Romance of the White Haired Maiden (TV series)

Romance of the White Haired Maiden is a 1999 Taiwanese television series adapted from the wuxia novel Baifa Monü Zhuan by Liang Yusheng. Alternative Chinese titles for the series include Yidai Xianü (一代俠女) and Baifa Xianü (白髮俠女).

Romance of the White Haired Maiden
DVD cover art
Traditional Chinese	白髮魔女
Simplified Chinese	白发魔女
Hanyu Pinyin	Báifà Mónǚ
Genre	Wuxia
Based on	Baifa Monü Zhuan by Liang Yusheng
Screenplay by	Chang Hsin-yi Chen Hsiao-ping
Directed by	Li Chao-yung Chang Hsiao-cheng Lung Kuan-wu
Starring	Jiang Qinqin Julian Cheung
Country of origin	Taiwan
Original language	Mandarin
No. of episodes	44
Production
Producers	Chi Chen-hsi Li Pei-sen Chu Feng-chun Wang Chin-kui Hu Ming
Production location	Taiwan
Running time	45 minutes per episode
Original release
Network	TTV
Release	1999 (1999)

Plot

The story begins in the 43rd year of the reign of the Wanli Emperor during the Ming dynasty. Zhuo Yihang of the Wudang Sect falls in love with the legendary heroine Lian Nichang, disregarding his lover's past feud with his sect.

The treacherous eunuch Wei Zhongxian secretly murders the Taichang Emperor and replaces him with the young Tianqi Emperor, who is effectively a puppet ruler under Wei's control. Wei schemes with the Manchu leader Nurhachi to seize control of Ming China.

Lian Nichang's senior, Murong Chong, is actually a spy working for the Manchus. In order to achieve his ambition of dominating the wulin (martial artists' community), he uses a trick to turn Lian and Zhuo Yihang against each other. Lian falsely believes that Zhuo has betrayed her love and her hair turns white overnight. She leaves Zhuo in anger and travels to the remote regions of northern China. Zhuo is unwilling to give up on Lian and he finally resolves his misunderstanding with her after experiencing hardships.

Zhuo and Lian rally a group of martial artists to help them deal with the Manchu invaders. The heroes defeat the Manchu army at Shanhai Pass and temporarily halt the invasion. By then, the Tianqi Emperor had died and is succeeded by the Chongzhen Emperor. Chongzhen believes slanderous rumours and puts the patriotic general Yuan Chonghuan to death. Without Yuan to defend Shanhai Pass, Zhuo and Lian foresee that Ming China will eventually fall to the Manchus. They decide to permanently retire from the jianghu and lead reclusive lives.

Cast

• Jiang Qinqin as Lian Nichang
• Julian Cheung as Zhuo Yihang
• Lin Fangbing as Red Flower Devil Mother
• Chen Chun-sheng as Murong Chong
• Zhang Heng as Meng Qiuxia
• Ku Pao-ming as Xiao Xiao
• Chang Chin as Miao Huichun
• Chang Luo-chun as Wang Zhaoxi
• Li Hui-ying as Tie Shanhu
• Feng Kuang-jung as Tudou
• Geng Yong as Duniangzi
• Chou Shao-tung as Wei Zhongxian
• Wang Bozhao as Zhu Changluo
• Yu Chia-hui as He E'hua
• Liu Kemian as Geng Shaonan
• Liu Naiyi as Taoist Qingsong