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I take my hat off. Ten out of ten feels far too little. Brilliant.
Watching *This Thriving Land* feels like stepping out of a warm shower and plunging into the deep, cold waters of a lake.
So often we are immersed in the polished, ornamental worlds of most C- or K-dramas. Here, however, we are struck by the raw and unadorned presence of characters—beautiful in the plain fullness of life in an agricultural land of the 1920s and 1930s.
The story begins in 1986 with Madam Xiu Xiu, recalling a past that started in the fifteenth year of the Chinese Republic (1926). On what should have been the happiest day of her life—her marriage to her childhood sweetheart, Fei WenDian—Xiu Xiu, daughter of a wealthy farmer and landowner, is kidnapped by bandits. Her father, Ning Xue Xiang, unwilling to ransom her at the cost of his fields, offers his younger daughter in marriage to Fei WenDian, hoping to buy time.
Deceived by his sister-in-law, another wealthy landowner, and misled by his bride’s father who withholds the truth, Fei WenDian ends up marrying Su Su, for whom he has no affection.
On the verge of disgrace, Xiu Xiu is rescued by DaJiao, a childhood friend who, unknown to her, has long harbored a quiet love. Shattered by her father’s betrayal and abandoned by relatives and her former fiancé’s family, Xiu Xiu consents to a hastily arranged marriage with DaJiao. She cuts all ties with her family and vows never to forgive her father’s lack of love.
So begins her saga of life in the countryside. Coming from wealth, she now faces poverty, hardship, and the harshness of tenant farming. Yet in this unforgiving world of hunger and toil, she also discovers the strength of friendship, the gentleness of a companion, and the profound love for the land itself.
Some viewers may find the story slow at times. But the richness of detail, the careful construction of the characters, and the depth of their intertwined lives deserved to be told fully. To shorten it would have been to diminish its power.
Across more than fifty years of reminiscences, Xiu Xiu carries us through China’s cultural and political transformation—from the Republican era to a Communist society.
Through economic crises, the Japanese invasion, cultural clashes, generational conflicts, personal sacrifices, hunger, grief, and natural disasters, the drama reveals countless changes. Minds shift, forgiveness takes root, lives are born and lost, and the cycle continues.
Among the countless Chinese dramas produced every year, *This Thriving Land* stands out. For me, it is a strong contender for the 2025 awards, meeting every requirement with ease.
A cohesive script, strong direction, brilliant performances, magnificent cinematography, and flawless makeup. The entire cast was excellent, but my special admiration goes to the senior actors—Ni Da Hong as Ning Xue Xiang, Xiu Xiu’s father, and Lin Yong Jian as Feng Er, DaJiao’s father—both of whom were extraordinary.
This is a drama filled with emotion, with a powerful beginning, a compelling middle, and a transformative ending. It moved me deeply at every step.
I discovered it almost by chance, while reading about another show, and learned that *This Thriving Land* was the most-watched drama in China. I found it fascinating that some stories can be so beloved at home and yet remain almost unpublicized abroad. Perhaps some works are so intimately woven into the fabric of a people that they are kept close, like a treasure of the heart.
Still, the world deserves to see this other side of China.
I must admit, my own perspective changed. I carry a new kind of affection after watching it.
It is not a casual drama, nor is it for everyone. But it is necessary for life. It gives new meaning to everything.
I take my hat off. Ten out of ten feels far too little. Brilliant.
So often we are immersed in the polished, ornamental worlds of most C- or K-dramas. Here, however, we are struck by the raw and unadorned presence of characters—beautiful in the plain fullness of life in an agricultural land of the 1920s and 1930s.
The story begins in 1986 with Madam Xiu Xiu, recalling a past that started in the fifteenth year of the Chinese Republic (1926). On what should have been the happiest day of her life—her marriage to her childhood sweetheart, Fei WenDian—Xiu Xiu, daughter of a wealthy farmer and landowner, is kidnapped by bandits. Her father, Ning Xue Xiang, unwilling to ransom her at the cost of his fields, offers his younger daughter in marriage to Fei WenDian, hoping to buy time.
Deceived by his sister-in-law, another wealthy landowner, and misled by his bride’s father who withholds the truth, Fei WenDian ends up marrying Su Su, for whom he has no affection.
On the verge of disgrace, Xiu Xiu is rescued by DaJiao, a childhood friend who, unknown to her, has long harbored a quiet love. Shattered by her father’s betrayal and abandoned by relatives and her former fiancé’s family, Xiu Xiu consents to a hastily arranged marriage with DaJiao. She cuts all ties with her family and vows never to forgive her father’s lack of love.
So begins her saga of life in the countryside. Coming from wealth, she now faces poverty, hardship, and the harshness of tenant farming. Yet in this unforgiving world of hunger and toil, she also discovers the strength of friendship, the gentleness of a companion, and the profound love for the land itself.
Some viewers may find the story slow at times. But the richness of detail, the careful construction of the characters, and the depth of their intertwined lives deserved to be told fully. To shorten it would have been to diminish its power.
Across more than fifty years of reminiscences, Xiu Xiu carries us through China’s cultural and political transformation—from the Republican era to a Communist society.
Through economic crises, the Japanese invasion, cultural clashes, generational conflicts, personal sacrifices, hunger, grief, and natural disasters, the drama reveals countless changes. Minds shift, forgiveness takes root, lives are born and lost, and the cycle continues.
Among the countless Chinese dramas produced every year, *This Thriving Land* stands out. For me, it is a strong contender for the 2025 awards, meeting every requirement with ease.
A cohesive script, strong direction, brilliant performances, magnificent cinematography, and flawless makeup. The entire cast was excellent, but my special admiration goes to the senior actors—Ni Da Hong as Ning Xue Xiang, Xiu Xiu’s father, and Lin Yong Jian as Feng Er, DaJiao’s father—both of whom were extraordinary.
This is a drama filled with emotion, with a powerful beginning, a compelling middle, and a transformative ending. It moved me deeply at every step.
I discovered it almost by chance, while reading about another show, and learned that *This Thriving Land* was the most-watched drama in China. I found it fascinating that some stories can be so beloved at home and yet remain almost unpublicized abroad. Perhaps some works are so intimately woven into the fabric of a people that they are kept close, like a treasure of the heart.
Still, the world deserves to see this other side of China.
I must admit, my own perspective changed. I carry a new kind of affection after watching it.
It is not a casual drama, nor is it for everyone. But it is necessary for life. It gives new meaning to everything.
I take my hat off. Ten out of ten feels far too little. Brilliant.
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