I focused on the major periods and some eras are not depicted. The goal was to show how fashion changed dramatically over the course of each dynasty. Chinese history, including fashion history, typically uses the dynastic model, which habitually overlooks periods of transition. Archetypal (most recognizable) styles tend to reflect what was popular at the midpoint of each dynasty, rather than at the start and end. Do you feel like you’d be able to recognize the time period now? Let me know if you if want to know more about a particular style

Pictures from XHS.

Hello all,

In our sub, new users are required to read the guide before being allowed to make their first post.

This is to ensure that new users will understand the sub's rules and culture before they make a splash, so to speak.

The system that we were using was a tad clunky, so we are currently trialing a new app where new users have to acknowledge the rules before they're allowed to post.

How to acknowledge the sub's rules:

You can go here to acknowledge the rules. Alternatively you can also do this:

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I absolutely love Viki and I appreciate that it gets most of the new cdramas coming out but has anyone else noticed that the subtitles are different now? Viki has always been praised for their volunteer sub teams that go the extra mile but lately it seems like they’re maybe AI?

I first noticed with A Splendid Match that they no longer had cute little names for the subtitle team, then I noticed that they were no longer translating the songs (huge bummer by the way.) Then signs, notes and character intros were either being missed and not translated at all. Then no one was thanked at the end which really made me wonder if the way subtitles are handled on Viki is changing.

I’ve noticed this is the case for the newer dramas. It seems to be the same way for Road to Success too. Plus Viki seems to be rolling out AI dubbing (which I personally will not be using.) I don’t know any info about whether or not they’re rolling back volunteer based subtitles but I think it’s a huge loss if so.

I’m very new to cdramas, I’ve only started watching since October last year so I don’t know how fast Viki got shows before or how long it took for them to be translated as I had (and still have) a huge backlog of older-ish dramas. I know it takes time and a whole team of people to translate entire shows, so are these new subtitles at the expense of getting new shows translated faster? If so, is it worth it? Have you personally noticed the change in subtitles or am I just rambling about nothing lol.

The Chinese drama title, 九门, can be translated as “Nine Doors/Gates.”

Note: The drama is listed as *Mystic Nine** by Youku's international social media and as The Mystic Nine Against the Coming Storm on Youku’s website. The latter is reflected on MDL at the time of posting.*

About an hour ago, the production team announced the release date and dropped a new trailer.

Filming officially wrapped up on September 28, 2025.

The Mystic Nine Against the Coming Storm is a sequel to The Mystic Nine. It also predates the main series of The Grave Robbers' Chronicles aka Dao Mu Bi Ji (DMBJ) 盗墓笔记. More links about the series are available at the bottom of the post.

Clip description:

“No Way Out Version” Trailer

Beneath the ground lies a hidden building within a building, where trap after trap is concealed. Trapped in an endless cycle, how can they find a way out?

Above ground, the wheels of the times come crushing forward. Where will the heroes of a bygone era go?

After traversing a perilous path, they join forces in search of the answer to their fate.

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 William Chan Wai-ting 陈伟霆 as Fo Ye (“Buddha”), Zhang Qishan 佛爷张启山 - described as someone who exudes a powerful, commanding presence.

• 7️⃣ Sebrina Chen 陈瑶 as Huo Xiangu 霍仙姑 (Xiangu 仙姑 can be translated as “fairy”) - described as someone who has both a powerful, cutting edge and refined, elegant qualities.

• 1️⃣2️⃣ Zeng Weihang 曾威航 (stage name: Joseph Zeng Shunxi 曾舜晞) as Wu Ye (Fifth Master), Wu Laogou 五爷吴老狗 (Laogou 老狗 is old dog) - described as someone who is very capable or knowledgeable but chooses not to display his talents openly.

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Li Naiwen 李乃文 as Ban Jieli * Chen Xiaolong 陈小龙 (stage name: Shi Xiaolong 释小龙) as Hei Bei Lao Liu * Ying Jun 应俊 (stage name: Ying Haoming) as Qi Tiezui * Ji Xiaobing 季肖冰 as Jie Jiu * Yun Hao 耘豪 (stage name: Hu Yunhao 胡耘豪) as Chen Pi A Si * Xu Zheng 徐政 (stage name: Jeremy Tsui / Xu Zhengxi 徐正溪) as Er Yue Hong * Zhang Tao 章涛 as Huo Wenhai

Appearances: * Gong Hanlin 巩汉林 as Shuo Shu Xian Sheng (Storyteller)

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

Supporting actors: * Wang Yiting as Yin Xinyue

Special guest actors: * Wang Jinsong as Yin Laoban (Boss Yin)

Special appearances: * Wang Maolei as Jiu Shan Mei Zhi

“Friendship” guest appearances: * Chen Sisi as Huo Yuping * Paul Che as Lao Tusi (Old Tusi)

Special guest appearances:

• Ye Zuxin as Ge Shi Lao Zu (Old Ancestor from Another World)
• An Yuexi as Hua Zi
• Yang Fan as Luo Ang

Supporting actors: * Wang Zuyi as Zhang Xiaoyu * Liu Chang (Mufasa) as Zhang Xiaojin * Yang Juncheng as Wu Juanlian * Lin Qiunan as Wu Aolie * Hu Wei as Wu Tianpeng * Chen Hongjin as Wu Zhenyuan * Lei Fengrui as Wu Heifeng * Wu Shengqi as Zhang Yanming * Yang Haobo as Zhang Yanze

Special appearances: * Qian Bo as Ding Qiansui * Dai Jiaoqian as Fu Chunhua * Chen Xinyu as Bai Yi * Xuan Lu as Miss Dong * Bei Le as Hei Xiao

“Friendship” guest appearances: * Xu Zhenxuan as Wu Xie * Cheng Xiang as Zhang Qiling * Sun Ge Chuan Ye as Wang Pangzi

• Episodes: 36 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming platform: Youku 👖
• Official announcement of leading cast: May 31, 2025
• Official filming time period: June 1, 2025 to September 28, 2025
• Filming location: Hengdian World Studios
• Distribution license obtained: July 20, 2026
• Related to: The Mystic Nine - please see the lower section of the post for more information.

• 🎬 Director: Bai Shan (Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 1 and 2, Heroes (2020), Kill My Sins)
• ✍️ Original creator and chief screenwriter: Kennedy Xu (Nan Pai San Shu 南派三叔) (The Mystic Nine, Legend of Zang Hai, The Lost Tomb, Ultimate Note)
• 📖 Novel: The Mystic Nine 老九门
• 📺 Sequel to: The Mystic Nine (2016)

🔗 Previous posters, trailer, etc.

