8.2 /10 1 Votes
9.3/10 Viki Written by Zhang Wei Final episode date 9 March 2016 Language Standard Mandarin | 7.8/10 MyDramaList 7.3/10 IMDb Directed by Lee Kwok Lap First episode date 13 February 2016 Number of episodes 50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ending theme "Until That Day" by Sara Liu Networks Dragon Television, Jiangsu Television Similar The Legend of Mi Yue, Chronicle of Life, Legend of Nine Tails Fox, Nirvana in Fire, The Journey of Flower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Imperial Doctress (Chinese: 女医·明妃传) is a 2016 Chinese television series based on the story of Tan Yunxian, a female physician during the Ming dynasty in China. It stars Cecilia Liu as the titular character. It airs everyday at 7.30pm on Jiangsu TV and Dragon TV, from February 13, 2016.
Contents
- Summary
- Main cast
- Royals
- Northern Yuan
- Tan Hang Household
- Royal Physicians
- Court OfficialsServants
- Others
- Historical accuracy
- Reception
- References
Summary
Set in the Ming Dynasty during the rule of Emperor Yingzong, Tan Yunxian (Cecilia Liu) came from a long line of medicine practitioners, her family having served as court physicians for several generations. However, the practice for female physicians came to a halt when many were framed for abusing the form. Yet, Yunxian was determined to learn medicine and she did so in secrecy. Through her enthusiasm and persistence, Yunxian overcame many difficulties and rose through the ranks to become the most famous female doctor of the Ming Dynasty. Along the way, she meets and falls in love with Zhu Qizhen (Wallace Huo) and Zhu Qiyu (Huang Xuan), two royal siblings with opposite personalities who enter into a rivalry for the throne. Qizhen goes off to fight the Mongolians and, Qiyu, at the urging of the Empress Dowager Sun and the Empress Dowager Wu, captures the throne from his brother, who, meanwhile, became a Mongolian hostage, along with Yunxian. Will Yunxian and Qizhen survive along the way?
Main cast
Royals
Northern Yuan
Tan (Hang) Household
Royal Physicians
Court Officials/Servants
Others
Historical accuracy
The titular character in the drama series, Tan Yunxian, is a real-life historical figure who came from a renowned medical family. She was one of the few female physicians/doctors that was known to exist in history. Before her death, she published a book titled "Sayings of a Female Doctor", which was passed throughout generations. However, the romance depicted in the drama between Tan Yunxian and the two Emperors is strictly fictional. In reality, Tan Yunxian did not exist in the same time period as Zhu Qizhen and Zhu Qiyu, and naturally would not be able to work at the Zhengtong Emperor’s Palace. The character in the story is actually a combination of Tan Yunxian and the historical Empress Hang.
During the writing of the drama, screenwriter Zhang Wei consulted professional Chinese physicians regarding medical terminology and prescription use. Lead actress Cecilia Liu reportedly took lessons with a traditional physician to learn the basics of Chinese medicine and treatment (such as acupuncture, taking pulse and massage techniques) in preparation for the role.
Reception
The series received attention from the audience for its precise use of medical terminology and accuracy of prescription use. It is also commercially successful, achieving an average ratings of 1.2 on both Dragon TV and Jiangsu TV and placing first in its ratings slot nationally.