Swords Into Plowshares (TV series)

Swords Into Plowshares (Chinese: 太平年; pinyin: Tàipíng Nián) is a 2026 Chinese historical television series directed by Yang Lei and Lu Beike, written by Dong Zhe, and starring Bai Yu, Zhou Yutong, Zhu Yawen, Yu Haoming, Dong Yong and Ni Dahong. Produced by Huace Film & TV, the 48-episode drama depicts the final years of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period and the early Song dynasty, focusing on Qian Hongchu, the last king of Wuyue, and his historic decision to peacefully surrender his kingdom to the Song in 978 CE—a rare instance of bloodless national unification in Chinese history^[4][5][6]. The series premiered on CCTV-1 on January 23, 2026, airing daily at 20:00 China Standard Time^[7], with simultaneous streaming on iQiyi, Mango TV, and Tencent Video.

Set against the tumultuous final decades of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, The series chronicles the transformative journey of Qian Hongchu, the ninth prince of the Wuyue royal family, from a sheltered prince to a visionary ruler who achieved China's first peaceful unification.

Following the death of King Qian Yuanguan, Wuyue faces internal corruption and external threats. Five years later, nineteen-year-old Prince Qian Hongchu volunteers for a perilous mission to the Later Jin court in Bianliang. There, he witnesses the humiliation of Emperor Shi Chonggui before Khitan invaders and encounters two men who will shape his destiny: the brilliant young nobleman Guo Rong and the charismatic commander Zhao Kuangyin. Most fatefully, he meets chancellor Sang Weihan, the architect of the controversial cession of the Sixteen Prefectures, and the legendary statesman Feng Dao, who has served eleven emperors across four dynasties. In a haunting midnight conversation, Sang—awaiting execution—delivers a profound meditation on moral ambiguity to the young prince: "Right and wrong are immutable. Even a thousand years hence, they will remain unchanged". Meanwhile, Feng imparts his philosophy of pragmatic statecraft—prioritizing cultural preservation and civilian welfare over rigid dynastic loyalty—with the counsel that "one just only needs to do good deeds, do not worry about the future". These encounters leave an indelible mark on Qian Hongchu's political philosophy.

Returning to Wuyue transformed, Qian Hongchu abandons his leisurely existence to confront court corruption, eliminating the treacherous Cheng Zhaoyue and suppressing powerful clans. He forms a deep bond with Sun Taizhen, daughter of a maritime magnate, whose strategic brilliance matches his own. When succession crises claim his brothers Qian Hongzuo and Qian Hongzong, Qian Hongchu reluctantly assumes the throne.

The narrative parallels Wuyue's evolution with the chaotic transition of central plains regimes. As the Later Jin collapses, Later Han briefly flickers, and Later Zhou emerges under Guo Wei's founding, Qian Hongchu carefully navigates shifting allegiances. He maintains Wuyue's autonomy while acknowledging nominal suzerainty, a delicate balance requiring constant diplomatic finesse, drawing upon the lessons of flexibility and pragmatic governance learned from his formative journey north.

The death of Later Zhou's visionary Emperor Shizong Guo Rong triggers another upheaval. Zhao Kuangyin's Chenqiao Mutiny establishes the Song Dynasty, setting the stage for final reunification. As Song armies systematically conquer rival states, Qian Chu (renamed from Qian Hongchu) faces an existential dilemma. His chancellor Shen Yin urges resistance to preserve dynastic honor, while Cui Renji argues pragmatic surrender is the only path to "preserve the clan and save the people".

The decisive moment comes. Following Sun Taizhen's death and surrounded by Song forces, Qian Chu recalls the lessons of his northern journey—the futility of Sang Weihan's resistance, the wisdom of Feng Dao's flexibility, and the devastation war would bring to Jiangnan's prosperity. In a historic decision, he surrenders Wuyue's thirteen prefectures to the Song court, achieving China's first bloodless unification.

