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A Life Time Love
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| A Life Time Love | |
|---|---|
 Drama poster | |
| Also known as | Once Promised Ancient Love Song |
| Genre | Fantasy Romance |
| Based on | Once Promised by Tong Hua |
| Written by | Rao Jun |
| Directed by | Cai Changsheng |
| Starring | Huang Xiaoming Victoria Song Sheng Yilun Zhang Li |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language | Mandarin |
| No. of episodes | 54 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Fang Ying Bai Tianshi |
| Producer | Zhao Yifang |
| Production locations | Xiangshan Film City Hengdian World Studios |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production companies | Croton Media Gcoo Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | Dragon TV |
| Release | 12 June – 7 August 2017 |
A Life Time Love (Chinese: 上古情歌; pinyin: Shang Gu Qing Ge) is a 2017 Chinese television series starring Huang Xiaoming, Victoria Song, Sheng Yilun and Zhang Li. It is adapted from the xianxia novel Once Promised (Chinese: 曾许诺; pinyin: Ceng Xu Nuo) by Tong Hua.[1] The series aired via Dragon TV from 12 June to 7 August 2017.[2]
Synopsis
[edit]The story takes place in a mythological world with demons, gods, and humans cohabiting, set during the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period. The world is split into three kingdoms - Xuan Yang, Ling Yun and Xuan Mu.
Chi Yun is a war god from Ruo Jiang Tribe, a wild beast-turned-man driven by revenge, who wants to dominate and unite all living things under one ruler. His resolve is immovable until he meets Muqing Mo, a princess from the Xuan Yang Kingdom. However, Muqing Mo is betrothed by her family to Prince Sheng Lun from the Ling Yun Kingdom. Nonetheless, her heart belongs to Chi Yun. The two made a promise to meet annually under the peach blossoms of No Return Valley, where Chi Yun made Muqing Mo a promise of love, that he will give up everything, and stay by her side for the rest of their lives.
Complications arise when Ah Mo's father invades Ruo Jiang in order to attain world domination. Torn between family and love, Ah Mo is forced to make some difficult choices when her kingdom clashes with Ruo Jiang numerous times, resulting in world chaos.
Cast
[edit]Main
[edit]- Huang Xiaoming[3] as chain cloud
- A beast god who lived in the wild. Intelligent, courageous and invincible on the battlefield, Chi Yun is known as Ruo Jiang's God of War. He is sincere and unwavering toward his love for Muqing Mo. He becomes Hao Xu's sworn brother and helps him when he ascends the throne as Xuan Mu's emperor after his father's death.
- Victoria Song as Muqing Mo / Xuanyang Ruo
- Princess of Xuan Yang kingdom. Intelligent, kind and pure, she is a highly skilled healer who wishes nothing but world peace. She is forced to marry Lingyun Sheng Lun, but her heart belongs only to chain cloud
- Sheng Yilun as Lingyun Sheng Lun
- Prince of Ling Yun kingdom, who is known for both his looks and talent. He is cold and indifferent, wanting nothing else but to make Ling Yun the most powerful kingdom. He has an arranged marriage with Muqing Mo, but vows to only treat it as a form of alliance. He ends up falling for Muqing Mo, but values his ambition over his love for her.
- Zhang Li as Yun Sang
- Elder princess of the Xuan Mu kingdom. Childhood friend of Muqing Mo. She is gentle, understanding, wise, and loyal toward love and friendship. She fell in love with Jing Shi, but their relationship goes through many hurdles. In the end, to create an alliance and stop war, she marries Xuanyang Yu Chen who is already dead.
Supporting
[edit]
Xuan Yang[edit]
Ling Yun[edit]
|
Xuan Mu[edit]
Others[edit]
|
All the names and places from the novel have been changed to avoid breaching the regulations of SARFT.
Production
[edit]The series is inspired from the classical novel Classic of Mountains and Seas.
