Xiao Yan Zi is a very outgoing, carefree, friendly, but sometimes very blunt girl. Often, she means well, but unknowningly brings trouble on herself and other people around her. Xiao Yan Zi was an orphan at a very young age, and she knew nothing about who her real family was. *This was later revealed in Part II, and she found out that she even had a brother! But if you don't know about this, I won't spoil the surprise for you here. That's what my story section is for!* When she was twelve years old, a brother and sister, Liu Qing and Liu Hong, met her and gave her a place to live. They taught her martial arts, and until the age of 19, Xiao Yan Zi lived with them and performed with them on the streets to earn money. Xiao Yan Zi's whole life changes when she meets Xia Zi Wei, a unknown daughter of the Emperor Qing Long, and her maid Jin Suo. Zi Wei and Xiao Yan Zi became best friends, and Zi Wei showed Xiao Yan Zi a fan and a painting that the Emperor made for Zi Wei's mother, Xia Yu He, 19 years ago. Xiao Yan Zi promises Zi Wei that she would help her meet her father. But Xiao Yan Zi was wounded while trying to get to the Emperor, and was later mistaken as his daughter because she was carrying the fan and the painting. She was taken to the palace and given the title Huan Zhu Ge Ge, Princess of Returned Treasure. Xiao Yan Zi soon learned that palace life was not easy at all. If she did anything wrong, she could be jailed or even executed. Having the personality that she did, it was very hard for her to stay out of trouble. A few times she even tried to escape from the palace to find Zi Wei, the real princess, because she felt guilty for accidently "stealing" her title and her father. Xiao Yan Zi was very loyal to her friends. They were the most important thing in the world to her, and she would even die for them. At the palace, the princes and princesses were expected to be very well educated. Xiao Yan Zi was very smart, but she was a horrible student. She hated learning her lessons and much prefered having fun. She could only read a few Chinese words before she came to the Palace, and was always making mistakes when reading and saying Anicient Chinese poems and proverbs. But despite of everything, her kind heart and natural cheeriness won the love of her "father" the Emperor. Even after he found out that Zi Wei was his real daughter, she remained the Huan Zhu Princess because the Emperor already thought of her as a daughter, and none of the other princesses were like her. She was fun and didn't always try to flatter everyone with false compliments. She spoke her mind, even thought it often got her in trouble. It seemed that almost everyone who met her became friends with her, including the 5th Prince, Wu A Ge. They were in love, and since Xiao Yan Zi wasn't really his sister, it was ok. They would sometimes get into fights, but would eventually resolve them because they truly loved each other. Yong Qi would do anything for Xiao Yan Zi. When the Empress Dowager became angry with Xiao Yan Zi, Yong Qi told her that if she didn't think Xiao Yan Zi was suited for the palace, they would both live as commoners because he couldn't stand to be separated from her. Their love touched the Emperor, and he gave them their long-awaited engagement.

