Authenticity was a key priority. Most of the tools used in the series were borrowed from local ink workshops, while 80 percent of all the scenes were filmed in Huangshan, mainly in its historic and picturesque villages, including Hongcun and Xidi. The other scenes were filmed in Chun'an county and Hengdian town in Zhejiang province and Nanjing in Jiangsu province.
The screenplay also underwent a lengthy development process. Xiong Zhouhu, the drama's chief scriptwriter, says the script — adapted from a popular online novel — was refined for more than three years.
Born in Bengbu in northern Anhui, Xiong has long been fascinated by Huizhou culture, which he believes was shaped by the region's unique commercial traditions.
Historically, the mountainous land of Huizhou offered limited farmland. As a result, many local men left home at a young age to pursue trade, leaving women to manage households and clan affairs.
This social structure gave Huizhou women a degree of responsibility and authority uncommon for the time.
"They not only raised children and cared for the elderly, but also managed clan affairs and helped oversee family businesses," says Xiong.
Customs reflected this status. When a daughter married, the family often had a well dug at the husband's home — so she would not depend on her in-laws even for water. The dowry might even include a coffin, representing the parents' wish to provide complete life security for their daughter, symbolizing that her life would be whole from beginning to end.
These details helped shape the drama's central themes. In the story, Li's clan is led by her grandmother, while Li herself eventually rises to become a leading figure in the local ink-making community.
"I think this was quite unusual in ancient society. It was closely tied to Huizhou's unique commercial civilization," Xiong says.
The drama also highlights another lesser-known aspect of Huizhou history: its connections with the outside world. One of the most memorable supporting characters is Wang Hua'er, Li's cousin, whose striking auburn-red hair reveals her mixed heritage.
When the role first appeared in the 8th episode, viewers on the streaming platform iQiyi immediately flooded the screen with danmu — real-time comments that flash across the video — mostly asking the same question: Which country was her mother from?
According to Hui, the character was inspired by archival records and expert interviews uncovered during the production team's research.
"As early as the mid-Ming Dynasty, Huizhou merchants had already traveled across the oceans and reached Europe. That gave us a great deal of room for imagination," he says.
Building on that background, screenwriter Xiong created Wang as the daughter of another prominent merchant family. In the story, her father travels overseas on business, falls in love with a woman of European descent, and later brings their daughter back to Huizhou.
"The character serves two purposes," Hui explains. "First, she reflects the global reach of Huizhou merchants. Second, she offers a glimpse into the cultural exchanges between China and the outside world during that period."
Xiong adds that tea and silk were the main goods transported along the oceanic trade routes. However, since ink was primarily sold to Southeast Asia — where the Spanish and Portuguese had arrived as early as the 16th century — it opened up opportunities for Chinese ink merchants to interact with Europeans.
Through its captivating depictions of craftsmanship, family bonds and cultural exchange, The Heir has won widespread popularity online. According to the National Radio and Television Administration, the series earned high ratings in 13 countries and regions during its run, including the United States, Japan, Australia, Malaysia and Thailand.
