Set during Tang dynasty, Brocade Odyssey 蜀锦人家 follows Ji Yingying's journey to the top of the Yizhou silk industry as she seeks to clear her father's name and to reclaim her family's reputation as preeminent weavers of the prized Shu brocade. This drama paints a realistic picture of women's roles in feudal society and the intricacies and cut-throat competitiveness of the ancient silk trade. Her path to "having it all" is littered with obstacles, betrayals and setbacks; her triumphs come at great sacrifices; she loses her first love, a few true friends and supporters and for some time, even her freedom.

This is not a light or fluffy romance drama. The main characters are dark and ambitious and some of their overlapping entanglements are messy and complex in a way that won't appal to viewers looking for more straightforward storylines. It is like a rich tapestry that frays at the edges in its over ambitious exploration of too many complicated themes. It is obvious from the start that both Yingying and Zhao Xiuyuan had ambitions that had the potential to get in the way of their relationship. While I didn't agree with Xiyuan's choice, I understood why he did it and I felt quite sad for him. While the digital face swap was surprisingly well done, I think Zhang Haowei would have better conveyed this role. What I didn't like was how when cornered, Yingying makes the exact same decision yet she had no insight from it and her attitude towards Xiyuan continued to be hard and unforgiving even though she had no real moral high ground. She just got super lucky with Yang Jinglan.

The cast is strong, and most of them are able to dub themselves and deliver commendable performances all around. It is difficult to find fault with Tan Songyun's empathetic portrayal of Ji Yingying's ambition, familial obligations and emotional conflicts. However, between her tomboyish girl-next-door look and simply dreadful styling, she does not convey the allure that draws multiple suitors, making the romantic subplots unconvincing. Zheng Yecheng really brings an exciting dynamic to the drama with his physicality and charisma. It is so rare to get such an excellent actor who is also properly trained in martial arts. The production took full advantage of this with many long, exciting, fast moving, muscular and flinch-inducing action sequences. It is a huge upgrade from all quick cuts the slo-mo posing and spinning that we normally have to make do with. I enjoyed their chemistry as a couple and how their relationship evolves organically from that of an alliance into a couple that complements each other in so many ways. Yet I wouldn't say that this is a CP that made a lasting impression on me.

Despite a solid start, this is yet another entertaining Chinese drama that self destructs in the completely unnecessary final Nanzhao arc. It was clearly meant to give Jing Chao, who is a fantastic actor, his own arc. Unfortunately, it is too late in the narrative to force the audience to reinvest in a whole new set of characters and political dynamics. I would also have preferred to see Cheng Fengze remain as a good frenemy, a business rival who valued Yingying for her talent and business acumen alone rather than turning him into yet another delusional suitor. Many of the conflicts that arise in this arc feel forced and all three main characters end up doing stupid things that are out of character. It took me twice as long to watch the final ten episodes as it did to watch the first thirty. There were also a few undeserved death that really made me want to flip tables. Even the terrific end fight scene could not make up for my dismay.

Overall, this is not a bad watch for the fight scenes alone and it is much better if you stop at about ep 30. It is thematically rich and explores female empowerment and the ties that bind in a complex and realistic way. I can rate the first 30 episodes an 8.0 but unfortunately the final 10 episodes are barely worth a 6.0 so my overall rating is 7.5/10.0.