The Rise of Phoenixes (Chinese: 天盛长歌; pinyin: Tiānshèng Cháng Gē) is a 2018 Chinese television series that is loosely based on the novel Huang Quan (Chinese: 凰权) by Tianxia Guiyuan, taking place in the fictional kingdom of Tiansheng. It stars Chen Kun and Ni Ni. The series premiered on Hunan Television starting August 14, 2018, and then on Netflix starting on September 14, 2018.[1][2] It became one of the highest rated shows of the year, was nominated for several awards including for Best Drama Series at the Asian Television Awards, and won for best cinematography at the 25th Shanghai Television Festival.
Synopsis
Ning Yi (Chen Kun) is the highly intelligent and calculating sixth prince of the Tiansheng kingdom. He has learned to hide his true personality behind a carefree façade after the corrupt and duplicitous court officials charged the third prince Ning Qiao, Ning Yi's older half-brother, with high treason. Over the next decade, he establishes a secret information network led by Qingming Academy's headmaster (equivalent to a modern-day college chancellor) Xin Ziyan, and waits for the perfect chance to strike down his enemies and overturn the charges laid against his half-brother, whom he sees as a just ruler.
Feng Zhiwei (Ni Ni) is the niece of Colonel Qiu, who is supposed to take the place of Qiu's daughter in an arranged marriage to Ning Yi. After convincing him to call off the marriage, she is banished from her household after being falsely accused of a crime. With the help of Ning Yi and Headmaster Xin, she dresses as a man and joins the prestigious Qingming Academy, to help them serve their purpose. She enters court as the Ultimate Scholar (Royal Designated Scholar) and becomes an official after stunning the world with her talent and knowledge.
Feng Zhiwei remains loyal and honest to the reigning Emperor as Wei Zhi, who values her candid, wise advice during the princes’ fight for the throne, but she is forced to reveal her true identity when the emperor wants to marry Wei Zhi to his daughter. After being arrested and sentenced to death, she is pardoned thanks to Ning Yi, Headmaster Xin, and the emperor's head eunuch, and sent on a diplomatic mission alongside the prince of Chu. While on the mission, her feelings for Ning Yi as well as his for her become evident to both. After Ning Yi contracts a contagious disease while trying to demolish the power of the Chang family and nearly dies, he confesses to her and she confesses back to him, and they plan to ask the emperor to allow them to marry when they get back to the capital.
Feng ultimately finds out she is surviving royalty from the previous empire. Manipulated into thinking that the current kingdom of Tiansheng was built upon the corpses of her loved ones, Zhiwei decides to take revenge against her enemies, including Ning Yi.[3]
Sixth prince of Tiansheng Kingdom, the Prince of Chu.
Shrewd, calculating, and with a strong and exacting sense of justice, he seeks to avenge his loved ones who were framed and massacred by political opponents. He presents himself as a carefree prince who does not have the ambition to ascend the throne, while secretly building up his political network and connections from scratch in order to bring justice to those who framed and executed his half-brother for high treason eight years ago. He then sets his eyes on the ones responsible for his mother's death. He falls for Zhiwei's canny, untamed, and teasing personality, and will go to extreme lengths to keep her alive.
The unfavored niece of the Qiu Family, who is actually the last princess of the fallen Dacheng Dynasty.
She is forced to take Colonel Qiu's daughter's place in an arranged marriage to Ning Yi, then finds a way to get Ning Yi himself to call off the marriage. Unaware of her own background history, she thinks the imperial guards have come to arrest her for killing someone, when they are actually ordered to kill General Gu Heng's (leader of the Bloody Pagoda, bodyguards of the previous emperor), entire family. In order to survive and save her family, she seeks the help of Ning Yi who asks Zhiwei to dress as a man and attend the prestigious Qingming Academy. She joins the royal court as a respected official under the alias of Wei Zhi after being chosen by the Emperor as the Ultimate Scholar. She eventually falls for Ning Yi, but swore to her mother never to marry him.
