Pursuit of Jade

Second lead couple total Fire and passion

I did try to like this one but the story was lacking. Let me start with the good:

1. Amazing, simply smashingly amazing love story between the second lead couple
2. Love the villain and his acting, and again the whole second lead story. The chemistry was through the roof, acting was top notch, it was worth watching only for them ( similar situation to My Journey to you, Fated hearts), where the second leads stole the show and the first lead was so boring
3. Ok, even if I want to talk again about the acting and second leads I will leave it here and say a few words about the first lead female - she was so so good and convincing in her fighting skills that I was like, finally a woman that has great fighting, acting and belivable aura as a general/fighter
4. Well, the first male lead was very boring, could not see him as smart or an amazing fighter or anything extraordinary. I know people mentioned that the novel was not like that and they did him dirty ( i have not read the novel) but I am willign to beleive they altered his characer badly. It is not the actor's fault for sure as he has seen him in the Story of Cunning Palace and how amazing he was there but I guess he could not show his potential. Also, by watching Cunning Palace I believed the rumours about dating Bai Lu because their chemistry was insane
5. High budget, good OST
6 And amazing second lead villain. Yes, I had to say it again :D

Now the bad:

I will not get into details but the story was lacking . This had to potentila to be at least 80 episodes. 40 was not enough
The othing about first male lead I already mentioned above so no point mentioning it again

Read More

A very good series,

in which all the characters had their own past, logic, character, and they were all very well used. I also liked the last episode, which offered several different options. Overall, it is well thought out, funny, and at the same time rough and cruel. The series has a really beautiful visual aspect, costumes, and environment. In places, it looks like something out of a fairy tale. There is the right amount of humor, action, and tension and sparks between the characters. Of course, they take their time, but that doesn't matter. Although I sometimes enjoyed the relationships of the secondary couples more than the main one. Especially during the period of various campaigns. But overall, it is an eye-pleasing and undemanding spectacle that I really enjoyed.

Read More

Pleasing to the eye while warming your heart

I'd say, a warm, action packed, straight forward drama. Pursuit of Jade is one of those dramas that gives you comfort from knowing it's going to be a happy ending while growing on you before you know. From the story to the cast to the music - sweet, heartwarming.

The story nor the characters are complicated. As someone who hasn't read the novel, I think they did fine with the pacing, except for some problems here and there, notably the ending. I honestly worried it would be a mess hearing all the comments of how it spent too much time on the village arc and all. But it didn't feel like a problem to me. I felt fine about it. I did worry of the ending though. The pace they were going, I felt 2 more episodes would have been better. Action scenes were undoubtedly fabulous. Especially, ones of the Marquis. Just plain looks and slow motion, but they were so close to perfection! I kept rewinding and rewatching the beauty, bless my eyes 😍

Main plot problems I felt were - one, when Sui Yuanhuai was introduced, they completely shifted from Changyu and Zheng to the other couple, almost as if, we were done with those two. I got reminded of Thai BLs were there are multiple couples. I really wanted to know what the leads were up to, because there wasn't enough screen time for them. Thankfully, that didn't happen with the counselor-princess pair's storyline. Second, after a certain bit, Wei Yan and the other court officials were completely missing for a good, long time. Like, they were supposed to be the bad guys right? Then why all of a sudden, there aren't any updates of them? Especially where we leave them, I actually expected a new chaos to rise, but these people disappeared altogether, forget planning a trap. Third I'd say, Sui Yuanqing; they should have just ended the guy's role earlier. The entire getting caught, escaping/releasing then getting caught again, nah. That went on for too long. The ending of that character was good though brutal. That was done well. Then yes, obviously, the ending battle. Not satisfying at all. The ending definitely could have been better, especially the fight scenes. It could have at least lasted an entire episode but they just wrapped it up quickly. Other than that, all that mystery solving too, it was just pinned on one person and that's it. It felt like they wanted to give each character a story of their own to justify the character. But there wasn't a weight to that; it was hollow. Characters were well written but they could have been a bit more complex. Don't know if it's the same in the novel or just the drama. Finally, arrangement of scenes could have been better. At times, it cut the flow.

But two emotional scenes were there that really touched me. One was when Changyu realises her father is Wei Qilin. That really made my heart feel heavy. It was done really well. I could feel the fear, the refusal to accept and the helplessness. And second, the ending of Wei Yan. Woah! I honestly always had a soft spot for that character 🫠 I kept believing he wasn't entirely a bad guy, you know, the typical villain. So finally, when I was proven right, it just added. The nostalgia and him imagining a last meal with Zheng, yah, it brought tears to my eyes. He did truly love his nephew.

