Story of Yanxi Palace

Absolutely LOVED it, this is my second favorite historical Chinese drama after bu bu jing xin. I don't watch a lot of Chinese dramas but this one captured me from episode 1. The plot, the dialogues, the characters, and the beautiful period costumes were EXCELLENT. The intrigue, mystery, drama and romance was superb. I'd have to give it to the female cast, they were all absolutely brilliant. The male cast was okay but felt short to the female's. Maybe because their roles were much more complex, that's why I loved them all from evil to good. I loved how they were able to change faces and allegiances from one side to the other so fast. I especially loved the two main actresses who portrayed Wei Yingluo and Empress Rouyang. I really loved the relationship between the empress and yingluo, I never saw such loyalty and dedication to someone. Yingluo was phenomenon and her character was just my type. Strong-headed, cunning, ruthless but at the same time brave, loyal, caring and mostly doesn't take BS from anybody. I absolutely recommend this drama to anybody who likes historical drama. 10/10

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I was initially hesitant to watch this drama due to its length—70 episodes felt quite overwhelming. However, with quarantine leaving me with little to do, I eventually decided to give it a try.

In my opinion, the drama is somewhat overrated. I did not find anything particularly exceptional about it, and much of the storyline felt unrealistic. Viewers who prefer more grounded and traditional narratives may find this series lacking.

I did enjoy the first quarter of the show, particularly the early scenes where YL stood up to the bullying seamstresses. Unfortunately, the plot soon became increasingly implausible—especially the way she frequently spoke back to the emperor without facing any real consequences. The level of plot armor surrounding WYL was excessive, and the story began to feel repetitive and tedious.

In terms of performance, I found the lead actress unconvincing. Many of her scenes came across as cringeworthy, and I struggled to feel any emotional connection to the characters.

That said, the costume design was impressive and one of the few redeeming qualities of the show.

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70 episodes about palace intrigues and not a single dull moment

When starting Story of Yanxi Palace I wasn't sure about it. Palace intrigues are nice a while, but 70 episodes? And within a harem?

But wow! It never ever gets boring! Not one episode I stalled, om tje contrary Iwas binge-watching it until the very end.

It's mainly the story about a sister (Wei YingLuo) who enters the palace as a maid to discover what happened to her sister, who died. She will go through many hardships throughout the series while trying to climb the ranks within the forbidden city.

The -:
I can't name any.
I will just state that you won't have any action-scenes (no fights, only perhaps small hand to hand fights). And if you watch for Xu Kai alone, don't, he is not the main character.
I was a little annoyed by the constant background music during conversations, but it's ok.
I didn't like the way they aged the men during the last few episodes, those beards were ridiculous.
One character was forgotten (a son).
As you see, I'm really being petty just to find some "-".

The +:
The storyline is incredible! How is it possible to write this many episodes of intrigues without getting boring? I'm still amazed by this fact.
The actors are amazing. The growth of all the characters is well depicted and each actor lived up to his role.
You get to know the life of the servants as well as the consorts and concubines.
The story contains heartbreaking scenes as well as happy moments, so as to leave you with a good feeling after each storyline.

All over all, this is more than just worth watching.

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I have this weird love-hate with this series. Despite its flaws, it’s still one of the better palace intrigue stories out there. So I put it on my “guilty pleasure list” and endure the bad for the sake of the good.

To start with the good, this has all the elements of the addictive story. You see many nasty palace denizens plotting against our heroine, Wei Yingluo. Just when you think Yingluo is trapped, she turns the table on her enemies and knocks them down ten notches. It’s very gratifying to watch, especially when it cycles along at a steady pace, using a formula that feeds into the addiction center of our brains.

The near fatal flaw with this series is its absurdity. Case in point, Yingluo exacts revenge on a consort by throwing molten iron on her. Someone else adds fecal water to the iron so it will infect her wounds, ensuring to a slow and painful death. Since bacteria could not possibly survive in molten metal (a thousand plus degrees temperature here), the entire scheme is ridiculous. Equally ridiculous is the lighting rod scheme that struck the right person at exactly the right time. These are the kind of things that defy logic and insult the viewers’ intelligence. But we can still enjoy the show, as long as we accept it for what it is: mindless entertainment.

Years from now, people will still remember the show for its costumes. The muted color palette is very pleasing to the eyes. The traditional kingfisher feathers, velvet flowers, and the embroideries are beyond beautiful. The designers create a very distinctive look and authentic feel that sets this far apart from any other Qing era series. The set pieces are luxurious, too, although some of the rooms look sterile and not lived-in.

Notable performances are from Qin Lan and Charmaine Sheh. Qin Lan has depth as the gentle, virtuous empress who is actually broken on the inside. Charmaine is a master at facial expressions and the slightest shift in her smile alone can convey so many different emotions. Her Xian Fei is technically the main villain, but she is extremely sympathetic. I find myself rooting for her half the time, simply because life is cruel to her and she has to be cruel to survive.

