A Dream in Red Mansions (2010 TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Dream of Red Mansions is a 2010 Chinese
television series, produced by Han Sanping
and directed by Fifth Generation director Li Shaohong
. One of the most expensive Chinese TV series ever made at RMB
118 million (US$17.55 million), it is a new adaptation of the classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber
. The series, comprising 50 episodes, made its debut on July 6, 2010 on 9 terrestrial networks across China
.
The director was originally slated to be Hu Mei
, but Hu clashed with the producers over the cast selection, and was replaced by Li Shaohong in October 2007. The 2010 TV series faced controversy over its cast, the stylized, kunqu
-inspired hairdo, as well as a generally negative press after its July 6 debut.
dialog, often in full. Another feature is its heavy use of a male voice-over
reciting much of the book's narrative.
was highly acclaimed and few critics were convinced a modern version will match its predecessor. Following a highly publicized casting call, in 2007 director Hu Mei was replaced by Li Shaohong. Li courted more controversy by adopting a stylized kunqu
-inspired hairstyle (dubbed "coined heads" 铜钱头/銅錢頭 (Tóngqián tóu) by netizens) for her female cast members, as advised by Hong Kong
art director
Ye Jintian. Many viewers find the hairstyle grotesquely unrealistic.
Response to the series after its debut was mixed, but was largely negative. It was panned by some newspapers, with one referring to it as a pre-modern version of the pop idol drama Meteor Garden
. Audience expressed dismay over its use of music, which some likened to be more appropriate for the ghost series Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
. The use of make-up was also criticized. Some Redologist
scholars voiced their disappointment with the somewhat juvenile acting and script adaptation. Director Li was under enormous pressure owing to the negative feedback and broke down during a Beijing
press conference held on 7 July 2010, her birthday.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
television series, produced by Han Sanping
Han Sanping
Han Sanping is a Chinese film producer. He is the chairman of China Film Group, which has been hailed as one of the largest distributors and exporters of Chinese films...
and directed by Fifth Generation director Li Shaohong
Li Shaohong
Li Shaohong is a Chinese film director. She graduated from the Beijing Film Academy and is a member of the Fifth Generation of Chinese film directors.Li has directed nine films since 1988 and may be China's best-known woman director.-External links:...
. One of the most expensive Chinese TV series ever made at RMB
Chinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...
118 million (US$17.55 million), it is a new adaptation of the classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber
Dream of the Red Chamber
Dream of the Red Chamber , composed by Cao Xueqin, is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. It was composed in the middle of the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty. It is considered to be a masterpiece of Chinese vernacular literature and is generally acknowledged to be a pinnacle of...
. The series, comprising 50 episodes, made its debut on July 6, 2010 on 9 terrestrial networks across China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The director was originally slated to be Hu Mei
Hu Mei
Hu Mei is a Chinese director and producer. Usually classed as a Fifth Generation director, since she graduated from the Directors' class of the 1982 Beijing Film Academy cohort, she is a classmate of more famous Fifth Generation directors like Chen Kaige and Tian Zhuangzhuang.In 1997, she...
, but Hu clashed with the producers over the cast selection, and was replaced by Li Shaohong in October 2007. The 2010 TV series faced controversy over its cast, the stylized, kunqu
Kunqu
Kunqu , also known as Kunju , Kun opera or Kunqu Opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. It evolved from the Kunshan melody, and dominated Chinese theatre from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The style originated in the Wu cultural area...
-inspired hairdo, as well as a generally negative press after its July 6 debut.
Plot summary
Unlike the 1987 version, this series adapts the Cheng-Gao version. The 2010 series reproduces large segments of the book's pre-modern BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
dialog, often in full. Another feature is its heavy use of a male voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
reciting much of the book's narrative.
Cast
- Yang Yang as Jia BaoyuJia BaoyuJia Baoyu is the principal character in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber.- Introduction :The first chapter describes how one piece of stone was left over from when the heaven was repaired by the Goddess Nüwa...
- Yu Xiaotong as young Jia Baoyu
- Jiang Mengjie as Lin DaiyuLin DaiyuLin Daiyu is one of the principal characters of Cao Xueqin's classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is portrayed as a well-educated, intelligent and beautiful young woman. The romance between Daiyu and Jia Baoyu forms one of the main threads of the book...
- Bai Bing as Xue BaochaiXue BaochaiXue Baochai is one of the principal characters in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is extremely beautiful and socially graceful. Her attributes complement those of her cousin Lin Daiyu...
- Li Xin as young Xue Baochai
- Yao Di as Wang XifengWang XifengWang Xifeng is one of the principal characters in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. A not-so-well educated upper-class woman with finesse, she is also known as "Peppercorn Feng" or "Hot Pepper"...
