2007 - The Young Warriors - KayLing88 Entertainment Review

Publication Information

Title : The Young Warriors
Genre : Costume drama, wuxia, romance, war drama
Written by : Wang Li, Zhang Mian
Directed by : Lee Kwok-lap
Presented by : Wang Zhongjun
Starring : Hu Ge, Lin Jiayu, Tong Yao, Cecilia Liu, Peter Ho, Chen Long, Wei Xiaojun, Justin Yuan, Eddie Peng, Liu Xiaojie, Weng Jiaming, Amy Chan, Li Jie, Zong Fengyan, Zhao Zi Cun
Opening theme : Juebie Shi performed by Anson Hu
Ending theme : Ershi Nian performed by Zhang Mengmeng
Composer(s) : Mak Jan-hung
Country of origin : China
Language(s) : Mandarin
No. of episodes : 43
Producer(s) : Karen Tsai, Wang Zhonglei
Location(s) : China
Running time : 45 minutes per episode
Production company(s) : Chinese Entertainment Shanghai, Huayi Brothers Media Corporation
Original channel : China Television
Original airing : March 10, 2007
Download link : Download Episod

The Young Warriors is a Chinese television series based on a series of novels and plays that detail the exploits of the Generals of the Yang Clan during the early Song Dynasty. The series was joint-produced by Chinese Entertainment Shanghai and Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, with collaboration from a stellar cast of talents from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States and Canada.

In the 980s, former Later Han general Yang Ye pledges allegiance to Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty. Yang leads his family and followers to defend Song from invaders of the Khitan Liao Dynasty. Having served Song for years, the Yangs are viewed as an honorable, courageous, and patriotic clan that protects the nation from foreign invasion.

Unfortunately, at the Battle of Golden Beach, the Yangs fall into a conspiracy trap, which concludes with the death of Yang Ye and four of his sons, and another son becoming a prisoner-of-war. Yang's last two surviving sons, Yang Yanzhao and Yang Yande, must continue their family's legacy to bring peace and prosperity to Song, in addition to seeking vengeance on the conspirators.

Cast

Hu Ge as Yang Yanzhao, Yang Ye's sixth son.
Wu Lei as young Yang Yanzhao
Lin Chia-yu as Chai Meirong, daughter of Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty. She is Yang Yanzhao's love interest.
Peter Ho as Yang Yanhui, Yang Ye's fourth son. He roams the jianghu together with his teacher as a chivalrous warrior under the alias "Chou Muyi".
Li Hangye as young Yang Yanhui
Cecilia Liu as Lady Luo, the Yang clan's physician and Yang Yanhui's love interest.
Chen Long as Yang Yande, Yang Ye's fifth son and second-in-command of the Yang clan army.
Wei Xiaojun as Guan Hong, a blacksmith and Yang Yande's love interest.
Eddie Peng as Yang Yansi, Yang Ye's seventh son.
Liu Xiaojie as Xiaolin, Yang Yansi's first love interest and a Liao spy. She is implied to be a long-lost sister of Du Jin'e due to the similarity in their appearances. Liu Xiaojie simultaneously played Du Jin'e, the daughter of a Tiger Camp bandit leader. She becomes Yang Yansi's second love interest.
Weng Jiaming as Yang Ye, the patriarch of the Yang clan and commander of the Yang clan army. He is also known as "Peerless Yang".
Amy Chan as She Saihua, Yang Ye's wife and mother of the Yang children. She was previously the second-in-command of the Yang clan army.
Zhao Zi Cun as Yang Yanqi, Yang Ye's eighth child and only daughter.
Li Yuan as Yang Yanping, Yang Ye's eldest son.
Chen Jie as Zhang Jinding, Yang Yanping's wife.
Song Yang as Yang Yanding, Yang Ye's second son.
Chen Lili as Yun Cuiying, Yang Yanding's wife.
Wang Xiaoming as Yang Yan'an, Yang Ye's third son.
Li Yinning as Luo Sumei, Yang Yan'an's wife.
Tong Yao as Pan Ying, Pan Renmei's daughter and Chai Meirong's love rival.
Deng Limin as Pan Renmei, the Song chancellor and a political rival of Yang Ye and the Eighth Virtuous Prince.
He Jianze as Pan Bao, Pan Renmei's son and Yang Yanhui's love rival.
Li Jie as Emperor Taizong, the ruler of the Song Dynasty.
Zong Fengyan as the Eighth Virtuous Prince, Emperor Taizong's nephew and an ally of the Yang clan.
Wen Haibei as Emperor Taizu, the late founder of the Song Dynasty.
Zhou Haodong as Cui Yinglong, a chivalrous martial artist and shaman. He was She Saihua's senior and former love interest. He serves as a mentor to the Yang children, especially to Yang Yanhui and Yang Yansi.
Zhang Bojun as Kou Zhun, the Song minister of justice and a political ally of the Yang clan.
Justin Yuan as Yelü Xie, the Liao army's commander and Yang Yande's love rival.
Ba Yin as Tianling, a Liao military advisor and shaman. He is Cui Yinglong's former fellow and enemy.
Guo Qiming as Xiahou Zhan, Tianling's apprentice. He inherits his master's knowledge of toxicology and biological warfare.
Wang Lei as Madam Hua, a Liao spy who runs a brothel.
Wu Jiani as Yelü Qiong'e (Princess Yinjing), Lady Luo's love rival.
Zhang Ruijia as Empress Dowager Xiao, the Liao empress dowager.
Yang Guang as Mr Zhuge, an advisor of the Tiger Camp.

The series' war segments were later reused in The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2008) for the flashback scene depicting Yang Zaixing's death. The filmmakers obscured the actors' features to differentiate the two television series, but the images' compositions are the same.

The series' costume design is one of its main focal points. During its premiere, the production team hosted runaway events for cast members to showcase their costumes. The Yang generals and Yelü Xie's costumes were designed based on battle armour from the Tang, Song and Liao dynasties. However, the Yangs' armours attracted the most attention, as audiences felt that they resembled samurai armour more than Chinese armour, because of their bright red and black colouring, and long narrow plates. The Song military uniform designs were featured again in The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2008) and A Weaver on the Horizon (2010).

Track list