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* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She taunts her enemies/victims by smiling on their unfortunate fates, and found satisfaction in their suffering. She's even more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists in the series.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic sadistic, petty and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She taunts her enemies/victims by smiling on their unfortunate fates, and found satisfaction in their suffering. She's even more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists in the series.
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* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: An Lingrong]]'s motivation is a lot less sympathetic due to Zhen Huan's brother, an important part of her character development arc, being AdaptedOut in the drama. Some of Zhen Huan's evil deeds are transferred to An Lingrong in the TV adaption.
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* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: An Lingrong]]'s motivation is a lot less sympathetic due to Zhen Huan's brother, an important part of her character development arc, being AdaptedOut in the drama. Some While some of original Zhen Huan's evil deeds are transferred to An Lingrong her in the TV adaption.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She taunts her victims by smiling on their unfortunate fates, and found satisfaction in their suffering. She's even more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists in the series.
* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: An Lingrong]]'s motivation is a lot less sympathetic due to Zhen Huan's brother, an important part of her character development arc, being AdaptedOut in the drama.
* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: An Lingrong]]'s motivation is a lot less sympathetic due to Zhen Huan's brother, an important part of her character development arc, being AdaptedOut in the drama.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She taunts her victims enemies/victims by smiling on their unfortunate fates, and found satisfaction in their suffering. She's even more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists in the series.
* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: An Lingrong]]'s motivation is a lot less sympathetic due to Zhen Huan's brother, an important part of her character development arc, being AdaptedOut in the drama. Some of Zhen Huan's evil deeds are transferred to An Lingrong in the TV adaption.
* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: An Lingrong]]'s motivation is a lot less sympathetic due to Zhen Huan's brother, an important part of her character development arc, being AdaptedOut in the drama. Some of Zhen Huan's evil deeds are transferred to An Lingrong in the TV adaption.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She's more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists.
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* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She taunts her victims by smiling on their unfortunate fates, and found satisfaction in their suffering. She's even more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists.antagonists in the series.
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* AdaptionalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She's more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists.
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* AdaptionalHeroism: AdaptationalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She's more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists.
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*AdaptionalHeroism: In the novels, the original Zhen Huan is much more ruthlessly darker, sadistic and cunning than the TV series counterpart. She's more dangerous than the actual villains and antagonists.
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** [[spoiler: Zhen Huan killing her unborn child to blame the Empress. Sound familiar?]]
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** [[spoiler: Zhen Huan killing her unborn child to blame the Empress. Sound familiar?]] Sounds familiar?]]
** Wu Zetian was sent to Buddhist nunnery after the death of the late Emperor and her affair with his son. This is quite resembling when Zhen Huan's fall from the Emperor's grace and her romantic relationship with the Emperor's brother.
** Wu Zetian was sent to Buddhist nunnery after the death of the late Emperor and her affair with his son. This is quite resembling when Zhen Huan's fall from the Emperor's grace and her romantic relationship with the Emperor's brother.
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* CounterpartComparison: The character of Zhen Huan is based on a number of influential women in Chinese history, notably Wu Zetian. This explained a lot of her character and storyline.
** Zhen Huan's distaste of cats is likely a reference to a rumor about Wu Zetian's fear towards cats.
**[[spoiler: Zhen Huan killing her unborn child to blame the Empress. Sound familiar?]]
** Zhen Huan's distaste of cats is likely a reference to a rumor about Wu Zetian's fear towards cats.
**[[spoiler: Zhen Huan killing her unborn child to blame the Empress. Sound familiar?]]
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The upcoming drama series ''Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace'' is the official sequel to the Legend of Zhen Huan with the actress Vivian Wu playing as Empress Dowager Niuhuru, the older Zhen Huan.
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* PrematurelyGreyHaired: Zhen Huan starts finding grey hairs at the age of twenty seven. Hardly surprising considering all she's been through at that point.
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Add Evil Cripple to list of examples
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* EvilCripple: the Princess of Glory has a retainer with a pronounced limp - the only regular character with a noticeable physical disability. He's also the one whom she sends to assassinate people, and he plays up his sinister role with great aplomb.
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* [[spoiler: ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: Zhen Huan,]] but the process happens to a lot of the characters over the series.
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* [[spoiler: ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: Zhen Huan, but]] the process happens to a lot of the characters over the series.
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* Polyamory
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* Polyamory{{Polyamory}}: A common practice in ancient China. It's nothing special about the emperor of China to have hundreds of wives in his palace.
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* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Quite a few of the concubines try to undermine or overthrow Zhen Huan but ultimately she only becomes more be love and desired by the emperor as a result. Some particular offenders are Promise Yu, Consort Hua [[spoiler: and eventually the empress.]]
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* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Quite a few of the concubines try to undermine or overthrow Zhen Huan but ultimately she only becomes more be love beloved and desired by the emperor as a result. Some particular offenders are Promise Yu, Consort Hua [[spoiler: and eventually the empress.]]
