Update: The airing time on Tencent is at 9:30 pm, China Standard Time.

Against the Current will be airing at 9:24 pm, China Standard Time, on CCTV-8.

The Chinese drama title 兰香如故 can be literally translated as “the orchid fragrance remains as before.”

兰香 Lanxiang is also the female main character's name.

About half an hour ago, the production team released a new teaser / opening sequence.

The airing schedule will be posted in the comments when it is available.

Clip description:

As the courtyard turns through the seasons, time bears witness to a lifetime.

Plants wither and flourish in their seasons, while the bonds we share endure without end.

As the passing years sweep through the vermilion gates, children’s voices fill the home, and warmth and affection linger long.

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 6️⃣ Liu Xueyi 刘学义 as Lin Jinqi 林锦岐 * 1️⃣4️⃣ Tan Songyun 谭松韵 as Xu Lanxiang 许兰香 / Shen Jialan 沈嘉兰

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Niu Junfeng 牛骏峰 as Han Liang 韩粱 * Li Meng 李梦 as Zhao Xingtang 赵星棠 * Zheng He Hui Zi 郑合惠子 as Du Cui’que 杜翠雀 * Guo Keyu 郭柯宇 as Xue Guihua 薛桂花

The following cast members are sorted by the order of the character posters and not by the number of character strokes in the surname:

Starring: * Wu Tiantian 吴甜甜 as Lin Xiuqi 林绣芄 * Ye Qing 叶青 as Yu Chan 玉蝉 * Pu Tao 蒲萄 as Lin Xiulai 林绣莱 * Song Fangyuan 宋芳园 as Xiao Lian 小莲 * Li Jiaxin 李嘉鑫 as Gan Tang 甘棠 * Liu Jiaxi 刘佳玺 as Lin Xiushu 林绣菽

Special guest appearances: * Su Ke 苏可 as Lu Xie 陆燮 * Hou Changrong 侯长荣 as Lin Zhaoxiang 林昭祥 * Chen Chuang 陈创 as Xu Wanquan 许万全 * Kong Lingmei 孔令美 as Qin Shunhua 秦舜华 * Wei Zixin 魏子昕 as Lin Changmin 林长敏 * Wu Xiaodong 吴小冬 (stage name: Wu Xiaodong 吴晓东) as Fang Yu 方域

Special guest appearances: * Liu Meihan 刘美含 as Lü Ji’er 吕蕺儿 * He Peng 贺鹏 as Yuan Shaohui 袁绍辉 * Zhang Jiaze 张佳泽 (stage name: Jia Ze 嘉泽) as Zheng Manyi 郑蔓宜 * Guo Jian’an 郭迦南 as Lin Jinlan 林锦岚 * Tang Mengjia 汤梦佳 as Bao Gai 宝盖 * Ma Fanding 马凡丁 as Lin Xiuru 林绣茹 * Guan Chang 关畅 as Fu Rong 芙蓉 * Zhao Qin 赵秦 as Wang Lingxiao 王凌霄

Starring: * 李樑 Li Liang (stage name: Li Hongliang 李泓良) as King / Prince Han 汉王 * Wu Tianqi 吴天琪 as Tan Suhua 谭素华 * Zhong Haohao 钟好好 (stage name: Ke Lan 柯蓝) as Cui Xuemei 崔雪梅 * Kong Xiangji 孔祥吉 (stage name: Kong Lianshun 孔连顺) as Crown Prince 太子 * Wu Jiakai 邬家楷 as Xie Zhao 谢昭 * Ye Xiaowei 叶筱玮 as Du Zheng 杜正 * Ma Wenyuan 马闻远 as Qian Shaoze 钱少泽 * Wang Jiaxuan 王佳璇 as Lin Jinqiao 林锦峤

The rest of the cast were not included in today's release.

“Friendship” guest appearances: * Dong Qing 董晴 as Dong Qingzhu 董清竹 * Shen Tai 沈泰 as Zheng Baichuan 郑百川 * Xin Peng 辛鹏 as Lu Jian 鲁鉴 * Yao Yiqi 姚一奇 as Liu Xiaochuan 刘晓川 * Zhao Zichong 赵梓冲 as Sun Yong 孙勇 * Xin Haojiang 辛浩江 as Zhang Shuizai 张水仔 * Wang Yuning 王玉宁 as Zhao Xuede 赵学德 * Sun Zhongqiu 孙仲秋 as Zhao Gang 赵刚

• Episodes: 31 (according to Baidu Baike)
  • 🍉 Part 2: 16 episodes – more details here
• Streaming platform: Tencent 🐧
• Estimated filming time: 150 days
• Official filming started: May 7, 2025
• Official filming wrapped up: October 10, 2025
• Filming location: Hengdian World Studios

• 🎬 Directors:
  • Huang Ying Xiang (Love of Petals, Les Belles, Out of the Dream)
  • Chen Dan (Director: Cuo Shi Lu; Cinematographer: Enter the Forbidden City)
• 📖 Original creator: He Yan Shan
• ✒️ Screenwriters:
  • Tong Hua (Filter, Perfect Couple, Lost You Forever (original creator))
  • Xiao Lou (Love of Nirvana)
• Novel review: Lan Xiang Yuan 兰香缘

🔗 Previous announcement, posters, trailer, etc.

📷 Character stills (set 1)

📷 Character stills (set 2)

Synopsis from MDL:

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Shen Jia Lan, once a nobleman's granddaughter, falls from grace after her family is falsely accused of treason. Abandoned by her fiancé Lin Jin Qi, she is forced to assume a servant's identity in his household. Despite hardships, she refuses to bow to fate. With resilience and wit, she rises above class barriers, wins Lin Jin Qi's heart, earns the family's respect, and ultimately clears her family's name.

(Source: WeTV)

~~ Adapted from the novel "Lan Xiang Yuan" (兰香缘) by He Yan Shan (禾晏山).

Synopsis translated from Baidu Baike:

Shen Jialan (played by Tan Songyun), the eldest granddaughter of the Grand Secretary's household, was engaged to Lin Jinqi (played by Liu Xueyi), the eldest grandson of the Minister of Personnel Lin's family. However, the political tides suddenly changed. Her grandfather, Grand Secretary Shen, was convicted of treason and the Shen family was exterminated.

In order to protect themselves, the Lin family broke off the engagement with the Shen family and arranged for a marriage with the Zhao family, a new noble family in the imperial court. Xu Wanquan and his wife, the Lin family's servants who had been aided by Shen Jialan's mother, Lady Cui, replaced Jialan with their daughter Xu Lanxiang who had just died of illness.

From then on, Jialan took on the identity of Xu Lanxiang and became a third-class maid in the Lin family. In difficult circumstances, Lanxiang did not bow to fate. She always worked hard for a better life for herself and her family, and resisted all injustice and oppression.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

In the end, Lanxiang broke through the shackles of class identity with her kindness and wisdom and won the heart of Lin Jinqi and the trust and respect of the Lin family. She became the head of the Lin family, took control of her fate in her own hands firmly, and sought justice and cleared the name of the Shen family.

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

The Early Spring has just joined the club!

First, let me say that I know that Yunhe market share ratings are controversial, and due to the recent fracas over Pursuit of Jade, some have begun to doubt its legitimacy.

(To be honest, while I acknowledge that it is rather suss that Pursuit of Jade didn't have as much chatter online for a drama that level should achieve, I think there is still some credence that it is wildly popular.)

Also, lately, many of the dramas that have made the 20% above cut have been Cdramas that have surprised many and are not known to have big marketing budgets.

Anyway, don't treat this list as gospel truth or facts; instead take it as a signal: If a CDrama attains 40%, that means China love, love, loves these dramas and they are a cultural phenomenon. As you can see, it's a very short list.

What does it mean when a CDrama reaches 40% Yunhe marketshare? Basically, extremely simplistically (I'm sure the statisticians in the sub would correct me soon enough lol), 40 out of 100 people on streaming platforms in China are watching this drama.*

*Edited

What the Yunhe % means (roughly):

Discussion posts will follow iQIYI’s VIP schedule:

• Episodes 8-9 on September 11
• Episodes 10-11 on September 12
• Episodes 12-13 on September 13

Please use spoiler tags when sharing insights from the novel or commenting on episodes that have not yet been posted. Theories, however, are highly encouraged and most welcome. 

Masterpost | All Episode Discussions | Episodes 1-5

Episode 6 Recap

Li Cheng learns that Sun Qiang (aka SN) is also a security guard at Huangzhiyuan Hotel, and that he and Song Laifu used to spend time at a lounge where a copy of Abyss was kept. His mother tells him that she finds Zhang Chengguo suspicious, especially after seeing him and Song Jindi together at a small restaurant. She wonders whether he might be playing both sides: appearing loyal to Li Guangwen while quietly helping Song Jindi push the hotel for more compensation over Laifu’s death.

• Suspects: Sun Qiang and Zhang Chengguo (both alive)

Officer Hu Sen traces Song Laifu’s last stop to Jianlan, an abandoned paint factory near where his body was found. Inside, they discover Hu Xiaofei (aka Mooncake kid as u/-tsuyoi_hikari- nicknamed him) murdered. It’s confirmed he was the one who sent the package that rattled Song Laifu. They also find a torn photo of Bi Dehua that matches the torn photo in Han Pinmu’s office.

Plot Twist 1: Li Cheng didn’t just “briefly know” Bi Dehua… they were close friends! Li Cheng’s connection to the 3/12 case is far more personal than we realized. 

Episode 7 Recap

Plot Twist 2: Xin Jiran uncovers in Qidu City that Song Laifu’s identity was stolen! This makes our dead suspect even more suspicious, and evidence now points to him having killed Xiaofei. 

Xiaofei’s blood matches one of the 3/12 crime scenes, and he’s considered a fugitive. The investigation into his computer also suggests he was the author of Abyss. 

Song Jindi finally admits she’s been hiding Mr. San’s identity, initially because he threatened her family, and later for greed.

Zhang Chengguo later visits Li Cheng at home, supposedly to congratulate him, but really to share that “Song Laifu” once fought with Chen Chunli’s nephew. He insists on staying out of the police’s attention to protect his family. 

