Empresses in the Palace () is a 2011 Chinese television series based on the novel of the same name by Liu Lianzi. It follows the life of Zhen Huan (played by Sun Li), from her entry into the imperial harem and her navigation of palace intrigues, to her eventual rise as Empress Dowager. In 2015, the series was condensed into a six-episode version for Netflix before moving to Amazon Prime Video.
Directed by Zheng Xiaolong, the show is acclaimed for its strong ensemble cast and sophisticated dialogue, becoming one of the most successful Chinese television dramas of all time, enjoying frequent reruns and significant cultural influence across the Chinese-speaking world.
Plot In the later years of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, then-Fourth Prince Yinzhen and his eight brothers are embroiled in a bitter power struggle for the Qing throne. With the help of powerful allies, Yinzhen becomes the Yongzheng Emperor and the brothers who fought against him are either killed or imprisoned. Despite becoming emperor, Yinzhen grows increasingly paranoid of being usurped and vows to not follow in his father's footsteps.
As a prince, Yinzhen was deeply in love with his first wife, posthumously titled Empress Chunyuan, who had died before his ascension; her younger sister became his second wife as well as the empress after his ascension. Both sisters, along with his mother, Empress Dowager Renshou, belong to the Ula-Nara clan, making them maternal relatives of Yinzhen.
Six months after his ascension to the throne, Empress Dowager Renshou organizes a selection to bring newer members into the Imperial Harem of the Yongzheng Emperor. Despite not wanting to be selected, Zhen Huan is forced to join the selection and ends up being chosen due to her resemblance to the late Empress Chunyuan. She joins the Imperial Harem alongside her childhood friend Shen Meizhuang, and the low-born An Lingrong.
Zhen Huan attempts to avoid the Imperial Harem's politics but ultimately falls in love with the Emperor, resulting in the other consorts plotting various schemes against her and Shen Meizhuang as retaliation. Due to some misunderstandings and her own sensitive and suspicious personality, as well as out of jealousy toward Zhen Huan, An Lingrong also begins plotting against her and works alongside higher-ranking imperial consorts, notably the Empress, Ula-Nara Yixiu.
While avoiding the pitfalls of such schemes, Zhen Huan befriends the neglected Fourth Prince Hongli, promising to care for him when she can. She also learns the reason behind the Emperor's favor toward her, and this disillusionment ultimately leads her to become a nun at Ganlu Temple. There, her relationship with Prince Guo secretly blossoms and the two become intimate with each other.
Despite the two planning to elope, Prince Guo is sent away to Tibet by the Emperor and presumed to be dead. Now seeking both revenge and protection, Zhen Huan convinces the Emperor to bring her back into the Imperial Harem. She takes on a new identity as Consort Xi, or Niohuru Zhenhuan, Hongli's biological mother who had supposedly spent years away from the palace praying at Ganlu Temple, and she formally adopts Hongli. With her new status, Zhenhuan gains more allies.
Prince Guo is revealed to be alive, but he and Zhenhuan have to cease their relationship now that she has returned to the Imperial Harem. Despite doing what she can to remain favored by the Emperor and distance herself from Prince Guo, the Emperor's suspicion towards their relationship escalates as time passes and Zhenhuan is ordered to kill Prince Guo but the latter commits suicide instead.
The Empress begins to lose favor as her schemes against Zhenhuan backfire and she ultimately confesses to her role in her sister's death and several other crimes. The Emperor attempts to depose her as punishment. Still, the will of the Empress Dowager, who wishes to maintain the influence of the Ula-Nara clan, forbids him from doing so; he unwillingly puts the Empress under house arrest instead.
Zhenhuan slowly poisons the Emperor and she meets with him one final time to narrate the infidelities of some of his concubines, before announcing his death.
Hongli becomes the Qianlong Emperor and Zhenhuan is granted the coveted title of empress dowager. Although the Empress should have also become an empress dowager upon the Yongzheng Emperor's death, a loophole in the previous Empress Dowager's will forces her to remain empress indefinitely instead.
Zhenhuan spends the rest of her life serving as the sole empress dowager: planning the next selection for the Imperial Harem, advising the Qianlong Emperor on state matters, and warning his imperial consorts about the consequences of harming each other.
Cast Main + Played by Role Introduction Sun Li Zhen Huan (甄嬛), Mo Chou (莫愁), later Niohuru Zhenhuan (钮祜禄·甄嬛) Lady Zhen → First Class Attendant Wan → Noble Lady Wan → Concubine Wan → Nun → Consort Xi → Noble Consort Xi → Holy Mother Empress Dowager → Empress Dowager Chongqing → Empress Xiaoshengxian (posthumously)
The titular protagonist who becomes a favored imperial consort. She is very clever, socially skilled and well-educated, and has a keen eye for strategy. She is the biological mother of Hongyan, Longyue, and Lingxi and the adoptive mother of Hongli and Jinghe. Chen Jianbin Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen (愛新覺羅·胤禛) Yongzheng Emperor → Emperor Shizong (posthumously)
Kangxi Emperor's fourth son. The emperor of the Qing dynasty who is still deeply in love with his first wife, Empress Chunyuan despite favoring various imperial consorts throughout the series. He is suspicious of his women due to paranoia against the Imperial Court. Died by Noble Consort Xi and Concubine Ning's revenge plot in episode 76. Ada Choi Ula-Nara Yixiu (烏拉那拉·宜修) Lady Ula-Nara → Secondary Consort → Empress → Mistress of Jingren Palace → Empress Wenyu (posthumously)
The true main antagonist of the series. Initially appearing to rule the Imperial Harem as a benevolent empress, her true nature is shown over time as she removes anyone favored by the Emperor who is deemed a threat to her plans, especially Zhen Huan. She's placed under house arrest after the truth of her sister's death revealed to the Emperor in episode 72. She's ultimately dies in the end of the series without any records in the history. She is Empress Chunyuan's younger half-sister and the adoptive mother of Hongshi. Ula-Nara Rouze (烏拉那拉·柔则) Lady Ula-Nara → Primary Consort → Empress Chunyuan → Imperial Mother Empress Dowager → Empress Xiaojing → Empress Xiaojingxian (posthumously)
Empress Chunyuan (纯元皇后) was famed for her benevolent nature and beauty, often likened to a heavenly fairy. Known in adaptations only by her childhood name “Wanwan,” she never appears directly in the series but her absence shapes the narrative of the story. As the Yongzheng Emperor’s first wife and lifelong love, she became empress after entering the palace with her pregnant sister Yixiu. Consumed by envy, Yixiu orchestrated her downfall by adulterating her food during pregnancy, leading to a stillbirth and Rouze’s death. On her deathbed, she asked the emperor to care for Yixiu, a plea that deepened his grief. Her tragic end became his greatest regret, and her memory continued to cast a lasting influence over the palace.