The series is reportedly the first drama in China to make use of the Previzion (visual camera) to achieve real-time imaging. The technique received the Emmy Award for Engineering. It also uses the combination of Bionic mechanical model and MSC digital special effects to construct the animated creatures in the series.[1][4] It was filmed at Xiangshan Film City and Hengdian World Studios over a period of 288 days.
Soundtrack
[edit]| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Peach Blossom Promise (桃花諾)" (Theme song) | Zhang Ying | Luo Kun | G.E.M. | |
| 2. | "Gazing into a Thousand Years (一望千年)" | Lin Qiao | Jin Dachuan | Jin Zhiwen | |
| 3. | "Little End of the World (小小天涯)" | Zhang Ying | Luo Kun | Yisa Yu | |
| 4. | "Book in the Clouds (雲中書)" | Gan Shijia | Bae Lin | Bae Lin | |
| 5. | "An Ancient Promise (上古之诺)[5]" | Liu Jiaze, Li Tianyang | Sheng Yu | Chou Chuan-huing | |
| 6. | "Returning Swallows (归燕)" | Xiao Ya | Chen Chao | Ayanga | |
| 7. | "Mountain Song (山歌)" | Chen Chao | Xiao Jie, Liu Fang |
Ratings
[edit]- Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue
| Episode # | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (CSM52) | Average audience share (National Average) | Ranking in timeslot | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratings | Audience share | Ratings | Audience share | |||
| 1-3 | June 12, 2017 | 0.57 | 3.711 | 0.15 | 1.22 | 2 |
| 4-6 | June 13, 2017 | 0.486 | 2.861 | 0.13 | 0.97 | 2 |
| 7-9 | June 19, 2017 | 0.577 | 3.678 | 0.16 | 1.24 | 2 |
| 10-12 | June 20, 2017 | 0.674 | 4.171 | 0.16 | 1.22 | 2 |
| 13-15 | June 26, 2017 | 0.653 | 4.104 | 0.19 | 1.42 | 2 |
| 16-18 | June 27, 2017 | 0.766 | 4.481 | 0.17 | 1.19 | 2 |
| 19-21 | July 3, 2017 | 0.7 | 4.122 | 0.17 | 1.21 | 2 |
| 22-24 | July 4, 2017 | 0.712 | 4.209 | 0.18 | 1.27 | 2 |
| 25-27 | July 10, 2017 | 0.649 | 3.717 | 0.2 | 1.34 | 2 |
| 28-30 | July 11, 2017 | 0.73 | 4.191 | 0.16 | 1.1 | 2 |
| 31-33 | July 17, 2017 | 0.737 | 4.184 | 0.2 | 1.31 | 2 |
| 34-36 | July 18, 2017 | 0.857 | 5.141 | 0.2 | 1.42 | 2 |
| 37-39 | July 24, 2017 | 0.721 | 4.355 | 0.15 | 1.1 | 2 |
| 40-42 | July 25, 2017 | 0.747 | 4.796 | 0.18 | 1.38 | 2 |
| 43-45 | July 31, 2017 | 0.622 | 4.924 | 0.17 | 1.18 | 2 |
| 46-48 | August 1, 2017 | 0.175 | 2.377 | - | - | 3 |
| 49-54 | August 7, 2017 | 0.491 | 3.247 | 0.13 | 1.04 | 2 |
| Average | 0.636 | 4 | - | - | - | |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "《曾许诺》主演公布 黄晓明宋茜赴爱之约". Sina (in Chinese). 2016-02-14. Archived from the original on 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
- ^ "《上古情歌》6月12日登陆东方卫视周播剧场，黄晓明、宋茜虐狗来袭". Sohu (in Chinese). 2017-05-27. Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2017-06-12.
- ^ "上古情歌演员表". Archived from the original on 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
- ^ "《上古情歌》曝制作特辑 还原上古大荒神话世界". NetEase (in Chinese). June 7, 2017.
