Chinese dramas and films

iQiyi has officially announced the premiere date for the historical drama «Key To The Phoenix Heart» (雀骨, Que Gu). The series stars Hou Ming Hao («Glory», «Love in the Clouds») and Aimee («Whispers of Fate», «The Double»). It is directed by Gao Yi Jun («The Princess Royal», «Youth in the Flames of War»), with a screenplay by Wu Meng Zhang («A Beautiful Lie», «The Song of Glory»).

The story unfolds against the backdrop of a rebellion led by the powerful feudal lord Da Yu. The country is plunged into chaos, and armed forces under various warlords roam the land.

At the heart of the plot lies a political marriage arranged by imperial decree. The male lead, Xiao Wu Yi (Hou Ming Hao), is the crown prince and the cold, ruthless commander of the Northern Army. He is forced to marry the daughter of the imperial tutor, Xie Jia Yu (Aimee) – a clever and beautiful young woman. Xiao Wu Yi hopes to use this marriage to quell the revolt, while Xie Jia Yu finds herself drawn into a whirlpool of court conspiracies.

At first, the newlyweds regard each other with suspicion, and conflicts arise between them. Gradually, however, they become allies. Xiao Wu Yi turns out not to be a dissolute tyrant, but someone who secretly pushes for reforms. Xie Jia Yu, meanwhile, had cultivated the image of a mercenary lady to protect herself from intrigues; in reality, she is passionate about technology and invention, and is highly skilled in the mechanisms of the Mohist school.

The philosophical school of Mozi, founded around the 5th century BC, was renowned for its outstanding achievements in engineering and military affairs. At the same time, their mechanisms were primarily designed for defence and protection, rather than for aggression and conquest. Among their inventions were multi-shot crossbows, swivel ballistae, fire‑throwing machines, various water‑lifting devices, a fan with poisoned needles, and the “mu‑yuan” – a wooden kite that could fly. 

Read more: Hou Ming Hao and Ai Mi to star in a new historical drama

The series soundtrack includes six songs performed by Hou Ming Hao, Zhang Bi Chen, Huang Xiao Yun, Liu Yu Xin, Duan Ao Juan and Jing Long. Hou Ming Hao performs the opening theme «A Promise Becomes A River» (一诺成川)  and also duets with Zhang Bi Chen on the track «Blazing Light».

Filming for the drama started in July and wrapped in November 2025. The premiere had originally been scheduled for the second half of July 2026, but on 8 July rumours of an earlier release began circulating online. The following day, the official account of the series and iQiyi confirmed that the launch would take place on 11 July. The swift decision, made with almost no advance promotional campaign, was described by insiders as an “emergency move with zero publicity.”

Fans of Hou Ming Hao had begun preparing for online screenings as early as February. Within four hours of the release date announcement, the number of seats for official screenings surged to 210,000, with total value exceeding 6.3 million yuan. Aimee’s fans also prepared over 10,000 online screening seats worth more than 300,000 yuan in total.

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