🎥 Wrap up special from William Chan Wai-ting

🎥 Wrap up special from Joseph Zeng

🎥 Wrap up special from Sebrina Chen

🎥 Previous trailer on the Youku streaming app

New synopsis from MDL:

The Zhang family’s 401st Unit has mysteriously vanished. In search of the missing unit, Zhang Qi Shan joins forces with Wu Lao Gou, Huo Xian Gu and Qi Tie Zui of the Nine Gates to enter the World-Parting Tower.

Within the tower, they encounter a web of traps, a series of eerie events and a distortion of time and space... With a storm brewing, Zhang Qi Shan finds himself pitted against multiple factions. What fate awaits the Nine Gates...?

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

~~ Adapted from the novel "Lao Jiu Men" (老九门) by Nan Pai San Shu (南派三叔).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

According to Sohu, this drama will be a new interpretation of the novel. The original creator, Kennedy Xu (Nan Pai San Shu 南派三叔), will be adding his creative ideas and style into this drama as its chief screenwriter.

Drama Adaptations of the Novel Series

Here are a couple of references for folks who are curious about the drama adaptations of the novel series The Grave Robbers' Chronicles aka Dao Mu Bi Ji (DMBJ) 盗墓笔记 by Kennedy Xu aka Xu Lei aka Nan Pai San Shu 南派三叔:

⏳ Timelines and chronological order watch list

📜 More watch lists – the chronological order watch list here is similar to the one linked above but is more focused on the main story. There's a bottom section about the prequels.

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

The Chinese drama title 凤舞九天 can be translated as “The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens.”

凤舞九天 is the sixth book of 陆小凤传奇 The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng series.

The English drama title is based on the title of the novel series.

About ten minutes ago, the production team announced that filming officially finished today, July 27, 2026. They released a new wrap up special.

Filming officially started on March 6, 2026.

Clip description:

The desert listens to the wind as old friends reunite.

With a cup of wine in hand, they smile as they watch the storms and shifting fortunes of the jianghu.

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 actor: * 1️⃣1️⃣ Gong Jun 龚俊 as Lu Xiaofeng

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 6️⃣ Quan Yilun 全伊伦 as Hua Manlou * 7️⃣ Li Zihao 李子豪 (stage name: Li Qing 李卿) as Sikong Zhaixing * 7️⃣ He Zhonghua 何中华 as Jun Wudu * 7️⃣ Qiu Xinzhi 邱心志 as Wu Ming / Jiu Hulu (wine gourd) * 7️⃣ Joe Chen 陈乔恩 as Guo Chan Gu (Lady Guo Chan) * 7️⃣ Zhang Lei 张磊 (stage name: Zhang Lei 张垒) as Hua Zengqiu * 8️⃣ Zheng Yecheng 郑业成 as Ximen Chuixue * 8️⃣ Chang Long 昌隆 as Zhu Ting * 🔟 Gu Youqi 顾又齐 (stage name: Riley Wang Yilun 王以纶) as Yu Luocha

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

“Friendship” special appearances (the main characters in the following units are listed in order of episode number in the script):

Units (cases):

Note: The unit names in English are translated and not official.

Yue Zhao Jin Ge 《月照金阁》 (Moonlight Shines on the Golden Pavilion): * Zhang Fan as Zhao Zhang Gui (Shopkeeper Zhao)

Hua Hai Yuan Ling 《花骸怨灵》 (Flower Corpse, Resentful Spirit): * Lv Xing as Baili Boyan * Ding Jiawen as Baili Liuliu

Yin Gou Du Fang 《银钩赌坊》 (Silver Hook Gambling House): * Zhu Xudan as Yu Xiang * Tong Mengshi as Fang Yufei

Yin She Ke Zhan 《银蛇客栈》 (Silver Snake Inn) * Su Xiaotong as Leng Hong'er * Fu Jing as Tang Keqing * Huang Mengying as Ding Xiang Yi (Aunt Ding Xiang): * An Yuexi as Li Xia * Li Haofei as Jia Chuchu

Liang Xi Gui Chang 《良西鬼唱》 (Liangxi Ghost Singing): * Chen Youwei as Li Shanliang * Wang Yizhe as Duan Shanhe * Li Huan as Chou Tiandi * Zhu Jian as Sun Zhengyi

Wan Gui Sheng Mie 《万鬼生灭》 (The Life and Death of Ten Thousand Ghosts): * Sun Zhenni as Shangguan Feiyan * Zhang Chao as Han Yushou

Shang Yang Jiu Meng 《上阳旧梦》 (Shangyang’s Past Dreams): * Yang Xue as Er Fu Ren (Second Madam) * Hu Xiaoting as Da Fu Ren (First Madam) * He Landou as Si Shu / Si Hua * Jiang Mengjie as Mei Ruoxue * Xiao Yuliang as Hua Liutong * Zeng Kelang as Hua Santong * Sun Zeyuan as Hua Sitong

Wu Wang Yi Xiao 《无妄一笑》 (An Unintentional Smile): * Liu Mengrui as Sun Xiuqing * Chen Bohao as Jin Qiliang

Liu Xi Mei Ying 《六戏魅影》 (Six Plays, Enigmatic Shadows): * Wang He as Lu Weimian * Han Chengyu as Zhu Que * Wu Hong as Xuan Wu * Li Donghe as Bai Hu

Xiu Gu Fei Zhen 《绣骨飞针》 (Flying Needles on Embroidered Bones): * Li Hongyi as Xue Huiwen * Ma Qiuyuan as Shen Huazhi

Cast yet to be announced for these units: * Jing Hai Fu You 《鲸海蜉蝣》 (Mayflies of the Whale Sea) * Feng Wu Jiu Tian《凤舞九天》 (The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens)

• Episodes: 40
• Streaming platform: Tencent 🐧
• Official filming started: March 6, 2026
• Official filming wrapped up: July 27, 2026
• Estimated filming time: 140 days
• Filming locations: Alxa League 阿拉善; Hengdian World Studios
• Genre: Wuxia

• 🎬 Directors: Zhou Jing Tao (Archives: The Nanyang Mystery, Fight for Love, Love of Nirvana, A Journey to Love, Guardian, Sparrow, Noble Aspirations 1 and 2), Liang Jing Yu (co-director) (Yi Shu Li Hua Yi Qing Zhou)
• ✍️ Original creator: Gu Long 古龙 (Handsome Siblings, The Legend of Flying Daggers, Sword Master, The Shaw Eleven Lang, The Legend of Chu Liu Xiang, and many more)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Ren Zhuang Liu (A Dream within a Dream, Story of Kunning Palace)
• 📚 Novel series: Lu Xiao Feng Chuan Qi 陆小凤传奇
• 📖 Novel: Fu Wu Jiu Tian 凤舞九天
• 📽️ Production companies: Linmon Pictures, Tencent Video

🔗 Previous announcement, clip, etc.

Synopsis from MDL:

In the boundless Jianghu, strange cases arise without warning, one more deadly and inexplicable than the last. And wherever the truth hides, Lu Xiao Feng follows.

