I watched Si Jin (似锦) mainly because of Zhang Wan Yi. I kind of like his acting in Lost You Forever S1 and S2 and thought I should give his latest drama a try as well. Unfortunately, this one falls a little short in a few areas to me. His partnership with Jing Tian doesn’t really inspire me to chase after their story. Anyway, I have more to say in my Si Jin review below. For now, my overall thought is this is a watchable drama in terms of plot but suffers from competition from similar stories of rebirth and revenge.
My rating: 7.5/10
Episodes: 40
Type: Historical Romance
Aired: March 2025
Images Credit: WeTV Official Facebook
The Cast Of Si Jin
- Jing Tian as Jiang Si
- Zhang Wan Yi as Yu Qi
- Cui Hang as Zhen Heng
- Ji Hao as Long Dan
- Zhang Chi as Jiang Zhan
- Cao Fei Ran as Jiang Yi
- Zhao Xin as Jiang Qian
- Jia Ze as Jiang Qiao
- Zhang Tian Ai as Jiang Pei
- Yue Yang as Jiang An Cheng
- Liu Ting Zuo as Jiang An Mou
- Ma Su as Madam Xiao
- Wu Mian as Old Madam Jiang
- Sun Zu Jun as Ji Chong Yi
- Bai Bing Ke as Lu Chu Chu
- Huang Yi as Princess Rong Yang / Princess Royal
- Xu Hao as Cui Ming Yue
- Zhang Yi as Cao Yong
- Guo Tao as Emperor Jing Ming
Main Characters
Jiang Si
Jiang Si is the 4th young lady of the Count of Dongping Mansion. She is a smart and shrewd lady. Jiang Si is also courageous and would not hesitate to retaliate against those who have wronged her. Her mother died not long after she was born while her father is a retired official of the Directorate of Astronomy. Ah Man is her personal maid.
Yu Qi
Yu Qi is the Chief of the Red Plume Cavalry which is based in the Southern frontier in private. In public, he is a commandant working under Zhen Heng. He is intelligent and astute with a bright personality. Yu Qi was an abandoned child as he was deemed to be a jinx when he was born.
Supporting Characters
Zhen Heng
Zhen Heng is the Deputy Magistrate of the Capital Administrative Office. He has the trust of the Emperor and carries out his duties without fear or favor. Zhen Heng is an upright official who is good at articulating his point of view to support his arguments.
Long Dan
Long Dan is Yu Qi’s personal assistant.
Jiang Zhan
Jiang Zhan is Jiang Si’s elder brother. He is a simple man with an idle life. But he is a very loving and protective brother to Jiang Si.
Jiang Yi
Jiang Yi is Jiang Si’s eldest sister. She is married to Zhu Zi Yu and lives away from the Jiang family. She seems to be a happily married woman.
Jiang Qian
Jiang Qian is Jiang Si’s elder cousin sister. She is the second young lady of the Count of Dongping Mansion. She is married to Cao Xing Yu who comes from an influential and powerful family.
Jiang Qiao & Jiang Pei
Both of them are Jiang Si’s cousin sisters and Jiang Qian’s half-sisters. Their mother is a concubine. Jiang Qiao is the third young lady of the mansion while Jiang Pei is the youngest. The former has a quiet temperament while the latter has a petty and envious nature.
Jiang An Cheng
Jiang An Cheng is Jiang Si, Jiang Zhan, and Jiang Yi’s father. He is a doting parent who cares a lot for his children. Jiang An Cheng used to be an astronomy official but has since retired presumably because of heartbreak following his wife’s death. His wife was Su Ke who came from a rich merchant family.
Jiang An Mou
Jiang An Mou is Jiang An Cheng’s younger brother and Jiang Si’s paternal uncle. He is a government official and a selfish man who only cares about his own interest. He is married to Madam Xiao and has a concubine, Madam Ruan.
Madam Xiao
Madam Xiao is the official wife of Jiang An Mou. She has a son who is married and is a magistrate in another city as well as a daughter, Jiang Qian. Madam Xiao controls the household finances and will bully Jiang Si’s family whenever she can reap the benefits from doing so. She is a cruel and domineering woman.
