A glimpse into the past

Viewers given an intriguing insight into the formalities of daily life as dynastic era plots unfold, Wang Kaihao reports.

Television or online streaming can offer tantalizing glimpses of bygone eras. Costume dramas, by definition, show the fashion of yesteryear in stunning clarity. But, aside from the clothes, social mores, politeness, manners and deference provide an elegant backdrop to unfolding plots. The Longest Day in Chang'an, broadcast over the summer, was no exception. The historical thriller, aired first on online streaming media platform Youku, put into sharp focus the intricate aesthetics of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Viewers were gripped by the rituals, cuisine, architecture and daily life of the era.

Royal Nirvana, a 60-episode series, began airing in November also through Youku, and again assuaged the viewers' appetite for, what is literally, traditional appeal.