{ "id": "ep25tjndea", "slug": "the-princess-royal", "title": "The Princess Royal (度华年)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia", "label": "East Asian drama series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials", "label": "East Asian web and streaming serials", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so", "label": "Titles My to So", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials", "label": "China · 2021 and later: East Asian web and streaming serials", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials", "path": [ { "id": "geo.chn", "label": "China", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2021", "label": "China · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2021.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021.culture" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials", "label": "East Asian web and streaming serials", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials" } ] } ], "excerpt": "The Princess Royal (度华年) is a 2024 Chinese costume romance drama on Youku, adapted from Mo Shu Bai's novel 长公主, starring Zhao Jinmai and Zhang Linghe as reborn royal spouses Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan; 40 episodes, also on Netflix.", "snippet": "The Princess Royal (度华年) is a 2024 Chinese costume romance drama on Youku, adapted from Mo Shu Bai's novel 长公主, starring Zhao Jinmai and Zhang Linghe as reborn royal spouses Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan; 40 episodes, also on Netflix.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.east_asian_web_streaming_serials.alpha-my-to-so", "markdown": "# The Princess Royal (度华年)\n\n**The Princess Royal** (度华年) is a 2024 Chinese costume romance drama in which Li Rong, the [Princess Royal](https://www.edgepedia.org/princess-royal) of the fictional Great Xia dynasty, and her political-marriage husband Pei Wenxuan die estranged, then wake with their memories intact 20 years earlier and remake their lives and their relationship. It stars Zhao Jinmai as Li Rong and Zhang Linghe as Pei Wenxuan, and it adapts the web novel *The Eldest Princess* (长公主) by Mo Shu Bai (墨书白).[1](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27848350)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | 度华年 (Du Hua Nian); English title The Princess Royal[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/71930/the-princess-royal) |\n| Source | Adaptation of Mo Shu Bai's Jinjiang web novel *长公主* (The Eldest Princess)[1](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27848350) |\n| Lead cast | Zhao Jinmai as Li Rong; Zhang Linghe as Pei Wenxuan; Chen Heyi as Su Rongqing[1](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27848350) • [3](https://piaofang.maoyan.com/tv/1491840) |\n| Production | Directed by Gao Yijun, written by Rao Jun; produced by Evergreen Plum Film with Zhejiang Film and Television Group and Youku; producer Yumei Yuan[1](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27848350) • [4](https://www.screendaily.com/screen-network/epic-chinese-romance-series-princess-royal-has-its-sights-set-on-finding-a-female-global-audience/5194393.article) |\n| Run | 40 episodes on Youku, June 26 to July 13, 2024; Zhejiang Satellite TV from August 11, 2024[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/71930/the-princess-royal) • [5](https://mc.baidu.com/from%3D1020712e/ssid%3D0/s?is_rec_s=0¶ms_ssrt=node-san&pqid=8382998206383263440&rfqid=8382998206383263440&rq=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6&rqid=8382998206383263440&rsf=102631101&sa=brs_6&word=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6%E5%BC%A0%E5%87%8C%E8%B5%AB) |\n| International release | Netflix from July 19, 2024; also available on Viu[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_princess_royal) • [7](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362) |\n| Performance | Youku heat value broke 10,000 by June 30, 2024; cumulative plays of 1.305 billion by July 24, 2024, averaging over 32 million per episode[5](https://mc.baidu.com/from%3D1020712e/ssid%3D0/s?is_rec_s=0¶ms_ssrt=node-san&pqid=8382998206383263440&rfqid=8382998206383263440&rq=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6&rqid=8382998206383263440&rsf=102631101&sa=brs_6&word=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6%E5%BC%A0%E5%87%8C%E8%B5%AB) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise\n\nThe story opens at the end of a failed marriage. Li Rong, the 38-year-old Princess Royal (长公主, the emperor's sister) of the Great Xia dynasty, dies of poison believing her consort Pei Wenxuan administered it, and orders his death as she expires; Pei, dying, learns the order came from her.