This historical drama is top-noch!! Great actors/actresses from leads to support characters, very interesting historical details, solid art direction, rich dialogues, and good balance between love story, action scenes (I will never forget how Yang Jing Lan rushed back to Yizhou to marry Ji Ying Ying) and brocade industry history makes it a treasure among this year dramas . Tang Dinasty border conflicts, the difficulties in establishing Silk Road, focus on working class and slavery , warlords and rich families rebellion against central power, instead of court conspiracies, contribute to create a very unique environment and story line . It is slow paced but there is no pad out episodes, no skip because it is not just one more drama about revenge. Also sadistic and smart villains (Jing Chao acting skills specially shinned on ep.39) makes it very fun and entertaining to watch. Last, it is a delight to see the mutual understanding between Yang Jing Lan and Ji Ying Ying, how they clearly communicate and evolve from allies to lovers without loosing the respect and trust they have for each other. It was not a boring and predictable love story. It is a beautiful love, family, friendship and social story. 10/10!!
As an African I thought of slaves that were taken from Africa to Europe and USA. Though it may have been a long…
Thank you for your comment. As a Brazilian I completely agree with you and glad that we are having more historical dramas focusing on slavery and working class exploitation.
I loved ep36!! Fight and chess scene was pretty good, and the silkworm conversation, all the details about brocade production history, didn't obfuscate the love story between the leads.
I think the FL is being very coherent. Her dream is to rebuild the brocade industry, how can she abandon all the artisans in Nanzhao?! But I still need to watch ep.35 :)
I think this drama is getting better as we head to the end! Ji Ying Ying is trying to protect Yizhou people, Yang Jing Lan is trying to save the day, but both are facing a very sadistic enemy from Nanzhao. This is very Tang Dynansty, rebels and factions threatening from inside the central power, wars at the borders, I liked :)
I am on ep30, and I liked the idea of a business caravan, it brought a little of emotion to the story. Wondering how disputes and conspiracies will unfold since we are heading to the last part of the drama. Although it is fiction, it is nice they show the challenges of brocade commerce, new routes, warlords and rich families in Tang Dynasty, and the oppression against the working class, all this being main reason why I like to watch historical dramas.
It is a drama, not a documentary. Why are people complaining about a 37 years old actress playing the role of a 15 years old girl if it is just fiction?!? Fiction!!! The show has not even started, let's wait!Where does all this conservative and prejudiced agaisnt 30+ actreesses people are coming from?? As the power of acting would depend only on the physical features of an actor/actress!!
That was so sweet!! I have watched hundreds of dramas and I've never cheered for a couple like I do for Dou Zhou and Song Mo.I just want them to be happy, you know?!!
That is it, the fact that the director comes from short length dramas makes a huge difference. The screen player (the same that kept me engaged in Immortal Samsara until its end) also did an amazing job, there is no stupid/wasteful character, they all play their role in the story, even when we (audience) have to let them go. And everyone can see the effort in portraying Ming era with respect. Great drama!! I am happy for ML and FL too!! They are not rocked stars, they have climbed their way step by step. Curious to know what will come next for them.
Ep.20 is pure art!!!