The Royal Swordsmen

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The Royal Swordsmen
File:Tianxia Diyi.jpg
Poster
Also known as 'Royal Swordsmen'
Genre Wuxia
Written by Wong Jing
Lin Qiang
Directed by Deng Yancheng
Wei Liyuan
Presented by Yang Teng-kui
Lin Zheng
Zhang Xiaowu
Starring Roger Kwok
Li Yapeng
Wallace Huo
Michelle Ye
Damian Lau
Tammy Chen
Gao Yuanyuan
Eva Huang
Opening theme Ni De Diyi (你的第一) performed by Wallace Huo
Ending theme Xiang Wo De Liyou (想我的理由) performed by Jeff Chang
Composer(s) Mak Jan-hung
Luo Jian
Country of origin China
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Original language(s) Mandarin
Cantonese
No. of episodes 35 (Taiwanese version)
40 (Chinese version)
Production
Producer(s) Wong Jing
Wang Dapeng
Chen Beibei
Huang Jinmei
Chen Jingxia
Production location(s) China
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Camera setup Huang Boxian
Chen Xitai
Running time 45 minutes per episode
Production company(s) Jing's Production Ltd.
First Media Corporation
Distributor Excel Media (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd.
Release
Original network CTS (Taiwan)
BTV (China)
SZMG (China)
SuperSun (Hong Kong)
TVB Jade (Hong Kong)
First shown in 14 February 2005 (CTS)
22 November 2005 (BTV)
31 October 2009 (SZMG)
25 October–12 December 2006 (SuperSun)
8–28 March 2007 (TVB Jade)
The Royal Swordsmen
Chinese 天下第一
Literal meaning Number One Under Heaven

The Royal Swordsmen[1] is a Chinese-Taiwanese wuxia television series. The series was directed by Deng Yancheng and Wei Liyuan, and starred Roger Kwok, Li Yapeng, Wallace Huo, Michelle Ye, Damian Lau, Tammy Chen, Gao Yuanyuan and Eva Huang in the lead roles. It was first shown on Shenzhen Media Group's Drama Channel on 30 January 2005.[2]

Plot

The series is set in China during the Ming dynasty. Zhu Wushi, the uncle of the reigning Emperor, has been ordered by the previous emperor to establish a secret service called "Dragon-Defending Mountain Manor" to protect the monarchy. Zhu, who is nicknamed "Tiedan Shenhou" (literally "Divine Marquis of Iron Courage"), has four elite secret agents serving under him. They are known by their codenames: "Heaven Number One", "Earth Number One", "Mysterious Number One", and "Yellow Number One".

"Heaven Number One" is the calm and cool-headed Duan Tianya, who was adopted and raised by Zhu Wushi as a godson. His godfather sent him to Japan to learn ninjutsu from the Iga School. While in Japan, he had a romantic relationship with Yukihime, the elder daughter of Yagyū Tajima-no-Kami, the patriarch of the influential Yagyū family. However, he becomes an enemy of the Yagyū family after slaying Yukihime's brother, who had murdered his sensei. Torn between her family and lover, Yukihime ultimately sacrifices herself to prevent her father from killing Duan in a duel. Years later, Duan starts a new relationship with Yukihime's younger sister, Tsumujikase-wata, and finds himself in conflict with her father again.

"Mysterious Number One" is the beautiful and intelligent Shangguan Haitang, who is well versed in various skills and arts, including medicine and astronomy. Like Duan Tianya, she was also raised by Zhu Wushi as his goddaughter. She helps her godfather manage and run the day-to-day affairs of the secret service.

"Earth Number One" is the cold and aloof Guihai Yidao, whose skills in using the dao are unparalled. He has a desire to avenge his murdered father, Guihai Bailian, and sees it as his raison d'être. In his quest to avenge his father, he masters a powerful but highly perversive dao skill, and finds himself falling under its evil influence — to the point where he loses control of himself and starts to indiscriminately kill anyone who tries to stop him. He has also been secretly in love with Shangguan Haitang for many years but did not have the courage to confess his feelings to her.

"Yellow Number One" is the streetwise Cheng Shifei, who used to be a gambler, thief and trickster. By coincidence, he encounters Zhu Wushi's rival, Gu Santong, and inherits Gu's inner energy and abilities, including a powerful skill that allows him to temporarily turn his body into impenetrable metal. He also meets the Emperor's younger sister, Princess Yunluo, starts a romantic relationship with her, and marries her eventually.

The Dragon-Defending Mountain Manor has an ongoing rivalry with the Eastern Depot, another government spy agency led by the eunuch Cao Zhengchun. The Emperor knows that Zhu Wushi and Cao Zhengchun are equally influential in court politics and has been trying to use both of them to balance against each other. The four agents have to assist Zhu Wushi in curbing Cao Zhengchun's power, preserve the secret service's position in the imperial court, and defend the Emperor from internal and external threats.

Cast

Production

Shooting for The Royal Swordsmen started on 22 March 2004 in Wuxi,[3] and wrapped up on 21 June in the same year.[4]

Broadcasts

The series was first aired in mainland China on Shenzhen Media Group's Drama Channel on 30 January 2005.[2] It started airing on 14 February 2005 on CTS Main Channel in Taiwan, and on 25 October 2006 on TVB in Hong Kong.

References

  1. ↑ The Royal Swordsmen Dvd-Box
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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