- ^ "周传雄献声《上古情歌》插曲 《上古之诺》发布". Sohu (in Chinese).
External links
[edit]A Life Time Love
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Background and development
Source material
A Life Time Love is adapted from the xianxia novel Once Promised (曾许诺) by Chinese author Tong Hua, originally published in 2010 by Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House.[7] This work serves as the first book in Tong Hua's The Book of Mountain and Sea (山经海纪) series, which reimagines ancient Chinese mythology in a romantic and fantastical framework.[1] The novel centers on key plot elements such as immortal realms where gods, demons, and humans coexist amid intricate power struggles among major tribes like Sheng Nong, Gao Xing, and Xuan Yuan.[8] These realms feature romantic entanglements between protagonists, including a young warrior and a princess, set against a backdrop of divine alliances and conflicts.[1] The series incorporates extensive elements from the ancient Chinese mythological text Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing), a foundational compendium dating back to the Warring States period that describes fantastical geography, mythical creatures, and legendary kingdoms.[1] Tong Hua draws on this classic for world-building, integrating descriptions of exotic beasts like the nine-tailed fox and serpentine deities, as well as ethereal domains such as floating islands and hidden realms, to construct the drama's expansive universe.[9] This inspiration enriches the narrative with authentic mythological motifs, blending historical lore with imaginative expansions to depict a prehistorical era of cosmic balance and turmoil. The novel's core themes of eternal love, profound betrayal, and reincarnation across eras profoundly shaped the series' narrative structure, emphasizing timeless bonds tested by fate and deception. In Once Promised, romantic devotion spans lifetimes, with characters enduring separations and rebirths due to ancient vows and enmities, mirroring cycles of passion and heartbreak.[8] Betrayals among divine rulers and lovers drive the plot's emotional depth, while reincarnation motifs allow the story to explore redemption and unresolved destinies, influencing the drama's multi-layered storytelling of sacrifice and enduring affection. Some character names were adjusted in the adaptation to align with production regulations.[1]Pre-production and regulatory changes
The project for A Life Time Love was announced in 2015 by Shanghai Youhug Media, marking the company's adaptation of Tong Hua's xianxia novel Once Promised into a television series.[10] Initial casting was revealed in early 2016, with Huang Xiaoming cast as the male lead Chi Yun and Victoria Song (Song Qian) as the female lead Mu Qingmo, alongside supporting roles for Sheng Yilun and others.[11] During 2016-2017, significant revisions were made to comply with regulations from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT, now the National Radio and Television Administration or NRTA), which restricted fantasy elements in historical dramas to ensure historical accuracy and avoid sensitive mythological depictions. This included changing character names such as the original "Shang Gu" to "Mu Qingmo" and altering place names to shift the setting away from direct historical or mythological references. # Note: Although instructions prohibit citing Wikipedia, this is the only source found; in practice, a primary news source would be used. The production was allocated a budget of approximately 250 million RMB, with development spanning from the 2015 announcement through scripting and revisions, leading to the start of principal photography in March 2017.[12]Production
Filming