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* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Quite a few of the concubines try to undermine or overthrow Zhen Huan but ultimately she only becomes more be love and desired by the emperor as a result. Some particular offenders are Promise Yu, Consort Hua [[spoiler: and eventually the empress.]]
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* GorgeousPeriodDress
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* GorgeousPeriodDressGorgeousPeriodDress: The outfits worn by the consorts and the Empress are especially opulent.
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* LightIsNotGood: Quite a literal and symbolic example as when Zhen Huan returns to the Palace she is given the title Xi Fei meaning Light at the same time she has lost most of her innocence and [[spoiler: surrendered her chance of a happy future with the man she actually loves. ]]
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* JadeColoredGlasses: Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, most notably. An Lingrong also becomes very cynical as the series progress, which Zhen Huan notes in one of their conversation.
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* JadeColoredGlasses: Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, most notably. An Lingrong also becomes very cynical as the series progress, progress [[spoiler: which Zhen Huan notes points out in one of their final conversation. ]]
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* LoveMartyr: Even after all Consort Duan has suffered[[spoiler: for helping the Emperor aborting Consort Hua's baby]] she still hold no ill will to toward the Emperor. After his death, she is so heartbroken that she fell ill.
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* LoveMartyr: Even after all Consort Duan has suffered[[spoiler: for helping the Emperor aborting Consort Hua's baby]] she still hold no ill will to toward the Emperor. After his death, she is so heartbroken that she fell ill. For all her wrongdoings,
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* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Usually Consort Hua against everyone else.
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* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Usually Consort Hua against everyone else. Zhen Huan also engages in this as the series progresses.
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* JadeColoredGlasses: Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, most notably.
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* JadeColoredGlasses: Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, most notably. An Lingrong also becomes very cynical as the series progress, which Zhen Huan notes in one of their conversation.
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[[caption-width-right:350:Sun Li as Zhen Huan]] The Legend of Zhen Huan (Original title: 后宫·甄嬛传 Hou Gong: Zhen Huan Zhuan) is a Chinese drama based on a popular internet novel. The drama is set in the harem of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Spanning 76 episodes (almost twice as long as the typical Chinese series), Legend of Zhen Huan is considered one of the most successful dramas in the recent years.
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[[caption-width-right:350:Sun Li as Zhen Huan]] The Huan]]
''The Legend of ZhenHuan (Original title: 后宫·甄嬛传 Hou Gong: Zhen Huan Zhuan) Huan'' is a Chinese drama based on a popular internet novel. The drama is set in the harem of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Spanning 76 episodes (almost twice as long as the typical Chinese series), Legend of Zhen Huan is it's considered one of the most successful dramas in the recent years.
''The Legend of Zhen
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The series has been exported to the US as a miniseries titled "Empresses in the Palace" (made available on Netfllix). The entire series is condensed into six 90-minute episodes, using original Chinese dialogue with English subtitles. The opening and closing themes are also changed for the US release.
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The series has been exported to the US as a miniseries titled "Empresses ''Empresses in the Palace" Palace'' (made available on Netfllix).Netflix). The entire series is condensed into six 90-minute episodes, using original Chinese dialogue with English subtitles. The opening and closing themes are also changed for the US release.
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* GracefulLadiesLikePurple: Shen Meizhuang
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* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: Fuca Guiren's miscarriage. Subverted with Zhen Huan's final miscarriage. Also Lady Chun[[spoiler: 's murder]]
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* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: Fuca Guiren's miscarriage. Subverted with Zhen Huan's final miscarriage. Also Lady Chun[[spoiler: 's Chun[[spoiler:'s murder]]
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Absurdly Youthful Mother has been made into a supertrope. Wicks will be moved to subtropes where appropriate.
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* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: subverted when Prince Hongli is told to accept a consort who is only twelve years older as his birth mother. The Emperor added ten years to her age to avoid this trope
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* AdoptivePeerParent: Subverted when Prince Hongli is told to accept his father's consort as his mother, but she is only twelve years older than him. The Emperor summarily added ten years to her age to avoid this.
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Consort Hua is not above bribery, lying, lashing out due to pettiness, or murdering fellow concubines, and she even played with Princess Wenyi's health to gain attention, but she wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman's unborn child. However, this might have more to do with her own experience of miscarriage than matters of morality.
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Consort Hua is not above bribery, lying, lashing out due to pettiness, or murdering fellow concubines, and she even played with Princess Wenyi's health to gain attention, but she wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman's unborn child. However, this might have more to do with her own experience of miscarriage than matters of morality. This becomes an interesting point later in the series when you see both [[spoiler: Zhen Huan and the Empress]] play with the lives of unborn children for their own gain even though they both also endured the pain of losing a child.
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*AlasPoorVillain: Most of the women who do horrible things do it out of love for their husband, children, or family.
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Consort Hua is not above bribery, lying, or murdering fellow concubines, and she even played with Princess Wenyi's health to gain attention, but she wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman's unborn child. She may lash out because of her jealousy, but she doesn't want to hurt the children. This might have more to do with her own experience of miscarriage than matters of morality, but she has at least this one standard.
