History Series / PrincessReturningPearl

* DeadlyDecadentCourt: Subverted. The series is more a portrayal of a StandardRoyalCourt and nowhere reaches the decadence standards set by other series taking place in the same time period and in the imperial harem. Usually, series depicting life in the imperial palace would not lack ChronicBackstabbingDisorder that would succeed and result in deaths. While the empress in this series does scheme against the protagonists, she never really succeeds and TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin in the end.

* WeddingDay: The double wedding of Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi & Er Kang and Zi Wei, where HilarityEnsues and also there are a couple of GoldenMoment.

* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses

* SpiritedYoungLady: Xiao Yan Zi sweeps into the palace, shouts in the Emperor’s face, calls him out on his bad treatment of his concubines and generally causes chaos everywhere she goes, capturing the heart of a PrinceCharming in the process.

** Zi Wei and her mother Yu He are both [[{{FloralThemeNaming}} named after flowers]] (the crepe myrtle and the lotus respectively.)
** Liu Qing and Liu Hong are named after [[{{ColourfulThemeNaming}} colours]] ([[{{GreenIsBlue}} green/blue]] and red). Their surname also means “willow”.

* ActionGirl: Xiao Yan Zi and Liu Hong

%%* BadassPrincess: Xiao Yan Zi.

* [[{{YouHave48Hours}} You Have Three Months]]: Lao Fo Ye gives Yong Qi this long to turn Xiao Yan Zi into a proper princess.

[[caption-width-right:300:Huan Zhu Ge Ge: original series vs remake]] ''Princess Returning Pearl'' (original name: 还珠格格; also known by its pinyin title ''Huan Zhu Ge Ge'', or ''Princess Pearl'' or ''My Fair Princess'' or ''The Return of Princess Pearl'') is a Chinese series set in the [[{{ImperialChina}} Qing dynasty]] in the time of Emperor Qian Long. It tells the MistakenIdentity story of Xiao Yan Zi, an orphan living in Beijing and Zi Wei, the illegitimate daughter of the emperor.

** Zi Wei gets slapped, beaten, tortured or hurt every other episode, it seems. Then in series 3, [[spoiler: her husband dies leaving her suffering HeroicBSOD.]]
** Xiao Yan Zi when she finds out about the truth about her family, to the point that in both the original series 3 and the remake she [[spoiler: attempted to kill Qian Long but ultimately failing. In addition to that, she suffers two miscarriages and then the love of her life is forced to marry another woman, who then gives him the heir everyone so demanded from him. ]]
* BreakTheHaughty: The Empress and Rong Mo Mo, twice! Also Zhi Hua when [[spoiler: Yong Qi leaves at the end of series 3.]]

** Then there is that fight after Zhi Hua [[spoiler: gives birth to Mian Yi, which ends in Xiao Yan Zi storming off, later telling Yong Qi she does not love him anymore. She realises that she [[{{AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther}} still loves him though, when her brother attempts to kill him]].]]

* CockFight: Played with between Xiao Jian and Yong Qi for Xiao Yan Zi. It turns out Xiao Jian [[spoiler: is not interested in Xiao Yan Zi romantically at all because she is his sister.]]
* ColdBloodedTorture: Zi Wei suffers most from this, including the time when the Empress tortured her by pricking needles into her body to make her confess her true purpose in the palace (which was not the seduce the emperor), then there is the time where Lao Fo Ye crushed her fingers to make her confess that she was plotting the emperor’s death (she wasn’t). [[spoiler: The last ordeal nearly kills her]].

* ConflictingLoyalty: Xiao Yan Zi when she knows about the truth behind her family’s death: [[spoiler: her birth father was executed for treason, but then years later, she is adopted by the emperor, who essentially is the man who caused her father to be executed for treason. Oh, and she also fell in love with the emperor’s son and married him, thus really “calling the enemy her father” as the Chinese saying goes.]]

* DramaBomb: Xiao Yan Zi basically has one dropped on her in series 3 when in the space of one day [[spoiler: she finds out that the reason her father and mother died is because of her adopted father, who is also the father of her husband, then she suffers a second miscarriage and then she is forced to allow her husband to marry another woman, to save her brother’s life.]] Also DisasterDominoes.

* TheDutifulSon: Arguably Yong Qi [[spoiler: returning to the palace to have a child with Xin Rong]] in the remake is an example of this trope, though in a misguided and twisted way.

* FamilyRelationshipSwitcheroo: [[spoiler: Xiao Jian is actually Xiao Yan Zi’s brother, and the person who basically caused their entire family’s death is Qian Long, who is not only Xiao Yan Zi’s adoptive father but also the father of her sworn sister and best friend, and of her fiancé.]]

** Xiao Jian’s line about how his and Xiao Yan Zi’s “surnames” sound similar so they might be related. [[spoiler: It turns out they are.]]

** Also when [[spoiler: Er Kang dies]].
** Xiao Yan Zi on Yong Qi’s [[spoiler: wedding night to Zhi Hua]].
** Yong Qi in series 3 when Xiao Yan Zi says she [[spoiler: does not love him anymore ]](she doesn’t mean it though).