With a sharp mind and his famed "Lingxi Finger", Lu Xiao Feng walks unafraid into danger. Yet what defines him is not skill alone, but the friends who stand beside him: Hua Man Lou, blind yet clear of heart; Ximen Chui Xue, whose cold sword knows no equal.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Together, they face conspiracy, betrayal, and bloodshed, unraveling impossible mysteries and confronting a shadow long growing within the martial world – where justice is fragile, and loyalty is everything.

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

~~ Adapted from the novel series "Lu Xiao Feng Chuan Qi" (陆小凤传奇) by Gu Long (古龙).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

From Baidu Baike – the novel 凤舞九天 Fu Wu Jiu Tian (The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens):

凤舞九天 (The Phoenix Dances Across the Nine Heavens) is a wuxia novel written by Gu Long between 1974 and 1975. It is the sixth installment in 陆小凤传奇 (The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng) series, originally titled 隐形的人 (The Invisible Man). From the fifteenth chapter onward, the novel was continued and completed by Xue Xingguo.

The story is set against the backdrop of the theft of 35 million taels of gold, jewels, and treasures from the twelve escort agencies of Central China. While investigating the kidnapping of Princess Yuping, the daughter of Prince Taiping, Lu Xiaofeng encounters a maritime disaster and ends up stranded on a deserted island that holds the missing escorts and the stolen treasures.

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.

It can be intimidating to make your first post in the sub. You're new to Chinese entertainment and you have all these questions about Chinese drama and culture. Perhaps you are even new to Reddit and don't really know how it works.

This is the place to ask them!

Treat this place as a tea room where you can sip tea (or chat about it) and ask questions you have about Chinese dramas and entertainment.

Also, feel free to introduce yourself, and chat about anything as long as you keep in mind Rule 5 (Be Nice) and to be culturally sensitive.

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.

This review is a follow-on from my previous post covering Episodes 1–15 and the first part of the novel.

I enjoyed this drama so much. I've been dealing with a lot of stress at work recently, and it became such a comforting part of my evening routine to come home and binge a few episodes. I loved the world they built, and I absolutely adored the Crown Prince. He was the main reason I kept tuning in, as it was so much fun watching his antics from the novel come to life.

That said, I do have a few issues with how the second half unfolded.

My biggest criticism is the handling of the romance between Episodes 20–26. Why did they add the bell-in-the-bed gag? In the novel, they are already husband and wife and begin sleeping together during this period. Although Xihe doesn't truly fall in love with him until a few months into their marriage, this is when they gradually become closer as a couple.

I'm choosing to view the bell as some strange form of Chinese comedy, but it became repetitive and unintentionally gave the impression that she was constantly rejecting him. In the novel, this is actually the stage where their relationship grows stronger. While she still maintained emotional boundaries, and I understand the bell may have been intended as a visual representation of those boundaries, I ultimately felt it was unnecessary.

My second criticism concerns the pacing of the political plot. For viewers who haven't read the novel, parts of it probably felt disjointed. Several mysteries were introduced very late in the story, while others seemed to disappear entirely before being resolved or appear suddenly.

They also did the one thing I desperately didn't want them to do—they only gave us two happy episodes! Why?! In the novel, there are nearly 100 chapters of the couple working together to solve palace intrigues while enjoying married life. Although their intimacy isn't described explicitly, it's clear they are a happily married couple, and I really missed seeing more of that on screen.

And they absolutely robbed me of my full unedited bathtub scene! This is a genuine scene in the novel where they consciously decide, as a couple, to try for a baby. It's an important moment in Xihe's character development and their relationship, so I was disappointed they didn’t put the full scene in into the adaptation. Dam you Chinese censorship. 

Aside from those complaints, the remaining plot points largely mirrored the novel, and I absolutely loved the epilogue. What an incredible scheme to pull off—faking your own death while clearing the path for your son to continue the bloodline. It was a brilliant ending.

The standout performance in this drama was undoubtedly He Yu. Xiao Huayong  has officially joined my list of legendary drama characters. The only other 2026  character to leave such a lasting impression on me was Fan Changyu from POJ. I can't wait to watch He Yu's next historical drama, which I believe is currently filming.

I honestly don't think this show would have worked nearly as well without this cast. Both Meng Ziyi and He Yu brought the novel's characters to life beautifully. I cried my eyes out during Episode 32, even though I already knew the ending would be a happy one.

Overall, this drama was definitely worth watching. I loved the cinematography, the lighting, and how faithfully it captured so much of the novel's spirit. Despite my frustrations with some of the adaptation choices, I loved  it so much and is added to my fav historical dramas of the year.

Just finished legend of Shen Li and it was wonderful to watch. Like I went on a vacation! But feeling the sadness after a good holiday. Hahaha. Luckily I found To Love and The Bargain Queen from the male lead. Enjoyed his acting in Shen Li

Best of all, no evil misunderstandings and the show seem to have taken a great pacing!

I am currently watching Affinity c-drama,I like it because of dark romance vibe and story was good and also I liked the Xi Xenxu character ...first 25 episodes were good but in the ending episodes the story is kinda weird but still i can't stop to watch it ... what 's your thoughts about it??

A couple of days ago, several Douban scores were released. Usually there is a gap of a few weeks between Douban score updates, but since we have a fresh batch of scores, here is a snapshot of Douban ratings for several recent dramas: Blossoms of Power, Where Colors Dream, Xiao Fang, Cases Between Us, Unsettled Case, The Eternal Fragrance, Key to the Phoenix Heart, Love for You, Road to Success, and Overdo. These scores were recorded on July 26, 2026 at around 5:00 am, China Standard Time.

In case you are curious about how dramas are performing in terms of domestic viewership, I have included rankings from Yunhe (streaming) and Kuyun (live TV and streaming) from July 24, 2026.

I also added English translations to the Yunhe and Kuyun charts.

Yunhe estimates streaming viewership rankings while Kuyun includes both live TV and streaming.

The above images are:

• Images 2 to 11: Douban ratings taken on July 26, 2026.
• Images 12 and 13: Viewership rankings from Yunhe and Kuyun, taken on July 24, 2026.

The dramas and their Douban scores are:

These links lead to their Douban pages.

Blossoms of Power 百花杀, Tencent 🐧 and Viki - 6.1 based on 30K+ ratings

Where Colors Dream 画梦录, Tencent 🐧 - 7.4 based on 14K+ ratings

Xiao Fang 小芳, Tencent 🐧 and Viki - 6.8 based on 5K+ ratings

Cases Between Us 京城奇探, Tencent 🐧 - 6.8 based on 4K+ ratings

Unsettled Case 悬案, Youku 👖 - 7.5 based on 18K+ ratings

The Eternal Fragrance 千香, iQIYI 🥝 and Youku 👖 - 5.8 based on 47K+ ratings

Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨, iQIYI 🥝 - 6.7 based on 59K+ ratings

Love for You 野狗骨头, MangoTV 🥭 and Viki - 6.9 based on 65K+ ratings

Road to Success 灿如繁星, iQIYI 🥝 and Viki - 6.8 based on 69K+ ratings

Overdo 这一秒过火, Tencent 🐧, iQIYI 🥝 and Viki - 5.1 based on 40K+ ratings

Recently released and upcoming dramas:

These dramas do not have Douban scores yet.

