The Story of Hua Zhi (2024)

Inspirational and Thrilling Series!

@20 episodes in...I am amazed by this series. Every cast member is giving the performance of their lives. We have loved every section of this story and there are many! The cast is enormous...so large you may lose track of faces...so pay close attention.

It is a multi-faceted tale...but primarily it is about the Hua family.
They have been a powerful and prestigious family for many generations. Both grandparents are renown and revered for their character and kindness. Both have led exemplary and very public lives. The family is huge and not only well-known but also well-loved.

That is ...until they lose everything!!
The men are exiled and the women and small children must survive alone. Shunned by the ppl who once sought their favor, this family must learn to endure by themselves with very little help.
It will not be easy to do ...but they will learn.

What I Loved:

The Female Lead: Zhang Jing Yi

Zhang Jing Yi is becoming a major star. Here she plays the role of Hua Zhin who was the grandfathers most beloved granddaughter. She has her grandfathers keen brain so she naturally become his shadow and learned to soak up everything she could. But her independent and dauntless spirit came from her grandmother, who was equally bold and decisive while growing up. Recognizing her granddaughter's abilities ....the grandmother pushes her to take over her role. This group of women would not have adjusted nearly so well if they had not had her. Her character is strong and adventurous and you will love her.

The Male Lead: Hu Yi Tian

Hu Yi Tian is also excellent here. He plays a complex role as Gu Yan Xi who is nephew to the emperor and his incognito role as the head of the security dept. He is watched/brooded over by his uncle, whether because he fears he may become a threat or simply because he likes to control ppl..it is too opaque to see yet......but GYT straddles the line between obedience to his uncle and maintaining his own independence. Not easy to do.. so we will see how that goes. But I am loving his character and the sincerity with which he cares for her is lovely.

Inspirational Watch:

These women will try many things, some will succeed, others not so much....but they will learn from both. Seeing these different women (some more spoiled than others) adapt to these life changes and elect to work and pull together is absolutely stunning. Many scenes are so sweet..that you catch your breath and it brings tears to your eyes. It has been a sincere joy watching this unusual series.

Quick Resolutions to Problems:

I owe this one to a friend rajv...she noticed before I did how lovely that it was that when a problem came up, there was often a discussion and a quick resolution, even between the two leads.
Rarely are misunderstandings allowed to linger...instead it is quickly dealt with. This is a much better plot device than letting it simmer for 5 or 10 episodes causing a great angst in the viewer. So a very refreshing change and we loved that. So thanks rajv!

Trope Less Love Relationship:

Both leads are great together..it has been thrilling to watch them fall in love . All the feels are there...and you will love this romantic part of the story. It is central to the main story, not pushed to one side and it is a very satisfying love affair.

Finally this is a long one @40...but one I think you will find riveting enough to hang with it. I confess I am watching it in a watch party atmosphere..but we like it so well that block off times where we can watch 3 or 4 at a time..is that nuts or what? Lol, but even then we can barely stop. So we are in LOVE with this drama..and I think you will be too.


Happy Watching!

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Love's Sneaky Hide-and-Seek

Blossoms in Adversity has all the right ingredients for an epic watch:

1- Protective yet swoon-worthy male lead
2- A competent and occasionally vulnerable female lead on a quest to reclaim her lost footing and restore her family's tarnished reputation
3- The tantalizing angst of forbidden love due to their disparate social statuses.

But here's the twist – it falls a smidge short. Maybe it's because I just finished watching a mind-blowing drama, or perhaps I should have watched this one first. Something is missing, and I'm not sure what it's but maybe it's the romance. Don't get me wrong, the leads exchange grateful glances as he swoops in to save her (again), but where's the sizzle, the heart-fluttering moments that make you weak in the knees? It's like watching a slow dance with no music. However, amidst the lack of romance, I find myself strangely captivated by the triumphs and tribulations of the Hua family, I couldn't help but feel a surge of empowerment. It's a resounding "Go, girl!" moment that resonates deeply. Their journey becomes a rallying cry for female power, reminding us of the incredible heights that can be reached when women come together and embrace their inner strength.

