Relic of an Emissary
Relic of an Emissary | |
---|---|
Genre | Costume drama Historical fiction Crime thriller Action |
Written by | Tong Kin Ping Tsang Po Wah Chan Po Wah Lai Sin Yee Law Pui Ching Tam Kim Wai |
Starring | Joe Ma Michael Tse Sammul Chan Kate Tsui Elanne Kong |
Country of origin | Hong Kong |
Original language | Cantonese |
No. of episodes | 30 |
Production | |
Producer | Wong Wai Sing |
Production location | Hong Kong |
Editors | Wong Kwok Fai Choi Suk Yin |
Camera setup | Multi camera |
Running time | 42 – 45 minutes |
Production company | TVB |
Original release | |
Network | TVB Jade |
Template:Infobox Chinese-language series and movie
"Hongwu 32" or "Hung-mo 32" (Traditional Chinese: 洪武三十二), popularly known as The Academy IV, is the working title of an upcoming Hong Kong historical[1] television drama starring Joe Ma, Michael Tse, and Sammul Chan. Produced by Wong Wai Sing, who also produced The Academy trilogy series, the drama is a TVB production. The drama is set in the early 1400s in Late Imperial China during the Jingnan campaign, a coup d'état that erupted in the Ming dynasty during the four-year reign of the Jianwen Emperor.
Premise
The story takes place during Cheng Wo's younger years, several years before his famous expeditions to the West. When the Kin-man Emperor (Jianwen Emperor) ascended to the thrown in 1399, he changed the era name to "Kin-man First Year" (建文元年). After Chu Dai usurped the throne in 1402, he purged all of Kin-man's supporters and ordered all documents that recorded the era name "Kin-man First Year" to be changed to "Hung-mo (Hongwu) Year 32" (洪武三十二年) in order to establish himself as the legitimate successor of the Hung-mo Emperor, the first emperor of the Ming dynasty.
Production
Development
After Michael Tse's successful and popular portrayal of the undercover cop Laughing Gor in Wong's 2009 crime drama The Academy III: E.U., TVB had notions of creating a fourth installment of The Academy that would potentially continue with the character's story. After several negotiations with the company, Wong decided to drop the idea and instead went to produce a costume drama version of the series.[2] The working title of the drama was changed from "The Turbulence of Jingnan" (靖難風雲) to "Hongwu 32".
A costume fitting and press conference was held on April 9, 2010 in the TVB studios in Tseung Kwan O with a total of 48 cast members.[3] Filming began 18 April 2010 and ended on 28 July 2010.
Casting
First intended to be a continuation of The Academy series, casting for "Hongwu 32" (then known as "The Academy IV") placed an emphasis on keeping the original The Academy cast. Sammul Chan was the protagonist Lee Pak-kiu for all three installments; Kate Tsui was introduced in the second; Elanne Kong, Michael Tse, Leung Ka Ki, and Joel Chan were introduced in the third. After major changes were added to the script, which included story setting and character background, slight casting changes also occurred. Instead of Michael Miu leading the serial drama, Joe Ma was chosen instead. His portrayal of King Fuchai of Wu in The Conquest sparked interest for Wong to cast him as Chu Dai. Wong further mentioned that he wanted Ron Ng to be part of the cast as well, who portrayed the other protagonist Chung Lap-man in The Academy. However, the writers could not afford to write in another male lead.[2]
Cast
Cast | Role | Description |
Joe Ma | Chu Dai 明成祖朱棣 |
The prince of Yin. The 4th son of Chu Yuen Cheung. The leader of the Red Turban Rebellion. Princss of Yin and Cho Cho's husband. Chin Sam Leung's lover. |
Michael Tse | Ngo Siu Fung 敖笑風 |
A Gamyi Wai commander. Chin Sam Leung, Princess Wing Yeung, Fu Siu Kiu and Fo Yim Yim's lover. |
Samuel Chan | Ma Sam Bo 馬三保/鄭 和 |
An Eunuch. Chu Dai's personal bodyguard. Receives the name Cheng Wo later by Chu Dai. Princess Wing Yeung's lover. |
Kate Tsui | Chin Sam Leung 千三娘 |
A Pimp, but actually is a Gamyi Wai spy. Chu Dai and Ngo Siu Fung's lover. Cho Cho's elder sister. |
Cho Cho 楚楚 |
Chin Sam Leung's younger sister. Later becomes the wife of Chu Dai. | |
Elanne Kong | Princess Wing Yeung 永暘公主 |
Princess. Chu Dai's younger sister. Ngo Siu Fung, Ma Sam Bo and Lee King Lung's lover. |
Joel Chan | Chu Wan Man 建文帝朱允炆 |
Chu Yuen Cheung's grandson. Chu Dai's nephew. Empress Ma's husband. |
Skye Chan | Princess of Yin 燕王妃 |
Chu Dai's wife. |
Macy Chan | Satyan Ko Wa 薩人高娃 |
A skilled Mongolian female assassin. Falls in love with Ma Sam Bo. |
Sire Ma | Fu Siu Kiu 傅小喬 |
A Gamyi Wai dormitory maid. Falls in love with Ngo Siu Fung. |
Benjamin Yuen | Lee King Lung 李景隆 |
A general of Chu Wan Man. Falls in love with Princess Wing Yeung. |
Leung Ka Ki (梁嘉琪) |
Empress Ma 馬皇后 |
Chu Wan Man's wife. |
YoYo Chen | - | A singer who works in brothel. |
Charmaine Li | Tim Yee 甜兒 |
Personal maid of Princess Wing Yeung. |
Lau Kong | Dou Hin/Yiu Kwong-hau 道衍/姚廣孝 |
A buddhist monk. Chu Dai's strategist. |
Wilson Tsui (艾 威) |
Fong Hau Yu 方孝孺 |
A confucian scholar of Chu Wan Man. |
Dickson Lee (李家聲) |
Chai Tai 齊 泰 |
A lord of Chu Wan Man. |
Carlo Ng (吳家樂) |
Wong Chi Ching 黃子澄 |
A lord of Chu Wan Man. |
See also
References
- ^ "Elanne Kong laughs at hook-up rumors with Michael Tse". Wenweipo (in Chinese). 2010-04-10. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
- ^ a b "Elanne Kong likes Michael, ditches Ron Ng". Oriental Daily (in Chinese). 2010-03-11. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
- ^ "TVB Calendar - Artistes". TVB.com (in Chinese). p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-14.