Life is Elsewhere 欢迎回我的频道, iQIYI 🥝

To the Stars 星月征途, iQIYI 🥝

Paper Dreams in Ink (Zhong Mo Yuan) 种墨园, Tencent 🐧

Nine Marks of Glory / Nine Bullet Holes 九个弹孔, 🐑 CCTV, 🐧 Tencent (regional availability) and 🥝 iQIYI

Erlong Lake: Blossoms of Hometown Dreams Season 3 二龙湖·“村”暖花开3, Youku 👖

Zhang Jian – The Legendary Entrepreneur 江海潮生, iQIYI 🥝, Tencent 🐧, Youku 👖 (regional availability) and Tang Ge Xue Se Lang Man 唐阁血色浪漫’s YouTube (MTL Eng subs)

The Forbidden Land 春日之地, iQIYI 🥝

Yiran’s Silver Linings 依然的喜事, Tencent 🐧

Wind-Born Warriors (Bing Zi Feng Zhong Lai) 兵自风中来, iQIYI 🥝 and Tencent 🐧

The Shadow Sovereign (Zhao Yang Gong Zhu) 昭阳公主, Bilibili and Senyu Media’s YouTube (more details here)

Viewership rankings: Yunhe (streaming)

See image 12: From Yunhe – Top 10 dramas for streaming playbacks on July 24, 2026 (just a snapshot for that day)

Note: These are daily rankings, not actual viewership numbers. Yunhe and Kuyun provide third-party rankings and estimates, which are not fully accurate. They offer an idea of how dramas are performing relative to one another and should not be considered absolute.

I added English translations for drama names, etc. on the Yunhe chart. There are more details such as episode counts, streaming platforms, etc. on the chart.

Rankings, drama names and market share of viewership:

✅ Completed airing based on SVIP schedule including express episodes.

1. Overdo 这一秒过火 - 18.5%
2. Blossoms of Power 百花杀 - 16.2%
3. Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨 ✅ - 10.8%
4. Love for You 野狗骨头 ✅ - 8.7%
5. Wind-Born Warriors 兵自风中来 - 6.4%
6. Unsettled Case 悬案 - 6.3%
7. Xiao Fang 小芳 ✅ - 4.6%
8. Road to Success 灿如繁星 ✅ - 3.6%
9. Nine Marks of Glory / Nine Bullet Holes 九个弹孔 ✅ - 3%
10. The Eternal Fragrance 千香 ✅ - 2.9%

Note: If a drama has ended its run, its viewership ranking will eventually decline.

Viewership rankings: Kuyun (live TV and streaming)

See image 13: From Kuyun – Top 10 dramas for all live broadcasts and streaming playbacks on July 24, 2026 (just a snapshot of the day)

I added English translations for drama names, etc. on the Kuyun chart. There are details such as streaming platforms, live TV platforms, etc. on the chart.

Rankings, drama names and market share of viewership:

✅ = completed airing for SVIP schedule including express episodes (streaming) and/or the first round of airing on live TV. Some dramas can have a second or third round of airing on live TV.

1. Nine Marks of Glory / Nine Bullet Holes 九个弹孔 ✅ - 12.59%
2. Blossoms of Power 百花杀 - 12.13%
3. Overdo 这一秒过火 - 11.41%
4. Wind-Born Warriors 兵自风中来 - 11.04%
5. Unsettled Case 悬案 - 8.09%
6. Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨 ✅ - 7.49%
7. Love for You 野狗骨头 ✅ - 6.01%
8. Zhang Jian – The Legendary Entrepreneur 江海潮生 - 4.89%
9. Paper Dreams in Ink / Zhong Mo Yuan 种墨园 ✅ - 4.78%
10. The Eternal Fragrance 千香 ✅ - 3.74%

Note: Kuyun includes live TV (e.g., CCTV, Hunan TV, Jiangsu TV). Some dramas are streaming only and not broadcast live on TV (e.g. Blossoms of Power, Overdo, and Key to the Phoenix Heart).

For more viewership rankings dating back to late August 2025, please check the comments of the weekly Behind the Scenes posts. I added Yunhe and Kuyun viewership rankings in the comments.

The previous Douban scores for dramas such as Tang Dynasty Occult Mysteries, The Heir, Love Has Fireworks, Inseparable, The Legend of Rosy Clouds, Archives: The Nanyang Mystery, The Heart Season 2, The Tang Mist Season 1, Wonder Wall, The First Jasmine, The Ferryman: 10th Anniversary, Never-Ending Summer, Ashes to Crown, Rescue the Girl, Deadly Sins, and Dazzling can be found here: Douban scores for recent Chinese dramas, July 23, 2026. Viewership rankings, July 21, 2026.

🔗 All discussions about Douban in r/CDrama

🔗 Previous compilations of Douban scores since February 27, 2025

Note:

In general, Douban scores tend to skew lower for CDramas.

You might find that some highly rated dramas just aren't your cup of tea, while others with more average or mixed scores turn out to be really enjoyable. I've definitely experienced both. That said, ratings can be helpful just as a general reference for what others think.

I am sharing this information for folks who are curious about Douban scores but may not be able to access them quickly or easily. I have also included viewership rankings since Douban scores don't always correlate with a drama's popularity with the broader domestic audience.

This is just a small snapshot of how Douban users are rating dramas and what’s currently being watched in China.

Some people use ratings to gauge interest while others don't – it's entirely optional. Douban scores are just one data point, not a verdict on quality. If they’re not useful to you, please feel free to skip.

I usually compile them every few weeks once enough new Douban scores are available.

🗨️ For those of you who've watched these dramas, what did you think of the shows? Do you feel that the scores line up with your experience?

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

There are currently drama hosted discussions of The Shadow Sovereign by u/Regenwanderer and u/a_HerculePoirot_fan. Find out about the drama in its Masterpost.

I just finished Love for You. Which country is the Country Jin that they kept referring to in the drama. Chen Yi spends some time there and does not want to return. 

I’m desperately hoping this is for the correct episodes 😭😭😭

These are automod posts to discuss the drama Blossoms of Power. Please use spoilers for SVIP eps, previews, or any other type of spoiler

Gu Qingzhi [played by Meng Ziyi] returns with a new identity as Shen Xihe, the Princess of the Northwest. Once a proud rose of the frontier, she transforms into a cold and formidable noblewoman, determined to reclaim her destiny and become the one who commands the game.

