The Legendary Prime Minister – Zhuge Liang

The Legendary Prime Minister – Zhuge Liang is a Hong Kong television series based on the life of Zhuge Liang (Cantonese: Chu-kot Leung), a chancellor (or prime minister) of the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period. Starring Adam Cheng as the title character, the series not only incorporates stories about Zhuge Liang from the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but also includes some elements of wuxia and a fictional romance between Zhuge Liang and Xiaoqiao (Cantonese: Siu-kiu). The series was produced by ATV and first started airing in Hong Kong on 9 December 1985.

The Legendary Prime Minister – Zhuge Liang
Poster
Traditional諸葛亮
Simplified诸葛亮
MandarinZhūgě Liàng
CantoneseZyu1-got3 Loeng6
LiterallyZhuge Liang
GenreHistorical drama, wuxia
Written byMak Sau-yee
Cheng Gam-fuk
Cho Wai-leung
Tam Wai-sing
Poon Kin-gung
Yu Hon-wing
Directed byLee Lik-chi
Tang Chi-kit
Leung Heung-lan
Leung Chi-kin
Keung Ming-hoi
Tam Bei-tak
StarringAdam Cheng
Michelle Yim
Opening themeBat Tsan To (八陣圖) performed by Adam Cheng
ComposersTang Siu-lam
Ng wai-nin
Country of originHong Kong
Original languageCantonese
No. of episodes40
Production
ProducerLau Ka-ho
Production locationHong Kong
CinematographyChan Gam-chuen
Wong Tit
Chiu Wing-sing
Ko Hei
EditorYuen Siu-si
Running time45 minutes per episode
Production companyATV
Release
Original networkATV
Original release9 December 1985 (1985-12-09)

Plot

General Liu has 2 sons Liu Qi and Liu Zhong. Both sons are fine in war strategy, except that Qi is kind while Zhong is evil. Qi saves a beautiful maid, Zhi Lan. He likes her but his brother rapes her. Later Zhong ditches her. Qi gets worried when Zhi Lan has Zhong's child and disappears. Knowing that his brother is the scheming type, he gives everything up and tries to look for her with Liang. They finally find her. Zhi Lan is touched by Qi's love for her and finally marries him. Liang envies them and wonders when he will get to be with his love one day. Liu Bei seeks his help 3 times before he agrees to help him out. On his way to the camp, he meets Xiao Qiao who is beautiful and also intelligent. Both are interested in one another but Liang is disappointed to know that she is engaged to another general, Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu is angry to know that his fiancée has a change of heart and he demands to carry their wedding forward. Xiao Qiao seeks help from Liang but he ignores her. Zhou Yu is close on their heels. Out of desperation, she jumps off the cliff. Both men are alarmed upon seeing this. Liang tries to hold her hand but tears her sleeve instead. He also injures himself when both reach the bottom of the cliff. He tries to crawl close to the unconscious Xiao Qiao but Zhou Yu kicks him aside and carries her home. Xiao Qiao is sent to Huang Ying's father for treatment. Zhou Yu never leaves her alone as Xiao Qiao may die any second. Huang Ying, however, pities Liang who stands outside the hut daily to check on Xiao Qiao's condition. She starts to fall for him. Zhou Yu marries Xiao Qiao after her recovery. She is unhappy and Zhou Yu treats her coldly although he really loves her. Liang also marries Ying but he sets his mind to put his heart in his work to manage his master's state to help his son. He gets along well with Kwan Yu and Zhang Fei. He thinks of very good war strategies to control the other states. Being a martial arts expert himself (can you believe it?), he is also a master of traps. He finds Qi but Qi declines to help as he is happy to settle in a village with his family and son. In the meantime, Zhong joins Cao Cao's army. The Wei state thus becomes the strongest among the three. Zhou Yu and Liang often see each other and they often have verbal attacks. Cao Cao is glad to see this and he plans to grab the other 2 states when he gets the chance. After all these years, the other people have aged, except for Xiao Qiao. Why? To save her life, Ying's father has to give her a valuable drug that keeps her youth all along. Ying is amazed to see how Xiao Qiao remains the same all these years while she ages so much. She can see how much Liang still loves her and feels inferior of herself. She finally dies miserably, urging Liang not to give Xiao Qiao up. Zhou Yu helps his master, Sun Quan, after the elder ruler Sun Che dies. Being younger and inexperienced, he always listens to Zhou Yu's advice. Liang also helps Liu Bei's son, Ah Dou, who is a stupid man. He ages so much as he takes charge of everything in the war after his masters' death. Zhou Yu fails in several attempts to seize Liu Bei's state. He is seriously injured in an attack. However, he is very upset that Xiao Qiao doesn't say that she likes him all these years. Even though she takes care of him, she doesn't say these words even till the day of his death. Cao Cao also becomes an unhappy man after he causes his favourite son, Cao Zhi's death. Cao Pi throws discord among them and he is remorseful over it. He starts to wonder the point of having wars and stops. Liang and Xiao Qiao are finally together. But Liang is dying too as he reveals too many predicted secrets. Xiao Qiao is upset but they decide to spend the remaining days happily together.

Cast
Note: Some of the characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation.

See also
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