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Joy of Life (Chinese: 庆余年; pinyin: Qìng Yúnián), also known as Thankful for the Remaining Years, is a 2019 Chinese television series that is based on the novel Qing Yunian (庆余年) by Mao Ni. It stars Zhang Ruoyun, Li Qin and Chen Daoming.
The series premiered on Tencent Video and iQiyi on November 26, 2019. It garnered high viewership and mostly positive reviews, and won two awards at the Shanghai Television Festival, including Best Adapted Screenplay. Series 1 and 2 are currently available via Rakuten Viki. Series 3 has not yet been filmed.
Plot
Fan Xian is born in the ancient empire of Southern Qing with memories of the 21st century. He is raised by his grandmother in the rural town, Danzhou as the illegitimate son of the Minister of Finance. His mother, Ye Qingmei was once a celebrated inventor who founded the Overwatch Council, the country's spy network and the Royal Treasury but was killed shortly after her son was born. Fan Xian has been protected since birth by a blind martial arts expert, Wu Zhu, his mother's bodyguard. He learns martial arts and the art of poison as a child, also assisted by his knowledge from the 21st century. After an assassination attempt, he decides to venture into the capital to find out more about his mysterious mother and why anyone would want to kill him, as he perceives himself to be an unimportant person. He also wants to know why he has memories of an obviously different era. In the capital, he accidentally meets Lin Wan'er, the sickly illegitimate daughter of the Princess Royal and falls in love with her. Unbeknownst to him, she is the woman the Emperor chose for him to marry so that he could take over the Royal Treasury, an institute Fan Xian's mother established in the palace and currently handled by the Princess Royal. In the capital, however, he gets entangled in the relationship between the Emperor and the two Princes, as well as the Overwatch Council, leading to him question his whole identity and motivating him to find his true life goals, abandoning his original intention to just "enjoy life".
In the 46th (and final episode of season 1) Fan Xian, choosing loyalty to friends and family over loyalty to state, is apparently killed.
Fan Jian's adopted son; the son of the emperor and Ye Qingmei. He is quite skilled in martial arts and has memories from the 21st Century which allow him to use that knowledge to his advantage. Lin Wan'er's love interest and fiancé.
Commandery Princess. The illegitimate daughter of Lin Ruofu and the Elder Princess. Fan Xian's love interest and fiancée. She suffers from tuberculosis, and later Fan Xian treats her disease.
Fan Xian's birth mother, and former lover of the emperor. Her inventions made the royal family wealthy, which created the Royal Treasury and also founded the Overwatch Council.
Eldest Princess (equivalent to the west's Princess Royal) and Lin Wan'er's mother. Younger sister of the Emperor although they are not blood related. She controls the Royal Treasury which will be passed on to whoever marries Lin Wan'er.
The second prince of Qing. Born by Noble Consort Shu. He appears laidback but underneath he is calculating and hides his true nature.
Zhang Haowei
Li Chengqian
Crown Prince of Qing and the third eldest prince of Qing by birth order.
Liu Runnan
Li Hongcheng
Son of the Prince of Jing, who is the full younger brother of the Qing Emperor. Close friend and cousin of the second prince.
Imperial court
Actor
Character
Introduction
Yu Yang
Lin Ruofu
Prime Minister of Qing. Father of Lin Wan'er', Lin Dabao, and Lin Gong.
Gao Shuguang
Fan Jian
Count of Sinan and formerly Assistant Minister of Revenue, now Minister of Revenue. Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe's biological father. Fan Xian's adoptive father.
Chang Cheng
Guo Youzhi
Minister of Rites. Father of Guo Baokun.
Li Jianyi
Mei Zhili
Local Prefect of the Capital City. He acts as the judge in civil court. Assassinated en route to return to hometown for retirement.
Li Zifeng
Yan Xiaoyi
Commander of the Palace Guards. The only 9th level archery martial artist in existence according to Wuzhu. He was saved and promoted from a hunter by Eldest Princess Yunrui, and he is loyal to her.
Ruthless and astute head of the government's Overwatch Council, an investigative agency that monitors other government branches. He is considered to be the second most powerful person in Southern Qing.
