Scarlet Heart
A 2011 Chinese time-travel drama set in the Qing Dynasty.
Scarlet Heart (Chinese: 步步惊心, meaning "Startling by Each Step") is a 2011 Chinese television drama adapted from Tong Hua's novel *Bu Bu Jing Xin*. It first aired on Hunan Broadcasting System on September 10, 2011. The show follows Zhang Xiao, a 21st-century woman who, after a near-fatal accident, travels back in time to the Qing Dynasty under the Kangxi Emperor. There, she inhabits the body of her past incarnation, Ma'ertai Ruoxi, the teenage daughter of a Manchu general. Ruoxi becomes entangled with the emperor's nine sons, who are locked in a prolonged struggle for the throne. She first falls for the Eighth Prince, Yinsi, then later for the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, who eventually becomes the Yongzheng Emperor. While mostly faithful to the novel, the series changes the ending.
The drama was a hit both commercially and critically across Asia, launching Cecilia Liu into stardom and reviving Nicky Wu's career. A sequel, *Scarlet Heart 2*, aired on Zhejiang TV on April 22, 2014. A Korean version, *Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo*, aired in 2016, and a Thai version, *Scarlet Heart Thailand*, was announced in 2024.
**Synopsis**
Zhang Xiao (Cecilia Liu) is a young woman from the 21st century who suffers a near-fatal accident and wakes up in the Qing Dynasty during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (Damian Lau). She finds herself in the body of her past self, Ma'ertai Ruoxi, the teenage daughter of a Manchu general. Ruoxi has an older sister, Ruolan (Annie Liu), who is a concubine of the emperor's eighth son, Yinsi (Kevin Cheng). Initially trying to return to the future, Ruoxi soon adapts to her new life. She meets several of Kangxi's sons, including the fourth prince Yinzhen (Nicky Wu), the tenth prince Yin'e (Ye Zuxin), and the fourteenth prince Yinti (Lin Gengxin), and becomes close friends with the thirteenth prince, Yinxiang (Yuan Hong).
Ruoxi catches the emperor's attention through rumors of her boldness and courage, and charms him with her intelligence and wit. During the imperial "beauty draft," where concubines and wives are chosen for princes or the emperor, conflicting arrangements by Yinsi and his wife, Gogoro Minghui (Shi Xiaoqun), lead to Ruoxi being assigned to the dowager empress to avoid conflict. She is later appointed as a tea server for the emperor.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Romance / Historical fiction / Chuanyue
- Based On
- Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua
- Director
- Lee Kwok-lap
- Starring
- Cecilia Liu / Nicky Wu / Kevin Cheng / Yuan Hong / Lin Gengxin
- Open Theme
- One Persistent Thought by Hu Ge and Alan
- End Theme
- Three Inches of Heaven by Ivy Yan / Season of Waiting by Cecilia Liu
- Composer
- Raymond Wong
- Country
- China
- Language
- Mandarin
- Num Episodes
- 35
- Producer
- Karen Tsoi
- Runtime
- 45 mins
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series tells the story of Zhang Xiao, a 21st-century woman who time-travels to the Kangxi Emperor's reign and becomes Ma'er'tai Ruoxi, a Manchu general's daughter. She encounters the emperor's nine sons amid a battle for the throne, forming relationships with the Eighth Prince and later the Fourth Prince, who becomes the Yongzheng Emperor. The ending differs from the original novel.
Reader's Guide
Scarlet Heart was a landmark series in Chinese television, achieving both commercial and critical success across Asia. It launched Cecilia Liu to lead actress status and revived Nicky Wu's career. The series spawned a sequel, Scarlet Heart 2 (2014), a film version Time to Love (2015), a Korean adaptation Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), and a Thai version announced in 2024. Its influence extended beyond China, demonstrating the appeal of time-travel historical dramas.
Did You Know?
- The series is based on the novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua.
- The series' ending differs from the original novel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the basic premise of Scarlet Heart?
A modern woman suffers a near-fatal accident and wakes up in the Qing Dynasty, inhabiting the body of a Manchu noblewoman named Ma'ertai Ruoxi. She then finds herself caught in the middle of the Kangxi Emperor's nine sons waging a prolonged, deadly rivalry over the throne.
How does the reincarnation element work in Scarlet Heart?
The 21st-century character Zhang Xiao essentially steps into the life of her past incarnation, Ruoxi, a teenage daughter of a Manchu general. Rather than being a separate visitor, she lives out the body and social position of that earlier self within the imperial court.
Who are the main actors in Scarlet Heart?
Cecilia Liu takes on the dual role of the time-traveling protagonist, while Nicky Wu and Kevin Cheng portray two of the imperial princes who become her primary romantic interests throughout the series.
How does the story of Scarlet Heart end?
The drama wraps up on a tragic note, as Ruoxi meets a fatal end amid the political machinations of the succession war. The rivalry among the princes ultimately resolves with one of them securing the throne.
When did Scarlet Heart first air and on what network?
The series premiered on September 10, 2011, on China's Hunan Broadcasting System. It was adapted from Tong Hua's bestselling novel *Bu Bu Jing Xin* and is classified as a historical time-travel drama.
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