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A Dream of Splendor: Spoiler-Free Mini Review

Jul 13
4 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Title:

A Dream of Splendor 梦华录(2022)

Platform:

Viki, WeTV

MDL & Douban Rating:

8.4 & 8.3

Genre:

Period Idol Romance, Female Entrepreneur

Episode Count:

40

Parental Guidance Rating:

PG-13: Violence and blood, brief torture depicted

Starring:

Crystal Liu (Live-Action Mulan)

Chen Xiao (Legend of the Magnate)

Ada Liu (All Rise)

Jelly Lin (The Road to Glory)

RBTS Rating:

8/10 Stars: A gorgeous Song Dynasty play brought to life by leads with amazing chemistry that delves into ancient entrepreneurship.


Cast From left to Right: #CrystalLiu, #ChenXiao, #AdaLiu, #JellyLi, #GaoChangYuan


Synopsis:

Zhao Pan Er, a clever teahouse owner in Qiantang, embarks on a journey to the Capital, Bian Jing, after discovering her fiancé left her for another woman. Along the way, she saves her two best friends, Sun San Niang and Song Yin Zhang, who join her quest. Gu Qian Fan, a commander in the elite Capital squadron "Living Devil," is framed in a conspiracy involving the imperial court. He crosses paths with Zhao Pan Er, and despite initial disagreements, they form an alliance. As they work together to uncover the truth, their bond deepens. In the Capital, Zhao Pan Er, her friends, and Gu Qian Fan face many challenges while striving to turn a small teahouse into the most successful restaurant in Bian Jing. Along the way, they each seek the love and happiness they deserve. @MDL





Spoiler-Free Mini Review:

A Dream of Splendor is loosely based on the 13th century Yuan dynasty play, Zhao Pan'er Fenguye Jiu Feng Chen, by Guan Hanqing. The play explores the prevailing Caste System of the Song Dynasty through three independent women trying carve out a life for themselves under its yoke.

An unusual aspect of this series is that it explicitly addresses and explores the caste system of the Northern Song dynasty. Caste systems existed in China, though they are not as famous or rigid as the ones in India and Edo period Japan. Broadly speaking, the general citizenry were classed as either "Dastardly" or "Virtuous" based on their profession and ancestry, with a complex system of sub-castes within these two broad classifications. "Dastardly" citizens were restricted in various ways, had fewer civil rights, and were ineligible for imperial examinations and public office. It was not explicitly illegal for women from a "dastardly" background to become the main wife of an official, but it was severely frowned upon and considered to be a mark of poor character. -Wikipedia

The drama also touched on the real life Concubine and later Empress, Zhangxian Mingsu (Lady Liu).


Portrait of empress Liu
Portrait of empress Liu
Empress Zhangxian Mingsu , more commonly known as Empress Liu, was an empress of the Song dynasty, married to the Emperor Zhenzong in 1012 and quickly gained the emperor's trust to discuss government matters. She ruled unofficially as the regent of China during the illness of Emperor Zhenzong from 1020 until 1022, and then officially as regent during the minority of Emperor Renzong from 1022 until her own death on 30 April 1033. As a regent, she commanded in her own name, not the name of the young emperor; she became the second woman in Chinese history to wear the imperial robe, after Wu Zetian, the only empress regnant in Chinese history. In a 2001 study, John Chaffee argued that Empress Liu's rise from an humble entertainer to a de facto ruler was a great success story in China's history, and that she made regency a "safe option" at times when "normal imperial rule was impossible." - Also, Wikipedia. I keep telling myself at least its not AI.

The drama "adaptation" takes many liberties with the source material (see: here for more details); Nevertheless, it was beautiful to look at. The production quality was phenomenal and the sets were gorgeous. The tone of the drama was grounded and serious, and more elevated than the usual "Idol" fare. The first half was gripping and the characters were layered and complex. They didn't always make the best decisions, nor did they escape from situations unscathed.


Hoowwwever...the story fell apart halfway through. The Male Lead peaced out for a good chunk at pivotal moments and the narrative lost focus. The plot also fell into the 'girl boss in ancient times' hole, which just feels overdone at this point. I don't want to come home from work and then watch work; that's not what is intriguing to me about period dramas.



Though there were flaws, the chemistry was excellent, and I do think A Dream of Splendor is worth a watch.



Story=4 (Solid), Acting=4.25 (Solid), Production Quality=4.5 (cinematography, sets, costumes), Rewatch Value=3.5 (I tried to rewatch but actually wasn't that interested this second time around so I lowered my original rating), Ending=3.5 (Acceptable), Enjoyability= 4.25 (Enjoyed)



Trailer:


Director: #YangYangDirector (Differentiating from the actor of the same name) (The Immortal Ascension, Ever Night S2)

Screenwriter: #ZhangWei (A Journey to Glow, All Rise, A Journey to Love, Who Rules the World)


*Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images used on this blog. All images belong to their respective copyright holders and are used for commentary and review purposes. All reviews, opinions, and statements expressed on this blog are my own and are intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. They reflect my personal thoughts and interpretations and should not be considered as factual.




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