Beyond the Realm of Conscience

Plot

Gong Choi-king is forced back into the palace with her daughter, Lau Sam-ho and their servant, Yiu Kam-ling. Gong Choi-King comes from a very talented background of jewellery making, therefore she was assigned the task of making a beautiful, gold hairpiece in the shape of a phoenix, with a luminous pearl as the eye and the feathers of a river kingfisher as the tail for the Empress Dowager. However, during the Empress' daily walk around the imperial garden, the phoenix headpiece suddenly weeps tears of blood. Taking this as a sign of bad luck, she throws the hairpiece away and demands the jewellery maker to be severely punished. Gong Choi-King suffers harsh beating as her punishment and eventually passes away. Before passing away, she tells Sam-ho to always remember the significance of her name("Speak good words, do good deeds, show good will."). (Sam-ho literally means three goodness) She also tells her to help and work together with Kam-ling as if they are related sisters.

Around the time of Choi-king's death, Dowager Concubine Cheng's son, Lee Yi (prince) encounters the six years old Sam-ho. He showed kindness to Sam-ho by giving her some white flowers from Choi-king's favourite tree, the Chinese viburnum (瓊花), so she can take it to her dying mother. Empress Dowager was still very angry because of the hair piece and asked the new head of the Jewellery department, Yuen Chui-wan to shatter it. However, Yuen Chui-wan believed that the hairpiece is a one of a kind masterpiece, therefore she injures her own hand to protect it. She tells Empress Dowager that the hair piece is full of bad luck and if it is shattered all the bad luck will merge with the air. Taking this as an advantage Empress Dowager forces Dowager Concubine Cheng to wear the hair piece and tells her because of her good spirit she can block the bad luck from the entering the palace. After a short period of time bad luck begins to happen to Dowager Concubine Cheng and her son Lee Yi. The story was told that Lee Yi fell off a tree, while trying to reach for his kite. The fall injured his head causing his brain to remain as a 6-year-old boy forever. Lee Yi uses this mental illness as an excuse to escape the imminent death threat from the Empress Dowager, Sam-ho gives him some sweet lotus seed candy to comfort him on the journey. Because of this, the young prince begins to develop a small affection for her.

The Imperial Household Bureau is responsible for managing and directing all household services to the Emperor and the Imperial family of the Tang Dynasty. It is made up of four departments, namely the Houses of Jewelry, Attire, Food, and Furnishing. Sam-ho and Kam-ling are introduced into the bureau in their childhood and are brought up as the disciples in the palace. The two girls are very diligent. Yuen Tsui-wan, Head of the Jewels, and Chung Suet-ha, Head of Attire, are both very fond of Sam-ho for she is a kind-hearted young girl and shows great capabilities in the decorative arts of jewellery and silk work. Both of them fight bitterly to have Sam-ho in their departments. In the end, Sam-ho is assigned to Department of Attire while, Kam-Ling is assigned to the Department of Jewelry.

Years later, Sam-ho meets Ko Hin-yeung, a palace scholar and also a chess teacher, the two shares a secret love compassion for one and another. The young prince Yi, has now grown up and he is returning to the palace. Later on in the series he becomes the Emperor after an evading assassinations with the help of Sam-ho and Hin-yeung. He promotes Hin-yeung as the Palace General because of his faithfulness. Sam-ho later becomes the Head of the Jewelry Department. Even though the Emperor has deep feeling for Sam-ho and wants to have Sam-ho as his concubine, he decides to bury his feeling for her when he discovers that Hin-yeung and Sam-ho are deeply in love and that they were planning to leave the palace but stayed to help the Emperor.

Sam-ho and Kam-ling continue to enjoy a very close friendship, treating each other as sisters and this provokes jealousy among other palace girl servants. Time and time again some of them will try to get Sam-ho and Kam-ling into trouble. However, Sam-ho's honesty and kind attitude endears many powerful people in the palace and they always come to her aid. Whereas, Kam-ling uses her cunning mind to get rid of her enemies. As time passed, Kam-ling realised in order to protect herself from the bullying and to be able to survive in the palace she has to be someone who is powerful and respected. Therefore, she slowly works on a scheme to gain favour of the Empress Dowager Cheng, Yi's mother. She was eventually chosen as one of the Yi's concubines. From there she works on a bigger scheme to get rid of all her competitors, which eventually includes Sam-ho.