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10/10

I would have given this series 20 starts if I could. My all time favourite Chinese drama is Lighter and Princess, and I was excited to see Zhang Jingyi star opposite Hu Yitian. I have liked a couple of dramas with Hu Yitian as the lead, so this drama seemed promising right from the actors they had cast. The story was interesting from the very first episode, and I found it very hard to keep waiting for new episodes to air, the wait was very frustrating. That said, now that I have finished watching all 40 episodes, I feel this series will stay number 1 for me in the period drama genre for a very long time. The cinematography, the acting, the direction with attention to details, the great onscreen chemistry of the leads, the character sketches….there are so many things that made this series a worthy number one! The story revolves around Hua Zhi and her effort to keep her family alive and together after the male members of her family are exiled by a sceptical king. The way she handles matters was not only awe inspiring, but also heroic. She always kept the interest of her family first and through genuine sincerity and her down to earth demeanour won people and situations over. All through her hardships and difficult times, the one person that remains by her side, was our male lead Gu Yanxi, initially because he was impressed by her grit and resolve, but ultimately because of their love for each other. There is so much positivity in this series, and so many lessons to learn, I can keep going on about the love and trust the main leads share, and the way they handle the situations they are thrown into, never once doubting each other and always being there for one another. The pairing of Shaoyao and Shen Huan was a very sweet one and they did full justice to their screen time, leaving me wanting to see more of them. Each and every actor performed beautifully, I can keep going on and on about how every character was beautifully sketched and performed. My all time favourite modern drama will always be Lighter and Princess, but it would be hard for another show to beat Blossoms in adversity in period drama genre for me. Zhang Jingyi is a phenomenal actress who is equally great in comic, emotional, romantic and angry scenes, and her hard work shows in her dramas. Hu Yitian is another amazing actor who is an expert in stoic, angry as well as romantic expressions. A big thank you to the entire team of BIA for bringing this superb show to us!! Well done!!

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Started so good and then...

In the beginning I loved the drama for many reasons, it was so good 'female' story about a girl that was brought up to think and act instead of being a passive flower. Her female relatives and their so-normal family relations were so fresh in the field of c custom drama. Acting is good, directing too, overal nice watching experience.
Romance was so-so until the moment when the MC finds out that ML spied on her and betrayed her, and her family. What does a smart, educated, capable and independant girl do? She says 'it's ok, his sister claims he is a good man so I guess I should not even look at him fiercely'.
This reaction is so against common sense, family loyalty and last but not least, MC's (supposed) budding love for ML. Niao Niao from LLTG was perhaps too strict, but at least she respected her boundaries.

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Growth

Pros:
-we see the cast grow up
-the main leads were very mature, especially fl
(like when the fl discovered the ml's secret. He pinned her against a wall to say that he is dangerous. Our fl went straight to her knife against his knife. I loved how she is so strong)
-the sister of the ml was really cute
-I found all the many, many side couples and ships cute

Cons:
-the romance didn't have much chemistry, but the show isn't focusing on that
-got a tad slow at times, but I didn't really skip very much

(I'll come back later to write my final review)

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Historical family drama sprinkled with royal court politics

The story had promise and would have been a genuinely great drama had it not morph into a hagiography of the female lead.

With her incredibly astute managerial and investment skills, she might be traipsing or feel a bit hesitant but never fear whatever she decides is proven correct in the end. Don't even bother going up against her because whatever she puts her mind into, the drama universe will make it reality.

From her all encompassing compassion for the lowest dregs of society to her pugnacious and confident attitude in front of the emperor. The FL can do it all with her signature wit and million dollar smile.

Set against the backdrop of a ruined noble family the story proceeds into an almost merry go round of the FL starting and successfully growing one business to another while managing the household, repairing or ending family relationships and getting some romantic moments with the ML who could be mistaken for a supporting character here.

Speaking of ghosting supporting characters who hardly shows up. The 2nd ML is hardly seen here , he shows up for the occasional shouting matching with his father but seeing this already halfway even the family butler has had more scenes than him. The 2nd FL is hardly better, she spends her time playing patty cake with 2nd ML younger brother while being completely oblivious to the world around her including the deaths of her father and stepmother. Seriously not even a little acknowledgedment of these major life events.

It's all so silly and superficial taken as a whole. A very unrealistic and flawed story where every successful endeavor or idea solely emanates from the picture perfect FL.

It was an enjoyable drama but hardly the type that induces deep thoughts or illucidates the mind.

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Blossoms in Adversity

Blossom in Adversity is a woman-positive Chinese drama that is very well written and acted. There are so many females who are positive role models in Blossoms in Adversity. The main protagonist is portrayed as a young intelligent female who can figure out how to survive and thrive in spite of adversity.

