Duke of Mount Deer 2000

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For other uses, see The Deer and the Cauldron.

The Duke of Mount Deer
Genre	Wuxia, Drama
Creator(s)	Jinyong (novel)
Starring	See Cast below
Country of origin	Hong Kong
No. of episodes	40
Production
Running time	45 mins (per episode)
Broadcast
Original channel	HK TVB

The Duke of Mount Deer 2000 (Traditional Chinese: 鹿鼎記 / 小寶與康熙; Simplified Chinese: 鹿鼎记 / 小宝与康熙; pinyin: Lù Dǐng Jì / xiǎo bǎo yǔ kāng xī) is a Hong Kong TVB production released in 2000, adapted from novel The Deer and the Cauldron (Chinese: 鹿鼎記; literal translation: The Deer and the Cauldron) by notable Hong Kong fiction author Louis Cha (pen name: Jinyong/金庸). Another translated name of the story is The Duke of Mount Deer. First broadcasted on 2000 in Hong Kong which was followed by subsequent broadcasts in other Asian countries.

1 Plot Summary
2 Main cast
3 Characters Info
4 Differences with the novel
5 Costume Descriptions
6 Review
7 External links

[edit] Plot Summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

This production is a more recent, and somewhat more loose adaptation of Jin Yong's last and most unique Wuxia novel "The Deer and the Cauldron". The story is centred around an uneducated street urchin Wei Xiao Bao, who was born and raised in a brothel by his mother. Through a series of misdaventures, he managed to make his way from the southern playground of Yangzhou to Beijing, the seat of Manchurian imperial power, and bumbling accidentally into a fateful encounter with young Emperor Kang Xi. By hook or by crook, but also through a genuine concern and fierce loyalty towards his "mate" the Emperor, Xiao Bao found himself in the greatest of confidences and a complicated friendship of one of the most eminent monarchs of Chinese history.

The plot follows Xiao Bao on a rags to riches journey as Xiao Bao becomes embroiled in political and court intrigues, overcoming enemies for Kang Xi and accomplishing amazing achievements. Along the way, Xiao Bao meets with and successfully woos seven beautiful women, climbs his way up the social ladder from brothel boy to great lord and nobleman, acquiring titles such as Imperial Emissary and Plenipotenitary, Ambassador, general and admiral- courtesy of Kang Xi- as well as finding himself in positions completely at odds with the above: Green Wood Lodge Master of the Heaven and Earth Guild (a precursor of the modern-day triads), and White Dragon Marshal of the Mystical Dragons Sect.

In the end, however, Xiao Bao could not reconcile his two separate lives- as an anti-Qing rebel and Kang Xi's devoted courtier. He chose to offer up his own life- in return for the Emperor's munificence towards him and also as an honourable way out of the Heaven and Earth Sect. Pained and aggrieved beyond words, Kang Xi orders the execution of his one and only true friend. Afterwards, plagued by loss and guilt, Kang Xi took a long walk along the Great Wall, asking heaven for guidance- only to be happily surprised by the appearance of Xiao Bao, who didn't die after all (!). After saving his mate's life once again, Xiao Bao bades goodbye to Kang Xi, reaffirming their friendship which will, from that point onwards, remain only in the minds and memories of the two men.

[edit] Main cast

Dicky Cheung (張衛健) as Wei Xiaobao
Patrick Tam (譚耀文) as Emperor Kangxi
Ruby Lin (林心如) as Princess Jianning
Annie Wu (吳辰君) as Shuang Er
Athena Chu (朱茵) as A Ke
Teresa Mak (麥家琪) as Fang Yi
Monica Chan (陳德容) as Long Yi
Shu Qi (舒淇) as Xiao Jin Yu
Jessie Cheung (張茜) as Mu Jian Ping
Huang Ie Fei (黃一飛) as Duo Long
Ekin Cheng (鄭伊健) as Chan Jian nan
Ng Man Tat (吳孟達) as Hai Kung Kung
Chen Kuan Tai as Hong An Tong
Cheng Jui Siau as Zhen Ke Shuang

[edit] Characters Info

Wei Xiao Bao

is a witty and soft-hearted young man from Li Chun Yuan, and is a forever best friend of the emperor Kang Xi. ‘Men without loyalty is not different from animals,” that makes Xiao Bao not betray both Tian Di sect and emperor Kang Xi.

Emperor Kang Xi

is the reigning emperor. Despite being powerful, he has only one good friend he can entrust, Xiao Bao. It is a rare case that a royal leader would befriend someone from low status.