[7](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362) Both then wake about 20 years in the past, Li Rong at 18, unmarried, at the moment the emperor is selecting her consort. Knowing that politics leaves her only one real choice, she marries Pei Wenxuan again despite her reluctance, and the two discover each other's rebirth through a chess game that repeats the losing position of their final game in the previous life.[7](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362)\n\nThe rebirth device drives both the romance and the plot. The couple, who spent two decades as enemies in their first life, become allies who trust and complete each other, investigate the truths behind their former deaths, and work to change their fates.[1](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27848350) • [7](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362) A third reborn figure is implied in Su Rongqing (陈鹤一), the first gentleman of the capital from a prominent Jiangnan family whose clan was slaughtered in the previous life after becoming entangled in a prince's rebellion; he appears at key moments in the new timeline.[7](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362)\n\n## Title and production\n\nThe title comes from the Tang poet [Li Shangyin](https://www.edgepedia.org/li-shangyin)'s poem *Jin Se* (锦瑟), in the line \"一弦一柱思华年\". Producer Yumei Yuan explained that the drama uses 华年 rather than 年华 because 年华 names one person's passage of time while 华年 refers to the youth of a whole group of people.[7](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362)\n\n**Production history.** The series announced its cast and began filming on October 12, 2023, with Zhao Jinmai and Zhang Linghe leading a cast that also included [Chen Heyi](https://www.edgepedia.org/chen-heyi), Liu Xuwei, Cheng Guo, He Qiu, Yu Jinwei, Wang Bowen, and Zhao Ke, with Yi Daqian as a special guest star.[8](https://m.bjnews.com.cn/detail/1697078300169674.html) It wrapped on February 18, 2024.[9](https://m.bjnews.com.cn/detail/1708223194169924.html) The drama was shot at [Hengdian World Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/hengdian-world-studios), with Evergreen Plum Film (青梅影业) and Zhejiang Film and Television Group as production companies and Youku as co-producer.[10](https://ent.tom.com/202401/1676404644.html)\n\n**Casting.** Yuan Yumei said many in the industry assumed the Princess Royal would be cast from the generation of actresses born in the mid-1980s, but because the character spends most of the story at age 20 the producers chose from actresses born in the 2000s, selecting Zhao Jinmai for her ability to carry long dialogue and textured performance.[11](https://www.1905.com/news/20240625/1681712.shtml) The role requires both leads to convey a 20-year gap between outward age and inner experience, since the reborn characters are young adults with nearly two decades of remembered life.[11](https://www.1905.com/news/20240625/1681712.shtml) Zhang Linghe was the production's first choice for Pei Wenxuan despite an initial schedule conflict, and the director and producer credited the role with revealing a comic side the actor had not previously shown.[11](https://www.1905.com/news/20240625/1681712.shtml)\n\n## Broadcast and reception\n\nThe drama premiered on Youku on June 26, 2024, as an exclusive web release, with a schedule of daily 18:00 updates, and ran 40 episodes through July 13, 2024.[1](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27848350) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/71930/the-princess-royal) It later aired on Zhejiang Satellite TV beginning August 11, 2024.[5](https://mc.baidu.com/from%3D1020712e/ssid%3D0/s?is_rec_s=0¶ms_ssrt=node-san&pqid=8382998206383263440&rfqid=8382998206383263440&rq=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6&rqid=8382998206383263440&rsf=102631101&sa=brs_6&word=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6%E5%BC%A0%E5%87%8C%E8%B5%AB) On its premiere day it recorded the highest first-day heat value of any Youku drama premiere in 2024, its in-platform heat value passed 10,000 by June 30, and Beacon (灯塔) data credited it with 1.305 billion cumulative plays by 14:00 on July 24, 2024, an average above 32 million per episode.