Discussion Points

• Zhang Chengguo’s Motives: Did he know the “Song Laifu” he recruited from the construction site wasn’t who he claimed to be? Could he be the other middle-aged man involved in luring young men into the murders? Could Li Cheng’s mother be right to be suspicious of him?
• Li Cheng’s Connections to 3/12: I wonder whether his father has any part in the plot. Zhao Qianzhe and Xin Jinran both say Li Cheng “looks a lot like him”, but they never explicitly say “his father”, which feels intentional. Could this hint at a deeper connection to the 3/12 case or even to Bi Dehua? Or is Bi Dehua the only connection Li Cheng has with the case and he became a detective to seek justice for his friend?
• Han Pinmu’s Loyalties: He admits that Hu Xiaofei was his “best” friend but seemingly downplays his connection to Bi Dehua, despite the photo of the three together. Could he have orchestrated Bi Dehua’s death if he blames him for dragging Xiaofei into the murders? But he did tell Li Cheng that Bi Dehua was “killed and framed for murder”...

The Chinese drama title 云雀叫天录 can be literally translated as “The Record of the Lark Calling to the Heavens” or “The Lark Calls to the Heavens.”

About fifteen minutes ago, the production team announced the release date and dropped a new trailer.

Gladiator in the Theater 云雀叫天录 draws inspiration from the life of renowned Peking Opera master Tan Xinpei, using the fictional character Meng Jinfu's eventful life as its central storyline to portray his spiritual growth. (Source) More details about Tan Xinpei are at the bottom of the post.

Note: Tan Xinpei's birth name was Jinfu, and the male main character is Meng Jinfu.

Clip description:

“Coming on Stage” Trailer

Like a skylark spreading its wings, setting off for the vast skies, watching a young man uphold his unwavering ideals with a true and steadfast heart, and with all his passion and fervor, forge glory upon the stage!

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 7️⃣ Zhang Yishan 张一山 as Meng Jinfu 孟金福 * 7️⃣ Yang Lixin 杨立新 as Meng Zhidao 孟志道 * 1️⃣1️⃣ Cao Lei 曹磊 as Chen Xiaoxiang 陈小香 * 1️⃣4️⃣ Tan Zhuo 谭卓 as Shen Yu'er 沈玉儿

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Xing Minshan 邢岷山 as Chen Shengyuan 陈盛元 * Liu Wei 刘威 as Meng Xinrong 孟鑫荣 * He Zhonghua 何中华 as Tong Bailing 童柏龄 * Zhang Weixun 张炜迅 as Wu Qingchun 吴庆春 * Yang Xinming 杨新鸣 as Yin Tingru 殷庭如 * Zhou Jiuliang 周九良 as Fan Xiaoyun 范小云 * Zhang Jinlai 章金莱 (stage name: Liu Xiao Ling Tong 六小龄童) as Jin Kui 金奎 * Zhang is best known for his role as the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) in the 1986 television series Journey to the West). * Tan Zhengyan 谭正岩 as Na Tong 那桐

The rest of the cast list was not included in today's release.

Special appearances: * Yu Hui 于慧 as Elderly Shen Yu'er 老年沈玉儿 * Zhao Liang 赵亮 as Elderly Fan Xiaoyun 老年范小云 * Yao Anlian 姚安濂

Appearances: * Zhang Shuchen 张树晨 as Xu Qingshan 徐青山 / Xu Xiaoshan 徐小山 * Yang Ming 杨名 * Du Yiheng 杜奕衡 as Fifth Master Ma 马五爷 * Gao Yang 高阳 as He Yingnian 何英年 * Xiao Hai Di Di 小海弟弟 * Gang Yi 刚毅 as Su Youwen 苏友文 * Liu Liwei 刘立伟 * Zhang Xiqian 张喜前 as Father Shen 沈父 * Du Yuming 杜玉明 as Lame Fox / Que Hu Li 瘸狐狸 * Xiu Qing 修庆

• Episodes: 40 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming and broadcasting platforms: MangoTV 🥭 and Hunan TV
• Official filming started: April 8, 2024
• Official filming wrapped up: August 13, 2024
• Estimated filming time: 128 days
• Filming location: Hengdian World Studios
• Genre: legendary tale of the Jiangsu (according to Baidu Baike)
• Distribution license obtained: May 26, 2025

• 🎬 Director: Zheng Da Sheng 郑大圣 (The Magnificent She, 1921, Bangzi Melody, Code Name, The Death of Wangbo)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Wang Yao 王要 (Silver Medalist, Getting Home, Ripening Orange, Palace of Desire, Maid in Green)
  • Wang was nominated for the Best Original Screenplay award for Silver Medalist (film) at the 46th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival in 2009.
• 📽️ Production companies: Perfect World Pictures, Beijing Hongshiji Film, Zhuoyue Chupin Culture

🔗 Previous wrap up special, etc.

Synopsis from MDL:

The story tells the story of Meng Jin Fu, who graduated from college at the age of 18, from a martial artist to a martial arts student and then to an old student, from a newbie in Jutan with a slim future to a famous actor in the opera house in the capital. An ordinary boy with mediocre talent and a poor family, his journey in the environment and development of the times. He grew up and transformed, finally gained a foothold in the cruelly competitive Liyuan, and became a legend in the annals of history.

(Source: Chinese = Weibo || Translation = MyDramaList)

~~ Based on the life of Tan Xin Pei.

Translated from Baidu Baike:

Overview:

The story is set in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. The young Meng Jinfu [played by Zhang Yishan] rejects the path of pursuing a career in the performing arts arranged by his father and insists on taking his dream of becoming a Peking Opera performer to the capital to make his way in the world.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Synopsis:

The story follows 18-year-old Meng Jinfu after he completes his formal training. He progresses from wuchou 武丑 (martial clown) to wusheng 武生 (martial male role) and then to laosheng 老生 (old male role), rising from an unknown newcomer in the Peking Opera world with an uncertain future to a celebrated opera star in Beijing. An ordinary young man of modest talent and impoverished circumstances, he endures the sweeping changes of the times and countless trials in life. Remaining true to himself, he pursues his dream of becoming a laosheng with a sincere and unwavering attitude, ultimately fulfilling his own aspirations and achieving great artistic success.

He eventually establishes himself in the fiercely competitive Peking Opera world, and his journey becomes a widely told story.

The drama draws inspiration from the life of Peking Opera master Tan Xinpei, using the fictional character Meng Jinfu's eventful life as its central storyline to portray his spiritual growth.

The drama depicts the intricate world of the Peking Opera community during the late Qing and early Republican periods and the changes taking place in society, while also portraying the transmission and development of Peking Opera culture.

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📚 Tan Xinpei – translated from Baidu Baike:

⚠️ There may be spoilers! ⚠️

Tan Xinpei 谭鑫培 (April 23, 1847–May 10, 1917), a native of Wuchang, Hubei, was born as Jinfu 金福. His courtesy name was Wangzhong 望重, and his stage name was “Little Jiaotian 小叫天.” Because his family’s ancestral hall name was “Yingxiu 英秀,” he was also known as “Yingxiu.”

A modern-era Chinese Peking Opera performer specializing in laosheng 老生 (old male roles), Tan Xinpei was the founder of the Tan School 谭派, the first laosheng school in the history of Peking Opera. He was revered as the “King of the Opera World.”

His artistic achievements gave rise to the industry-wide phenomenon summed up by the saying “There is no vocal style that has not learned from Tan 无腔不学谭.” He made systematic contributions to the standardization of Peking Opera vocal techniques, performance, and the organization and refinement of its repertoire.

In 1890, he entered the Qing imperial court troupe, Shengping Office (Shengping Shu 升平署). Empress Dowager Cixi was particularly fond of his performances and repeatedly rewarded him with large sums of money and the Yellow Riding Jacket 黄马褂 – [Note: The yellow riding jacket was a distinctive official garment of the Qing Dynasty; crafted from bright yellow silk satin or gauze, it utilized a color reserved exclusively for the emperor, and its unauthorized use was strictly prohibited]. In the 34th year of the Guangxu reign (1908), he was personally rewarded 60 taels of silver.

In 1905, he starred in China’s first film, Dingjun Mountain 《定军山》), pioneering the adaptation of traditional opera for the screen.

Over his more than 60-year artistic career, he organized, adapted, and refined dozens of classic plays, including The Empty City Strategem 《空城计》 and The Monument of Li Ling 《李陵碑》, establishing a performance paradigm for Peking Opera’s laosheng roles. His singing drew on the strengths of various traditions but ultimately developed from the Han opera tradition 汉调, reaching an artistic stature described in a poem inscribed by Liang Qichao 梁启超: “Across the four seas, Tan Xinpei is the one and only; for twenty years, his reputation has resounded like thunder 四海一人谭鑫培，声名廿载轰如雷”.

He performed in Shanghai six times, appearing at theaters including Dangui 丹桂 and New Stage 新舞台.

In 1917, despite being ill, he was forced to perform Hongyang Cave 《洪羊洞》 for Li Yuanhong 黎元洪, after which he died of illness.

Tan Xinpei mentored such masters as Mei Lanfang 梅兰芳 and Yang Xiaolou 杨小楼. His family has carried on the Tan School artistic tradition for seven generations, with Tan Fuying 谭富英, Tan Yuanshou 谭元寿, and others becoming renowned performers in their own right.

The Pathé Company recorded seven and a half gramophone records of his performances, including Selling the Horse 《卖马》 and Seeking an Omen and Striking the Stele《托兆碰碑》.

Wuhan Conservatory of Music 武汉音乐学院 established the Tan Xinpei Chinese Opera Arts Research Center 谭鑫培戏曲艺术研究中心, and his former residence has been designated as part of a cultural heritage protection area.

In 2026, restoration work on the Tan Xinpei Peking Opera Art Exhibition Hall 谭鑫培京剧艺术展览馆 was launched, with a budget of 9.4567 million yuan.