Old Madam Jiang
Old Madam Jiang is the matriarch of the Jiang family. She is a harsh and very traditional woman who puts family reputation above all else.
Ji Chong Yi
Ji Chong Yi is Jiang Si’s fiancee. He is also a son of the Duke of Angou.
Lu Chu Chu
Chu Chu is Yu Qi’s junior. Her father is a general of the Red Plume Calvary. She is a direct and impulsive young woman.
Princess Rong Yang / Princess Royal
Princess Rong Yang is the Emperor’s sister. She is a jealous and ruthless woman. Princess Rong Yang is married to General Cui Xu but they have a distant relationship.
Cui Ming Yue
Ming Yue is General Cui Xu and Princess Rong Yang’s beloved daughter. She is a willful and spoilt lady.
Cao Yong
Cao Yong is the Marquis of Changxing. He is a powerful and influential man who has fought alongside the Emperor in the past. Cao Xing Yu is his only son and Jiang Qian is his daughter-in-law.
Emperor Jing Ming
Emperor Jing Ming is the ruler of Zhou Kingdom. He is a fair and benevolent ruler. He has a number of sons including Yu Lang who is the Crown Prince and Yu Zhang/Prince Qi who is the 4th Prince.
Synopsis
Jiang Si was killed by her husband, Yu Qi, during a rebellion against the Princess Royal who had taken control of the country. In her death, she is transported back to a decade earlier to relive her life again. This time, Jiang Si is determined to change her fate and protect those closest to her including her father who was executed back then. Along the way, she has to counter her greedy and scheming aunt. She also has to escape from an impending marriage to a cheater whereby that marriage was a nightmare for her in her previous life.
Jiang Si also meets Yu Qi again who is quietly investigating who is the traitor who caused the deaths of his soldiers during a battle with Nanwu. Initially, Yu Qi shows interest in Jiang Si because she has the emblem that identifies her as the Saintess of Nanwu. But he is drawn to her while Jiang Si is wary of a relationship with him given that she already has the foresight from her previous life. Nevertheless, they still end up working together to stop the villains from harming her family and bringing chaos to the country with love being rekindled along the way.
Si Jin Ending & Recap (Spoilers Alert!)
Si Jin has a happy ending. Princess Rong Yang’s rebellion is successfully put down. Her lackey, Cao Yong, is sentenced to death. The Emperor gives Princess Rong Yang a chance to admit her mistake and repent but she chooses to kill herself instead. When she rushes towards the Emperor, General Cui Xu immediately slashes her back. But she has already stabbed herself with her hairpin. She dies in General Cui Xu’s arm. Being his sister, the Emperor still retains her honor rather than brand her as a rebel. She is posthumously awarded a higher title with a burial spot in the royal mausoleum.
Those who helped to quell the rebellion are rewarded. General Cui Xu is given a Duke title. Jiang Zhan is appointed the General of Territories while Long Dan becomes the Commander of the Imperial Guards. Zhen Heng is now the Left Chancellor while Commandant Xie takes over Zhen Heng’s place in the Capital Administrative Office. The Emperor himself decides to abdicate and spend time with Concubine Xian. He leaves the throne to Yu Qi.
Jiang Si spends a year in Nanwu to help them to develop their trade. She establishes a trading relationship between Nanwu and Zhou Kingdom. She also learns from the Grand Elder of Nanwu that her late mother was actually from Nanwu but was adopted by the Su family. As Saintess, she will experience life and death. Nanwu ancient arts allow those with a strong enough willpower to sacrifice themselves to give their loved on another chance at rebirth. Yu Qi risked his life and memory to give Jiang Si a chance to change her fate. After a year in Nanwu, Jiang Si reunites with Yu Qi to become his Empress.
When Did The Leads Get Together?