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Consort Hua is not above bribery, lying, lashing out due to pettiness, or murdering fellow concubines, and she even played with Princess Wenyi's health to gain attention, but she wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman's unborn child. She may lash out because of her jealousy, but she doesn't want to hurt the children. This However, this might have more to do with her own experience of miscarriage than matters of morality, but she has at least this one standard.morality.
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* SleepsWithEveryoneButYou: Highlighted with An Lingrong several times, but it is most notable and humiliating after her botched first night.
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* SleepsWithEveryoneButYou: Highlighted with An Lingrong several times, but it is most notable A very interesting variation in the setting of an imperial Harem. All the women want attention from the Emperor, and humiliating after her botched first night.genunely fears falling into this trope for one reason or another.
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* YouNeverDidThatForMe: A lot of the concubines feel this way about what the Emperor does for Zhen Huan, but Consort Hua is most vocal about it, at least to her servants.
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* YouNeverDidThatForMe: A lot of the concubines feel this way about what the Emperor does for Zhen Huan, Huan (or anyone the Emperor happens to favour), but Consort Hua is most vocal about it, at least to her servants.
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The series has been exported to the US as a miniseries titled "Empresses in the Palace" (made available on Netfllix). The entire series condensed into six 90-minute episodes, using original Chinese dialogue with English subtitles. The opening and closing themes are also changed for the US release.
to:
The series has been exported to the US as a miniseries titled "Empresses in the Palace" (made available on Netfllix). The entire series is condensed into six 90-minute episodes, using original Chinese dialogue with English subtitles. The opening and closing themes are also changed for the US release.
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[[caption-width-right:350:Sun Li as Zhen Huan]] The Legend of Zhen Huan (Original title: 后宫·甄嬛传 Hou Gong: Zhen Huan Zhuan) is a Chinese drama set in the harem of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Spanning 76 episodes (almost twice as long as the typical Chinese series), Legend of Zhen Huan is considered one of the most successful dramas in the recent years.
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Zhen Huan, a concubine of the emperor, as she survives the perilous Inner Palace, where nothing is as it seems.
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Zhen Huan, a concubine of the emperor, as she survives the perilous Inner Palace, where nothing is as it seems.
to:
[[caption-width-right:350:Sun Li as Zhen Huan]] The Legend of Zhen Huan (Original title: 后宫·甄嬛传 Hou Gong: Zhen Huan Zhuan) is a Chinese drama based on a popular internet novel. The drama is set in the harem of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Spanning 76 episodes (almost twice as long as the typical Chinese series), Legend of Zhen Huan is considered one of the most successful dramas in the recent years.
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Zhen Huan, a concubine of the emperor, as she survives the perilous Inner Palace, where nothing is as itseems.
seems.
The series has been exported to the US as a miniseries titled "Empresses in the Palace" (made available on Netfllix). The entire series condensed into six 90-minute episodes, using original Chinese dialogue with English subtitles. The opening and closing themes are also changed for the US release.
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Zhen Huan, a concubine of the emperor, as she survives the perilous Inner Palace, where nothing is as it
The series has been exported to the US as a miniseries titled "Empresses in the Palace" (made available on Netfllix). The entire series condensed into six 90-minute episodes, using original Chinese dialogue with English subtitles. The opening and closing themes are also changed for the US release.
* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler: An Lingrong]]'s motivation is a lot less sympathetic due to Zhen Huan's brother, an important part of her character development arc, being AdaptedOut in the drama.
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* AnyoneCanDie: No, seriously.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Quite rampantly. The novel on which this series is based on did not clarify its setting, some even consider the setting in the novel AU; the TV producers chose the Yongzheng Emperor's era and made adjustments (E.g. General Nian Geng Yao was real and had a sister who was the Emperor's consort), but this is bound to lead to discrepancies. One example is the empress and her sister, Empress Chunyuan. Historically, Emperor Yongzheng's empress was his legitimate wife, whom he married while still a prince and died nine years into his rule.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Quite rampantly. The novel on which this series is based on did not clarify its setting, some even consider the setting in the novel AU; the TV producers chose the Yongzheng Emperor's era and made adjustments (E.g. General Nian Geng Yao was real and had a sister who was the Emperor's consort), but this is bound to lead to discrepancies. One example is the empress and her sister, Empress Chunyuan. Historically, Emperor Yongzheng's empress was his legitimate wife, whom he married while still a prince and died nine years into his rule.
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* AnyoneCanDie: No, seriously.
Frighteningly so.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Quiterampantly. The rampantly, as the original novel on which this series is based on did not clarify its setting, some even consider the setting was AU and set in the novel AU; the a different Dynasty. The TV producers chose the Yongzheng Emperor's era and made adjustments (E.g. General Nian Geng Yao was real and had a sister who was the Emperor's consort), but this is bound to lead to discrepancies. One example is the empress and her sister, Empress Chunyuan. Historically, Emperor Yongzheng's empress was his legitimate wife, whom he married while still a prince and died nine years into his rule. Another notable discrepancy is the fact that Yongzheng's mother died very early in his rule.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Quite
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zh11_4816.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Sun Li as Zhen Huan]] The Legend of Zhen Huan (Original title: 后宫·甄嬛传 Hou Gong: Zhen Huan Zhuan) is a Chinese drama set in the harem of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Spanning 76 episodes (almost twice as long as the typical Chinese series), Legend of Zhen Huan is considered one of the most successful dramas in the recent years.
