Series / Untouchable Lovers

Untouchable Lovers (Chinese: 凤囚凰; pinyin: Fèng qiú huáng^note "(the) feng imprisons (the) huang". Both refer to a Chinese mythological bird, feng being the male of the species, and huang being the female.) is a 2018 Chinese television series based on the eponymous novel Feng Qiu Huang (A Tale of Two Phoenixes) by Tianyi Youfeng (天衣有风).

The series tells the romance story of Liu Chuyu (Guan Xiaotong) and Rong Zhi (Song Weilong) in two different arcs:

• The "Liu Song" arc (episodes 1-16): Rong Zhi is a member of Chuyu's household, she being a princess of the imperial Liu clan.
• The "Northern Wei" arc (episodes 17 to 52): an alternate universe whereby Rong Zhi is an important official of Northern Wei (and younger brother of the empress dowager), and Chuyu, as a princess of Liu Song, is sent to Northern Wei to marry him as part of a political alliance to maintain relations between Northern Wei and Liu Song.

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This series contains examples of:

• Adapted Out: Emperor Xiaowu's mother (and Liu Ziye's paternal grandmother) Lu Huinan was still alive during Liu Ziye's reign.^note Historically, Emperor Ming issued edicts in Empress Dowager Lu's name in order to justify his killing of Liu Ziye and Liu Chuyu. Also, Liu Ziye's first wife He Lingwan is not mentioned; she had died during Emperor Xiaowu's reign.^note He Lingwan was also He Mai's sister. Yes, that He Mai whose wife is Princess Xincai (Liu Ziye's aunt). Also, about 16 days before he was assassinated, Liu Ziye made a niece of Lu Huinan his empress.
• Artistic License – History: Historically, Liu Ziye was killed more than a year after his mother died.^note In the Julian calendar, Wang Xianyuan died in October 464 while Liu Ziye died on 1 January 466.
  • In the first episode, considerable liberties were taken in the section which claimed that many powerful men of the (Eastern) Jin and Liu Song eras were terrorized by their princess wives:
    • Historical records on Wang Dun's wife was limited to her name and parentage (Sima Xiuhui, a daughter of Emperor Wu of Jin (Sima Yan)), and that Wang Dun gave away more than 100 maids who were part of the the princess's marriage dowry to his officers as their wives.
    • Huan Wen's wife, Sima Xingnan, was known for her jealously and indeed once tried to kill a concubine, but was so touched by the concubine's mannerisms that she threw away the knife in her hands and treated the concubine well^note This anecdote was the origins of the idiom "wo jian you ling" (我见犹怜; used to describe women whose beauty drove others to protect them)..
    • He Rui (also known as He Yu in some records) merely hid in a dry well to avoid his wife, Liu Xinnan (a daughter of Emperor Wu of Song, and Liu Ziye's historical grandaunt and mother-in-law as she was the mother of He Lingwan).
    • Historical records did not indicate the identities of the wives of Xie Zhuang and Yin Chong.
  • Very little is recorded of the historical Liu Chuxiu besides her name. It is speculated that she died young, as she was not recorded to have a title.^note She was referred to as "royal daughter" (huang nv) in Book of Song
  • Historically, most (if not all) of Wang Xianyuan's children were born before Emperor Xiaowu's accession to the throne.^note The couple wed in 443, while Emperor Xiaowu was crowned in May 453. So, Lady Wang's claim of wanting to keep her title as empress makes no sense. In additional, Lady Wang's biography in Book of Song recorded that she was favored when Emperor Xiaowu was still a prince.
  • Historically, Lady Yin (concubine of Liu Ziye's father Emperor Xiaowu) died during Emperor Xiaowu's reign and was not killed by Liu Ziye. However, it is true that being greatly favored by Emperor Xiaowu at the time, she attempted to influence Emperor Xiaowu to depose Liu Ziye as crown prince (and did not succeed).
  • Historically, what happened to Princess Xincai (Liu Yingmei) after Liu Ziye's death was unrecorded. Also, she was historically a half-sister of Emperor Xiaowu as she was the 10th daughter of Emperor Wen. Before that, the eunuch taunting Princess Xincai made a factual mistake when he claimed that "an emperor's guipin cannot have sons."^note Part of a concubine's duty is to have the emperor's children (preferably sons). What the eunuch meant was that an emperor's concubine (usually) cannot have children with other men.
  • Historically, He Mai (Princess Xincai's husband) died around the same time as Shen Qingzhi, after being angered by Liu Ziye's treatment of his wife and wanting to support a pretender to the throne.
  • Historically, Liu Yu (Emperor Ming) did give his consort Chen Miaodeng to another man to become pregnant, but that man was Li Dao'er. Before this, after Liu Ziye's death, he had to contend with a civil war as ambitious officials proclaimed Liu Zixun as a pretender to the Liu Song throne. The civil war lasted for about 7 months before Liu Zixun was captured and executed.
  • Historically, Liu Chuyu was forced to commit suicide the day after Liu Ziye was killed.
  • Historically, while women in Northern Wei had a somewhat more lenient environment compared to Liu Song, no woman ever became a general or led armies. Also, there was no male regent in Northern Wei during this period, as Empress Dowager Feng was the de jure (and de facto) regent. This becomes a plot point in the final episodes as she finally wrestles power from Emperor Xianwen and becomes regent over Emperor Xiaowen, just like her historical counterpart.
  • Historically, Empress Dowager Feng did have an elder brother, Feng Xi. However, Feng Xi requested to leave the imperial court at Pingcheng precisely because of his younger sister's status as empress dowager and regent.
