.910
2.41
4
April 2, 2012
15–16
1.097
2.98
2
1.018
2.77
4
April 3, 2012
17–18
1.008
2.76
3
1.036
2.86
2
April 4, 2012
19–20
1.110
2.91
2
1.050
2.75
3
April 5, 2012
21–22
1.105
2.95
2
1.081
2.88
3
April 6, 2012
23–24
1.090
2.83
2
1.009
2.63
3
April 7, 2012
25–26
1.281
3.30
1
1.035
2.67
4
April 8, 2012
27–28
1.147
2.90
3
1.233
3.12
2
April 9, 2012
29–30
1.332
3.46
2
1.315
3.42
3
April 10, 2012
31-32
1.309
3.49
1
1.174
3.12
2
April 11, 2012
32–34
1.428
3.76
1
1.296
3.41
2
April 12, 2012
35–36
1.407
3.68
1
1.272
3.32
2
April 13, 2012
37–38
1.377
3.66
1
1.262
3.36
2
April 14, 2012
39–40
1.411
3.73
1
1.189
3.18
2
April 15, 2012
41–42
1.330
3.32
1
0.897
2.29
4
April 16, 2012
43–44
1.422
3.80
1
1.294
3.45
2
April 17, 2012
45–46
1.519
4.06
1
1.410
3.78
2
April 18, 2012
47–48
1.571
4.02
1
1.416
3.76
2
April 19, 2012
49–50
1.625
4.28
1
1.513
3.99
2
April 20, 2012
51–52
1.567
4.03
1
1.552
4.00
2
April 21, 2012
53–54
1.652
4.43
1
1.570
4.23
2
April 22, 2012
55–56
1.562
4.16
1
1.512
4.00
2
April 23, 2012
57–58
1.687
4.23
1
1.444
3.82
2
April 24, 2012
59–60
1.760
4.54
1
1.618
4.18
2
April 25, 2012
61–62
1.753
4.68
1
1.609
4.30
2
April 26, 2012
63–64
1.954
5.37
1
1.570
4.37
2
April 27, 2012
65–66
1.720
4.59
1
1.670
4.47
2
April 28, 2012
67–68
1.806
4.79
1
1.684
4.48
2
April 29, 2012
69–70
1.878
5.21
1
1.525
4.25
2
April 30, 2012
71–72
1.853
5.15
1
1.696
4.75
2
May 1, 2012
73–74
1.770
4.68
1
1.710
4.52
2
May 2, 2012
75–76
2.11
5.75
1
2.063
5.60
2
Average ratings
1.480
3.89
2012: 14th
1.340
3.53
2012: 23rd
Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue.
The series first aired in China in 2011 on Shaoxing News, a regional channel. As it gained popularity there it was picked up by national television channels and first aired nationwide in 2012.[citation needed]
In April 2015, the series was added to Netflix US and has since been taken off and put on Amazon Prime Video. It was edited down to six episodes, each with a 90-minute duration. The original audio was kept intact with the addition of closed captions in English.[11]
In Thailand, the series was first aired in 2016 on Channel 7[12] and in 2018 on One31 and LINE TV.
The series was uploaded on YouTube by LeTV in 2018.
Notes
^Actor Zhang Xiaolong also served behind the scenes as the drama's expert regarding traditional dance and Qing court etiquette.
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