Scarlet Heart
| Scarlet Heart | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Genre | Science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, costume drama, romance, historical fiction |
| Written by | Tong Hua (original story) |
| Directed by | Lee Kwok-lap |
| Starring | Cecilia Liu Nicky Wu Kevin Cheng Lin Gengxin Yuan Hong Han Dong Ye Xin Damian Lau |
| Opening theme | Yinian Zhizhuo (一念執著) performed by Hu Ge and Alan Dawa Dolma Aide Lianyi (愛的漣漪) performed by Ailiya & Alicia |
| Ending theme | Sancun Tiantang (三寸天堂) performed by Yan Yidan |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language | Mandarin |
| No. of episodes | 35 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Karen Tsai |
| Production location | China |
| Running time | 45 minutes per episode |
| Production company | Chinese Entertainment Shanghai |
| Original release | |
| Network | Hunan Broadcasting System: Hunan Satellite TV |
| Release | 10 September – 27 September 2011 |
| Scarlet Heart | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 步步惊心 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 步步驚心 | ||||||
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Startling by Each Step also known as Bubu Jingxin is an upcoming Chinese television series based on a novel by Tong Hua of the same title.
Plot
Zhang Xiao, a contemporary, ethnically Han Chinese young woman from the 21st century, accidentally travels back in time to the Qing Dynasty period during the reign of Kangxi Emperor after experiencing a deadly combination of traffic collision and electrocution, resulting her somehow reliving the life of one of her previous incarnations and forcing her to assumes the identity belongs to her past avatar: Maertai Rexi, teenage daughter of a Manchu nobleman, who also had a near-fatal incident in her own time which Zhang awakes from.
Being stranded in the past, in the body of a centuries earlier incarnation of herself, and believe by many of Maertai's family and friends that the sudden change of her behavior and memory loss is resulted of her head injury, Zhang Xiao awares that there will be a dangerous power struggle known to history between the scheming princes for the throne, which will results Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen to succeed as the Yongzheng Emperor after his father's death. Zhang Xiao tries to change the future outcomes for the better, hoping to prevents any casualty as written in the future without interfering a man's destiny, while trying to find a way to return to her time period. However, Zhang ultimately realizes that, not only she fails to alter the course of the approaching events, but also, under a predestination paradox, she is fated to become an instigator of the tragedy she tries to prevent resulted by her actions in the past and the princes' romantic affections towards her.
Deviation from the novel
The television series have reportingly said that it is faithful to Tong Hua's original story, but with a new ending. In the original ending, Maertai Rexi unable to return to her own time period, and ultimately dies after contracting an illness, then Yongzheng Emperor dies years later in hope to reunites with Maertai in death. However, the series' own ending is that after Maertai and Aisin-Gioro's respective deaths, the former's soul rejoins her body in the 21st century as Zhang Xiao once more, and while dealing with the ordeals resulted by her time travels and deathly experiences, she ultimately meets a man who strongly resembles the then-emperor, implying to be his present reincarnation.[1][2]
Cast
| Cast | Role | Overview | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecilia Liu | Zhang Xiao (張曉) |
A time-travelling, Han Chinese-born white-collar worker from the 21st century; girlfriend of Huang Di. Maertai Rexi's present avatar. Incidentally travels back and forward through time through supernatural means involving fatal occurances. In the novel, Zhang did not survive her accident, but in the series, Zhang wakes up in the hospital weeks after the traffic incident resulted her first time travel, despite to her own knowledge that she spent over 20 years in the 18th century there as Maertai Rexi. At first trying to dismiss that everything she has experienced in the past was just a dream, until she sees a familiar painting from the 18th century at an antique store which includes her as Maertai Rexi, causes Zhang to realize that she did time-travel. She also ultimately meets a descendant of Aisin-Gioro Yinsi, the 8th prince, and then a mystery man who strongly resembles Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen, the Yongzheng Emperor | |
| Maertai Rexi (馬爾泰·若曦) |
