Chinese dramas and films

Filming for the drama "Tales of the Floating World" (浮生, 浮生物语) began on May 2, 2026, in Hengdian.

It must be said that fans were put on edge. First the drama was announced, then rumours circulated that it was too expensive and would be cancelled. Then whispers began that Chen Zhe Yuan and Wang Chu Ran had some kind of mythological falling out. But finally, all the contradictions have been resolved, the rumours have remained nothing more than rumours, and today the drama has officially entered production. 

The opening ceremony was quite grand. Chen Zhe Yuan's fans created a 122-metre flower wall, hung 400 banners and nine giant helium balloons, and sent support from fans around the world (China, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia). Wang Chu Ran's fans put together a flower wall and photo displays, and the actress personally met with her admirers. Deng Kai's support included a 10-metre flower wall, 150 flags and gift sets designed in the style of his character.

Audiences can expect a drama with a stellar cast. The creators are keeping some secrets and not revealing everyone at once. They say they will "reveal everything gradually". But the following have been 100% confirmed:

Wang Chu Ran will play the lead role of Sha Luo, the owner of the "Bu Ting" pastry shop. She is also a thousand-year-old tree spirit – powerful and kind-hearted, but as a woman, probably rather domineering, given that she managed to tame a Dragon as her husband. There's more to this tree than meets the eye. It is not just any tree, but the very World Tree upon which all existence rests. She has been mysteriously reborn but has lost her memory. Recovering those lost memories is her task throughout the story. In the era of the Republic of China, she runs a tea and pastry house. Her signature dish is "Fu Sheng" tea – so bitter it can make you cry, yet leaving a long sweet aftertaste that reflects the very essence of life itself. The tea house attracts many visitors. Each one drinks her tea and shares a story about supernatural beings: a handsome young cat demon in love with a fish, a stunningly beautiful fox guarding a prophetic flower, a golden lion saving his beloved, a butterfly warrior with a mysterious past hunting demons...

Above all else, Sha Luo values gold. Gold is a girl's best friend. In the end, her husband will save her from the Land of Shadows, like Orpheus saving Eurydice, and all will end well.

Chen Zhe Yuan plays the male lead Ao Chi – a Dragon, a god of war, and the husband of the heroine. He is a young marshal in the Republic of China era (in which the main action takes place, though the story often shifts across different time periods). The character is simultaneously charming and pragmatic, brutal and yet submissive to his wife. Ao Chi has rather tangled, almost cross-cultural family ties. He is the direct grandson of the Dragon King and holds a high status (higher than gods or buddhas – how does he manage that?). He was born to protect the world from evil. Moreover, he is of mixed blood. His mother is the mythical creature "Qieyu" from Egyptian (?) mythology, whose name translates as "eavesdropper", and his brother is Anubis, the god who guides souls to the underworld. This is why Ao Chi is often called the "Outcast Dragon".

Anubis – according to different Egyptian versions, is the son of Osiris and Nephthys (wife of Set, brother of Osiris); in other versions, the son of Ra and Hesat (goddess of cows and milk); the son of Set; and he is also often called the son of Bastet, the cat goddess.

Despite all his power, the Dragon currently works part-time as a waiter in his wife's tea house so he can protect her and stay by her side. Moreover, Ao Chi is jealous of his wife with every man she meets – and many men visit the pastry shop; they are, one might say, its target audience. Chinese sources also note that Ao Chi is a very "psychotic" (精分) and "tsundere" (傲娇) character, with sharp mood swings, unrestrained "perverted" (贱) humour, and even an incredible love for vanilla milkshakes (香草奶昔). One gets the impression that a satanic, love-struck Carlson (the propeller-wielding character from Astrid Lindgren's children's book) is about to be presented to us – we await him eagerly.

Deng Kai plays Zi Miao, the God of Water. He is a fateful and ancient character. In the novel, it is he who, out of compassion, gives human form to the thousand-year-old tree demon Sha Luo – the main heroine – and gives her her name. However, he created her in the image and likeness of his beloved Xue Shang, for whom he pined hopelessly, which creates major problems for the main couple.

Qin Tian Yu is also listed in the main cast. As he himself announced on his Weibo, his character's name is Xie Duan (谢端). However, this character does not seem to exist in the original novel. There is such a character in the famous Chinese legend of the snail maiden. The plot is very reminiscent of russian "Frog Princess", but without princes or a happy ending. A poor but very conscientious young man named Xie Duan, orphaned early, lived in poverty and worked hard in the fields, yet remained hungry. One day he found a huge snail, brought it home and placed it in a water jar. Soon he began to notice that every evening, when he returned from work, his house was tidy and hot food awaited him on the table. One day he hid and saw the snail transform into a maiden doing housework. It turned out she was the Pure Water Maiden, sent by the Jade Emperor himself to help the youth. But now that her secret was revealed, she could no longer stay. And the maiden flew away to heaven. Thus, naming a character Xie Duan is a bit like naming someone "Prince Ivan" or "Ivan the Fool". What the creators – or perhaps Qin Tian Yu himself – meant by this remains to be seen when the drama airs.

Zhang Wen Xin will play the role of Princess Changping in one of the story arcs. It seems this character is not in the novel either.

Confirmation is still awaited regarding the participation of Cheng Xiao and Wang Duo in the drama.

Sources 1, 2