The Qin Empire (TV series)

The Qin Empire is a 2009 Chinese television series based on Sun Haohui's novel of the same Chinese title, which romanticises the rise of the Qin state in the Warring States period under the leadership of Duke Xiao of Qin. It was produced in 2006 and first aired on television channels in China in December 2009. It was followed by three sequels: The Qin Empire II: Alliance (2012), The Qin Empire III (2017) and The Qin Empire IV (2019), which were also based on Sun Haohui's novels.

Plot
The series is set in the mid fourth century BC during the Warring States period of China. The Qin state in western China has been weakened by years of poverty and internal conflict. It is now in peril of being conquered by the other six major states in the east. Duke Xiao, the new ruler of Qin, seeks to restore his state to its former glory (during Duke Mu's time) and retake the Qin territories lost to the Wei state in earlier battles.

In his quest to recruit talents to assist him, Duke Xiao promises to share Qin with anyone – including foreigners – who could help him realise his grand ambitions. He attracts the attention of Wei Yang, a Legalist searching for opportunities to test his ideas. After discussing for three days and three nights on end, the two men develop a close relationship and work together over the next two decades to push forth a series of groundbreaking sociopolitical reforms in Qin. The reforms transform Qin into a powerful state and helped to lay the foundation for Qin's eventual unification of China under the Qin dynasty nearly 200 years later.

Cast

 * Hou Yong as Ying Quliang (Duke Xiao of Qin)
 * Wang Zhifei as Wei Yang (Shang Yang)
 * Gao Yuanyuan as Bai Xue
 * Du Yulu as Gongshu Cuo
 * Lü Zhong as the Duchess Dowager of Qin
 * Sun Feihu as Gan Long
 * Xu Huanshan as Ying Shixi (Duke Xian of Qin)
 * You Yong as Pang Juan
 * Lee Li-chun as King Hui of Wei
 * Lu Yong as Ying Qian
 * Qi Fang as Yingyu
 * Yu Yang as Jing Jian
 * Hou Xiangling as Che Ying
 * Jiang Hualin as Heibo
 * Lu Ying as Du Zhi
 * Qiu Yongli as Gongsun Gu
 * Liu Naiyi as Ying Si
 * Feng Pengfei as Ying Si (young)
 * Guo Changhui as Zi'an
 * Chen Zhihui as Hou Ying
 * Wang Hui as Prince Ang of Wei
 * Yuan Ran as Xuanqi
 * Ren Wei as Wang Shi
 * Zhao Yang as Meigu
 * Jiao Changdao as Meng Che
 * Ren Xihong as Xiqi Hu
 * Li Zhuo as Bai Jin
 * Sun Jiaolong as Jing Nan
 * Wu Ma as Baili Yao
 * Li Haige as Linghu
 * Liu Bingfeng as Gan Cheng
 * Liu Mu as Crown Prince Shen of Wei
 * Lu Chaofan as Jin Bi
 * Jiang Hua as Long Gu
 * Zhao Dongbo as Shen Buhai
 * Feng Zheng as Shanjia
 * Xia Lu as Heya
 * Mao Yue as Ying Ji (Chuli Ji)
 * Xu Yuting as Bai Tuo
 * Li Shide as Shen Dao
 * Zhou Yuhua as Qin Guxi
 * Wang Yingqi as Denglingzi
 * Qian Weidong as Kuhuo
 * Jin Ming as Zhao Kang
 * Zhang Bingqi as Zhao Liang
 * Ji Chen as King Wei of Qi
 * Dong Qiming as Sun Bin
 * Mei Shengxiang as Bian Que
 * Unknown as Zhang Yi

List of featured songs

 * Dafeng Qi Xi Yun Feiyang (大风起兮云飞扬; A Great Wind Comes Forth and the Clouds Rise High) performed by Liao Changyong and Tan Jing.
 * Jiujiu Laoqin (赳赳老秦; Grand Old Qin) performed by the China Philharmonic Orchestra.
 * Xiang'ai Gengzhi (相爱耕织; Sowing Mutual Love) performed by Lei Jia.
 * Fenghua Juedai (风华绝代; Magnificent and Peerless) performed by Tan Jing.

Awards
The series won the Flying Goddess Award and the Golden Eagle Prize for the Best TV Drama.