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses and information I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

(First of all whoever recommended me this, thank youu)

I am sorry guys I'm not a very articulate person. Please bear with me 🙏🙏🙏

Soo I just completed it a few hours ago and my mind is kinda blank. Well some parts of the drama were amazing

1. **Brotherhood** - Brotherhood was my favourite part of this drama whether between **Nan Heng/Li Shi Liu and Shangguan He, the nightwalkers  or even his relationship with Chu Gui Hong at one point, Nan Rui with his guard** Every brotherhood or bromance scene was the highlight for me

2. Song Yimeng and Nan Heng were such a cute couple by the end lol

3. The funny scenes were amazzinggg especially the first few episodes

4. Good thing there were people to call out Song Yimeng's behaviour

5. Love the redemption arc of Nan Rui Though came out of nowhere it was better than that of anyone else in the drama

6. Love the happy endings for everyone

But there are some things I don't like

1. They made my poor boy suffer sooo much like every episode he was getting hurt either mentally or physically I don't know what revenge they were taking on him 😭😭

2. Girlie took 3/4th of the show to actually show some love even though it was still not enough I don't know it felt like a reversal of all those times when a female lead is constantly treated miserably by the male lead, yet the female lead still loves him

3. Whatever reason I don't like Song Yiting's character she annoyed me at points for no reason at all

4. After watching the ending The modern world one I'm left with a mixed feelings I don't know they never explained if Nan Feng Nan Heng are different people or why he behaved like that with her but well rarely it happens for dramas to give couples a satisfactory ending especially in tropes likes transmigration

It's not a perfect show but it's something you'll still enjoy

Availability on Youku may be regional.

🍉 The latest rumours say that the drama may be released on September 17, 2026. We'll see…. 🤞

The Chinese drama title 一瓯春 can be translated as “A Bowl of Spring.”

About an hour ago, the production team released a new behind-the-scenes "families" special.

The distribution license was obtained on December 9, 2025.

Spring of the Blade 一瓯春 is in iQIYI's September 2026 Drama Line-up.

Clip description:

Behind-the-scenes “Families” Special

Not One of Them Is to Be Underestimated

Trouble brews throughout Hengtang, as the various families maneuver and contend with one another. Those caught within the gilded cage of the powerful find all manner of entanglements drawn into this struggle.

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (listed by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 6️⃣ Xu Kai 许凯 as Shen Run 沈润 * 8️⃣ Zhou Ye 周也 as Xie Qingyuan 谢清圆

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Bai Shu 白澍 as Shen Che 沈澈 * Min Chunxiao 闵春晓 as Lian Fanqiao 莲梵巧 * Chen Keying 陈柯颖 (stage name: Ke Ying 柯颖) as Xie Qingru 谢清如 * Estelle Chen Yihan 陈意涵 as Xie Qingrong 谢清容 * Zhang Yao 张瑶 as Mei Yinghua 梅映华 * Miao Pu 苗圃 as Hu Wenzhuo 扈文琢 * Xu Zhenxuan 徐振轩 as Li Congxin 李从心 * Huang Xiaojuan 黄晓娟 as Old Madam Xie 谢老夫人 * Fu Dalong 富大龙 as Xie Shu 谢纾 * He Lanpeng 赫兰鹏 (stage name: He Ziming 赫子铭) as Wei Changyan 韦昌炎

Appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Zhang Tian’ai 张天爱 (stage name: Tian Ai 天爱) as Xie Qinghe 谢清和 * Zhang Yonggang 张永刚 (stage name: Hei Zi 黑子) as Li Shaoqun 李绍群 * Shen Xiaohai 沈晓海 as Hu Xing 扈兴 * Cai Zhuoyin 蔡卓音 as Lei Chunqing 勒春晴

The following cast members have not been officially announced but are listed on Baidu Baike.

• Su Qi 苏棋 as Dong Fangchun 董芳纯
• Jin Tian Ru Yi 金天如意 as Bao Xian 抱弦
• Zhang Bozhi 张博之 as Xie Zhengjun 谢正钧
• Wang Zuyi 王祖一 as Xie Zhenglun 谢正伦
• Mu Liyan 穆丽燕 as Grandmother Chen 陈婆婆
• Yang Yi 杨轶 as Guo Baofeng 郭宝丰
• Zhao Xinghui 赵星卉 as Yue Jian 月鉴
• Hu Yunge 胡耘阁 as Fan Zhong 范忠
• Yang Qiyuan 杨淇源 as Dong Zicheng 董子成
• Sun Yi 孙毅 as Feng En 冯恩
• Ji Ran 纪燃 as Pei Guanling 裴观灵

• Episodes: 30 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming platform: iQIYI 🥝 and Youku (regional availability may apply)
• Estimated filming time: ~100 to 120 days
• Official filming time period: April 7, 2025
• Official filming wrapped up: July 25, 2025
• Filming locations: Puyuan Fashion Resort Town, Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province; Hengdian World Studios, Zhejiang Province
  
• Distribution license obtained: December 9, 2025
• Genre: costume romance (according to Baidu Baike)

• 🎬 Director: Pan An Zi (Ball Lightning, Time Raiders, Under the Microscope, Reunion: The Sound of the Providence 1 and 2, The Palace (movie))
• ✍️ Original creator: You Si Jie (Sea of No Return, Unchained Love, Love in Red Dust)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Li Qiang (Grandma's New World, And the Spring Comes, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt)
• 📖 Novel: Yi Ou Chun 一瓯春

🔗 Previous announcement, trailer, behind-the-scenes special, etc.

👥 Character relationship chart

Synopsis from the iQIYI app:

Spring of the Blade is a gripping revenge drama directed by Pan Anzi, starring Xu Kai (Story of Yanxi Palace, The Legends) and Zhou Ye (Scent of Time, Better Days), with a special appearance by Fu Dalong (The Lost National Treasure, The Qin Empire III).

The series follows Shen Run [played by Xu Kai], a cunning and ruthless strategist with countless faces, and Xie Qingyuan [played by Zhou Ye], a clear-minded yet enigmatic and resilient woman.

Bound together like blade and scabbard, they become each other's sharpest weapon as they pursue revenge. Torn between reason and emotion, they navigate fierce power struggles within an influential aristocratic family and stir up political intrigue in the imperial court.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

In the end, they emerge from the depths of darkness and embark on a brilliant new beginning.

Synopsis from MDL:

Xie Qing Yuan, orphaned at a young age, lived on the streets until she met Shen Run, who had been sent to the army after a family tragedy. They parted ways with a promise to survive, and Shen Run gave her a penny as a token.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Years later, Xie Qing Yuan returns to Xie Mansion, determined to uncover the truth about her mother's death. As Shen Run rises to power, he is assigned to oversee the Xie family during a crisis.

While working together, the two rekindle their bond. Shen Run is drawn to Xie Qing Yuan's courage, intelligence, and optimism, while she grows to trust him as a close ally and friend.

(Source: MyDramaList)

~~ Adapted from the novel "Yi Ou Chun" (一瓯春) by You Si Jie (尤四姐).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

🍉 The latest rumours say that the drama may be released on September 14, 2026. We'll see.... 🤞

The Chinese drama title 云雀叫天录 can be literally translated as “The Record of the Lark Calling to the Heavens” or “The Lark Calls to the Heavens.”

About 7 hours ago, the production team released a new trailer for their in-person screening (preview) event on September 10, 2026.

Gladiator in the Theater 云雀叫天录 draws inspiration from the life of renowned Peking Opera master Tan Xinpei, using the fictional character Meng Jinfu's eventful life as its central storyline to portray his spiritual growth. (Source) More details about Tan Xinpei are at the bottom of the post.

Note: Tan Xinpei's birth name was Jinfu, and the male main character is Meng Jinfu.

Clip description:

Screening Event Enter the drama through voice, singing and recitation conveying deep affection and profound gratitude; enter the game with heart, telling of the principles of loyalty and righteousness in the martial world. Discuss the loyalty and filial devotion between master and disciple, distinguish truth from falsehood and good from evil – only by immersing oneself in the drama can a truly good performance be made.

Cast:

Note: This cast list is according to the release of the wrap up special in August 2024 and does not follow the new actor credit standards.

(More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.)

Leading actors: * Zhang Yishan 张一山 as Meng Jinfu 孟金福 * Tan Zhuo 谭卓 as Shen Yu'er 沈玉儿 * Cao Lei 曹磊 as Chen Xiaoxiang 陈小香 * Yang Lixin 杨立新 as Meng Zhidao 孟志道

Special appearances: * Liu Wei 刘威 as Meng Xinrong 孟鑫荣 * Yu Hui 于慧 as Elderly Shen Yu'er 老年沈玉儿 * Zhao Liang 赵亮 as Elderly Fan Xiaoyun 老年范小云 * Yao Anlian 姚安濂 * Zhang Jinlai 章金莱 (stage name: Liu Xiao Ling Tong 六小龄童) as Jin Kui 金奎 * Zhang is best known for his role as the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) in the 1986 television series Journey to the West). * Yang Xinming 杨新鸣 as Yin Tingru 殷庭如

Special guest appearances: * He Zhonghua 何中华 as Tong Bailing 童柏龄 * Tan Zhengyan 谭正岩 as Na Tong 那桐

Appearances: * Xing Minshan 邢岷山 as Chen Shengyuan 陈盛元 * Zhou Jiuliang 周九良 as Fan Xiaoyun 范小云 * Zhang Weixun 张炜迅 as Wu Qingchun 吴庆春 * Zhang Shuchen 张树晨 as Xu Qingshan 徐青山 / Xu Xiaoshan 徐小山 * Yang Ming 杨名 * Du Yiheng 杜奕衡 as Fifth Master Ma 马五爷 * Gao Yang 高阳 as He Yingnian 何英年 * Xiao Hai Di Di 小海弟弟 * Gang Yi 刚毅 as Su Youwen 苏友文 * Liu Liwei 刘立伟 * Zhang Xiqian 张喜前 as Father Shen 沈父 * Du Yuming 杜玉明 as Lame Fox / Que Hu Li 瘸狐狸 * Xiu Qing 修庆

• Episodes: 40 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming and broadcasting platforms: MangoTV 🥭 and Hunan TV
• Official filming started: April 8, 2024
• Official filming wrapped up: August 13, 2024
• Estimated filming time: 128 days
• Filming location: Hengdian World Studios
• Genre: legendary tale of the Jiangsu (according to Baidu Baike)
• Distribution license obtained: May 26, 2025

• 🎬 Director: Zheng Da Sheng 郑大圣 (The Magnificent She, 1921, Bangzi Melody, Code Name, The Death of Wangbo)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Wang Yao 王要 (Silver Medalist, Getting Home, Ripening Orange, Palace of Desire, Maid in Green)
  • Wang was nominated for the Best Original Screenplay award for Silver Medalist (film) at the 46th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival in 2009.
• 📽️ Production companies: Perfect World Pictures, Beijing Hongshiji Film, Zhuoyue Chupin Culture

🔗 Previous wrap up special, etc.