The 60-year-old ruler of Tiansheng Kingdom. A calculating and distrustful man skilled in balancing the different factions in his court. Though ruthless when it comes to the empire's safety, he can sometimes show something resembling affection towards his children. Yale, Consort Yan and Ning Yi's mother, has always been the woman he loved most.
First prince of Tiansheng Kingdom, the Crown Prince. Though ambitious, ruthless, and cruel, he lacks judgement and insight, and relies heavily on Chang Hai and other advisors to strategize for him. He is part of the Chang bloodline and thus is backed by the Chang clan. He uses the Bloody Pagoda to eliminate his political opponents for almost two decades and is the mastermind behind Ning Qiao's death.
Second prince of Tiansheng Kingdom, the Prince of Yan. Ambitious and cruel, he is a top contender for the throne. Like the Crown Prince, he is also part of the Chang bloodline and is backed by the Chang clan.
Third prince of Tiansheng Kingdom, posthumously Crown Prince Zhuangyi. He was unjustly killed after being framed by his opponents for high treason. Prior to his death, he had a close relationship with Ning Yi.
Tong Shao
Ning Yan (宁研)
Fifth prince of Tiansheng Kingdom, the Prince of Zhao. Brainless and greedy, he is a lackey of the Crown Prince, until he is tricked by Headmaster Xin into thinking he is the rightful Crown Prince and he should bring down Ning Chuan.
Seventh prince of Tiansheng Kingdom, the Prince of Wei. He returns to the capital after ten years at the border. Ning Qi is a candid prince who loves his mother very dearly. He becomes ruthless and ambitious and ends up seeing Ning Yi as his biggest adversary. Ning Qi goes to extreme lengths to eliminate him from the competition for the empire.
Consort Yan. Princess of the Sunset tribe and Ning Yi's mother. She was assumed to be killed on charges of witchcraft. She has actually been detained in a windowless room for the past twenty years and is finally released when Ning Yi discovers the truth and bargains with the emperor.
Noble Consort Chang. Ning Sheng's birth mother and Ning Yi's step-mother. Member of the Chang clan, younger sister of the late empress (Ning Chuan's and Ning Shao’s mother).
Zhu Rui
Yueling (月泠)
Consort Qing. Lover of Zhangsun Hong, Crown Prince of the Cheng Dynasty. She pretends to collaborate with Ning Qi but actually is plotting the demise of the emperor. Enters court as a female attendant, and tries to fracture the dynasty by sowing discord between the emperor and his sons. She is the daughter of Sanhu.
Headmaster of Qingming Academy. Appears to be an advisor in the Crown Prince's faction, yet is actually a trusted mentor and good friend of Ning Yi. He was close to the late Prince Ning Qiao.
Daughter of a family who fell victim to Chang Yuan, the Duke of Min. She allies with Ning Yi and Wei Zhi to bring Chang Yuan to justice and later becomes Zhiwei's best friend.
Duke of Min and head of the Chang family. A powerful general who contributed greatly to the founding of the Tiansheng Kingdom and holds significant power in court. He is the older brother of Chang Hai and is the uncle of both the Crown Prince and the second prince. He is viewed as the biggest threat to the Emperor's authority.
Uncle of the Crown Prince and second prince, and the Duke of Min's younger brother. A loyal ally of the Crown Prince.
Lu Yong
Qiu Shangqi (秋尚奇)
Commander-in-chief of the infantry and leader of the Flying Shadow guards. Appears to be an ally of the Crown Prince. However, he prioritizes his own welfare above all else, and is a fence-sitter who always plays it safe in politics. Feng Zhiwei's uncle through her mother, Mingying.
Head of the Royal Guards. Originally the second-in-command of the Bloody Pagoda, he betrays his organisation and joins the Tiansheng Kingdom as head of the royal guards.
Qin Yan
Yao Ying (姚英)
Grand Secretary of Internal Affairs. Ning Yi's ally.
Xin Ziyan's wife. A very jealous woman who also deeply loves her husband.