* TheLawOfConservationOfDetail: Xiao Jian’s backstory of how he has a “brother” and is out seeking to kill his family’s enemy. [[spoiler: It turns out the “brother” is a sister – Xiao Yan Zi – and the enemy is Qian Long, suddenly making Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi StarCrossedLovers due to FeudingFamilies.]]

** All right, so she does [[spoiler: get pregnant twice, and miscarried both times in what must be the first trimester, but that’s two short pregnancies in the space of something like three to four years]]. Considering they are in love, clearly trying and this is the time of no contraception, this trope definitely applies.

** Subverted when Xiao Jian and Xiao Yan Zi turn out to be [[spoiler: actual brother and sister]].

* LoveMakesYouEvil: When we first meet Zhi Hua, she seems like an innocent enough girl (though anyone with GenreSavvy would see where we are heading). In the end, to gain Yong Qi’s attention, [[spoiler: she slams herself against furniture while pregnant to induce a premature labour, then later rats out Xiao Yan Zi’s secret to Qian Long]].

* NowLetMeCarryYou: Zi Wei became Er Kang’s support in series 3 when [[spoiler: the Burmese princess Mu Sha tricked him into getting addicted to cocaine and he must cure himself of the addiction.]]

* ThePowerOfLove: The power of love both [[spoiler: woke Er Kang up from a fever when he was gravely injured and also cured Zi Wei of her blindness.]]

* PutOnABus: Er Tai after his marriage to Sai Ya at the end of series 1. This becomes a LongBusTrip when it is talked of him coming back for his brother and best friend’s wedding but ultimately didn’t, and didn’t even come back for his brother’s [[spoiler: funeral in series 3.]]

* RainOfArrows: On Er Kang in the original series 3 on the battlefield where he was [[spoiler: presumed to have died.]]

* RedHerring: Xiao Jian acts like he’s in love with Xiao Yan Zi for a major part of series 2, bringing out the GreenEyedMonster in Yong Qi. In reality, he’s [[spoiler: Xiao Yan Zi’s brother.]]

** One of the major sub-plots running through all series is both Er Kang and Yong Qi’s struggle to MarryForLove, and not succumb to social pressures and expectations by having loads of concubines. [[spoiler: It doesn’t work out so well for Yong Qi.]]

** By series 3, Zi Wei has a son named Dong Er (which means East) and Xiao Yan Zi has her heart set on naming her first child Nan Er (meaning South). [[spoiler: Eventually she did.]]

* BadAss: Pretty much all the protagonists have moments, but Xiao Yan Zi takes the cake most often.
** BadassAdorable: Xiao Yan Zi.
** BadassBoast: Xiao Yan Zi has many of these. Whether she lives up to it is…up for debate.
** BadassPrincess: Xiao Yan Zi.
** CulturedBadass: All the educated men: Er Kang, Er Tai, Yong Qi, Xiao Jian. Also Zi Wei.

----

The original show consisted of three series broadcast in China in 1998, 1999 and 2003 respectively. The series was extremely popular in Mainland China, Taiwan and South East Asia. The first two series helped three of its main actors, ZhaoWei, Ruby Lin and Alec Su, shoot to fame. Series 3 was [[{{FinalSeasonCasting}} significantly recast]] and thus suffered CriticalBacklash.

* InelegantBlubbering: ZhaoWei as Xiao Yan Zi does not cry prettily in this series. Contrast with Zi Wei's CryCute.

* StarMakingRole: For ZhaoWei and Ruby Lin Xin Ru. It also revived Alec Su You Peng’s dwindling career.

* PairTheSpare: Er Tai and Sai Ya, then Liu Qing and Jin Suo. To some extent, also Xiao Jian and Qing Er.

* HonorBeforeReason: Yong Qi, who would rather be thrown into jail rather than abandon his friends, though if he had kept his mouth shut, it is likely that Qian Long would have honoured Lao Fo Ye’s wishes and been guilted by Ling Fei into not imprisoning him. An IdiotBall moment that causes both Ling Fei and Er Kang to obviously mentally FacePalm.

* DysfunctionalFamily: The imperial family this definitely this. UpToEleven in the remake.

** Understandable, because the series is set up to be a [[{{TheThemeParkVersion}} happy, bubbly show]] about love, family and friendship rather than to show the [[{{Main/TheLegendOfZhenHuan}} harsh realities of the imperial court]]. This shows in the way Xiao Yan Zi causes a lot of mayhem and troubles in the palace and gets off with barely any consequences. See also WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief.

You can watch the entire first series with [[http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIGCGRucmiHsESsbb3yY4Asst8qxNprmD English subtitles here]]. Fanfiction for this series [[http://www.fanfiction.net/tv/Princess-Returning-Pearl-%E9%82%84%E7%8F%A0%E6%A0%BC%E6%A0%BC/ can be found here]].

* BreakTheHaughty: The Empress and Rong Mou Mou, twice! Also Zhi Hua when [[spoiler: Yong Qi leaves at the end of series 3.]]

