''The Legend of Kublai Khan'', also known as ''Legend of Yuan Empire Founder'', is a Chinese television series based on the life of

Kublai Khan Kublai ; Mongolian script: ; (23 September 1215 – 18 February 1294), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder of the Yuan dynasty of China and the fifth khagan-emperor of ...

and the events leading to the establishment of the

Mongol The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...

-led

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fif ...

in China. The series started shooting in 2011. It premiered at the 2013 Shanghai Television Festival from 11 to 13 June 2013, and was first aired on HBS from 21 to 30 July 2013. The series was directed by

Tsui Siu-ming Tsui Siu-ming (; born 1953) is a Hong Kong-based actor, screenwriter, film producer, assistant director, Unit production manager, production manager, and stage combat, action choreographer. Career A native of Guangdong, Tsui was once a recogniz ...

and starred Hu Jun and

Charmaine Sheh Charmaine Sheh Sze-man (; born 28 May 1975) is a Hong Kong actress. After winning second runner-up in the 1997 Miss Hong Kong pageant, Sheh signed a contract with TVB in 1998. She is best known for her roles in ''Return of the Cuckoo'' (2000 ...

as Kublai Khan and

Chabi Empress Chabi (, ; , c. 1216 –1281) was a Khongirad empress consort of the Yuan dynasty of Mongol, married to Kublai Khan (Emperor Shizu). Life She was born around 1216 to Alchi Noyan's son Anchen Noyan . Nephew of Börte from Khongirad tribe an ...

, along with Cai Wenyan, Wu Yue,

Tang Guoqiang Tang Guoqiang (born 4 May 1952) is a Chinese actor best known for portraying historical figures in several films and television series. Some of his more notable roles include: various Chinese emperors (e.g. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Yongle Emper ...

, Gao Fa,

Steven Ma Steven Ma Chun-wai (born 26 October 1971) is a Hong Kong actor and singer. In 1993, Ma won a record deal after winning first place at an annual singing contest in Hong Kong, later releasing his debut album, ''Lucky for Meeting You'' (幸運就 ...

and

Ray Lui Ray Lui Leung-wai ( vi, Lữ Lương Vỹ, born 22 December 1956) is a Hong Kong actor. Born in Chợ Lớn, Saigon, Vietnam, he traces his ancestry to Lianjiang, Guangdong. He is best known for his role as "Ting Lik" in the 1980 Hong Kong te ...

in supporting roles.

Plot

The series, spanning over 70 years, romanticises the life of

and the events leading to the establishment of the

-led

in China. Kublai was born in 1215 as a son of

Tolui Tolui (also Toluy, Tului; , meaning: "the mirror"; – 1232) was a Mongol khan, the fourth son of Genghis Khan by his chief khatun, Börte. At his father's death in 1227, his ''ulus'', or territorial inheritance, was the Mongol homelands on t ...

, the fourth son of

Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; ; xng, Temüjin, script=Latn; ., name=Temujin – August 25, 1227) was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in history a ...

. At the time, Töregene, the wife of Ögedei (Genghis Khan's third son), sees Tolui as a potential threat to her husband. As Tolui gains more glory for his victories in battle, Töregene worries whether Genghis Khan will choose Ögedei to be his successor. She also feels uneasy because the young Kublai is highly favoured by his grandfather. Ögedei eventually succeeds his father as the

Great Khan Khagan or Qaghan (Mongolian:; or ''Khagan''; otk, 𐰴𐰍𐰣 ), or , tr, Kağan or ; ug, قاغان, Qaghan, Mongolian Script: ; or ; fa, خاقان ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan ...

of the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...

. After Töregene secretly poisons Tolui to death, Tolui's sons, under the leadership of their eldest brother Möngke, seek to avenge their father. Töregene plans to use this opportunity to frame Möngke and his brothers of plotting treason against Ögedei, and thereby get rid of Tolui's clan. At this critical juncture, Kublai and his mother, Sorghaghtani, manage to convince his brothers not to do anything rash. Instead, they would secretly build up their forces, lie low and wait until the time is ripe to take revenge. Following Ögedei's death, Töregene becomes the Regent of the Mongol Empire for some years until her son, Güyük, is elected as the new Great Khan. When Güyük dies in a conflict against his cousin Batu, his wife Qaimish takes over as the Regent for a brief period of time until Möngke becomes the new Great Khan. A few years later, after Möngke dies in a battle against the

Song Empire The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

at Diaoyu Fortress, Kublai and his younger brother Ariq Böke engage in a power struggle to seize the succession. Kublai eventually overcomes his brother and secures his position as the Great Khan after defeating all his rivals. He conquers the rest of China and establishes the Yuan dynasty, becoming its founding emperor.

Cast

* Hu Jun as

Kublai Kublai ; Mongolian script: ; (23 September 1215 – 18 February 1294), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder of the Yuan dynasty of China and the fifth khagan-emperor of the ...

** Su Jiahang as Kublai (young) *

* Cai Wenyan as Töregene * Wu Yue as Ariq Böke ** Lao Huanjie as Ariq Böke (young) *

* Gao Fa as Möngke ** Lei Haotian as Möngke (young) *

Liu Bingzhong Liu Bingzhong (; 1216–1274), or Liu Kan () was a Yuan dynasty court adviser and architect. He was born in Ruizhou (Rui prefecture), during the Jin dynasty. In 1233, he entered the Jin's bureaucracy. He still was an officer after the Mongol Em ...