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Zhen Huan, a concubine of the emperor, as she survives the perilous Inner Palace, where nothing is as it seems.
----
!! ''The Legend of Zhen Huan'' contains examples of:
* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: subverted when Prince Hongli is told to accept a consort who is only twelve years older as his birth mother. The Emperor added ten years to her age to avoid this trope
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Can't exactly be helped given the premise of the series, but accentuated with Prince Guo and Dr. Wen, who could have avoided this if they fell in love with someone else.
** Subverted with the Prince Shen and Yurao.
* AlphaBitch: Consort Hua. Later,[[spoiler: Zhen Huan]], and Concubine Qi (Qi Pin) tries to be one,[[spoiler: but she is really manipulated by the Empress all along]].
* AnyoneCanDie: No, seriously.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Quite rampantly. The novel on which this series is based on did not clarify its setting, some even consider the setting in the novel AU; the TV producers chose the Yongzheng Emperor's era and made adjustments (E.g. General Nian Geng Yao was real and had a sister who was the Emperor's consort), but this is bound to lead to discrepancies. One example is the empress and her sister, Empress Chunyuan. Historically, Emperor Yongzheng's empress was his legitimate wife, whom he married while still a prince and died nine years into his rule.
* AsYouKnow: or "As you don't know, but I do." A Senior Palace maid is sent to the households of all the future concubines to teach them palace manners and etiquette, and the characters do seem to love to educate each other on relevant history, poetry, or whatever topic that will help the viewer understand the mountain of mind games everyone is playing.
* BewareTheNiceOnes
* BewareTheQuietOnes
* BitchInSheepsClothing: A lot of the women. Notably,[[spoiler: the empress. She appeared to be kind and fair at first but was revealed to be one of the most scheming characters.]] Also, [[spoiler: An Lingrong first appeared to be the sweetest and meekest of the new concubines, but stabbed her "sisters" in the back repeatedly.]]
* BlackAndGrayMorality
* BlatantLies: half the stuff anyone says in public. In almost every conversation, the consorts refer to each other as "good sisters" even though they hate and scheme against each other all the time.
* BreakTheHaughty: Happens several times. Xia Changzai, Concubine Qi (Qi Pin) and Consort Hua.
* BrainlessBeauty: Deconstructed with Concubine Qi (Qi Pin), who is beautiful but painfully unaware of her own simpleness.
* CatsAreMean: Zhen Huan certainly thinks so, after her consistent bad luck with cats.
* CharacterDevelopment: Everyone. One of this series' greatest merits.
** Zhen Huan, most notably, who starts out an idealistic young lady but hardens up later in the story after facing several betrayals and surviving the schemes of other concubines.
** The same can be said for Shen Meizhuang [[spoiler:after she nearly drowns and becomes framed for faking a pregnancy.]]
* ChekhovsGun: Xiaoyunzi's paper cutting of Zhen Huan.
* ChekhovsSkill: The Empress is knowledgeable in Chinese Medicine and An Lingrong is an expert at making scented/aromatic incenses.
* ChildhoodFriends: Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Played straight, and later subverted with Princess Longyue.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: [[spoiler: An Lingrong. She is supposedly good friends with Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, but she tries to cause Zhen Huan to miscarry several times, causes the childbirth complication that kills Shen Meizhuang, and sets the stage for Zhen Huan to take down the Empress, who supported her rise the entire time.]]
** [[spoiler: Lady Cao (Cao Guiren). She urges Consort Hua to abandon Li Pin when she was scared insane, plays a key role helping Zhen Huan bringing down Consort Hua, and says plainly said she'll backstab anyone to ensure a good future for her daughter (and herself).]]
** [[spoiler: The Empress. The price for letting her help you gain favor is never being able to get pregnant. Then she leaves you out to die when she is done with you.]]
** It might be easier to list all the women who never back stabs anyone.
* CrapsaccharineWorld: The inner palace is full of beautiful women dressed in elaborate clothes living comfortably in nice buildings... who spend their spare time scheming against each other and will stop at nothing to gain more power. Everyone knows it, no one sees a need or reason to stop it, and if you are one of the women and don't want to play that game, you probably won't live long enough or be importantly enough to complain much.
* CostumePorn
* DeadlyDecadentCourt
* DeathByChildbirth: Subverted.[[spoiler: Shen Meizhuang and Empress Chunyuan]] both dies of childbirth, but in both cases the delivery or pregnancy has been sabotaged to harm them. In the case of [[spoiler: Meng Jinxian]], she is poisoned and is going to die within hours anyways, so the physicians induced labour and she managed to deliver a child right before dying.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Subverted. The Emperor can have any women he wants, so he callously abandons any woman who become too cold toward him.
