# When Heaven Burns

When Heaven Burns is a 2011 Hong Kong television serial produced by TVB and starring Bowie Lam, Moses Chan, Kenny Wong, Charmaine Sheh and Angela Tong. First revealed during TVB's Sales Presentation 2009 in 2008, filming took place in late 2009 to early 2010, with the first episode airing both in Hong Kong and TVB's overseas affiliates and partners on 21 November 2011. On 27 December 2011, the show was blacklisted by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, making it the first Hong Kong television drama to be censored in Mainland China in more than two decades.
Despite being the second lowest-rated TVB drama of 2011, When Heaven Burns gained a strong cult following online and received critical acclaim in Hong Kong, winning Best Drama at the 2012 TVB Anniversary Awards.

## Plot

In their youth Joe (Bowie Lam), Angus (Moses Chan), Ronnie (Kenny Wong) and Ka Ming are good friends and bandmates. During a mountaineering trip, the four are stranded on a snowbound mountain and Ka Ming was left gravely injured. This event has a traumatic effect on them; their friendship dynamic; and their relationship with Yan (Charmaine Sheh), Ka Ming's girlfriend; leading the previously close group to go their separate ways and abandon their friendship.
Eighteen years later, Yan who remains haunted by the memory of Ka Ming, leads an unfulfilled and occasionally self-destructive personal life while enjoying success professionally as a jaded but popular radio announcer. Joe, Angus and Ronnie have also forged their own successful professional paths, albeit with drastic changes to their actual personalities and characteristics.
A chance incident reunites them and the group bonded again. Unfortunately, the discovery of Ka Ming's body by police revealed Joe, Angus, and Ronnie's long held dark secret of murder and cannibalism, and their continued psychological manipulation and gaslighting of Yan into believing Ka Ming's death was merely an accident. The fragile ties to each other begin to unravel leading each of them to finally confront their true selves. The resulting conflicts bring permanent changes and tragic consequences to all of them, but also a just resolution to their moral dilemmas in accordance with the life decisions they made.
The poetic, well thought out ending was satisfying and thought-provoking in equal measures regarding topics of whether there exists such a thing as karmic retribution and whether different decisions will lead to different consequences in life or if they will all still lead to the same final outcome: free will vs fate.
Additionally, the series also address the modern Hong Kong public’s concerns and anxieties regarding the gloomy political outlook, the social injustices and the increasing disregard of moral values; in the years since its handover back to China.
There are also sharp commentaries on the appalling moral quality of the members of the Legislative Council and the forgetful tendencies of the Hong Kong society as a whole. Emphasis on values such as free will, choice of rights, independent personality, and resistance to hegemony accurately reflects the public's disaffection and thus resonated with younger more politically aware audiences.

## Cast
### The Lau family

| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Bowie Lam Ronald Law (youth) | Lau Chun Hung (Joe) 劉俊雄 | An accountant/A trade union executive/A Legco candidate A band drummer Ma Wing Yee's husband Au Hoi Ching's love interest, later her lover Yip Chi Yan's admirer Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin's friend Au Hoi Ching's superior, later lover, finally broke up Yung Cheuk Wah's subordinate, later lover Killed and ate Hui Ka Ming | 43 |
| Astrid Chan Joey Mak (youth) | Ma Wing-yee (Gina) 馬詠儀 | A nurse Lau Chun Hung's wife Ivan's mistress, later broke up | 41 |

### The Yung family

| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Elaine Jin | Yung Cheuk Wah (Brenda) 翁卓樺 | Yung Cheuk Tung's older sister Pointed against Sung Yee Long Lau Chun Hung's superior, later mistress Died in a car accident in Episode 25 | 50 |
| Maggie Shiu | Yung Cheuk Tung (Emma) 翁卓桐 | Yung Cheuk Wah's younger sister Sung Yee Long's girlfriend turned wife Yip Chi Yan and Cheng Kin Sang's friend Lai Sze Man's love rival | 40 |
| Moses Chan Yeung Chiu Hoi (youth) | Sung Yee Long (Angus) 宋以朗 | A securities agent Lau Chun Hung and Cheng Chun Hin’s friend Yung Cheuk Tung's boyfriend turned husband Lam Pui Ling's ex-boyfriend, later lover Yip Chi Yan's ex-boyfriend Killed and ate Hui Ka Ming | 38 |

