''The Legend of Chasing Fish'' is a 2013

Chinese mythology Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature throughout the area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology encompasses a diverse array of myths derived from regional and cultural tradit ...

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

romantic comedy television series directed Wu Jinyuan, Chen Guohua and Huang Jintianby, and starring

Zhao Liying Zhao Liying ( zh, s=赵丽颖, born October 16, 1987), also known as Zanilia Zhao, is a Chinese actress. She rose to prominence with the historical drama '' Legend of Lu Zhen'' (2013), followed by the television dramas '' Boss & Me'' (2014), ' ...

Kenny Kwan Kenny Kwan Chi-Bun (born December 30, 1980) is a Philippine-born Hong Kong singer under the music label Emperor Entertainment Group. He was born in the Philippines but grew up in Hong Kong. At age 20, he and his friend, Steven Cheung were crea ...

Shirley Dai Dai Jiaoqian (; born 4 June 1982), also known as Shirley Dai, is a Chinese actress, singer and hostess. Dai is noted for her roles as Liu Xia and Princess Xingdai in the television series ''Flowering Season, Rainy Season'' (1998) and '' The Palac ...

and Ding Zijun. It was first broadcast on 13 July 2013 in

Hunan Television Hunan Television or Hunan TV () is a state-owned provincial satellite TV station launched on September 29, 1970. It is currently China's second-most-watched television channel, second to China Central Television's CCTV-1, although Hunan TV has oc ...

in China. The story is based on '' Yulan Ji''.

Plot

It tells the story of the Chinese benevolent fish

yaoguai Yaoguai ( zh, 妖怪, p=yāoguài, s=妖怪, t=妖怪) represent a broad and diverse class of ambiguous creatures in Chinese folklore and Chinese mythology, mythology defined by the possession of supernatural powers and by having attributes tha ...

named Hongling. While on a mission to find the perfect birthday gift for the Azure Dragon Emperor, Hongling befriends youngster Zhang Zen. In an unexpected and heartbreaking twist of events, Zhang Zen's father is murdered, and Hongling fails to pass through the Dragon Gate, which will ascend her to a dragon. The Dragon Prince convinces the king to make an exception should she help Zhang Zen get married and bring back the wedding flower ball. Unfortunately, while troubles continue to appear on his path, Hongling finds herself falling for the youngster and sacrificing immortality for love, not knowing that troubles are still lurking in the corners and will take unimaginative measures to drive them apart.

Cast

as Hongling, a

carp The term carp (: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family (biology), family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized game fish, quarries and a ...

. *

as Zhang Zhen, a scholar. *

as Jin Mudan, a spoiled rich girl. * Ding Zijun as Zhan Feng, the prince in the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

. *

Waise Lee Waise Lee Chi-hung (born 19 December 1959) is a Hong Kong film and television actor best known for playing the roles of villains and antagonists in various films. Biography Lee graduated from TVB's Artist Training Academy in 1982 and was from the ...

as Jin Chong, the father of Jin Mudan, the prime minister of Song dynasty. * Cao Xinyue as Tang Xin, a village girl who falls in love with the prince Zhan Feng. *

Bai Shan Bai Shan (白珊) (born on 4 December 1969), is a Chinese actress. She is currently under contract with Yuzheng Studio. She is especially known for her performances in TV dramas. Born in Chengdu, Sichuan, she graduated from Hunan Art School. Som ...

as Jin Ruolan, the sister of Jin Chong an Zhang Zhen's stepmother. * Zhang Mingming as the dragon prince.

Other

* Lin Daxin as

Bao Zheng Bao Zheng (; 5 March 999 – 3 July 1062), commonly known as Bao Gong (), was a Chinese politician during the reign of Emperor Emperor Renzong of Song, Renzong in China's Song Dynasty. During his twenty-five years in civil service, Bao was kn ...

, a powerful government officer. * Wang Hui as

Zhan Zhao Zhan Zhao (展昭) is a fictional character in the Chinese wuxia classic ''The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants''. Nicknamed the "Southern Hero", he is a righteous knight-errant with incredible martial arts skills, often helping Prefect Bao Zhen ...

. * Huang Hai as

Gongsun Ce Gongsun Ce is a fictional character in the Chinese novel ''The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants''. Highly intelligent and very familiar with traditional Chinese medicine, he was an able assistant to the upright official Bao Zheng. Background Profi ...

. * Feng Jin'gao as

Emperor Renzong of Song Emperor Renzong of Song (30 May 1010 – 30 April 1063), personal name Zhao Zhen, was the fourth emperor of the Northern Song dynasty of China. He reigned for about 41 years from 1022 to his death in 1063, making him the longest reigning Song ...

. * Qu Gao as

Azure Dragon The Azure Dragon ( zh, c=青龍, p=Qīnglóng) is one of the Dragon King, Dragon Gods who represent the mount or Chthonic deities, chthonic forces of the Wufang Shangdi, Five Regions' Highest Deities (). It is also one of the Four Symbols o ...

, king of the Eastern Ocean. * Maggie Li as

Guan Yin Guanyin () is a common Chinese name of the bodhisattva associated with compassion known as Avalokiteśvara (). Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means " he One WhoPerceives the Sounds of the World". Originally regarded as male in Indian ...

, goddess of mercy. * Yang Mingna as Xiao Longnu, the dragon princess.

Production

This television series shot the scene in

Hengdian World Studios Hengdian World Studios () is a film studio located in Hengdian, a Chinese town in the city of Dongyang, Zhejiang Province. It is one of the largest film studios in the world. The movie studio is operated by the privately owned Hengdian Group f ...

Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...

Critical response

It received positive reviews. Its audience ratings are very high, and in box-office terms, it was a great success.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Chasing Fish, The 2013 Chinese television series debuts 2013 Chinese television series endings Television series set in the Northern Song Fictional depictions of Bao Zheng in television Television shows set in Kaifeng Hunan Television dramas Chinese romantic comedy television series Shenmo television series