Currently, the first part has received 4 billion hits on Youku and 8.3 points out of 10 on Douban, China's major film and TV review website. A mobile game adapted from the drama was also released on July 6.
Called by internet users as a Chinese version of House of Cards, the drama was highly praised for its exciting stories and film style.
Han Zhong, art designer of the series, said most of the money was spent on the sets. They used more than 6,000 costumes and took 20,000 hours to complete the props.
The elaborate drama attracted audiences from all ages.
According to guduomedia.com, an internet media data website, 33 percent of the series' viewers are people aged from 20-29 and 50 percent are 30-39 years old.
"The drama beautifully featured many details in history. The acting skills of actors and actresses also highlight the series," 22-year-old student Li Tao from Beijing Institute of Technology said. "The casting is not ideal, though. Some of the actors lack the charisma of the historical figures that they played. For example, actor Li Chen looks too soft for the role Cao Pi."
The drama was also criticized for not faithfully portraying history. The series infused many small events that happened at different points in history, yet featured them in the same period.
And the actors' lines sounded slightly too modern for the roles. For instance "the medicine should not be stopped", a popular saying in recent years, was said in the drama. The original meaning of the saying is: "you are ignorant, please have something to make you clever", and many audiences said the use of it spoiled the mood in the drama.
Unlike young people who cared more about the plot and set design, the older audiences paid more attention to what they could learn from the drama.
"I learned some ways to deal with things from the drama. Whether you are a high-profile person or a low-key fellow, you must be knowledgeable if you really want to succeed," 58-year-old viewer Daheqidan said.