• Bai Yu as Qian Hongchu/Qian Chu (錢弘俶/錢俶), the ninth prince and last king of Wuyue who ascends through palace intrigue at nineteen, navigates three decades of precarious sovereignty between contending empires, and ultimately achieves the historic "surrender of territory to Song", preserving his realm's prosperity and five hundred fifty thousand households through the courage to relinquish power for peace.
• Zhou Yutong as Sun Taizhen (孫太真), Qian Hongchu's consort. She evolves from an innocent young woman into a wise and supportive queen who understands and aids her husband's historic decision.
• Zhu Yawen as Zhao Kuangyin (趙匡胤), courtesy name Yuanlang(元朗), who rises from a Later Zhou general to become Emperor Taizu of Song, founder of the Song dynasty. A man of great talent and vision, he seeks unification through both military strength and peaceful means. Seizing the throne through the Chenqiao Mutiny, he ends the chaotic Five Dynasties period and establishes the Song Dynasty. After ascending, he peacefully dissolves the power of military aristocrats through the "Dismissing Generals with a Cup of Wine", consolidating a centralized system. Toward Qian Chu of Wuyue, he lays the foundation for peaceful unification.
• Yu Haoming as Chai Rong/Guo Rong (柴榮/郭榮), courtesy name Jungui(君貴), Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou, Zhao Kuangyin's lord and Qian Hongchu's friend. An emperor determined to end the chaos of the Five Dynasties, he dies prematurely, leaving his vision to his successors—Zhao Kuangyin.

Wuyue

• Ni Dahong as Hu Jinsi (胡進思), a powerful three-generation statesman who served from the founding of Wuyue under Qian Liu through five successive kings, ultimately orchestrating the deposition of Qian Hongzong and enthronement of Qian Hongchu.
• Gao Yuqing as Hu Jing (胡璟), the astute and deliberately understated son of the powerful minister Hu Jinsi, who feigns indifference to political advancement while serving as Minister of Works, ultimately preserving his clan through strategic withdrawal.
• Bao Jianfeng as Shuiqiu Zhaoquan (水丘昭券), a revered Wuyue statesman celebrated as the "Foremost Gentleman of Wuyue", who serves as both mentor and father figure to Qian Hongchu while navigating the treacherous political landscape, ultimately meeting a tragic end when his entire family is slaughtered in a coup orchestrated by Hu Jinsi.
• You Yongzhi as Qian Yuanguan (錢元瓘), the second king of Wuyue and the father of the Qian princes, who dies from shock-induced madness after arsonists destroy the royal treasury, his original wish to pass the throne to his third son Qian Hongyou thwarted by Hu Jinsi's insistence on legitimate bloodline, resulting in the succession of his sixth son Qian Hongzuo instead.
• Guo Chong as Qian Hongjun (錢弘俊), the eldest adopted son of the Wuyue royal family who serves as Pacification Commissioner of the Eastern Prefecture before withdrawing from court affairs to return to his biological father's household, ultimately supporting his younger brother Qian Hongchu's historic decision to peacefully surrender the kingdom to the Song Dynasty.
• Liu Chang as Qian Hongyou/Sun Ben (錢弘侑/孫本), the illegitimate third son of Wuyue King Qian Yuanguan and Lady Yu, elder half-brother to Qian Hongchu and Sun Taizhen, who is deposed to commoner status and returns to Huanglong Island with his birth name Sun Ben, after a failed succession struggle.