Yu Qi was Jiang Si’s husband in her past life. But she was forced by Princess Rong Yang to divorce him because Ming Yue also fell in love with Yu Qi. Princess Rong Yang threatened Jiang Si with Yu Qi’s life. Jiang Si was then forced to jump off a cliff to kill herself after signing the divorce letter but was saved by the Nanwu Clan. This is revealed in Episode 6. Hence, Jiang Si is wary of starting a relationship with Yu Qi in this life.
However, both Jiang Si and Yu Qi are still drawn to each other. She kisses him after she has been drugged by Madam Xiao in a plot to shame her in Episode 9. Yu Qi tells Jiang Si that he doesn’t mind if they really get married after sobering her up but she is non-committal. In Episode 18, Yu Qi admits his jealousy when Jiang Si has to perform a dance with another man playing the groom. He doesn’t want to see her getting married to another man even if it is just a play.
Jiang Si decides to confess her feelings to Yu Qi in Episode 20 but she gets abducted by Du’er of the Nanwu Clan who suspects that she might be their Saintess in Episode 21. Yu Qi saves her. They have a frank exchange and Yu Qi says that he doesn’t care if Jiang Si is the Nanwu Saintess or not. He will protect her and they got together. Yu Qi publicly chooses Jiang Si to be his consort and the Emperor decrees the betrothal in Episode 27. They have their wedding in Episode 33.
Is There Any Love Triangle?
Zhen Heng is also interested in Jiang Si. He tries to pursue her but she rejects him in Episode 12. He tells her that he won’t give her any pressure but to let him know when she is ready to accept his proposal. But Jiang Si reiterates to Zhen Heng that they are not suited for each other in Episode 15.
Ming Yue also falls for Yu Qi after he saved her from drowning. She starts eyeing him in Episode 15 but he coldly rejects her. He also shows his annoyance when she reminds him that he is a prince and Jiang Si is not worthy of him in Episode 24.
Is There Any Breakup?
There is no breakup after Jiang Si and Yu Qi got together. There is only a separation of about a year. Jiang Si leaves for Nanwu in Episode 38 to try to stop the war between Nanwu and Zhou Kingdom. She makes a commitment to stay in Nanwu to teach them how to trade to improve their lives instead of relying on wars. She returns to Zhou Kingdom to reunite with Yu Qi after a year in Episode 40.
Yu Qi’s Background
It is revealed in Episode 11 that Yu Qi is actually the 7th Prince. He was sent to the Southern Frontier after birth due to the astronomers’ reading that he would bring misfortune to the family and kingdom. Princess Rong Yang finds out about his secret return to the capital while Ming Yue overhears her mother’s conversation about Yu Qi’s identity.
Yu Qi meets his father in Episode 22 after saving him from an assassination attempt. His father is happy to have him back and takes advantage of an opportunity to officially recognize him as Prince Yan in Episode 25. Jiang Si learns that Yu Qi is a prince in Episode 24 after overhearing Ming Yue’s exchange with him. She is angry at his deception but he manages to coax her back in the next episode.
Jiang An Cheng was working in the Directorate of Astronomy then. He tells Yu Qi in Episode 30 that records have been changed by officials on Princess Rong Yang’s order. Yu Qi’s birth was actually accompanied by an auspicious sign and his mother, Concubine Xian, was to be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort. At the same time, General Cui Xu was not doing well in a border war to defend the kingdom. By deeming Yu Qi’s birth as inauspicious, Princess Rong Yang could use the sign to salvage her husband’s reputation and stop the rise of Concubine Xian. Jiang An Cheng didn’t dare to raise the issue due to the power that Princess Royal commands.
Madam Xiao’s Fate
Madam Xiao is jealous that Jiang Si would soon be marrying Yu Qi who is a prince. So, Jiang Si is poisoned in Episode 28. But Jiang Si knows the antidote needed for the poison due to her past life in the Nanwu Clan. Yu Qi gets the herb needed to save her. Then, they set a trap to flush out Madam Xiao. As Jiang Si’s symptoms are the same as her late mother’s (Su Ke) before her death, they deduce that Madam Xiao was also involved in the earlier case.
