The Journey of Flower (花千骨)

Synopsis

A 2015 Chinese xianxia drama starring Zhao Liying and Huo Jianhua, adapted from fresh Guoguo's novel. A forbidden master-disciple love story that became China's first series to exceed 20 billion online views.

Overview

The Journey of Flower (Chinese: 花千骨, Hua Qiangu) is a 2015 Chinese fantasy romance television series, adapted from the novel "Xianxia Qiyuan Zhi Hua Qiangu" by fresh Guoguo. Directed by Lin Yufen and Gao Linbo, with screenplay by Rao Jun and Jiang Chenzhu, the series was produced by Ciwen Media Group.

Filming began in Guangxi on May 6, 2014, and wrapped in September of the same year. The series premiered on Hunan TV's Diamond Solo Theater on June 9, 2015. The cast includes Huo Jianhua (as Bai Zihua), Zhao Liying (as Hua Qiangu), Mark Chao (as Sha Qianmo), Jiang Xin (as Xia Zixun), Yang Shuo (as Tan Fan), Li Chun (as Ni Mantian), and Xu Haiqiao (as Meng Xuanlang).

The Journey of Flower achieved phenomenal success after its broadcast, becoming the first Chinese drama to exceed 20 billion online views, with TV ratings breaking 2% — making it the top-rated weekly broadcast drama of the year. Zhao Liying won the Audience's Favorite Actress Award at the 28th China TV Golden Eagle Awards for her role as Hua Qiangu, and her popularity soared dramatically.

The series holds a 7.6 rating on Douban, ranking in the upper-middle tier among xianxia dramas.

Plot

Hua Qiangu (Zhao Liying) is born under an ill-fated star, marked by strange phenomena at birth and considered inauspicious by the world. After her father's death, Hua Qiangu endures numerous hardships and eventually becomes the disciple of Bai Zihua (Huo Jianhua), one of the most powerful immortals on Mount Changliu.

Bai Zihua is one of the most formidable immortals on Changliu Mountain — cold in personality and ice-like in appearance. Hua Qiangu, innocent and kind-hearted, develops feelings for her master that transcend the bounds of the master-disciple relationship. However, the rules of the immortal realm strictly forbid romance between master and disciple, making this love destined to be fraught with obstacles.

As the story unfolds, Hua Qiangu's true identity is gradually revealed — she is the last person in the world to possess the "Primordial Power" (洪荒之力), a force powerful enough to destroy heaven and earth, attracting the attention and争夺 of factions across the Six Realms. Sha Qianmo (Mark Chao, the most beautiful man in the Six Realms), who deeply loves Hua Qiangu, is willing to defy the entire immortal realm for her, while Bai Zihua agonizes between his duty and his feelings.

Ultimately, Hua Qiangu is sentenced to death by Bai Zihua and her soul is scattered. To save her, Bai Zihua sacrifices his own life force to restore hers, and makes a thousand-year promise with the revived Hua Qiangu.

Cast

Broadcast and Impact

• Premiered on Hunan TV on June 9, 2015
• Online views exceeded 20 billion — the first Chinese drama to achieve this milestone
• TV ratings broke 2%, becoming the top-rated weekly drama of the year
• Zhao Liying won the Golden Eagle Award for Audience's Favorite Actress
• Mark Chao's popularity surged for his role as Sha Qianmo
• The series had broad international influence, translated and broadcast in multiple languages

Cultural Impact

The success of The Journey of Fuel sparked a boom in Chinese xianxia dramas and became a benchmark for the genre. Its master-disciple tragic love premise, stunning costume designs and special effects, and the outstanding performances of its cast earned widespread audience acclaim.

In 2015, a spin-off web series "The Journey of Flower 2015" was released, starring Mark Chao and telling the story of Hua Qiangu traveling to the modern world. In 2025, The Journey of Flower was re-broadcast on Hunan TV, reigniting discussion and proving the enduring appeal of this decade-old series.

References

1. Douban: https://movie.douban.com/subject/25812420/
2. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/花千骨_(电视剧)
3. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/花千骨