Cast

Characters

Lau Sam-Ho - Sam-Ho is a kind-hearted maid who took her mother and father's teachings to heart. Her parents taught her to speak kind words, do good deeds, and bear a kind heart. She always cares for and helps everyone in the palace to the best of her abilities. She is very close with Yiu Kam-Ling, with whom she has sworn sisterhood. She is the love interest of both Ko Hin-Yeung and Emperor Lee Yi. Sam-ho started her service in the Department of Embroidery, but was eventually promoted to be the Head of Jewellery Proceedings. She was later chosen as Lee Yi's concubines because she was pregnant with Hin-Yeung's child. Lee Yi made her his concubine to save her.

Yiu Kam-Ling - Kam-Ling initially starts out as a maid in the Department of Jewellery. During her time in the department, she suffers and perpetrates back-stabbing and torture. Her suffering leads her to believe that she has to plot, manipulate, and formulate schemes in order to survive and avoid further suffering in the palace. She eventually marries Emperor Lee Yi and becomes his concubine. She continuously schemes to destroy her competitors. She eventually became delusional and insane after Emperor Lee Yi punished her with lifelong confinement to her palace pavilion for all her evil deeds.

Yuen Chui-Wan - In the beginning, Chui-Wan serves as Deputy Leader of Jewellery Proceedings. Her dedication and hard work are eventually recognized, and she is promoted to serve as Head of the same department. Chui-Wan is a self spoken, wise woman who never accuses anyone without proof. Throughout the series, she is made Head of Furnishing Proceedings and Head of Embroidery Proceedings. She is in a feud with Suet-Ha (Michelle Yim) because she accuses her of tampering with her food by adding an ingredient to which she was allergic. As a result of her sickness, she was not permitted to leave the palace with her lover, General Man. It is later revealed that she has a son with General Man. By series end, it's implied that Bo Gut-chong took their son out of the palace and left him in the care of an outside healer.

Chung Suet-Ha - Suet-Ha starts out as Head of Embroidery Proceedings. She mistakes Chiu-wan for sabotaging her many years ago, causing her permit to leave the palace to be revoked. As a result, she was unable to see her dying mother. This starts a feud between the two friends who have once sworn sisterhood. She always opposes Chui-Wan. They eventually reconcile their differences. She is later promoted to be the Head of Palace Proceedings. When she thinks that Chui-Wan killed her to be husband purposely, she begins to try to make Chui-Wan suffer and wants to get revenge for her to-be husband. They reconciled by the end of the series and remained friends.

Ko Hin-Yeung - The Emperor's personal guard. This role is assigned to him because of his loyalty to the emperor. He is skilled in martial arts, and even taught Lee Yi several moves that save his life. He also saves Emperor Lee Yi twice from the assassins sent by the previous emperor and the grand empress. He is the lover of Sam-ho and later marries her. They have a daughter in the last episode.

Historical basis

Parts of the plot of the drama series are inspired or based on historical facts or beliefs.

Dramatized historical figures

Empress Dowager Guo (Susan Tse) - Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager Guo is based on a historical figure of the same name, who was recorded in history as being the rival of Empress Dowager Zheng.

Empress Dowager Zheng (Mary Hon) - based on a historical figure of the same name, initially a maid to the Imperial Household who caught the Emperor's attentions and was elevated to the status of an imperial concubine.

Emperor Xuānzong of Tang (Moses Chan) - based on Emperor Xuānzong who succeeded Empress Dowager Guo's grandson Emperor Wuzong of Tang as Emperor of the Tang.

Emperor Wuzong of Tang (Edwin Siu) - based on the Emperor Wuzong who succeeded his brother Emperor Wenzong of Tang as Emperor of the Tang.

Emperor Muzong of Tang (Eric Li (actor)) - based on the Emperor that preceded by Emperor Xianzong of Tang and succeeded by his son Emperor Jingzong of Tang. Neither of the latter two are featured in the series.

Li Jun, Prince of Qi 杞王李峻 (Jeffrey Wong) - based on the eldest son of Emperor Wuzong, of whom nothing is known, in the series he assisted Emperor Xuānzong in defeating the character of Ma Yuan Zhi in return for the throne which he rejected in the end.

