5 Films & TV Shows Set In China During The 8th Century

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  Legend of the Demon Cat

  Shaanxi Province 🇯🇵 Japan The 8th Century

  Love. Death. Revenge. — During the Late Tang Dynasty, a manor is invaded by a demon cat and a sense of unrest befalls the capital of Changan. A poet is charged with investigating the case and meets up with a monk. The two work together and pull apart the thread of clues to reveal a history of truths leading to the events.

  Released in 2017 • 129 minutes
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  Lady of the Dynasty

  🇨🇳 China The 8th Century

  The tragic story of a Tang Dynasty imperial consort who was the favorite of the Emperor Xuanzong.

  Released in 2015 • 122 minutes
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  The Magnificent Concubine

  🇨🇳 China The 8th Century

  Perhaps the most notorious concubine in Chinese history, Yang Guifei set a pudgy standard of beauty in her days of glory during the Tang dynasty. The Emperor Minghuang was so besotted with the woman that when An Lushan stages his rebellion against the empire, the ruler takes Yang Guifei along with his imperial entourage in an escape to the mountainous area of modern-day Sichuan, and sanctuary of sorts. But the concubine had roused the jealousy of the court and unfortunately for her and to the great sorrow of the king, her brother and others among the king's retainers demanded she be strangled to death while they were still in the mountains. This is the story told in this interesting Taiwanese adaptation by director Li Han-hsiang (Li Hanxiang).

  Released in 1962 • 103 minutes
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  Princess Yang Kwei Fei

  🇨🇳 China The 8th Century

  In eighth century China, the Emperor is grieving over the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their influence over the court. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love with her and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets. The ministers misuse their power so much that there is a popular revolt against the Yangs, fueled by An Lushan.

  Released in 1955 • 98 minutes
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  Empress Wu Zetian

  🇨🇳 China The 8th Century The 7th Century

  Historical film based on the life of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history

  Released in 1939 • 95 minutes