The name Zi Wei mean the flower periwinkle or myrtle. She was given that name by her mother, Yu He, because when she was born, the flowers were in full bloom and looked very beautiful. Zi Wei is sweet, kind, gentle, and always forgiving to everyone. She was also very talented. She exelled in all the parts an education that was important to a "well brought-up" girl in Ancient China, including music, literature, and Chinese chess. When she was growing up in the Jinan province of China, she had always been different from other children - she didn't have a father. When she was 18 years old, her mother told her the truth about who her father was. He was the Emperor Qian Long. Her mother showed her a fan and a painting that the Emperor gave her before he went back to Beijing. He promised Yu He that he would come back and take her to the palace, but she waited and waited, and 19 years had gone by. Yu He died of a broken heart, but she gave the fan and painting to Zi Wei, and told her that if she ever found her father to ask him "Do you still remember Xia Yu He?" Zi Wei traveled to Beijing with Jin Suo. Jin Suo was her maid, but they were more like sisters. The trip took them half a year because they didn't have much money and Zi Wei became sick twice. After they reached Beijing, they met Xiao Yan Zi, Liu Qing, and Liu Hong. They provided Zi Wei and Jin Suo with a place to live, and Zi Wei became "sisters" with Xiao Yan Zi. She told only Xiao Yan Zi about her secret, and together with Jin Suo, they went to see the Emperor while he was out hunting. They had to climb over a steep mountain, and Xiao Yan Zi was the only one who was able to. Zi Wei and Jin Suo went back home to wait for her. After many days, they heard nothing from Xiao Yan Zi. One day, Zi Wei, Jin Suo, Liu Qing, and Liu Hong were on the street when there was a royal parade. They saw Xiao Yan Zi sitting in a carriage and waving happily. She was announced as "Huan Zhu Ge Ge." Zi Wei thought that Xiao Yan Zi had betrayed her, and she ran out in the middle of the parade, yelling to Xiao Yan Zi. The guards stopped her, and she was badly injured. It was then that she met Er Kang, who was the Emperor's personal bodyguard. She grabbed his robe, recited the poem that was written on the fan and the painting, and then fainted. Er Kang was deeply touched, and he brought her to his home. He, his brother Er Tai, and their parents learned her story, and when they asked Xiao Yan Zi, she instantly revealed to them that Zi Wei was the real princess. Zi Wei found out that Xiao Yan Zi had not betrayed her after all, and she decided that she would let Xiao Yan Zi be the princess because if she went to the Emperor claiming to be his daughter and he believed her, Xiao Yan Zi might be executed for lying to the Emperor. If you're not familiar with the Huan Zhu Ge Ge story, I won't tell you what happened to them at the end. But since I've finished writing the story summaries, you can head over there to read about it! Zi Wei was almost the opposite of Xiao Yan Zi. She was quiet and graceful while Xiao Yan Zi was loud and tomboyish. But they had many things in common, one of which is the fact that they were both true to their friends and would do anything they could to help them.

Yong Qi had the title of Wu A Ge, the Fifth Prince. He was Emperor Qian Long's favorite son, and that's quite flattering considering that the Emperor had more than 15 sons and 8 daughters. He grew up receiving the usual prince's education, which included literature, calligraphy, Chinese chess, and martial arts, and he excelled in those areas more than any of his brothers. He also had a very kind and caring heart, and like many of the other characters of Huan Zhu Ge Ge, he was loyal to his father and his friends, especially Xiao Yan Zi, and would fight to the end for them. Xiao Yan Zi meant more to him than anything else in the world. For her, he would be willing to give up his title, his luxurius lifestyle, and even his life. But even that doesn't keep Yong Qi and Xiao Yan Zi from having little quarrels and big arguments now and then. They both tended to get very jealous, but that was only because of their love for each other. He met Xiao Yan Zi when he was hunting with the Emperor. He shot an arrows towards a deer, but the arrow hit Xiao Yan Zi instead, who was hiding behind a tree while trying to get to the Emperor. From that moment, his whole life changed. Xiao Yan Zi's many antics kept him very busy - getting her out of the palace to see Zi Wei, helping her with her lessons, catching her parrot for her, constantly going to his grandmother, the Empress Dowager, to help get her out of trouble, and chasing away bees for her, just to name a few. Yong Qi always tried a good son to the Emperor and was always polite and good-mannered towards the Empress, even though she wasn't his real mother. His mother was Yu Fei, one of Emperor Qian Long's wives. She died when Yong Qi was still very young, and that has made him mature and responsible. He was also a good friend to everyone and a good brother to his siblings. He never used his powers as a prince selfishly, and his actions were usually controlled by his head as well as his heart. He was truly a rare prince in those times, and today even, you don't find a guy like this every day!

Er Kang was the oldest son of Fu Lun, one of the Emperor's best scholars, and Fu Jin, Ling Fei's cousin. He was also the Emperor's personal bodyguard. Er Kang was as smart as he was brave. He also had a kind heart. Zi Wei said to him that when she first saw him, there was something about him that told her he would understand her and help her so she used all of her energy to crawl to him and grab onto his robe. Over the course of the story, many other girls fell for him, but no matter what, he always remained true to Zi Wei. I didn't really like Er Kang the first time I saw Huan Zhu Ge Ge because he seemed too posessive and overprotective but now he's one of my favorite characters. You can't see the series five times without being impressed by the whole suave martial arts guy thing!