Cast was DEFINITELY amazing! The main leads - Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei, just make sense. The fact that Fan Changyu is just 19 and the actress actually looks youthful, really thankful for that. Had it been someone who obviously doesn't look like a 19 year old, it would have been real pathetic.
Tian Xiwei! God! I LOVED HER! She's got this adorable smile and pretty face yet she's no where near being fragile. Fan Changyu is one of the best female characters I've come across. True fem power! Xiwei's acting is awesome. She really warms your heart. I could find myself swooning over her every now and then, smiling and being whipped for her 😭 Then OBVIOUSLY! The talk of the town, the one who flooded my fyp page the moment the drama dropped. THE Marquis of Wu'an (Wu'an Hou 🥹) ! Bless whoever decided him for the role! Because GOSHHHH!!! IS HE NOT PERFECTION??? My LORD THE VISUALS! Broo, this is honestly the closest to heaven we can get! He's just a walking General of this era! Not just beauty, his acting skills are applaudable too. He's a beauty with talent. The role of Xie Zheng (who for the most part is Yan Zheng) is another green flag. Loved the fact that he never once doubted on the fact that he loved her.

The chemistry between the two is REALLY good. The characters were also written that way I think. That no matter what, they were the same people with similar interests, so ultimately, they couldn't be on opposite teams for long. And that was well portrayed by the actor and actress. Loved this power couple!

Side characters were also very good. Really attached to the villagers. The counselor (played by Li Qing) and the grand tutor Tao (played by Li Jianyi) 😂 Fun characters! Favorites of mine. As for Qianqian and Yuanhuai (Qi Min) - as someone who doesn't like toxic relationships in general, it wouldn't be my favorite pair anyway, but even then, the story wasn't good enough to stand a chance too. If the story and characters had more depth, it would have been better. I personally didn't like their side of the story. But the acting? REALLY GOOD! Deng Kai and Kong Xueer did it really well! Especially Deng Kai. Then of course, the pig butcher squad. Very sad Mandi couldn't make it 😭 He was such an adorable character. I really value the genuinley good characters around the leads and they were honestly surrounded by such healthy people on a whole. Mr. And Mrs. Zhao too. Yan Yikuan as Wei Yan was one of my other favourites. And special mentions to the child actors - Cao Yanning and Wu Jiajun. Fantastic!

Music was another big leverage of this drama. My favorite is 'I Searched For Him A Thousand Times in the Crowd'. This was the first drama where I loved and learnt the OST before watching the show 😂 The background audio effects gave a punch whenever and wherever necessary, adding to the drama.

Rewatch wise, yes. I would rewatch this. Not only to understand a bit more, but also because, it grew on me before I knew. And now, I need to visit this friend every once in a while. Another watch without skips is guaranteed.

Overall, I really want to thank the director Zeng Qingjie for bringing this story to life. It would seriously be sad if this drama didn't exist, at the very least for the eye. So visually pleasing, truly! The set, the shots and the cast (ㅠㅡㅠ)
Love you Zhu Yu and I hope I can read the novel someday!

Read More

Very easy watch

I love these kind of drama's. Beautiful people, striking landscapes, exciting fight scenes. Yes please!

This drama has all that, paired with a slow-burn brimming with chemistry romance of an out-of-the-ordinary couple.

I loved everything about it. Until the marquis' identity is revealed to Changyu. Up until then we have been watching a quirky, female empowering story. But suddenly we are in a standard historical cdrama. Court shenanigans, poisonings, marriage stuff. It's still good, but the edge and grit are gone.

The story has to rely on far-fetched coincidences, shock value and comic relief to stay on track. Bummer!

The fact that for reasons of censorship the face of the actor playing Song Yan has been replaced and we have an actor credited for 'body only' and 'face only' is a damn shame. Shame! Ziyu deserves so much better. And we as viewers deserve better.

The first half of the drama is a solid 10. The rest is just above average.

Read More

Not perfect, but definitely worth watching

My opinion and feedback are totally subjective, and considering the huge fan following Pursuit of Jade has amassed, I hope I don’t offend the hardcore fans of the show. The 9.1 rating on My Drama List became one of the deciding factors to watch Pursuit of Jade, besides the cast. I had not watched any of Zhang Linghe’s shows before Pursuit, so I had no idea about his acting skills, but the actress is a known one (watched and loved her a lot in New Life Begins).