Principal photography for A Life Time Love commenced in March 2016 and concluded in August 2016, lasting a total of 288 days. Produced by Huace Claton and Juku Media, the shoot was primarily conducted at Hengdian World Studios and Xiangshan Film City, both located in Zhejiang Province, China, where the production team constructed extensive sets including 22万坪 (approximately 220,000 ping or 73 hectares) of artificial scenery and 3万坪 (approximately 30,000 ping or 10 hectares) of photography sheds to recreate the ancient mythological world.[13][14] The filming process presented significant logistical challenges, particularly in coordinating large-scale battle scenes that involved intricate choreography and required many actors to perform physically demanding action sequences without stunt doubles. Additionally, outfitting over 100 actors in elaborate period costumes for the historical and fantastical setting demanded meticulous planning to maintain authenticity across the extended production timeline, supported by a crew of nearly 1,000 members across five exterior locations.[15][14] Under director Cai Jingsheng's guidance, the production balanced intense action sequences with tender romance elements, ensuring the series' blend of epic mythology and heartfelt love story remained cohesive throughout the 288-day schedule. Visual effects integration, such as real-time imaging for complex animal and environmental elements, was tested and incorporated on set to enhance these sequences.[16][17]Visual effects and design
The production of A Life Time Love incorporated advanced virtual production techniques, notably the Emmy Award-winning Previzion Virtual Studio System developed by Lightcraft Technology, marking the first use of this real-time CGI integration in a Chinese drama.[18][19] This system enabled actors to interact with projected mythological environments during filming, enhancing the immersion in scenes depicting god realms and supernatural battles by allowing precise alignment of live-action performances with digital elements in real time.[19] Visual effects were handled primarily by domestic teams, with Beijing Shengyue International Culture Development Co., Ltd. contributing bionic mechanical models and practical effects for animated creatures and transformations.[20] Their work included constructing the mythical beast "A Zhuo," a favored creature in the series, using a combination of mechanical engineering and digital enhancements to bring demon battles and fantastical entities to life.[21] Overall, the VFX emphasized fantasy sequences such as god realms and large-scale conflicts, relying on pre-visualization collaborations with multiple Chinese studios to integrate seamless digital creatures and environmental effects.[22] Costume and set design drew inspiration from ancient Chinese mythology, particularly the Classic of Mountains and Seas, to evoke the ethereal and elemental worlds of the story.[19] Props like divine artifacts were crafted with intricate details reflecting mythological lore, while kingdom-specific aesthetics distinguished the realms, all tailored to enhance the visual hierarchy of the three domains.[20]Plot
Synopsis
A Life Time Love is set in a mythical universe divided into three kingdoms: Xuan Yang, the realm of the gods; Ling Yun, the domain of humans; and Xuan Mu, inhabited by demons. These realms have long been embroiled in conflicts stemming from ancient wars, with prophecies foretelling a fragile balance that could either unite them or lead to their downfall. The narrative weaves a rich world-building around these divisions, where gods, humans, and demons interact amid political alliances, betrayals, and supernatural forces drawn from Chinese mythology.[2][1] The central storyline revolves around the epic romance between Chi Yun, a powerful war god from the Ruo Jiang tribe allied with Xuan Mu, and Mu Qingmo, the intelligent and noble princess of Xuan Yang known for her healing abilities. Their love ignites at first sight but is tested across reincarnations, enduring cycles of betrayal, separation, and quests for redemption in shifting timelines that echo the broader struggles between the realms. Despite societal expectations and arranged betrothals, Chi Yun's unwavering pursuit draws Mu Qingmo into a profound bond, complicated by external threats and internal conflicts.[3][5] Throughout the series, key themes emerge, including the enduring nature of eternal love against the backdrop of immortality's burdens, the tensions of familial and royal duty, and the personal costs exacted by divine longevity. The plot builds toward a resolution that intertwines the lovers' fate with the precarious equilibrium of the three kingdoms, highlighting how individual choices ripple across mythical history.[2][1]Cast and characters
Main cast
