Too lavish, too nasty: Chinese state media goes to war against Yanxi Palace and other period dramas
- Imperial dramas blamed for promoting extravagance, glamour and pleasure-seeking over the virtues of frugality and hard work
- Programme makers also accused of putting commercial profits above providing spiritual guidance to audiences
Some of China’s most popular historical dramas have been taken down from television channels after state media launched an unusual attack on the genre for its extravagance and “negative influence on society”.
The extravagant series Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace about a girl strategically climbing above her rank to become empress of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) was scheduled for Monday afternoon on Dragon TV, but was replaced by a reality show, Joyful Comedians.
Some online commentators also claimed Shandong TV had replaced its regular evening showing of the hit series Story of Yanxi Palace with Ode to Joy, a contemporary drama series about five women seeking love and career success in Shanghai.
The change in programming schedules followed an article in Friday’s edition of the Beijing Daily magazine Theory Weekly which called out the “sins” of imperial dramas, claiming they encouraged viewers to pursue the glamorous lifestyles of China’s past monarchs and promoted pleasure and luxury above the “virtues of frugality and hard work”.
The article singled out a number of period dramas – including Story of Yanxi Palace and Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace – and said a close following of the plots of these series – which usually involve elaborate schemes hatched by back-stabbing courtiers – would worsen the “balance” of society.