** Life in the Inner Palaces actually causes several ladies to become [[IceQueen Ice Queens]].[[spoiler: Namely, Shen Meizhuang and Ning Guiren.]]
* DeliveryGuy: played straight, since all imperial physicians are male. No men are allowed in the room during delivery, but they give instructions to maids.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Dr. Wen Shichu for Zhen Huan. She gives an excellent reason for refusing him, but it is clear that she is never really interested in him. The rejection doesn't stop him for devoting to her wholeheartedly, though.
* DrivenToSuicide:
** [[spoiler: Consort Hua. Even though she had lost all her power and title, Consort Hua who was demoted to Nian Daying, was still proud and unfazed by the Emperor's decree for her death... until Zhen Huan informed her that it was the scheming of the Emperor that caused Consort Hua to be sterile and miscarriage. Consort Hua's final cry of anguish, as she realized that the man she loved most was the one who caused her the most misery, were considered by many to be a TearJerker]]
** [[spoiler: An Lingrong.]] After she lost the Emperor's favour.
** The Emperor orders [[TheScapegoat Ying Guiren]] to commit suicide after the impropriety scandal[[spoiler: involving Third Prince Hongshi, so she will bear guilt rather than implicating the Prince]].
* EmotionlessGirl: Concubine Ning. She rarely shows any emotion, and even during her bouts of anger, she remains relatively composed.
* TheEmperor
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Many, and often done spectacularly. Few characters, like Consort Hua, can be read right off the bat (see below). Many other characters do not reveal their real nature until much later.
* EstablishingSeriesMoment: Consort Hua orders for a maid to be killed for being annoying and for a low-ranking concubine to be beaten to lower-body paralysis for rudeness. That is episodes 2 and 3 out of 76, and it only goes downhill from there.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Consort Hua is not above bribery, lying, or murdering fellow concubines, and she even played with Princess Wenyi's health to gain attention, but she wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman's unborn child. She may lash out because of her jealousy, but she doesn't want to hurt the children. This might have more to do with her own experience of miscarriage than matters of morality, but she has at least this one standard.
* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler: Huanbi and An Lingrong]]. Both attribute their self-serving actions and attitudes to the fact they had harsher childhoods compared to Zhen Huan, and that their mothers were abandoned/neglected by the men they loved.
* GorgeousPeriodDress
* GreenEyedMonster: Consort Hua [[spoiler: and as revealed later, The Empress and An Lingrong]]
* HappilyAdopted: Disturbingly common, as biological mothers of children don't usually last long in this series. [[spoiler: Princess Wenyi, Princess Longyue, Fourth Prince Hongli and Prince Guo's son. Arguably, Shen Meizhuang's daughter and Zhen Huan's twins are happily adopted by the emperor. ]]
* IgnoredEnamoredUnderling: Huanbi is this for Prince Guo for most of the series.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: Justified because this is the Royal Harem.
* ImportantHaircut: Sort of. Zhen Huan wears distinctively different makeup and headdress in the later half of the series.
** Justified, as when women in the harem are promoted (or demoted), their hairstyle and style of dress must also change as befitting their stations.
* InTheBlood: Even though she is raised by the mostly honestly and sincere Consort Jin, Princess Longyue shows traces of her biological mother's craftiness and wit at a very young age.
* JadeColoredGlasses: Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, most notably.
* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Consort Hua. If she is doing something nice for you, be very, very afraid.
* KindheartedSimpleton: Chun Guiren, who also doubles as [[InnocentlyInsensitive innocently insensitive]].
** Zigzagged with Shen Meizhuang
* LawOfInverseFertility: Almost everyone in the Inner Palace wants a child because a child is the surest way to guarantee their future, but pregnancies are rare and carrying a child to term and giving birth successful is even rarer. However, that's not that surprising considering what these ladies do to each other.
* TheLostLenore: Empress Chunyuan.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Oh dear yes. the story involves close to two dozen concubines, important characters have between one to three servants who are flushed out,and a lot of nobles and politicians come and go.
* LoveMartyr: Even after all Consort Duan has suffered[[spoiler: for helping the Emperor aborting Consort Hua's baby]] she still hold no ill will to toward the Emperor. After his death, she is so heartbroken that she fell ill.
* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: Fuca Guiren's miscarriage. Subverted with Zhen Huan's final miscarriage. Also Lady Chun[[spoiler: 's murder]]
* MayDecemberRomance: The Emperor and his newer concubines.
* [[spoiler: ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: Zhen Huan,]] but the process happens to a lot of the characters over the series.
* MeaningfulName: titles the Emperor give to his concubines have special meanings.
** The Emperor claims that Zhen Huan's first title "wan" refers her smile. [[spoiler: It turns out to be his nickname for the late Empress Chunyuan (see [[ReplacementGoldfish Replacement Goldfish ]]below.) Zhen Huan is horrified when the Emperor offered to bestow the name "wan" on her younger sister, indicating that he wishes to marry her too.]]
** An Lingrong's "li" is a kind of bird, referring to her singing abilities. [[spoiler: however, her vocal chords are long ruined by the time she is given this title, which is one of the reaons An Lingrong finds it especially jarring.]]
