Sword Dynasty

The series is set in a fictional era based on the Warring States period of China. Heng, the most powerful of all the states, aims to conquer the other states and unify China under its rule.^[5] Ding Ning, a young man who grew up in a shop selling alcoholic drinks, seeks to avenge his master Liang Jingmeng by killing Yuan Wu, the king of Heng. He and his companion, Zhangsun Qianxue, pretend to be family (nephew and aunt) to hide their real identities. Gradually, it is revealed that Ding Ning is actually Liang Jingmeng, who had used a mystical technique to resurrect himself as a different person. Ding Ning meets and befriends Yuan Zichu, the crown prince of Heng, and others who share similar aspirations. Yuan Wu and his queen Ye Zhen start to feel uneasy when they recall how they had betrayed Liang Jingmeng years ago, and start to see Ding Ning as a potential threat to their rule.

iQiyi first adapted the novel by Wuzui into an animated series which premiered on April 26, 2017.^[6] The production staff for the live-action series was announced in November 2017, with Feng Xiaogang as executive producer, Jones Wah-Kon Ma as the main director, Rao Jun as the main screenwriter and To-hoi Kong as the stunt coordinator.^[7] Co-producing the series alongside iQiyi is Beijing Xinliliang Entertainment and Beijing Shengji Entertainment.^[7][8] One month before the shoot, Li entered the group one month in advance and followed the action team to practice sword moves.^[9]

The series was filmed from December 2017 to April 2018 at Hengdian World Studios.^[10][11]

The clothing designed based on each of the characters, the male and female lead; Ding Ning and Qingxue's linen dress reflect the simplicity of the children of the rivers and lakes, while the black and golden kimono of the king and the red gorgeous palace of the queen represents the luxury and majesty of the peak of power. In addition, the martial arts such as "Moving Mountain", "Freehand Fragment", "Shendan Blood Talisman" in the play are also set with romantic and mysterious artistic imagination, and both realistic and freehand in aesthetic creation. Tonal, collide with a unique historical and cultural atmosphere. As the producer Feng Xiaogang shared at the meeting, he hoped that the style of costumed martial arts could be integrated with the aesthetics of modern young audiences to create an aesthetic style that is both cultural and acceptable to young audiences.^[12]