The 76-episode drama series "Legend of Zhen Huan" has had sweeping popularity in the Chinese mainland over the past months, that "a whole town tunes in to watch when it airs on TV," Sina.com reported.

The series is adapted from a novel of the same name by Liu Lianzi, and the story centers on the schemes between Emperor Yongzheng's concubines in the imperial palace during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The pure and innocent 17-year-old Zhen Huan is chosen for the emperor's harem, and after entering the palace, she finds herself caught in the fierce infighting between the empress and the concubines. Realizing that the palace is actually a cruel and harsh place, Zhen has to learn to survive on her own, sometimes by unscrupulous methods.

With her wits and talents, Zhen fights her way through and wins the emperor's affection, ultimately becoming the most powerful concubine in the imperial palace and ascending to unparalleled glory and wealth. However, she also becomes a woman with few true friends at her side, even after she is rid of all her enemies.

Directed by Zheng Xiaolong and starring Sun Li and Chen Jianbin, "Legend of Zhen Huan" has been praised as one of the best historical dramas in the Chinese mainland in recent years. Through the thrilling story, audiences can also learn about ancient Chinese poetry, wardrobes, court etiquettes, and herbal medicine. The show also features many refined dialogues that become trending quotes among its followers on the internet.

Some viewers have also begun using the story to allude to the present and describe the schemes and trickery between rivals in the palace as "a treasured book for survival in today's professional world." Psychological experts disagreed, saying that violent infighting is not a characteristic in modern workplaces.

(China.org.cn May 4, 2012)

據新浪網報道，76集電視連續劇《甄嬛傳》在過去的幾個月里風靡整個中國大陸，其火爆程度可用“熱播期間萬人空巷爭睹”來形容。

該劇改編自流瀲紫所著的同名小說，是一部清朝雍正年間的宮廷情感大戲，主要講述后宮嬪妃之間的勾心斗角。

劇中女主角甄嬛從一個不諳世事的17歲純真少女被選秀入宮，不久便發現自己置身于皇后和嬪妃間的激烈爭斗之中。她意識到后宮實際上是一個殘酷惡劣的地方，必須學會依靠自已生存，有時甚至要不擇手段。

憑借天資聰慧，甄嬛想方設法贏得了皇帝的寵愛，最終成為宮中最有權勢的妃子，得到了無與倫比的榮華富貴。然而，此時她卻已成了孤家寡人，雖然鏟除了所有的敵人，但身邊也不復存在真正的朋友。

《甄嬛傳》由鄭曉龍導演，孫儷、陳建斌等主演，播出之后被譽為近年來中國大陸最好的古裝劇之一。不但劇情扣人心弦，劇中有關詩詞歌賦、服裝禮儀、中醫用藥等內容也讓觀眾們大開眼界。劇中不乏經典臺詞，被網上諸多粉絲津津樂道。

此外，還有不少職場中人借此劇諷古喻今，把后宮爭寵之計當作職場生存寶典。但心理專家認為，血雨腥風并非現代職場本色。