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| Bai Lu's The First Jasmine Tops Ratings but Divides Fans Over Missing Time-Travel Plot. (Credits: Tencent Video) |
The First Jasmine (莫离) may have stormed straight to the top of China's popularity charts, but the hit costume drama is discovering a familiar truth of adaptations: viewers love change until it happens to their favourite character. Just days after its premiere, the series starring Bai Lu and Cheng Lei overtook competing dramas and became one of the most talked-about productions in the country. Yet alongside strong ratings and growing buzz, a wave of criticism has emerged from readers of the original novel, many of whom believe the adaptation has stripped away one of the story's most distinctive elements.
The drama, adapted from the novel Sheng Shi Di Fei, follows Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao as they navigate court politics, family conflicts and a growing romance born from an arranged marriage. On screen, viewers have largely praised the chemistry between Bai Lu and Cheng Lei, while the mystery surrounding Ye Li's unusual behaviour has become one of the show's biggest discussion points.
Recent episodes show Mo Xiuyao becoming increasingly suspicious after repeatedly witnessing Ye Li seemingly speaking to invisible figures. What initially appears to be a strange habit soon evolves into a deeper mystery connected to the tragic history of Lishan Academy.
One particularly memorable scene sees Ye Li rushing outside with a stick after believing a large group of animals has appeared nearby, only for guards and witnesses to find absolutely nothing. For drama-only viewers, the storyline has been intriguing and suspenseful. For longtime novel readers, however, it has also raised a giant red flag.
The biggest source of controversy centres on the complete removal of Ye Li's original background. In the novel, Ye Li is not simply a talented noblewoman navigating a dangerous historical world.
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| Bai Lu's New Drama The First Jasmine Accused of Rewriting Its Most Popular Character |
She is a modern special forces operative who travels back in time, bringing contemporary knowledge, military skills and strategic thinking into the past. That premise helped distinguish the story from countless historical romances already competing for attention.
The television adaptation takes a very different approach. Instead of focusing on a time-travel narrative, the drama centres on revenge, palace intrigue and the growing partnership between Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao.
While some viewers appreciate the more grounded storytelling, many readers argue that removing Ye Li's modern identity fundamentally changes the character. Across Chinese social media platforms, criticism has been widespread. Some readers described the revision as a "drastic rewrite" rather than an adaptation.
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| The First Jasmine Receives a Wave of Disappointed Reviews on Douban |
Others argued that Ye Li's unique appeal came from her ability to combine modern knowledge with ancient political struggles. Without that element, critics say the series risks blending into an increasingly crowded genre filled with powerful yet familiar historical heroines.
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One popular complaint among readers is that the adaptation transforms a distinctive protagonist into someone far more conventional.
As one recurring sentiment online suggests, many fans feel the drama has traded originality for safety. In an industry where historical fantasy restrictions often influence creative decisions, some viewers suspect the production chose the less complicated route. Whether audiences agree with that assessment remains a matter of debate.
Despite the backlash, not everyone is unhappy. Supporters of the adaptation argue that television and novels are different mediums requiring different storytelling approaches.
Many viewers who never read the source material have praised the drama's pacing, emotional development and mystery elements. Some even believe removing the time-travel premise allows the relationship between Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao to take centre stage without unnecessary distractions.
Meanwhile, a separate controversy involving the production has generated another round of online discussion. Writer and internet personality Meng Qiqi publicly criticised the production over a script credit dispute connected to The First Jasmine, previously known under the title Mo Li.
She alleged that she had been unfairly excluded from the official writing credits and suggested that changes occurred close to filming.
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The claims quickly gained attention largely because Bai Lu's name became attached to the discussion. However, official members of the drama's credited writing team, along with producer Yu Zheng, strongly rejected the allegations.
According to their statements, Meng Qiqi was never part of the official scriptwriting team and none of her material was used in the final production.
As the dispute unfolded, discussion shifted dramatically. Internet users began revisiting previous controversies surrounding Meng Qiqi, including past accusations regarding originality and personal branding.
Attention gradually moved away from the initial allegations and towards questions about timing, particularly why the accusations surfaced precisely as the drama was enjoying one of its strongest publicity periods.
Many observers pointed out that targeting a lead actor inevitably generates more attention than directing criticism towards production companies or investors. After all, audiences recognise actors instantly, while few people can name every executive behind a television series.
The result was predictable: the conversation rapidly evolved from a credit dispute into a broader debate about celebrity influence, creative authority and the entertainment industry's long-running trust issues.
The controversy also touched on a topic that frequently resonates with audiences. Claims that actors influence scripts or that writers lose control over their work have surfaced repeatedly throughout the Chinese entertainment industry over the years.
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Whether justified or not, those stories have left many viewers sceptical. Consequently, whenever allegations involving creative interference emerge, public attention tends to follow immediately.
At the heart of the discussion lies a larger question about authorship. Television dramas are collaborative productions built by writers, directors, performers and production teams working together. When disagreements arise over credit or creative contributions, audiences naturally want transparency.
Many industry figures argue that such disputes are best resolved through contracts, documentation, and formal legal channels rather than through social media battles aimed at winning public sympathy
For now, The First Jasmine remains one of China's hottest dramas. Ratings are strong, online engagement remains high, and viewers continue speculating about the mystery surrounding Ye Li and Lishan Academy.
Yet the adaptation debate shows no sign of disappearing. For some, the drama is an entertaining reinvention. For others, it is a missed opportunity that abandoned the very concept that made the novel special in the first place.