10 Must-See Chinese TV Shows for Those Tired of Historical K-Dramas, Ranked by IMDb
Game of Thrones and The Crown, but make them Chinese.
Asian TV shows are becoming more and more popular around the world every year. And while many viewers have already watched K-dramas, Chinese projects, especially historical ones, are not so popular yet.
We have selected ten of the best Chinese historical dramas that are in no way inferior (and sometimes superior) to their Korean counterparts.
1. Nirvana in Fire, 2015-2018
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
War breaks out between two feudal dynasties, and General Lin Xie leads his troops into battle. But he is framed by a political rival, and almost all of his soldiers die. The general's family is accused of treason and sentenced to death; only his 19-year-old son Lin Shu survives. After escaping, he forms an alliance. After 12 years, Lin Shu returns to the capital to restore the family's honor.
The popularity of Nirvana in Fire has spread far beyond China: it has attracted attention in many countries and has been called the Asian Game of Thrones. Attention to historical details, from clothing to etiquette, political intrigue, convincing acting – all this has made the show one of the leading projects of Chinese television.
2. The Long Ballad, 2021
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
The carefree life of the princess ends one day when her uncle stages a coup d'état and kills all the pretenders to the throne. The girl survives and flees the capital disguised as a man. Now her main goal is to avenge her family.
The Long Ballad is a dynamic show full of dramatic moments, based on the manhua of the same name. Most of the main characters are real historical figures, but the writers do not strive for authenticity and change the course of history. This works to the show's advantage, as it features touching romantic lines and incredibly spectacular battles.
3. Story of Yanxi Palace, 2018
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Wei Yingluo undergoes a tough audition and ends up at the imperial court as one of the embroiderers. But it is not her ultimate goal. In fact, the girl is investigating the death of her older sister – she wants to find and punish the culprit.
Story of Yanxi Palace was so popular in China and abroad that a sequel, Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures was created specifically for Netflix. It is a beautiful costume drama that can be called the Chinese version of The Crown, but with a lot of behind-the-scenes intrigue that cemented the show's phenomenal success.
4. Ever Night, 2018
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
For many centuries, people have told the legend of Yong Ye, who comes to Earth once every 1000 years and brings Chaos that freezes and kills people. Because of this, many people are looking for a powerful being to destroy.
Ning Que has been serving in the troops for several years, which he joined after long wanderings. Now he has found a faithful assistant and intends to take revenge on those who almost took his life in the past.
Ever Night was directed by Yang Yang, a female director – a rarity in Chinese television. The show is full of well-staged epic battle scenes and fights that are no less important than the touching love story that will keep you glued to the screen.
5. Scarlet Heart, 2011
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Zhang Xiao lives in modern China and gets into a car accident. The girl's soul unexpectedly finds itself in the past in one of her previous incarnations – Maer'tai Ruoxi, who lived during the Qing Dynasty.
She retains both the memory of her previous life and knowledge of the history of her country, including the time in which she found herself. Maer'tai meets historical figures she once read about, falls in love with one of the princes, but at the same time knows what tragic fate awaits her new acquaintances.
Scarlet Heart was never predicted to be a huge success, but it became an unexpected hit and was so popular that a sequel was released a few years later (Scarlet Heart 2) and a remake was filmed in South Korea.
6. Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace, 2018
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
This is the story of the most prominent empress of the Qing Dynasty, Ruyi. She and the future emperor Qianlong had a close relationship since childhood, so when Qianlong ascended the throne, he made Ruyi his concubine. Qianlong soon made the girl his second wife, causing jealousy and envy among the other concubines.
The love story between Emperor Qianlong and his wife Ruyi has become a legend and has been filmed several times.
The main advantage of this series is that it avoids numerous palace dramas and intrigues: Ruyi is quiet and harmless, seeking spiritual intimacy with her husband, and although this contradicts historical facts about the empress's character, this drama allows us to see the legendary figure as an ordinary person who simply wants to love and be loved.
7. Bloody Romance, 2018
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
A father sells his 18-year-old daughter to a brothel for two sacks of rice. The girl experiences the horrors of sexual exploitation, but soon finds herself in a mysterious city where she is given a new name, Wan Mei, and begins her journey to become a professional killer. Wan Mei is followed by a stranger who, for unknown reasons, wants to protect the young assassin.
Despite its low budget, the series became a huge hit with over 600 million viewers in China within a few months. With an action-packed plot and meticulously crafted mysteries, you won't be able to tear yourself away from the screen until the very last episode.
8. Legend of Fuyao, 2018
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
For many years, the orphaned Fuyao served as a slave and learned martial arts. After a series of tragedies, she embarks on a journey to find magical artifacts that will lift her curse. Fate brings her into contact with the crown prince of one of the kingdoms, and this meeting changes her life.
The main advantage of this drama is a strong female character who pursues her goal without betraying high moral ideals. Moreover, Legend of Fuyao is very reminiscent of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Fuyao, like the young wizard, is forced to participate in a dangerous and deadly tournament.
9. The Imperial Doctress, 2016
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Tan Yunxian comes from a dynasty of doctors. For centuries, they held the honorary position of court physician. But over time, medicine became an exclusively male profession.
However, this did not stop Yunxian from studying and practicing in secret. Thanks to her talent, she becomes a successful doctor, and fate brings her together with the emperor himself.
This series is perfect for those who were captivated by the recent hit – the anime The Apothecary Diaries. In addition, Tan Yunxian is a real historical figure who was one of the few famous female doctors in China. She specialized in treating women and wrote a book about her medical practice.
10. General and I, 2017
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Prince Jing'an's palace is destroyed, and his son He Xia is forced to flee the Yan Kingdom with his loyal advisor Bai Pingting. On the way, they are separated, and the woman takes refuge in a monastery. There her path crosses with Chu Beijie, the general of the enemy state of Jin. He has been in love with Bai Pingting for twenty years, since the day they first met.
The General and I deserves a place on this list mainly because of its well-written script and main characters. Their story arcs and motivations are perfectly consistent, which is often the problem with Chinese dramas.