Legend of Yung Ching
Main Characters
Yung Ching (Adam Cheng Siu Chau)
Lu Si Si (Jade Leung Tsang)
Eigth Prince (Mark Cheng Ho Nam)
Kangxi (Chan Hung Lie)
Yu Zuizhi (Huang Wen Hao)
Notes: I have combined Part I and Part II for this review. There are a total of 22 + 37 episodes. I have also used Yongzheng instead of Yung Ching for the review.
Brief Storyline
Set during Kangxi's reign, at a hunting session, one of Kangxi's son got assassinated. Kangxi ordered the Fourth Prince, Yongzheng (Adam Cheng), to investigate. Yongzheng disguised himself as a trader and went to Jiangnan. He got to know a famous scholar's daughter named Lu Sisi (Jade Leung) and after going through various obstacles together, they fell in love. The show continues further on how Yongzheng managed to obtain the throne through scheming tactics and plotting to finally become Emperor Yongzheng.
Comments (SPOILERS):
Relationships
Yongzheng and Lu Sisi
I really like the way Yongzheng is always teasing Lu Sisi. Despite their huge age gap, in the film and in real life, their acting made me feel that they were at ease with each other. Every glance and every smile they gave to each other send shivers down my spine and I love it! The best was still Adam Cheng's expressions, sometimes Jade Leung appears stoned during some romantic scenes.
Yongzheng and his dad (Emperor Kangxi)
In the series, the relationship between Yongzheng and Kangxi is so confusing. Kangxi often sent Yongzheng to finish important tasks and it is also shown that Kangxi is close with Yongzheng and they both know how to have fun together as father and son. Yet on the other hand, Kangxi does not seem to trust Yongzheng? What type of weirdo father is that?
Yongzheng and his mom (Empress Xiaogong)
It was quite obvious in the series that the mom prefers Yongzheng's younger brother over him. She even wanted to arrange Lu Sisi to marry YongZheng's brother even though she knows Yongzheng likes Lu Sisi.
Yongzheng and Yu Zhuizhi (his sidekick/eunuch/helper)
Zhuizhi is very loyal to Yongzheng and is willing to even die for him. It's interesting how I realize that no matter how many credits Zhuizhi had accumulated by saving Yongzheng's life or even helping Yongzheng in any important matters, Zhuizhi can loose his life with just one mistake. I am sure Zhuizhi knows this, he knows that serving the Emperor is like being with a tiger, his life might be lost at any moment.
Yongzheng and his brothers
They are brothers, yet because of the throne, they have to scheme and plan on causing harm to each other till the very end. Very sad but if you think more about it, even at the present day, you may read news on how siblings fight to the courts in order to obtain inheritances. Isn't that similar?
Favourite Scenes
When Yongzheng and Sisi first met and Sisi told Yongzheng off on the way to read the Chinese word for Official.
Yongzheng helping Sisi get rid of her supposed marriage and ended up having to put up a fight.
Yongzheng and Sisi in the hut cooking.
Yongzheng and Sisi in the cave looking for bandits.
Yongzheng and Sisi in the water cave.
Yongzheng and Sisi watching the stars and galaxies.
Sisi discovering the crossbow and threatening Yongzheng with it.
Sisi was learning how to walk like a manchu princess and Yongzheng stood in front of her while she kneels.
Sisi's fight with Yongzheng at Shaolin temple and she found out that he's a prince.
Yongzheng pretending to be a Shaolin monk and tricking everyone do his chores for him (with the help of his eunuch).
Yongzheng carving the plaque and tricking the officials that it was the real one.
In general:
I'm a big fan of these three emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong of the Qing dynasty. Before watching this series, I have to say Yongzheng was my least liked emperor among the three, but the series had altered my perception. After watching this series, I went on to read up about Yongzheng Emperor and found that he actually was a very diligent emperor. Historians had speculated that Yongzheng was working so hard in running the country that he might have died of exhaustion!
The film also portray how Buddhism has an effect on Yongzheng and that he believes it enough to chant scriptures for inner peace.
Adam Cheng is such an amazing actor. He acted the change in Yongzheng's character with ease. From the happy go lucky "trader" to the suave fourth prince to being the most powerful man in China, the Emperor of China, the character undergoes a change from a relatively carefree person to a lonely emperor. His expressions just got sterner and sterner.
His facial expression and the slightest twitch of his facial muscles provide subtle hints on how although Yongzheng is cunning, he is also human and have a soft spot for Lu Si Si. The pain in his eyes was so obvious when he realized that the girl he fancies is going to marry another man. The way he knelt in front of his mom to explain why he has to punish his own brother, her son, made my heart ache. Furthermore, he's able to portray just how helpless and lonely an emperor can be; that the emperor belongs to the people and the country and has no will of his own. That his decisions are for the good of the people, not for the good of himself.
Adam had made me felt admiration for the emperor yet sympathy for his helplessness; in the sense that being cunning and suspicious of people is of no choice. He loved his brother so much but has to punish him for betrayal. He loved Sisi so much but has to let her go to marry another man.
The only reason I watched this series was because of Adam Cheng, and I did not regret watching it. The series provided numerous historical information on Yongzheng, the Qing Dynasty and even on other dynasties. The show even touch on the rumour that Qianlong might have been half Han half Manchu.
Although without a doubt the writers have twisted some facts and created a very intelligent, romantic, charming, handsome and suave Yung Ching instead of what might have really happened historically, I still welcome the series with open arms. In fact, Adam Cheng was so human that I forgave every single cruel action that Yongzheng had done. I keep telling myself that he had no choice!
In the end, it was obvious that he was a good emperor and that he had the people of the country's interest at heart.
The ending which suggested that Yongzheng and Lu Sisi lived happily ever after carefreely for the rest of their lives up in the mountains makes me feel really happy (Sometimes life is already so depressing, why not make films happier?). By the way, there are many various versions of myths in regards to the relationship between Lu Sisi (Lu Siniang) and Yongzheng and this happens to be more of a fairytale than what might had happened in real life. Nevertheless, I liked it.
A few small things I have to disagree about the show though. Why do they make Adam Cheng put on a moustache!? It looks so weird! And some part of the story was altered way too much so besides these, the show is really good, 4.5 stars! Oh, and Adam Cheng is so good looking! This series was released in 1997, that means he was 50 years old!