Er Tai is Er Kang's younger brother and Yong Qi's best friend. He and Yong Qi both liked Xiao Yan Zi but at the time, no one except them knew Xiao Yan Zi wasn't Yong Qi's real sister so he could have asked the Emperor to let him marry her. But he noticed that Xiao Yan Zi was only good friends with him, while she was saw Yong Qi as more than a friend so he let Yong Qi have her. Like most of the other characters, he was loyal to the end. Whenever the other four ran into a problem, he was there to help them solve it. He could think rationally because he wasn't head over heels in love with anyone until the end of the story. When they helped Zi Wei, Xiao Yan Zi, and Jin Suo escape from the prison, he offered to go back to the palace and take the punishment for them. Not much is seen of him in the series, but I personally think Er Tai is a very interesting and underrated character.

Jin Suo was extremely loyal to Zi Wei. She would go everywhere with Zi Wei to help and try to protect her if she needed to. She was orphaned at a very young age and in a way "adopted" by Xia Yu He, Zi Wei's mother. She was one year younger than Zi Wei, and they grew up together like sisters. This quote comes from a Huan Zhu Ge Ge book I have: "If Xiao Yan Zi is the sun - bright and prominent, and Zi Wei os the moon - gentle and quiet, then Jin Suo would be a star - appearing here and there like little twinkles, not very noticeable but inseperable from the moon." Jin Suo wasn't as well educated as Zi Wei and she didn't know martial arts like Xiao Yan Zi, but she was a great cook and do everything she could to protect Zi Wei. She rarely expressed her own wants, always busy making sure everyone else was satisfied and comfortable. She was warm and kind, loyal and sincere, caring and protective. She could truly be depended on.

  

Liu Qing was Liu Hong's older brother. They lived together in "Da Za Yuan" with Xiao Yan Zi for many years. They performed together on the streets to earn money for themselves and all the children and elderly people that lived with them. They met Xiao Yan Zi one winter night when she tried to steal the money they earned. But when they found out that she hadn't eaten anything for days, they took her home with them. Liu Qing taughter her martial arts and from then on, all three of them performed together on the streets. When Zi Wei came, they kindly let her and Jin Suo live with them. They didn't know anything about Zi Wei being a princess, and even when Xiao Yan Zi became a princess and Zi Wei went to live in Xue Shi Fu, the home of the Fu family, they didn't ask any questions but continued to be loyal and trust them.

There have been many, many Chinese films and TV series about one of the greatest Emperors of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qian Long. He was truly an almost legendary hero, skilled in everything from calligraphy to martial arts. Most of the films and series are mainly historical, basing his character on facts and records. But in Huan Zhu Ge Ge, Qiong Yao made Emperor Qian Long more human. He could be seen as more like a father, dealing with family problems. But there was still a slight difference between him and other fathers, and between his family and other families. It was like Zi Wei said, "All fathers and daughters disagree sometimes, but other fathers don't order for their daughters to be killed whenever he gets mad at them." What Zi Wei said was true, but Qian Long was a very good father. He loved his children, especially Zi Wei and Yong Qi, and Xiao Yan Zi wasn't his real daughter, but he loved and spoiled her as if she was. Many years ago, he met and fell in love with a beautiful and talented woman, Xia Yu He. He promised her that he would take her to the palace, but before he knew it, nineteen years had gone by and Yu He had died. His love for her turned into a fatherly love for Xiao Yan Zi, whom he believed was her daughter. And because of Yu He, he forgave Xiao Yan Zi time after time when she got into trouble. But he was human, and once when Xiao Yan Zi pushed his patience too far, he punished her. It turned out that punishing her hurt him more than it hurt her because he really cared about his daughter.

