The summer 2026 costume drama lineup has a new heavyweight contender. “Quegu” (雀骨, Sparrow Bone), a 28-episode historical romance thriller starring Hou Minghao and Ai Mi, has secured its distribution license and is slated for a July 25 premiere on iQiyi. Directed by Gao Yijun — known for “The Prince of Han Dynasty” (大汉天子) and “The Empress of China” (武媚娘传奇) — the drama adapts Chao Yunzi’s novel of the same name and promises a visually ambitious blend of Tang-inspired costume design, live-action combat choreography, and intricate mechanical props rooted in historical Chinese engineering.
Set in a fictional dynasty with strong Tang-era aesthetic influences, “Quegu” follows Xiao Wuyi (Hou Minghao), the outwardly tyrannical heir to Prince Jing’an, who is secretly a reformist military commander investigating a weapons-fraud conspiracy that led to mass troop casualties. To advance his investigation, he forcibly marries Xie Jiayu (Ai Mi), the daughter of the Grand Tutor, as his secondary consort. Xie Jiayu, far from a conventional noblewoman, is a prodigy of Mohist mechanical engineering — she carries thirty concealed weapons and can design battlefield machinery. Their relationship evolves from mutual manipulation to genuine partnership as they unravel a court conspiracy threatening the dynasty.
Costume Design and Visual Style
Director Gao Yijun brings his signature approach to historical aesthetics: real fire explosions, live horseback combat on cliff edges, and extended long-take sequences — no green-screen shortcuts. The released promotional stills showcase a costume language that draws from Tang military and court attire: red battle robes, masked archery sequences, and layered silk garments that combine ceremonial formality with battlefield practicality. Hou Minghao’s character appears in multiple looks that evoke the Tang yuanlingpao (round-collar robe) tradition adapted for a fictional setting, while Ai Mi’s Xie Jiayu wears functional, movement-friendly costumes befitting an engineer-warrior rather than a passive noblewoman — a departure from the “ornamental female lead” trope common in the genre.
Beyond the two leads, the cast includes Wang Yilun as a duplicitous prince whose character arc traces a descent from elegant youth to ruthless heir, alongside veteran actors He Rundong and Tao Xinran in supporting roles. The production team completed the journey from filing to distribution license in approximately one year — unusually fast for a period drama — suggesting strong institutional confidence in the project. Pre-release reservations have been strong, and iQiyi is positioning “Quegu” as its headline costume drama for the late-summer window.
“Quegu” enters a competitive summer field already crowded with female-led costume dramas including “Baihua Sha” (百花杀, Blossoms of Power) starring Meng Ziyi on Tencent Video. What distinguishes “Quegu” is its emphasis on practical craftsmanship — both in the Mohist mechanical engineering woven into the plot and in the production’s commitment to live-action stunts and historically informed costume design. For viewers interested in how Chinese period dramas are raising the bar for fu hua dao (服化道, costume-makeup-props) authenticity, “Quegu” will be one to watch when it lands on July 25.