### The Cheng family

| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Kenny Wong Kelvin Leung (youth) | Cheng Chun Hin (Ronnie) 鄭振軒 | A former actuary A bass guitarist Yeung Suet Mei's husband Cheng Man-shan and Cheng Man-kei's father Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Yung Cheuk Tung's friend Killed and ate Hui Ka Ming | 44 |
| Angela Tong | Yeung Suet Mei (Shirley) 楊雪薇 | Cheng Chun Hin's wife Cheng Man-shan and Cheng Man-kei's mother Lau Chun Hung's admirer Yip Chi Yan's good friend, later friendship breaks | 39 |
| Rachel Poon | Cheng Man-shan (Katie) 鄭文珊 | Cheng Chun Hin and Yeung Suet Mei's daughter. | |
| Yeung Ka Shing | Cheng Man-kei (Frankie) 鄭文基 | Cheng Chun Hin and Yeung Suet Mei's son Cheng Man-shan's brother | |

### The Yip family

| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Yu Tsz Ming | Yip Kwong Loi 葉光來 | Yip Chi Yan's father | |
| Doollou Poon | Cheung Pui Kwan 張珮君 | Yip Chi Yan's stepmother | |
| Charmaine Sheh Angel Chiang (youth) | Yip Chi Yan (Hazel, Yan) 葉梓恩 | DJ Yip Kwong Loi's daughter Cheung Pui Kwan's stepdaughter Yung Cheuk Tung's friend Hui Ka Ming, Sung Yee Long's ex-girlfriend Arthur's mistress, later broke up Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin's friend and love interest | 34 |

### Workers' Right Protection Association

| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Lau Dan | Kong Siu Chuen 江兆泉 | A trade union leader/A Legco candidate Lau Chun Hung's master, later broke up | |
| Bowie Lam Ronald Law (youth) | Lau Chun Hung (Joe) 劉俊雄 | A trade union executive/A Legco candidate Kong Siu Chuen's apprentice, later broke up Au Hoi Ching's superior and love interest, later her lover, finally broke up | 43 |
| Cindy Lee | Au Hoi Ching (Cloris) 區海晴 | A trade union member Lau Chun Hung's assistant Love Lau Chun Hung, later his mistress, finally broke up Committed suicide on Episode 27 | |

### Ching Ho Finance

| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Elaine Jin | Yung Cheuk Wah (Brenda) 翁卓樺 | Shareholder Hau Chiu Ping's ex-girlfriend Lau Chun Hung's superior, later mistress Died in a car accident in Episode 25 | 50 |
| Moses Chan | Sung Yee Long (Angus) 宋以朗 | Chief Operations Officer Resigned in Episode 20 | 40 |
| Bowie Lam | Lau Chun Hung (Joe) 劉俊雄 | Chief Operations Officer Yung Cheuk Wah's subordinate, later lover Joined in Episode 20 | 43 |
| Chan Hung-lit | Hau Chiu Ping (George) 侯釗平 | Yung Cheuk Wah's ex-boyfriend | |
| Queenie Chu | Lam Pui Ling (Jessica) 林佩玲 | Sung Yee Long's subordinate and lover Yung Cheuk Tung's love rival Resigned in Episode 20 | 27 |
| Cheung Kwok Keung | Lui Yiu-bun (Ben) 雷耀彬 | Triad member Sung Yee Long's subordinate, later Lau Chun Hung's subordinate Loved Lam Pui Ling | |
| Kenny Wong | Cheng Chun Hin (Ronnie) 鄭振軒 | Actuary Joined in Episode 24 | 44 |

### CC Radio

| Cast | Role | Description | Age |
| Andy Tai | Hung Mao Sum (Sam) 洪茂森 | Radio Commander | |
| Charmaine Sheh Angel Chiang (youth) | Yip Chi Yan (Hazel, Yan) 葉梓恩 | DJ | 34 |
| Catherine Chau | Mabel | DJ Yip Chi Yan's colleague | |
| Rachel Kan | Daisy | DJ Yip Chi Yan's colleague | |
| Bryant Mak | Gordon | DJ Yip Chi Yan's colleague | |
| Joe Junior | Dr. Dylan | A retired DJ that works in Yip Chi Yan's DJ Radio Station | |
| Tai Yiu Ming | Rico | DJ assistant Yip Chi Yan's assistant | |