The Empress was always thinking up ways to get Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei in trouble. She seemed like the average "evil stepmother" but everything she did was for her only son, the 12th Prince. She didn't have Ling Fei's kind heart and she only saw her own son as her child. To her, all the other princes and princesses were competitors against him for the Emperor's love and she wanted to make sure that her son would get to a good place. She was jealous of Xiao Yan Zi because she herself tried so hard to flatter the Emperor but he still disliked her, while a mysterious girl who didn't have any manners just flew into the palace like a swallow and instantly earned the Emperor's affection. Everyone probably hated this character from the first time she appeared, threatening Ling Fei and questioning Xiao Yan Zi mercilessly, and probably hated her more and more further into the series. Most people might hate her through the end of the story, even when she becomes somewhat of a "good" person. I think she's the character in the whole series who should be pitied the most. You can tell that she really cares about the Emperor, she just always let her jealousy get the better of her. She tried to be a good mother and her son was the main reason she was against Xiao Yan Zi and everyone. But at the end, she really learned her lesson and was truly sorry.

Rong Muo Muo was the Empress's nurse when she was young, but now she was the Empress's maid and her more trustworthy friend. She was the mind behind all of the Empress's schemes to get Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei in trouble. She hated Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei, and even Yong Qi. But even though she was cruel and merciless to them, she did everything to help the Empress and her son, the 12th Prince. When the Emperor ordered for the Empress to be killed, she offered to die for her and confessed that every bad thing they did was all her idea. When Zi Wei begged the Emperor not to kill her, Rong Muomuo regretted doing everything she had done before to hurt her.

Ling Fei was Emperor Qian Long's favorite wife. She had two daughters and one son. She was very loyal to Emperor Qian Long and would do anything to make him happy. When he adopted Xiao Yan Zi, she treated her as if she was her own daughter. Whenever Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei got into trouble, she was always there to help them ask for the Emperor's forgiveness. When the Emperor was upset, she was always there to comfort him. Ling Fei was an smart and talented woman and she loved the Emperor with all her heart. When he was spending all his time with Han Xiang, she was truly sad but wouldn't say anything to anyone about it. But her kindness and unselfishness touched Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei and they reminded the Emperor that even though he couldn't get Han Xiang to love him, he already had someone who always will.

Princess Saiya came to Beijing with her father from Tibet. At first she seemed extremely arrogant and confident about her own importance. Being the King's only daughter, she was spoiled from childhood. She wouldn't talk in Mandarin, even thought she knew how, unless her father told her to. But later on in the story you start to notice that she was actually a lot like Xiao Yan Zi. Er Tai joked that maybe they were sisters who were separated at birth, and one was adopted by the Emperor while the other became a Tibetan princess. When Er Kang beat all of the best Tibetan fighters in a martial arts contest, she jumped in and challenged him to fight. He did, but he made sure not to hurt her. Even so, he beat her and Saiya fell in love with him. But then at the end of the story, she was fighting with Xiao Yan Zi when Er Tai appeared to help Xiao Yan Zi. Then she realized that she loved Er Tai, and not Er Kang so they were married and went back to Tibet together.

Beautiful and elegant, musical and graceful, kindhearted and sincere. This is the legendary "Fragrant Princess" of Hui Tribe - Han Xiang. She traveled to Beijing with her father, and the Emperor was deeply entranced by her beauty and grace. She was born with a sweet fragrance and could even attract butterflies. It made Emperor Qian Long fall in love with her, but nothing he could do could win her heart because she was already in love with Meng Dan. Her father wouldn't allow her to marry him, and the couple attempted many times to elope. But because of her fragrance, all her father and his soldiers needed to do was to find a place where butterflies gathered and there she would be. After she arrived in Beijing, it seemed as if she had even less hope of being with her true love. She was very lonely at the palace until she met Zi Wei and Xiao Yan Zi. The three of them quickly became friends, and Han Xiang told them her story. She tried to forget about Meng Dan but found that no matter what, she couldn't stop loving him. Xiao Yan Zi, Zi Wei, Yong Qi, and Er Kang were touched by her faithfulness and swore to help her escape from the palace. Han Xiang's loyalty to Meng Dan was very moving, but she had a strong conscience. Because of his kindness, she felt guilty for deceiving him and at first wouldn't go along with Xiao Yan Zi, Yong Qi, Zi Wei, Er Kang and Meng Dan's plans to get her out of the palace. But her love for Meng Dan overcame everything else. They had a special poem that went something like this: "You are the wind, I am the sand, lingering and flying together to the ends of the earth." She deserted her life as a princess and became a commoner to be with him.