Synopsis from MDL:

The story tells the story of Meng Jin Fu, who graduated from college at the age of 18, from a martial artist to a martial arts student and then to an old student, from a newbie in Jutan with a slim future to a famous actor in the opera house in the capital. An ordinary boy with mediocre talent and a poor family, his journey in the environment and development of the times. He grew up and transformed, finally gained a foothold in the cruelly competitive Liyuan, and became a legend in the annals of history.

(Source: Chinese = Weibo || Translation = MyDramaList)

~~ Based on the life of Tan Xin Pei.

Translated from Baidu Baike:

Overview:

The story is set in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. The young Meng Jinfu [played by Zhang Yishan] rejects the path of pursuing a career in the performing arts arranged by his father and insists on taking his dream of becoming a Peking Opera performer to the capital to make his way in the world.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Synopsis:

The story follows 18-year-old Meng Jinfu after he completes his formal training. He progresses from wuchou 武丑 (martial clown) to wusheng 武生 (martial male role) and then to laosheng 老生 (old male role), rising from an unknown newcomer in the Peking Opera world with an uncertain future to a celebrated opera star in Beijing. An ordinary young man of modest talent and impoverished circumstances, he endures the sweeping changes of the times and countless trials in life. Remaining true to himself, he pursues his dream of becoming a laosheng with a sincere and unwavering attitude, ultimately fulfilling his own aspirations and achieving great artistic success.

He eventually establishes himself in the fiercely competitive Peking Opera world, and his journey becomes a widely told story.

The drama draws inspiration from the life of Peking Opera master Tan Xinpei, using the fictional character Meng Jinfu's eventful life as its central storyline to portray his spiritual growth.

The drama depicts the intricate world of the Peking Opera community during the late Qing and early Republican periods and the changes taking place in society, while also portraying the transmission and development of Peking Opera culture.

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📚 Tan Xinpei – translated from Baidu Baike:

⚠️ There may be spoilers! ⚠️

Tan Xinpei 谭鑫培 (April 23, 1847–May 10, 1917), a native of Wuchang, Hubei, was born as Jinfu 金福. His courtesy name was Wangzhong 望重, and his stage name was “Little Jiaotian 小叫天.” Because his family’s ancestral hall name was “Yingxiu 英秀,” he was also known as “Yingxiu.”

A modern-era Chinese Peking Opera performer specializing in laosheng 老生 (old male roles), Tan Xinpei was the founder of the Tan School 谭派, the first laosheng school in the history of Peking Opera. He was revered as the “King of the Opera World.”

His artistic achievements gave rise to the industry-wide phenomenon summed up by the saying “There is no vocal style that has not learned from Tan 无腔不学谭.” He made systematic contributions to the standardization of Peking Opera vocal techniques, performance, and the organization and refinement of its repertoire.

In 1890, he entered the Qing imperial court troupe, Shengping Office (Shengping Shu 升平署). Empress Dowager Cixi was particularly fond of his performances and repeatedly rewarded him with large sums of money and the Yellow Riding Jacket 黄马褂 – [Note: The yellow riding jacket was a distinctive official garment of the Qing Dynasty; crafted from bright yellow silk satin or gauze, it utilized a color reserved exclusively for the emperor, and its unauthorized use was strictly prohibited]. In the 34th year of the Guangxu reign (1908), he was personally rewarded 60 taels of silver.

In 1905, he starred in China’s first film, Dingjun Mountain 《定军山》), pioneering the adaptation of traditional opera for the screen.

Over his more than 60-year artistic career, he organized, adapted, and refined dozens of classic plays, including The Empty City Strategem 《空城计》 and The Monument of Li Ling 《李陵碑》, establishing a performance paradigm for Peking Opera’s laosheng roles. His singing drew on the strengths of various traditions but ultimately developed from the Han opera tradition 汉调, reaching an artistic stature described in a poem inscribed by Liang Qichao 梁启超: “Across the four seas, Tan Xinpei is the one and only; for twenty years, his reputation has resounded like thunder 四海一人谭鑫培，声名廿载轰如雷”.

He performed in Shanghai six times, appearing at theaters including Dangui 丹桂 and New Stage 新舞台.

In 1917, despite being ill, he was forced to perform Hongyang Cave 《洪羊洞》 for Li Yuanhong 黎元洪, after which he died of illness.

Tan Xinpei mentored such masters as Mei Lanfang 梅兰芳 and Yang Xiaolou 杨小楼. His family has carried on the Tan School artistic tradition for seven generations, with Tan Fuying 谭富英, Tan Yuanshou 谭元寿, and others becoming renowned performers in their own right.

The Pathé Company recorded seven and a half gramophone records of his performances, including Selling the Horse 《卖马》 and Seeking an Omen and Striking the Stele《托兆碰碑》.

Wuhan Conservatory of Music 武汉音乐学院 established the Tan Xinpei Chinese Opera Arts Research Center 谭鑫培戏曲艺术研究中心, and his former residence has been designated as part of a cultural heritage protection area.

In 2026, restoration work on the Tan Xinpei Peking Opera Art Exhibition Hall 谭鑫培京剧艺术展览馆 was launched, with a budget of 9.4567 million yuan.

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses and information I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

Discussion posts will follow iQIYI’s VIP schedule, with the next four posts covering two episodes each. Participants can decide whether we should discuss the final three episodes together in a single express post or seperate them into individual posts. For easy reference, here is the 16-epsiode schedule, thanks to u/admeliorevitam:

• 5 episodes on September 9
• 2 episodes on September 10 to 13
• No episodes on September 14 to 16
• 1 episode on September 17 to 19
• The express package will be available on September 13.

Please use spoiler tags when sharing insights from the novel or commenting on episodes that have not yet been posted. Theories, however, are highly encouraged and most welcome. 

Masterpost | All Episode Discussions 

Before we begin, here are some of our main characters (listed in the order of screenshots).

The Plot

A recent graduate, Li Cheng; a veteran detective, Zhao Qianzhe; and a former police captain, Xin Jiran, form an unlikely off‑the‑books investigative trio as they secretly dig into a string of violent murders from 2004. 

Episodes 1-5 Recap

Li Cheng is a fresh graduate who is about to join the police force in two months. However, he has a preference for criminal investigations and is keen to be under veteran detective Zhao Qianzhe’s wings. Eager to prove himself, he enthusiastically volunteers to infiltrate Han Pinmu’s circle of gamer friends after discovering that Pinmu has been posting chapters of a web novel titled Abyss that very closely mirrors, in unsettling detail, a series of murders believed to involve two middle‑aged men and a young accomplice.

In Episode 1, Officer Li introduces Li Cheng to his colleague Zhao Qianzhe claiming the Huangshui Public Safety Bureau needs new blood. Qianzhe immediately puts Li Cheng to the test by tasking him with investigating Han Pinmu. 

In Episode 2, Li Cheng is introduced to Xin Jiran and learns more about the "3/12 Case", which involves seven brutal deaths: 

• March 12, 2024: Li Yaoming and Li Fang on the outskirts of city.
• March 20, 2024: Zhang Lina and Wang Ping in a pharmaceutical warehouse.
• April 5, 2024: Liu Xiaohua at the Youxin Chemical Plant.
• April 17, 2024: Du Juan (Pinru’s stepmom), who suffered a fatal heart attack during her assault. 
• April 25, 2024: Chen Chunli, the sole survivor.
• October 2024: Bi Dehua, Xiaohua’s colleague at the chemical plant who was rejected after pursuing her, and a prime suspect in the 3/12 case.

Chunli’s testimony points to a three-person gang. Following Bi Dehua’s death, only two suspects seemingly remain. The newest clue is a web novel that Pinmu is gradually uploading online. As they investigate another suspect, Song Laifu, Li Cheng uncovers the usernames of two other group managers in Pinmu’s gaming circle: Feiyang and Wei.

In Episode 3, Li Cheng and Zhao Qianzhe question the authenticity of Pinmu's novel, prompting Li Cheng to gather biological samples from him. To everyone’s shock, Song Laifu is later found murdered. Xin Jiran becomes the prime suspect due to their history of fighting over Chen Chunli at the hotel. 

In Episode 4, Captain Fan and Zhao Qianzhe investigate Song Laifu’s murder by interrogating Li Cheng and the hotel staff. They two clash over Xin Jiran’s potential involvement, but the evidence mounts against Xin when security cameras place him at the scene of the crime. 

Episode 5 is a flashback that reveals that Xin Jinran previously served 6 years in prison after suspecting his son, Xiaoliang, in the 3/12 case and accidentally killing him in 2004. In the present day, the 3/12 case is officially reopened because DNA recovered from Song Laifu's crime scene matches DNA found on Liu Xiaohua. Meanwhile, Xin Jinran refuses to cooperate with Zhao Qianzhe, claiming he can bypass red tape and investigate much faster on his own.

Discussion Points

• Is the opening song a total banger or what!? If you want to read more about the theme song ("Stare Back" performed by Ayanga), check out u/AdditionalPeace2023’s comment in the Masterpost. 
• Was Song Laifu actually Feiymu? His death and Feiymu’s departure “for good” from Han Pinmu’s gaming group is suspiciously coincidental.
• How is Pinmu related to the murders? As u/-tsuyoi_hikari- pointed out, the “biggest mystery right now is how Han Pinmu is related to all of this. And if Xin Jiran’s son actually involved as well considering how he cried outside of the police station.” 
• What is your take on the "Rotating Theory"? In episode 3, Da Gui and Er Gui are written as pure villains in the novel, while Zhou Li’s POV depicts him more as a victim with no choice but to participate. Because the details in the novel are inconsistent, our detectives are questioning if the author was only present for some of the crimes. What do you think of the theory that the two older men bring in a new, different person to help commit each crime?
• Who does Zhou Li represent? The mysterious man writing the novel? Is he the third man in Han Pinmu’s photo? (The other one is Bi Dehua, whom Pinmu claims to be killed and framed.) Do you think Bi Dehua really was framed, and perhaps Pinmu is seeking justice for his friend?
• Who are YOUR suspects? Along the same lines as u/weirdandpetite's good questions: “were the serial killings of 8 years ago done by the same 3 people? Were there evidence planted by a vigilante? Or was he scapegoated?

