User reviews

It's not about scheming. It's about love, so don't expect anything, okay?

The biggest advantage is that the clothes are beautiful and the characters are beautiful.

But the story logic is terrible. Don't compare her to historical figures, really.

What i conclude in this drama

-you can try your very hard, but you cant change your fate. -dont messed with a pregnant women, a mother. -people change -greed, jealousy, over-love can kill. -you can have everything at the same time you lose something else. -you cant judge people's past as youre not even there to understand their situation.

last, kudos to the scriptwriter,producer and everyone behind this drama. you educate people to seek for different perspective. as the actual history review that this empress were very ruthless, but you tend to show us 'what if thats not what really happen back then?'

Let me start with what is good. The large budget can be seen in dazzling. colourful, costumes and sets. The slow pacing, in principle, allows the story to proceed unhurried and in detail. The acting is good, the actors seem committed to their characters. With this good foundation, you could be hopeful for a good presentation of the life of Wu Zeitan/ Wu Mei Niang. Unfortunately, it doesn't turn out that way.

The problem starts with the main character. Her life was interesting, dramatic, scandalous and unique as it was. There is little need to expand and fictionalize it. But that is what we get. Events are altered or simply invented which have her literally all over the place and in an overly sympathetic light. The life of characters around her are also twisted around to the point that history and pure fiction are ruthlessly mixed to an absurd point. Given the reliance on fiction, it is small wonder that the story becomes disjointed, almost incoherent at times.

They could have stayed closer to history, placing more time and emphasis on her later life and produced a far more satisfying and true story. As I said earlier. her real life is a great story. There is no need to mess around with it to get a marketable and dramatic story.

Credulity is further strained in the inevitable combat scenes. These are poorly done in terms of realism and contain the inevitable skilled-warrior-as-super-hero scenes that plague so many Chinese productions. Things get quite RIDICULOUS in this area and one is thankful when the combat scenes end and the intrigue starts up again. Insult is added to injury here when, despite the huge budget, the military costumes used cheap plastic. In comparison to the other, excellent costumes, the contrast is glaring. One would have hoped that with the large budget some credible looking armour, helmets, etc could have been used for the close-ups.

Wow I just love this C drama! I first watched it a few years ago and recently I fancied watching it again. Firstly if you like palace intrigue then this is the show for you. Lots of plots and twists. Every episode is entertaining. I haven't skipped any on my second watch. I love Fan Bingbing. Her acting skills are amazing and she is just unforgettable. Love the storyline.. some complain that it's not a true representation of Empress Wu's life but this is a masterpiece of an idea, it's a creation of a story and it delivers! I will leave it another few years and watch it again. The cinematography is amazing and the costumes are something else.

A very satisfying Cdrama....

This show might be a little complicated at first because it's a historical drama with many characters and some clans but gradually you will get used to it. I like the character development of the main character Wu Mei Niang. At first when she enters the palace she is chatty, very naïve, youthful and always helping people but then we see a powerful aggressive side to her. Fan Bing Bing is looking totally stunning, also i love the actress who played Xu Hui.

This drama doesn't fail to impress me. Beautiful soundtrack, awesome actors and expensive and stunning costumes. Everything is nice. Some may argue that the relationship between Li Zhi and Mei Niang is weird but i disagree. At that time it was normal. Anyway I love the actor who plays Mei Niang. She is pretty.