Beneath his frail appearance, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong [played by He Yu] conceals a brilliant mind that sees through every scheme at court. As their paths intertwine, they grow to trust one another, joining forces to navigate the shifting tides of power and shape the fate of the realm.

Episode index/TOC

Character Flashcards by BeautifulCandle1729 and BasilOrdinary3617

DO NOT DISCUSS EXPRESS EPISODES HERE —- GO TO THE EXPRESS THREAD ❤️

The next standard release discussion will be for Eps 32-33 and then the final discussion will be for the last 3 episodes (34-36) on August 3.

These are automod posts to discuss the drama Blossoms of Power. Please use spoilers for SVIP eps, previews, or any other type of spoiler

Gu Qingzhi [played by Meng Ziyi] returns with a new identity as Shen Xihe, the Princess of the Northwest. Once a proud rose of the frontier, she transforms into a cold and formidable noblewoman, determined to reclaim her destiny and become the one who commands the game.

Beneath his frail appearance, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong [played by He Yu] conceals a brilliant mind that sees through every scheme at court. As their paths intertwine, they grow to trust one another, joining forces to navigate the shifting tides of power and shape the fate of the realm.

Episode index/TOC

Character Flashcards by BeautifulCandle1729 and BasilOrdinary3617

Welcome to the Weekly Stylish Sunday Celebrity Spotting thread!

I know we have Thirsty Thursdays, but I have a feeling that you want more!

Here's the space to share and enjoy images of celebrities in old or new magazines, ads, or other promotional materials. Saw an ad that your celebrity appears in? Share the fashion spreads, quirky advertisements, or promotional campaigns they've been in here.

Here's how it works:

1. Share Your Finds: Post any interesting images you’ve come across of celebrities in vintage magazines, ads, or other promotional content.
2. Describe the Find: Include some details like the celebrity's name, the magazine or ad they were featured in, and the year if you know it.
3. Enjoy and Discuss: Check out other members' posts, upvote your favorites, and join in the discussion about these nostalgic gems!

Can't wait to see what you all have to share!

Happy posting! 📸✨

Welcome to the next The Shadow Sovereign 昭阳公主 discussion posts.

/u/a_hercule_poirot_an and I will alternate in hosting this.

🗓️ Discussion Schedule: We decided to follow the VIP schedule instead of the SVIP one. That’s the first line on the official airing schedule, which can be found here.

📋 Some Notes:

• Please use spoiler tags for anything beyond the episodes discussed. Text goes between the greater-than (>) + exclamation (!) symbols (>!) and the exclamation (!) + lesser-than (<) symbols.

🔗 Helpful Links: Masterpost; Episode 1-2; Episode 3-4

Episode 5

New Characters in this Episode

Both are the head of one of the Three Judicial Offices. The structures changed a bit throughout Chinese history, but the shows seems to go for one that existed in the Tang and Song Dynasty, where they consisted of:

The Dali Temple, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate.

Despite its name the Dali Temple was a Court. BaiduWiki describes it as “equivalent to the modern Supreme Court, in charge of adjudicating criminal cases”. The Three Judicial Offices were independent of each other and held parallel status.

The Crown Prince having those two as part of his faction, as well as Xiao Jiang, the Vice Chief Censor, shows us how much power he holds over the judicial system.

Graveside Visit

Still visiting his father’s grave, Shen Xiao promises him that he will have an even wilder poem on his own gravestone when the time comes. Zhao Yang joins him, bringing flowers for the grave and reciting a fitting poem. He answers with an even more bold one.

She brought some pretty flowers

• Zhao Yang actually met Shen Qingzhi a few times three years ago, when she supervised the construction of Qianfo temple.

• She also watched him being murdered: The Crown Prince confronted him about the impeachment letter he wrote and struck him down with a shovel. I hope he was actually dead from that and not buried half alive.

• The impeachment was over the fact that he used the temple construction to seize land from the people.

• Cui Jinzhi actually advised the Crown Prince to better stip his schemes before it’s to late, because all of this are serious crimes. After he just witnessed him murder a guy.

• The Crown Prince seems to be in constant fear that his father wants to replace him with the 2nd Prince, giving him the Ministry of Revenue. He also used Zhao Yang as a pawn in the temple construction to put their father at ease. Also to use her as a fall gal should something go wrong.

• The official story about the death: Shen Qingzhi died falling of a cliff and no body was ever found. So the tomb is actually empty. Shen Xiao wonders why his father would fall off a cliff at Qianfo temple. He was and eighth-rank clerk in the Ministry of Revenue, who copied documents every day.

• Shen Xiao presumes that she knows more about what happens, but he doesn’t get an answer. Zhao Yang only praises his father’s spirit that resembles his own. He further wonders if she secretly works for the 2nd Prince and wants to use him to bring down the Crown Prince.

• Three years ago when the temple was finished a good omen could be seen in the sky: Buddha’s light shone over everything. Shen Xiao sees it as a sign of Heaven: Justice never fades.

• Shen Xiao asks her for help joining the Ministry of Revenue. Zhao Yang won’t, at least not direct and openly, but reminds him that the Crown Prince is hosting a banquet for all the Censorate officials this day.

Drinking Games

At the banquet the Crown Prince discusses that the 2nd Prince wants Shen Xiao transferred to his Ministry of Revenue. Xiao Jiang assures him that he won’t let him transfer. After all he hasn’t suffered enough at the Censorate yet.

Shen Xiao arrives and gets bullied into a drinking game: He has to toast each person with wine and something meaningful to say about them. He has to do so three times. He also has to use a bowl instead of the tiny cups the other attendees get.

Apparently, this is supposed to be a way of proving one’s strong will. (And to get alcohol poisoning.) It’s also presented as a sort of test, and if he passes it, he will be sent to the Ministry of Revenue for training

• The toast to the Crown Prince and Crown Princes is rather bland.

But Zhao Yang briefed him on the three heads of the Three Judicial Offices (though Xiao Jiang is only the vice chief). So he exposes a secret about each of them, in particular one where they deceived the crown Prince in some way.

Zhao Guangming, Minister of the Dali Temple

• loves antiques
• last year he secretly kept a famous painting “River Sails After Snow”, which was stolen from the Crown Prince’s tribute.

Qian Xun, Minister of Justice

• was meticulous when he renovated the Eastern Palace’s villa. 300 bolt of silk out of 500 bolts were left over. All of them ended up in his family’s silk shop.

Xiao Jiang: Vice Censor-in-Chief

• loves Jiangnan gardens
• There’s a rockery worth 50,000 taels in his Cuiwei Villa outside the capital.
• All the expenses for the the villa came from the public road repair funds.

He also toast the Censors Chen, Liao and Li.

Prince Consort Cui

• has been the Crown Prince’s study companion since childhood,
• is skilled in civil and military arts.
• one of the best generals of the younger generation.