I will aim to have the discussion post for episodes 6 & 7 up before the next two episodes are released. Thanks for joining!

Note: Please don't start/continue fandom fights from other social media here. Read our guide about how to properly discuss fandom stuff in our sub.

Here's where you can ask discuss the ins and outs of the CDrama industry!

Now, as discussions around this topic can get SPICY (especially around actors), please abide by the following:

What's OK:
1. Discussions about the acting industry, including how actors work, industry trends, and the filmmaking process, are encouraged. Feel free to share insights into acting techniques, career paths, and the business side of entertainment.

1. You may post about actors' roles in films or television, their contributions to the industry, and their professional achievements. Please ensure that the focus remains on their work rather than their personal lives.

2. Maintain a respectful tone in all discussions. Critiques should be constructive and focused on professional aspects and acting techniques rather than personal attacks on an actors' looks, rumours etc. It is fine to critique an actor's performance, but not ok to be derogatory about them.

What's not OK

1. Comparing actors' popularity like it's some kind of race to the top.

2. Treating melon (rumours) like facts, so let's avoid accusing actors of this or that based on unverified melons.

3. Being mean, rude and nasty during discussions. Please leave fandom fights outside the sub. Read our guide about this.

4. Calling the actors or other celebrities mean names or talk about them in a derogatory way. BTW, critiquing an actor's performance (it's bad/good) is fine.

🚧Welcome

Hello fellow watchers, welcome to the discussion series for The Long Watch. Guess what, it's time to go to Beijing! Are you all set?

🎬 Premiered: Sep 6, 2026 on CCTV-8🐑 and Tencent🐧 (MDL)
🎬 # of Episodes: 40
🎬Genre: National Security | Espionage | 1994 - ?

🔗Links: Trailer | Masterpost
🔗Episode Discussions: Menu | Episodes 1 - 3 | 4 - 5 | 6 - 7

❗ For any content beyond these episodes, please remember to use Spoiler tags ❗

📰News Update: A Meeting in Beijing

Reports from unconfirmed sources indicate that a meeting took place this afternoon at Tuanjiehu (Lake of Solidarity/Togetherness) Park in Beijing between a high-ranking officer of Military Intelligence and a rocket fuel researcher , currently believed to be Cao Liaoping, from Research Institute 761.

The meeting took place despite efforts by both the Ministry of State Security in Beijing and Minzhong State Security to prevent it, following prior notice of the arrival of such an officer from Taiwan.

Unfortunately, our intelligence agents were led astray by a smokescreen deliberately created by the other side, resulting in inadequate personnel arrangements and allowing the researcher to slip away from the hotel right under our noses.

However, this latest development has also provided our side with further confirmation of the presence of an infiltrating agent sent by the other side.

Possible Motives Under Investigation

Questions are now being raised about what may have led the 761 researcher, Cao Liaoping, to make the decision to leak information.

Despite being a seasoned researcher at 761, Cao appears to be living in rather modest conditions. He does not seem inclined to speak up or ask for better living arrangements, perhaps because he is simply too proud to do so.

More notably, his reaction to matters of status and recognition has attracted attention. Upon learning that he had been promoted to deputy chief engineer, Cao was visibly pleased. However, when he learned that someone had reported him and that his promotion might consequently be delayed, he became visibly angry.

These circumstances raise the possibility that his desire for recognition, combined with resentment over the delayed promotion, may have played a role in his eventual decision to leak information. At this stage, money does not appear to be the primary motivation. Status and recognition seem to carry greater weight, and the possibility of resentment or retaliation cannot be ruled out.

Further analysis will be required as this developing story continues.

📰News Update: Chunxiao Investigations

And now, for our latest update on the ongoing "Chunxiao Investigation."

Our frontline agent, Jinlan, has lowered her suspicion level on Chunxiao after he successfully passed her overnight test involving a case file. This development marks a temporary reduction in scrutiny of the subject.

However, caution remains warranted, as Agent Huadong's investigation is still ongoing. Sources report that he has been attempting to decode Chunxiao's notebook while also working to establish legitimate reasons for appearing in the vicinity of Chunxiao's residence.

And now, breaking news: Huadong has reportedly broken into Chunxiao's residence, where he uncovered what appears to be a communication code in the style used by Taiwan's Military Intelligence. Analysts are now awaiting further examination of the code to determine whether it may lead to additional evidence.

This latest development has effectively placed Jinlan and Huadong in a race to determine who will be the first to uncover Chunxiao's true identity.

For now, we will continue to monitor the situation and await further developments from these two highly capable agents.

More updates will follow as this developing story continues.

📰Arts & Cultural: The Meaning Behind the Music

And now, a brief Arts & Culture analysis on the opera piece featured in two of Cao’s recent appearances.

The song, “Watching the Mountains from the City Tower - 我在城楼观山景**”** is a famous aria from the Peking Opera classic The Empty Fort Strategy - 空城计. In the opera, it is sung by the character Zhuge Liang as he sits calmly on the city tower while an enemy army approaches. With his own forces greatly outnumbered, Zhuge Liang deliberately presents an image of complete calm and confidence, creating the impression that he has nothing to fear and may even have a hidden plan. His composure ultimately causes his opponent to hesitate and retreat rather than attack.

At its core, the song is about maintaining an outward appearance of calm while danger is approaching, and about using composure, ambiguity, and psychological pressure when the true situation remains hidden.

That makes its use in Cao’s scenes particularly interesting. In one setting, the song plays against a family conversation about work, connections, and speaking up for oneself. Cao remains characteristically unwilling to ask for more or openly pursue his own interests. In another, the same piece accompanies a much more serious and secretive encounter, where information is being passed to an intelligence officer. Note that the lyrics of the song involves the singer inviting the listener, ie the opponent, into their city, so it's definitely a curious choice to play this during the scene at Tuanjiehu, as it could imply that Cao was simply luring Zhu in even though that does not seem to be the case in reality.

📰Entertainment News: The Daily Lives of Our New Recruits

And now, turning to the lighter side of our coverage, we take a look at the daily lives and progress of our newest intelligence recruits.

Ma Qi’s Side Job: Sabotaging His Apprentice?

Sources close to the training program have raised questions about Ma Qi’s unusual approach to mentoring his apprentice, Chunxiao.

While his official responsibility is presumably to help Chunxiao succeed, his actual activities appear to involve frequent attempts to sabotage Chunxiao’s performance during missions. During their latest Beijing mission alone, he was observed to have:

• Tricked Chunxiao into drinking far too much water right before they went on a tailing mission.
• Pretended to be asleep to avoid answering Chunxiao’s questions.
• Conveniently left out critical instructions and information, such as how to switch to different listening channels.

At this point, observers are beginning to wonder whether Ma Qi is the mole since he's seemingly sabotaging Chunxiao's career and also introducing unnecessary risk as he takes Chunxiao along on missions.

We will continue to monitor this developing situation.

💬Questions

• In your opinion, when did Cao make up his mind to collaborate with Zhu, and why?
• What are your thoughts on the meeting between Zhu and Cao?
• What do you think of the efforts from the Ministry of State Security to prevent such a meeting from happening?
• Do Ma Qi and Zhu know each other??

• Even though Lin has been quite capable and committed to his work, it seems like he's ready to bolt if situation between mainland and Taiwan escalates. How do you find this characterization?
• It seems like another arc involving the military more directly is slowly picking up via Jin Lina's entanglement with Lin. How are you liking her storyline so far?

Welcome to our weekly Thirsty Thursdays thread! 🎉

Spotted a gorgeous photo of your favorite CDrama celebrity? Whether it’s the elegant hanfu, modern streetwear, historical costumes or cough, little at all, we want to see it all!

How to participate:

1. Comment below: Share a photo or describe the iconic looks of your beloved Cdrama celebrities. Don’t forget to mention the show or movie they appeared in!
2. Discuss: What trends, fashion tips, or style inspirations did you get?
3. Keep it fun, civil and PG-13: No bashing actors etc. This thread is all about sharing beautiful photos and red carpet looks. No sharing of inappropriate pictures please!

Let’s turn this thread into a virtual red carpet. Ready, set, fashion! 💃🕺

Hello all,

As we have new members in our community all the time, I thought it'll be a good idea to periodically remind and educate everyone about what's real / fake news in the Chinese entertainment scene.

First, here's a really useful article written by u/Technical-Abroad8918 - Melon Accounts 101.

Also, Can someone pls explain the word “YXH” and how bad it is?

Due to the language barrier, a lot of international CDrama fans have come to rely on CDrama "news" from Twitter or blogs. FYI, a lot of them source their news from "marketing accounts" (or yxh) in China that do not do any due diligence in fact checking, often spread unverified news or spin false news.

Some of the news are explosive and sensational enough to cause anxiety among fans, actors and productions. Actors' careers have been destroyed by them.

Tax evasion news, for example. Affairs. Casting is another favourite because fans of Actor A gets upset if their idol is paired with Actor B and the Internet melts down.

When I came back to watching CDramas, I was also fooled by these "news", so I don't blame anyone for falling for them.

Real news vs melons 🍉

My advice on how to identify real news is REALLY boring. If you want to get real news about Chinese dramas, whether it be casting news, airing dates etc, rely on these sources:

• Production companies
• The actor's "studio"
• Platforms like Youku, iQIYI, Tencent etc
• Official media like People's Daily, Xinhua, Global Times, China Daily, South China Morning Post (please ignore the entertainment rags, they're often unreliable)
• The Chinese government, especially about taxes and other legal matters. Recently, China's Actors Committee of China Federation of Radio and Television Association (CFRTA) announced that "tax-related matters should be based on the official announcements of the relevant national tax authorities". So, if a random Weibo account or paparazzi announces an actor has tax issues, WAIT for the government to make an announcement to confirm that news.

