Reflecting the rising popularity of Chinese dramas in overseas markets, the series has also reached 73 countries and regions. Streamed on YouTube with 11 subtitle options — including French, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish — it serves as a window for international audiences to learn more about China's history and culture.
For Dong, who describes himself as a history enthusiast, the era was already familiar terrain when he was invited to write the script in the summer of 2021. He had previously written an alternate-history novel set in the same period, and his knowledge of the time was considerable.
Even so, the preparatory work proved far more difficult and complex than he had anticipated. Although Dong had read most of the major historical records covering the era, he found that only a handful mentioned the history of the Wuyue Kingdom.
