Sophie Li

Beautiful visual and lighting. Superb photography. Sophisticated acting. Based on a novel, the series depicts the events of a single day divided into 12 periods according to the traditional Chinese zodiac. The director Cao Dun has long been known for his photography work. In this series, I can feel he and his crew made such tremendous efforts trying to recreate an ordinary day of the Tang Dynasty. Well, an ordinary day to the general public who have no clues about the unfortunate events that are going to unfold. Lei Jia Yin’s acting is another level. It’s not surprising to see how he has become one of the most awarded actors in China, not known for being an idol but his unmatched acting skills and ability to “become” the character himself. Although I can see why some might find this series confusing or boring at the beginning. It really doesn't try to prepare you with any background story. But it only gets better ! I was in sync with the plots without even realising after a few episodes.