Madam Xiao tries to justify her actions by pushing the blame on the Jiang family members in Episode 29. She says that she didn’t have any intention to kill Su Ke but merely wanted to delay her recovery after childbirth so that she has a chance to manage the family’s accounts. But the medicine that the doctor gave her resulted in Su Ke’s death. Then, someone from the palace approached her a few days ago to poison Jiang Si.
Jiang An Cheng demands that his brother deal with Madam Xiao for her crimes. Jiang An Mou decides that his wife should die for what she had done. Just as Madam Xiao wants to hang herself, Yu Qi takes her away and uses her to lure out the person from the palace who gave her the poison. It turns out to be Nanny Xu who works for Princess Rong Yang. Madam Xiao is let go after her help. She leaves with Jiang Qian to lead a new simple life and regrets her past mistakes. She is killed by Princess Rong Yang’s men in Episode 35 to silence her.
Su Ke’s Death
Nany Xu is forced to spill the beans after being captured by Yu Qi and Jiang Si in Episode 29. They learn that Su Ke was the love of 2 men namely, Jiang An Cheng as well as General Cui Xu. General Cui Xu once rejected the Emperor’s offer to marry Princess Rong Yang because he was engaged to Su Ke and would rather marry the latter. Princess Rong Yang saw it as a humiliation. The poison that killed Su Ke was obtained from a Nanwu operative. She then made used of Madam Xiao to ensure Su Ke’s death by giving the poison to the doctor Madam Xiao consulted. Madam Xiao only wanted medicine that could delay Su Ke’s childbirth recovery but was deceived and given the poison.
General Cui Xu is heartbroken after learning what Princess Rong Yang had done to Su Ke. Princess Rong Yang mistakenly thought that her husband and Su Ke were still seeing each other after their marriage and didn’t trust him. After knowing the truth, General Cui Xu and Princess Rong Yang split up and go their separate ways.
Ming Yue’s Fate
Ming Yue insists on marrying Yu Qi despite his disdain for her. So, she persuades her mother to ask the Emperor to grant her the marriage which Princess Rong Yang did in Episode 32. As the Emperor is close to Princess Rong Yang who had once saved his life, he agrees to her request. Yu Qi strongly resists as he only wants to marry Jiang Si but to no avail.
Zhu Zi Yu who was deceived by Ming Yue earlier to get rid of his wife, Jiang Yi, turns up during the wedding procession in Episode 33. Ming Yue had promised him marriage if he got rid of Jiang Yi. This was Ming Yue’s scheme to get back at the Jiang family. After her plot was exposed, Zhu Zi Yu was not only discarded but his father was framed for bribery and his whole family was massacred. He managed to escape. With a betrothal agreement in hand, the Emperor rules that she will have to marry Zhu Zi Yu instead.
It is Zhu Zi Yu’s way to make amends for his cruelty towards Jiang Yi earlier as well as to avenge his family’s death. He stabs Ming Yue on their wedding night and then sets both of them alight in Episode 34. As a result, Zhu Zi Yu and Ming Yue die in the fire.
Princess Rong Yang’s Revenge
Princess Rong Yang wants her revenge after Ming Yue’s death. She has killed not only Su Ke, but also the late Empress who was against her. Princess Fu Qing heard her giving the orders when she was a little girl. This was why she was blinded. She tells her story to her mother, Yu Qi, and Jiang Si in Episode 32 after Jiang Si helped her to regain her eyesight.
In Episode 35, Princess Rong Yang learns that Jiang Si could be the Nanwu Saintess through her emblem. She ropes in Prince Qi and Cao Yong to expose Jiang Si who is then imprisoned in Episode 36. Concubine Xian, Jiang An Cheng, and Fu Qing separately report to the Emperor about Princess Rong Yang’s crimes of altering Yu Qi’s astronomy signs when he was born and how she killed the late Empress in Episode 37. Hence, the Emperor ends up having a fall out with her.