The weakest link here is our leading lady, Wu Jinyan. She is given an interesting character, one that is clever and loyal, but with a ruthless streak. She comes across as this reckless girl who shows an attitude to her masters and pushes the boundaries of rules and etiquettes. In the strict Forbidden Palace, this attitude would get her killed a thousand times over. I have a hard time believing she’s that lucky or smart enough get away with it every time. Wu herself doesn’t have much range or subtlety to her acting. When she tries to act playful, it comes off as stilted. Worse, she has “dead fish eyes,” eyes that are large but mostly expressionless. However, she does look unique in period clothing and seems to have potential. Charmaine was awful in her first series, too, and look how far she came now.

The men’s acting are fine, nothing memorable in a story dominated by women. Fu Heng is your stereotypical second male lead who loves our heroine devotedly and unconditionally, as if there are no other good woman in the world. I’m glad they didn’t make Qian Long a jerk or a fool easily manipulated by his wives.

So after watching so many women fighting over one guy, we have to ask: which of his wives does Qian Long really love? No one, I suppose. As Qian Long himself said, his father trained him to be good ruler, and a good ruler cannot rule with his heart. He was raised not to care much about any woman. That’s why he greatly favors Yingluo, because she is the only wife who does not demand his love. She puts no pressure on him and does her best to amuse him. She asks only for gifts and favors - things at are easy for him to give. Does that cheapen their relationship? No, because there is real affection there. For Yingluo, the emperor represents the practical, while Fu Heng represents the ideal. You can marry a Qian Long, but good luck finding a Fu Heng in real life. That man only exists in dreams.

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a piece of art

An extraordianary drama, an absolute must-watch. The actors give an outstanding performance, even the samaller side characters. The main leads are perfect for and in their roles. Kudos to the screen writer Zhou Mo, who succeeded in showing the roles and fates of women in this era. Their only purpose to serve the family and the system put up by men, to give birth to continue the bloddline, to be obidient, to behave undoubtedly chaste in general and at the same time be alluring to their spouse, who normally has been chosen for her. The same chackles of the system apply to men who have more freedom but still cannot overcome the pressure of the society. The actors spoil the audience with breathtaking expressions of their feelings and the main leads are owning their characters to perfectness. The directors supply us with beatiful takes and scenery, the costumes are splendid. Although being a source of heartbreak for the audience it was an absolute joy to view this performance. KUDOS

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Sets a high bar for Chinese historical dramas

After watching Nirvana in Fire (which was really great, I still hold upon my review for this show), this drama was what was the most recommened follow up to watch within the same genre. And when I read its synopsis of having a revenge story in a historical setting, I was already hooked. Initially, I watched this for its revenge plot, not knowing what lied ahead.

Chinese FLs tend to be meek, submissive, overtly cute-sy, just a typical Cinderella complex type of character. This is what was on my mind prior to watching this drama. After all, this was based on what I read while scrolling in this review site. It was also one of the reasons why I avoided Chinese dramas for so long. However, Wei Yingluo was the totally opposite of what was mentioned. She came to the Forbidden City with an identity, and remained there still with her identity intact. She didn't allowed the behemoth number of obstacles to fail her mission. She was smart, cunning, cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Genius is a gross understatement for her character.

What I also loved about this drama is its pacing and plot development. The numerous conflicts in the royal harem all throughout its 70-episode run, on paper, could've been boring since it was formulaic at times, but the execution were done really well. There wasn't any deux ex machina involved and the plot twists, were realistic in that a smart person could figure it out, and Yingluo is one such smart person, so... Intriguing is a gross understatement for the story's pacing.

Furthermore, the characters were really fleshed out. One special mention would be Royal Consort Gao, who was as villanous as one can be. But in depth, there was a reason why she was who she was. Her characterization was really thought out well, and she is someone who I will not forget anytime soon. Interesting is a gross understatement for the characters.

Production-wise, this was really one of the better Chinese productions and is comparable to Korean high-budgeted dramas. Its technical aspects (cinematography, lighting, camerawork, music) were aesthetically-pleasing, and enough for a drama. The CGI was actually very decent. But one aspect that I really commend was the wardrobe. It was just divine to watch, and was really able to capture the essence of Qing dynasty fashion. Qing dynasty was not the best among the Chinese dynasties fashion-wise, but this show represented its best attributes very well. It was just ethereal and magnetic in the eyes, except the men hairstyles.

My slight criticism for this drama is that it wasn't able to maintain the intense tension for its last episode. It was still cleverly written since it circled back to the reason why Yingluo entered the Forbidden City in the first place. But, it could've been more impactful, which was what I was expecting. Nevertheless, the ending was still very great, wonderful even.

