The Proud Twins

Two young men with a tangled past drive the series, each raised under very different circumstances that shape their temperaments and fortunes. One is streetwise, witty, and quick with tricks, the other reserved, disciplined, and outwardly flawless. When their paths cross in the chaotic martial world, rivalries, misunderstandings, and unexpected alliances pile up. The show balances swordplay and scheming with lighter comic set pieces and romantic entanglements, as a cast of mentors, villains, and love interests push the pair toward choices that reveal who they really are. The adaptation keeps the tone lively, mixing dramatic stakes with slapstick and classic wuxia bravado, without giving away major plot turns.

Directed by Wong Jing, the series adapts Gu Long's novel Juedai Shuangjiao and was produced as a mainland China and Hong Kong co-production, first broadcast in 2004. The cast includes Dicky Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Fan Bingbing, Elvis Tsui and Yuan Quan, which helped the show draw attention across regions.

There are no widely reported major international awards or high-profile industry nominations tied to this adaptation, though it did help raise the profiles of several cast members at the time and within regional television circles.

Among fans of wuxia television, the series is often referenced for its lively tone and for pairing established stars with emerging talent. Certain scenes and comedic beats got replayed on forums and variety shows, and the show contributed to renewed interest in Gu Long adaptations during the 2000s, especially among viewers who enjoy a looser, more playful take on classic material.

Critical and audience reactions have been mixed to positive, with a modest average rating on fan sites. Reviewers and viewers tended to praise the chemistry between the leads, the mix of action and humor, and the production's colorful set pieces, while some critics noted uneven pacing and tonal shifts. Major themes are identity, brotherhood, rivalry, loyalty and how upbringing shapes moral choices.