Cropping of TV drama pictures sparks controversy in China(2)

Famous scriptwriter Li Yaling wrote on her Weibo that "Why are people in the 21st Century less open than those a millennium ago?"

However, some fans praised the drama after it replayed.

"Women in the Tang Dynasty were full-figured, open-minded and fashionable. But the plunging necklines and tightly squeezed bosoms of female characters were just for the viewers' pleasure," said Zhao Haijun, a citizen from Lanzhou City in China's Gansu Province.

He added it failed to show the "true" reality of Wu Zetian's period. He also worried the "sexy" drama would have bad influence on kids.

TV DRAMA'S LACK OF INNOVATION

Compared with cropping pictures, it is the lack of innovation in TV drama that is the greatest worry, said Tuo Chaoqun, a news communication teacher at Lanzhou University.

China led the world in the production of television series in the past decade.

In 2012, it produced nearly 17,000 episodes, while 2013 witnessed a slight reduction of 15,000.

However, sometimes quantity is chosen over quality. Viewers have complained about "ludicrous and boring" stories and a saturation of time travel dramas and anti-Japanese war dramas.

In one show, heroic Chinese tear Japanese soldiers apart with their bare hands. Another features a Chinese archer shooting multiple arrows in just one shot, killing several Japanese soldiers at once, or even bomb an aircraft with hand grenade.

These ridiculous plots have even forced Chinese television regulators to impose restrictions.

Artists should be innovative and put the social benefits of their work before everything else, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a symposium in October.

China's TV drama industry has experienced a boom, but faces challenges. TV producers need to create a viable market with more innovative scripts, said Zhang Yiwu, a professor and cultural critic with Peking University,

As long as the shows are good, the public will accept and appreciate them, he added.

"In a materialist and fickle society, we need thought-provoking TV, which can leave a lasting impression, rather than a flash in the pan," said Zhang Wei, a screenwriting student with The Central Academy of Drama.