• Wu Haochen as Qian Hongzuo (錢弘佐), the sixth prince and third king of Wuyue, and the elder brother of Qian Hongzong and Qian Hongchu who ascended the throne at age 14 and ruled for seven years until his death at 20.
• Zhu Jiaqi as Qian Hongzong (錢弘倧), the seventh prince and fourth king of Wuyue who briefly ruled for one year before being deposed and exiled by general Hu Jinsi, later succeeded by his younger brother Qian Hongchu.
• Qin Xiaoxuan as Qian Weizhi (錢惟治), the brilliant and capable adopted son of Qian Hongchu, originally the son of the deposed King Qian Hongzong, who serves as prefect of Taizhou and military commissioner.
• Wang Junhao as Qian Weijun (錢惟濬), the eldest legitimate son of Qian Hongchu and Sun Taizhen, the dissolute crown prince of Wuyue, whose impulsive ambition makes him susceptible to Li Yuanqing's manipulation.
• Wang Shuo as Yuan Dezhao (元德昭), courtesy name Mingyuan(明遠), a sagacious and politically astute chancellor of Wuyue who serves three successive kings with unwavering integrity, notably refusing to bow during Hu Jinsi's coup until personally confirming Qian Hongchu's identity as the new king, thereby earning profound trust through his demonstration of "comporting oneself with dignity amid upheaval."
• Zhao Zheng as Shen Wenqi (慎溫其), courtesy name Ruyu(如玉), a principled scholar-official and loyal advisor who endures imprisonment and torture rather than betray his lord Qian Hongjun, ultimately earning recognition as a paragon of integrity and rising to become prefect of Wenzhou.
• Chen Zhihui as Dai Yun (戴惲), the militarily powerful Commander of the Inner Palace Cavalry and maternal uncle to Qian Hongyou, whose very capability and royal connections make him the target of a preemptive strike by the minister Hu Jinsi, resulting in his tragic execution on fabricated charges of treason.
• Wang Jialin as Shen Yin (沈寅), courtesy name Huzi(虎子), the principled and farsighted chancellor of Wuyue who serves as Qian Hongchu's trusted mentor and chief advisor for three decades, ultimately choosing loyalty to his sovereign over personal survival when the kingdom surrenders to the Song Dynasty.
• Tian Lei as Cui Renji (崔仁冀), courtesy name Ziqian(子遷), a prescient scholar-official who rises from Tongru Academy academician to chancellor and serves as the principal architect of Wuyue's peaceful surrender to the Song Dynasty, ultimately securing his legacy as a pragmatic statesman who prioritizes the survival of his people over dynastic independence.
• Mei Ting as Lady Yu (俞大娘子), mother of Qian Hongyou and Sun Taizhen, the formidable owner of Huanglong Island and merchant clan "Huanglong House".
• Zhao Jian as Cheng Zhaoyue (程昭悅), a cunning and ambitious merchant who rises from the leader of the Shanyue House to become the powerful Inner Palace Commissioner, ultimately meeting his downfall through execution for treason after attempting to seize the throne of Wuyue.
• Wang Zhipeng as He Chengxun (何承訓), a treacherous and opportunistic military officer who orchestrates multiple betrayals across three reigns—from burning the royal treasury to instigating coups—before being publicly executed by Qian Hongchu for his fickle loyalty and complicity in the massacre of the Shuiqiu family.

