Jiang Hansheng

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Jiang Hansheng (江寒声) 5
Alias(es)	Jiang Yan; Jiang Chengyu; courtesy name Cheng Yu 1 38
Gender	Male 5
Affiliation	Jiang Hansheng Studio; guest cast of This Is Life 19 34
Occupation/Role	Award-winning actor; formerly Great Qing's prime minister, chancellor, and regent 5 38
Status	Alive 41
First Appearance	Chapter 5

Background / History

Great Qing

In his past life, Jiang Hansheng was Jiang Yan, better known as Jiang Chengyu: Great Qing's prime minister and later regent. Following Qingming Emperor Li Wenchuan's death, he concealed the news, controlled the imperial clan by detaining the princes, secured the capital with the Imperial Guard, and installed a collateral child on the throne. His methods were feared despite his refined, scholarly appearance 1.

Historical accounts identify Jiang Yan as a minister who served three emperors, governed as regent for forty years, advanced reforms, and sustained Great Qing after the Qingming Emperor's death 14 38. His later fate was grim: the prime minister's residence was confiscated and his grave desecrated after the emperor he raised came to suspect him 12.

His memories of that life remain centered on Li Wenchuan. Jiang Chengyu alone continued to call the emperor “Yu'an” in private, even after Li Wenchuan ascended the throne 39. He regarded his own attachment to the emperor as an improper desire, but still considered himself Li Wenchuan's most loyal subject 11 24.

Modern Life and Acting Career

Jiang Hansheng was born into a scholarly aristocratic family in the modern era, excelled academically, and balanced university studies with an acting career. He rose rapidly after his first film and became one of the industry's youngest Best Actors 5 14.

Although highly successful, he works selectively, taking breaks between productions and treating variety-show appearances as a form of “experiencing life” 11 19. His studio represents no other artists, despite his willingness to introduce resources to others 34.

Appearance

Jiang Hansheng is a notably handsome young actor whose smile is often visible in his eyes and brows even when his face is concealed by a mask 10 18.

• Pale complexion, accentuated by gold-rimmed glasses 11
• Often travels casually in a cap and mask without assistants 18
• Wore a black palace robe embroidered with pines and cranes when appearing on You and Me Back Then 5
• Possesses a clear, measured speaking voice and uses his own voice in performances 19

Personality

Jiang Hansheng presents himself as calm, free-spirited, and difficult to predict. He is known for sharp sarcasm and blunt remarks, yet is generally easy to get along with when left unprovoked 5 13. He has little concern for conventional celebrity behavior, casually appearing on variety shows, requesting money from production staff through hand gestures, and choosing the easiest tasks when possible 11 18 19.

Behind this relaxed image is the calculating temperament of Chancellor Jiang. He closely observes Li Wenchuan, tests possibilities rather than acting rashly, and can conceal intense feelings behind a casual demeanor 11 12. His protectiveness toward Li becomes especially apparent when he shuts down Zhao Shiyao's insults and asserts control during the murder-mystery game 35.

He also values freedom. As a child, he wished to run a small shop that could open and close entirely on his own terms 26.

Abilities & Skills

Acting

Jiang Hansheng is an acclaimed actor capable of moving in and out of demanding roles almost instantly.

• Became one of the entertainment industry's youngest Best Actors 5
• Played Prime Minister Jiang Chengyu in Deliverance, a film that exceeded one billion at the box office within two days 12
• Can stop crying immediately after a director calls “Cut,” then return to relaxed conversation 12
• His portrayal of Prince Chen in the murder-mystery game was so convincing that others assumed his poisoned hallucinations were deliberate acting 41 42
• Uses his natural voice rather than dubbing, supported by strong vocal foundations 19

Political Insight and Deduction

His experience as Chancellor Jiang gives him exceptional skill at reading motives and reconstructing situations.

