The Legend of Chu Liuxiang

The Legend of Chu Liuxiang
DVD box art
Also known as	1. The Legendary Knight 2. Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi
Genre	Wuxia
Written by	Gu Long (original story) Yu Zheng
Directed by	Kuk Kwok-leung Yu Kangxiong Chen Qiyuan
Starring	Ken Chu Hu Jing Sun Feifei Liu Jia Cui Peng Benny Chan Chu Ja-hyeon Stephanie Hsiao Kingone Wang Sammul Chan Mu Tingting
Opening theme	Xiang Jian Yin (香劍吟) performed by Li Fei and Tian Yi
Ending theme	1. Ren Xiaoyao (任逍遙) performed by Wu Pinchun 2. Yingxiong Yinu Wei Hongyan (英雄一怒為紅顏) performed by Xiaozhuang and She Manni
Country of origin	China
Language(s)	Mandarin
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	43
Production
Producer(s)	You Jianming
Location(s)	China
Running time	45 minutes per episode
Broadcast
Original channel	CCTV-8
Original airing	December 7, 2007

The Legend of Chu Liuxiang
Traditional Chinese	楚留香傳奇
Simplified Chinese	楚留香传奇
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Chŭ Liúxiāng Chuánqí

The Legend of Chu Liuxiang is a Chinese television series adapted from Chu Liuxiang Chuanqi of Gu Long's Chu Liuxiang novel series.^[1] The series was first broadcast on CCTV-8 in December 2007 in China.^[2]

Synopsis

Season 1 - Fragrance in the Sea of Blood (血海飘香)

Chu Liuxiang, nicknamed "Master Xiang", is a thief similar to Robin Hood, as he robs from the rich to help the poor. Once, he attempts to steal from a prostitute who cheats unsuspecting men of their money. However, the occupants of the brothel are all mysteriously killed overnight by the Holy Water Palace's deadly potion, Heaven's One Holy Water. Chu Liuxiang immediately becomes a suspect for the murders and the theft of the potion. He thoroughly investigates the case with help from Song Tian'er and Su Rongrong, eventually clearing his name and exposing the perpetrator's true identity.^[3]

Season 2 - The Vast Desert (大沙漠)

Chu Liuxiang's adventures lead him to the desert, where he encounters his old friend, Hu Tiehua. At the same time, Chu meets a beautiful maiden called Linlang and he falls in love with her. However, he discovers that Linlang is actually the mysterious Shi Guanyin he had been hearing about, and she is behind a plot to take over the desert kingdom, City of the Moon. Chu foils Shi Guanyin's plans and he is forced to kill her eventually.^[4]

Season 3 - The Thrush (画眉鸟)

Chu Liuxiang gets into conflict with the Holy Water Palace once more, and the palace's members kidnap Song Tian'er and Hu Tiehua. The palace ruler, Shuimu Yinji, mistakes Song for her long-lost daughter and begins to shower her with love and care. Chu Liuxiang arrives at the palace with Li Hongxiu and Zhongyuan Yidianhong to rescue his friends and a battle ensues. Chu also uncovers a plot by Liu Hongmei and Wuhua to seize the rulership. Shuimu Yinji dies as she has been poisoned by the conspirators. Song Tian'er succeeds Shuimu as ruler of the palace.^[5]

Cast

• Ken Chu as Chu Liuxiang
• Hu Jing as Su Rongrong
• Sun Feifei as Li Hongxiu
• Liu Jia as Song Tian'er
• Cui Peng as Wuhua
  • Sun Xinyu as young Wuhua
• Benny Chan as Hu Tiehua
• Chu Ja-hyeon as Shi Guanyin
  • Zhang Yijing as young Shi Guanyin
• Stephanie Hsiao as Shuimu Yinji
• Kingone Wang as Zhongyuan Yidianhong
• Sammul Chan as Moon City King
• Mu Tingting as Liu Wumei
• Wang Jing as Gong Nanyan
• Deng Jiajia as Zhangsun Hong
• Xiu Qing as Tianfeng Shisilang
• Wang Bowen as Xue Yiren
• Wang Gang as Xue Xiaoren
• Siqin Gaowa as Qiu Lingsu
• Tian Zhenwei as Li Yuhan
• Wang Zheng as Jiao Yu
• Jin Song as Tiger of the Desert
• Liu Yong as Xiaopan
• Wan Ni'en as Situ Jing
• Tong Tong as Cuihua
• Wu Yuejin as Lianggu
• Wang Huiqiao as Fenggu
• Shi Ting as Cai Qiao
• Yang Haiquan as Renci
• Ye Erjiang as Fenghuo
• Zheng Yue as Yueya'er
• Lin Jiajun as Shuyan
• Li Qingxiang as Zhamuhe
• Guo Qiming as Ximen Qian
• Yu Jianguo as Zuo Yuzheng
• Li Yuan as Bai Yumo
• Zhou dehua as Tuying
• Zong Fengyan as Sun Xuepu
• Yuan Ming as Jin Banhua
• Xu Ming as Abbot
• Tan Jianchang as Wuyazi
• Han Zhi as Song Gang
• Tian Zhong as Shi Tuo
• Lou Yajiang as Ping Fan
• Wang Jingluan as Wumei
• Liu Jianwei as Leng Qiuhun

Reception

CCTV reviewer, Xiangshuai, commented on the series'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 for their performance, which "enhanced" the script to give viewers a sense of what the characters were feeling.^[1]

The Legend of Chu Liuxiang 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.^[6][7]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} (Chinese) "新《楚留香传奇》开播 于正笔下香帅不再风流". CCTV. http://space.tv.cctv.com/act/article.jsp?articleId=ARTI1204069486329134. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
2. ^ (Chinese) Official Site "CCTV-8". CCTV-8. http://www.cctv.com/2006tv/CCTV_8/index.shtml Official Site. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
3. ^ (Chinese) "Ken Chu interviews CCTV-8". CCTV-8. http://space.tv.cctv.com/act/video.jsp?videoId=VIDE1197337123000204. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
4. ^ "Ken Zhu 1979 - Chu Liu Xiang". Geocities. Archived from the original on 2009-08-09. http://web.archive.org/web/20090809162420/http://geocities.com/kenzhu1979/dclx.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
5. ^ (Chinese) "Chu Liu Xiang Chuan Qi - Official Page". CCTV. http://www.cctv.com/teleplay/special/C20130/01/index.shtml. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
6. ^ (Chinese) "难兄难弟成收视奇兵". CCTV. http://space.tv.cctv.com/act/article.jsp?articleId=ARTI1199859654438747. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
7. ^ (Chinese) "《天仙配》《楚留香传奇". Sina.com. http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/m/2008-01-09/10221867632.shtml. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 

External links

• (Chinese) The Legend of Chu Liuxiang official page on CCTV website
• (Chinese) The Legend of Chu Liuxiang on Sina.com
• (Chinese) The Legend of Chu Liuxiang on Baidu Baike