Twilight of a Nation
| Twilight of a Nation | |
|---|---|
|
DVD cover art | |
| Also known as | Taiping Heavenly Kingdom |
| Genre | Historical drama |
| Starring |
Ray Lui Felix Wong |
| Opening theme | Tin Ha Yat Ka (永不遺憾) performed by Roman Tam |
| Composer(s) | Joseph Koo |
| Country of origin | Hong Kong |
| Original language(s) | Cantonese |
| No. of episodes | 45 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Siu Sang |
| Location(s) | Hong Kong |
| Running time | 45 minutes per episode[1] |
| Production company(s) | TVB |
| Release | |
| Original network | TVB Jade |
| First shown in | 28 November 1988 |
| Twilight of a Nation | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 太平天國 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 太平天国 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Heavenly Kingdom of Peace | ||||||
| |||||||
Twilight of a Nation is a Hong Kong television series based on the events of the Taiping Rebellion and the rise and fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the late Qing dynasty. The 45 episodes long series was produced by Siu Sang and was first aired on TVB Jade in Hong Kong in November 1988. It was broadcast again on TVB in 1996. The theme songs and insert songs in the series were performed by Roman Tam.
Plot
The story begins in the late Qing dynasty when the government is plagued by corruption and foreign powers threaten to carve up China. Hong Xiuquan (Hung Sau-chuen), born in an extremely poor Hakka family, participates in the imperial examination, hoping to pass and become a government official in order to provide for his family. He fails in each attempt and suffers from a nervous breakdown. Hong joins the Heaven and Earth Society later. One day, he has a revelation dream to spread Christianity and claims that he is the brother of Jesus Christ, and has been empowered by God to destroy the demons (referring to the Qing forces). After rallying a group of supporters, Hong started the God-Worshipping Society to spread his religious ideas. Hong has another dream again, in which he is bestowed with a superior divine sword, known as the "Demon-Slaying Sword". Hong leads his society to start the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing government and found the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Cast
- Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation.
Rebel forces
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Ray Lui | Hung Sau-chuen (洪秀全) |
| Felix Wong | Yeung Sau-ching (楊秀清) |
| Li Kwok-lun | Fung Wan-san (馮雲山) |
| Sean Lau | Siu Chiu-kwai (蕭朝貴) |
| Chan Wing-chun | Wai Cheung-fai (韋昌輝) |
| Newton Lai | Shek Tat-hoi (石達開) |
| Aaron Kwok | Chun Yat-kong (秦日綱) |
| Jimmy Au | Lee Sau-sing (李秀成) |
| Lee Yiu-king | Chan Yuk-sing (陳玉成) |
| Leung Kit-wah | So Fung (蘇鳳) |
| Sheren Tang | Hon Bo-ying (韓寶英) |
| Teresa Mo | Yip Ling (葉苓) |
| Money Chan Man-yee | Hung Suen-kiu (洪宣嬌) |
| Kiki Sheung | To Wai-tsan (杜惠珍) |
| Yung Wai-man | Lai Suk-kuen (賴淑娟) |
| Carrie Choi Kar-lei | Fu Sin-cheung (傅善祥) |
| Michael Tao | Lee Chiu-sau (李昭壽) |
| Bak Man-biu | Mung Dak-yan (蒙得恩) |
| Chu Tit-wo | Law Tai-kong (羅大綱) |
| Stella Wong | Yim Fu-yung (艷芙蓉) |
| Leung Hung-wah | Hong Yan-fat (洪仁發) |
| Chun Hung | Hung Yan-chung (洪仁忠) |
| Ma Chung-tak | Lai Chung (賴忠) |
| Ho Kwai-lam | Miu Pui-lam (苗佩霖) |
| Derek Kwok | extra |
| Wayne Lai | extra |
Imperial forces
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Lau Kong | Tsang Kwok-fan (曾國藩) |
| Wong Wan-choi | Lee Hung-cheung (李鴻章) |
| Bobby Au-yeung | Tsang Kwok-chuen (曾國荃) |
| Alan Au | Tso Chung-tong (左宗棠) |
| Cheung Ying-choi | To-kwong Emperor (道光) |
| Nixon Pang | Ham-fung Emperor (咸豐) |
| Mary Hon | Consort Yi (懿貴妃) |
| Pau Fong | Lam Tsak-tsui (林則徐) |
| Kong Ngai | Kei-ying (耆英) |
| Stephan Yip | Chiu Sung-nin (趙崇年) |
| Wilson Tsui | Kong Chung-yuen (江忠源) |
| Chan Tik-hak | Heung Wing (向榮) |
| Mak Chi-wan | Cheung Chiu (張釗) |
| Fung Kwok | Tin Fong (田芳) |
| Au Ngok | Kei-sin (琦善) |
| Mak Ho-wai | Yik-san (奕山) |
| Kwan Hoi-san | Squire See (施員外) |
See also
References
- ↑ (Chinese) Dianying.com. "Dianying.com." 太平天國 (1988). Retrieved on 2010-03-09.