This show solidified my awe and admiration for Chinese historical dramas. They are as straightforward as they can be. No unneccessary back stories, and focuses on the present dilemmas. There are a plenty of royal shenanigans and betrayals, which is a staple for this genre. Story of Yanxi Palace, for one, sets a high bar for Chinese historical dramas.

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A Must Watch!!!

This drama definitely exceeded my expectations and I cannot stop recommending this drama to my friends and family to watch. Everyone I recommended this drama to loved it just as much as I do and this is definitely a must watch drama. Every episode has juicy scenes that keep you wanting more and more of the drama. The music is amazing and even after the drama ended it is still on my playlist to listen to. FL Wei Ying Luo fits the role so well! She is a badass FL and loved how sassy and strong she is. I highly recommend this drama to anyone who is looking for a good mix of comedy + romance. To prove how good this drama is, I am already on my 3rd time rewatching it this year! Do not miss out and watch this right now!

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Gorgeous sets and costumes!!

Not a fan of this period of time in China as the costumes are not not flowy like in wuxia dramas and cannot appreciate the half bald hairdo for the men and finger accessory for the women BUT

The story was engaging, the sets evoked grandeur and costumes were richly embroidered.

As this was my introduction to palace drama, I was not put off by all the back stabbing and plotting that happened at every turn. It was intriguing to watch all the events unfold as I empathised with all the women having to “share” one husband. I am glad I do not live in those times.

Yingluo was an exceptionally written character. She was placed in many different situations and through it all, her quick wit saved her and those she cared for.

If you only want to watch just one palace drama, this should be the one.

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Truly worth the hype!

I watched this drama because I heard so much buzz around it and finally gave it a chance to see if it was worth the hype. And I will say yes it absolutely is worth it. This is one of the few dramas that I find to be timeless. The production is flawless and the set/costumes are one of the most accurate depictions of the Qing harem I've ever seen. Not only is the set true to its times (and shows that the set/props and costuming team really did their research), the actual plot and storyline also holds up. It's all around a really quality drama.

I also like that this drama is a lot more face paced than your typical historical cdrama and has multiple plot lines to keep you interested in Yingluo's growth throughout the years. Although Yingluo is the main FL, I am actually most invested and most impressed by the development and performance of Charmaine Sheh's character (Hoifa-nara Shushen). Her character development was perfect and Charmaine Sheh's performance was top notch. She really brought her to life.

I also loved the depiction of the different types of love that Yingluo has around her and can understand her actions at every turn.

The only critique I have of this drama is the lack of chemistry between Yingluo and Fuheng. I personally don't feel the chemistry between them and was not invested in their plot nearly as much as the other plots even though that was supposed to be a big part of the story. I think that Wu Jingyan and Xu Kai can improve in their acting/chemistry. But overall it still delivered the point and drove home their story.

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For The Romantics: A Story For The Century

I have watched and rewatched this drama multiple times, and it feels unfair that I haven't write something to express my appreciation for this masterpiece. I just loved this, so much, for many reasons. This is an essay, a whole page, if you will, but bear with me.

Palace politics are one thing. The governmental affairs were there, but are seemingly almost insignificant in this drama, compared to how fiery the dealings of the inner palace is. The intrigues and the schemes of the concubines, palace servants and attendings, all of them served the fast-paced conflict that are somehow satisfyingly always get resolved in time, yet only to lead to another conflict, resolved, get to another, and so on, like a meal constantly served on a conveyor-belt, the itty bitty delicious piece, and you will always reaching for more.

Wei Yingluo, our protagonist, stood in the middle of this story. She carried the grief of her sister's death in her heart, and entered the palace to search for the truth. Throughout this story, she remained steadfast on her path, not once steering away or forgetting what she's in there for. I loved how we got to see her journey, from the very first time she entered the palace to her climbing the ranks, and what a fulfilling journey it was.

In this drama, what I most loved, was the delicate, yet astoundingly clear and vibrant the romance is between our leads.
Emperor Qianlong from the start was shown as an emperor with a lot of concubines, and the Empress as a rightful wife. The concubines selection was literally showed from the very first episode, the same time Wei Yingluo entered the palace.
Although he had a lot of concubines, the Emperor, deep down, only wanted a true connection, someone he can share his life with, someone he can share his thoughts and feelings with, someone to simply sits and just be, and keeps him company in the palace. Yet what he always got were concubines who always something from him, wanting him to do something, to say something, to give them something. So every time, he returned to his Empress' palace, the only palace he was shown kindness and peace and love. However as an Empress', she was bound by rules and obligations, and thus, her love was respectful, and somewhat prim, and proper. She could not sit down with him for a meal, she could not joke and dance with him for a fun time, she could not freely laugh or do something with him without fearing of overstepping her boundaries as an Empress. So no matter how the Emperor seek for those connection, he could only be satisfied with sitting alone with meals, his Empress standing near, he can't hold her hands in public, can't show too much affection to her because as an Empress she must share the Emperor's favor with the concubines, and so on and so forth.

