The Princess Weiyoung

Empress Feng or Li Weiyoung?

Cast: Tiffany Tang, Luo Jin, Vanness Wu, Mao Xiaotong and Li Xinai.

Trailer:

The Princess Weiyoung tells a fictionalized story of early life of Empress Feng of Northern Wei. Feng Xin’er (Tiffany Tang), the last princess of Northern Liang, loses her family and kingdom, then is shielded by Li Weiyoung, the abandonned daughter of the Prime Minister of Northern Wei Li Xiaoran. She takes Weiyoung’s identity to live in the Li’s, goes through challenges and finally becomes the empress of Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei. The series is highly appreciated for the role model of a stimulating and cunning woman. Despite some flaws, The Princess Weiyoung is a trustworthy choice for a combination of history and love story fulfilled by unique taste.

Empress Feng or Li Weiyoung?

In 2015, the audience was gradually losing patience as Fan Bingbing’s Wu Meiniang was so innocent and did not stick up for herself throughout more than a half of the series. Lately, it came to a Lan Ling King’s princess Yuan Quing Suo, who was annoyingly carefree and fragile. Tiffany Tang has delivered a Weiyoung with a new taste and perception on women in the genre of historical fiction of ancient China. Although her acting does not top the cohort, her Weiyoung is transferred as she is. At some important scenes, for example when Weiyoung is blamed for murder, Tang does not show the proper extreme anger and aggressiveness. Other than that, she is doing a good job.

The idea on a powerful and clever woman is ideally delivered with a typical example and suitable historical base. The image of the lead female character throughout The Princess Weiyoung totally makes sense the real Empress Feng of Northern Wei, who is known for her impacts and contributions in the expansion and development of Northern Wei. At the very beginning, Weiyoung is described as a strong lady who fights to survive, and to revenge for her bloodbath ended kingdom rather than waiting for a hero. Moreover, she is “proactive” that she does not wait till someone causes harm on her then react. She chooses to take over the game and be the winner. This helps remaining the audience’s interest in the series.

Is Li Weiyoung’s story the early life of Empress Feng?

Personally, the origin of Weiyoung is just partly good. It is reasonable in the sense that the real Weiyoung, who dies protecting Feng Xin’er, and Xin’er, who later resides in the Li’s family with Weiyoung’s identity, share the same feud and enemies. This common point is a significant motivation for Xin’er to move on and revenge the Chiyun clan. Also, stating Weiyoung’s origin as the last princess of Northern Liang – the kingdom that surrendered Northern Wei in the 400s –  is the root of a wide range of stimulating events during the series. However, this origin is irrelevant to Empress Feng’s profile. Xin’er is the princess of Northern Liang, which was destroyed in 439. Meanwhile, Empress Feng is, in fact, a junior of Northern Yan. Thus, she finds no reasons to engage herself in the revenge for Northern Liang. In addition, Xin’er’s father is King Hexi of Northern Liang, whose real surname is Juqu – the surname of rulers of Northern Liang, while Xin’er’s surname is Feng. How could they become father and daughter?

One thing to add is that Weiyoung’s should be called Xin’er after the truth is spoken in the 35^th episode. Since the name Feng Xin’er reminds the audience of her origin, and convinces that the series is telling Empress Feng of Northern Wei’s story. However, historical events are not mentioned particularly, these minor irrelevances are still acceptable to some extent.

In the name of love

Along Li Weiyoung, the Princess Weiyoung’s supporting couple Li Changru – Tuoba Yu is noticeable. They share the same characters then they have the same ending. No matter what their aims are, how they try to achieve their goals, and what happens, in the end, they could not get the one they love. The audience may feel sorrow for this couple as well as surprised with what they have done. I appreciate Li Changru by Mao Xiaotong. Her camouflage is so perfect that I bet you could not speak a word when discover what and how she has done. Alongside, she is successful at showing her loyal love for Prince Nanan Tuoba Yu, which is her greatest motivation. Mao’s appearance and acting are totally for her character.

No one would not fall for this beautiful Li Changru.

In contrast to Li Changru, I would say Tuoba Yu’s love to Weiyoung has not reached the depth to gain sympathy. His love of Weiyoung is likely an impression. It is not convincing enough that he would trade anything for her. It seems that this aspect is added just to give one more reason for him to be a cruel and manipulative prince.

Despite a choice of historical base, The Princess Weiyoung cannot reach the peak due to unnecessary cheesy scenes. Those romantic scenes of Tuoba Di – Li Minde are yet necessary to convince the audience with their relationship. However, they take so long with distasteful details, which bores the audience. Besides, the overuse of romantic scenes of many couples distracts the core story.

The boundary between romantic and cheesy is respectively vulnerable.

Dress like the Wei dynasty

Undoubtedly, clothes are well invested. Tiffany Tang puts on different types of dresses that reflects her various roles and social statuses. Dresses embroidered meticulously with lots of patterns highlights the elegance and royalty. Furthermore, the design of clothes are partly accurate to what people worn during Wei dynasty. While a couple of series freely spend creativity on clothing of dynamic periods such as Northern – Southern dynasties, The Princess Weiyoung tries to stick with historical elements. Not only Weiyoung’s costumes but also dresses of supporting female characters are coherent and contribute to illustrate the dynasty’s culture.  Then, the sophistication on clothing is absolutely worthy.

Dresses combining creative and historical elements reflect how people dressed in the Wei dynasty meticulously.

Though, the series fails at the dressing Xin’er and her bodyguard Jun Tao as men in the first episode. How they try to dress up as men does not help out as camouflage. In contrast, they catch more attention due to the weird and modern tentative hairstyle and costume. To make it worse, the first meeting between Xin’er and Tuoba Jun could have been more romantic if Xin’er menswear were more ”usual”. Besides, the ancient China harmony is dilluted and turned out modern due to actresses’ make-up. Their straight eyebrows are way too thick, which tends to separate their faces into two halves. Even straight eyebrows are trendy in modern context, it does not mean they fit the portraits of ancient Chinese women. Li Weiyoung, Li Changle, Li Changru and Tuoba Di look like they are 21st century women time-travelling to the Northern Wei dynasty with straight eyebrows. They would be an awesome puzzle to the Northern Wei’s masterpiece with other style of eyebrows make-up.

When make up and costumes fail to illustrate the ancient China.

To sum up, The Princess Weiyoung is a unique journey of a strong and clever woman. It empowers and encourages young ladies to be the hero of their own stories. The series mingles elements such as love, history and fiction perfectly to bring out an interesting product about woman’s power. Despite some contradictions to history, the series is still a good choice for those who do not take the historical base seriously. The Princess Weiyoung is exemplar of feminism in ancient China.

If you have watched this series, let me know how you think about Weiyoung (Xin’er) in the comment below. Is she the role model of powerful woman you are seeking for?

The Princess Weiyoung (Vietnamese edition)