A Weaver on the Horizon

A Weaver on the Horizon (Chinese: 天涯织女) is a 2010 Chinese television series based on the life story of Huang Daopo, who revolutionized the textile industry during the Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan dynasty. The story is considered to be historical fiction, as the plot deviates from factual accounts. A notable feature of the series is that more focus is placed on the female protagonists than their male counterparts. The series premiered on Nanning Television on 14 August 2010 and ran for 36 episodes.

Huang Qiao'er (Ivy Lu, Janine Chang) was born to an impoverished family in Songjiang Prefecture (present-day Shanghai). She lost her parents at an early age and was raised by her aunt at Lin'an (Hangzhou), the capital of the Southern Song (Song dynasty), who taught her textile arts. While growing up in a textile mill, Qiao'er befriended the son of the neighboring dyehouse owner, Fang Ning (Edwin Siu), who fell in love with her. Eventually, Splendid Mill's weavers produce outstanding results, earning them the opportunity to work in the imperial palace. Through Qiao'er's friendship with the emperor's niece, Zhao Jiayi (Cecilia Liu), Qiao'er gained access to the palace's study, deepening her knowledge of weaving from its collection. However, the weavers become embroiled in a power struggle with the emperor's consorts and in a competition with the Iridescent Cloud Mill's weavers, who also work at the palace.

While in the palace, Qiao'er became infatuated with a young general, Lin Mufei (Justin Yuan), which strained her friendship with the princess. Mufei also rejects the princess's affection due to his disdain for the corruption associated with the imperial family, despite his duties to defend people under the dynasty. During Mufei's absence, Ning is paralyzed after saving Qiao'er from rape. Feeling guilty for Ning's condition and hearing rumors that Mufei had been killed in battle at Chuzhou (present-day Huai'an), Qiao'er concedes to marry Ning. Mufei, however, has survived and is heartbroken to witness their marriage, creating a complicated love triangle involving him, Qiao'er, and Zhao Jiayi.

Huang Qiao'er recognizes that although she cannot be with the man she desires due to her marriage, being Ning's wife also has advantages. Her mother-in-law (Cheng Pei-pei) imparts the family's dyeing secrets, refining her textile skills. Nevertheless, Ning is aware of Qiao'er's lingering feelings for Lin Mufei, leading him to alcoholism and resulting in abuse stemming from his jealousy, and he considers divorcing her despite still being in love with her. Meanwhile, Zhao Jiayi remains devoted to Lin and, upon discovering he is alive, leaves the palace to find him. With assistance from Mufei's mother, Jiayi locates him in Changzhou, claiming she wishes to be with him in battle.

Not long afterwards, the Mongols, who established the Yuan dynasty under Kublai Khan, conquered Song China. After going through hardships, Mufei decides to focus on protecting Zhao Jiayi and her surviving clan members, as well as freeing China from the Mongols' tyranny. For three years, while fighting for survival, Mufei and Jiayi developed an attachment. Jiayi helps Mufei nurse his sorrows, resulting from Qiao'er's marriage to Fang Ning and his mother's murder by an adversary. He starts to reciprocate the princess's affection when he discovers her deeper qualities beyond her initial vanity.

While escaping Mongol oppression, Qiao'er meets an extraordinary carpenter, Feng Jiujin (Damian Lau), and becomes his apprentice. She ultimately shipwrecks on the coast of Yazhou (present-day Hainan), where she learns the arts of cotton farming and weaving and helps the natives improve their textile technology.

Years after Fang Ning's death, Qiao'er finally reconciles with Mufei and Jiayi in Hangzhou. Qiao'er realizes she caused heartache for two men who loved her when she wavered. Furthermore, she recognizes that her differences with Mufei were insurmountable and acknowledges that she had foregone a fulfilling marriage with Ning because of neglect. Humbled by Jiayi's deep commitment to Mufei, which demonstrates her suitability as a life partner, Qiao'er regrets her past insincerities in partnership, blesses them in their newfound romance, and accepts her fate as a widow as a means of atonement, dedicating herself to her craft. Qiao'er also pursues her goal of transforming textile manufacturing for the benefit of her community, becoming an innovator in the Chinese textile sector. After incessant confrontations against the Yuan forces, the Battle of Yamen brought the Song dynasty to an end. Mufei and Jiayi, after enduring military defeats, recognize the enemy's strength and choose to elope to escape the devastation surrounding them.

Lin Mufei and Zhao Jiayi are married and return to Hangzhou after spending three years hiding. By this time, the Splendid Mill and Fang Family Dyehouse had gained apprentices and achieved business success, with Huang Qiao'er realizing her purpose in life.

The Song and Mongol military costumes are originally made for the two television series The Young Warriors (2006) and The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2008).

Originally considered for the part of Huang Qiao'er by the casting department, Cecilia Liu expressed her interest to portray Zhao Jiayi instead, after reading the script. As a result, Janine Chang was chosen for the starring role.^[1]

In Chinese history, Emperor Lizong and Emperor Duzong of the Song dynasty were actually uncle and nephew. In A Weaver on the Horizon, they are changed to brothers to explain Zhao Jiayi's existence. In reality, Zhao Jiayi never existed and is a fictional character solely created for A Weaver on the Horizon. The screenwriters were unwilling to write Zhao as the daughter of Duzong due to his well-known corrupted reputations that contributed of fall of the Song dynasty.

Almost all of the characters in the series are fictional except Huang Daopo, Emperor Duzong, Mongol general Bayan, and Yelü Chucai. Most of the plot does not match actual historic accounts. There are references to the death of Emperor Duzong, the succession and abdication of Emperor Gongzong, Battle of Xiangyang, Battle of Yamen and the deaths of the Song's last two emperors; Emperor Duanzong and Emperor Huaizong.

Several websites aired different scenes that were deleted from the series:

• Huang Qiao'er first meets the Fang brothers during their childhood.^[2]
• Death of A'dong's fiancée Dandan (portrayed by Janine Chang).^[2]
• Huang Qiao'er and Rong Xiuman being burned at the stake on Yazhou.^[3]
• Lin Mufei and Zhao Jiayi returning home as husband and wife in the series finale.^[4]

The series was well received in mainland China, earning high ratings and acclaim for good performance and a portrayal of inspirational female characters.^[5][6]

• (in Chinese) A Weaver on the Horizon official page on Chinese Entertainment Shanghai's website
• (in Chinese) A Weaver on the Horizon on Sina.com
• (in Chinese) A Weaver on the Horizon page on CTV's website