Princess Jian Ning

is a younger sister of the emperor Kang Xi. The attractive and playful princess loves Xiao Bao deeply ,but Xiao Bao seems to be annoyed about her. Indeed, Xiao Bao loves her as much as she does, only not aware of the fact.

Shuang Er

is a maid sent by Hu De Di to take care of Xiao Bao. She knows well how to please her master and fulfill his needs. Without a doubt, she is the one whom Xiao Bao trusts the most. From his seven wives, she is his favorite.

Mu Jian Ping

is the first woman that Xiao Bao is attracted to in the palace. Xiao Bao first meets with the princess when she is kidnapped by a member of Tian Di leader sect. Her characteristic is as a child. Xiao Bao is very concerned about her.

Ah Ke

is the woman that Xiao Bao loves the most. At first, she hates Xiao Bao but finally she becomes his wife as she realizes no one could love her more than him.

Long Yi

is a disciple of Hong An Tong. Her master sends her to palace to find the Eight Books of Forty-two Chapters. To accomplish her master's desire, she disguises as the mother of the emperor Kang Xi. She is well-versed in martial arts and even teaches Xiao Bao martial arts and gives him chi kong (inner strength and power).

Fang Yi

is Jian Ping one sect sister. She is very aggressive, witty and a sweet talker.

Xiao Jin Yu

is Xiao Bao's first love. Xiao Bao makes a promise to marry her as soon as he gets rich. Unfortunately, they are not destined to be together. She commits suicide when her parents force her to marry another man.

[edit] Differences with the novel

They have a very different ending as far as Wei Xiao bao's personal life goes (he ends up with 5 wives, only marries 6), and they added a "Little Goldfish," who was his first love (Xiao Jin Yu )--took out his other wife. They changed the story around some too, such as the backgrounds of some of the wives. Ending not like other 2.

[edit] Costume Descriptions

Princess Jian Ning

In order to make her noble elegance stand off, Princess Kin Ning has a pink base. She has plenty of jewelry as decoration. Sum Yu said the big butterfly on her head was to make Kin Ning's naughty personality stand out. When she walks she does not feel she is flowing.

Fang Yi

Fong Yi's costume specialty is the cute collar which made the role especially fresh.

Long Yi

With Chinese flavored stitches, Gypsy head wrap and scarves, this Holy Dragon Cult Lady Saint is outrageous and attractive.

Shuang Er

Her movement has to look a lot smoother. So her costume is a gong fu style

[edit] Review

This review emphasises the phrase "loose adaptation". Although the plot of the show mostly followed Jin Yong's story, with most of Xiao Bao's adventures being portrayed (approx. 75%), the most fundamental changes were made in the characters of the novel. Jin Yong's Xiao Bao is a teenage scamp who is a very human, but also very loyal coward who uses more tricks than he does kung fu and who also happened to be incredibly lucky. Dicky Cheung's Xiao Bao relied less of luck, being portrayed as a brilliant if somewhat underhanded strategician, a crazy and sometimes annoying, but lovable hero who also became a martial arts master at the end of the show. The TVB production also made Xiao Bao's various armourous conquests more emotionally satisfying, with him going through at least one hair-raising life-and-death experience with each of his wives. Some of these changes in Xiao Bao's personality is at odds with Jin Yong's aim- to create a satirical character who is completely different to all his other Wuxia protagonists.

In addition, some characters found in the original novel were lost- Zu Reng, a low-profile character who was supposed to be one of Xiao Bao's seven wives were taken out. This is a minor change that does not affect the overall plot of the story. Madame Hong was also replaced with a hybrid character Long Yi, who is the fake Empress Dowager-cum-Hong An Tong's foster daughter. Songgotu, a Manchurian nobleman who became sworn brothers with Xiao Bao was replaced by Dolong, the Chief Intendant of the royal guards.

Although the story is set in the late 1600s, Emperor Kang Xi, Xiao Bao and his mother, as well as several of his wives (most notably Fang Yi), seems to have waltzed out of modern Hong Kong into renaissance China, with speech and intonations that may be somewhat irksome to a viewer wanting a period drama. However, this style, along with the gaffs mentioning "Huan Zhu Ge Ge", Jin Yong himself, crash dieting and Alzheimer's disease all add to the humour to a story that is meant to be a comedy, as well as creating an air of timelessness that echoed well with Jin Yong's theme- a novel based on a realistic world of duplicity, where the best and brightest is not often what they seemed, where successes may not necessarily be based on merit and achievement but also how one plays the political game, how loyalties can be fiercely divided but still be true.