* MotherMakesYouKing: the eventual outcome of Hongli's "adoption" by a consort backed by a powerful family name
* OneSteveLimit: Consort Qi (Qi Fei) and Concubine Qi (Qi Guiren), but it's not the same word/character in Chinese.
* Polyamory
* PurpleProse: every single line of every single conversation, but it works with the setting of the Imperial Harem.
* ReplacementGoldfish: [[spoiler: Zhen Huan to Empress Chunyuan.]] Sent her into HeroicBSOD when she found out.
* RightHandCat: Two ladies have cats, and neither of the cats are completely innocent.
* RoyalHarem
* SilentScapegoat: Consort Duan
** When an important concubine falls, the most senior maid almost always steps up to take the blame, even if they are being tortured to tell the truth.
* SillyRabbitRomanceIsForKids: Brought up throughout the series.
* SleepsWithEveryoneButYou: Highlighted with An Lingrong several times, but it is most notable and humiliating after her botched first night.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The Chinese character for "huan" in the titular character's name has multiple pronunciations, and according to origin of her name in-universe (it is drawn from a poem), it should actually be pronounced "xuan." Implication: this TV show misled a good portion of China to read this character improperly.
* SpoiledBrat: Implied with Concubine Qi (Qi Pin), because she shows traces of this even towards the Emperor. The Emperor lets her get away with it up to a point because he thinks it is cute.
* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Usually Consort Hua against everyone else.
* StarCrossedLovers: Several concubines have shown to be much better suited to other men at court than the Emperor.
* TheScapegoat: Consort Qi (Qi Fei), Concubine Qi (Qi Pin), and An Lingrong [[spoiler: for various schemes the Empress came up with that had gone awry.]]
* TooDumbToLive: To be fair, they only appear dumb because there are too many [[TheChessmaster Chessmasters]] floating around, and they only die because it was ancient China and it only takes one word from the Emperor to kill them.
** played straight with Qi Pin, who keeps bothering Zhen Huan even though Zhen Huan out maneuvers her time again and clearly has a better grasp of the Emperor's favor than she does.
* [[WouldHitAGirl Would Execute a Girl]]: The Emperor
* YouNeverDidThatForMe: A lot of the concubines feel this way about what the Emperor does for Zhen Huan, but Consort Hua is most vocal about it, at least to her servants.
* YourCheatingHeart: Zhen Huan's and Yurao's father.[[spoiler: Also, Shen Meizhuang]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:Sun Li as Zhen Huan]] The Legend of Zhen Huan (Original title: 后宫·甄嬛传 Hou Gong: Zhen Huan Zhuan) is a Chinese drama set in the harem of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Spanning 76 episodes (almost twice as long as the typical Chinese series), Legend of Zhen Huan is considered one of the most successful dramas in the recent years.
The story follows the trials and tribulations of Zhen Huan, a concubine of the emperor, as she survives the perilous Inner Palace, where nothing is as it seems.
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!! ''The Legend of Zhen Huan'' contains examples of:
* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: subverted when Prince Hongli is told to accept a consort who is only twelve years older as his birth mother. The Emperor added ten years to her age to avoid this trope
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Can't exactly be helped given the premise of the series, but accentuated with Prince Guo and Dr. Wen, who could have avoided this if they fell in love with someone else.
** Subverted with the Prince Shen and Yurao.
* AlphaBitch: Consort Hua. Later,[[spoiler: Zhen Huan]], and Concubine Qi (Qi Pin) tries to be one,[[spoiler: but she is really manipulated by the Empress all along]].
* AnyoneCanDie: No, seriously.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Quite rampantly. The novel on which this series is based on did not clarify its setting, some even consider the setting in the novel AU; the TV producers chose the Yongzheng Emperor's era and made adjustments (E.g. General Nian Geng Yao was real and had a sister who was the Emperor's consort), but this is bound to lead to discrepancies. One example is the empress and her sister, Empress Chunyuan. Historically, Emperor Yongzheng's empress was his legitimate wife, whom he married while still a prince and died nine years into his rule.
* AsYouKnow: or "As you don't know, but I do." A Senior Palace maid is sent to the households of all the future concubines to teach them palace manners and etiquette, and the characters do seem to love to educate each other on relevant history, poetry, or whatever topic that will help the viewer understand the mountain of mind games everyone is playing.
* BewareTheNiceOnes
* BewareTheQuietOnes
* BitchInSheepsClothing: A lot of the women. Notably,[[spoiler: the empress. She appeared to be kind and fair at first but was revealed to be one of the most scheming characters.]] Also, [[spoiler: An Lingrong first appeared to be the sweetest and meekest of the new concubines, but stabbed her "sisters" in the back repeatedly.]]
* BlackAndGrayMorality
* BlatantLies: half the stuff anyone says in public. In almost every conversation, the consorts refer to each other as "good sisters" even though they hate and scheme against each other all the time.
* BreakTheHaughty: Happens several times. Xia Changzai, Concubine Qi (Qi Pin) and Consort Hua.
