Inside the Forbidden City

Inside the Forbidden City 1965

宋宫秘史 sòng gōng mì shǐ

It seems that Li Zhenfei was once an imperial concubine, who often found herself competing with her rival Madame Liu for the emperor's sole, undivided attention. When Li gives birth to the Emperor's child, the jealous Liu switches the boy with a cat and commands a servant named Kou Zhu to kill the baby. However, Kou Zhu ignores the order and gives the prince-to-be to the emperor's brother, a decision which eventually leads to the boy being adopted by the emperor himself! But as fate would have it, to go along with his new son, the emperor has a new wife as well - Madame Liu! As this strange new family unit is being constructed, poor Li Zhenfei has been confined to the forbidden palace, condemned to never see or speak to her son, the prince. But destiny reunites her with her son, but will this family reunion be a happy one? And will Madame Liu finally be punished for her treachery?

HSK 1
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6.59 Advanced

Vocabulary

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万岁千秋 萬歲千秋 wàn suì qiān qiū lit. ten thousand years, a thousd autumns (idiom); fig. long life; (euphemism) after one's death Idiom ∼HSK 7
死不足惜 死不足惜 sǐ bù zú xī to deserve no pity even in death (idiom); the death is no loss; not worth grieving over Idiom ∼HSK 7
宗庙社稷 宗廟社稷 zōng miào shè jì ancestral temple and altars of state (idiom); fig. the ruling dynasty; the state and its sovereignty Idiom ∼HSK 7
虚无飘渺 虛無飄渺 xū wú piāo miǎo vague and illusory (idiom); misty and intangible; nebulous and unreal Idiom ∼HSK 7
与民同乐 與民同樂 yǔ mín tóng lè to share one's joys with the common people (idiom); (of a ruler) to delight together with the populace Idiom ∼HSK 7
八仙过海 八仙過海 bā xiān guò hǎi lit. the Eight Immortals cross the sea — each shows their own special talent (idiom); fig. everyone using their own unique abilities Idiom ∼HSK 7
千秋万岁 千秋萬歲 qiān qiū wàn suì a thousand autumns and ten thousand years (idiom); fig. eternity; (also a euphemism for the death of an emperor) Idiom ∼HSK 7
罪该万死 罪該萬死 zuì gāi wàn sǐ guilty of a crime deserving ten thousand deaths (idiom); a heinous, unpardonable offense Idiom ∼HSK 7
三朝元老 三朝元老 sān cháo yuán lǎo an elder statesman who served three reigns (idiom); a veteran official of long standing Idiom ∼HSK 7
湛湛青天 湛湛青天 zhàn zhàn qīng tīan lit. the clear blue sky (idiom); fig. an honest and upright official; fairness and justice Idiom ∼HSK 7
头头是道 頭頭是道 tóu tóu shì dào clear and logical Idiom HSK 7
自由自在 自由自在 zì yóu zì zài free and easy (idiom); carefree; leisurely Idiom HSK 7
胡思乱想 胡思亂想 hú sī luàn xiǎng to indulge in flights of fancy (idiom); to let one's imagination run wild Idiom HSK 7
冤枉 冤枉 yuān wang to accuse wrongly; to treat unjustly; injustice; wronged; not worthwhile Xiehouyu HSK 7
小人 小人 xiǎo rén person of low social status (old); I, me (used to refer humbly to oneself); nasty person; vile character Xiehouyu HSK 7
窑 窯 yáo kiln; oven; coal pit; cave dwelling; (coll.) brothel Colloquialism HSK 7
譬如说 譬如說 pì rú shuō for example HSK 7
夺魁 奪魁 duó kuí to seize; to win HSK 7
走漏 走漏 zǒu lòu to leak (information, secrets etc); to smuggle and evade tax; to suffer shrinkage (partial loss of goods due to theft etc) HSK 7
分外 分外 fèn wài exceptionally; not one's responsibility or job HSK 7
佳节 佳節 jiā jié festive day; holiday HSK 7
纵然 縱然 zòng rán even if; even though HSK 7
心安理得 心安理得 xīn ān lǐ dé to have a clear conscience; to have no qualms about sth HSK 7
无不 無不 wú bù none lacking; none missing; everything is there; everyone without exception HSK 7
万万 萬萬 wàn wàn absolutely; wholly HSK 7
孝敬 孝敬 xiào jìng to show filial respect; to give presents (to one's elders or superiors); to support one's aged parents HSK 7
告状 告狀 gào zhuàng to tell on sb; to complain (to a teacher, a superior etc); to bring a lawsuit HSK 7
受惊 受驚 shòu jīng startled HSK 7
恩赐 恩賜 ēn cì favor; to give charity to sb out of pity HSK 7
合情合理 合情合理 hé qíng hé lǐ reasonable and fair (idiom) HSK 7
暂且 暫且 zàn qiě for now; for the time being; temporarily HSK 7
凭证 憑證 píng zhèng proof; certificate; receipt; voucher HSK 7
周旋 周旋 zhōu xuán to mix with others; to socialize; to deal with; to contend HSK 7
公事 公事 gōng shì work-related matters; documents HSK 7
无故 無故 wú gù without cause or reason HSK 7
学士 學士 xué shì bachelor's degree; person holding a university degree HSK 7
孝顺 孝順 xiào shùn filial; dutiful; devoted to one's parents (and grandparents etc); to show filial piety towards (an older family member); filial piety HSK 7
冤 冤 yuān injustice; grievance; wrong HSK 7
放肆 放肆 fàng sì wanton; unbridled; presumptuous; impudent HSK 7
竟敢 竟敢 jìng gǎn to have the impertinence; to have the cheek to HSK 7
连夜 連夜 lián yè that very night; through the night; for several nights in a row HSK 7
生平 生平 shēng píng life (a person's whole life); in one's entire life HSK 7
深信 深信 shēn xìn to believe firmly HSK 7
参见 參見 cān jiàn to refer to; see also; compare (cf.); to pay respect to HSK 7
曰 曰 yuē to speak; to say HSK 7
阻拦 阻攔 zǔ lán to stop; to obstruct HSK 7
受苦 受苦 shòu kǔ to suffer hardship HSK 7
能耐 能耐 néng nài ability; capability HSK 7
遵照 遵照 zūn zhào in accordance with; to follow (the rules) HSK 7
宠爱 寵愛 chǒng ài to dote on sb HSK 7