Consort Wang 王貴妃 (Tracy Ip) - based on the favourite concubine of Emperor Wuzong, Consort Wang (Wuzong) 王賢妃. Consort Wang was never titled guifei in reality. During her lifetime she held the position of a cairen which was a lower rank of imperial concubine than a guifei. She was posthumously honoured as yinfei by Emperor Xuãnzong, who was in reality moved by Consort Wang's devotion to her husband.

Ma Yuan Zhi (Lee Kwok Lun) - loosely based on a trusted and powerful eunuch of the same name under the rule of Emperor Xuãzong. The character portrayed by Lee Kwok Lun is a combination of two powerful figures, the eunuch Ma Yuan Zhi and military statesman Ma Zhi, who were known dually as the "Two Mas".

Chancellor Li Deyu (Lau Dan) - based on Chancellor Li Deyu.

Trivia

Cultural inaccuracies

Development

Since the successful Korean blockbuster drama, Jewel in the Palace, reached a final peak 50 rating points, and topped the chart in Hong Kong in 2005, Hong Kong had been waiting for another breathtaking production to the likes of Jewel in the Palace. After In 2004, the highly successful TVB drama series War and Beauty gripped a huge audience and gained excellent ratings. Producer Mui Siu Ching, who is highly familiar to this type of Darker-plot, with her experiences in dramas such as Forensic Heroes and The Brink of Law, moved straight to commission this drama production which genre to costume series revolving around the conflicts and struggle within the inner palace. In late 2008, The Sale Presentation finally confirmed with an important casts. The more Casting then introduced at the costume fitting on February 17, 2009. The series was originally planned to start filming in December 2008, but the executives felt it had potential and so it became a grand production; filming was pushed to February 2009 with the script modified from the original 25 episodes to become 33, and new costumes were especially designed for the series.

The original working title known as Palace Schemes linked the story to scheming hearts of Ladies in the Royal palace. Although its Chinese title kept on the same meaning, Official English title changed to Beyond the realm of conscience,to prolific more catchy and lure more viewer. Furthermore, when initial script was first submitted, it was temporarily called Lau Sam Ho, represent Charmaine Sheh's role. On the way to production after the sale presentation successfully release, The Script writer managed to change, possible for the current drama in contrast with its illustration. It led over 50% of storyline from the teaser to change as almost of scene in sale presentation not able to exist despite the main plot still provided. It yielded the some development in casting, costume, setting, character and screenplay as well.

Casting

The drama has a strong cast, led by Charmaine Sheh as the protagonist. Two previous TVB award winning actors, Moses Chan and Kevin Cheng are also featured. TVB Best Supporting Actress 2008 winner Tavia Yeung portrays her first villain role, which is also the most challenging role she has taken on for the past 10 years. Other experienced actresses starring alongside her as villains are Susanna Kwan (villain in Heart of Greed), Michelle Yim (villain in Moonlight Resonance) Susan Tse (villain in Rosy Business)and . Selena Li is cast as Mun Bou Yin to motivate the young audiences. Unfortunately, two well-known actresses, Christine Ng and Fala Chen, although cast at the Sale Presentation on October 15, 2008, were not involved in the drama. Rosanne Lui replaced Christine Ng and was cast as the Head of Furnishing, lead Kara Hui to recast the role which Christine Ng originally assigned. Fala Chen did not participate in the series with reasons unknown. Then Elaine Yiu added to the cast, replaced her on December 12, 2009. Her role was finally given to Yoyo Chen as a villain palace maid.

Location and costume

The series is set in Tang Dynasty's Royal palace, was only filmed in Hong Kong unlike 2003's costume drama War and Beauty. The outdoor scenes were filmed in local parks and in the ancient street at TKO TVB City as the Imperial Palace. The hot weather and the presence of mosquitoes in the countryside during filming left two main casts, Charmaine and Kevin in the TVB van with Charmaine staying under an umbrella to avoid the sun’s heat. Though high rise buildings surround the parks reflecting off the water, but was removed post production.