[5](https://mc.baidu.com/from%3D1020712e/ssid%3D0/s?is_rec_s=0¶ms_ssrt=node-san&pqid=8382998206383263440&rfqid=8382998206383263440&rq=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6&rqid=8382998206383263440&rsf=102631101&sa=brs_6&word=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6%E5%BC%A0%E5%87%8C%E8%B5%AB)\n\nInternationally, the series streamed on Netflix from July 19, 2024 under the English title The Princess Royal, rated TV-MA, and was also available on the Viu app and viu.com.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_princess_royal) • [7](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362) A Screen Daily feature, sponsored by the production company, positioned the 40-episode historical fantasy for a global female audience and described it as part of a trend toward Chinese streaming series made with theatrical-film production values; it placed the setting in the Wei and Jin period more than 1,500 years ago, while Chinese-language sources describe the fictional Great Xia dynasty setting.[4](https://www.screendaily.com/screen-network/epic-chinese-romance-series-princess-royal-has-its-sights-set-on-finding-a-female-global-audience/5194393.article)\n\n## Principal cast and characters\n\nMaoyan's cast listing gives the main roles as follows:[3](https://piaofang.maoyan.com/tv/1491840)\n\n- Zhao Jinmai as Li Rong, the Princess Royal\n- Zhang Linghe as Pei Wenxuan, the Senior Grand Secretary (首辅)\n- Chen Heyi as Su Rongqing\n- Liu Xuwei as Li Chuan\n- Cheng Guo as Shangguan Ya\n- He Qiu as Qin Zhenzhen / Xun Chuan\n- Yu Jinwei as Li Ming (the emperor)\n- Zhao Ke as Consort Rou\n- Yi Daqian as Su Ronghua\n- Sun Rui as Consort Ning\n\n## References\n\n1. [新剧｜赵今麦、张凌赫主演《度华年》，明天开播, The Paper (澎湃新闻), June 25, 2024](https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_27848350)\n2. [The Princess Royal, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/71930/the-princess-royal)\n3. [度华年 播出数据与演职人员, 猫眼专业版 (Maoyan)](https://piaofang.maoyan.com/tv/1491840)\n4. [Epic Chinese romance series 'Princess Royal' has its sights set on finding a female global audience, Screen Daily, June 10, 2024](https://www.screendaily.com/screen-network/epic-chinese-romance-series-princess-royal-has-its-sights-set-on-finding-a-female-global-audience/5194393.article)\n5. [赵今麦张凌赫 search result citing Baidu Baike entry for 度华年](https://mc.baidu.com/from%3D1020712e/ssid%3D0/s?is_rec_s=0¶ms_ssrt=node-san&pqid=8382998206383263440&rfqid=8382998206383263440&rq=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6&rqid=8382998206383263440&rsf=102631101&sa=brs_6&word=%E8%B5%B5%E4%BB%8A%E9%BA%A6%E5%BC%A0%E5%87%8C%E8%B5%AB)\n6. [The Princess Royal, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_princess_royal)\n7. [赵今麦重生再遇张凌赫 怨偶变成甜蜜伴侣, Lianhe Zaobao, July 10, 2024](https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240710-4025362)\n8. [剧集《度华年》开机，赵今麦、张凌赫领衔主演, The Beijing News, October 12, 2023](https://m.bjnews.com.cn/detail/1697078300169674.html)\n9. [赵今麦、张凌赫主演新剧《度华年》杀青, The Beijing News, February 18, 2024](https://m.bjnews.com.cn/detail/1708223194169924.html)\n10. [赵今麦张凌赫《度华年》首发剧照 全阵容惊艳亮相备受好评, TOM娱乐, January 12, 2024](https://ent.tom.com/202401/1676404644.html)\n11. [赵今麦《度华年》挑战20岁跨度 张凌赫获赞有喜感, 1905电影网, June 25, 2024](https://www.1905.com/news/20240625/1681712.shtml)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › East Asian web and streaming serials › Titles My to So*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-princess-royal", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-princess-royal.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"The Princess Royal (度华年)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-princess-royal. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[The Princess Royal (度华年)](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-princess-royal)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/the-princess-royal](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-princess-royal). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"The Princess Royal (度华年)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-princess-royal. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "The Princess Royal is a 2024 Chinese costume romance drama on Youku, adapted from Mo Shu Bai's novel 长公主, starring Zhao Jinmai and Zhang Linghe as reborn royal spouses Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan; 40 episodes, also on Netflix." }