Series showcases strong women of ancient China

When speaking of Princess Jieyou, who was sent by Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty to marry the ruler of the Wusun Kingdom for heqin, the director recalls that they found fewer than 1,000 characters documenting her turbulent life in historical archives.

Heqin, or marriage alliance, was a strategic policy used to stabilize border peace across regimes. This required princesses to take on roles more complex than just being wives; they had to be capable diplomats, says Wang.

Probably the least known among the four, Shen Shou, a talented embroiderer during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and early Republican period (1912-1949), is depicted as sort of a "China's Nora Helmer" (the main protagonist of Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House) by the director.

With her lifelike embroidery skills, Shen received praise from Empress Dowager Cixi, which provided her with opportunities to travel to Japan and Europe to refine her artistic creations.

Her most famous works combine Western painting techniques with traditional Chinese embroidery, including a portrait of Elena of Montenegro — the Queen of Italy — and a portrait of Jesus Christ.

Despite her artistic success, Shen's marriage was marred by sorrow. Unable to bear children, her husband took two concubines. Under the patronage of entrepreneur Zhang Jian, she lived a solitary life in Nantong, Jiangsu province, teaching students at an embroidery school.

In her will, she specified to be buried independently in Nantong, refusing to be laid to rest in her husband's family tomb in Suzhou. This choice embodied her Nora-like declaration of independence and departure in her final moments, explains Wang.

Throughout ancient China's history, each dynasty imposed restrictions on women, notes Li Qian, vice-president of Huanyu and the producer of Phoenix: The Story of Her.

"Although these constraints have dissipated, we hope the documentary can showcase the remarkable bravery, resilience and determination of Chinese women in their refusal to succumb to their destinies," she adds.

Contact the writer at xufan@chinadaily.com.cn