A strong teen pulls a politically ostracized former noble household of 35+ women and children out of poverty, by using good business sense and radical thinking. To get the indentured servants among her entourage to work happily in the household, she sets them all free and makes them a social equal and equal business partners in her thriving newly formed business. Having no money and just a roof over her head, she uses what some people would throw away and makes good business profit.

There is a great ending to Blossoms in Adversity as the ruler of the Kingdom, trained through adversity and deprivation, ascend to the throne. Thrilling.

Blossoms in Adversity has such young Chinese star power leading the cast. The Female and Male Leads are actress Zhang Jing Yi (Lighter and Princess) as Hua Zhi and actor Hu Yi Tian (Hello Sharpshooter). Adapted from the web novel "Xi Hua Zhi". Enjoy.

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Blossoms in Adversity is not a love story but is a magnificent story about love, endurance, and above all, human resilience and growth within continuous adversity. The drama has a strong, intelligent, and quick-witted main couple that exudes a soulful and loving chemistry, even when they are not together. In this drama, even when the leading couple is the axle that holds the other characters together, each supporting character is vital to the flow of the story and, since the drama is female centric, one must say that the female cast did a great job bringing their characters to life. With that been said, all male characters, especially the patriarch of the Hua family, Hua Yi Zheng, played by seasoned actor Eddy Ko, had an important role in the drama that, whether there was a positive or negative influence, led this fantastic group of woman to blossom in adversity. The leading male, Gu Yan Xi, brilliantly played by Hu Yi Tian, is a constant source of trouble and support to the remarkable leading lady Hua Zhi, masterfully played by Zhang Jing Yi. There are extensive reviews about this drama and yes, there are some scenes that might have seemed unnecessary but they pass quickly with the fast pace of the drama. What makes this drama a 9.5 instead of a perfect 10 is the unnecessary breakup for the leading couple that could have used their wits to fool the Emperor and save their friends anyway and the nice but bland ending for the leading couple. That would have been the icing on the cake. Two characters that are worthy of been mentioned are the precious, peculiar, and lovable Shao Yao exceptionally played by Lu Yu Xiao and the tyrannical and selfish emperor that one loves to hate excellently played by Hai Yi Tian. All in all, this drama is a must watch and an excellent example of how “divided we fall united we stand”. Enjoy it!

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très belle série

Quand votre monde bien rodé et parfait s'écroule, allez-vous vous en sortir ?
Le début de la série est un peu un scénario catastrophe, avec des femmes qui ont été oisives toute leur vie qui se retrouvent sans rien ! Mais L'actrice principale est très intelligente et débrouillarde ! Saura-t-elle se sortir des pièges et des gens qui vont la bloquer ?
A cette situation qui va évoluer sans cesse, s'ajoute de belles histoires d'amour, notamment entre les deux acteurs principaux.
C'est un amour pur, sans mauvaise compréhension, il y a bien sur des obstacles mais externes, entre les deux le courant passe toujours.
La production est bien, les costumes et bijoux sont à la hauteur. Le rythme est aussi bien, on ne s'ennuie pas.

Spoiler :

C'est un happy ending !

When your well-rehearsed, perfect world collapses, will you make it through? The beginning of the series is a bit of a disaster scenario, with women who have been idle all their lives finding themselves with nothing! But the lead actress is very smart and resourceful! Will she be able to get out of the traps and the people who are going to block her? To this situation, which is going to evolve constantly, are added beautiful love stories, notably between the two main actors. It's a pure love, without misunderstanding, there are of course obstacles but externally, between the two the current always passes. The production is good, the costumes and jewels are up to scratch. The pace is very good, and you never get bored.
Spoiler:

It's a happy ending!

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The Hua Family really Blossoms in Adversity!

The drama really is all about the getting up and moving forward when faced with adversity. The Fl really displayed unorthodox behavior in the way she steered the family while facing so many hurdles. I smiled for a long time in each episodes and couldn't stop watching as it kept getting better. Sure there is a villain(s) as a story must but in this drama it's not your typical villain who wants to destroy/murder FL/ML, they are just there to build the story it didn't provoke me at all. The reason I watched was for the business theme, she truly is a great businesswoman, from rags to riches and repeat to ultimate riches. I hate writing reviews, if you look at my watched list out of the 300+ dramas I have written only few. I write this because I was moved by it, Lastly I will say this I was disappointed with death of one of the Hua sisters but I can understand the circumstance that caused it. Overall it great, even the BGM and OST are superb!

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