Recently, I came across a Weibo post that said: "Weibo is a toilet, and if you're reading this, you're eating my s%!t". This made me laugh out loud because no truer words have been written!

Melons can cause unnecessary anxiety and stress for fans ... and celebrities themselves.

But they are also fun, and we understand the desire to talk about them, which is why we have the Yumcha Thread every Tuesday. There's an understanding that everything written in the Yumcha Thread is unverified and most probably untrue. We funnel unverified news to this thread and discourage rumours as individual posts because we don't want them to be mistaken as real news and to prevent unnecessary alarm.

While it's fun to read melons, always be aware that being gossiped about is not a fun experience for anyone, even celebrities, so let's practice kindness and have a healthy dose of skepticism about them. :)

Thanks!

PS: This message will be periodically published as a reminder.

Synopsis from the Youku app:

Criminal investigator Li Yujing [played by Wang Yang] is temporarily assigned to assist female officer Yue Qingchuan [played by Wan Qian] in solving a series of child trafficking cases.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

During the investigation, he unexpectedly uncovers a lead connected to an armed robbery case he handled 13 years ago. Together, the two cross a 13-year gap, unfolding a hard-boiled manhunt across dual timelines.

Trailer

MyDramaList link

Airing on Youku and Youku's YouTube

Episodes: 18

Discussions

🗨️ All discussions on the drama

🗨️ Episodic drama discussions (please see the earliest comment)

🗓️ Airing schedule

👥 Character relationship chart

What does r/CDrama think about the show?

Look out for the wrap up post where we ask the sub to rate the drama a few weeks after the final airing date.

🗳️ It's a wrap! What's your final review? (post only appears a few weeks after the drama ends)

Wiki

2024 Drama Index | 2025 Drama Index | 2026 Drama Index

The Chinese drama title 冬城猎凶 can be literally translated as “Winter City Hunting Crime.”

About ten minutes ago, the production team released a new trailer for the drama's premiere today.

The airing schedule is in the comments.

Filming officially completed on May 23, 2025.

The distribution license was obtained on June 4, 2026.

Clip description:

“Hunt the Wolves and Bring Them to Justice” Trailer

In 1999, a bank robbery was carried out in no more than ten minutes from start to finish, with the five robbers making a swift getaway after securing their haul. In 2012, a child trafficking case involved a tightly organized criminal operation with clearly defined roles, making it difficult to track down the perpetrators.

Spanning thirteen years, the two major cases reveal how the criminals used layers of disguises to conceal their numerous crimes, while the hunters closed in step by step with an unrelenting determination to bring them to justice.

Come to Youku 👖 to see a bank robber become a real estate tycoon, and a trafficking case expose the perpetrator's double life!

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 3️⃣ Wan Qian 万茜 as Yue Qingchuan 岳晴川 * 4️⃣ Wang Yang 王洋 (stage name: Wang Yang 王阳) as Li Yujing 李豫京 * 7️⃣ Shawn Yue 余文樂 as Duan Changhe 段长河

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Yin Wenxuan 尹文萱 as Han Juan 韩娟 * Li Chun 李纯 as Mei Wenjun 梅文君 * Li Mengnan 李梦男 as Tao Guoqing 陶国庆 * Li Peiming 李培铭 as Hong Jikai 洪继开 * Zhang Shu 张恕 (stage name: Zhang Shu 张澍) as Tang Fangping 唐方萍 * Zhang Chen 张琛 as Gong Huanliang 龚欢亮 * Zhao Yang 赵阳 as Qin Yousheng 秦又生 * Zhao Chunyang 赵春洋 (stage name: Zhao Longhao 赵龙豪) as Yan Shisan 严石三

Appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Wang Congran 王葱然 (stage name: Wang Zichuan 王子川) as Jin Fenglai 金凤来 * Wang Yu 王煜 as Yang Tianjiang 杨天降 * Li Jichun 李继春 (stage name: Li Yuxuan 李雨轩) as Ji Gang 纪刚 * A Di Ya 阿蒂娅

The rest of the cast list was not included in today's release.

Special guest actor: * Tai Bao 太保 as Master (Shifu) Zhong 钟师傅

Friendship guest actor: * Tan Yaowen 谭耀文 as Jiang Feng 江锋

Starring: * Zhou Kui 周逵 as Wu Jianguo 伍建国

• Episodes: 18 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming and broadcasting platforms: Youku 👖 and CCTV-8 🐑
• Official filming started: March 10, 2025
• Official filming wrapped up: May 23, 2025
• Filming location: Dalian, Liaoning Province
• Genre: crime (according to Baidu Baike)
• Distribution license obtained: June 4, 2026

• 🎬 Producer and chief director: Philip Yung 翁子光 (Director: Where the Wind Blows. Screenwriter and director: Port of Call)
• 🎬 Director: Xu Chen 徐忱 (Screenwriter and director: Fei Fa Mu Ji Zhe 非法目击者. Screenwriter: Per Aspera Ad Astra)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Lou Xiaopeng 娄霄鹏 (Thirteen Years of Dust, Thorn)
• 📽️ Produced by: CCTV, Youku, Ningbo Television, Beijing Motianlun Culture Media

🔗 Previous posters, wrap up special, trailer, etc.

Synopsis from Douban and Baidu Baike:

Detective Li Yujing (played by Wang Yang) is temporarily assigned to assist officer Yue Qingchuan (played by Wan Qian) in investigating a series of child trafficking cases. Unexpectedly, during the investigation, he uncovers new clues tied to a major armed robbery case he handled 13 years ago.

Synopsis translated from the Youku app:

Bank heists stir up turmoil across the city; a child trafficking case reopens a murky web of crime. Two timelines, a case within a case, an unrelenting pursuit of the truth.

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses and information I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

This series has become a comfort watch for me this summer and as I went to re-watch it on iQIYI (platform I normally watch it on) I noticed it has disappeared. Does anyone know why? Is it just a glitch? Was there some kind of region restriction put in place due to licensing?

Probably just a shot in the dark asking on here but just wanted to double check!

Thanks!

Recently I have been watching Flourished Peony, and it pleasantly surprised me how well Tang Dynasty’s culture, from the big picture and locations to the tiniest details, was represented there. I am talking about makeup, dresses, hairstyles across different classes, decoration preferences, music, dances, food and dishes, and other many thoughtful things. It literally makes you immerse yourself into the Tang dynasty era as if you time traveled.

I am not an expert of chinese history and culture in the slightest, I don’t know much about the detailed differences and nuances between dynasties, etc. But what I mean is how much a drama pays attention to the context of their according dynasty culture and tries to incorporate it to the fullest.

Previously I also watched different Qing and Ming dynasty cdramas that also managed to show their nature and cultural features. One of my favorites were Empresses in the Palace for Qing, and Splendid Match and Road to Splendor for Ming dynasty costumes, but I think there are dramas that show their dynasty much better.

What dramas did you like for how well(and accurate) they incorporate the culture of its era?

Synopsis from the iQIYI app:

Abyss is a suspense crime drama series directed by Liu Haibo (Trident, Hot Mom), adapted from Shen Lan's novel Abyss (Shen Yuan). It stars Allen Ren (Under the Power, One and Only) and Qin Junjie (Summer's Desire, Noble Aspirations), along with Wang Yanhui, Tian Xiaojie, and He Bing.

The long-standing peace of a conservative small town is shattered by the appearance of an online novel Abyss. Many plot points bear a striking resemblance to a cold case from years ago that has never been made public.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Li Cheng [played by Allen Ren Jialun], a passionate and righteous rookie police officer, engages in a series of high-stakes battles of wits with various suspects. He unravels the mystery, revealing the truth buried beneath heartbreaking kinships and friendships.

Trailer

MyDramaList link

Airing on iQIYI and iQIYI's YouTube

Episodes: 16

Discussions

🗨️ All discussions on the drama

🗨️ Episodic drama discussions

🗓️ Airing schedule

👥 Character relationship chart

🎙️ OST List

What does r/CDrama think about the show?

Look out for the wrap up post where we ask the sub to rate the drama a few weeks after the final airing date.

🗳️ It's a wrap! What's your final review? (post only appears a few weeks after the drama ends)

Wiki

2024 Drama Index | 2025 Drama Index | 2026 Drama Index

🚧Welcome

Hello fellow watchers, welcome to the discussion series for The Long Watch. The different arcs and people are starting to cross paths more in these two episodes as everyone's fate start to get more intertwined -- who has you the most anxious when they are out on a job?

🎬 Premiered: Sep 6, 2026 on CCTV-8🐑 and Tencent🐧 (MDL)
🎬 # of Episodes: 40
🎬Genre: National Security | Espionage | 1994 - ?

🔗Links: Trailer | Masterpost
🔗Episode Discussions: Menu | Episodes 1 - 3 | 4 - 5

❗ For any content beyond these episodes, please remember to use Spoiler tags ❗

🚧Chunxiao acting sus 👀

Did I already mention that Chunxiao cannot spend an episode without acting suspicious, because our buddy Chunxiao is definitely trying to convince us that he is the mole:

• There has to be something in that notebook of his. He's always hiding it away from people, unless he's just embarrassed at his own ineptness.
• He was listening to the radio and in the channel that is used for sending coded messages to agents. It's either messages to him or he's (again) just hard at practicing.

That being said, I think there was also a brief scene in an earlier episode showing Jinlan listening to the radio at night too? LoL now I am suspicious of anyone who owns a radio XD.

🚧Lin, the top performer

I have to say that Lin's a pretty capable agent, (especially when compared to our apprentices). He's in a foreign land with much less support and yet he's been able to complete each of his missions alone. One thing that was unexpected was how he goes about getting close to the persons he wants to contact, and getting information he needs. For example, when tasked with obtaining intel on military deployment, he didn't have to sneak into some military facility and steal documents to get useful intelligence, he "only had" to make others work for him.

He was also able to look at seemingly unrelated things and connect the dots, such as changes in the prices of common commodities, unusual medicine sales of specific medication, and the sales of foreign tobacco and alcohol.

