Princess on peace path

Other than the royal theme, Hou says he decided The Rebel Princess would also shine a light on the complexities of humanity. "The leading characters are pulled into a string of conflicts. They are made heroes by the situation."

Han Zhong, the art director, says the drama took around 273 days to shoot in China's two largest film and television bases, Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang province and Tangcheng in Xiangyang, Hubei province. He says the art department was inspired by the architecture of the time period between the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Most of the scenes set in the royal palace and officials' residences were shot on six soundstages, each covering an area of more than 8,000 square meters.

The crew also constructed a "military base" and a "fortress" in a locale covering nearly 20,000 square meters in Tianmo Desert, located around 90 kilometers from Beijing.

Han says the scenes of rivers and ponds in the series were inspired by literary works such as Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu's depiction of the rainy season in Jiangsu province's Nanjing, which served as a capital for many rulers during the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-581).

Li Jingsheng, deputy head of China Federation of Radio and Television Associations, says the TV series, with its well-designed costumes and props, shows the progress of domestic dramas, despite some online criticism.

Contact the writer at xufan@chinadaily.com.cn