About Story of Yanxi Palace
Story of Yanxi Palace (Chinese title Yanxi Gonglue) is a Chinese historical drama that premiered on the streaming platform iQiyi in 2018 and became one of the most-watched series of its era. Set in the imperial court of the Qing dynasty during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, it follows Wei Yingluo, a sharp and determined young woman who enters the Forbidden City as a palace maid. She arrives not seeking advancement but answers, intent on uncovering the truth behind her elder sister's death.
What begins as a personal investigation gradually draws Yingluo into the layered hierarchy of the inner palace, where consorts, attendants, and officials maneuver for favor and security. Rather than relying on schemes alone, Yingluo survives through wit, observation, and an unbending sense of justice, earning both powerful allies and watchful rivals. Her path crosses that of the gentle Empress Fucha, who becomes a guiding figure, and eventually brings her into the orbit of the emperor himself.
Produced by Yu Zheng and noted for its restrained Morandi-inspired color palette, embroidery, and attention to traditional craft, the series was praised for pairing court drama with a heroine who acts rather than merely endures. Its enormous online viewership in China and across Asia turned it into a cultural phenomenon and helped popularize the Qing-palace genre for a new streaming audience.