Hai Yitian
Zhu Ge
Head of the first bureau of the Overwatch Council, the branch in charge of the capital city.
Head of the third bureau of the Overwatch Council, the branch specializing in poison and gadgets. Fan Xian’s first teacher. Master of poisons and medicine.
Dong Jingchuan
Senior Leng
Acting head of the third bureau of the Overwatch Council.
Head of the fourth bureau of the Overwatch Council, the branch in charge of everything outside the capital city, including foreign espionage.
Hei Qi
Head of the fifth bureau of the Overwatch Council, the armed division known as the Black Knights.
Wang Yifu
Ying Zi (Shadow)
Head of the sixth bureau of the Overwatch Council, the assassination branch. Known as Lord Shadow. He appears mysterious and no one has ever seen his face under his mask and hood. He is highly skilled in martial arts and according to Chen Pingping, he can wipe out an army by himself.
Jiang Yang
Xuan Jiu
Head of the eighth bureau of the Overwatch Council, the branch in charge of publication of books.
Tian Yu
Wang Qinian
A notary of the first bureau. Loves money and is afraid of his wife.
Fan Jian's mother. Fan Xian's (adoptive) grandmother. Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe's biological grandmother. She lives in Danzhou and looked after Fan Xian when he was born.
A blind martial arts grandmaster and loyal servant of Ye Qingmei. He serves Fan Xian under orders from his mother. Only a few people know of his existence.
Kang Jie
Lin Gong
Lin Ruofu's second son and Lin Wan'er's older brother, he dislikes Fan Xian.
Lin Dabao
Lin Ruofu's eldest son. He suffered an illness a young age which impacted his mental development. He and Fan Xian get along well.
Jia Jinghui
Guo Baokun
Guo Youzhi's son. Friend of the Crown Prince.
Xiao Haoran
He Zongwei
An orator/lawyer who often argues cases in favour of the aristocrats, much to the disgust of the commoners.
Han Jiunuo
Ye Ling'er
Lin Wan'er's friend and daughter of the head of the Garrison
Li Shen
Gao Da
A guard escort accompanying Fan Xian to Northern Qi.
Si Gujian
One of four martial arts grandmasters. Resides in Dongyi. His disciples are never without a sword.
A spy from Northern Qi who infiltrates Southern Qing. Noble Consort of Northern Qi. Granddaughter of a Qing prince (presumably an uncle of the Qing Emperor). She later develops feelings for Fan Xian.
Yu Xiaowei
Shen Zhong
Commander of the Jinyiwei Guards. He is highly skilled in martial arts and appears cunning and sadistic.
Zhuang Mohan's younger brother. Former Northern Qi spymaster. Is captured and imprisoned by the Overwatch Council more than a decade before the start of the story.
Sun Yimu
Lang Tao
Eldest Disciple of Northern Qi's grandmaster Ku He. One of the most powerful martial artists in the world.
He Ziming
Shang Shan Hu
Northern Qi general. God-son of Xiao En. It is not known whether his surname is Shang or Shangshan.
Guo Jia Nuo
He Daoren
Northern Qi swordmaster, disciple of Si GuJian and 9th level martial artist.
Ku He
Uncle of the Emperor of Northern Qi. One of four martial arts grandmasters. Wants Xiao En dead.
Production
Principal photography commenced in January 2018 and the entire filming wrapped up in August 2018. A second season was announced in 2020, while Tencent Pictures, Xinli Media and China Reading Film and Television later announced the project would go live in the fourth quarter of 2021. In October 2021, Disney announced that they would be involved in producing the second season of Joy of Life with New Classics Media, and referred to it as a "prequel" although the second season actually follows directly on from the first.
The second season premiered in 2024. Most of the original cast returned, but some key roles such as Yan Bingyun and Ye Ling'er were re-cast. In total, three seasons are planned.
Reception
The drama received positive reviews for its skillful adaptation of the original novel, comedic elements and logical story flow. It also received praise for its cinematography, acting performance, special effects and action scenes; as well as its tight plot and interesting storyline. It achieved more than 13 billion combined views on Tencent Video and iQiyi, and received 8 out of 10 stars on Douban. International streaming site Viki gave it a 9.6 rating out of 10 with over 5000 reviews in 2021.
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