The series covers the life of Emperor Wu from his early childhood to his death and some events in the reign of Emperor Jing (Emperor Wu's father and predecessor), such as the Rebellion of the Seven States. It follows the conflicts that defined the pivotal war between the Han Empire and the Xiongnu, and depicts the major victories that the Han scored over the Xiongnu during Emperor Wu's reign. Prominent historical figures such as the generals Li Guang, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, as well as the diplomats Su Wu and Zhang Qian, also make appearances as supporting characters in the series.
Cast
Note: Some cast members played multiple roles. The roles are separated by a slash.
The production cost for The Emperor in Han Dynasty ran high, with a budget of 50 million yuan, covering extensive battle scenes, period costumes, props and huge backdrops. The crew chose various scenic locations in China, such as Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Henan and Zhejiang, to capture the vast expanse of the Han Empire and its frontiers. The casting featured four different actors playing Emperor Wu at different stages of his life, with the lead actor Chen Baoguo receiving the most screen time portraying the emperor's adult years. The shooting of the series began in 2003 and coincided with the SARS outbreak, causing manpower shortage and delays in production. Post-production began in 2004 and marketing clips started to appear on television talk shows and the Internet later that year.
The series was aired on CCTV-1 on 2 January 2005 to great enthusiasm from audience. While some liberties were taken with historical details, The Emperor in Han Dynasty was generally well received by viewers as a faithful portrayal of history. The series was acclaimed and won the 2005 Flying Apsaras Award for Best Long Television Series, Best Director (Hu Mei) and Best Lead Actor (Chen Baoguo).
List of featured songs
Zuihou De Qingsu (最后的倾诉; The Final Outpour), the opening theme song, performed by Han Lei.
Dengdai (等待; Wait), the ending theme song, performed by Han Lei.
Xinling Shui Guo De Difang (心灵睡过的地方; Places Where My Soul Rested Before) performed by Han Lei
Qianbai Nian Hou Shei Hai Jide Shei (千百年后谁还记得谁; Centuries and Millenniums Later Who Still Remembers Who) performed by Han Lei
