In the first months of 2026, a historical drama set in the tumultuous Five Dynasties (907-960) and Ten Kingdoms (902-979) period has captivated audiences far beyond the Chinese mainland.Swords into Plowshares, orTaipingnian(Lit: Peaceful Years) in Chinese, which traces the Wuyue Kingdom’s peaceful integration into the Song Dynasty (960-1279), has not only sparked widespread discussion and high ratings across the Taiwan Straits, but has also garnered unexpected attention overseas.
In an interview with the Global Times on Wednesday, Zhao Yifang, the drama’s producer, and founder of Huace Film & TV, shared the story of this decade-long project – a work she calls “difficult yet right.”
Reflecting on the 10-year journey from conception to screen, Zhao described the process as “searching for light in a dark tunnel.”
In an industry often preoccupied with KPIs and short-term gains, she emphasized the importance of engaging with the most meaningful issues of our time.
“For me, doing something meaningful involves confronting many practical frustrations, but seeing Swords into Plowshares reach this outcome – even exceeding expectations – makes every year worth it,” she said.
The series, Zhao explained, aims to offer “a new cultural feast and spiritual nourishment” beyond the fast-paced pop culture.
It succeeded, she noted, by striking a delicate balance between “a story the creators loved, one audiences embraced, and one platforms believed in.”
How does a dense, historically nuanced drama win over both viewers and the market? Zhao outlined three critical hurdles: the creators’ own passion, audience appeal, and platform support. “We operate in a market. Getting platforms on board without losing money is a reality I must consider as a producer,” she said. The drama’s success, in her view, lay in achieving a “rare and precious resonance” among these three forces.
That resonance, she suggested, is very timely. The series’ portrayal of a fractured world longing for peace and stability echoes today’s global tensions and conflicts. Zhao recalled her own recent trip to Dubai, which was followed days later by the Middle East conflict. “The Burj Al Arab being bombed, the closed airport – I was there. What people anywhere want is to live free from the shadow of war,” she reflected.
The characters’ yearning for peace and normalcy, she noted, aligns with one of the world’s most pressing conversations.
Swords into Plowshares has also stirred discussion on the island of Taiwan. Zhao shared feedback from Taiwan island-based cultural commentators, including veteran critic Jeff Ko, who described the series as “not a cold history textbook but an emotional work about ‘ending war.'” Ko observed that in times of chaos, “peace” is never taken for granted; it is the “most fundamental yet extravagant wish in everyone’s heart, desired by kings and nobles, and even more so by the common people.”
The history of “the Wuyue Kingdom’s peaceful integration into the Song Dynasty” is portrayed in the series as “a choice concerning responsibility and vision.”
“Cultural and media professionals in Taiwan island truly understand what we aimed to convey,” Zhao said. Some commentators in China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have even drawn parallels to Game of Thrones, though Zhao emphasized that Swords into Plowshares reflects a distinctly Chinese wisdom.
At a press conference on Wednesday, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang Han answered a media inquiry about the popularity and heated discussions about the show, saying that the TV series explores the grand theme of “how to achieve peace.”
The attention and discussions among audiences on both sides of the Straits regarding the plot and historical background of the series fully reflect that “peace is the common pursuit of compatriots across the Straits,” Zhang said.
Behind the polished final product was a grueling, iterative creative journey. The biggest challenge, Zhao revealed, was the script itself. It evolved from a focus on “integration” to the broader, more universal theme of “peace.” The perspective widened from the regional story of the Wuyue Kingdom to the grand narrative of Northern Song unification.
Looking ahead, Zhao said her company will continue producing series, including historical dramas. But more important than the genre, she stressed, is the “theme and exploration of values.” “It’s like an exam. Everyone has the test paper, but some score 60, others score 90. Those who can achieve excellence should be encouraged,” she said. For her, one of Swords into Plowshares‘ key lessons is the need to both commend cultural creators and challenge them to pursue greater heights.