A young daughter of a 18th century Manchu aristocrat. Zhang Xiao's former incarnation; actually died after incidentally fell from the roof, however resulting her future avatar Zhang Xiao's mind and personality to takesover as if she is still alive. An object of affections of Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen, Aisin-Gioro Yinsi, and Aisin-Gioro Yinti, Maertai loves Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen however ultimately marries his younger brother Aisin-Gioro Yinti instead days before her death. Awares that there is a startling outcome known to history as "Entropy of the Nine Princes" (九龍奪嫡) going to happen because of the rivalry among the Aisin-Gioro princes, Maertai tries to change the future for the better but eventually discovers that she is predestined to becomes the unwitting instigator of the tragedy she attempted to prevent, resulted by her actions in the past and the princes' affections towards her. In the original story, Maertai dies in the past, but in the series, she returns to the 21st century and resumes the identity Zhang Xiao once after her death | ||
| Nicky Wu | Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen (愛新覺羅·胤禩) |
The 4th prince. Destined to becomes the Yongzheng Emperor after his father's death. True love of Maertai Rexi, but break-up due to their inability of trust one another and Yongzheng's lust of powers and cruelty. Becomes aware of Maertai Rexi's true origin after her death, the heartbroken emperor believes she has return to her time period and hopes to reunites with her somehow after his own demise | |
| Mystery 21st century man | Meets Zhang Xiao days after she return to her proper time period; infers to be a reincarnation of Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen | ||
| Kevin Cheng | Aisin-Gioro Yinsi (愛新覺羅·胤禩) |
The 8th prince; former husband of Maertai Ruolan; first love interest of Maertai Rexi but break-up after she realizes she is in love with Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen | |
| Lin Gengxin | Aisin-Gioro Yinti (愛新覺羅·胤禛) |
The 14th prince; falls in love with Maertai Rexi, eventually marries her after her break-up with Yongzheng Emperor despite awares she is still loves him and days before her death. Becomes bitter with Yongzheng Emperor because of their love for Maertai Rexi even after her death and blames him of causing Maertai's poor health and demise | |
| Damian Lau | Kangxi Emperor (康熙帝) |
Ruler of the Qing Dynasty | |
| Yuan Hong | Aisin-Gioro Yinxiang (愛新覺羅·胤祥) |
The 13th prince. Supporter of Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen of his plans to succeed their father and confidant of Maertai Rexi | |
| Mu Tingting | Lady Ulanara （烏喇那拉氏） |
Wife of Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen and love rival of Maertai Rexi | |
| Zhang Lei | Aisin-Gioro Yinreng (愛新覺羅·胤礽） |
Heir apparent to the throne | |
| Ye Zuxin | Aisin-Gioro Yin E (愛新覺羅·胤俄) |
The 10th prince | |
| Han Dong | Aisin-Gioro Yintang (愛新覺羅·胤禟) |
The 9th prince | |
| Annie Liu | Maertai Ruolan （馬爾泰·若蘭） |
Elder sister of Maertai Rexi; former wife of the 8th prince | |
| Shi Xiaoqun | Guoluoluo Minghui (郭絡羅·明慧) |
Wife of the 8th prince | |
| Guo Zhenni | Lu Wu (綠蕪) |
Love interest of the 13th prince | |
| Chai Wei | Aisin-Gioro Chenghuan （愛新覺羅·承歡） |
Daughter of the 13th prince and Lu Wu | |
| Cao Xinye | Qiaohui (巧慧) |
||
| Ye Qing | Yu Tan (玉檀) |
Maertai Rexi's best friend | |
| Kang Mingtong | Yun Xiang (芸香) |
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| Cristy Guo | Suwanguaerjia Minmin （蘇完瓜爾佳·敏敏） |
Daughter of Lord Suwanguaerjia | |
| Ba Sen | Lord Suwanguaerjia (蘇完瓜爾佳王爺) |
Father of Suwanguaerjia Minmin | |
| Zheng Kai | Yiergen-Gioro Zuoying (伊爾根覺羅·佐鷹) |
||
| Deng Limin | Li Dequan (李德全) |
Emperor Kangxi's personal eunuch | |
| Zhou Yancheng | Wang Xi (王喜) |
Maertai Rexi's best friend; Li Dequan's godson | |
| Hu Zhonghu | Gao Wuyong (高無庸) |
Yongzheng Emperor's personal eunuch | |
| Chen Jingyu | Aisin-Gioro Yinzhi （愛新覺羅·胤祉） |
The 3rd prince | |
| Wang Xiaodong | Aisin-Gioro Yinqi （愛新覺羅·胤祺） |
The 5th prince | |
| Gao Sen | Li Guangdi (李光地) |
||
| Lian Teyue | Mr. He (何太醫) |
The imperial physician | |
| Liu Yuxin | Guoluoluo Mingyu (郭絡羅·明玉) |
Wife of the 10th prince | |
| Dai Chunrong | Uya, Empress Gong Ren (孝恭仁皇后烏雅氏) |
Wife of Emperor Kangxi; mother of Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen and Aisin-Gioro Yinti | |
| Ma Tianyu | Huang Di (黃棣) |
Zhang Xiao's boyfriend |
Featured songs
- Yinian Zhizhuo (一念執著; A Persistent Thought) performed by Hu Ge and Alan Dawa Dolma
- Aide Lianyi (愛的漣漪; Love's Ripples) performed by Ailiya & Alicia
- Sancun Tiantang (三寸天堂;Silver Paradise) performed by Yan Yidan
- Dengni De Jijie (等你的季節; Waiting For Your Season) performed by Cecilia Liu
- Diaoke Aiqing (雕刻愛情; Engraving Love) performed by Zheng Jiajia
See also
External links
- Template:Zh icon Startling by Each Step on Sina.com
- Template:Zh icon Startling by Each Step official website
References