Xu Jian
Yan Huaishi (燕怀石)
Son of the prominent Yan clan of Minhai. Enters the Qingming Academy at the same time with Feng Zhiwei disguised as Wei Zhi and befriends her, knowing she is a woman. Hua Qiong's betrothed or fiancé.
Sister of Qiu Shangqi. Wife of Gu Heng, previous commander of the Fire Wind army and leader of the Bloody Pagoda. She takes in Zhiwei and raises her as her own. She is willing to die along with her son in order to protect her adopted daughter.
Qiu Shangqi's daughter. A spoiled and unruly girl who was chosen to be betrothed to Ning Yi by the Emperor. She often tries to humiliate Feng Zhiwei and her brother but always ends up being bullied by them instead.
Qiu Mingying's biological son, who is used as a decoy for the Dacheng Remnant, Feng Zhiwei. A cheeky manchild who loves his mother and sister dearly, and ultimately chooses to sacrifice himself to let them live.
One of the leaders of the Bloody Pagoda, and Gu Nanyi's mentor. He masquerades as a teacher of a private school, yet is extremely skilled in martial arts and an expert of medicine.
Heir of Jinshi, a kingdom ruled by a nomadic tribe - North of Tiansheng. He wants Zhiwei's hand in marriage, but his plans collide with Ning Yi's. He falls for Zhiwei's strong personality, and is willing to give anything to help her accomplish her dreams and aspirations.
Li Jingjing
Liu Mudan (刘牡丹)
Grand Royal Consort. Helian Zheng's stepmother, who raised him after his mother's death.
Dahua's younger sister, sister-in-law of Xin Ziyan.
Dai Xu
Chang Zhongxin (常忠信)
The second son of Chang Yuan.
Lv Xia
Liu Meiduo (刘梅朵)
The younger sister of Liu Mudan. She is the former fiancé of Si Yinlun and the former lover of Helian Zheng.
Zhang Zhizhong
Xu Qirui (徐启瑞)
Minister of Rites.
Sun Ning
Hu Shengshan (胡圣山)
Liu Jun
Wu Yuanming (吴渊铭)
Yang Haoyu
Zhou Xizhong (周希中)
Dang Haoyu
San Hu (三虎)
Liu Haibo
Zhangsun Hong (长孙弘)
Fourth prince of the Cheng Dynasty, Feng Zhiwei's older brother.
Zhang Ruoxing
Qian Yan (钱彦)
Wu You
Ni Wenyu (倪文昱)
Zheng Yu
Si Xian (司宪)
Luan Yuanhui
Chen Shao (陈绍)
Dai Wenwen
Si Yinle (司隐乐)
The younger sister of Si Yinlun.
Sui Yumeng
Yao Yangci (姚扬慈)
Secretary Yao's daughter. She is very talented and clever.
Zhang Xinying
Hua Gongmei (华宫眉)
He Miao
Hu Jingshui (胡静水)
Cai Yatong
Jiarong (佳荣)
Ning Yi's maternal cousin, and one of the few remaining members of the Sunset tribe.
Yue Xin
Siling (四翎)
Zhao Yanmin
Li Shiru (厉世和)
Chen Youwang
Elder Sizhi (四知长老)
Yan Zhiping
Liu Yuanzheng (刘院正)
Tang Xu
Royal Physician Lu (卢御医)
Dong Zhao
Royal Physician Zhang (张御医)
Zhang Shihong
Royal Physician (御医)
Wu Yuanfang
Zhang Maolin
Xu Shichang (许事昌)
Li Bin
Royal Astronomer (灵台丞)
Xu Shaoying
Guo Jun (郭俊)
A general and subordinate of Jin Siyu.
Chi Wen
Elder of Sunset Tribe (日落族族长)
Deng Mingjiang
Officer guarding the cliff (守崖官)
Qu Guoxiang
Old Horsekeeper (老马夫)
Initially an assassin of the Bloody Pagoda who was taken in by the Crown Prince after the fall of the Cheng Dynasty.