But when the Emperor met Wei Yingluo, from the very first time they met, a connection was felt. Not love, not yet, but a true connection nonetheless. Because for the first time, there was someone who dared to talk back to an Emperor, to tell a bold lie so absurdly to the face of an Emperor, yet he didn't realize he was fooled, that he had played into by her hands until after a moment later. The first time someone played game with him, and teased him, and first time he felt an annoying feeling with someone that made him feel intrigued and curious, to the point of him searching an entire palace just to find a voice he heard once, that he couldn't forget until later. The connection then started to grow, when Wei Yingluo moved to the Empress' palace as her maid, and met the Emperor more often. She was pretty, bold, smart and intelligent, full of ideas, kind and loving, yet sharp and tactful, and the more the Emperor saw her, saw her caring for the Empress, the more curious and interested he became, and seeing her more eventually changed the annoying feeling of being fooled with, to an annoying feeling of meeting someone who wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, the Emperor. The only thing Wei Yingluo wanted from the Emperor then was to care for the Empress, and aside from that, there was nothing else. Other people were vying for his attention and favor but this one lady treated him like he was someone out of the equation.

I loved this part. As an Emperor, this was where his feelings, his pride, was poked and prodded, and he was being annoyed on his own, by his own thoughts and feelings, and the responsible lady was always out of his reach, seemingly not shaken at all, standing still and straight as she always was, and he was constantly fueled by anger for her because of that. The Empress, thought Wei Yingluo was too sharp and prickly, and so she always shielded her and asked for forgiveness on her behalf. But separating hate and love are a tricky thing, and when both Emperor and Empress realized it, it was like a tilt in the axis, for the both of them, like a mountain fog finally clearing to the end of a cliff, overseeing a green and lush meadow. The Empress knew Wei Yingluo had a free spirit, a pure heart and wanted her away from the inner palace to be with someone she could love freely. But fate had its own way of messing with people, even after sending her away. The Emperor also still had her in the tiny voice in his head, in a place in his heart he kept hidden, still wanted her to come to him, to ask for him. For help, for a favor, anything. Yet even after pushed to the brink, her heart broken, her body broken, her mind messed with, Wei Yingluo remained steadfast, fighting against the obstacles by herself and upheld justice for herself, while remained kind and loving to the people she cherished.

When Wei Yingluo finally entered the ranks, it was when the connection slowly started to grow again. Wei Yingluo was a mastermind, a cunning schemer and a ruthless hunter with a prey in mind. She laid out a chess match and moved the pieces slowly bit by bit, and in the middle of her game, was the Emperor as her king. She had learned that for achieving her truth, she needed to find someone powerful enough to be her protector, and that was the Emperor. With Wei Yingluo, it was an entirely different world for the Emperor. There was this lady who once annoyed him to no end and didn't actually paid him any mind, now spent a lot of time with him, teased and played with him, entertained him, sat with him with meals and picked food for him, hugged him when she's happy, pushed him away when she's upset, laughed and made ridiculous and bold jokes with him, made him yearn and made him feel a lot of things, the kind of connection he couldn't find in anybody else. As a concubine, Wei Yingluo was playful and funny in all the right places, and with the right people. She earned favor like it was breathing, proceeded to lose it, got it back, lose it again, and got it back again. It's like the palace was her playground and the Emperor was always playing with her, and doting on her. Throughout the story, the couple grew closer as they overcame obstacles and eventually be with each other.

I loved how different the dynamics between the couples.
Wei Yingluo with Fuca Fuheng had the kind of pure love, the kittenish like-first love type where their youth shined. He knew her desire for revenge and her suspicion of him, and yet despite of that, he loved her still, and treated her with kindness. Fuca Fuheng is an idealistic man, loyal at fault and naturally warm, like his sister. His love for Yingluo was like a cup of tea, like a warm hearth that felt comfortable. Until the end, he remained the same and always protected her in his own way.
Wei Yingluo with the Emperor were like two individual predators initially circling around each other, one cold, one fiery, sharp paws against each other. The Emperor knew her cunning and ruthless ways, knew her kind heart and accepted both sides of her. Eventhough he was an Emperor, but it was like Wei Yingluo stood on equal ground with him, and she wielded his love for her like a sword to protect herself. I love that for her.

This drama was an enjoyable watch that kept me on my seat and craving for more, not wanting it to end. Everything was done perfectly, story, props, colors and lights, cinematography and framing, all of them are very pleasing to my eyes. Everytime I rewatched it the sparks were still the same, and despite all the conflicts, I would say this is a light watch, like a soap-opera, if you will. I think I would still come back to rewatch it again in the future.

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