* TheCorrupter: Rong Mou Mou to the Empress, who in turn is this to Lao Fo Ye. Rong Mou Mou could also be the Empress’s LadyMacbeth.
** To a lesser extent, Gui Mou Mou to Lao Fo Ye. By series three, Gui Mou Mou is this full-fledged to Zhi Hua.

** Rong Mou Mou and Gui Mou Mou both play up the hammy a lot.

* HeelFaceTurn: The Empress and Rong Mou Mou, though in their case, it’s more like HeelFaceRevolvingDoor. Also Lao Fo Ye mellows out at the end of series 2.

** Sometimes also Zi Wei who is forgiving to a ridiculous degree, especially towards the Empress and Rong Mou Mou.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Lao Fo Ye is meant to be this. The Empress is too, sometimes, when not being egged on by [[{{TheCorrupter}} Rong Mou Mou]].

* YouNeverDidThatForMe: When Yong Yan was born, the Empress complained to Rong Mou Mou that Qian Long never acted that happy when she gave birth to Yong Ji.

* ActingForTwo: Lin Xin Ru as Zi Wei and Xia Yu He. Also GenerationXerox (physically, anyway).
** Averted in the remake where Lin Xin Ru reprises her role as Yu He, but another actress played her daughter Zi Wei.
* ActorAllusion: In series 2, in order to fool the soldiers who are looking for them, Xiao Yan Zi, posing as a crazy girl, calls Yong Qi "Xiao Hu Zi" - or Little Tiger. Alec Su, who plays Yong Qi, started his career as a member of the boyband Xiao Hu Dui/Little Tigers.

* HotMom: Ling Fei

[[caption-width-right:300:Huan Zhu Ge Ge: original series vs remake]] ''Princess Returning Pearl'' (original name: 还珠格格; also known by its pinyin title ''Huan Zhu Ge Ge'', or ''Princess Pearl'' or ''My Fair Princess'') is a Chinese series set in the [[{{ImperialChina}} Qing dynasty]] in the time of Emperor Qian Long. It tells the MistakenIdentity story of Xiao Yan Zi, an orphan living in Beijing and Zi Wei, the illegitimate daughter of the emperor.

* ActorIllusion: In series 2, in order to fool the soldiers who are looking for them, Xiao Yan Zi, posing as a crazy girl, calls Yong Qi "Xiao Hu Zi" - or Little Tiger. Alec Su, who plays Yong Qi, started his career as a member of the boyband Xiao Hu Dui/Little Tigers.

You can watch the entire first series with [[http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD8E2C272A3CB987 English subtitles here]]. Fanfiction for this series [[http://www.fanfiction.net/tv/Princess-Returning-Pearl-%E9%82%84%E7%8F%A0%E6%A0%BC%E6%A0%BC/ can be found here]].

* ActingForTwo: Lin Xin Ru as Zi Wei and Xia Yu He. Also GenerationXerox.

The screenplay was written by famous Taiwanese romance writer and TV producer, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiung_Yao Qiong Yao]], who afterwards also turn her screenplays into a series of novels consisting of eight volumes.

The original show consisted of three series broadcasted in China in years 1998, 1999 and 2003 respectively. The series was extremely popular in Mainland China, Taiwan and South East Asia. The first two series helped its three of its main actors, ZhaoWei, Ruby Lin and Alec Su shoot to fame. Series 3 was [[{{FinalSeasonCasting}} significantly recasted]] and thus suffered CriticalBacklash.

* BlessedWithSuck: Han Xiang's scent makes her desirable to powerful men, but keep her away from her TrueLove.

* BackToBackBadasses

* BadassAdorable: Xiao Yan Zi.
* BadassBoast: Xiao Yan Zi has many of these. Whether she lives up to it is…up for debate.
* BadassPrincess: Xiao Yan Zi.

* CoolSword: Xiao Yan Zi thinks Xiao Jian’s sword is this.

* CulturedBadass: All the educated men: Er Kang, Er Tai, Yong Qi, Xiao Jian. Also Zi Wei.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Every time Er Kang has to fight off another potential love interest who is not Zi Wei.

* FireForgedFriends: A major theme of the series. Characters constantly remind each other that they are “brothers” without needing to be of the same bloodline.

* GivingTheSwordToANoob: You give Xiao Yan Zi a sword and you have a weapon of mass destruction. Or alternatively, giving Jin Suo a nine-segment whip.

* LoveHurts: And nowhere does it hurt more than in a Qiong Yao production.

* ThePowerOfFriendship

* ProperLady: Zi Wei and Qing Er.

* RebelliousPrincess: Who else but Xiao Yan Zi?

** Series 2 contains more element when the main plot is the elopement of an imperial concubine.

* TrueArtIsAngsty: This trope runs rampant in all Qiong Yao stories.

* {{Wuxia}}: Has certain elements of this, especially after with the addition of Xiao Jian, a classic [[{{KnightErrant}} wandering hero]] archetype of the genre.

The screenplay was written by famous Taiwanese romance writer and TV producer, Qiong Yao, who afterwards also turn her screenplays into a series of novels consisting of eight volumes.