Red Walls and Green Tiles

This film (drama)Also known as红墙绿瓦，is aMainland ChinaProducerbeauty live，At2013Released in year 。The dialogue language isMandarin Chinese，Current Douban rating8.0(For reference only)。

In the late Qing Dynasty, Emperor Daoguang felt increasingly unable to bear his responsibilities and was anxious day and night about establishing a successor. Among his sons, he valued two the most: the prudent and benevolent Yizhu, and the talented and courageous Yixin, making it difficult for him to make a decision. Yizhu, Yixin, and their advisers continuously tried to understand Emperor Daoguang's thoughts, competing in wisdom and courage for the position of heir apparent. Finally, contrasting Yixin's flamboyance with Yizhu's quiet benevolence, Emperor Daoguang chose Yizhu as his successor. At the same time, he appointed Yixin as "Prince Gong." Emperor Daoguang passed away, and Yizhu ascended to the throne as Xianfeng. Emperor Xianfeng was of a weak character, suspicious and fickle, transforming the original sibling rivalry with Prince Gong into a servant-master conflict, leading the court to often guess at the emperor's intentions and shift their loyalties, resulting in a chaotic state of affairs. Suddenly, with urgent news from the capital, Emperor Xianfeng hastily left Prince Gong to handle foreign affairs while he escaped the capital with his concubines. Under pressure from foreign powers, Prince Gong signed a series of humiliating treaties. In the midst of pain and humiliation, Emperor Xianfeng handed over court affairs to the empresses and the "guardians of the throne," ultimately passing away in despair. After Emperor Xianfeng's death, external humiliation remained, and internal strife persisted. The guardians of the throne appointed during Xianfeng's reign became arrogant, and the power balance tilted from the emperor to the ministers. The empress dowagers united with Prince Gong to outmaneuver the guardians, and through a brutal palace coup, they reclaimed control over the government. Immediately, sharp family conflicts arose among the three, leading to a facade of unity while engaging in intrigue, making it difficult to distinguish between family and national affairs, clouding the situation at court. The ongoing disputes between Empress Dowager Cixi and Prince Gong were compounded by the significant balancing role played by Empress Dowager Dong, who in the power struggles ended up making critical decisions. Deep down, Empress Dowager Cixi viewed Empress Dowager Dong as a thorn in her side. Emperor Xianfeng only had one son, Zai Chun, born to Empress Dowager Cixi. As the first mother, Empress Dowager Dong wanted to nurture Zai Chun into a capable emperor; however, Zai Chun's biological mother, Empress Dowager Cixi, was unwilling to relinquish power and aimed to control the government further, leading to constant conflict between the two. Unable to withstand the immense pressure from all sides, Empress Dowager Dong suddenly passed away. Empress Dowager Cixi finally awaited the opportunity to exert her absolute power. Deeply humiliated, Prince Gong realized that isolation could not escape the fate of being backward and oppressed. Therefore, he established a ministry to handle foreign affairs, opened ports for trade, and sought to learn and introduce advanced technologies and management practices from the West. Years later, the ailing Qing Dynasty finally experienced a brief revival known as the "Tongzhi Restoration." Empress Dowager Cixi's pragmatic and calculating nature was threatened by Prince Gong's growing reputation. Without any defenses while Prince Gong managed state affairs, she schemed against him, treating him like a pawn. If the fate of a regent prince was so precarious, other ministers had no choice but to yield to Empress Dowager Cixi's intimidation. Despite having a caring side towards her children and a strong affection for her brother, her desire for power was unquenchable. Under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, Prince Gong faced repeated dismissals and reinstatements, ultimately becoming a puppet she could manipulate. Shortly after taking power, the young emperor fell seriously ill and died prematurely, allowing Empress Dowager Cixi to appoint her sister's son as emperor, thus maintaining her grip on the government. This marked the beginning of the most humiliating and darkest chapter in Chinese history. The intent of this drama is to help contemporary Chinese people, especially young audiences, recognize and remember that period of humiliation, reflect on painful lessons, ignite patriotic sentiments, and strive for the revitalization of the Chinese nation.