  • Historically, Emperor Xianwen was his father Emperor Wencheng's eldest son; Emperor Wencheng himself died in June 465 (a few months before Liu Ziye) at the age of 25.
  • By the start of Emperor Ming's reign, the historical Xiao Daocheng was already pushing 40; in-series, he looks no older than late-20s.
• The Caligula: Liu Ziye, who gives orders to execute people at the drop of a hat. This is one reason why many wanted him dead.
• Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Liu Song has a predominantly white colour theme; their northern rivals Northern Wei has a black theme.
• Deadly Decadent Court: Both arcs have this in different flavours:
  • In the Liu Song arc, the main danger is the emperor; both Liu Ziye and Liu Yu order executions arbitrarily.
  • In the Northern Wei arc, the various court factions jockey for power and influence, with plenty of murders and assassination attempts.
• Died in Your Arms Tonight: Empress Dowager Wang died in the arms of her daughter Liu Chuyu, or rather, Liu Chuxiu.
• Everyone Is Related: While the series doesn't draw attention to the fact, Wang Yan (the one whose puppet was depicted being tied to a tree) and his wife Liu Rongnan (another daughter of Emperor Wu of Song) were the parents of Empress Dowager Wang Xianyuan.
• Freudian Excuse: As a child, Liu Ziye was bullied by his father's favored concubine Lady Yin, and he was snubbed by other court officials as he was close to being replaced as crown prince.
• Good Stepmother: Empress Dowager Feng to Emperor Xianwen. She tries to stabilise court politics to the best of her abilities, and is polite to the emperor. Becomes Evil Stepmother in the final episodes as she finally wrestles power from Emperor Xianwen.
• Historical Domain Character: Many. In the Northern Wei arc, examples include Empress Dowager Feng and her step-son Emperor Xianwen.
• Kill and Replace: Zhu Que does this to impersonate her twin sister, the real Liu Chuyu. Zhu Que's birth name was Liu Chuxiu.
• Meet the New Boss: After Liu Yu ascends the throne, he reveals a sadistic streak^note Historically, Emperor Ming ruled for about 6 years before he died from illness at the age of 32. However, he did much to weaken the imperial Liu clan; just seven years after his death, the Liu Song dynasty would collapse and Xiao Daocheng became the first emperor of Southern Qi..
• One Twin Must Die: Wang Xianyuan sent her daughter Liu Chuxiu to be brought outside the palace and executed due to a prophecy. The maid responsible didn't do it; Chuxiu grew up and became Zhu Que.
• Royal Inbreeding: While the series doesn't draw attention to the fact, Liu Ziye's parents were cousins as Empress Dowager Wang's maternal grandfather was Emperor Wu of Song, who was her husband Emperor Xiaowu's paternal grandfather ^note However, Liu Rongnan may not be Wang Xianyuan's birth mother (the Book of Song is not clear on who the mother is, only that Princess Liu is Wang Yan's main wife)..
• Truth in Television: Barring the artistic licenses, the Liu Song arc depicts several stories found in historical records:
  • Liu Ziye's commentary on his forefathers' portraits (and the part where he insisted that the artist repaint his father's nose) is found in Zi Zhi Tong Jian.
  • Liu Chuyu's comments to her brother on wanting more partners is found in Book of Song, although she (probably) didn't make the comment in front of other officials.^note The Chinese term for a male lover, mian shou, was said to have originated from this anecdote.
  • Wang Xianyuan wanting a knife to cut open her womb due to Liu Ziye is also found in historical records.
  • Liu Ziye making his aunt Princess Xincai his concubine was also recorded in Book of Song. However, the princess's ultimate fate was not recorded.
• Viewers Are Geniuses: The Liu Song arc, being closer to actual history, has a somewhat greater demand on viewers' knowledge of the historical Liu Song dynasty. The series even cites an actual petition written by the historical Jiang Yan. In particular, when Rong Zhi educates Chuyu on the killings within the Liu clan over the imperial throne, he only used their relations (relative to Chuyu) and didn't list a single name.
  • Also, "Liu Song" and "Northern Wei" were used by subsequent generations. In-series, both sides were referred to by their own citizens as "Great Song" and "Great Wei" respectively.
  • Historically, by the reigns of Liu Ziye and Emperor Ming, Liu Song had not fought a major war with Northern Wei for at least a decade. The last Liu Song emperor to wage war with Northern Wei was Emperor Wen, Liu Ziye's grandfather and Emperor Xiaowu's father.
  • The final struggle between Emperor Xianwen and Empress Dowager Feng is based on modern historians' appraisal that Emperor Xianwen died by suicide due to his failure to oust the empress dowager; traditional histories maintained that she killed Emperor Xianwen. A lack of upheaval in Northern Wei after Emperor Xianwen's death suggests that his death was probably not murder.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: The series did not depict the fates of the historical Liu Song characters who appeared in the Northern Wei arc.
  • 13 years after Liu Ziye's death, Xiao Daocheng would depose the last Liu Song emperor and found the Southern Qi (as its Emperor Gao). However, 20 years after his death, a distant relative (Xiao Yan) would seize the throne and found the Liang dynasty.
  • Emperor Ming ruled for about 6 years before he died from illness at the age of 32. Just seven years after his death, the Liu Song dynasty would collapse and Xiao Daocheng became the first emperor of Southern Qi.