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The characters of The Confidant, a 2012 Hong Kong television drama produced by TVB, are both fictional and real-life characters living during the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor, the tenth emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The drama is a dramatisation on the life of imperial eunuch Li Lianying, one of the most powerful figures of the latter years of the Qing Dynasty.
Main characters
Imperial eunuchs
- Character names are in Cantonese romanisation.
| Name | Actor/actress | Historical basis | First appearance | Last appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lei Lin-ying (李連英) | Wayne Lai | Li Lianying | Episode 1 | TBA |
| Born Lei Ying-tai (李英泰), Lin-ying was born in Hejian Fu, and is the second of three sons to Lei Yuk and Cho Kuk, a couple who owns a small leather store in the capital. In order to pay for his father's gambling deaths, Lin-ying got castrated and entered the palace to become a eunuch. He served in the King-yan Palace, which lived the lonely and young Dowager Concubine Yuen, before moving to the Cheung-chun Palace to serve Empress Dowager Chee-hei, who is attracted by Lin-ying's intelligence and loyalty. Accommodating and friendly, Lin-ying makes many lifelong friends within King-yan Palace. Lin-ying is also best friends with On Tak-hoi, Chee-hei's personal eunuch and close confidant. Together, Lin-yin and Tak-hoi are the students of the elderly and wise Lau Dor-sang, a eunuch stationed at the Forbidden City's archival room. | ||||
| On Tak-hoi (安德海) | Raymond Cho | An Dehai | Episode 1 | Episode 26 |
| At a young age, Tak-hoi was sold to the palace to become a eunuch. A student of Lau Dor-sang, Tak-hoi is also the best friend of Lei Lin-ying, a eunuch serving King-yan Palace. Tak-hoi risked his life to help Empress Dowagers Chee-hei and Chee-on resume their power in court, winning the trust of both empresses. Chee-hei appoints Tak-hoi as her personal eunuch, and he also becomes her one of her closest friends and confidants. Compassionate and ambitious, Tak-hoi is displeased with Chan Fuk abusing his powers as Forbidden City's Head Eunuch, and he strives to take over his position. Accused of having affair with Chee-hei and is beheaded. | ||||
| Yiu Sheung-hei (姚雙喜) | Raymond Wong Ho-yin | N/A | Episode 1 | TBA |
| Born to a family of medical practitioners, Sheung-hei is a simple and honest eunuch who serves the medical department of the Forbidden City. After the death of his father, his family was thrown into poverty, and Sheung-hei was forced to become a eunuch to provide for his family. Sheung-hei becomes a close friend of Lei Lin-ying after the latter saves him from a severe punishment for trying to escape the palace to see his dying mother. | ||||
| Ling Tim-sau (凌添壽) | Edwin Siu | N/A | Episode 1 | TBA |
| Also serving in the King-yan Palace, Tim-sau is the student of Lei Lin-ying. In order to pay for his family's expenses, Tim-sau accumulated many gambling debts. He cherishes his mentor-friendship relationship with Lin-ying, and he vows to serve by Lin-ying's side forever. When Lin-ying was asked to serve Empress Dowager Chee-hei, Tim-sau also followed. Tim-sau idolises On Tak-hoi, Chee-hei's confidant, and hopes to one day reach the same success as him. Tim-sau had a pure and innocent heart, but he is later seduced by fame and wealth, and is willing to overstep the bounds to reach his goals. | ||||
| Pang Sam-shun (彭三順) | Power Chan | N/A | Episode 1 | TBA |
| The nephew of Head Eunuch Chan Fuk, Sam-shun is a seventh-ranking eunuch of the management bureau who often abuses his relationship with the former to collect favors and to taunt his subordinates. When medical department's eunuch, Yiu Sheung-hei, requests for a vacation leave to visit his dying mother, Sam-shun refused his request due to monetary loss. When Sheung-hei attempts to escape, Sam-shun grabs an entire team of eunuchs to capture him. Sam-shun often competes with Lei Lin-ying and On Tak-hoi for power. | ||||
| Chan Fuk (陳福) | Elliot Ngok | N/A | Episode 2 | Episode 30 |
| Appointed by Empress Dowager Chee-on, Chan Fuk is the fourth-ranking Head Eunuch of the Forbidden City. Chan Fuk entered the palace at a very young age, and has been through three eras of reign. Chan Fuk dislikes Empress Dowager Chee-hei, believing that she is a threat to the Aisin-Gioro clan, no more less to the entire Qing empire. Chan Fuk works closely with Prince Kung, Chee-hei's brother-in-law, to weaken Chee-hei's power in court. | ||||
| Lau Dor-sang (劉多生) | Chung King-fai | Liu Duosheng | Episode 1 | TBA |
| The teacher of Lei Lin-ying and On Tak-hoi, Lau Dor-sang is an elderly and wise eunuch who serves in the Forbidden City's archival room. | ||||
Palace maids
- Character names are in Cantonese romanisation.
| Name | Actor/actress | Historical basis | First appearance | Last appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erdet Sin-yung (額爾德特·倩蓉) | Nancy Wu | N/A | Episode 1 | Episode 32 |
| Concubine Dowager Yuen's personal maid and her confidant. Sin-yung served in the King-yan Palace for much of her life. Independent and courageous, all of the servants in King-yan Palace look up to her, including Lei Lin-ying. Sin-yung strikes a romance with the handsome Pak-lun, a palace guard. After Pak-lun leaves for war, Sin-yung discovers that she is pregnant. As all palace maids are expected to retire by the time they turn twenty five years of age, Sin-yung believes that she will be able to escape punishment. However, Sin-yung suffers a miscarriage after she is brutally beaten by Sam-shun. | ||||
| Tujin Kwai-so (都錦·桂蘇) | Helen Ma | N/A | Episode 1 | Episode 31 |
| Also known as So Mor-mor (蘇嬤嬤), So is Empress Dowager Chee-on's nanny, and is currently serving in the Chung-sui Palace as Chee-on's confidant. So is loyal but unscrupulous, and treats Chee-on's enemies as her own. | ||||
Royal Aisin-Gioro clan
- Character names are in Cantonese romanisation.