Charmaine have 17 image and 30 set of custom-made costumes. The wigs for the male characters were not taken lightly as well. Kevin Cheng's wig with middle parting was made by the same master who crafted Tony Leung's wig in Red Cliff while Moses Chan's emperor wig was specially created with braided pattern. The wigs were so heavy for the female cast need to keep some painkillers handy during the costume fitting. As The height of the wig represent social status, Susan Tse who played The Grand Empress had the tallest wig as It took 3 hour daily for makeup and setting hairstyle. As The total of costume is about 250 set, The 4 departments have different flower embroidery on costumes while Embroidery department use Sared Lily and Pink color and Jewelry department uses Peony and blue color while Food and Beverage department uses Chrysanthemums and orange color as well as Upholstery department uses Lotus and green color. Susan and Moses emperor costumes alone took 2 month for the hand embroidery. The accessories used in the series mostly a neck band and the big head ornaments. Actress, Tavia Yeung pointed out that the female cast in the series suffer from neck and shoulder pains, "The head ornaments are too heavy. So, by the time we finish filming the series, everyone will probably suffer from cervical vertebrae inflammation (swelling)! As soon as the head ornament goes on, our necks already have problems. Right now, my neck and shoulders are swollen. I have to apply ointment on them every night."

Format

The series is in a miniseries format popular throughout East Asia. It revolves around palace scheming, which has been featured in numerous TVB television series before Beyond the Realm of Conscience and also beyond Hong Kong, China and Taiwan in dramas from Korea and other East Asian countries These series were made very popular in Hong Kong possibly by War and Beauty, produced by TVB in 2004 also as an anniversary grand production. However, Beyond the Realm of Conscience is rather a series that carries the message that good (Lau Sam Ho, Charmaine Sheh) always beats evil (Yiu Kam Ling, Tavia Yeung. War and Beauty depicts the lives of four imperial concubines who all scheme to rise.

Beyond the Realm of Conscience tells the story of the life of a protagonist who struggles to survive in the palace, but rises in status through a kind heart. Beyond the Realm of Conscience, however, is far shorter in length. The television series is a costume drama, using elaborate costumes and sets to attract audiences. However, Beyond the Realm of Conscience also uses historical figures an events in its plot, such as Grand Empress Dowager Guo.

Reception

Initial audience anticipation of the series before airing was mostly positive, reported as being a highly anticipated drama following its sales presentation. Some audience also looked forward to Tavia Yeung being cast as a villain for the first time. Some viewers also criticised Charmaine Sheh's character of "Lau Sam Ho" as being "too perfect" and therefore unrealistic.

Tavia Yeung's acting skills initially received criticism from viewers saying that she was not "evil" enough for her role as "Yiu Gam Ling", however by the end of the series she won praise for her facial acting, which showed off her villainy. Her role as "Yiu Gam Ling" was a favorite to win the best actress award in the 2009 TVB Anniversary Awards, however rather than Best Actress she won the awards for Best Performance and My Favorite Female Character. Netizens also strongly praised her character, which replaced the character of the Empress Dowager, portrayed by Susan Tse, as the lead villain in the series from episode 17. Charmaine also received praise for her acting, in particular in the final episode. The series also received acclaim from critics for its elaborate costumes and plot.

The comparison of the series to TVB's 2004 War and Beauty received much retaliation from fans. The plotting and scheming of the characters in Beyond the Realm of Conscience was repeatedly inferior to that of War and Beauty. Others argued that the series was superior in portraying the vulnerability of those less powerful. Charmaine and Moses Chan, who starred in both series, defended the popularity of both series.

Ratings wise the drama performed extremely well from the start, the first episode received an index rating of 34 points (2.14 million viewers) and peaking at 36 points (2.29 million viewers), breaking TVB’s 2003 record for a first episode. The second week of the series was better received, with a peak of 41 points for episode 6. It maintained a steady progress in subsequent weeks. Charmaine Sheh also hoped that Beyond the Realm of Conscience, would break Jewel in the Palace’s record. For the final episode the series managed to receive 50 points for the scene in which the characters of Sam Ho and Ko Hin Yeung were reunited. The announcement that the drama attracted 1% more viewers than Jewel in the Palace, with 98% of viewers against the formers's 97%, pleased both drama's producer and cast, and meant that Beyond the Realm of Conscience finished as TVB's most viewed series for 2009.

42nd TVB Anniversary Awards (2009)

Won: My Favourite Female Character (Tavia Yeung) Won: Best Performance of the Year (Tavia Yeung)

Asian Television Awards (2010)

Won: Best Drama Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Susan Tse)

42nd Ming Pao Anniversary Awards 2010

International broadcast