* BrainlessBeauty: Deconstructed with Concubine Qi (Qi Pin), who is beautiful but painfully unaware of her own simpleness.
* CatsAreMean: Zhen Huan certainly thinks so, after her consistent bad luck with cats.
* CharacterDevelopment: Everyone. One of this series' greatest merits.
** Zhen Huan, most notably, who starts out an idealistic young lady but hardens up later in the story after facing several betrayals and surviving the schemes of other concubines.
** The same can be said for Shen Meizhuang [[spoiler:after she nearly drowns and becomes framed for faking a pregnancy.]]
* ChekhovsGun: Xiaoyunzi's paper cutting of Zhen Huan.
* ChekhovsSkill: The Empress is knowledgeable in Chinese Medicine and An Lingrong is an expert at making scented/aromatic incenses.
* ChildhoodFriends: Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Played straight, and later subverted with Princess Longyue.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: [[spoiler: An Lingrong. She is supposedly good friends with Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, but she tries to cause Zhen Huan to miscarry several times, causes the childbirth complication that kills Shen Meizhuang, and sets the stage for Zhen Huan to take down the Empress, who supported her rise the entire time.]]
** [[spoiler: Lady Cao (Cao Guiren). She urges Consort Hua to abandon Li Pin when she was scared insane, plays a key role helping Zhen Huan bringing down Consort Hua, and says plainly said she'll backstab anyone to ensure a good future for her daughter (and herself).]]
** [[spoiler: The Empress. The price for letting her help you gain favor is never being able to get pregnant. Then she leaves you out to die when she is done with you.]]
** It might be easier to list all the women who never back stabs anyone.
* CrapsaccharineWorld: The inner palace is full of beautiful women dressed in elaborate clothes living comfortably in nice buildings... who spend their spare time scheming against each other and will stop at nothing to gain more power. Everyone knows it, no one sees a need or reason to stop it, and if you are one of the women and don't want to play that game, you probably won't live long enough or be importantly enough to complain much.
* CostumePorn
* DeadlyDecadentCourt
* DeathByChildbirth: Subverted.[[spoiler: Shen Meizhuang and Empress Chunyuan]] both dies of childbirth, but in both cases the delivery or pregnancy has been sabotaged to harm them. In the case of [[spoiler: Meng Jinxian]], she is poisoned and is going to die within hours anyways, so the physicians induced labour and she managed to deliver a child right before dying.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Subverted. The Emperor can have any women he wants, so he callously abandons any woman who become too cold toward him.
** Life in the Inner Palaces actually causes several ladies to become [[IceQueen Ice Queens]].[[spoiler: Namely, Shen Meizhuang and Ning Guiren.]]
* DeliveryGuy: played straight, since all imperial physicians are male. No men are allowed in the room during delivery, but they give instructions to maids.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Dr. Wen Shichu for Zhen Huan. She gives an excellent reason for refusing him, but it is clear that she is never really interested in him. The rejection doesn't stop him for devoting to her wholeheartedly, though.
* DrivenToSuicide:
** [[spoiler: Consort Hua. Even though she had lost all her power and title, Consort Hua who was demoted to Nian Daying, was still proud and unfazed by the Emperor's decree for her death... until Zhen Huan informed her that it was the scheming of the Emperor that caused Consort Hua to be sterile and miscarriage. Consort Hua's final cry of anguish, as she realized that the man she loved most was the one who caused her the most misery, were considered by many to be a TearJerker]]
** [[spoiler: An Lingrong.]] After she lost the Emperor's favour.
** The Emperor orders [[TheScapegoat Ying Guiren]] to commit suicide after the impropriety scandal[[spoiler: involving Third Prince Hongshi, so she will bear guilt rather than implicating the Prince]].
* EmotionlessGirl: Concubine Ning. She rarely shows any emotion, and even during her bouts of anger, she remains relatively composed.
* TheEmperor
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Many, and often done spectacularly. Few characters, like Consort Hua, can be read right off the bat (see below). Many other characters do not reveal their real nature until much later.
* EstablishingSeriesMoment: Consort Hua orders for a maid to be killed for being annoying and for a low-ranking concubine to be beaten to lower-body paralysis for rudeness. That is episodes 2 and 3 out of 76, and it only goes downhill from there.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Consort Hua is not above bribery, lying, or murdering fellow concubines, and she even played with Princess Wenyi's health to gain attention, but she wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman's unborn child. She may lash out because of her jealousy, but she doesn't want to hurt the children. This might have more to do with her own experience of miscarriage than matters of morality, but she has at least this one standard.
* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler: Huanbi and An Lingrong]]. Both attribute their self-serving actions and attitudes to the fact they had harsher childhoods compared to Zhen Huan, and that their mothers were abandoned/neglected by the men they loved.
* GorgeousPeriodDress
* GreenEyedMonster: Consort Hua [[spoiler: and as revealed later, The Empress and An Lingrong]]
* HappilyAdopted: Disturbingly common, as biological mothers of children don't usually last long in this series. [[spoiler: Princess Wenyi, Princess Longyue, Fourth Prince Hongli and Prince Guo's son. Arguably, Shen Meizhuang's daughter and Zhen Huan's twins are happily adopted by the emperor. ]]
* IgnoredEnamoredUnderling: Huanbi is this for Prince Guo for most of the series.
