Veteran actor Chen Daoming has been known for portraying ancient emperors.

His latest such role is Liu Bang, a farmer-turned-emperor and founder of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).

In Legend of Chu and Han, an 80-episode TV drama, Chen shapes the character after studying him for seven years. It is impossible to know what the real Liu Bang was like after more than 2,000 years, Chen says, but he tries his best to read between the lines and stay faithful to historical records.

The show will premiere on Beijing TV on Dec 28.