| Name | Actor or actress | Historical basis | First appearance | Last appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empress Dowager Chee-hei (慈禧太后) | Michelle Yim | Empress Dowager Cixi | Episode 1 | TBA |
| Also regarded as the "West Empress Dowager" and the title "Holy Mother Empress Dowager", Chee-hei is the de facto ruler of the Qing Empire. She was selected by the Ham-fung Emperor as a concubine and gave birth to his only son, who becomes the Tung-chi Emperor upon Ham-fung's death. Chee-hei is known for opposing westernisation. | ||||
| Empress Dowager Chee-on (慈安太后) | Maggie Shiu | Empress Dowager Ci'an | Episode 1 | Episode 33 |
| Also regarded as the "East Empress Dowager" and the title "Empress Mother Empress Dowager", Chee-on is the de facto ruler of the Qing Empire, along with Empress Dowager Chee-hei. | ||||
| Tung-chi Emperor (同治帝) | Pako Au (as a child) Oscar Leung (as a teenager) |
Tongzhi Emperor | Episode 2 (as a child) Episode 18 (as a teenager) |
Episode 33 |
| A lively youth with a creative and brilliant mind, but because his mother, Empress Dowager Chee-hei, has the real hand in power, Tung-chi never had an affluent influence over court affairs. Tung-chi attempts political reform, but his efforts are shot down by his mother. Tung-chi is much closer to Empress Dowager Chee-on, and he also chooses Chee-on's niece to be his wife rather than his mother's own selection. | ||||
| Empress Ka-shun (嘉順皇后) | Natalie Tong | Empress Xiaozheyi | Episode 19 | TBA |
| Born of the Alute clan, the empress is the daughter of Empress Dowager Chee-on's older cousin. Although at least two years Tung-chi's senior, Tung-chi decides to marry Ka-shun as his empress as opposed to his own mother's selection. | ||||
| Prince Kung (恭親王) | Cheung Kwok-keung | Prince Gong | Episode 1 | TBA |
| Also known as the Sixth Imperial Prince, Prince Kung is the sixth son of the Do-kwong Emperor. Prince Kung expected himself to succeed the throne after the death of his older brother, the Ham-fung Emperor. When Empress Dowager Chee-hei pushes her son, the five-year-old Tung-chi, to the throne, Prince Kung turns to regard Chee-hei to be the despot of the weakening Qing empire. | ||||
| Princess Sau-chong Wo-shek (壽莊和碩公主) | Aimee Chan | Princess Shouzhuang of the Second Rank | Episode 3 | Episode 28 |
| The sickly night daughter of the Do-kwong Emperor, and the Tung-chi Emperor's aunt. The princess is bored of her life in the palace and develops an attraction to the eunuch, Yiu Sheung-hei. Dies in Ep:28. | ||||
| Imperial Dowager Concubine Yuen (婉太嬪) | Selena Li | Imperial Consort Wan | Episode 1 | Episode 5 |
| Concubine Yuen is a neglected concubine of the former Ham-fung Emperor. She falls in love with the handsome Peking opera singer, Yuk-jun, and he sires a son with her. Chee-hei discovers that her son was not Ham-fung's biological son, and orders her infant son to be killed. Yuen committed suicide (Ep:5) after being exiled by Chee-hei for attempt to dethrone her. | ||||
Secondary characters
- Cilla Kung as Consort Wai (慧妃), a concubine of the Tung-chi Emperor. Empress Dowager Chee-hei wants Consort Wai to be empress, but Tung-chi ultimately chooses Empress Dowager Chee-on's niece, who becomes Empress Ka-shun.
- Tsui Wing as Guwalgiya Sing-po (蘇完瓜爾佳·勝保), a general and Prince Kung's assistant.
- Lo Chun-shun as Law On-tai (羅安康), a eunuch serving in King-yan Palace.
- Fred Cheng as Lei Wing-ning (利永寧), a eunuch serving in King-yan Palace.
- Au Sui-wai as Prince Shun (醇親王), also known as the Seventh Imperial Prince, Prince Kung's younger brother.
- Eric Li as Pak-lun (伯倫), a palace guard and Sin-yung's lover.
- Peter Pang as Kwai-cheung (葉赫那拉·桂祥), Empress Dowager Chee-hei's younger brother.
- Leo Tsang as Woyan (烏齊格里·倭仁), a court official.
- Steve Lee as Powan (索綽絡·寶鋆), a court official.
- Meini Cheung as Sixth Princess Consort (六福晉), the wife of Prince Kung.
- Angel Chiang as Siu Chai (小釵), a prostitute who becomes On Tak-hoi's wife.
- Lau Kong as Lei Yuk (李玉), Lei Lin-ying's father.
- Fung So-bor as Cho Kuk (曹菊), Lei Lin-ying's mother.
- Vin Choi as Yuk-jun (玉俊), a Peking Opera singer, and Consort Yuen's lover.
- Giovanni Mok as Lei On-tai (李安泰), Lei Lin-ying's younger teenage brother.
See also
References
- The Confidant Cast at TVB.com