Kang Fuzhen
Young Horsekeeper (小马夫)
Old Horsekeeper's son. A kind-hearted young man who saves Wei Zhi's life.
Chen Liwei
Porter (担夫)
Jiang Zhongwei
Physician of Pu Courtyard (浦园御医)
Wen Zheng
Officer of the Seal (奉印大臣)
Teng Yi
Sanhua (三花)
Dahua's younger sister, sister-in-law of Xin Ziyan.
Zhang Yuxiao
Sihua (四花)
Dahua's younger sister, sister-in-law of Xin Ziyan.
Cheng Guodong
Sir Hu (胡先生)
Zhang Ye
Changji (长吉)
A guard of Princess Shaoning.
Yang Kaicheng
Chang Zhongli (常忠礼)
Tang Xiawa
Chang Zhongli's wife (常忠礼夫人)
Jin Jing
Hushi (扈室)
Ma Weifu
Attendant Li (刘管事)
Cui Youbin
Chang Zhongyi (常忠义)
The first son of Chang Yuan.
Feng Jun
Nursemaid Chen (陈嬷嬷)
Zhang Yixin
Consort Chang's nursemaid (常贵妃嬷嬷)
Shi Min
Palace maid of Hua Gongmei (华宫眉宫女)
Xie Guohua
Consort Chang's attendant (常贵妃内侍)
Xu Li
Ziyin (梓音)
Lady Wang's maid.
Zhou Xin
Zhuxin (烛心)
Zhang Ziting
Duo'er (朵儿)
A maid of Noble Consort Chang.
Hu Yilin
Ying'er (莹儿)
Zhang Bo
Chen Ming (陈明)
Sun Yiyang
Xuanchen (宣辰)
Wu Bohang
Lu Ming (陆明)
Wang Jiasui
Qinyu (沁玉)
Zhang Luyao
Lianmeng (怜梦)
Wang Ailin
Bixia (碧霞)
Jiang Yunyun
Xixue (惜雪)
Wang Yijie
Xiwen (熙雯)
A courtesan at the House of Lanxiang.
Tian Shuang
Qianmo (千茉)
A courtesan at the House of Lanxiang.
Cao Lei
Prison Head (牢头)
Wang Hong
Sun Xiang (孙祥)
Li Zhenyu
Li Cai (李才)
A guard of Ning Qi.
Chang Wei
Huo Laosan (霍老三)
Once a prison officer who guarded and befriended Ning Yi during his years of captivity.
Ma Zhenrong
Song Laoer (宋老二)
Luo Siyu
Madam (老鸨)
Madam of the dance house.
Yunyun
A courtesan at the House of Lanxiang.
Zhang Bo
Chahu (茶壶)
Xu Zhifei
Guest (客人)
Wu Youxi
Physician 1 (郎中甲)
Song Dongxiao
Physician 2 (郎中乙)
Shen Yang
Xingyi (邢义)
Xing Xiaoyan
Song Jie (宋杰)
An Imperial Guard sent to Minhai.
Wang Chen
Yu Xiu (余休)
Zheng Xiaozhong
Lin Renqi (林任奇)
Investigatory Officer.
Xiang Yu
Commander of Ning Qi's troops (宁齐首领)
Wang Xi
Captain Wei (卫队长)
Li Zhenyu
Head Pirate (海盗头目)
Yao Weiping
Monk (禅师)
Cao Yonggang
Monk Wanjie (万劫禅师)
Brother of Minister Xu. Author of Overview of Dacheng.
Li Du
Coroner (仵作)
Fang Haowei
Maid of Qiu Manor (秋府丫鬟)
Zhang Ya'nan
Noble lady (贵女)
Jiang Dongmei
Royal consort (贵妃)
Wang Yanjun
Ning Sheng's subordinate (宁昇幕僚)
Lao Yuan
Qingming Academy's attendant (青溟书院门房)
Lu Chenyang
Dingsan (丁三)
A servant of Minister Yao.