Supporting Imperial Harem Ranking System: Lady-in-waiting [Guānnǘzǐ] → Second Class Attendant [Dāyìng] (called 'Escort' in some translations) → First Class Attendant [Chángzài] → Noble Lady [Guìrén] → Concubine [Pín] → Consort [Fēi] → Noble Consort [Guìfēi] → Imperial Noble Consort [Huángguìfēi] → EmpressIn the series, it is considered a huge honor to be bestowed a title rather than using one's own surname for one's rank. + Played by Role Introduction Jiang Xin Nian Shilan (年世蘭) Consort Hua → Noble Consort Hua → Consort → Consort Hua → Second Class Attendant → Noble Consort Dunsu → Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu (posthumously)
The Yongzheng Emperor's favorite consort at the beginning of the series. Due to her family's status in the Imperial Court, she is arrogant and gets away with acting impudently. She later lost the Emperor's favour definitely after her crimes were revealed to the public and her family's downfall in episode 40. Commits suicide after she learnt the truth of her favour from the Emperor inside the Cold Palace in Episode 42. Lan Xi Shen Meizhuang (沈眉莊) Lady Shen → Noble Lady → Noble Lady Hui → Second Class Attendant → Noble Lady Hui → Concubine Hui → Consort Hui → Noble Consort Hui (posthumously)
Zhen Huan's best friend and ally in the Imperial Harem since their childhood. After being framed by Consort Hua for faking pregnancy in episode 15, she became cold toward the Emperor. She began to serve the Empress Dowager wholeheartedly, ultimately impressing her. She eventually fell in love with Wen Shichu, her personal doctor who took care with her during the plague. Unfortunately, she died shortly after giving birth to her daughter in episode 64. She is the biological mother of Princess Jinghe. Tao Xinran An Lingrong (安陵容) Lady An → Second Class Attendant → First Class Attendant → Noble Lady → Concubine → Consort Li
Initially Zhen Huan's friend, she grows jealous and tries to scheme against her due to pressure from her family to win the Yongzheng Emperor's favor, as well as the manipulation of other imperial consorts. Her evil deeds were later revealed to the Emperor. She is placed under house arrest, then commits suicide after her last meeting with Zhen Huan in episode 68. Her last words would provide evidence to Zhen Huan to implicate the Empress successfully in episode 71. Yang Fanghan Feng Ruozhao (馮若昭) Concubine Jing → Consort Jing → Noble Consort Jing → Dowager Noble Consort Jing
A high-ranked imperial consort who is unfavored by the Yongzheng Emperor, and Zhen Huan's close friend and ally. She is the adoptive mother of Princess Longyue. Li Yijuan Qi Yuebin (齊月賓) Consort Duan → Imperial Noble Consort → Dowager Imperial Noble Consort
An experienced high-ranked imperial consort who is unfavored by the Yongzheng Emperor. She often gives advice to Zhen Huan and assists her in need. She is the adoptive mother of Princess Wenyi after Concubine Xiang's death since episode 42. Zhang Yameng Li Jingyan (李静言） Consort Qi
A high-ranked imperial consort who is unfavored by the Yongzheng Emperor due to lack of her intelligence. She befriends with Lady Fuca and she's the biological mother of Hongshi. Chen Sisi Cao Qinmo (曹琴默) Noble Lady → Concubine Xiang
An calculating low-ranking imperial consort. She used to work for Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu but later betrayed her after the latter's downfall. She is the biological mother of Princess Wenyi.
Died by poisoning under the Emperor and Empress Dowager's command in episode 41. Tan Songyun Fang Chunyi (方淳意) Lady Fang → First Class Attendant Chun → Noble Lady Chun (posthumously)
The youngest imperial consort to enter the palace at the beginning of the series. Innocent and child-like, and also a loyal close friend to Zhen Huan. She's been killed by Consort Hua's command after she accidentally heard about Consort Hua's shady business in episode 27. Her death saddened Zhen Huan the most. Cui Manli Yu Ying'er (余鶯兒) Palace Maid → Lady-in-waiting → Second Class Attendant → Commoner
Initially a palace maid in the imperial garden, she witnesses the first encounter between the Yongzheng Emperor and Zhen Huan, and later enters the Imperial Harem by pretending to be Zhen Huan during that encounter. She soon loses the Emperor's favour after he finds out that Zhen Huan is the one he encountered. She is thrown into the Cold Palace and then strangled to death by a group of eunuchs in episode 10. Liu Yitong Qiao Songzhi (喬頌芝) Senior Maid of Consort Hua → Palace Maid → Second Class Attendant Zhi