STVFORUM | Magnolia Jury Chief Zhang Yongxin Discusses Crafting “Realistic” Historical Dramas

One of China’s most respected directors of historical TV drama series, Zhang Yongxin, delivered the Magnolia Awards Jury President’s Masterclass at the 31st Shanghai TV Festival on June 22.

Presiding over the Jury for the first time, Zhang has helmed many sweeping historical epics for TV, with a focus on human stories and an eye for historical accuracy. They include The Age of Awakening (2021) and The Advisors Alliance (2017).

During the event, presented as part of the STVFORUM series, Zhang talked about the evaluation criteria that would be used to judge this year’s awards. He also spoke about how series creators can control "realism" in producing their historical dramas.

“A good work must have the following characteristics: first, it must have a deep ideological depth, and secondly, it must represent the breadth of the contemporary times,” Zhang said. “The content that ordinary people are willing to watch must be that which hits the warmest part of their hearts. That’s the type of stories they want to see.”

In discussing the application of these criteria, Zhang emphasized the role of sincerity as part of the creative attitude and the need for authenticity in conveying the spirit of the times in which stories are set.

He believes audiences want to see “flesh and blood” people on screen, rather than fixed stereotypes, so while "the plot may be fictional, the spirit conveyed must be real.”

Zhang mentioned his experience filming the 40-part series 8000 Miles of Cloud and Moon (2026), saying: “When I first saw this script, I was moved by its unique narrative perspective.”