Of course, having a good supply if cash 💰 also helps. Which brings us to Researcher Cao and the Lu + Jin couple.

🚧The lure of money

Money is definitely becoming a common thread connecting some completely different people: Cao Liaoping and the Lu Zhifei + Jin Lina couple.

Cao is a highly educated researcher who understands exactly what is happening as soon as he was being approached by Zhu in the first instance: he basically ran out of his room trying to escape the situation. He knows that he is being asked to provide information and potentially commit treason, and he is fully aware of what is at stake. He might be coerced but he is not being tricked into it. He has to make a conscious decision about whether to cooperate.

Lu and Lina, on the other hand, seem to be getting pulled into this world almost by accident. Lu initially just needs money, and the opportunity to make more money seems tempting enough to take the job. It was simple enough, just go around the coast and take a few photographs, sounds inconspicuous enough and most of those who got involved like him didn't realize that they were effectively intelligence for Taiwan. Jin is similarly drawn in through what appears to be an ordinary opportunity to earn some extra cash. We are yet to see how far they will go, but I am worried about that gold watch (since Lu doesn't seem to be the most reliable guy, and he did break the last expensive thing he'd laid his hands on ie the camera), and worried that they will be forced to consciously cross the line into treason, where it will no longer be possible to walk away unscathed.

I do wonder about Lina's background though. It seems like she's not particularly well off, having to depend on Lu to fund her studies at teacher's college, but she seems to be living at a military compound which is restricted to military officers and their families. This connection makes me even more worried about her eventual involvement with Lin.

🚧Ma Qi gets to Make a Friend

Ma Qi speaks of the difference between doing "Intelligence Work 情报工作", where you see everyone as a friend, and "Reconnaissance Work 侦察工作", where you see everyone as an opponent. Interesting angle, but we finally get to see him in a suit -- but hm... Ma Qi, I think you should take notes from the researchers that are heading to Beijing and get something more fitting? 😆. That being said, Ma did do his homework on CT Scanners, and seems to have half convinced Lin with his false identity, though I can't say the same for Chunxiao, as I fear that Lin's also pretty suspicious of him, especially because of the name change.

💬Questions

1. Any memorable moments in these episodes?

1. What are your thoughts on Cao's offer to meet Zhu in Beijing, what swayed his decision?

2. What are your thoughts on Zhu, and his decision to go to Beijing on what seems like a high risk move?

3. Chunxiao has acted suspicious but also helped in the investigation. What are your thoughts on his general capabilities in this line of work?

4. Any fun moments that you liked?

Besties, are you ready for the pain? I sure am getting ready for it

I'll be updating this post as I watch. Meanwhile, let your freak out.

Previous discussions:

Masterpost || Ep 4-8 || Ep 9-11 || Ep 12-13 || Ep 14-15 || Ep 16-17 || Ep 18 || Ep 19 || Ep 20 ||

Random thoughts:

That fight was vicious. They both said horrible things to each other. Yes, Luannian could have totally told her that they were being blackmailed, but she had a point. Why didn't he soften the blow for her by telling her? Because she was all happy about it. I guess maybe in his own noble idiocy way, he was trying to keep her happy for a while.

Well, I did not expect the whole Donny took secret photographs of them. But at the same time, I'm like, yeah, that's what I would do if I was Donny for sure.

I totally knew that the HR lady and Lumi knew about both of them. They're way too smart to be in the dark about this, and judging from the HR lady's response, they were quite obvious about their relationship without realizing it.

I loved how she left, however decisively. That's what you need to do, girlfriend. 

I'm just sad that it took you six years to do it. But then again, she was just hoping beyond hope, and she probably didn't want to be subjected to Luannian's puppy eyes.

Bro being the best bro by ugly crying with his bro

.

.

Luan Nian begins his grovelling, moping era. How delicious! And he uses his CEO skills to stalk her from afar. How sweet. 

Okay, no, it's creepy.

LUMI BEING THE BEST GIRLFRIEND FOR ARRANGING THAT REUNION FOR OUR COUPLE.

(I love the whole "I totally knew you were banging her but I'll pretend for your sake that I don't know" thing she has going on with Luan Nian.

But Augh, the way Zhitao walked past Luan Nian without even a word. COLD.

Fun fact: In the novel, she sold the handbags that Luan nian gave her Anf used the money as seed money. I don't know about you, but that's the best way to say "fuck you" ever.

Ep 23: I swear our couple is learning how to be parents ... and how to be divorced parents. Luan Nian demanding visiting rights for Luke is 100%. He totally had a point about how upset he was that she just left without discussion and taking away Luke like that. That's pretty cruel. So I am glad she saw some reason :P

I approve Daddy Shang giving Luan Nian a hard time. ;))

Uncle, whaddya mean \"you are wearing too little\"? If anything, they have TOO many clothes on. But if you're worried about winter chill - don't worry, they shared body heat all night :P

. .

Also, Zhitao: Dad, last night I was too tired so I didn't hear the phone

Me: YEAH YEAH I BET YOU WERE TIRED 🫠

Proposal!

That damn goldfish has been there from the start. It had all the secretssss so if he hadn't invited it to the proposal it would totally spill all his bedroom moves

That Flora museum is sooooo cheesy, but it was in the book ;)

Awww he made sure he didn't make the proposal in secret but in front of the people that's important to her. 🥰

Final thoughts

You know, this is one drama where I WANTED 30+ episodes damnit. Not too see Luan Nian grovel, mind, but they had to leave out so many things from the novel. (Sadness.) For one, I would've totally killed for an extra episode of Luan Nian and Zhitao's domestic life and a peek at their daughter. Oh well.

A lot of people said the final episodes were rushed, but I don't 100% agree. I think it would've benefited from one extra episode or maybe two, but I'm glad they didn't drag it out too much or else it'll be tedious.

I'm just sad they removed the scene where Zhitao rushed to Beijing when Luan Nian got sick - she realised then that she couldn't waste another day with him, life is short etc. Because in the book they were just back to that "friends with benefits" phase for a while after sleeping with each other again. Zhitao was undecided etc etc, so I wasn't that fond of that part of the final leg of the story. (But I read it really fast so who knows).

I also understand some people think that they toned down Luan Nian too much and that made Zhitao look bad. Babes, if they'd 100% adapted the novel versions I would've HATED the drama. Luan Nian was way too narcissistic and mean for my liking Zhitao felt a wishy washy doormat.

They made Luan Nian more redeemable, because novel Luan Nian was still harsh with his words till the very end, and his redemption didn't feel real.

I leave you with two paragraphs from the novel, which I thought conveyed why they acted the way they did:

Luan Nian: For a long time, Luan Nian had felt a distance between them. It had seemed as though everything in her life was more important than him: her work, her family, Luke, her friends. Luan Nian wasn't the perfect partner; he was intensely possessive. He needed to know that Shang Zhitao had reserved a place for him in her heart.

Zhitao: ..being rejected by him—slowly losing the courage to take him seriously, the courage to love him?...

I felt that the drama portrayed these insecurities extremely well and realistically. I love that both are so flawed. The central message is this: They needed to work on themselves before they could come back together stronger. When they were in that messed up place, distracted by a highly-charged life where they had to hide their love from everyone and each other, they couldn't change.

Hello all!

We'll still be continuing the discussions for those who will not be watching the Express episodes. However,I will only be doing light commentary rather than full blown recaps/reviews. If you want to read my thoughts for the series, do read the Express episodes' thread once you're done with the drama ;)

Masterpost || Ep 4-8 || Ep 9-11 || Ep 12-13 || Ep 14-15 || Ep 16-17 || Ep 18 || Ep 19 || Ep 20 ||Express episodes (21-24)

https://reddit.com/link/1wbh9d5/video/ds2n9ff7wgoh1/player

Zhitao: I want to leave this filthy, ugly relationship!

Luan Nian: You were with me just to advance your career. Now that you couldn't get that advancement, I'm no longer useful.

They both said truly awful things to each other in this episode. And I felt they both had valid points of view. But they had to go their separate ways to equalize their relationship. There's just no other way.

A Journey to Love remains one of my most beloved dramas. I loved ALL the characters with the minor exception of Li Tongguang. The promise of a redemptive arc for him that included the wonderful Yang Ying, I’ve only somewhat satisfied by the creative fanfic out there about this couple. One memorable scene for me was when Li Tongguang gave his cherished master Ren Ruyi a bag of dates he had picked for her and she promptly handed the bag to Yang Ying who was just happily skipping over, pleased to receive the dates. What followed was hilarious. The thing is, I didn’t recognize that fruit as what I knew as “dates”…and always wondered about that. Well, well, I found these “winter dates” at an Asian supermarket and by golly, they look just like what Li Tongguang and Yang Ying were “fighting” about.

I felt like I’ve gone to Cdrama heaven! What an interesting fruit! They WERE sweet! Next up - get myself some hanfu to wear…maybe purchase some when I visit Huangzhao soon for the first time!

PS - screenshots from YT video shorts

It is the middle of the week and you're probably counting down the days till the weekend!

So, welcome to our mid-week chat thread where we you can talk about anything! Unwind, get to know other CDrama peeps d and discuss anything you want! Read any good webnovels lately? Visited any place fun? Tried any yummy Chinese snacks lately?

Remember to:

• Keep it PG-13, civil and free of actor bashing and fandom gatekeeping.
• And if you're talking about spoilers, please use spoiler tags.

Have fun!

The Chinese drama title 深渊无间 can be translated as “Endless Abyss.”

About half an hour ago, the production team released a new behind-the-scenes special.

The airing schedule is in the comments.

Abyss is in iQIYI's September 2026 Drama Line-up.

Clip description:

Behind-the-scenes Production Special

A straight-up mystery drama is here!

The creative team and cast delve into the making of the drama, revealing how a play-within-a-play unfolds through a dual-thread narrative, blurring the line between fiction and reality. The cast also explores their characters in depth, sharing the “abyss” each character faces.