• In his former life, he could perceive the schemes of court officials, and even the young emperor feared him 42
• Quickly deduced that his behavior during the murder-mystery game had been caused by poisoning rather than normal roleplay 42
• Uses indirect probing and patience when investigating Li Wenchuan's identity and history 11 12

Practical Skills

• Learned basic cotton carding while filming a movie 26
• Can sing, though he avoids copying another guest's performance gimmick 44
• Maintains a strict body clock and exercises through morning runs 41

Health

• Has a weak stomach; alcohol and fruit caused him to dry-heave after he had already eaten Hand-Blue Mushroom 37
• Hand-Blue Mushroom poisoning caused hallucinations, memory loss, and behavior he could not recall the next morning 37 41
• While poisoned, he imagined himself as a prince with a “Phoenix Bloodline” and mistook Li Wenchuan's chicken, Coo Coo, for his heir 34 38

Equipment / Personal Items

• Gold-rimmed glasses 11
• A heavily annotated, aging copy of History of Qing, bearing Jiang Yan's seal 38
• A notebook or work materials kept through his studio and manager, Yang Xuan 11 34

Relationships

• Li Wenchuan — His former emperor in Great Qing and his modern-day co-star and variety-show partner. Jiang Hansheng recognized traits of the Qingming Emperor in Li, deliberately sought him out, and remains intensely protective of him 11 24 35 39.
• Yang Xuan — His manager and friend. Yang Xuan investigates Li Wenchuan at Jiang Hansheng's request and is frequently baffled by Jiang's decisions 6 11 34.
• Tang Jingran — Fellow This Is Life guest. They are competitive during games, though Tang Jingran admires Jiang Hansheng's acting ability 22 35.
• Zhao Shiyao — Fellow guest whom Jiang Hansheng openly rebukes when she targets Li Wenchuan 35.
• Coo Coo — Li Wenchuan's pet chicken. While hallucinating, Jiang Hansheng mistakes her for a child carrying his bloodline 34 41.

Story Role / Major Arcs

*You and Me Back Then*

Jiang Hansheng appears as the program's mysterious guest, challenges the contestants with randomly assigned scripts, and surprises the audience by praising Li Wenchuan's performance 5. He later interrupts Jin Yue's attempt to approach Li and leaves the venue with Li, prompting rumors that they met privately at night 6.

He publicly clarifies on Weibo that he was merely passing by and asks people not to make malicious assumptions, calming much of the backlash aimed at Li Wenchuan 7.

*Deliverance* and the Cinema Meeting

Jiang Hansheng asks Yang Xuan to investigate Li Wenchuan after recognizing something familiar in his performance 11. He follows Li to a cinema under the guise of coincidence, buys him a drink, and watches a historical drama with him 11.

During the screening of Deliverance, he discusses the historical Jiang Chengyu with Li Wenchuan and probes why the prime minister remained loyal rather than claiming the throne 12. Their late-night outing becomes another online trending topic 12 13.

*This Is Life*

Jiang Hansheng joins the rural variety program as an opportunity to spend time near Li Wenchuan 11 19. The pair repeatedly end up on the same team, share accommodations, discuss village life, cook together, and develop an increasingly comfortable rapport 22 24 26 32 33.

Hand-Blue Mushroom Incident

After unknowingly eating Hand-Blue Mushroom, Jiang Hansheng hallucinates that he is a prince and treats Li Wenchuan as his consort 33 35. His unusually earnest declarations during the murder-mystery game reveal feelings that Li initially mistakes for method acting 35 36.

The poisoning escalates into delirium, memory loss, and illness. During this state, he calls Li Wenchuan “Yu'an,” exposing the connection between Jiang Hansheng and Jiang Chengyu 37 38 39. Upon awakening with no memory of the night, he realizes the extent of his behavior and panics over what he may have revealed 41 42.

Market Incident

Jiang Hansheng and Li Wenchuan struggle to earn money at the market, then become involved in confrontations with dishonest vendors and a larger public brawl 44 45 48 50. The incident trends online under the topic “Jiang Hansheng Takes Part in Group Brawl” 50.

Notable Quotes

“It’s fine. Don’t be afraid.” 11

“When have I ever been acting?” 36

“I was passing by. Please do not make malicious assumptions.” 7

Trivia

• Jiang Hansheng's fans are largely rational or career-focused, in part because he posts on Weibo very rarely 7.
• His and Li Wenchuan's pairing has a fan group known as “Cold River” 14.
• He enjoys his own films enough to joke that he would make everyone in his company watch Deliverance at least once 10.