### Other cast

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Stanley Cheung | Hui Ka Ming 許家明 | A telecom technician, a band guitarist Yip Chi Yan's boyfriend and love of her life Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin’s friend Killed and eaten by Lau Chun Hung, Sung Yee Long and Cheng Chun Hin at the snow mountain |
| Felix Lok | Ivan Wong | A doctor Ma Wing-yee's lover, later broke up |
| Tsui Wing | Arthur | Yip Chi Yan's lover, later broke up |
| Ben Wong | Bowman | A cook Yip Chi Yan's husband, later divorced |
| Calinda Chan (陳宛蔚) | | Sweets Shop owner |
| Yeung Ching Wah (楊證樺) | | |
| Ho Wai Yip (何偉業) | | |
| Yiu Ho Ching (姚浩政) | | |
| Cheung Hon Pan (張漢斌) | | |
| Fu Kim Hung (傅劍虹) | | |
| Chung Yuk Ching (鍾鈺精) | | |
| Tsang Yuen Sa (曾琬莎) | | |
| Wong Lok Yee (黃樂兒) | | |
| Janice Ting (丁樂鍶) | | |
| Owen Ng (吳雲甫) | | |

## Viewership ratings

| Week | Originally Aired | Episodes | Average Points | Peaking Points |
| 1 | 21 November 2011 | 1 | 29 | 30 |
| 1 | 21–25 November 2011 | 1 – 5 | 26 | 30 |
| 2 | 28 November – 1 December 2011 | 6 – 9 | 25 | 28 |
| 3 | 6–9 December 2011 | 10 – 13 | 23 | — |
| 4 | 12–16 December 2011 | 14 – 18 | 23 | — |
| 5 | 19–23 December 2011 | 19 – 23 | 23 | 26 |
| 6 | 26–30 December 2011 | 24 – 28 | 24 | — |
| 6 | 1 January 2012 | 29 – 30 | 30 | 34 |

## Theme songs

The opening and closing theme songs of When Heaven Burns were composed by Paul Wong, formerly of the Hong Kong band Beyond. Paul Wong is the guitarist for both songs and is the vocalist for the opening theme. The closing theme is sung by the three male leads and serves as the reconstructed lost song.
The plot line of a band returning home with one of their member dead has led to comparisons between the fictional band and Beyond.

## Censorship in mainland China

On 27 December 2011, with four episodes to go, China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television ordered the sub-licensees to withdraw the video streaming on 11 websites based on the pretext of cannibalism, making When Heaven Burns the first Hong Kong soap opera series to be censored in Mainland China in over two decades. The real-time relay in Guangdong province was unaffected, however, and the remaining episodes were shown on television without hindrance in that province. The underlying reason for this withdrawal was thought to be because of the show's underlying allusions to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and non-mainland China media considered this move as censorship. The storyline and the characters demonstrated similarities to the Tiananmen Square protest. When interviewed by Hong Kong's Apple Daily, the show's screenwriter agreed that the story was inspired by the government crackdown on the student democracy movement.

## Awards and nominations

On 17 December 2012, When Heaven Burns won the TVB Anniversary Award for best drama in 2012, the award was a result of a popular vote.
2012 TVB Anniversary Awards
* Best Drama
* Nominated – Best Actress (Charmaine Sheh) – Top 5
* Nominated – My Favourite Female Character (Charmaine Sheh) – Top 10
My AOD Favourite Awards 2012
* Nominated – Best Drama
* Nominated – Best Actress (Charmaine Sheh) – Top 5
* Nominated – Top 15 Character (Charmaine Sheh)
* Nominated – Top 15 Character (Bowie Lam)
* Nominated – Best Theme Song (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
CASH Golden Sail Music Awards 2012
* Best Chorus Performance (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
17th Asian Television Awards 2012
* Best Actor – Moses Chan
Metro Radio Hits Music Awards 2012
* My Most Appreciated Song (年少無知 by Paul Wong)
Ultimate Song Chart Awards 2012
* WeChat Chit Chat Most Popular Song (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
* My Favourite Song (年少無知 by Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)
RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards 2012
* Top 10 Gold Songs
* Nominated – Top 10 Singers (Bowie Lam, Moses Chan and Kenny Wong)