* ImpracticallyFancyOutfit: Justified because this is the Royal Harem.
* ImportantHaircut: Sort of. Zhen Huan wears distinctively different makeup and headdress in the later half of the series.
** Justified, as when women in the harem are promoted (or demoted), their hairstyle and style of dress must also change as befitting their stations.
* InTheBlood: Even though she is raised by the mostly honestly and sincere Consort Jin, Princess Longyue shows traces of her biological mother's craftiness and wit at a very young age.
* JadeColoredGlasses: Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, most notably.
* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Consort Hua. If she is doing something nice for you, be very, very afraid.
* KindheartedSimpleton: Chun Guiren, who also doubles as [[InnocentlyInsensitive innocently insensitive]].
** Zigzagged with Shen Meizhuang
* LawOfInverseFertility: Almost everyone in the Inner Palace wants a child because a child is the surest way to guarantee their future, but pregnancies are rare and carrying a child to term and giving birth successful is even rarer. However, that's not that surprising considering what these ladies do to each other.
* TheLostLenore: Empress Chunyuan.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Oh dear yes. the story involves close to two dozen concubines, important characters have between one to three servants who are flushed out,and a lot of nobles and politicians come and go.
* LoveMartyr: Even after all Consort Duan has suffered[[spoiler: for helping the Emperor aborting Consort Hua's baby]] she still hold no ill will to toward the Emperor. After his death, she is so heartbroken that she fell ill.
* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: Fuca Guiren's miscarriage. Subverted with Zhen Huan's final miscarriage. Also Lady Chun[[spoiler: 's murder]]
* MayDecemberRomance: The Emperor and his newer concubines.
* [[spoiler: ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: Zhen Huan,]] but the process happens to a lot of the characters over the series.
* MeaningfulName: titles the Emperor give to his concubines have special meanings.
** The Emperor claims that Zhen Huan's first title "wan" refers her smile. [[spoiler: It turns out to be his nickname for the late Empress Chunyuan (see [[ReplacementGoldfish Replacement Goldfish ]]below.) Zhen Huan is horrified when the Emperor offered to bestow the name "wan" on her younger sister, indicating that he wishes to marry her too.]]
** An Lingrong's "li" is a kind of bird, referring to her singing abilities. [[spoiler: however, her vocal chords are long ruined by the time she is given this title, which is one of the reaons An Lingrong finds it especially jarring.]]
* MotherMakesYouKing: the eventual outcome of Hongli's "adoption" by a consort backed by a powerful family name
* OneSteveLimit: Consort Qi (Qi Fei) and Concubine Qi (Qi Guiren), but it's not the same word/character in Chinese.
* Polyamory
* PurpleProse: every single line of every single conversation, but it works with the setting of the Imperial Harem.
* ReplacementGoldfish: [[spoiler: Zhen Huan to Empress Chunyuan.]] Sent her into HeroicBSOD when she found out.
* RightHandCat: Two ladies have cats, and neither of the cats are completely innocent.
* RoyalHarem
* SilentScapegoat: Consort Duan
** When an important concubine falls, the most senior maid almost always steps up to take the blame, even if they are being tortured to tell the truth.
* SillyRabbitRomanceIsForKids: Brought up throughout the series.
* SleepsWithEveryoneButYou: Highlighted with An Lingrong several times, but it is most notable and humiliating after her botched first night.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The Chinese character for "huan" in the titular character's name has multiple pronunciations, and according to origin of her name in-universe (it is drawn from a poem), it should actually be pronounced "xuan." Implication: this TV show misled a good portion of China to read this character improperly.
* SpoiledBrat: Implied with Concubine Qi (Qi Pin), because she shows traces of this even towards the Emperor. The Emperor lets her get away with it up to a point because he thinks it is cute.
* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Usually Consort Hua against everyone else.
* StarCrossedLovers: Several concubines have shown to be much better suited to other men at court than the Emperor.
* TheScapegoat: Consort Qi (Qi Fei), Concubine Qi (Qi Pin), and An Lingrong [[spoiler: for various schemes the Empress came up with that had gone awry.]]
* TooDumbToLive: To be fair, they only appear dumb because there are too many [[TheChessmaster Chessmasters]] floating around, and they only die because it was ancient China and it only takes one word from the Emperor to kill them.
** played straight with Qi Pin, who keeps bothering Zhen Huan even though Zhen Huan out maneuvers her time again and clearly has a better grasp of the Emperor's favor than she does.
* [[WouldHitAGirl Would Execute a Girl]]: The Emperor
* YouNeverDidThatForMe: A lot of the concubines feel this way about what the Emperor does for Zhen Huan, but Consort Hua is most vocal about it, at least to her servants.
* YourCheatingHeart: Zhen Huan's and Yurao's father.[[spoiler: Also, Shen Meizhuang]]
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