Chasing Dramas

Empresses in the Palace (后宫甄嬛传)

Set during the mid-18th century under the reign of Emperor Yong Zheng 雍正, the 5th emperor of the Qing dynasty, this drama follows the trials and tribulations of a woman named Zhen Huan (甄嬛)as she enters and matures in the Imperial Harem as a concubine of Yong Zheng 雍正.
This drama came out in 2011 and was a massive hit in China. It stars Sun Li 孙俪 as the title character Zhen Huan甄嬛,Chen Jian Bin 陈建斌 as the emperor, Cai Shao Fen 蔡少芬 as the Empress, Jiang Xin 蒋欣 as another consort in the palace named 华妃, and many others. Due to the popularity of this show, it catapulted many of the actors and actresses to A-list status. The show received numerous awards for best directing, best acting and best production. In our view, this drama was the first mainland drama I think to really explain a lot of the intricacies of the Imperial Harem. And because it was so popular, many other dramas are able to build upon this knowledge and rarely has to “re-explain”, for example, the ranking system, the 嫡庶 system etc.
We have completed our podcast series of this drama (all 76 episodes!) Please listen check out those episodes or reference our scripts written for each episode below.

Podcast Episodes

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Podcast

Chasing Dramas

Karen and Cathy
In The Know – Chinese Pop Culture News: An Empresses in the Palace Reunion!

In The Know – Chinese Pop Culture News: An Empresses in the Palace Reunion!

Chasing Dramas

A new variety show - Travel with the Royal Family has been a hilarious Empresses...

9 Aug . 25 min 14 sec
Empresses In The Palace – Final Thoughts

Empresses In The Palace – Final Thoughts

Chasing Dramas

We conclude our discussion of Empresses In The Palace with our final thoughts. We discuss...

18 Jan . 34 min 50 sec
Empresses In The Palace – Ep 75 + 76: Revenge is Bittersweet

Empresses In The Palace – Ep 75 + 76: Revenge is Bittersweet

Chasing Dramas

Zhen Huan is filled with hatred towards the Emperor after the death of the 17th...

11 Jan . 38 min 41 sec
Empresses In The Palace – Ep 73+74: The Last Goodbye

Empresses In The Palace – Ep 73+74: The Last Goodbye

Chasing Dramas

The Emperor has finally caught on to the 17th prince's feelings towards Zhen Huan and...

3 Jan . 33 min 26 sec
Empresses in the Palace – Ep 72: I cannot do it

Empresses in the Palace – Ep 72: I cannot do it

Chasing Dramas

The Empress and Emperor meet for one final showdown. The Empress finally confesses to her...

29 Dec . 26 min 12 sec

Key Characters

Zhen Huan 甄嬛

The drama follows Zhen Huan as she enters the palace as a concubine and experiences successes and failures to ultimately become the most powerful woman in the empire.

Yong Zheng 雍正

The 5th Emperor of the Qing Dynasty who just ascended the throne after a bloody fight for it. He is the cause for all heartbreak in the drama

The Empress 皇后

On the surface a serene and graceful Empress, but underneath rules the harem with an iron fist.

Hua Fei 华妃

A favored concubine in the palace, she is wealthy, arrogant but uneducated. She loves the Emperor deeply only to realize that her connection to the Nian family would be her undoing.

Shen Mei Zhuang 沈眉庄

Zhen Huan’s best friend since childhood, Shen Mei Zhuang enjoyed early success in the palace but was a victim of a scheme that caused her to lose all interest in palace life.

An Ling Rong 安陵容

Entering the palace with Zhen Huan and Shen Mei Zhuang, her sensitive nature and low birth status pushed her against her friends and into the arms of the evil Empress.

Drama Setting – Intro History and Cultural Details

Qing Dynasty

The drama takes place during the Qing Dynasty or at the time called 大清 . The Qing dynasty was founded by the Manchu Aisin Gioro (or 爱新觉罗 in Mandarin) clan in 1632 and ruled China from 1644 to 1912. It is the last imperial dynasty to rule China. Of note, the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan is not Han Chinese. The Manchu were from Northern China and were militaristic, well versed on horseback and had close ties to the Mongolians. In present day, Manchu is the second largest minority group in China and according to the 2010 Census from Baidu, there are over 10 million Manchu living in China. They have their own written and spoken language and many still live in dong bei province in China.

The Imperial Harem

The main setting of this drama is the emperor’s harem, or 后宫. Though it means “harem” in English, the direct translation of the words is “palace in the back”. This contrasts with qian chao 前朝 which is the Emperor’s court in which he conducts his ruling affairs, but the direct translation to those 2 words are “front court”. So you see, the emperor must manage two aspects of his life. The court, for ruling, and the harem, for continuing his progeny. There is a clear delineation of his roles and, of course, the role of women.

Titles in the Palace

During the Qing dynasty, you have one empress or 皇后, that rules the harem on behalf of the emperor. She is what is considered the “main” wife. Every other woman is, or supposed to be, subservient to her and enjoys special priviedges. There is normally a 皇贵妃, the Imperial Noble Consort followed by the rank of 贵妃, the Noble Consort. Then four women are generally appointed 妃子, Consort. The next tier is 嫔, Imperial Concubine. Of the above ranks, according to the drama, you are able to have your own, or at least control your own palace quarters.

Favorite Poems Referenced in the Drama