Central Plains

• Dong Yong as Feng Dao (馮道), courtesy name Kedao(可道), the remarkably resilient "unchanging minister" who serves eleven emperors across four dynasties while maintaining his commitment to preserving cultural continuity and alleviating civilian suffering amid the chaos of the Five Dynasties period.
• Ji Chenmu as Fan Zhi (范質), courtesy name Wensu(文素), a prodigiously talented scholar-official who serves as Hanlin Academician and Drafter of Proclamations during the Later Jin, ultimately becoming one of the most enduring statesmen of the Five Dynasties period by navigating four successive regimes with his literary brilliance and political acumen.
• Huang Chao as Sang Weihan (桑維翰), courtesy name Guoqiao(國僑), the brilliant but controversial Later Jin chancellor who engineered the cession of the Sixteen Prefectures to the Khitans, ultimately meeting his death with stoic dignity after delivering a haunting monologue on the immutable nature of right and wrong to the young Wuyue prince Qian Hongchu.
• Hao Ping as Zhao Hongyin (趙弘殷), a seasoned military commander who serves through four dynastic transitions and fathers the future Song Dynasty emperors, ultimately dying before witnessing his son Zhao Kuangyin's imperial ascension but posthumously honored as Emperor Xuanzu.
• Hai Yitian as Shi Jingtang (石敬瑭), a military governor of the Later Tang who, with the support of the Khitan, overthrew his former sovereign to establish the Later Jin as its first emperor, famously ceding the Sixteen Prefectures and accepting a subordinate "son emperor" status to the Khitan in exchange for military aid.
• Ren Youlun as Shi Chonggui (石重貴), the second and final emperor of the Later Jin dynasty, whose refusal to continue his predecessor's subservient relationship with the Khitan led to war, the collapse of his state, and his own capture and exile, marking the end of the short-lived regime.
• Jia Hongwei as Zhang Yanze (張彥澤), a general of Later Tang and Later Jin dynasties who, despite his record of brutal suppression and personal cruelty, was retained for his battlefield effectiveness until he betrayed his sovereign by opening the gates of the capital to the invading Khitan army.
• He Ziming as Yelü Deguang (耶律德光), the second emperor of Liao dynasty, who led the Khitan conquest of northern China, briefly proclaimed himself emperor of the Central Plains after destroying the Later Jin, but was forced to withdraw due to Han Chinese's resistance and died during the retreat, marking the limit of Khitan expansion into traditional Chinese heartland.
• Yu Yang as Liu Zhiyuan (劉知遠), a military governor of the Later Jin who, following the collapse of that dynasty to Khitan invasion, declared himself emperor and established the Later Han, briefly restoring native Chinese rule over the Central Plain before his sudden death just one year into his reign.
• Lin Shaoyang as Liu Chengxùn(劉承訓), courtesy name Dehui(德輝). The eldest son of Liu Zhiyuan and Prince of Wei. Excelling in both civil and military affairs, he was originally expected to inherit the throne, but died suddenly.
• Lin Junyi as Liu Chengyou(劉承祐), Liu Zhiyuan's second son, the second and final emperor of the Later Han dynasty, whose attempt to eliminate the powerful military governors who had supported his father's rise provoked a rebellion that overthrew his regime and ended the dynasty after only four years of rule.
• Feng Peng as Li Ye(李業), uncle of Liu Chengxùn and Liu Chengyou. Instigated Liu Chengyou to kill the important ministers Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, Wang Zhang, and all family members of Guo Wei, driving Guo Wei into rebellion. After being defeated in battle, he was killed by Guo Wei.
• Jiang Kai as Guo Wei(郭威), courtesy name Wenzhong(文仲), the founding emperor of the Later Zhou dynasty, a former military governor of the Later Han who rose in rebellion after Emperor Liu Chengyou murdered his entire family, then overthrew the young sovereign to seize the throne. He adopted his brother-in-law's son Chai Rong—later renamed Guo Rong—as his heir, ensuring the succession of one of the most capable emperors of the Five Dynasties period.
• Wei Qianxiang as Zhao Kuangyi/Zhao Guangyi (趙匡義/趙光義), courtesy name Tingyi(廷宜), the younger brother of Zhao Kuangyin (Emperor Taizu of Song), succeeded to the throne as Emperor Taizong of Song following his brother's death and accepted Qian Chu's surrender of Wuyue to the Song dynasty.
• Zhang Fan as Sima Pu (司馬浦), a middle-aged scholar who has failed the imperial examination for forty years before being discovered by the incognito Zhao Kuangyin in a tavern, subsequently appointed to the Privy Council for his vision of benevolent governance, and later memorializing the emperor to spare Wang Quanbin's life—establishing the precedent of not executing officials and ending the cycle of purges that doomed previous dynasties, thereby paving the way for the peaceful "Dismissing Generals with a Cup of Wine".

Southern Tang

• Zhan Chenglin as Li Jing (李璟), courtesy name Boyu(伯玉), the second king of Southern Tang whose ambitious military campaigns against Min and Chu bring his kingdom to its territorial zenith, only to see it precipitously decline through disastrous wars with Later Zhou that cost him the Huainan region and his imperial title, setting the stage for his poet-son Li Yu's tragic reign.
• Niu Chao as Li Yu (李煜), the last king of Southern Tang, a celebrated poet whose lyrical verses captured the melancholy of lost power and exile after his realm's conquest by the Song dynasty, earning him recognition as one of China's greatest literary figures despite his failures as a monarch.
• Zhao Zhengyang as Xu Xuan (徐铉), courtesy name Dingchen(鼎臣), the principled Southern Tang envoy who confronts Later Jin chancellor Sang Weihan when the latter threatens to expose the Southern Tang as the next target of Khitan aggression by replicating his betrayal of the Sixteen Prefectures unless the Southern Tang agrees to dispatch troops against the nomadic threat.
• Zhang Xiaochen as Li Yuanqing (李元清), courtesy name Yunqing(云清), the cunning and resilient spymaster of the Southern Tang's Qinhuai House who devises elaborate stratagems to resist Song's expansion, ultimately surviving the fall of his kingdom to live out his days in scholarly seclusion while co-compiling the Hundred Family Surnames.

