Actors playing famous Song poets –Yan Shu (right) and Fan Zhongyan (left) -- are seen along with the famous lines of their works, which are still familiar to modern people. [Photo/Official Weibo Account of Qing Ping Yue]

Song Ci

The lyric poetry Ci, which enjoys the same renown as another artistic expression form Shi, originated in the late Tang Dynasty (618-907), but flowered and reached its zenith in the Song Dynasty.

Each piece of Ci is based on one of some 800 Ci Pai, originally titles of tunes, which specify the particular fixed pattern of tone, rhythm, number of characters per line and number of lines. Hence, it is common to come across several Ci penned by different poets about different topics sharing the same title.

Qing Ping Yue, the drama's title in Chinese, is a common Ci Pai used in Song poetry. Accomplished Song poets who were also important officials -- such as Yan Shu, Fan Zhongyan and Ouyang Xiu -- were featured in the drama, with several scenes dedicated to portraying them reading their own pieces.