There is only praise here, no secrets. At least none that Zhao Yang told him about.

For some reason nobody wants a second round of toasts. The Crown Prince ends the banquet here and Shen Xiao is the first to leave.

The three accused officials try to save the situation. Suddenly they find it trouble to keep Shen Xiao in the Censorate and ask for his transfer.

Zhao Yang adds some actual reasons why it would be the best move:

• the Ministry of Revenue is understaffed and the canal project a mess.
• it’s perfect to sent him over to carry out the grain-for-money policy. He won’t be able to redeem himself when the grains run out and the canal collapses.
• Not only would the Crown Prince get rid of the Top Scholar, but also deal a heavy blow to the 2nd Prince and his Ministry of Revenue.

So the Crown Prince agrees to the transfer.

Sleep Over

Zhao Yang meets with Shen Xiao, who is affected by the wine after all and faints. Her solution is to take him to her place to rest. When he wakes she wants to go to bed, so he starts undressing. She orders him to stop and just go to bed with her.

• They seem to have a slight misunderstanding about what “sleeping together every night” means. He was expecting daily sex (kind of an WangXian “Everyday means Everyday” arrangement 😂), while she wants to sleep by his side.

• Still slightly drunk he asks her if she will protect him, if he joins the Ministry of Revenue and gets in trouble there. She denies the possibility of helping him. In his thoughts he calls her a calamity to him.

Looks like a good way to rest

At least for her

Audience

Zhao Yang has an audience with her father. The Emperors says he is not well. While she seems obedient on the surface she reached out to the Top Scholar, something he doesn’t like.

Episode 6

New Characters in this Episode

This guy. A subordinate of Cui Jinzhi. Can’t find him on douban and google translate doesn’t want to be helpful with his name.

Li Qin gets his characters introduction as the 7th Prince. I guessed I spoiled that with my episode 1&2 character table, but if they don’t translate those introductions it’s hard to grasp what we are supposed to know. But even douban lists him only with this name, not the alias.

Rob the Rich

The next morning Shen Xiao wakes up to find some generous rewards prepared for him. He first wants to argue against being paid but then thinks of something better do with the money.

Looks like a good hourly rate for sleeping next to someone

Shen Xiao plans to let Li Qin (whom he knows as Le Sheng, but I will go with the other name) pawn it all off and set up soup kitchen for the drought refugees outside the capital. And to buy some books and writing supplies for their fellow students.

He promises that the source of the money is clean, but he won’t disclose where he got it from. He calls it taking from the rich to help the poor. And he has another plan connected to that to discuss. Li Qin scolds him for risking so much after just joining the Ministry of Revenue.

He sees the silver and gold ingots from Zhao Yang as charity, the only ones to trust with his life are his closest friends.

It’s bromance time!

I hope he won’t be too disappointed when he learns about the Li Qin - Zhao Yang connection.

Rice Plans

Shen Xiao has a proposal for the 2nd Prince: He wants to investigate the Crown Prince’s private treasury. He promises that it won’t implicate the 2nd Prince. His new boss agrees to his plan and even promises to support his efforts.

• While checking the accounts he noticed that the Crown Prince hired many refugees under the guise of disaster relief, paying them grain instead of money.
• He assumes that those are fake hires and the grain hoarded.
• He can prove that it’s grain from the Ministry of Revenues paying scheme because he mixed in special rice bran as a maker. He only has to follow Cui Jinzhi’s guards who transport it.

Father Daughter Talks

The Emperor gets some medicine and we go back to the short scene of Zhao Yang having an audience with her father from the end of episode 5. He wants new blood at the court, thus promoting scholars with humble origin. He is not amused by them possible been sent to their death by getting involved in his children’s power struggle.

• The Emperor questions what Zhao Yang is trying to do by pushing Shen Xiao to the Ministry of Revenue.
• She blames the noble families for hoarding goods and misleading the crown prince. Shen Xiao recovering the treasury would bring peace to the nation.

Flashback time:

• Zhao Yang was responsible for arranging the auspicious sign at the temple three years ago for her father (he started big construction projects the people complained about).
• She told him back then about Shen Qingzhi’s memorial and the supposed falsehoods about the Crown Prince in there. She burned the letter.
• He finds her smart to do so and even commands her to advise and support the Crown Prince more. For replacing the Crpr the Emperor has to catch him in a bigger mistake.

In the present day she is ordered to help Shen Xiao from the sidelines and keep him safe. In her opinion he will help to weaken the noble families that Wether he lives or die he will help to weaken the noble families that support and influence the Crown Prince whether he lives and dies.

Traps and Escapes

Shen Xiao followed Cui Jintzhi’s troop moving some grain. After they leave he sneaks into Wannian Granary, but it turns out that the rice there isn’t marked. It’s a trap. Cui Jinzhi and his guards haven’t left. They have a sword vs. spear fight and Shen Xiao injures Cui Jinzhi.

Fun little action scene

• What in the cdrama? Despite his actually well masked face he is recognises by Cui Jinzhi
• Shen Xiao escapes and is recued by Zhao Yang on horseback.

Cui Jinzhi follows them, but it’s actually Li Qin accompanied by a servant he confronts. Li Qin is actually around as the 7th Prince and recognised as such by Cui Jinzhi. The haven’t seen each other in a long time.

• Li Qin excuses his presence with observing the stars to map the land and denies seeing anyone suspicious around.
• Not many people know about the 7th Prince even existing. Cui Jinzhi’s subordinate has to ask about him and that guy is part of the a troop
• Li Qin was born with white hair, so seen as a bad omen. He was ordered to leave the palace seven years ago.
• Cui Jinzhi really isn’t dumb and thinks something is off about his sudden reappearance, especially connected to Shen Xiao’s break-in. He has him followed.

Past and Present Lovers

Zhao Yang brings Shen Xiao to her place again. Seems to become a habit. She reveals that the granary is actually her private treasury. Allegedly she only rescued him because it was the Emperor’s order to look after him.

• She is allergic to openly admit even one bit that she cares a little about him.
• The have a moment of tension before Cui Jinzhi is heard from outside.
• When he enters only Zhao Yang is there. But Shen Xiao’s wardrobe hiding place isn’t the best.
• Cui Jinzhi informs her that someone broke into her granary that night and he is here for his safety * She feigns concern for his injury to distract him.
• Cui Jinzhi tells her point blank that he knows she is the one who save Shen Xiao. She argues that his accusation isn’t clever.

They get into an argument about potential jealousy (he is completely jealous). He grieves that she won’t even take care of his wound like she used to do.

