The series narrates historical events and portrays the private lives of key political figures such as Li Hongzhang, the Guangxu Emperor, Yuan Shikai and Sun Yat-sen.

[2][3] Historically accurate but politically inconvenient quotes, such as Sun Yat-sen's speech on inequality and the suppression of democracy, were cut from the series.

River Elegy drew criticism for presenting a controversial view on Chinese culture, and is seen as a factor that influenced the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

[3] Issues raised in discussions include questions on the extent to which artists are permitted to reinterpret history, and the degree to which certain portrayal of historical figures and events is dictated by politics rather than science.

[4] As a consequence of the controversy caused by this series, the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party began an analysis of "the accuracy with which historical figures are represented in television dramas".