The story is not very unique. It has all the elements that a period drama is expected to have: a hero/heroine in distress, seeking revenge, a royal house planning and plotting, and a dark past that clearly affects many lives in the present. Nevertheless, it’s the screenplay that determines how the story unfolds and characters progress. Pursuit of Jade does a really good job in this area. Characters evolve and grow (at least most of them do). The subplots and the supporting cast have done a great job as well. The music is not exceptionally great, but worth remembering. Besides the romantic numbers, there are a few exhilarating pieces that blend well with the storyline.

The actors: Pursuit of Jade is full of great-looking actors. The whole Zhang Linghe beauty admiration doesn’t look like hype at all. He surely is a gorgeous-looking man, and not to mention, he looks utterly gorgeous in the traditional Chinese period drama costumes. The wigs have enhanced his looks 10 times; even in that bee sting headgear which he has worn twice during his grand entrance, suits him. The actress is a beauty herself and shines in all the scenes. Even the bad guys of the show are great-looking men. The romantic scenes are shot beautifully, tastefully, and in a truly aesthetic manner. I am glad that Chinese dramas have progressed in that department, where the kissing scenes look real and passionate. Keep up the good work!

Now, a few things that I didn’t like and honestly don't understand. In my opinion, Pursuit of Jade could have been summed up in 32-33 episodes, max 35. There was no need to make it a 40-episode-long show. There were a few dragging subplots and scenes that dragged a bit too long. The part where the FL is separated from her little sister and the ML, is dragged somewhat too long. The scenes consisting of violence and gore were too many. The ML was healing and getting wounded at the same time. The FL was tending to his wounds and nursing him back to health after every 2nd or 3rd episode. It was mentioned in the beginning that the young sister of the FL was ill, and they even tried to show that in one of the scenes where she breathes heavily. That’s all! That was the only time when she was shown to be a bit unwell. The character of the FL’s former fiancée, who later became the intern scholar, was not used to its capacity. There were more possibilities for his character, but in the end, he turns out to be a failed and dejected man who drowns himself in drinking.

No period drama is complete without political conspiracy, and Pursuit of Jade is no exception. I understood very little of why there was so much mess in the royal court, and why the emperor was acting all juvenile and dimwitted. However, I liked the romantic angle between the Grand Princess and Gongsun Yin. There were many other challenges that I came across in keeping up with the plots aside from the Main Lead’s romance (that was definitely easier to get along with and understand).

I may revisit the show sometime and then may understand the parts that I totally missed and didn’t try to understand, as I was more invested in the lead pair’s story.

Read More

Ambitious, heartfelt, beautifully acted — even if the final arc loses the sharpness it promised

Pursuit of Jade is one of the most confidently mounted dramas of the year. The budget shows in every frame: from sweeping battlefields to intimate, character‑driven sets, and even the green‑screened dam destruction later in the story feels like an ambitious swing rather than a shortcut. My great friends Rita, Jennifer and Beez adored it from start to finish, and for most of the run, I was right there with them.

The central OTP between Fan Changyun, the pig‑butcher‑turned‑army commander then general, played with terrific grit and warmth, and the bedevilled Marquis, a man who only ever had eyes for her, is magnetic. Their romance is so strong it demands attention in every episode they are in. One of the show’s emotional anchors is Changyun’s relationship with her little sister Chiming, played by a luminous young actress whose future looks bright. Their bond is tender, protective and beautifully acted.

The second OTP is tragic and brutal, with the heartbreak rooted in the female character being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is a madman. It’s a thread that lingers long after the scenes end. The fourth OTP is equally tragic: both characters are villains, though one ultimately finds redemption. Their arc is messy, compelling and surprisingly emotional, especially in their final moments together. In contrast, the third OTP: the Grand Princess and the Headmaster/army strategist, is a delight, full of wit, ambiguity due to the differences in status but there was a delightful tenderness there.

The Pig Slaughter Squad deserves its own applause. They’re a loyal, chaotic, charming bunch of gangster deadbeats who adore their Flower General, and every scene with them adds humour and heart. The villains across the drama are brutal, sometimes maniacal, and the show handles that darkness with clarity and confidence. My favourite senior actor appears here as the master, the retired Grand Tutor to both leads, and as always, he elevates every frame he’s in.

