Li Hua Zhou Shidu Yu Dong Sheng Luosong Kong Deming Cao Fang Wu Huai'en Wang Guangzhong Liu Hong Xi Hongyi Du Daning He Ling Guo Li Liu Zhanhui Cheng Lidong Jin Tingting Wu Weimin Wang Jingyi Tian Jun Zheng Yuxia Li Ying Xiaoning Zhang Huayong Hou Li Wu Zhiling Wang Liqiao Luo Yi
Qiankun Wu Di Bu Baorong (乾坤无地不包容) performed by Tsui Siu-ming
Ending theme
Leishui Daluo Le Hualei (泪水打落了花蕾) performed by Jin Tingting
Composer
Luo Jian
Country of origin
China
Original language
Mandarin
No. of episodes
50 46 (Hong Kong release)
Production
Executive producers
Wang Xiangwen Zhang Ping Fan Xiaojun Feng Wei Liu Yipeng Su Jianrong Liu Haiming Wang Guang Chang Sheng Zhang Zili Wang Haitao Guo Zhijian Zhao Wei Tu Tu Zhao-Yan Guozhang Xu-Li Fengming
Producers
Zhou Shidu Sheng Luosong Feng Jing Xi Hongyi Tang Xuan Zhu Xianqing Zhang Linshu Bu Xiaofeng Di Nannan Wang Liqiao He Qing
Production location
China
Cinematography
Guan Jianxiong
Editor
Li Jian
Running time
45 minutes per episode
Production companies
Hainan Province Film and Television Production Centre
21 July (2013-07-21)[1] – 30 July 2013 (2013-07-30)[1]
The Legend of Kublai Khan, also known as Legend of Yuan Empire Founder, is a Chinese television series based on the life of Kublai Khan and the events leading to the establishment of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty in China. The series started shooting in 2011. It premiered at the 2013 Shanghai Television Festival from 11 to 13 June 2013,[2] and was first aired on HBS from 21 to 30 July 2013.[1] The series was directed by Tsui Siu-ming and starred Hu Jun and Charmaine Sheh as Kublai Khan and Chabi, along with Cai Wenyan, Wu Yue, Tang Guoqiang, Gao Fa, Steven Ma and Ray Lui in supporting roles.
Plot
The series, spanning over 70 years, romanticises the life of Kublai Khan and the events leading to the establishment of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty in China.
Kublai was born in 1215 as a son of Tolui, the fourth son of Genghis Khan. At the time, Töregene, the wife of Ögedei (Genghis Khan's third son), sees Tolui as a potential threat to her husband. As Tolui gains more glory for his victories in battle, Töregene worries whether Genghis Khan will choose Ögedei to be his successor. She also feels uneasy because the young Kublai is highly favoured by his grandfather.
Ögedei eventually succeeds his father as the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. After Töregene secretly poisons Tolui to death, Tolui's sons, under the leadership of their eldest brother Möngke, seek to avenge their father. Töregene plans to use this opportunity to frame Möngke and his brothers of plotting treason against Ögedei, and thereby get rid of Tolui's clan. At this critical juncture, Kublai and his mother, Sorghaghtani, manage to convince his brothers not to do anything rash. Instead, they would secretly build up their forces, lie low and wait until the time is ripe to take revenge.
Following Ögedei's death, Töregene becomes the Regent of the Mongol Empire for some years until her son, Güyük, is elected as the new Great Khan. When Güyük dies in a conflict against his cousin Batu, his wife Qaimish takes over as the Regent for a brief period of time until Möngke becomes the new Great Khan.
A few years later, after Möngke dies in a battle against the Song Empire at Diaoyu Fortress, Kublai and his younger brother Ariq Böke engage in a power struggle to seize the succession. Kublai eventually overcomes his brother and secures his position as the Great Khan after defeating all his rivals. He conquers the rest of China and establishes the Yuan dynasty, becoming its founding emperor.
December 23, 2013 - February 28, 2014 (Monday to Friday HD Theater 23:45-00:45 (for other replay times, please see here), Broadcasting will be suspended on December 31, January 30, 31 and February 7)
April 6, 2020 – June 30, 2020 (Every Monday to Thursday from 21.15 - 22.15.)
ตำนานกุบไลข่าน
Production
The Legend of Kublai Khan was produced at a cost of about 150 million yuan.[3]
Awards
The Legend of Kublai Khan won the Golden Angel Award for Outstanding Television Series and Best Director of Chinese TV Series at the 2013 Chinese American Film Festival.[4]
Controversy over title renaming
The Legend of Kublai Khan was released under the title The Genius of War – Kublai (打仗天才忽必烈) when it was aired on Hunan Broadcasting System (HBS) in July 2013. Apparently, this was done without the approval of the producers, and the reason behind the renaming is believed to be that HBS wanted to attract higher viewership. Director Tsui Siu-ming and lead actor Hu Jun expressed unhappiness over the renaming; Hu even wrote on his weibo, "Who changed the title? What genius of war?", and added an angry emoticon.[3]
