Yes, for advanced learners who want a challenge with a sense of humour. Joy of Life has fast, witty historical dialogue, and following the jokes takes real command of Chinese. Below advanced level, the speed and old-style wording will wear you out.
- Level
- Advanced
- Format
- Drama
- Year
- 2019
- Length
- about 45 min
- From
- CCTV-8
Why it works for learners
Few costume dramas are this talkative or this funny. Court schemes play out through verbal sparring, so you hear how people flatter, threaten and imply things in a formal register. Its hero's modern-sounding wit next to palace language puts two registers side by side, which helps you notice the contrast. Episodes of about 45 minutes and a long run mean you can settle in with the same characters over months of regular listening.
What makes it hard
Speed is the first problem, closely followed by court titles, official posts and allusions to classical poetry. Jokes often work only if you catch the exact phrasing, and plots hinge on what is implied. Subtitles help, but reading at this pace is itself demanding.
How to use it
Choose one verbal duel per episode and replay it with Chinese subtitles until you catch the insult or the joke. Keep a list of court titles for the first few episodes, then stop looking them up. Watch the rest of the episode at normal speed.
More for Chinese learners: our Chinese guides.
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