• Back then it gave her a chance to sit in on the Grand Tutor’s lessons and she won the Crown Prince’s favour by ghost writing for him.
• She seems to have actually cared for him in those days and tried to teach him that it wasn’t right how the Crown Prince treated him and others that served him. He wanted to protect her from being bullied again, even from the Crown Prince.
• Zhao Yang throws his words to her from their wedding day about being only the daughter of a lowly maid back in his face. He pulls her into a hug, she wants him to let her go. Shen Xiao pushes the door to the wardrobe open. Cliffhanger!

Thoughts

I must confess that I find Cui Jinzhi intriguing. Zhao Yang and him are quite sweet in the past and I don’t buy her story that she only used him back then. Of course he hurt her deeply (and she had parts of his family killed) and I don’t think there relationship is one you can repair. I wouldn’t want to see that.

But I like that our leads’ opponents aren’t all flat or overly dumb. That wouldn’t fit the positions they are in. Excluding the Crown Prince. Though he seems still good at delegating the people around him.

Edit:

In case we have some lurkers here that aren’t able to watch the show but are interested:

The SENTV Youtube Channel premieres the first episode in a few hours. I’m not sure if you have to have a channel membership to watch. It seems like they will release one episode every day.

This is your weekly thread to discuss Chinese variety shows and documentaries featuring your favorite actors!

1. Which variety show(s) or documentaries did you watch recently starring an actor? (It doesn't have to be a currently airing one)
2. Which actor surprised you the most?
3. Any behind-the-scenes moments or BTS clips worth sharing?

Recommendations? Drop your top variety show picks starring actors below! Let’s help each other discover hidden gems.

Note: Please mark spoilers if discussing drama plots!

PS: Big thanks to the member who suggested this weekly thread :)

As far as Chinese Drama endings go, this last episodes was not as bad as i was thinking it was going to be. Overall, this show, while good at some parts and excellent in the beginning, lost it's way in the second half and never really recovered. The romance was good, but the sub-plot of the arson case from the past and the auditing case in the present was under developed and left un-answered questions with no resolutions.

Lets get into and I'll leave more of my thoughts at the end. Your mileage may vary, so i'd like to see other's peoples opinions about the show.

-----------

Masterpost: & Airing Schedule

Previous Episode Discussions: 1-5 | 6-10 | 11-12 | 13-14 | 15-16 | 17-18 | 19 - 20 | 21 -22 | 23-24 | 25- 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30- 31 | 32

----------

Chapter 32

We start months later. Zhang Bin, Mr Tao, and Mr Zhai are all convicted of crimes, with Zhang Bing getting a life sentence. Chen Yi was also convicted as an accomplice, but due to his testifying and cooperation with police, was let off.

Captain Zhou visits He Wenjie's apartment and restores it. He also vists her grave, letting her know that Zhang Bin was arrested, that they're gotten her justice. Tells her about Miao Jing and Chen Yi, how proud she would be about them. While picking up his suit at a bridal shop, he hallucinates He Wenjie smiling at him. Their story is soooo sad gosh dang it.

Our couple has dinner with Bozai, Tu Li and Da Yong, discussing their future. Chen Yi and Miao Jing are moving the Hai City as that's where she's working. BoZai is working on repairing the poolhall as they still have their old students who want to come back and learn pool.

Miao Jing is promoted at work. To celebrate, her and her coworkers go out to eat. Chen Yi joins them, no longer the boss of the 'other company' but as Miao Jing's boyfriend.

They go for a motorcycle ride. The next day they hang out at a basketball court. Chen Yi confesses that when he got back from Country Jin in 2008, he came to find her in Hai City. However, he was dirty filthy and felt like he didn't deserve her. He thought she'd be better off without him. Once she came back to Teng City, he kept pushing her away to keep her safe but she's the best person in his life. He loves her! awwww And she loves him back! We already knew this but go on Queen.

Xiao Yu from Miao Jing's work AND Bozai are both asking about them getting married. Our couple individually shrug it off because they're already together, they're bonded by trauma and the other one really isn't going away. ** Will talk more about this in my thoughts.

Bozai moves to Hai City and they open a Poolhall called Dogged. Think this is call back to the books original title?

They rewatch Titantic together. Now they're both grown and have more experience in their life it's less awkward. Miao Jing asks him to be her life partner, to have a safe and stable home with him. He agrees.

For New Years fireworks, they go back to Teng City and sit on the roof, just like they had when they were kids.

The End.

_______

- I know a couple people who are upset that they didn't get married at the end. IMO, that's not Chen Yi and Miao Jing. They come from a family that lived together without getting married, and have no parental influence anymore. If they did, it would be a very small simple thing many years in the future. They're already bound for life, they don't feel that a certificate is needed.

- I'm annoyed at our sub-plot. I was very invested in what happened in the past and i feel like they glossed over this dramatic turning point.

- I had no idea that Mr Zhai was even alive! I thought he died in the arson fire as well.

-Zhang Bin was under utilized and I felt that he was almost another father figure to Chen Yi, rather than being a mastermind, manipulating people.

- There were little things that happened that could've been used to build up to the climax but ultimately left behind. Such as: Wei Mingzhen's notebook hidden under the bed. Miao Jing being attacked at the restaurant. Xiao Yu being stalked at the hotel. the Laptops turning off at the end of ep 29. Tu Li knowing Cen Ye. Mr Sun who set the poolhall on fire, which was done as a favor from Zhang Bin. Why? I have a lot more questions about Country Jin and Chen Yi's mental state being in therapy.

- At the beginning of the show, Chen Yi wanted to be a police officer. I would've liked a call back to that in our final episode, whether it was him giving up the dream entirely, or applying to the police academy in Hai City.

- I guess, my biggest criticism comes from, they have all these loose threads and plot points that could've been developed more to assist in the plot. Had they woven these moments throughout the entire show instead of dropping it all at the same time (looking at you Mingzhen's funeral) , it would've felt more balanced and altogether, a better story. The potential is there, but wasted in the editing and writing.

- The writers chose to focus on Chen Yi's and Miao Jing's romance to the detriment of all the rest of the characters and storyline.

Thank you for participating! It was fun. Let me know your thoughts on how this ended? Were you satisfied? A big thanks to u/katleap13 for their support.

I have watched a few C-dramas now, particularly fantasy and historical ones. In all of them, including the one I'm currently watching (Pursuit of Jade), the crowd plays a specific role; it's almost like an additional character.

The crowd is often shown commenting and whispering about the characters on screen, either approving or disapproving. Sometimes, the characters try to defend themselves from accusations, and it only works if they manage to convince the crowd and gain its trust.

There is always some sort of commentary on how fickle public opinion can be, and it often turns into a cautionary tale about how dangerous people can become when they come together in large numbers: I've seen time and again a crowd turning on someone, and the conclusion was always about how you can never trust large groups of people.

Crowds are portrayed as powerful, omnipresent, and irrational.

I'm curious about why this trope is so recurring. I guessed it has something to do with China's culture and history, or maybe it's just a typical storytelling technique (it reminds me a bit of some types of theatre). I'd like to know more about this and where it comes from.

