Sigh of His Highness

Sigh of His Highness

DVD cover art
Genre Historical drama
Written by Yang Xiaoxiong
Gu Yi
Liu Shaoling
Directed by Li Wenlong
Presented by Shu Zhan
Li Ming
Zhao Qi
Guo Changjian
Starring Chen Baoguo
Yuan Li
Wang Yan
Wang Gang
Qin Yan
Song Jia
Luo Xiangjin
Theme music composer Anson Hu
Liang Jijue
Tan Yizhe
Opening theme 1. Zang Yingxiong (葬英雄) performed by Anson Hu
2. Si Da Jie Kong (四大皆空) performed by Anthony Wong (Hong Kong version)
Ending theme Chuntian (春天) performed by Leo Ku
Composer(s) Jiang Jianyi
Zhou Zhihua
Country of origin China
Original language(s) Mandarin
No. of episodes 40
Production
Executive producer(s) Chen Wenguang
Chen Tanwen
Ling Li
Zhong Lifang
Zou Xiaoli
Wang Manlin
Producer(s) Gao Zhiqiang
Yang Ziqing
Chen Yuguang
Jing Shuiqing
Zhang Huiling
Han Xueyi
Zhao Hua
Editor(s) Yuan Fei
Dai Tao
Zhu Jun
Wang Shen
Cinematography Bu Xiangyi
Kong Jinsheng
Running time 45 minutes per episode
Production company(s) 1. Fujian Radio Film and TV Group
2. Shanghai Soft-Trek Culture Media
3. Beijing Galloping Horse Film & TV Production
4. Wuzhou Media Centre
5. Anhui TV
Distributor Shanghai Soft-Trek Culture Media
Hong Shimei
Sun Xiaodong
Qian Li
Zhang Xian
Broadcast
Original channel Sichuan TV (China)
TVB Jade (Hong Kong)
First shown in 26 March 2006 (China)
26 April 2007 - 16 October 2008 (Hong Kong)
Sigh of His Highness
Traditional Chinese 一生為奴
Simplified Chinese 一生为奴
Literal meaning Slave for a Lifetime
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 恭親王傳奇
Simplified Chinese 恭亲王传奇
Literal meaning The Legend of Prince Gong

Sigh of His Highness is a Chinese historical television series based on the life of Prince Gong, a Manchu noble who lived in the late Qing dynasty. The series was first broadcast on Sichuan TV in China in 2006.

Plot

The series is set in the late Qing dynasty. Prince Gong is a younger brother of the Xianfeng Emperor, but their relationship is not strong because they were contending rivals for the succession to their father's throne. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, as the allied armies of Britain and France closed in on Beijing, the Xianfeng Emperor flees and orders Prince Gong to stay behind for the peace negotiations. Prince Gong concludes the Convention of Peking with the Western powers after enduring much humiliation, and obtains an influential position in politics for his achievement and control over the military forces of Beijing.

The Xianfeng Emperor dies in the following year and is succeeded by his young son, the Tongzhi Emperor, who is assisted by the senior minister Sushun and seven other regents. In November 1861, Prince Gong masterminds the Xinyou Coup and succeeds in removing Sushun and the regents from power. Prince Gong reaches the pinnacle of his career in the next four years as he is appointed Prince-Regent and put in charge of important state and military affairs. Besides, he also has a strong relationship with Empress Dowager Cixi and has an opportunity to take the throne, but he does not. Prince Gong spearheads the Self-Strengthening Movement and introduces a series of measures in an attempt to modernise China and maintain friendly diplomatic ties with the Western powers.

Over the years, Prince Gong's relationship with Empress Dowager Cixi gradually deteriorates as he becomes more romantically involved with Sushun's foster daughter. As a consequence, Cixi gradually distrusts him and ultimately removes him from power as her position in politics becomes increasingly prominent. Subsequently, during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor, Prince Gong is appointed to lead the Qing armies in the Sino-French War but his defeat causes him to fall from grace. Cixi relieves him from his duties and orders him to retire. Prince Gong returns to politics for the last time after the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894, but fails to make any great achievements, and eventually dies of illness four years later.

Cast

Broadcasts in other regions

Hong Kong's TVB Jade first aired the series on weekday nights from 26 April 2007. Starting on 12 May, the series was broadcast on weekend afternoons instead. On 24 June, TVB stopped airing the series and the remaining episodes were broadcast from 1 September to 16 October 2008 on weekday nights.

External links