- Zhou Caiqin as Grandmother JiaGrandmother JiaGrandmother Jia , née Shi, so often also called Dowager Shi or simply the Dowager, is a major character in the Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is the daughter of Marquis Shi of Jinling. She is also Baoyu and Daiyu's grandmother and the oldest and most respected authority of the Jia...
- Ding Li as Jia TanchunJia TanchunJia Tanchun is the younger half-sister of Jia Baoyu and a major character in the Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is the daughter of Jia Zheng and his concubine, Concubine Zhao...
- Ma Xiaocan as Shi XiangyunShi XiangyunShi Xiangyun is a major fictional character in Dream of the Red Chamber. She is Baoyu's younger second cousin by the Dowager, Grandmother Jia. Xiangyun is the favorite grandniece of the Dowager, Baoyu's grandmother....
- Zhang Di as Jia YingchunJia YingchunJia Yingchun is a major character in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is protagonist Jia Baoyu's eldest female first cousin. She is the daughter of Jia She and one of his concubines, and younger half-sister to Jia Lian...
- Xu Xing as Jia XichunJia XichunJia Xichun is a primary character in the Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is the sister of Jia Zhen, de facto head of the Ningguo House, and Baoyu's second cousin. When she was little, her mother died, and Lady Wang brought her to the Rongguo Mansion. A devout Buddhist, she is...
- Tang Yifei as Qin Keqing
- Cheng Yuanyuan as Ping'erPing'erPing'er is an important character in the Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is Wang Xifeng's chief maid and personal assistant/confidante, who follows her from the Wang family. Being the chief consultant of the household manager, Ping'er wields considerable power in the Jia household...
- Ye Linlang as Granny LiuGranny LiuGranny Liu is a character in Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is an elderly country rustic and a distant relative of Lady Wang through "joining families" and marriage ....
- Li Yan as Xiren
- Gao Liang as Jia Lian
- Gui Yalei as Lady WangLady WangLady Wang is a character in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. She is the wife of Jia Zheng, and mother of Jia Zhu , Jia Yuanchun and Jia Baoyu...
- Wu Xiaodong as Jia Yun
- Yang Junyong as Jia Rong
- Wang Fuli as Lady Xing
- Jia Ni as Lady You
- Gao Yang as MiaoyuMiaoyuMiaoyu is an important character in Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the classics of Chinese fiction. She is a young, beautiful but aloof Buddhist nun, compelled by circumstances to become a nun, and shelters herself under the nunnery in Prospect Garden...
- Cai Feiyun as Yuanyang
Reception
The 2010 remake was controversial from the start, since the 1987 versionDream of the Red Chamber (1987 TV series)
Dream of the Red Chamber , released in 1987, was a television series produced by CCTV adapted from the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. It gained enormous popularity with its superb music, cast, and plot adaptation. It was first filmed in Beijing in Mandarin. Then it was translated...
was highly acclaimed and few critics were convinced a modern version will match its predecessor. Following a highly publicized casting call, in 2007 director Hu Mei was replaced by Li Shaohong. Li courted more controversy by adopting a stylized kunqu
Kunqu
Kunqu , also known as Kunju , Kun opera or Kunqu Opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. It evolved from the Kunshan melody, and dominated Chinese theatre from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The style originated in the Wu cultural area...
-inspired hairstyle (dubbed "coined heads" 铜钱头/銅錢頭 (Tóngqián tóu) by netizens) for her female cast members, as advised by Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Ye Jintian. Many viewers find the hairstyle grotesquely unrealistic.
Response to the series after its debut was mixed, but was largely negative. It was panned by some newspapers, with one referring to it as a pre-modern version of the pop idol drama Meteor Garden
Meteor Garden
Meteor Garden is a 2001 Taiwanese drama starring Barbie Hsu, Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu and Ken Chu. It is based on Japanese shōjo manga series, , written by Yoko Kamio...
. Audience expressed dismay over its use of music, which some likened to be more appropriate for the ghost series Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio or Liaozhai Zhiyi is a collection of nearly five hundred mostly supernatural tales written by Pu Songling in Classical Chinese during the early Qing Dynasty.Pu borrows from a folk tradition of oral storytelling to put to paper a series of captivating,...
. The use of make-up was also criticized. Some Redologist
Redology
Redology is the study of the novel Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the Four Classics of China. There are many researchers in this field, most can be divided into four general groups. The first group is the commentators, such as Zhou Chun, Xu Fengyi, Chen Yupi, and others. The second group is...
scholars voiced their disappointment with the somewhat juvenile acting and script adaptation. Director Li was under enormous pressure owing to the negative feedback and broke down during a Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
press conference held on 7 July 2010, her birthday.
External links
- The Dream of Red Mansions, CNTV online complete video, free and legal streaming (Chinese)
- Ent.163.com site