Princess Rong Yang rebels with Cao Yong’s help to take control of the administration and puts the Emperor under house arrest in Episode 38. The Crown Prince tries to assassinate Princess Rong Yang to avenge the late Empress’ (his mother’s) death but is killed instead. The tables turned after Yu Qi managed to secure General Cui Xu’s help to return to the capital to counter Princess Rong Yang in Episode 39. Their soldiers infiltrate the palace and kill the guards to take control and defeat the rebels.
Second Couple
Jiang Zhan is saved by Chu Chu who found him by the river bank in Episode 14. He had been thrown into the water by Ming Yue and her minions after a round of torture in retaliation against him and Jiang Si for an earlier altercation. Jiang Zhan starts to like Chu Chu then. After the bullying and near death experience, Jiang Zhan becomes more responsible and determined to be stronger. He trains to be an imperial guard and is appointed to the position with a hereditary title for the family in Episode 15 as a form of compensation for Ming Yue’s bullying.
However, Jiang Zhan finds it hard to express his feelings to Chu Chu despite their increasingly close relationship. He says they are like siblings in Episode 25 which frustrates her. Chu Chu cheers Jiang Zhan up in Episode 31 when he feels down after he learned that his mother was killed by Princess Rong Yang but couldn’t do anything about it.
When Jiang Zhan is sent to be an envoy to the Southern Frontier in Episode 40, he wants Chu Chu to go with him but still doesn’t have the courage to confess his feelings. Chu Chu has to lead him on before he confesses and they become a couple.
Third Couple
Zhen Heng meets Princess Fu Qing in Episode 24 while they are sheltering from the rain. Princess Fu Qing is blind due to an eye disease. Zhen Heng is attracted to her and makes her a kite which came to Empress Di’s attention. Empress Di thinks Zhen Heng is a suitable candidate as Princess Fu Qing’s husband. He is ordered by the Emperor to be Princess Fu Qing’s tutor in Episode 31. However, he is too dense to catch the Emperor’s meaning when asked about his thoughts on Princess Fu Qing. Zhen Heng states that he only sees her as his student and his status is beneath hers.
During Princess Rong Yang’s rebellion, Zhen Heng and Princess Fu Qing worry about each other. Zhen Heng is imprisoned for going against Princess Rong Yang in Episode 39. After the rebellion is put down and he is released from prison, Zhen Heng straight away confesses his feelings and proposes to Princess Fu Qing in Episode 40. She also feels the same about him and accepts his proposal. Yu Qi, who is now the new Emperor, gives his approval for them to get married when they seek his blessings.
Si Jin Review – Another Rebirth & Revenge C-Drama
My first impression of Si Jin is that it suffers from a recycled plot. The opening is very similar to Blossom. The female lead has a second chance at life to change her fate and certain outcomes that occurred in her previous life. It could have been a great story but it is just unfortunate that it is released so soon after Blossom which has set a high standard. Basically, Blossom has a first mover advantage here. If you have watched it and then only hop onboard Si Jin, it is hard not to compare the two and Si Jin’s weaknesses then become more apparent.
But to be fair, Si Jin is not an awful drama. The story has a strong foundation and is well-explained. There is a thread that runs through all the subplots and how it all ties to the villain. The first half is mainly about the female lead’s family and how she counters her selfish aunt’s shenanigans. If you like this kind of female wars in an extended family setting, this should make you engrossed. The good thing is the female protagonist is headstrong and can’t be bullied. So, you won’t have to put up with tears and damsel in distress situations. But the bad thing is it feels recycled. You would get the feeling that you have watched similar stuff elsewhere such as Blossom and The Double.
The second half of the drama shifts to palace politics. This is where the villain becomes more prominent in the story. Hence, things move up a notch and start to get more exciting. If you like palace power struggles, this part should interest you. However, the focus is not on tactics and strategies like Joy Of Life but happenings and characters. Unfortunately, the villains are typical shallow characters.
