To Live to Love[1] is a 2006 Chinese period TV drama series directed by Ding Hei, based on Wang Anyi's 1995 novel The Song of Everlasting Sorrow. The series stars Huang Yi and Maggie Cheung Ho-yee as the protagonist Wang Qiyao in different ages. It also stars Tse Kwan-ho (as Mr. Cheng), Wu Hsing-kuo (as Director Li), Xu Zheng (as Kang Mingxun), and Chen Lina (as Jiang Lili).

To Live to Love
North American DVD cover
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaningThe Song of Everlasting Sorrow
Hanyu PinyinCháng Hèn Gē
Genre
  • period drama
  • romantic drama
Based onThe Song of Everlasting Sorrow
by Wang Anyi
Written by
  • Jiang Liping
  • Zhao Yaomin
Directed byDing Hei
Starring
Music byZhao Lin
Opening theme"Ruguo Meiyou Ni" (如果没有你) performed by Bai Guang
Ending theme"Wuxin Dengdai" (无心等待) performed by Janice Yan
Country of originChina
Original languageMandarin
No. of episodes35
Production
Executive producerDing Hei
ProducerHe Zizhuang
Cinematography
  • Huang Wei
  • Wang Tianlin
Running time45 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkShanghai Television
ReleaseMarch 28, 2006 (2006-03-28)

Filming

edit

Filming began in July 2004 in Soochow University, and moved to Shanghai, where the story is set, in August 2004.[2] The series was first broadcast on March 28, 2006 on Shanghai Television.[3]

Cast and characters

edit

Episodes 1-14 deal with the years 1947–1950. These episodes correspond to roughly Part I and Part II, Chapter 1 of the novel. Episodes 14–35 deal with the years from 1958 to 1979.

Actor Character Notes
Main cast
Huang Yi (ep. 1–14) Wang Qiyao
Maggie Cheung Ho-yee (ep. 14–35)
Tse Kwan-ho Cheng Shidi "Mr. Cheng"
Chen Lina Jiang Lili
Gu Yan Wang Qiyao's mother died of illness in 1968
Episodes 1–14
Ding Danni Wu Peizhen
Wei Li Wang Jingtang Wang Qiyao's father, died of illness in 1948
Zhang Junwei Wang Qiming (teenaged) Wang Qiyao's younger brother
Xu Yulan Mama Zheng Wang family's maidservant
Liu Changwei Mr. Xu Wang Jingtang's colleague
Song Linlin Captain Jason captain of a European ship
Jiang Shizhuo Fugui Wu Peizhen's cousin
Qu Cheng Yang Biao film director
Yan Xiaopin Jiang Lili's mother
Li Ying Su San film actress, also Li Puzhi's mistress
Wu Hsing-kuo Li Puzhi "Director Li"
Liu Jie Xiaoyanhong Li Puzhi's wife, also sworn sister of Jiang Lili's mother
Liao Jinfeng "eldest sworn sister" sworn sisters of Xiaoyanhong and Jiang Lili's mother
Song Ruhui "second sworn sister"
Sun Min "fourth sworn sister"
Ye Qing "fifth sworn sister"
Yuan Ping "sixth sworn sister"
Zhou Xiaoli "seventh sworn sister"
Zhao Zhenzhong Li Puzhi's adjutant actually a Communist spy
Tan Zengwei "Mugen" Jiang family's butler
Li Daojun Jiang family's tailor
Xiang Mei Wang Qiyao's grandma
Sun Qixin Yu Qing servant and lover of Wang Qiyao's grandma
Si Xiao Wang Hongcai "Deuce"
Episodes 14–35
Chen Qing Wang Qiming (older)
Liu Xiao Cuifen Wang Qiming's wife
Zhang Dongwei (child) Maomao Wang Qiming's son
Zhang Hongming Mr. Zhang Jiang Lili's leader and eventual husband
Ni Hongjie Gu Mali Cheng Shidi's neighbor who likes him
Wang Yin Liu Mei Cheng Shidi's colleague in the library
Wang Guojing Yan Shande "Mr. Yan"
Jin Meng Lu Yunying "Madame Yan"
Li Shuai (child) Yan Xiaodi (Lu Yunying's son)
Yu Cunshi (teen) led Red Guards to ransack Wang Qiyao's apartment
Zhou Hao dated Weiwei before realizing they were related
Fang Ling Fengdi Yan family's maidservant
Dai Zhao'an Aliu a neighbour in Peace Lane
Huang Lijuan Qian Yingying Aliu's wife
Xu Zheng Kang Mingxun
Xu Chengxian Kang Mingxun's father
Chen Hongmei Kang Mingxun's "Mother" not his real mother
Chen Jianfei Kang Mingxun's "Second Mother" his real mother
Shi Tingting Kang Mingni Kang Mingxun's younger half-sisters
Wang Yun Kang Mingshan
Zhao Rongrong Kang family's maidservant
Ji Xueping Xu Yuanyuan Kang Mingxun's date and eventual wife
Bahtiyar Aziz Sasha
Sheng Zhao (child) Wang Weiwei
Gao Si dated both Yan Xiaodi and Feng Yongli
Shen Yue Zhang Yonghong dated Feng Yongli
Liu Lei Feng Yongli "Old Colour"
Xu Fu Feng Yongli's father Cheng Shidi's colleague in the library

References

edit
  1. ^ Wang Anyi (2008). The Song of Everlasting Sorrow: A Novel of Shanghai. Translated by Berry, Michael; Chan Egan, Susan Chan. Columbia University Press. pp. 433. ISBN 978-0-231-14342-4.
  2. ^ 电视版《长恨歌》开机 两个“王琦瑶”面对面
  3. ^ 《长恨歌》黄奕版王琦瑶将除面纱