Guou is the short form of guzhuang ouxiang ju, 'costume idol drama'. It takes the engine of a contemporary youth romance, with attractive young leads, comedy, misunderstandings and a love triangle, and moves it into historical or fantasy costume. Fans and critics use the word as a genre label and sometimes as a mild put-down for plots that follow the formula without depth. Pursuit of Jade and Spring of the Blade have both been described this way in Chinese coverage.
Dramas
Where it comes up
Spring of the Blade: The Costume Revenge Drama Fought From Inside the Family Home
A guide to the iQIYI and Youku costume revenge drama Spring of the Blade: a woman who infiltrates the household that destroyed her mother, Xu Kai as the official who circles her, and why viewers split over a strong start and a rushed ending.
Pursuit of Jade: The Butcher's Daughter, the Marquis and the Show Built Around Him
A butcher's daughter and a disgraced marquis in hiding: how a familiar costume-romance formula got a heroine who carries the load, a hero whose look is part of the design, and a simultaneous release on Tencent Video, iQIYI and Netflix.