Liu Yifei Returns to Historical Drama Genre After 16 Long Years

Fans of Chinese American actress Liu Yifei will be excited to learn that they will soon be able to catch her in a new Chinese historical drama titled A Dream of Splendor.

The show marks the Mulan star’s long-awaited return to the genre, where Liu first found public acclaim: The actress played Xiaolongnü, the protagonist in The Return of the Condor Heroes, 16 years ago.

Produced by and to be streamed on Tencent Video, A Dream of Splendor follows three women’s shared journey of transforming a boutique tea shop into a successful restaurant. Liu plays Zhao Pan-er, who discovers peace and happiness despite having her heart broken by her fiance.

Liu Yifei as Zhao Pan-er. Screengrab via Youtube

While an official release date for the show has yet to be announced, fans have been gushing over the trailer since May 26. A post from the show’s official account on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging platform, also confirms that A Dream of Splendor is well on its way.

Other high-profile stars in the series include Chen Xiao, Liu Yan, and Lin Yun of The Mermaid fame.

Liu Yifei and Chen Xiao in a promotional poster for A Dream of Splendor

On Weibo, a hashtag for A Dream of Splendor has accumulated more than 160 million views and invited many excited comments.

“I haven’t watched a Chinese historical drama for a long time, but I will because of Liu Yifei,” posted a loyal fan of the actress.

“It has been 16 years!” said another in disbelief. “I am so happy and excited for the show.”

Despite the controversy surrounding Liu’s citizenship (she previously took flak from some Chinese netizens for holding a U.S. passport), such positive comments underscore that the star remains well-liked among Chinese audiences.

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Article May 14, 2020

All images via ‘A Dream of Splendor’/Weibo