Secret History of Xi Shi

[swtaznlaydee]

You Xiaogang films another “Secret History,” this time of Xishi.


With a beauty who's said to make the fishes to forget to swim, Xishi left a deep impression in the imaginations of future generations, but will this drama do the same for its audience?

Well-known for his “secret history dramas”, You Xiaogang is filming yet another. Following the Secret History of Yang Guifei, You Xiaogang tackles another one of China’s Four Famous Beauties with the Secret History of Xishi 西施秘史. More on the story under the cut and the trailer below from lalalaiTzME@YouTube :

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You Xiaogang films another “Secret History,” this time of Xishi.

July 2, 2011 | Posted in Mainland China,Television, Tagged Secret History of Xi Shi
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee511/jjss08/2cc89e318a55ccf75fdf0ee7.jpg')With a beauty who's said to make the fishes to forget to swim, Xishi left a deep impression in the imaginations of future generations, but will this drama do the same for its audience?


Well-known for his “secret history dramas”, You Xiaogang is filming yet another. Following the Secret History of Yang Guifei, You Xiaogang tackles another one of China’s Four Famous Beauties with the Secret History of Xishi 西施秘史. More on the story under the cut and the trailer below from lalalaiTzME@YouTube :

In 494 BC (Spring Autumn period), the state of Wu defeated the state of Yue. The king of Yue, Goujian, worked as a keeper of horses of the king of Wu in exchange for Yue’s safety. Three years later, he was able to return to Yue and plotted revenge against Wu. As part of his plan, he would sent a tribute of beautiful woman to the king of Wu, to distract him from official duties. Xi Shi (center; wearing red) and Zheng Dan (left, wearing pink) were selected. Fan Li, Goujian’s minister, escorted them to Wu in 487 BC. He and Xi Shi fell in love, but the couple chose their country over their love and went on to Wu. The plan worked- Goujian was entranced. Wu deteriorated, Yue recovered, and in 473 Yue successfully attacked Wu. Though her beauty brought down a state, what happened to Xi Shi herself is unknown. Some legends say that she lived happily ever after with Fan Li, others say that she drowned in a river after outliving her use. I wonder which ending this drama will take?
(source of story: Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women)

[swtaznlaydee]

http://ent.sina.com.cn/f/v/xsms/index.shtml
http://weibo.com/xishimishi
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1325/unledyxv.png')

[kidd]

Haha. Fu Chai has become Gou Jian.

[swtaznlaydee]

[charbydis]

Quickly skimmed through this draggy series. I thought I would give "Xi Shi Mi Shi" a go since it was of the "Mi Shi" series and I really liked "Xiao Zhuang Mi Shi" and "Tai Zu Mi Shi" so I thought it couldn’t be that bad.

But I thought it was a major let down. I could see a lot went into production such as the props and the battle scenes and all the extras. The costumes were okay but the hairstyles were not great. But the plot was the worst.

Seriously, I do not accept how the story spun it that Fu Chai was a great hero that was misunderstood and he was the righteous protagonist. Fu Chai was a great warrior king in history, but to dull the multi-talented and patriotic Fan Li and demean Gou Jian was overdoing it.

Fan Li such a male vase in here, you can hardly notice him since other characters easily steal the spotlight from him in shared scenes. Xi Shi was a bore. The main actress Wu Jing Jing is pretty, but she cannot act well and she has no onscreen charisma or charm to play the drop-dead gorgeous beauty. I still think she got the role because of she is the niece of You Xiao Gang’s wife. It is her first drama so I can forgive her.

Joe Ma actually looks physically okay as Gou Jian and his acting is okay, but his character is given such little depth and seems very petty. The character development is terribly written. I could not connect with this Gou Jian in his anguish and desperation of Gou Jian when he was oppressed not the loneliness of his victory.

I was falling asleep at all the annoying and repetitive love stories and all through the royal harem bickering that just goes on and on for 42 eps which was too long. I occasionally woke up and started to crack up at Steve Ma’s hollering and bulging veins. Steve was never a great actor but he can express emotions (sometimes too much that it can be very funny to watch even though it is sad scene). The hairstyle was very ugly (looked like a bundle of straw). I do not feel that Steve was able to bring out the arrogance and fierceness of Fu Chai.

The plot did not make sense at times and was very over-dramatic. Most of all, I hated the abrupt ending and where it was cut off. It didn’t mean anything nor did it focus on the expression so of the artistes to bring out the final message of the series before breaking out in the ending credits. Ep 42 was definitely too long. I think “The Conquest” was much better casted and the plot more engaging though it was draggy at times as well.

[xiaolong]

Every series with the name "mi shi"/"Secret History" attached to it have been seriously below average. Although I've read they had big budgets and the stars took up the roles just for the money. Seriously disappointed with the recent historical dramas from Mainland. Too many production companies out to make a quick buck.

[PrinceKrillo]

The first two are great simply because Liu De Kai, Shu Chang, and Ma Jing Tao are three of my favorite actors.

However ... the original four were a TRUE series, telling the "Secret History of the Qing Dynasty."

These newer dramas don't have any of the above actors nor do they even take place in the Qing Dynasty.

And seriously, there are enough dramas that deal with Sui & Tang and Yang Gui Fei and stuff.

[charbydis]

The first two are great simply because Liu De Kai, Shu Chang, and Ma Jing Tao are three of my favorite actors.

However ... the original four were a TRUE series, telling the "Secret History of the Qing Dynasty."

These newer dramas don't have any of the above actors nor do they even take place in the Qing Dynasty.

And seriously, there are enough dramas that deal with Sui & Tang and Yang Gui Fei and stuff.

That's true! The newer ones does even have a secret to tell. They are all beautifully produced with big stars but the plot is hollow and it is hard to ignite any emotions from the audience. They are way too long in episodes and You Xiao Gang keeps choosing the wrong leads. They don't give the right feel nor do they have great chemistry. I was cringing with love scenes between Yin Tao and Anthony Wong Chau Sang (who looks nothing like an Emperor), and bored with Allysa Chia & Yuan Hong (who I like separately but they do not look like a couple). There are way too much Wu Ze Tian series around. Also, the songs are not memorable unlike the very catcy "Ni" from "Xiao Zhuang Mi Shi".

However, if Steve Ma, Ning Jing, Hu Jing and Liu De Kai are indeed to reunite for the super-delayed "Sui Tang Mi Shi" then I will watch it. The plot is interesting and seems tragic But then I heard that the series might not even make it to production due to the distraction of Ning Jing's divorce and they might replace her with a new actress!