Three Kingdoms (TV series)

Three Kingdoms (TV series)
Three Kingdoms is a 2010 Chinese television series based on the events in the late Eastern Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. The plot is adapted from the 14th century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms and other stories about the Three Kingdoms period. Directed by Gao Xixi, the series had a budget of over 160 million RMB (US$30 million) and took five years of pre-production work. Shooting of the series commenced in October 2008, and it was released in China in May 2010.
Three Kingdoms set a record as the most expensive small screen series in China's television history at the time, having been sold to four regional TV broadcasters at the price of 160 million yuan. The series was a commercial success in China and dominated ratings, but has caused controversy among critics and fans, with many commenting that the TV series has veered too far from the classic novel and real history. The series was criticised for prioritizing commercial entertainment over research and understanding of the novel and history and creating plot-holes in its re-interpretation. While some publications have praised the willingness to rewrite the events of the novel, other publications criticize the writing and editing for being sluggish, long-winded and superfluous, and using clichés from "Gongdou"-dramas and romantic dramas to be eye-catching while losing the solemnity and dignity of the original novel. It has also been sold to over 20 countries, earning an estimated 800 million RMB (US$133.3 million) in total as of May 2012.
List of episodes
Cast
Main
Chen Jianbin as Cao Cao
Yu Hewei as Liu Bei
Lu Yi as Zhuge Liang
Yu Rongguang as Guan Yu
Kang Kai as Zhang Fei
Nie Yuan as Zhao Yun
Ni Dahong as Sima Yi
Yu Bin as Cao Pi
Luo Jin as Liu Xie
Xiaodingge as Liu Xie (child)
Lü Xiaohe as Dong Zhuo
Peter Ho as Lü Bu
Chen Hao as Diao Chan
Zhang Bo as Sun Quan
Zheng Wei as Sun Quan (child)
Ruby Lin as Lady Sun
Victor Huang as Zhou Yu
Sha Yi as Sun Ce
Liu Jing as Da Qiao
Zhao Ke as Xiao Qiao
Supporting
Li Li as Bao Long
Bai Yu as Lady Bian
Cao Xiwen as Lady Cai (Liu Biao's wife)
Li Fangyao as Cai He
Liu Dan as Cai Mao
Hu Zi as Cai Yang
Guo Miaoxin as Cai Zhong
Liu Zijiao as Empress Cao
Zhao Lei as Cao Bao
An Pengzeyu as Cao Chong
Li Daiqing as Cao Hong
Yuan Shaoxiong as Cao Fang
Yang Guang as Cao Ren
Yang Demin as Cao Rui
Xia Tian as Cao Shuang
Guo Jiyun as Cao Song
Li Gen as Cao Zhang
Zhao Jin as Cao Zhen
Li Jichun as Cao Zhi
Wang Jinjun as Cheng Dekou
Shang Yue as Chen Deng
Sun Hongtao as Chen Gong
Lu Jidong as Chen Gui
Sun Hai as Chen Qun
Ding Xiaonan as Chen Ying
Zhong Minghe as Cheng Pu
Jiang Changyi as Cheng Yu
Cao Zhanjun as Cui Zhouping
Jiang Yi as Ding Feng
Bai Hui as Consort Dong
Gao Baosong as Dong Cheng
Yang Chuanxi as Dong Zhao
Zhang Xinhua as Fa Zheng
Piao Lan as Lady Fan
Dong Zhiyong as Fan Qiang
Wang Daosheng as Fu Jun
Tang Zidi as Lady Gan
Xia Xiaolong as Gan Ning
Chen Gang as Gao Xiang
Wang Baogang as Gongsun Zan
Fan Jinlun as Guan Ping
Wei Zhi as Guan Xing
Wang Di as Empress Guo
Zhang Ge as Guo Huai
Wang Jinxin as Guo Jia
Gong Zhixi as Guo Si
Han Zhenguo as Guo Tu
Liu Jun as Han Dang
Jiao Zhiqiang as Han Fu
Hu Sha as Han Sui
Ying Qiang as Han Xuan
Qin Fanxiang as Hao Zhao
Cai Jun as Hua Tuo
Zhang Xiqian as Hua Xin
Ding Xiaonan as Hua Xiong
Liu Kui as Huang Gai
Zhao Xu as Huang Kui
Sun Wanqing as Huang Quan
Song Laiyun as Huang Zhong
Ren Xuehai as Ji Ping
Chen Fusheng as Ji Ling
Liao Weili as Jia Hua
Li Muge as Jiang Gan
Ye Peng as Jiang Wei
Li Yixiao as Jingshu
Bai Hailong as Kong Xiu
Er Hou as Kong You
