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?

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6.59 Advanced

Vocabulary

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蟒袍 蟒袍 mǎng páo official robe worn by ministers during the Ming 明 (1368-1644) and Qing 清 (1644-1911) dynasties ∼HSK 6
一袭 一襲 yī xí an outfit of (clothing) ∼HSK 6
何须 何須 hé xū there is no need; why should ∼HSK 6
争辩 爭辯 zhēng biàn a dispute; to wrangle ∼HSK 6
蹊跷 蹊蹺 qī qiāo odd; queer; strange; fishy ∼HSK 6
一面之辞 一面之辭 yī miàn zhī cí one side of the story; a one-sided statement (idiom) ∼HSK 6
怪罪 怪罪 guài zuì to blame ∼HSK 6
清正 清正 qīng zhèng upright and honorable ∼HSK 6
斥责 斥責 chì zé to lash out; to reprimand ∼HSK 6
一臂之力 一臂之力 yī bì zhī lì a helping hand (idiom); to lend assistance; lit. the strength of one arm ∼HSK 6
诬害 誣害 wū hài to damage by calumny ∼HSK 6
英灵 英靈 yīng líng spirit of a martyr; spirit of the brave departed; (literary) person of remarkable talent ∼HSK 6
含冤受屈 含冤受屈 hán yuān shòu qū to suffer a grave injustice; to be wronged and bear false accusation (idiom) ∼HSK 6
元宵 元宵 yuán xiāo Lantern Festival; night of the 15th of the first lunar month; see also; sticky rice dumplings ∼HSK 6
且慢 且慢 qiě màn to wait a moment; do not go too soon ∼HSK 6
何故 何故 hé gù what for?; what's the reason? ∼HSK 6
违抗 違抗 wéi kàng to disobey ∼HSK 6
借故 藉故 jiè gù to find an excuse ∼HSK 6
用心良苦 用心良苦 yòng xīn liáng kǔ to ponder earnestly; to give a lot of thought to sth ∼HSK 6
圣上 聖上 shèng shàng Your Majesty ∼HSK 6
文武 文武 wén wǔ civil and military ∼HSK 6
钢刀 鋼刀 gāng dāo steel knife; sword ∼HSK 6
国君 國君 guó jūn monarch ∼HSK 6
公卿 公卿 gōng qīng high-ranking officials in the court of a Chinese emperor ∼HSK 6
众卿 眾卿 zhòng qīng all you ministers ∼HSK 6
御弟 御弟 yù dì emperor's young brother ∼HSK 6
唾骂 唾罵 tuò mà to spit on and curse; to revile ∼HSK 6
养母 養母 yǎng mǔ foster mother; adoptive mother ∼HSK 6
胆大妄为 膽大妄為 dǎn dà wàng wéi daring; presumptuous; daredevil ∼HSK 6
适才 適才 shì cái just now (literary) ∼HSK 6
有何 有何 yǒu hé what is there ∼HSK 6
不端 不端 bù duān improper; dishonorable ∼HSK 6
令堂 令堂 lìng táng (honorific) your mother ∼HSK 6
沉冤莫白 沉冤莫白 chén yuān mò bái a deep injustice that cannot be cleared up (idiom); a grievous wrong left unredressed ∼HSK 6
心腹 心腹 xīn fù trusted aide; confidant ∼HSK 6
大堂 大堂 dà táng lobby ∼HSK 6
岂能 豈能 qǐ néng how could ...?; how can it be that ...? (rhetorical) ∼HSK 6
淹死 淹死 yān sǐ to drown ∼HSK 6
抵赖 抵賴 dǐ lài to refuse to admit (what one has done); to disavow; to renege ∼HSK 6
上刑 上刑 shàng xíng severe punishment; worst punishment; to torture ∼HSK 6
逼供 逼供 bī gòng to extort a confession ∼HSK 6
除掉 除掉 chú diào to eliminate ∼HSK 6
不尽 不盡 bù jìn not completely; endlessly ∼HSK 6
出头之日 出頭之日 chū tóu zhī rì the day one finally gets ahead (idiom); the day of deliverance from hardship ∼HSK 6
刑场 刑場 xíng chǎng execution ground ∼HSK 6
行刑 行刑 xíng xíng to carry out a (death) sentence; execution ∼HSK 6
孤孀 孤孀 gū shuāng widow ∼HSK 6
尽忠报国 盡忠報國 jìn zhōng bào guó to serve loyally and repay the nation (idiom); utter devotion to one's country (associated with Yue Fei) ∼HSK 6
冤魂 冤魂 yuān hún ghost of one who died unjustly; departed spirit demanding vengeance for grievances ∼HSK 6
从实招来 從實招來 cóng shí zhāo lái to own up to the facts ∼HSK 6