Shallow Villains
The villains in Si Jin will make you feel highly annoyed. They are selfish, revengeful, and jealous women. The female lead’s aunt is the typical bully who constantly tries to make things hard for her elder brother-in-law’s family. This is the only way to show her power and reap the benefits along with it. The female lead’s love rival who is a princess is so willful that she must get what she wants just because of her status. Watching her is like watching a spoiled child. Her character is extremely shallow and immature. The main villain is none other than the princess’ mother who is the Emperor’s sister. Her jealousy is astounding and the way she indulges her daughter is mind-boggling.
In short, there is nothing impressive about these villainous characters. They are written to be abusers simply because they are in a position to do so. They are not layered and complex characters but despicable women out of the box. Furthermore, you would have seen this kind of characters in many costume dramas of a similar genre. If you don’t mind hateful one-dimensional female villains, it is fine. Otherwise, it will be a pain watching Si Jin as you would need to put up with them for almost an entire drama.
Incomplete Flashbacks
Being a rebirth drama, it is inevitable that there will be flashbacks on the female lead’s previous life. But I find the flashbacks incomplete because certain key events are missing. For instance, we are told that he sacrificed his life for hers in her previous life but we are not told how, why, and when. In fact, I thought he killed her at the beginning of the drama unless I missed an explanation along the way. There is also no detailed explanation of how she ended up in the south and met the male lead. A lot of details seem to be left out although you will be given the big picture so that the story still make sense.
The personality of the female protagonist is also vastly different between her past and present life. In her past life, she is timid and fearful. But in the present, she is daring and opinionated. Of course, the script tries to explain that she changes because she doesn’t want to repeat the same mistakes and the sorry fate she had in her past life. It is understandable but not totally convincing either from my point of view.
The critical factor then boils down to the leads and how convincing they are in their roles as a couple.
Acting & Chemistry
Both Zhang Wan Yi and Jing Tian are no strangers to costume dramas. Zhang Wan Yi’s last few dramas with historical settings have enjoyed pretty good ratings such as Are You The One and The Rise Of Ning. In fact, his roles have been pretty similar across some of these dramas. So, you can expect him to perform pretty well in Si Jin given the number of times he has played similar characters. He can be serious one moment and comedic the next. Therefore, his character in Si Jin is lively and delightful to watch.
Jing Tian’s character is a tough and direct woman. She exhibits those character traits rather well to project Jiang Si the way she should be. But the emotional scenes still need a bit more polishing to me. The crying doesn’t feel moving enough. While her appearance fits the character, it also brings up another issue which is her matured looks makes her feel older than the male lead. There is indeed a 6 year gap between the 2 leads in real life.
As a result, I can’t really feel that there is great chemistry between them in Si Jin. They are okay as a pair of onscreen lovers but nothing special that would make me wish for a second collaboration. It is not hard to watch them together but neither do they leave a memorable impression on me.
My Verdict – A Decent Watch
Overall, I think Si Jin is a decent drama. It is pretty fast-paced most of the time which helps to minimize the boredom. The subplots and shift in focus from the female lead’s family in the first half to palace politics in the second also break the monotony of the story. It has its good points but it is also held back by some lazy storytelling. The plot is driven mainly by shallow villains whose characters are not exactly well-written. Sometimes, I can’t help but feel that their existence is merely to make you despise them. They seem to act cruel for the sake of being cruel rather than for any good reason.
The main villains are all women while most of the men are pretty useless. The female lead’s father is a doting dad for a change but a coward. Her brother is a comedic man who is not too bright. Even the Emperor is kind of a fool where his sister is concerned. Only the first and second male lead seem to be reliable men. But on the other hand, the loving relationship that the female lead has with her father and brother is heartwarming and a change from typical costume dramas that see daughters as inferior.
Given the weaknesses, I would rate 7.5/10 for this review of Si Jin. There are definitely more exciting rebirth dramas out there than this one. It may have elegant costumes and nice settings, but the constant female jealousy and viciousness spread out among the few from start to finish is just a little too much for me to rate it any higher. It is okay to watch but just be prepared for hateful women and an average plot execution.
Leave a Reply