Where the show falters for me is in the final five or six episodes. What should have been a political tour de force softens into something closer to a limp lettuce, and the wimpy emperor never quite earns the narrative weight the story required. The Chancellor and the current Grand Tutor also undermined the political intrigue the story had developed so strongly in the beginning. Even so, Pursuit of Jade remains one of the better dramas of the year. I’m only flapping my wings a little because the ending didn’t land for me. The journey there is rich, emotional and absolutely worth watching.

Read More

Great budget

The cinematography was amazing. The graphics were super nice. The outfits were super nice and there were some entertaining parts I enjoyed. Everyone really looked their best and was so good looking. I didn’t enjoy the main leads romance as much it was just okay compared to the villain and the side characters love story. There were some really iconic scenes and it was very artistic. I enjoyed the beginning story and all the back stories but the politics got confusing. I liked that they added an alternative ending but it could have been a tad better. The sui brothers really drove the show. Overall a good watch but def not something I’ll think back constantly on.

Read More

A jade of a show!!

So I will begin by saying if there's ever a drama starring Zhang Ling He where anyone thinks the acting or chemistry was bad, it would definitely be the fault of his co-star(s) or the crew, but certainly not his!
ZLH is just the best, he's so good at controlling his expressions & body language he makes you just fall into him without knowing it.

And Tian Xi Wei is able to give off that simple-minded yet sincere & unpretentious vibe, just like in New Life Begins.

POJ is such a well-made drama. The cinematography, costumes, and sets were really nice. The atmosphere in Xigu lane was so refreshing.

The acting was top-notch, even the villains did well. Little Changning was cute, the pig butcher squad hilarious, then there were annoying ones like that Kang granny who ultimately redeemed herself with her sacrifice.

Deng Kai & Snow Kong had about as much screen time as ZLH & TXW, their chemistry was off the charts & they had so many kissy scenes. I actually liked him, even more so as I learned his backstory.

ZLH is such a cutie, hottie, & everything in between 😍😘😍 his kisses 💋💋 give me all the feels!🙊🙈 After that scene with the aphrodisiac, he looked like he could swallow TXW. He's most definitely amongst my top 5 Chinese actors! I love how his characters aren't always all sweet & proper, he harbours a little mischief & even wickedness sometimes😄😄Iike how he & TXW beat up that Song Yan guy, or how he was even jealous & tripped his own son at d end of Story of Kunning Palace 😄😆

POJ sits at the upper echelon of Chinese dramas for me, alongside the likes of FH, POB, SOYP, BIA, SOKP, TD, YYY, & Blossom.

9.0 rating. My only regret is that they didn't show some fights scenes, rather, they just showed the aftermath. Would've been really nice to see more of ZLH's fight scenes.

Read More

Strong cast! ❤️??

Loved the female cast! Not a lot of dramas do strong female characters well and even if they're strong, they always need the male lead to save them. But all female characters had their own thoughts and solved their own problems.
Fan Changyu stayed true to her character and was strong and had her own thoughts, following through with what she wanted. I also loved how Xie Zheng respected her decisions and supported her in what she wanted.
Yu Qian Qian was a very interesting character who did not let others look down on her or mistreat her. I loved her toxic love story, in contrast to the main couple, even if her male co-star was VERY toxic 😂. I was into his look but not his character.
I didn't know how to feel about the grand princess in the beginning, but I came to love her character. She did her best to step out of the constraints that restricted her in order to follow her heart and help with the nation.

For the male cast, what more do I need to say besides 🥵🥵🥵. I was surprised even the uncle was that handsome 😂 Surprisingly, I really liked Sui Yuan Qing. His chemistry with Fan Changyu REALLY stood out to me too. I want them in a drama together 😂

The kids were PHENOMENOL. They acted out their roles so well and I loved their characters very much! I also want another drama about their characters lol.

Negatives:
What made me dock points was due to the ending. The build up was very good but I felt as if the final fight was very meh. Rebellion was very short and the fight was also short with all of them fighting each other at the same time. I also had a big pet peeve, FAN CHANGYU READ THE LETTER IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. Like... that made no sense 😭 She can't even read properly no matter who teaches her. There's no way she learned how to read properly with what little time they had even if the Xie Cheng taught her. That scene really took me out of the story.
Also, what's with the final part of the last episode? They could've just made a special episode out of those scenes instead of cutting the ending short. It felt rushed. I liked it a lot, but it should've been a special episode. I didn't feel satisfied with the ending.
The ending of a drama can make or break a drama for me, no matter how good it is. Sadly, this ending didn't satisfy me. However, I did enjoy the overall plot, guessing who was good or bad, and who was on the Marquis's side.

Read More