Some actors are just built for historical dramas, and Mysterious Lotus Casebook star Cheng Yi is definitely among them. The 34-year-old actor’s upcoming projects include the highly anticipated Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Sword and Beloved, and now he’s wrapped filming for Fu Shan Hai (lit. Go to the Mountains and Sea).
Wuxia with a Transmigration Twist
The production revealed that filming took 135 days to create a truly different martial arts world. Adapted from the novel Shenzhou Qixia (神州奇俠) by Hong Kong-based Malaysian wuxia author Woon Swee Oan, Fu Shan Hai adds a fresh twist as it follows the story of Xiao Mingming, a modern man who once loved martial arts novels but had his ideals dulled by reality. He somehow transmigrates and embarks on a journey through the martial arts world from the perspective of the novel’s protagonist, Xiao Qiushui. It looks like he also has another persona as Li Chenzhou. What begins as a tale of a low-ranking swordsman with a fiery spirit evolves into the story of a hero dedicated to protecting his loved ones and homeland.
Fu Shan Hai Cast
Cheng Yi who’s been dubbed as the “King of Spitting Blood” does have a penchant for tragic hero roles. In this, he even has the same white hair he’s sported in other dramas although the theme of entering a novel world looks like a quirky blend of wuxia and humor.
Fu Shan Hai boasts a massive cast led by Cheng Yi, alongside Guli Nazha, Singaporean actress Eleanor Lee, Xu Zhenxuan, Liu Mengrui, Ding Xiaoying, Zhang Junning, and Zhang Xiaochen. The drama also features a long list of special appearances from veteran actors like Hong Kong star Jackie Lui and Taiwanese martial arts actress Cynthia Khan, who is making her acting comeback. There’s also a guest appearance by Tong Mengshi, special appearances by Yukee Chen Yuqi, Xiao Yan, and Julian Cheung in a special starring role.
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Arduinna
Oh dear, the transmigration bullshit has now arrived infected martial arts dramas. Way to ruin a genre.
Wuxia roles may be Cheng Yi’s comfort zone, but he looks invariably the same in all of them so it gets really boring after a while. That makes two reasons not to watch this one!
Aren’t there any other talented actors out there for these roles?
Ash
There are but CY is a sure bet on the money. I quite agree about CY feels similar in all the wuxia and xianxia dramas but there isn’t much room for flexibility when all the scripts have similar plots and similar characterisation – it’s always the long suffering, misunderstood, self-sacrificing, reserved hero who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. And they are always seeking either revenge or the love of their lives.
Maybe this new script would be different since it seems to be flipping between modern and ancient with various stories. I’ll definitely check it out when it airs.
I have watched him in modern dramas and he just doesn’t look as good. 😄 But yeah, he needs to do less of wuxia/xianxia dramas and diversify his portfolio now. He is not getting any younger and he already has back injuries. All those wire ropes are physically stressful.