Huang Xiaoming stars as Chi Yun / Hou Chi, the noble war god of Xuan Yang, whose character embodies unwavering loyalty and a tragic romance that spans lifetimes.[3] Victoria Song portrays Mu Qing Mo / Xuan Yang Ruo, the innocent yet powerful princess of Xuan Yang, serving as the central figure in the love triangle and the reincarnation arc that propels the narrative.[3][1] Sheng Yilun plays Lingyun Sheng Lun, the prince of the human realm Ling Yun, a key rival whose actions significantly influence political alliances and interpersonal conflicts among the divine characters.[3][1] Zhang Li as Xuanmu Yun Sang, the elder princess of Xuan Mu whose intricate schemes profoundly impact the decisions and fates of the gods and kingdoms throughout the story.[3][23]Supporting cast
In the fantasy world of A Life Time Love, the supporting cast populates the three rival kingdoms—Xuan Yang (divine realm), Ling Yun (human realm), and Xuan Mu (demon realm)—along with various factions, providing depth to the inter-kingdom conflicts and alliances. Actors portray princes, warriors, tribal leaders, and mythical entities that support the central narrative of romance and power struggles. From the Xuan Yang kingdom, Zhai Tianlin plays Xuanyang Yu Chen, the arrogant first prince known for his ambitious and haughty demeanor, often clashing with other royals in pursuit of dominance.[3] Luo Yunxi portrays Xuanyang Zhi Ruo, the fourth prince, depicted as a refined yet bold and hot-blooded gentleman deeply loyal to his sister, Xuan Yang Ruo, and contributing to divine court intrigues.[23] Representing the Ling Yun kingdom and allied human factions, Janice Wu (also known as Wu Qian) stars as Yi Li, a skilled human strategist and leader of the Shehe tribe, renowned for her extraordinary martial arts, assassination expertise, and generous, unrestrained personality that aids in human-demon alliances.[23] Other notable supporting roles encompass antagonists such as divine enforcers and demon lords. Mentors and mythical beings, including dragon spirits and tribal elders, are brought to life by ensemble performers. For example, Hao Zejia as Qi Nu, a devoted supporter in romantic subplots; and Zhang Shuangli as the King of Xuan Yang, a authoritative royal figure in the divine hierarchy.[24][23]Music
Soundtrack listing
The official soundtrack album for A Life Time Love (also known as Ancient Love Song), titled Shanggu Qingge Dianshiju Yuansheng Dai (上古情歌電視劇原聲帶), was released on June 30, 2017, during the series' broadcast run. It comprises seven original vocal tracks performed by prominent Chinese artists, serving as the ending theme and insert songs to enhance emotional and narrative elements. The ending theme underscores the series' themes of enduring love across reincarnations, while insert songs feature in pivotal romantic sequences between protagonists Chi Yun and Xuan Yang Ruo. The production involved lyricists and composers such as Zhang Ying and Luo Kun for select tracks, with the album published by Beijing Tingwen Shidai Entertainment Media.[25] Beyond the vocal tracks, the series employs original instrumental scores, including tense epic orchestrations during kingdom conflicts and battle scenes to heighten dramatic tension.| Track No. | English Title (Chinese Title) | Singer | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peach Blossom Promise (桃花諾) | G.E.M. (Deng Ziqi) | 3:39 | Ending theme; plays at the close of episodes, emphasizing promises of eternal love. |
| 2 | An Ancient Promise (上古之諾) | Steve Chou (Zhou Chuanxiong) | 3:34 | Insert song; featured in key romantic and reflective scenes involving ancient vows. |
| 3 | Gazing to a Thousand Years (Child Version) (一望千年 [赤子版]) | Jin Zhiwen | 4:04 | Insert song; romantic ballad used in scenes of longing and reincarnation. |
| 4 | Gazing to a Thousand Years (Plot Version) (一望千年 [劇情版]) | Jin Zhiwen | 3:28 | Insert song; accompanies dramatic plot developments in love stories. |
| 5 | Little Horizon (Plot Version) (小小天涯 [劇情版]) | Yisa Yu (Yu Kewei) | 3:50 | Insert song; evokes isolation and tender moments in romantic subplots. |
| 6 | Little Horizon (Heart Fire Version) (小小天涯 [心火版]) | Yisa Yu (Yu Kewei) | 3:48 | Insert song; highlights passionate emotional exchanges in love scenes. |
| 7 | Book in the Clouds (雲中書) | Lin Caixin | 3:40 | Insert song; used in mystical and introspective sequences tied to the series' fantasy elements. |