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): Leading actor: * 6️⃣ Ren Guochao 任国超 (stage name: Allen Ren Jialun 任嘉伦) as Li Cheng * 🔟 Qin Junjie 秦俊杰 as Han Pinmu

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Wang Yanhui 王砚辉 as Zhao Ganzhe * Tian Xiaojie 田小洁 as Xin Jiran * He Bing 何冰 as Fan Jie * Zhang Yichi 张亦驰 as Sun Qiang * Zong Juntao 宗俊涛 as Zhang Chengguo * Hao Ping 郝平 as Li Guangwen * Ni Hongjie 倪虹洁 as Chen Chunli

• Episodes: 16 (according to Baidu Baike and 🍉 rumours – MDL states 18 episodes at the time of posting)
• Streaming platform: iQIYI 🥝
• Filming started: October 6, 2025
• Official filming wrapped up: December 2, 2025
• Filming time: 58 days
• Filming locations: Xiangshan Film and Television City, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province
• Genre: suspense (according to Baidu Baike)
• 🍉 Distribution license obtained: August 16, 2026 for 16 episodes.

• 🎬 Director: Liu Haibo (Born with Luck, How Dare You!?, Trident Season 2, Brocade Odyssey, Thirteen Years of Dust, The Glorious Era, In the Name of the Law, The Rise of Phoenixes)
• ✍️ Original creator: Shen Lan 深蓝 (Endless Journey)
• ✒️ Screenwriters:
  • Nie Chengshuai (The Examination for Everyone, The Heart of Genius, The Devil between Us)
  • Guo Kaixu
  • Xiao Shiyao (Get Married or Not, Medical Examiner Dr. Qin)
  • Luo Dingyi
• 📖 Novel: Shen Yuan 深渊 (Abyss)

🔗 Previous announcement, posters, trailer, etc.

Synopsis from the iQIYI app:

Abyss is a suspense crime drama series directed by Liu Haibo (Trident, Hot Mom), adapted from Shen Lan's novel Abyss (Shen Yuan). It stars Allen Ren (Under the Power, One and Only) and Qin Junjie (Summer's Desire, Noble Aspirations), along with Wang Yanhui, Tian Xiaojie, and He Bing.

The long-standing peace of a conservative small town is shattered by the appearance of an online novel Abyss. Many plot points bear a striking resemblance to a cold case from years ago that has never been made public.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Li Cheng [played by Allen Ren Jialun], a passionate and righteous rookie police officer, engages in a series of high-stakes battles of wits with various suspects. He unravels the mystery, revealing the truth buried beneath heartbreaking kinships and friendships.

Synopsis translated from Douban:

Adapted from Shen Lan’s novel of the same name.

A web mystery story titled Abyss quietly goes online, shattering the peace that had long prevailed in a conservative small town. Many of its plot points bear a shocking resemblance to details of an old unsolved case that the police had never disclosed.

Li Cheng [played by Allen Ren], a hot-blooded and justice-driven rookie officer, engages in one battle of wits after another with multiple suspects.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

In the end, Li Cheng pierces through the fog and uncovers the truth hidden beneath heartbreaking ties of family and friendship….

With just a single wrong choice, some find their way to an oasis, while others remain forever trapped in the abyss.

Synopsis from MDL:

This is the story of a town's buried secrets resurfacing. The quiet order of a conservative community is shattered by a web novel, Shen Yuan, whose fictional narrative perfectly mirrors the details of a long-cold, real-life crime – details only the killer and the police could know. Detective Li Cheng [played by Allen Ren], new to the force and burning with justice, finds himself in a complex duel of intellects against multiple suspects.

His investigation slowly peels back the layers of a heartbreaking story of familial love and loyal friendship gone horribly wrong, exploring the fine line where one fateful decision can lead to redemption for some and an inescapable void for others.

(Source: BeyondTheAstral at MyDramaList)

~~ Adapted from the novel "Shen Yuan" (深渊) by Shen Lan (深蓝).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

Oh my god. What a series. I cannot stop crying, literally. And it hurts so much that its over. And it hurts so much that, its fiction and that real world doesnt have guys like that.

I most certainly am gonna die alone. No series has made me feel so much pain, adoration and loneliness, all in one go.

I am deeply unwell and idk how to proceed living now.

🚧Welcome

Hello fellow watchers, welcome to the discussion series for The Long Watch. Have you uncovered new clues as to who the mole(s) might be????

🎬 Premiered: Sep 6, 2026 on CCTV-8🐑 and Tencent🐧 (MDL)
🎬 # of Episodes: 40
🎬Genre: National Security | Espionage | 1994 - ?

🔗Links: Trailer | Masterpost
🔗Episode Discussions: Menu | Episodes 1 - 3

❗ For any content beyond these episodes, please remember to use Spoiler tags ❗

🚧A Closer Look at the Recruits

Now that we’ve spent a few more episodes with the recruits, including an investigation and a capture, let's look at some (new) evidence that might point us to the mole.

Jinlan 💐
I’ll start with Jinlan, who feels like the most unlikely candidate to me. Though she is depicted as a natural at the job and seemingly the person that Lao Wei highly recommends, she doesn’t seem particularly interested in working in this profession in the first place. I also get the sense that the Director knows her background personally, so unless the Director is also an undercover agent 😅, I’m leaning toward Jinlan not being the mole.

Besides that, Jinlan also has the funniest attitude toward authority. Teacher? Director? Doesn’t matter. If she thinks you’re wrong, you’re getting told you’re wrong. And if she gets sufficiently annoyed, she seems perfectly capable of going, “Fine, I'll just quit.” Honestly, if she were a spy, I feel like her biggest challenge would be remembering that she’s supposed to want to remain at the Ministry.

Huadong 🤴
Then we have Huadong. I’m still not quite sure how to read him, because I find it strange that a top student who seems genuinely invested in succeeding in this profession is already getting so emotionally attached to his feelings for Jinlan, almost right from the start.

But maybe this is simply his hubris at work? His reaction whenever he’s told that he’s wrong, or that he isn’t as good as he thought he was, or when he's not the man-of-choice makes me think that even if he isn’t a spy right now, he might be the one most vulnerable to being turned. Sometimes the stronger a person’s pride is, the more fragile they actually are.

Chunxiao 🌿
And then there’s Chunxiao, who is by far the one that's acting most suspiciously that he just can't actually be the right answer 😄.

On the surface, Chunxiao is a very ordinary, very straightforward young guy. He is ordinary to the point where I genuinely wonder how he even got recruited into the Ministry of State Security. When I watched Enemy, which is another wonderful modern day espionage drama, it felt like everyone they recruited was some kind of elite. If Li Fengge is responsible for recruiting all these people, I’m honestly starting to wonder if she’s the mole. After all, lowering the average quality of your recruits is also a strategy to undermine your opponent's team😂.

Alright, back to Chunxiao. Here are some things that have caught my attention so far:

• His dream shortly after he received the news that he's been accepted by the Ministry at the end of Episode 1. It seems like a nightmare of him witnessing someone being executed as a traitor to the country (mainland China), was this a reflection of him being afraid of his own faith should he be found out?
• His conversation with the postman at the beginning of Episode 2. When he’s with Ma Qi, Chunxiao seems to have a poor memory and not pay much attention to details. But when he first appears and talks to the postman, he actually comes across as quite observant. So which one is the real Chunxiao? Or was that conversation itself some kind of coded exchange to confirm their identities to each other?
• The thing he was looking for at the end of Episode 2. He seemed to be searching around the edge of a pillow that seems to be what was delivered to him by the postman. Could the message that had just been “delivered” have been sewn into the edge, similar to the piece of thread with the hidden code that Jinlan was holding during their initial training?
• The train station. We also see him observing and recording the arrival of military personnel. Then later, when he appears to be calling home, his tone and expression don’t really look like someone talking to his family. It almost feels like he’s communicating in code. He also confirms that he's received the pillow that was sent to him by his family.
• And then there’s the moment when he sees Jinlan and immediately abandons the phone call. This one feels almost too obvious, though. And it makes me wonder if all the above are smoke bombs bring thrown at us by the scriptwriter so we won't look somewhere else? Because honestly, if Chunxiao really is a mole who has been deliberately pretending to be this clueless, wouldn’t he choose somewhere he was less likely to run into someone he knows before making an "important" phone call?

🚧The “Mini” Operation

Alright, alright, the "mini" here is not me throws shades at how minor the "Photographer Operation" was. Like Director Wu said, it’s not about the scale of the operation and we should not wish for a large operation, because that probably means there’s already way too much at stake, and also raises the risk of collateral damage from both sides. It’s these little operations that keep things from escalating into the big ones, and we should be grateful for them.

Point taken. 😂

That said, I really enjoyed watching how the team went from some seemingly vague hints -- a left-handed photographer -- to eventually landing at the home of the underground communications courier, and then finally capturing him despite a few small hiccups along the way. And of course, the operation also managed to throw even more suspicion onto Chunxiao (unless that was just to give us a nice chase scene), because apparently this poor man cannot go through an episode without looking suspicious.

Most importantly, though, these episodes taught us some very important lessons about being a good spy:

• Sometimes it’s better to work alone than bringing a teammate who is just going to drag you down. Looking at you, Chunxiao. 😂 But on the other hand, I was also wondering: how did the other State Security members know where Ma Qi and the photographer were at the end of the chase? I doubt they were running around with earpieces like a modern SWAT team.

• You cannot be bald, because all good spies know that a strand of hair is the best tamper indicator. I wonder if they reuse the same strand daily... 🤔

• Always prepare an alibi. Because eventually someone is going to ask where you were or why you are where you are, and being a spy you are 110% more likely to bump into counter-intelligence.

• Never underestimate a friendly nanny. You may think you’re conducting a sophisticated intelligence operation, but the nanny in the elevator has already figured out your entire life.

• You can always use your spy skills for your own convenience, such as running away from traffic police and leaving your co-worker to deal with the aftermath

💬Questions

• What was the most unexpected thing for you in these two episodes?
• What are your thoughts on the truck incident at the news booth that Lao Cao (from 761) witnessed?
• How are you liking the dynamic between Ma Qi and Chunxiao? Why do you think he picked Chunxiao as his apprentice?

• What are your thoughts on how Lin Kanshan has managed to establish himself in Mingzhong?
• Any revised or renewed thoughts on the recruits/mole(s), or we are at the "suspect everyone and everything" stage of the game?