Poster of Zhen Guan
Chang Ge series , or literally The Story of Zhen
Guan.
CCTV-1 will start broadcasting an epic TV drama series set in
the Zhen Guan period (627-649 AD) of the Tang Dynasty on Saturday
evening.
The lengthy Zhen Guan Chang Ge series , or literally
The Story of Zhen Guan, consists of 82 episodes.
CCTV spent 57.4 million yuan acquiring the right to broadcast
the drama, or around 700,000 yuan per episode. Despite the huge
investment, many critics doubt many people will have the patient to
sit through the entire series.
The series presents a fictional account of the progress the
famous Tai Zong emperor Li Shimin accomplished in the construction
and protection of the nation. It also depicts the royal family's
internal struggle for power.
The producer drew freely on his imagination to convey the theme
of national self-esteem and confidence in the series. There is
little historic evidence to support a lot of the developments in
the series, as the producer has freely made up a lot of details to
pad out the plot.
For example, Prince An Kang is barely mentioned in the historic
records, but she plays a prominent role as Tai Zong's favorite
daughter. The more famous princess Gao Yang only appears briefly in
the series. The producer said his vision should not be constrained
by historical fact.?
(CRI January 27, 2007)
