Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II

Synopsis

During the Yanhe era of Emperor Ruizong of Tang, beneath the splendor of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, dangers lurked everywhere. Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng journeyed westward to Dunhuang to solve a series of bizarre and mysterious cases in this period suspense drama.

Overview

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II (Chinese: 唐朝诡事录之西行) is a 2024 Chinese historical mystery web series produced by iQiyi and Changxin Media, executive produced by Guo Jingyu, with Bai Shan serving as the chief director and Wei Fenghua as the screenwriter. The series premiered exclusively on iQiyi on July 18, 2024, and consists of 40 episodes.

The series stars Yang Xuwen and Yang Zhigang in leading roles, with supporting performances by Gao Siwen, Chen Chuang, He Hongsheng, Zhang Xi, and others. As a sequel to the 2022 hit mystery series Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty, this show continues the episodic case-solving format of its predecessor. It follows Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng as they journey west to Dunhuang, unraveling a series of bizarre and mysterious cases hidden behind the splendor of the Tang Dynasty.

Plot

In 712 AD, Emperor Ruizong of Tang changed the era name to Yanhe. The Tang Dynasty remained prosperous and influential across the world, yet beneath this prosperity lurked numerous crises. The covert power struggle between the Crown Prince and the Princess intensified, while strange cases frequently occurred among the populace, and various mysterious forces began to stir.

Su Wuming (played by Yang Zhigang) and Lu Lingfeng (played by Yang Xuwen) are ordered to travel west, departing from Chang'an on a journey to Dunhuang. Amidst the solitary smoke of the vast desert and the boundless Gobi, the team of six encounters a series of bizarre cases: mysterious murals in the Dunhuang caves, missing travelers at abandoned post stations, and inexplicable deaths in ancient desert cities. Each case appears independent on the surface, yet they are intricately connected to the power struggles within the imperial court in Chang'an.

As they solve each mysterious case, Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng gradually discover that the mastermind's target is not the common people, but rather the very heart of the Tang Dynasty's supreme power.

Cast

Production & Reception

The series was executive produced by Guo Jingyu, one of the gold-standard producers for domestic mystery dramas in recent years, whose representative works also include Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty and Soul Ferry. Chief director Bai Shan expanded the setting from Chang'an to the deserts of Dunhuang while maintaining the style of the predecessor, resulting in a more grand and expansive visual aesthetic.

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II received a rating of 8.6 on Douban (with over 230,000 participants), higher than the predecessor's 7.9. The day after its premiere, its popularity on iQiyi's platform exceeded 9000, making it one of the most popular historical mystery dramas of 2024. The series employs a narrative structure that intertwines episodic cases with an overarching plotline, offering both the tight pacing of standalone mysteries and the gradual unfolding of a political intrigue subplot, which has been well-received by mystery genre fans.

Cultural Impact

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II is a rare sequel in recent years that has surpassed its predecessor in critical acclaim. The series combines ancient Chinese zhiguai (strange tale) culture with modern mystery and deduction, revealing the hidden, eerie side of the glorious Tang Dynasty. The scenic design of the Dunhuang desert incorporates multicultural elements of the Silk Road, pioneering a new visual style for historical dramas. The series' episodic case structure also provides a successful narrative paradigm for Chinese mystery dramas.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/36188849/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/唐朝诡事录之西行/62861105
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/唐朝诡事录之西行
4. iQiyi: https://www.iqiyi.com/a_209ze3nm7dp.html