This is one of the best period dramas I have ever watched (and I've watched a lot of period dramas) and, in my opinion, it's up there with Princess Pearl and Nirvana in Fire. It was so moving, heartwarming, sad, and all around an amazing drama that I would recommend to anyone. Characters: Character development is where this drama really excels. None of the characters were solely good or evil--they were gray characters, developed to perfection, with backstories and individual motivations/goals/desires that supported their actions in the drama. I LOVED seeing the characters change, grow (albeit sometimes negatively). This drama could have easily been overwhelming, seeing as how there are just so many characters and all the major princes (2nd, 4th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 14th) aren't referred to by name but by number. But the characters are all so well-developed that I was never confused. I empathized, I hated, I loved, and even after the end of the drama, I still cannot decide between Ruoxi's love interests, 4th and 8th prince, because they are so flawed, yet both so admirable, sympathetic, and real. The friendships in this drama were so deep and moving that I thought they were more interesting than the romantic relationships. Two of my favorite relationships in this drama were the friendships between Ruoxi and 13th, and between Ruoxi and 14th. Key word: friendship. Despite how both 13th and 14th prince were both handsome and charming (and very much husband material), I never felt like romance was lacking in their relationships with Ruoxi. That's what was so beautiful about their relationships. And especially with 13th prince, the friendship was filled with trust and loyalty, steady throughout all the 35 episodes. Ruoxi and 13th prince profoundly changed each other's life, not through romance, but through a platonic love and desire that the other would find happiness. Ruoxi herself was a strong, female character who steadfastly held onto her beliefs and didn't let her romantic relationships change who she was. Ruoxi's character development was very well done, stretched out throughout the course of the drama (which spanned for decades) so that it was believable. She matured both emotionally and intellectually, though her physical appearance was unrealistically the same throughout the drama. One thing that I would say, however, is that I wish this drama delved deeper into her modern life and ideals and then showed more of how her 21st century life influenced her actions/perceptions in ancient China. Plot: What I found refreshing about this drama was that almost every scene was necessary in advancing the plot. Very rarely did I fast forward to the interesting parts like I've had to do for most of the Korean dramas I've watched. The plot also felt cohesive, not a string of little episodes of conflict and resolution like many long period dramas. It started off lighthearted, but became more serious and sad as the drama progressed. It felt like I was watching life progress--starting off innocent, then encountering more obstacles and hardships along the way. My only major complaint about the plot was that romance between Ruoxi and 4th prince, which was mostly interesting, bordered on sappy and overwhelmed the drama. The weakest scenes in the drama were the classic, cliched romantic scenes in which Ruoxi is walking, staring at flowers or the sky, then 4th prince steps out of the blue and staring longingly at her from behind. The drama could have been tighter if these scenes were cut, but that's just my non-filmmaker opinion. Acting: Liu Shi Shi (who plays Ruoxi) is a phenomenal actress and did a good job of showing Ruoxi's development from a naive, immature 16 yr old girl to a mature, elegant, strong woman. Nicky Wu did a good job of portraying 4th prince as stoic and silent on the outside, but filled with emotions within. My favorite actor and character, however, was Yuan Hong, who played the dashing, loyal, free-thinking 13th prince. He was downright perfect for the role. In fact, all the actors/actresses were perfect for their roles. Everyone in this drama knew how to actually cry in this drama (which I'm starting to think is a hallmark of good acting, especially in the asian drama realm). More importantly, they made me care about their characters and love this drama. This drama blew up in China and it's easy to see why. I'd highly, highly recommend this to everyone, especially those who love a deep, complex series and who aren't afraid to cry, laugh, and fall in love with the characters.