'Serenade of Peaceful Joy' remains China's daily video view champion

Serenade of Peaceful Joy, a Chinese TV drama about Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), was the most-viewed TV drama online during the past 12 days in China, showed figures available Wednesday.

Starring popular young actor Wang Kai, the show had over 120 million views Tuesday on Tencent Video, the platform where the TV drama has been exclusively streamed since April 7.

It has topped the daily online video view rank for China's TV dramas for 12 consecutive days, with more than 110 million daily views from April 17 through Tuesday, according to Maoyan, an online platform that provides film and TV drama data and compiles the rank.

The story followed Emperor Renzong as he struggled between maintaining his ideologies of governing the country and his love for his daughter Princess Huirou.

The four-decade reign of Emperor Renzong, from 1022 to 1063, marked the high point of Song influences and powers. Many of the most famous literary writers and poets in Chinese history lived or started their literary creation during this period.

Previously promoted with the title Held in the Lonely Castle, the TV show is adapted from a hit historical romance novel of the same name by Milan Lady.

The cast also includes actresses Jiang Shuying, who plays Empress Cao, and Ren Min as Princess Huirou.