Toast to success: Zhang Linghe, Tian Xiwei lead ‘Pursuit of Jade’ victory party
MANILA, Philippines — Months since they last filmed for their global hit C-drama “Pursuit of Jade,” Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei trended anew after they were spotted at the show’s victory party on Monday night.
C-drama fanpages uploaded videos and photos of the popular screen pair, who immortalized the beloved characters of Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng.
“Pursuit of Jade” aired its finale last March 30, but it continues to be the most streamed drama on iQiyi. It remains the Top 5 Non-English show on Netflix, with data from March 30 to April 5, 2026, accummulating 1.6 million views and staying in the Top 10 for four consecutive weeks.
The reported reunion took place in Beijing, with fancams showing Linghe and Xiwei heading to the capital. The two are filming their respective upcoming dramas.
Their appreciation speeches also circulated online, with rough translations from fans.
Linghe, dressed in an all-black ensemble, said that even though 400 days since they wrapped filming their hit show but those days were still in his mind because they were “truly unforgettable.”
The cast and crew filmed “Pursuit of Jade” for four months, with online discussions saying it took place between late 2024 until April 2025.
He recalled the days of filming the war scenes as “tough,” but he had a break while taping romantic scenes at Xigu Alley with Xiwei as “emotional” and “very warm.”
“Those days filled with real emotions for everyone, including myself, are truly unforgettable,” Linghe said.
“This drama Zhu Yu (‘Pursuit of Jade’) is very rare. For me as well, it means the same," he added.
Linghe cited that their industry has been facing difficult times in the past two years, especially the long-form dramas. But with the sucess of their show, he hopes that they can rise again and attract more viewers.
At one point, he was visibly emotional and stopped his speech for a few seconds then continued to thank the investors, crew and most importantly, their audience and fans for giving “Pursuit of Jade” a chance.
Xiwei said similar thoughts in her acceptance speech. She began about going the promotions round for “Pursuit of Jade” early this year, including a guesting at the popular variety show “Hello Saturday” sometime in January.
She said that at that point, it still had not sunk in for her until memes about the show started to pop up on the social media. Those that become popular include her now legendary piggyback ride, where she carried the 6’3” Linghe in her warrior costume and walked a few meters with him on her 5’6” frame.
Xiwei shared that she realized that they were the talk of the town when their trailer went viral in markets other than China.
“I felt this desire to take on cultural export. I realized my life’s direction had expanded — I had this higher broader ambition now. I want to create great cultural content and show the world what Chinese culture is all about,” Xiwei said as translated by fanpage.
She also complimented their director Zeng Qingjie for his “incredible” aesthetic vision that earned “Pursuit of Jade” praises for its lighting and cinematography.
The director joined Linghe and Xiwei in cutting the cake at the victory party hosted by Li Qing and Yu Zhongli, who were part of the cast as strategist Gongsun Yin and Grand Princess Qi Shu, respectively.
The photos of Linghe and Xiwei’s managers toasting also trended, sparking hope among fans that a future collaboration with their wards is in the works after the success of “Pursuit of Jade.”
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