Chinese dramas and films

The iQiyi platform and CCTV-8 have announced the premiere date for the historical drama "The Heir" (家业, The Heir, Family Business, 祯娘传).

Starring Yang Zi ("Flourished Peony", "Go Go Squid!") and Han Dong Jun ("The Battle at Lake Changjin", "Wu Xin: The Monster Killer").

The story is set in Huizhou during the Ming era. The ancient Li clan of ink makers finds itself caught up in a scandal and is toppled from its pedestal. The prestigious title of "best ink under heaven" passes to the rival Luo family.

In the midst of this dispersal and decline, Li Zhen, the eighth daughter of the Li family's junior branch, decides to take her fate into her own hands and devotes herself to the ancient craft. Through her exceptional talent and perseverance, she becomes a rising star in the world of Huimo (the art of ink making), challenging strict patriarchal norms.

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On her path she meets Luo Wen Qian, the second son of the Luo clan, who is also striving to restore his family's good name. Their relationship, beginning with fierce market rivalry, gradually deepens into mutual understanding and cooperation. Together, the heroes confront both the internal intrigues of the Tian clan and the challenges posed by overseas competitors after the opening of sea borders.

Finally, they create an ink stick of the highest quality, returning the Huizhou region the title of "best ink under heaven".

Read more:
Yang Zi to star in historical drama "The Heir"
Yang Zi and Han Dong Jun wrap filming on historical drama "The Heir"

The drama is the first major production dedicated to the intangible cultural heritage of Huimo ink making. Unlike a superficial depiction, the series uses the process of creating the famous ink as its central storyline, meticulously reproducing all 36 stages of production: from burning soot and mixing glue to moulding.

Furthermore, the story extends beyond a single workshop, seamlessly weaving in such cultural elements as Huizhou stone carving, Huizhou cuisine, Huizhou opera, Huipai architecture and the Xin'an school of painting. Thanks to this multi-layered structure, the series not only conveys the full complexity of the craft but also offers viewers an extensive introduction to the culture of the historic Huizhou region.

Filming took place from May to November 2025 and was marked by several striking moments that attracted the attention of both the press and fans. Even before work on the project began, a group of actors visited an ink factory in the Huizhou area to study all stages of production in detail under the guidance of a master. The actors personally tried their hand at mixing, moulding and drying ink sticks. Yang Zi spent three months at the factory studying the ancient techniques. On the most intense days, she practiced crushing ink paste for 12 hours straight, which left calluses on her palms but also gave her the understanding and skill that she brought to her character.

The production of the series has had a significant impact on the region's economy. More than 200 sets were built in the Huangshan mountains, including in the villages of Hongcun and Xidi. The night festival of paper fish lanterns, held in Chengkan village where some episodes were filmed, has since become a permanent tourist attraction open every evening. The filming area has begun drawing tourists, positively affecting local incomes.

The drama will premiere on May 17, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. Beijing time on CCTV-8. It will also be available exclusively on the iQiyi streaming platform. Just days before the premiere, the project had already accumulated more than 1.34 million pre-registrations, setting a record among recent dramas dedicated to intangible cultural heritage.

Huimo (徽墨), or Huizhou ink, is not merely a type of Chinese ink stick but a true work of art. This unique craft originated more than 1,000 years ago in the historic region of Huizhou (present-day Huangshan city in Anhui province), which gives it its name.

It holds a special place in Chinese culture not only for its exceptional quality, prized by emperors and scholars, but also for the complex manual work involved in its production. In 2006, the traditional technique for making Huimo was added to China's first national list of intangible cultural heritage.

The origins of this craft date back to the late Tang era (9th-10th centuries CE), when artisans from the north fled wars and migrated into the mountains of southern China. Among them were the famous masters Xi Chao and his son Xi Tinggui, who settled in this area, used local resources (pine and clean water) and perfected the manufacturing process. The quality of their ink was so high that Li Yu, the ruler of the Southern Tang, declared it the finest creation under heaven, bestowed the surname Li upon the master, and his products became the quality standard in China for centuries. During the Northern Song, the region was renamed Huizhou, and the ink produced there became known as Huimo or Huizhou ink.

The revival of this craft in popular culture is no accident: in the digital age, Huimo remains a symbol of Chinese identity and a source of national pride. Huimo represents not only superior craftsmanship but also a whole philosophy of Chinese thought, ethics and aesthetics.

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