If you're into costume dramas and feeling a little starved lately, you're not alone. 2025 has been rough for the genre—modern dramas have been dominating while fantasy period pieces are struggling to stay afloat. A string of duds like White Moon Brahma Star and A Tree in the Immortal City left fans begging for something with real heart.
But hope is finally on the horizon. Liu Shishi (刘诗诗), one of the queens of historical drama, is back—bringing with her the full emotional chaos of a fantasy tragedy. Her new drama Huai Shui Bamboo Pavilion (淮水竹亭), dropping on iQIYI on April 13, is already generating serious buzz. Based on Fox Spirit Matchmaker (狐妖小红娘), this show promises everything: intense love, heartbreak, and a lot of crying.
Let's break down why this show might just be the new gold standard for tragic period romance.
Not Your Average Forbidden Love Story
If Startling by Each Step (步步惊心) taught us anything, it's that Liu Shishi knows how to deliver pain. But Huai Shui Bamboo Pavilion isn't just another tearjerker—it's a masterclass in tragic storytelling, with a fantasy twist.
Liu Shishi plays Dongfang Huaizhu (东方淮竹), the noble and aloof daughter of the Spirit Tribe and the head of the Divine Fire Manor. She's all swordplay and steely glances in her signature white robes. Zhang Yunlong plays Wangquan Hongye (王权弘业), leader of the human alliance, decked out in black and gold with a deadly edge.
They start off as enemies—misunderstandings, threats, and a whole "you ruined my honor, I'll ruin your clan" vibe. But somewhere along the way, things shift. They fall for each other, painfully and beautifully, culminating in a tragic love pact set at the Huai River pavilion on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month.
It's a slow burn with shattered glass at every step. One of the most gut-wrenching lines? When Huaizhu becomes a concubine to save her sister, and Hongye coldly says, "Taking you in was the only way to save you." Cue the heartbreak.
And just when you think it can't get worse—Huaizhu dies after childbirth. No miracle resurrection, no twist ending. Just fate being cruel. Netizens are calling it the new Goodbye My Princess (东宫): "That one sent us into the River of Forgetfulness—this one just stabs us right in the chest."
Visually Stunning, Every Frame a Wallpaper
Let's talk visuals—because this show is gorgeous.
From blood-stained robes in a misty bamboo pavilion to mythic sword battles slicing through demonic fog, the cinematography feels like a live-action Chinese ink painting. Liu Shishi returns to xianxia (仙侠, fantasy martial arts) for the first time in seven years, and she hasn't missed a beat. Her signature move "Divine Fire Purifies the World" looks straight out of a wuxia dream.
Zhang Yunlong's masked swordsman look? Instantly iconic. Fans are already calling him the "ancient version of Wen Kexing" from Word of Honor.
The supporting cast isn't slacking either. Meng Ziyi plays the sharp-tongued senior Aoki Yuan in striking red, stealing scenes with a single glance. Hou Minghao's silver-haired demon lord screams "gorgeous chaos." Ding Yuxi as the assassin Zhang Zheng gets one side profile close-up and the internet melts.
New Royalty of On-Screen Chemistry?
What really pushes this drama over the edge is the chemistry. Liu Shishi, the ultimate "timeless beauty," paired with Zhang Yunlong, who's all modern edge in a traditional fit? Fireworks.
Their scenes range from sword fights in the bamboo forest to silent tension under the moonlight. The wedding sequence—her in bridal red, him gently brushing her cheek as she holds back tears—feels like heartbreak in slow motion.
And if you've seen the behind-the-scenes clips, it only adds fuel to the shipper fire. One kiss scene reportedly had 20 retakes. Zhang Yunlong turned beet red and begged Liu Shishi to stop laughing. Her comeback? "Your kiss game was better in Shadow of the Mountain and River." Honestly, we'd watch this show just for their off-screen banter.
Final Thoughts
Some say the best love stories are the doomed ones. Huai Shui Bamboo Pavilion doesn't just go for the tragic ending—it leans all the way in. Instead of forcing a happy ending, it gives us characters who burn brightly and break beautifully.
When Dongfang Huaizhu dies and Wangquan Hongye keeps returning to that bamboo pavilion every year on Qixi (七夕, Chinese Valentine's Day), it's not just drama. It's a haunting reminder of a love that refused to bend, even in death.
So yeah—maybe this isn't a show for the faint-hearted. But if you're ready for something raw, emotional, and just a little bit devastating, grab your tissues on April 13. It's going to hurt—and that's kind of the point.
