The Legend of Mi Yue


The Legend of Mi Yue is a 2015 Chinese television series directed by Zheng Xiaolong and based on Jiang Shengnan's eponymous historical novel. It stars Sun Li in the title role of Mi Yue. The series aired 2 episodes daily on Beijing TV and Dragon TV from 30 November 2015 to 9 January 2016.

Synopsis

This is the story of Mi Yue, the first stateswoman in the history of China. Mi Yue was a young princess who lived in the Kingdom of Chu during the Warring States period. Her childhood was not peaceful, after witnessing her mother falling into the schemes of the Queen of Chu. Yet, she was on good relations with her sister Mi Shu, and her father, King Wei. She was eventually sent to Qin as a concubine and part of her sister Mi Shu's dowry, separating her from Huang Xie, her first love. Mi Yue gains the favor of King Ying Si and gives birth to a son named Ying Ji. This leads to the jealousy of her sister, Mi Shu, Wei Yan, the queen, and other concubines.
After King Ying Si, passes away, Ying Dang, becomes his successor. Mi Yue is sent as an ambassador to Yan with her son Ying Ji. However, Ying Dang suddenly dies after lifting weights, leaving Qin in a state of chaos where King Ying Si's sons are battling for the throne. Mi Yue enlists the help of the "barbarian" Yiqu army, successfully returning to Qin, suppressing political revolts and instates her son Ying Ji on the throne. Mi Yue goes on to become the first Empress Dowager , in China's history.

Cast

Main

Chu

Filming started on September 6, 2014 and ended on 29 January 2015. The television series took place in Inner Mongolia, Zhuzhou, Beijing Expo Park, Xiangshan, and Hengdian World Studios.

Soundtrack

The series initially attracted attention due to its predecessor, Empresses in the Palace, which is also directed by Zheng Xiaolong and stars Sun Li. During its broadcast, it attained high ratings and over 20 billion views online. However, the series did not receive the same critical acclaim and only has a Douban score of 5.5/10. Viewers feel that the plot of Mi Yue, which involves court intrigue between queens and concubines, was no longer fresh. The series has also been criticized for historical inaccuracies, plot and production quality.

Controversy

The production team of the series sued Jiang Shengnan, a scriptwriter on the show, for violating her contract. Jiang had published her novel, a 7,000-character section of The Legend of Mi Yue, online in August 2015 before the series aired. Jiang was dissatisfied with the production team for not recognizing her contributions to the show. The Beijing Chaoyang District Court ruled in favor of the production team. This sparked a discussion about authors writing scripts for adaptations on screen in China.

Ratings

Awards and nominations

Broadcast

International broadcast
ChannellocationBroadcast dateRemark
KSCI LA18 TVLos Angeles USAMarch 2, 2016Monday to Friday 19:00 - 20:00
Astro Quan Jia HDMalaysiaFebruary 1, 2016Mon-fri 19:00
Jia Le ChannelSingaporeMarch 24, 2016Mon-Fri 22:00
CTS Main ChannelTaiwanApril 4, 2016Mon-fri 20:00-22:00
Oh!KSingapore,
Malaysia
Indonesia,
Philippines,
Thailand,
Hong Kong		Coming SoonWed-Fri 18:00-19:50