The series was conceived over a decade by Huace Film & TV, with five years dedicated to script development. The production was supported by the 2024 Cultural Industry Development Special Fund of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party and designated as a major historical drama by the National Radio and Television Administration. The series represents a rare television portrayal of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, a relatively underrepresented era in Chinese historical dramas. The production team emphasized the contemporary relevance of the "peaceful unification" theme, drawing parallels to modern international relations while maintaining historical accuracy.

To immerse himself in the role, Bai Yu has been studying the history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period for months before filming, rarely leaving his home to focus entirely on script analysis; designed nuanced characterizations for each stage of Qian Hongchu's life, from youthful naivety to mature kingship, demonstrating precise control over the 50-year age span of the role^[8].

Zhu Yawen stationed himself at the National Museum of Classic Books for six months before filming, meticulously reading the History of Song, Old History of the Five Dynasties, and Xu Zizhi Tongjian Changbian; consulted two historians professional in Song Dynasty history in Kaifeng and Luoyang, repeatedly refining Zhao Kuangyin's vocal transitions from sharp to restrained and his physical bearing from aggressive to profound; performed all dangerous stunts without safety doubles, including enduring real whip strikes and 47-minute continuous filming in industrial-grade sandstorms^[9].

Principal photography began on September 28, 2024, at Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang Province. Filming locations spanned multiple sites across Zhejiang and Gansu provinces, including:

• Hengdian World Studios (primary location)
• Dunhuang, Gansu
• Shaoxing, Zhejiang
• Taizhou, Zhejiang
• Hangzhou (West Lake, Lin'an District, Binjiang District)
• Wenzhou (Cangnan County), Zhejiang
• Quzhou, Zhejiang

The production utilized the Qian Wang Temple (錢王祠) in Lin'an (modern Hangzhou), the ancestral home of the Wuyue royal family, as an authentic filming location.

The series was shot in 8K Ultra High Definition using RED 8K cameras and Zeiss Supreme Prime (SP) lenses, representing a technical milestone for Chinese television production. The production team constructed over 550 sets totaling 38,000 square meters and created more than 8,000 costumes. Costume details included the recreation of Tang dynasty "plant dyeing" techniques, and lead actors' wigs were hand-woven with 120 needles per square centimeter. Audio-visual technology followed the National Radio and Television Administration's 2024 standards, employing domestic HDR Vivid and Audio Vivid technologies for enhanced viewing experience.

The series received generally positive reviews for its historical accuracy, production values, and performances. Critics praised the drama's nuanced portrayal of a complex historical period and its emphasis on peaceful unification over military conquest.It also sparked widespread public interest in the historical era it depicts, prompting renewed discussions among viewers and scholars about the political choices and cultural legacy of that period^[10].

Professor Yin Hong, Vice Chairman of the China Film Association and professor at Tsinghua University, commented: "The series is not merely a story of dynastic transition, but a narrative that highlights the themes of unification and peace. Qian Hongchu's choice represents a historic decision that prioritized the welfare of the people over personal power"^[11].

Beyond its artistic reception, the drama also prompted cross-regional media discussion in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Some commentators interpreted the depiction of Qian Hongchu's peaceful submission to the Song dynasty as carrying contemporary resonance for Cross-strait relations. Media reports noted debate over whether the series' portrayal of "peaceful unification" could be understood as a modern political allegory. Such interpretations were presented as commentary rather than as an explicitly stated intention of the production team, reflecting broader sensitivities surrounding themes of unity and sovereignty in the region^[12][13].

The 8K cinematography and detailed production design were particularly noted, with reviewers highlighting the visual clarity that captured minute details such as blood droplets and fabric textures. The ensemble cast, combining rising stars like Bai Yu and Zhou Yutong with veteran actors including Ni Dahong and Dong Yong, was praised for bringing depth to the historical figures.

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• Swords Into Plowshares at IMDb
• Swords Into Plowshares at TheTVDB
• Swords Into Plowshares at Douban (in Chinese)