The Sword and the Brocade

I believe this is what is know as a Harem drama, and is the first I have watched. It centers on a low born woman being married into a prestigious family as the 'first wife' in a household which includes several concubines but she is fantastically skilled in embroidery which she wants to persue as a career but means she is the only women on the house who does not want to be there. Cast into this toxic atmosphere she finds herself threatened by scheming concubines determined to undermine her position, a position she does not want!

As she overcomes these obstacles her cold and distant husband comes to recognise her talents and just what a nice person she is and so starts the slow burning romance.

I have to mention the cinematography which at times is jaw dropping. A simple story of good against evil and good triumphing eventually told in an entertaining and engaging way which is carried by the two leads who give fantastic performances.

Just started this and was compelled to write an early review because of the bashing of concubines. These are fictional dramas and weather anyone likes it or not concubines were a common thing for 2000 years! Weather you agree with it or not or you want t think abandoning it was a reality it's a fictional drama! The fact people don't want to fathom the fact that there were concubines and think because a fictional drama written in 2021 was historically accurate because they abandoned the practice. Most men had 100's of concubines. Any ways I'm finding this to be decent but imo they down play the facts of concubines. I'll keep watching and update if needed..

Hang in there because the series really pulls together around episode four. The dynamic of a home with both concubines and a legal wife was portrayed in all it's brutal reality which, at times, was hard to watch. I can't imagine being a woman in China during these periods.

The best part was, Tan Songyun, the lead actress, who gave an almost flawless performance.

I loved this show. Not many shows are getting my attention lately. I just so happened upon this show and though of Cinderella of the Chinese and it isn't like European Cinderella where she sees him and immediately falls for him. Concubine daughter wants nothing to do with noble, ends up falling for him and having to struggle. Just wish I didn't have to read the subtitles in order to watch it...wasn't easy with having the subs flying across my screen and me having to stop, rewind and pause it so many times. But was better than the European/American stories anyday.

I am not familiar with the male and female leads of this movie -- their history, their TV and movie work. But I think all the players in this romantic drama of the Xu family are wonderful. The Sword and the Brocade takes place in China somewhere in the distant past, but the story could take place any time. Simple love, simple conflicts, nothing you have to dig for to understand. I recommend it highly.