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. The series premiered on CCTV-1 on January 23, 2026, airing daily at 20:00 China Standard Time, with simultaneous streaming on iQiyi, Mango TV, and Tencent Video.
Synopsis 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.
Cast and characters Main characters 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.
Supporting characters 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 (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. as /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. 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 (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. 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.