Although predictably (or, better, inevitably) replaced by Mao's legacy as the main melody-themed rush towards the 60th anniversary began in full force, for a good while the favorite piece of Chinese historiography of many a film director and TV producer was the pomp and circumstance of the Tang Dynasty, with leading lights like Li Shimin and Wu Zetian carrying the flag of such exciting and culturally abundant times's glorification. For instance, the honor of essaying Tang Taizong for a second time on CCTV-1's 2007 flagship historical drama, the fascinating 贞观长歌 (The Zhenguan Era), went to Tang Guoqiang, who made a career out of playing legendary figures like Mao Zedong - last in line in the exalted flag-waving douchebaggery of 建国大业 (The Founding of a Republic) - the Three Kingdoms' Zhuge Liang and Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing.
An irresistible mix of John Wayne-like macho posturing, sparks of unyielding youth coloring his every move and the wisdom of a great sage, Tang's Li Shimin was endearing enough that all the blood spilled on his way to greatness became more or less "excusable," a nice way of taming all the voices in the background, murmuring that the path to gain the modern version of the mandate of heaven was worthy of a few, painful sacrifices. And there's no need to introduce one of China's favorite femmes fatales, that Wu Zetian who once again extended her immortality thanks to Liu Xiaoqing playing her for a second time in 日月凌空 (The Shadows of Empress Wu), which conveniently whitewashed most of the controversy regarding her rule. So, yes, today's China loves the Tang dynasty, perhaps more so for the parallels you might concoct vis-a-vis its unifying the Middle Kingdom and becoming the dominating force of the period than for its achievements in culture and technology. You'd think that reminding people of what made the Tang fail (corrupt eunuchs, internal strife between rival clans, the secession intents of the regional fanzhen which led to the Anshi Rebellion, and peasant uprisings) would be a lot more useful than such complacent flag-waving, but it's a much too exacting request considering the times. It can only be with pleasure, then, that one can approach Yang Shupeng's distinctively irreverent Tang-themed black comedy 我的唐朝兄弟 (The Robbers).
The Robbers (我的唐朝兄弟 The Movie) [KOR SUB]
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