Ba Sen Batdorj-in Baasanjab ( Mongolian: , Батдоржын Баасанжав, ''Batdorjyn Baasanjav''; born 1954), also known by his Chinese name Basenzhabu or simply Ba Sen, is a Chinese actor of Mongol descent from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regio ...

as Ögedei * Hasi Gaowa as Sorghaghtani * Xie Miao as Širemün * Xu Xiangdong as Huochi * Du Yiheng as Hao Jing * He Yanni as Yunlin * Wang Huilai as Dong Wenyong * Xu Dongmei as Kusa'er * Huang Chien-chun as Güyük ** Jin Bo as Güyük (young) * Debbie Goh as Qaimish * Zhang Yan as

Yelü Chucai Yelü Chucai (; mn, Urtu Saqaltu "Longbeard", written in Chinese characters as "", July 24, 1190 – June 20, 1244), courtesy name Jinqing (), was a Khitan statesman from the imperial clan of the Liao dynasty, who became a vigorous adviser and ...

/ Yelü Zhu * Liu Xiaoxiao as Hao Qin * Zhang Jingda as Hulagu ** Zhang Bolun as Hulagu (young) * Jin Tingting as Yina ** Zhang Jiaojiao as Yina (young) * Sengge Renqin as

Chilaun Chilaun ( mn, Чулуун) was a general in the Mongol Empire, known as one of Genghis Khan's four valiant warriors. His relatives, specifically his father Sorqan-Shira, helped young Genghis escape from captivity at the hands of the Tayichiuds. ...

* Dao'erji as

Subutai Subutai (Classical Mongolian: ''Sübügätäi'' or ''Sübü'ätäi''; Modern Mongolian: Сүбээдэй, ''Sübeedei''. ; ; c. 1175–1248) was a Mongol general and the primary military strategist of Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan. He directe ...

* Lu Ying as Anchen * Liu Sibo as Fifth Princess * Luo Huimiao as Alandar * Ji Shuai as Liu Taiping * He Ya'nan as Tana * Wang Lu as

Kaidu Kaidu (Middle Mongol: , Modern Mongol: / , ; ; c. 1230 – 1301) was a grandson of the Mongol khagan Ögedei (1185–1241) and thus leader of the House of Ögedei and the ''de facto'' khan of the Chagatai Khanate, a division of the Mongol Em ...

* Li Hua as Yesutai * Menghe Wuliji as Chagatai * Hongtong Batu as

Jochi Jochi Khan ( Mongolian: mn, Зүчи, ; kk, Жошы, Joşy جوشى; ; crh, Cuçi, Джучи, جوچى; also spelled Juchi; Djochi, and Jöchi c. 1182– February 1227) was a Mongol army commander who was the eldest son of Temüjin (aka G ...

* Sude Siqin as

Bo'orchu Bo'orchu ( mn, Боорчи, ''Boorchi'') was one of the first and most loyal of Genghis Khan's friends and allies. He first met Genghis Khan as a boy. At that time, Genghis Khan (then Temujin) was looking for his stolen horses. Bo'orchu helped to ...

* Siqin Bilige as Batu * Gangte Mu'er as Shiban * Dao'erji as Godan ** Liu Shijia as Godan (young) * Baoyin Gexige as Mukha * Dong Ming as Baodi * Wang Zhengping as Reverend Haiyun * Jiang Yongbo as Ahmad Fanakati * Anna as Fatima * Dalielihan Hade'er as Suhe * Bate'er as Buhe * Sulide as Batu * Fan Yu as Qašin * Suyou Lesiren as Yesu * Hong Chang as Li Tan * Yan Linfei as Wang Jian * Yong Qing as Narisong * Tao Ri as Taozi * Tang Zhaokang as Jinhua * Wudamu as Bateng * Wang Xueqian as

Zhenjin Zhenjin ( , ; 1240 – 1285 or January 5, 1286), also rendered as Jingim, Chinkim, or Chingkim, was a crown prince of the Yuan dynasty of China. He was the son of Kublai Khan and grandson of Tolui. Life He was born as second son to Kublai Khan ...

* Yijile as Khochu * Lan Tian as Hutu * Jiang Haotong as Naohu

International broadcasts

Production

''The Legend of Kublai Khan'' was produced at a cost of about 150 million yuan.

Awards

''The Legend of Kublai Khan'' won the Golden Angel Award for Outstanding Television Series and Best Director of Chinese TV Series at the 2013 Chinese American Film Festival.

Controversy over title renaming

''The Legend of Kublai Khan'' was released under the title ''The Genius of War – Kublai'' () when it was aired on

Hunan Broadcasting System Hunan Broadcasting System (HBS) () formerly known as Golden Eagle Broadcasting System (GBS), is China's second biggest state-owned television network after China Central Television (CCTV). The television network is owned by the Hunan provincial ...

(HBS) in July 2013. Apparently, this was done without the approval of the producers, and the reason behind the renaming is believed to be that HBS wanted to attract higher viewership. Director

and lead actor Hu Jun expressed unhappiness over the renaming; Hu even wrote on his

weibo Weibo may refer to: * Microblogging in China, or China-based microblogging services (), including: ** NetEase Weibo (), launched by NetEase ** People's Weibo (), launched by ''People's Daily'' ** Phoenix Weibo (), launched by Phoenix Television ** W ...

, "Who changed the title? What genius of war?", and added an angry emoticon.

References

External links

*
''The Legend of Kublai Khan''
on

Sina.com Sina Corporation (, "new wave") is a Chinese technology company. Sina operates four major business lines: Sina Weibo, Sina Mobile, Sina Online, and Sinanet. Sina has over 100 million registered users worldwide. Sina was recognized by '' Southe ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Kublai Khan, The 2013 Chinese television series debuts Television series set in the Mongol Empire Television series set in the Yuan dynasty Depictions of Genghis Khan on television Chinese historical television series Television series set in the 13th century