Wang Quan
Shaoning's senior eunuch (韶宁大太监)
Gao Fengyang
Shaoning's junior eunuch (韶宁小太监)
Yao Zhuoran
Female commoner (民妇)
Zhang Zisheng
Commoner's husband (民妇丈夫)
Liu Muyu
Xin Ziyan's servant (辛子砚仆人)
Liu Hanyang
Tie Nan (铁男)
Li Honglei
Boss (店铺老板)
Zhao Shuai
Waiter (店小二)
Zhu Feng
Officer 1 (官兵甲)
Sun Letian
Officer 2 (官兵乙)
Shi Yafeng
Crippled man (瘸子)
Zhang Mengqiang
Store owner (摊主)
Ma Shuo
Jailer (狱卒甲)
Chang Li
Prisoner (犯人甲)
Yang Feng
Coroner 2 (仵作甲)
Yi Yajun
Private adviser (师爷)
Chang Li
Human trafficker (人牙子)
Song Qingchang
Elder (长老)
Wang Junheng
Medicine shop employee (药铺伙计)
Jiang Hongshi
Physician (御医)
Chong Yunpeng
Li Zhencheng
Officer (官员)
Gao Wei
Liu Guang (刘光)
Huang Junchao
Second in-command of White Head Cliff (白头崖副将)
Li Wenping
Chen Shao's father (陈绍父亲)
Yu Ganglong
Execution military officer (行邢武官)
Chen Zhuankai
Execution civil officer (行邢文官)
Cui Jun
Servant (仆役乙)
Shi Junxian
General (将军甲)
Liu Songbin
Cheng Dynasty elders (大成遗老)
Zhang Jianguo
Zhang Dunyou
Zhu Song
Chi Dan
Jinshi Ambassadors (金狮使臣)
Yin Xiaoming
Tao Ci
Jinshi Officials (金狮大臣)
Yang Minggang
Ding Hao
Yin Gang
Xu Zhengzhi
Han Meimei
Matrons of Honor (喜娘)
Liu Fang
Yang Huilin
Xu Li
Nanny (乳母)
The wet nurse of Helian Tu.
Guo Yinyu
Descendant of Chang (常氏子侄)
Jing Haifeng
Zhang Zhi
Lei Chao
Liu Bingchao
Production
Principal photography commenced on 27 May 2017,[21] and filming wrapped up on 12 December 2017.[22] It was revealed that the series also uses "real-time" voice recording during filming.[23]
On 20 October 2016, Chen Kun was announced as the male lead.[4] On 7 March 2017, Ni Ni was announced as the female lead; this also marks Ni Ni's first television series.[5] The extended cast was revealed on 27 April 2017.[25]
Location
The series is the first television drama to be filmed in Tang City Film Studios, Xiangyang, which was built specifically for Chen Kaige's fantasy film The Legend of the Cat Demon. Reportedly, the location was picked not only because it fits the time period of the story setting, but also because the location is not featured in dramas frequently, as most historical/ancient Chinese dramas are filmed at Hengdian World Studios.[27] The series was also filmed in other places including Wuxi and Duyun.[28]
Post-production
In September 2017, cast members Zhao Lixin and Zhang Xiaochen attended the Weibo Awards Ceremony, where The Rise of Phoenixes was awarded the "Most Anticipated Television Series" award.[23]
In May 2018, it was revealed that the Chinese name for the series was changed from "凰权•弈天下 (Huang Quan Yi Tian Xia)" to "天盛长歌 (Tiansheng Chang Ge)" and the episode count was officially confirmed to be 70 episodes.[29]
Due to its slow pacing and heavy plot, the series received low viewership ratings, and the original 70 episodes were cut down to 56 episodes on television.[30] However, Douban gave it a score of 8.3/10 with over 113,000 votes, making it the highest rated show out of all the dramas that aired over the summer holidays and one of the highest rated TV dramas of the year so far.[31]