Meng Dan grew up with Han Xiang. His parents were good friends of her father, the King of the Hui Tribe. When he was twelve years old, he was playing with Han Xiang one day when he saw her dance with the butterflies and fell in love with her. He decided that day that when he grew up, he would marry her. But years later, when he asked the King, he was bluntly refused and told that he was never to talk to her again. But Han Xiang loved him too so they planned to run away together. They tried seven times, but each time they were caught because of Han Xiang's fragrance. When Han Xiang was taken to Beijing, he followed her but he was wounded very badly by her father's soldiers. So he and his friends went to Hui Bin Lou, the restaurant owned by Liu Qing and Liu Hong. Xiao Yan Zi was helping with the chores but accidently walked into Meng Dan with a plate of food. She tried to wipe it off for him, but it was right on his wound so he rudely brushed her away. That made Xiao Yan Zi angry and she got into a fight with him. Yong Qi and Er Kang jumped in to help her and they realized that he was wounded so Liu Qing and Liu Hong have him a room to stay in. They later learned about his story and promised to help him and Han Xiang. Meng Dan was brave and Han Xiang meant the world to him. He was willing to risk everything to be with her, and without her his life wasn't worth living.

The Empress Dowager was Emperor Qian Long's mother. She was called "Lao Fuo Ye" or "Old Buddha" by everyone as a sign of respect. In Huan Zhu Ge Ge I, she was visiting a temple in the mountains. She was skeptical about whether or not Zi Wei was the Emperor's real daughter, and she didn't like Xiao Yan Zi because she was too wild. She was disappointed that the Emperor had engaged them to Yong Qi and Er Kang, who were her favorite. Time after time Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei got into trouble with her and as the story progressed, she disliked them even more, especially with the Empress and Rong Muomuo to tell her bad things about them. But in the end, she finally saw Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei's kindness and maturity when they asked the Emperor to spare the Empress and Rong Muomuo after he found out about all the things they had done.

This is my favorite character! She had the title of Princess Qing, but was usually called Qinger. Her father was one of the Emperor's brothers, and since her parents both died when she was very young, the Emperor "adopted" her and she grew up as a princess with the Empress Dowager. Three years ago, when she and the Empress Dowager were at a temple, Er Kang went to deliver a few things and there was a big snowstorm. Er Kang was stuck there so the two of them stayed up all night talking and developed a special friendship. The Empress Dowager wanted her to marry Er Kang, but when Qinger found out that he only loved Zi Wei, she refused to come between them. She was very intelligent and had a quick mind. She was always getting Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei out of trouble, and for a while Zi Wei was jealous of her.

Xiao Jian is also one of my favorite characters. He met Xiao Yan Zi, Zi Wei, Yong Qi, and Er Kang at Hui Bin Lou. His name came from a flute, xiao, and a sword, jian, which he always carried with him. He met Xiao Yan Zi and the gang at Hui Bin Lou when Xiao Yan Zi challenged him to a fight but he pretended to not know martial arts at all. After that they became friends and he gave them a lot of help with their plan to reunite Han Xiang and Meng Dan, and when they were escaping to Da Li. During their adventure, it was revealed that he was actually Xiao Yan Zi's brother. When they went back to the palace for the weddings of Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi, and Zi Wei and Er Kang, he saw Qinger and the two of them clicked. I want them to make a Part III just to see what happens between those two!