Cash splashed for pricey TV drama

The Legend of Chu and Han, China's most expensive television drama to date, will be broadcast by Tianjin TV in one month. Costing 240 million yuan ($38 million) to make - the money is enough to make a blockbuster film - the series stars Chen Daoming, who's known for his portrayals of emperors. Chen is picky about his roles and hasn't appeared in TV dramas for two years. He plays Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Taiwan actor Peter Ho plays his rival Xiang Yu, a warlord of the short-lived Chu kingdom in today's Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.

Related: Report documents documentaries