The Legend of Chu Liu Xiang

Infobox Television
show_name = The Legend of Chu Liu Xiang


caption = The Box art for the Season 1-3 DVD case
aka = The Legendary Knight
Chu Liu Xiang Chuan Qi
genre = Wuxia
creator = Gu Long
writer = Yu Zheng
director = Ju Jue Liang
Yu Kang Xiong
Chen Qi Yuan
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developer =
presenter =
starring = Ken Chu
Benny Chan
Sun Feifei
voices =
narrated =
theme_music_composer = Li Fei
Tian Yi
opentheme = Xiang Jian Yin
endtheme = Ying Xiong Yi Nu Wei- Hong Yan
Ren Xiao Yao
composer = Wu Pin Chun
Xiao Zhuang
She Man Ni
country = CHN-PRC
language = Mandarin
num_seasons = 4
num_episodes = 43
list_episodes =
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channel = CCTV-8
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first_aired = December 7 2007
last_aired =
preceded_by = Chu Liu Xiang
followed_by = The New Adventures of Chu Liu Xiang
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"The Legend of Chu Liu Xiang" (zh-stp|s=楚留香传奇|t=楚留香傳奇|p=Chu Liu Xiang Chuan Qi) is a drama television series in the People's Republic of China based on Gu Long's series of novels, which was written between 1968 and 1979.citeweb|url=http://space.tv.cctv.com/act/article.jsp?articleId=ARTI1204069486329134|title=新《楚留香传奇》开播 于正笔下香帅不再风流|publisher=CCTV|accessdate=2008-07-03zh icon]

The legend tells of a young orphaned boy who grows and becomes a skilled martial-arts fighter. He is similar to Robin Hood, as he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Throughout his journey, he is met by friends and enemies alike, fighting with only a fan in self-defense and for those who are weakest. Never once, did he kill a person, except for Shi Guan Yin (Chu Ja Hyeon).

"The Legend of Chu Liu Xiang" began production in 2006, and was released the following year in December 7, 2007, on CCTV-8, a Chinese television channel which exclusively plays Wuxia dramas. [citeweb|url=http://www.cctv.com/2006tv/CCTV_8/index.shtml Official Site|title=CCTV-8|publisher=CCTV-8|accessdate=2008-07-03zh icon]

ynopsis

eason 1, 血海飘香

Chu Liu Xiang (Ken Chu) is quite similar to the western-style Robin Hood, who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. He attempts to steal from a prostitute who cheats unsuspecting men of their money, but the prostitute and all her workers suddenly die due to infection from the Sacred Water Temple's fairy water. He immediately becomes a suspect, but thoroughly investigates the murders with help from Song Tian Er {Lu Jia) and Su Rong Rong (Hu Jing), eventually clearing his name. [citeweb|url=http://space.tv.cctv.com/act/video.jsp?videoId=VIDE1197337123000204|title=Ken Chu interviews CCTV-8|publisher=CCTV-8|accessdate=2008-07-03zh icon]

eason 2, 大沙漠

His adventures lead him to the desert, where he is reunited with an old friend, Hu Tie Hua (Benny Chan). Chu Liu Xiang soon falls in love with a desert girl named Shi Guan Yin (Chu Ja Hyeon), but discovers she is behind a plot to take over the Desert Kingdom. Drama ensues, and Chu Liu Xiang is forced to kill her, after making a promise to get together in the next life. [citeweb|url=http://www.geocities.com/kenzhu1979/dclx.htm|title=Ken Zhu 1979 - Chu Liu Xiang|publisher=Geocities|accessdate=2008-07-03]

eason 3, 画眉鸟

The legend closes as soldiers from the Fairy Water Temple pursue Chu Liu Xiang, kidnapping Song Tian Er and Hu Tie Hua. The Queen of the Water Temple, Shui Mu Yin Ji (Xiao Qiang), falsely recognizes Song Tian Er as her daughter, and begins pampering her. Chu Liu Xiang arrives with Li Hong Xiu (Sun Feifei) and Yi Dian Hong (Kingone Wang) and a battle follows. Chu Liu Xiang then investigates a governmental corruption within the temple, eventually capturing Liu Wu Mei (Mu Ting Ting) and Wu Hua (Cui Peng) attempting to take the throne. Because of poison given to her by Liu Wu Mei, the Water Temple Queen begins to die, but managed to tell Chu Liu Xiang that she is his mother and that she never had a daughter. This statement turns out to be false as well. Her will is revealed and Song Tian Er becomes the new Temple Queen.citeweb|url=http://www.cctv.com/teleplay/special/C20130/01/index.shtml|title=Chu Liu Xiang Chuan Qi - Official Page|publisher=CCTV|accessdate=2008-07-03zh icon]

Cast and Characters

*Chu Liu Xiang (Ken Chu)
*Su Rong Rong (Hu Jing)
*Li Hong Xiu (Sun Feifei)
*Song Tian Er (Liu Jia)
*Wu Hua (Cui Peng)
*Hu Tie Hua (Benny Chan) - Season 2 and 3 only
*Shi Guan Yin (Chu Ja Hyeon) - Season 2 only
*Shui Mu Yin Ji (Xiao Qiang) - Season 3 only
*Yi Dian Hong (Kingone Wang) - Recurring
*Liu Wu Mei (Mu Ting Ting) - Season 3 only

Reception

CCTV reviewer, Xiangshuai, commented on Chu Liu Xiang's "luxurious cast" and "amazing script". She said the script captured the feeling written by Gu Long four decades ago about internal human disputes. She praised the actors and actresses amazing job performing the show, which "enhanced" the script to give viewers a sense of what the characters were feeling.

"The Legend of Chu Liu Xiang" received honors on CCTV-8 for being the third-top rated series of 2007, as well as receiving the third-highest viewership of all television series broadcast in 2007 on CCTV-8, even though it was released in December. [citeweb|url=http://space.tv.cctv.com/act/article.jsp?articleId=ARTI1199859654438747|title=难兄难弟成收视奇兵|publisher=CCTV|accessdate=2008-07-03zh icon] [citeweb|url=http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/m/2008-01-09/10221867632.shtml|title=《天仙配》《楚留香传奇|publisher=Sina.com|accessdate=2008-07-03zh icon]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.cctv.com/teleplay/special/C20130/01/index.shtml Chu Liu Xiang Official Page] zh icon
* [http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/m/f/chulxcq/index.html Chu Liu Xiang on Sina] zh icon