Tales of history turn into stories with a modern twist

Back in 2014, a chicken-pattern porcelain cup from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was sold for a whopping HK$ 281.24 million ($36 million) at an auction in Hong Kong, making it one of the most expensive ceramic vessels of its time and attracting global media attention.

Recently, this precious treasure "appeared" in a popular online series, with its romantic story being retold and reimagined. The cup was commissioned by Zhu Jianshen, the eighth emperor of the Ming Dynasty who experienced a traumatic childhood.

At the age of 5, he was deposed from his position as crown prince and spent five years living in fear of being murdered until his father reclaimed power and restored him as heir to the throne. Throughout the dark period, Zhu found comfort in a royal maid named Wan Zhen'er, who eventually became his beloved wife despite being 17 years older than him. The cup, gifted to Wan by Zhu, was a symbol of their connection.

Featured as a play-within-a-play, the unusual palace love story has been deftly woven into a cultural program, which serves as the backbone to lead the plotline development of Hi Producer, a 35-episode drama currently available on streaming sites iQiyi and Tencent Video.

Filmed between April 19 and Aug 1, 2021, this online series was primarily shot in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, and Hengdian town in Jinhua, Zhejiang province. It is also the first series to be shot at the Suzhou Museum.

The drama follows Yu Zaizao, a young and talented director who joins a production company with plans to produce a program showcasing some of the country's most influential cultural legacies, ranging from Peking Opera to jade sculpture and the filigree inlay technique.