Cao Guoxin as Li Dian
Ge Youyuan as Li Feng
Sen Zhixue as Li Jue
Song Chongdong as Li Ru
Deng Liming as Li Yan
Ji Chenggong as Liu Biao
Qiu Shuang as Liu Cong
Xu Xiao as Liu Dai
Wang Shigui as Liu Du
Fan Guan as Liu Qi
Wang Peng as Liu Shan
Yang Tong as Liu Xian
Li Yuemin as Liu Zhang
Jia Xiang as Lu Ji
Huo Qing as Lu Su
Shao Feng as Lu Xun
Zhao Bingkui as Lü Boshe
Jerry Chang Lu Feng as Lü Meng
Chen Yilin as Ma Chao
Xia Tian as Ma Dai
Guan Ziqian as Ma Liang
Zheng Shiming as Ma Su
Ning Sheng as Ma Teng
Shang Yisha as Lady Mi
Hong Pangzi as Mi Fang
Wu Qiong as Miao Ze
Da Lin as Niu Jin
Han Lei as Pan Zhang
Tian Xiang as Pang De
Chen Houxing as Pang Ji
Du Xudong as Pang Tong
Fan Shide as Pujing
Xue Xiaolong as Two Qiaos' father
Pu Youwei as Qin Lang
Ding Dong as Qin Qingtong
Dai Qiwen as Shen Yi
Wang Shijun as Sima Hui
Zhao Dacheng as Sima Shi
Miao Yaning as Sima Yan
Liu Guoguang as Sima Zhao
Ji Aojun as Sun Huan
Fan Yulin as Sun Jian
Li Yatian as Sun Li
Yang Rui as Sun Qian
Zhao Xuan as Tao Gongyi
Tong Han as Tao Qian
Xu Tao as Tian Feng
Liu Bingyu as Wang Lang
Wang Huan as Wang Ping
Zheng Tianyong as Wang Yun
Wang Xinjun as Wei Yan
Wang Mengchuan as Wen Chou
Kang Qunzhi as Lady Wu
Wang Maolei as Wu Zhi
Hu Chunyong as Xiahou Ba
Li Mengcheng as Xiahou Dun
Li Qilong as Xiahou Yuan
Liu Ganhan as Xiang Jun
Wang Wentao as Xing Daorong
Guo Tao as Xu Chu
Chen Wei as Xu Huang
Sun Yan as Xu Sheng
Yao Gang as Xu Shu
Hai Yan as Xu Shu's mother
Xu Maomao as Xu You
Yang Rui as Xue Zong
Shao Yueheng as Xun An
Li Jianxin as Xun Yu
Zhang Qifu as Yan Jun
Li Xu as Yan Liang
Li Xu as Yan Yan
Li Xiaowei as Yang Ling
Lu Dongfu as Yang Song
Jin Yi as Yang Xiu
Chen Shanshan as Yang Yi
Qi Huai as Yu Fan
Wu Kegang as Yu Jin
Han Wenliang as Yuan Shang
Xu Wenguang as Yuan Shao
Yan Pei as Yuan Shu
Liu Long as Yuan Tan
Lan Tian as Yuan Xi
Bu Sisi as Yunying
Cai Jin as Zhang Bao
Tan Jianchang as Zhang He
Cheng Xiangyin as Zhang Liao
Li Daguang as Zhang Lu
Lu Lu as Zhang Ren
Liu Yajin as Zhang Song
Chen Xinhua as Zhang Su
Chen Bing as Zhang Wen
Zhao Qiusheng as Zhang Yi
Shen Jie as Zhang Zhao
Wang Guogang as Zhao Fan
Li Hua as Zhong Yao
Zhang Jiaoyang as Zhou Cang
Zhao Shuijing as Zhou Shan
Hou Jie as Zhou Tai
Zhu Lei as Zhu Ran
Cao Yi as Zhuge Jin
Ru Xiaobin as Zhuge Jun
Chao Fan as Zu Mao
Replaced cast
Jiang Wen was originally cast as Cao Cao, but decided to abandon the role after two directors quit the project. Jiang Wen would later portray Cao Cao in the movie Lost Bladesman. Soon afterwards, Tang Guoqiang, who played Zhuge Liang in Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1994), asked for the role, but it had already been reassigned to Chen Jianbin.
Ken Watanabe asked director Gao Xixi for the role of Guan Yu. Gao reportedly was unable to meet Watanabe's request for a salary of 30-40 million yuan, and was forced to turn him away. The role eventually went to Yu Rongguang (who previously appeared as Han De in the 2008 film Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon).
Soundtrack
Awards
International broadcast
See also
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (TV series)
List of media adaptations of Romance of the Three Kingdoms
References
External links
Three Kingdoms official page on Sina.com
Three Kingdoms official page on Sohu.com
2010 Chinese television series debuts
2010 Chinese television series endings
Television shows based on Chinese novels
Works based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Television series set in the Three Kingdoms
Television series set in the Eastern Han dynasty
Chinese historical television series
Television shows written by Zhu Sujin