Seen through small screen

The show was so popular that there was a saying that "all people love Liu Huifang, all people hate Wang Husheng". The actor who played Wang could not find a girlfriend for a long time after the show was broadcast.

In addition to shows focused on leading a better family life, other productions looked for inspiration from the outside world. The 1990s saw a wave of Chinese people going abroad.

One contemporary hit drama was named Beijingers in New York. The 1993 show follows Wang Qiming, a Beijing musician, as he attempts to live the American dream in New York with his wife. Director Zheng Xiaolong said he deliberately made Wang's life turn sour after he achieved his goal of becoming rich, because the director wanted to cool down the immigrating fever among Chinese.

1997-2000: Drama and melodrama on ancient emperors and royal life

Representative works: The Legend of Qianlong (Xishuo Qianlong), Princess Huanzhu (Huanzhu Gege), Kangxi Empire (Kangxi Diguo), Yongzheng Dynasty (Yongzheng Wangchao)

Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) probably never imagined his life would be of such interest to millions of Chinese even 200 years after his death.

Chinese people love to see stories about emperors because, for thousands of years the royal family, as the ruling class, seemed so far away from common life, adding to its mystery.

The success of Qianlong propelled a series of TV dramas about the ancient royal family. One of the most popular shows, Princess Huanzhu, was created by writer Qiong Yao from Taiwan. Also set during the Qing Dynasty, the show recounts a light-hearted and lively story about an emperor and two princesses.

One of them, called Little Swallow, soon became a beloved national idol. Lawless and lovely at the same time, the character is like a female Monkey King. The actress Zhao Wei (Vicky Zhao) rose to stardom overnight.

The melodramatic costume shows, however, worried historians. They thought the series' unfaithful adaptations of history might mislead the young people.

A number of more serious costume dramas were also made. All kinds of kings filled television screens. Among these shows, a trilogy based on the lives of three Qing Dynasty emperors - Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong - won high praise from viewers and scholars alike for its faithfulness and serious attitude toward history.

2001-05: Focus on the family

Representative works: Hand in Hand (Qianshou), The Chinese Divorce (Zhongguoshi Lihun), New Marriage Era (Xin Jiehun Shidai)

Two decades after the beginning of the reform era, huge changes had clearly taken place in China's political and economic systems. At the same time, subtle changes had happened in the family sphere.

Divorce was no longer such a big deal. Other complicated problems also emerged every day.

Hand in Hand was a popular TV series about extra-marital affairs. What followed was a series discussing why marriages break up, called The Chinese Divorce.

At this time, many TV viewers had more rational expectations and reflections on relationships, so pure romance could not satisfy them. They wanted deeper thoughts, even from a soap show.

Since 2006: An age of nostalgia

Representative works: Soldiers Sortie (Shibing Tuji), Drawing Sword (Liang Jian), remakes of the four classic novels' TV series versions

Nostalgia seems to be the main theme of TV series in this period. Stories of brave soldiers, who stand up for the virtues people honored highly in the past, are familiar themes. Remakes of classic novels have become a pet project of many directors, for both movies and the small screen.

The improvement in material life has given many people more time to reflect on their spiritual lives. The qualities that have sustained Chinese people in difficult times - such as perseverance, team spirit and loyalty to the country - remain valuable nowadays.

The new wave of army stories, therefore, is not surprising. Soldiers Sortie, a story about a retarded boy's struggle to become a qualified soldier, moved many people across the country. And Drawing Sword, which depicts a courageous general, also won extremely high ratings.

The nostalgia is reflected in another rounds of remakes of the classic novels. Versions of the four most favored dramas are all in production now.

Controversy never stops as soon as the shooting starts. That is because the former TV versions were all very successful and considered a new form of "classics" among fans, who worry that today's TV directors might not live up to their predecessors. Of course, attention around a show is always good for profit and ratings.