Imagine the script of Downton Abbey, the lavish UK television period drama, tickled to launch subtle barbs at the administration of Theresa May and, say, her handling of Brexit.

Chinese costume dramas, equally lavish and likewise holding a nation in thrall, have added just such a layer of political piquancy to tales of intrigue and love in the Qing dynasty. Several platforms held off airing episodes of the shows during the politically sensitive month of March, when political meetings are held.

The self-imposed moratorium reflects history’s troublesome tendency to hold a mirror up to the present, even centuries later. Tales of dynastic emperors holding on to power, prompting revolts among those long-gone citizens, might be expected to chafe with a leader who has secured the ability to rule for life. As one academic delicately puts it, “[The government] doesn’t want people to think that they have the opportunity to replace the leader or to struggle with the power base or change it. This kind of idea, if it circulates in the countryside or the cities, would be a little dangerous.”