Chinese TV series or program
The Journey of Flower (Chinese: 花千骨) is a 2015 Chinese television series starring Wallace Huo and Zhao Liying. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Fresh Guoguo, which is inspired from Daoist legends regarding the path to immortality. The series was broadcast on Hunan TV every Wednesdays and Thursdays for two episodes per day, from 9 June to 7 September 2015.[1]
Synopsis
Hua Qiangu (Zhao Liying) is an unlucky orphan born with a strange scent which attracts demons, and therefore is hated and feared by all the villagers. When she faced danger, she is saved by a man called Mo Bing, who is actually Bai Zihua in disguise. Bai Zihua (Wallace Huo) is a kind-hearted immortal who wants to protect all Earthly beings. The only heavenly tribulation[2] in his life is actually Hua Qiangu, whom he is tasked to kill by his master. However, after witnessing her kind heart and foreseeing her tragic future, he spares her life.
In search of her benefactor, Hua Qiangu heads to Mount Chang Liu, a sect that trains their disciples into immortals. With the help of Bai Zihua, she passes through various trials to become his only disciple. As the two spend more time together, Hua Qiangu falls in love with her teacher. When Bai Zihua falls into danger, she embarked on a journey to retrieve the ten ancient artifacts in order to attain the Yanbing Jade that would save his life. This causes the Demon God to be revived. The Demon God transfers all his power into her body afterwards, and Hua Qiangu falls into the world of Emptiness. She unleashes the Great Desolate Energy Force to become the new ruler of the Demons. Bai Zihua tries to steer her towards the righteous path, and comes to her side alone to accompany her. When Hua Qiangu realizes Bai Zihua's true feelings for her, she decided to let herself be killed by him to restore peace to the world.
After Hua Qiangu dies, Bai Zihua feels extremely remorseful. One of the three masters from Changliu, Mo Yan, decided to use the power of nature to exchange his life for hers and restored her. In the end, Bai Zihua decides to leave Changliu to take care of Hua Qiangu.
Production
Fresh Guoguo, the writer of the novel, was recruited to be one of the scriptwriters of the drama. Academy-award nominee Chung Munhai, who was the costume designer of the movie Curse of the Golden Flower was also recruited on set. The 3D effects are handled by the company Prime Focus.[citation needed]
The shooting of the drama started on 6 May 2014, in Guangxi, China and was wrapped up on 14 September 2014 in Hengdian World Studios, China. The preliminary work started one and a half years ago, including choosing of outdoor scene locations and building filming sites in scenic spots in Guangxi.[3]
Reception
Two versions of a three-minute short trailer, one in Chinese and the other dubbed in English, were released online, receiving more than 280 million views on Weibo and becoming one of the hottest topics on social media. In October 2014, two longer trailers dubbed in both Chinese and English language were released in Cannes, France, and received an overwhelming response.[citation needed]
The drama was a huge commercial success in China, with an average rating of 2.784% (CMS50) and 2.213% (nationwide), becoming the second highest rated drama of 2015. It also became the first Chinese drama to surpass 20 billion online views.[4][5] A licensed mobile game was also released, and brought in more than 10 million active players and 200 million yuan in revenue in its first two months.[citation needed]
In 2016, The Journey of Flower was featured on the New York Times.[6]
