The Chinese costume drama "Yanxi Palace" was the most Googled television show in 2018, reports BBC News.

据BBC报道，古装剧《延禧攻略》是2018年收视率最高的电视节目。

▲The protagonist of "Yanxi Palace", Wei Yingluo. [Photo: Weibo]

The show quickly became a hit in China, and became a topic of heated discussion online. It didn't take long before the show's popularity spread to the overseas Chinese community and beyond across Asia. It has been streamed more than 15 billion times on iQiyi, China's leading video website.

《延禧攻略》很快在中国流行起来，并成为网上热议的话题。没过多久，该剧的声望就传遍了海外华人社区以及整个亚洲。它在爱奇艺上点击量超过150亿次。

The 70-episode series about Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong's harem tells tales of the power struggles among the imperial concubines such as Wei Yingluo, the main protagonist, who struggles to overcome enormous difficulties in her battle to rise to the top of the harem.

70集电视剧讲述了主角魏璎珞等妃嫔在争夺后妃头衔的斗争中为克服巨大困难而奋斗的故事。

▲BBC News's introduction of the show on Twitter. [Screenshot:China Plus]

According to the BBC News report, there are a few reasons why "Yanxi Palace" became such a hit. Like the popular shows "Legend of Zhenhuan" in 2012 and "Empress Wu Mei Niang" in 2014, "Yanxi Palace" focuses on the role of women near the center of power in imperial China, which captivate the attention of Chinese audiences. Unlike many traditional Chinese female characters, Wei's toughness, independence, and determination make her stand out.

据BBC新闻报道，《延禧攻略》之所以如此轰动，有几个原因。像2012年的热播节目《甄嬛传》和2014年的《武媚娘传奇》一样，《延禧攻略》关注古代皇室后宫生活，引人入胜。不同于许多传统的中国女性角色，魏的刚毅、独立和决心让她脱颖而出。

▲Details of a historically accurate costume used in the show. [Photo: Weibo]

Another reason for the show's is that the director has taken the bold move of casting new actors. This lowered the cost of the actor's pay, and allowed the production to spend more on sets, costumes, and makeup.

另一个原因是导演大胆采用新演员。演员的片酬成本的降低，更多的花费用在设置，服装和化妆。

▲A still of an episode of "Yanxi Palace". [Photo: Weibo]

Another factor in the show's success was the decision to make it available online before it was broadcast on television. iQiyi, which also co-produced the series, helped build the audience for the show early on. It was the most watched series online in China for 39 consecutive days.

这个节目成功的另一个因素是在电视播出之前把它放到网上播放。爱奇艺，在剧初帮助建立了良好的观众基础。这是中国连续39天在网上收视率最高的电视连续剧。

Translated by Wang Yaobing

责编：王姚冰

来源：CRI Online