A poster for Zhejiang-produced historical drama Swords into Plowshares. [Photo/Huace Group]

The Asian showcase for the Zhejiang-produced historical drama Swords into Plowshares was held on Dec 4 at the Asia TV Forum & Market in Singapore, as Huace Group, the drama's production company, stepped up its global push.

Set amid the turbulent transition from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960) to the dawn of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the series portrays figures such as Qian Hongchu, king of the Wuyue Kingdom, and Zhao Kuangyin, founder of the Song Dynasty.

After witnessing the collapse of northern rule during a perilous diplomatic mission, Qian returns south transformed, purging corruption and confronting powerful clans as political turmoil engulfs Wuyue.

Meanwhile, Zhao rises through warfare and strategy to establish a new dynasty and presses southward in a sweeping drive toward reunification. Caught between the survival of his kingdom and the fate of the wider realm, Qian ultimately chooses a path that brings a peaceful end to centuries of division.

Production was completed to exacting standards, being filmed in 8K ultra-high definition, featuring more than 550 sets and over 8,000 costumes, and using props manufactured with a precision tolerance of just 0.1 millimeter.

Swords into Plowshares has already appeared at major markets in Hong Kong, Cannes, and Tokyo this year, securing cooperation intentions with more than 30 international companies.

This rollout reflects the rapid expansion of Chinese film and TV content overseas. As a key national cultural exporter, Huace has distributed nearly 180,000 hours of programming to more than 200 countries and regions. The company has also signed deals with Hong Kong's Asia Production and Thailand's True Visions to promote the series and other premium Chinese titles internationally.