The Last Healer in Forbidden City

The Last Healer in Forbidden City (Chinese: 末代御醫; Cantonese Yale: Muhtdoih Yuhyī; literally "The Last Imperial Physician") is a 2016 Hong Kong historical fiction television drama produced by TVB, starring Roger Kwok and Tavia Yeung as the main leads, produced by Nelson Cheung.[1] It premiered on March 28, 2016, airing every Monday to Friday on Hong Kong's TVB Jade, Malaysia's Astro on Demand and Australia's TVBJ channels during its 8:30–9:30 pm timeslot, concluding April 22, 2016 with a total of 20 episodes.[2]

The Last Healer in Forbidden City
Official poster
Also known asThe Last Imperial Physician
末代御醫
GenreHistorical drama, historical fiction
Created byHong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited
Written byWong Kwok-fai
StarringRoger Kwok
Tavia Yeung
Helena Law
Pierre Ngo
JJ Jia
Jonathan Cheung
Rebecca Zhu
Jazz Lam
Theme music composerAlan Cheung
Opening themeAgony (靈魂的痛) by Hubert Wu
Country of originHong Kong
Original languageCantonese
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producerCatherine Tsang
ProducerNelson Cheung
Production locationsHong Kong
Panyu District, Guangzhou, China
EditorWong Kwok-fai
Camera setupMulti camera
Running time45 minutes
Production companyTVB
Original release
NetworkJade
ReleaseMarch 28 (2016-03-28) –
April 22, 2016 (2016-04-22)
Related
The Last Healer in Forbidden City
Traditional Chinese末代御醫
Simplified Chinese末代御医
Literal meaning"The Last Imperial Physician"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinMòdài Yùyī
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationMuhtdoih Yuhyī
JyutpingMut6doi6 Jyu6ji1
IPA[mùːt̚.tɔ̀ːy jỳː.jíː]

The Last Healer in Forbidden City is a fictional telling told through the account of a physician of Emperor Guangxu played by Roger Kwok about the Emperor's mysterious death at the age of 37. It has long been rumored that the Guangxu Emperor was actually poisoned to death. In 2008, forensic tests done on the Guangxu Emperor remains revealed that high levels of arsenic was found in his remains. The arsenic levels were 2,000 times higher than normal.[3]

Synopsis

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The story takes place between 1898 (24th year of Guangxu) and 1908 (34th year of Guangxu), late in the Qing dynasty. Skillful physician To Chung (Roger Kwok) is named the new Imperial Palace physician after he heals Empress Dowager Chee-Hei (Law Lan). He eventually grows close to the Gwong-seoi Emperor (Pierre Ngo), who is under house arrest at the Forbidden City and stripped of his powers after angering Chee-hei by losing the First Sino-Japanese War and rebelling against her authority. He also heals the Emperor and helps his relationship with Consort Tsan (Rebecca Zhu).

As great a physician he is to the imperial family, To Chung cannot heal his crippled wife Hung Bak-hap (JJ Jia). He desperately seeks the services of bone-setter Fuk Ling (Tavia Yeung). Her treatments help relieve some of Bak-hap's pain. Impressed, To Chung refers her to the Forbidden City where she becomes Chee-hei's personal bone-setter.

To Chung and Fuk Ling's friendship eventually turns romantic but his loyalty to Bak-hap and her ulterior motive to kill the Emperor prevents it from developing.[4]

Cast

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Character names are in Cantonese romanisation.

Main cast

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Names of the main cast are all homophones to Chinese herbs.

  • Roger Kwok as To Chung (杜仲), the imperial doctor who enters the office of imperial doctors by successfully heals Empress Dowager Cixi's sleepwalking.
  • Tavia Yeung as Fuk Ling (伏苓), the revolutionist and a bone doctor.

Imperial Qing

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Extended cast

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  • JJ Jia as Hung Bak-hap (洪百合), To's wife who is a disable, and using a wooden wheelchair to walk instead
  • Stanley Cheung as Yam Sek-gang (任錫庚), an imperial doctor who is a closed friend of To
  • Eileen Yeow as To's elder sister who always worries about To's heritage.
  • Yu Chi-ming as Lee Lin-Ying (李連英)

Development

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  • The costume fitting ceremony and blessing ceremony was held together on May 12, 2015 at 4:00 pm Tseung Kwan O TVB City Studio 15.[5]
  • A promo image of The Last Healer in Forbidden City was featured in TVB's 2016 calendar for the month of October .[6]
  • The Last Healer in Forbidden City was one of five dramas shelved by new TVB CEO Mark Lee (李寶安) in early 2016, as he considered the drama low quality and not fit to be broadcast.[7]

Viewership ratings

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Timeslot (HKT) # Week Episode(s) Average points Peaking points
Mon – Fri
(8:30–9:30 pm)
20:30–21:30
1 Mar 28 – April 1, 2016 1–5 25
2 April 4–8, 2016 6–10 23 25
3 April 11–15, 2016 11–15 22 23
4 April 18–22, 2016 16–20 23 26
Total average 23.25 27

International broadcast

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Network Country Airing Date Timeslot
Astro on Demand   Malaysia March 28, 2016 Monday – Friday 8:30–9:15 pm
8TV (Malaysia) June 26, 2018 Monday – Friday 7:00–8:00 pm
TVBJ   Australia March 28, 2016 Monday – Friday 7:15–8:15 pm
Starhub TV   Singapore July 4, 2016 Monday – Friday 8:00–9:00 pm

Awards and nominations

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Year Ceremony Category Nominee Result
2016 StarHub TVB Awards[8] My Favourite TVB Drama The Last Healer in Forbidden City Nominated
My Favourite TVB Actor Roger Kwok Nominated
My Favourite TVB Supporting Actor Pierre Ngo Nominated
TVB Star Awards Malaysia My Favourite TVB Actor in a Supporting Role Pierre Ngo Nominated
My Favourite Top 15 TVB Drama Characters Roger Kwok Nominated
Tavia Yeung Nominated
TVB Anniversary Awards Best Series The Last Healer in Forbidden City Nominated
Best Actress Tavia Yeung Nominated
Most Popular Series Song Agony (靈魂的痛) by Hubert Wu Nominated
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References

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  1. ^ [1] Roger Kwok and Tavia Yeung on Filming TVB's "The Last Healer in Forbidden City"
  2. ^ [2] TVB新劇《末代御醫》劇情介紹(1﹣20集大結局)ihktv.com. (in Chinese) Retrieved February 26, 2016
  3. ^ [3] Chinese emperor was poisoned with arsenic. Retrieved February 26, 2016
  4. ^ [4] TVB Period Drama "The Last Healer in Forbidden City" Premieres March 28. Retrieved February 26, 2016
  5. ^ [5] 《末代御醫》 "The Last Imperial Physician" Blessing Ceremony. Retrieved February 26, 2016
  6. ^ [6] TVB Releases 2016 Calendar and Teases Upcoming Dramas. Retrieved February 26, 2016
  7. ^ [7] TVB Shelves 5 Low Quality Dramas from Broadcast. Retrieved February 26, 2016
  8. ^ [8] StarHub TVB Awards 2016 Nominations. Retrieved September 10, 2016
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