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 a story about the tortuous life of Mi Yue, the first stateswoman and Queen Dowager () in China's history. 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 as part of her sister'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 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 (banishment) to the State of Yan with her son Ying Ji. However, King Ying Dang suddenly dies after lifting weights, leaving Qin in a state of chaos where 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. Production. 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. Reception. 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 (inconsistency and slow pace) 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. Broadcast. International broadcast