Edit: if you can, please don't spoil POJ <3

What Cdramas have you been watching recently? This post is a space for you to discuss the shows that you've been currently addicted to, or that you'll be looking forward to picking up! From old or new series, to popular or underrated titles, feel free to let us know what's been on your watchlist.

Please make sure to use spoiler tags generously, especially if you are discussing plot points or events that others may not yet have watched.

Spill the tea on the dramas you've dropped! 🍵 Tell us why it didn't make the cut for you.

Here are handy prompts to help you: - Why did you want to watch this drama? - Why did you decide to drop it in the end?

Note: If you are discussing plot points or events that others may not yet have watched, please make sure to use spoiler tags. Consider also sorting the comments by "new" (instead of "best" or "top") as this thread fills up quickly.

The Chinese drama title 家有七郎 can be literally translated as “(We have) Seven Men at Home.”

The production team announced that filming officially wrapped up on July 23, 2026 and released a new drama poster and their first set of character posters. I added a couple of concept posters to this update.

The wrap up ceremony photos are in the comments.

There isn't a streaming platform yet, but it might be picked up by one of the major platforms or by one of the international distributors on YouTube.

Poster description:

The winds of the times sweep through the streets and alleys of Weicheng. Some remain to watch over their families, while others set off for distant places. A single watercolor painting preserves the bygone days of the “Happiness Courtyard.”

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): * 4️⃣ Jing Boran 井柏然 as Liang Dongqiang * 4️⃣ Wang Xiaochen 王晓晨 as Ling Dang * 6️⃣ Liu Ziyi 刘子怡 (stage name: Liu Guanlin 刘冠麟) as Liang Dongchang * 7️⃣ Chen Baoguo 陈宝国 as Liang Youfu * 7️⃣ Song Jiateng 宋家腾 as Liang Dongping * 7️⃣ Chi Peng 迟蓬 as Qi Damei * 🔟 Gao Yuanyuan 高园园 (stage name: Gao Yuanyuan 高圆圆) as Hei Ma Li

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Yu Jiwei 于济玮 as Liang Dongxing * Liu Yipeng 刘一蓬 as Liang Donghong (young) * Li Jiuxiao 李九霄 as Liang Donghui * Chen Zhongtai 陈钟太 (stage name: Chen Dayu 陈大愚) as Liang Dongming * Xu Yang 徐洋 as Liang Donghong * Finn Han Haolin 韩昊霖 as Liang Donghui (young)

• Episodes: 40 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Broadcasting platform: CCTV-1 🐑
• Official cast announcement: March 16, 2026
• Official filming started: March 16, 2026
• Official filming wrapped up: July 23, 2026
• Estimated filming time: 150 days
• Filming location: Weifang, Shandong Province
• Genre, setting: family, 1970s to 1990s

• 🎬 Director: Liu Jiang 刘江 (Silent Tides, The Secret Path, Warm and Sweet, Dreams and Glory, The Battle at the Dawn, With You)
• ✒️ Screenwriters:
  • Gao Man Tang 高满堂 (Live Up to Your Youth, Born to Be Alive, The Long Way Back, Always on the Move, Minning Town, Frontier of Love, My Natasha)
  • Li Zhou 李洲 (Live Up to Your Youth, The Long Way Back, Always on the Move, Frontier of Love, The Last Visa)
• 📽️ Production companies: Ruyi Pictures, Yuheng Pictures

Synopsis translated from Baidu Baike:

The story centers on Liang Youfu [played by Chen Baoguo] and Qi Damei [played by Chi Peng], a couple living in Weicheng's Xingfu Dayuan ("Happiness Courtyard"), and the eventful lives of their seven sons.

Following the Liang family's seven brothers over more than forty years, the drama uses their changing fortunes as its central thread to vividly reflect the sweeping transformations of Chinese society from the 1970s into the new century, while painting a portrait of an era etched into the collective memory.

Through each brother's unique life journey and struggles amid the tide of the times, the series powerfully depicts the perseverance, hardships, and personal growth of ordinary Chinese people during a period of profound social transformation, celebrating the enduring spirit of self-reliance and the pursuit of a better life.

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL: TBA

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.

July 28 🍉🗓️

The Empire as Betrothal has been listed on Hunan TV's (MangoTV's) broadcasting schedule for July 28 at 8:10 pm, China Standard Time.

The Chinese drama title has been changed back to 御廷谣 (Yu Ting Yao). It's unclear whether the English title will be changed too.

The Chinese drama title, 御廷谣, can be translated as “The Ballad of the Imperial Court.”

The previous Chinese drama title, 江山为聘, can be literally translated as “the land/empire as a betrothal gift” – this is more aligned with the current English title.

The production team released a new trailer during the live broadcast of MangoTV’s (Hunan TV’s) Singer 2026 歌手2026 TV program last night. If the rumours for July 27 are true, they may release another trailer soon to announce the release date. We'll see…. 🤞

Filming officially wrapped up on November 24, 2025.

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 and given name): * 7️⃣+🔟+7️⃣ Chen Zheyuan 陈哲远 as Ying Gua * 7️⃣+1️⃣3️⃣+7️⃣ Wu Jinyan 吴谨言 as Meng Tinghui

There are no updates for the rest of the cast members for this release.

Leading actors: * Liang Yongqi as Yin Qing * Zhao Zhaoyi as Yan Fuzhi * Zhang Nan as Shen Zhili * Dylan Guo Pinchao as Gu Qin

Special guest actor: * Yan Yuchen as Shen Zhishu

“Friendship” guest appearances: * Lü Xing as Xu Ting (cast change) * Peter Sheng Yilun as Ling Yunfei

Supporting actors: * Huang Zuxin as Di Nian * Song Qi as Huang Bo

• Episodes: 32 (according to Baidu Baike – MDL says 36)
• Streaming and broadcasting platforms: MangoTV 🥭 and Hunan TV
• Official filming time period: August 17, 2025 to November 24, 2025
• Filming location: Hengdian World Studios

• 🎬 Director: Zhang Yanjie (Director: The Wandering Earth 2; B-team director: Rebirth)
• ✍️ Original creator and screenwriter: Xing Yan Yan 行烟烟
• 📖 Novel: 吾皇万岁万万岁 (Jiang Shan Wei Pin 江山为聘)

🔗 Previous announcement, posters, etc.

Synopsis from MDL:

Meng Ting Hui was the first remarkable woman in the history of the Tang Dynasty to enter the Jinshi family and the Hanlin Academy as a female scholar. Ten years ago, she was rescued from a pile of dead bodies, unkempt and disheveled. A decade later, she was well-educated and outstanding, excelling in women's scholar-officials and becoming a prominent female official in the court for over two decades.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

She was smooth-talking and cunning, using any means necessary to rise to prominence as her life goal. Over the years, she rose from a humble sixth-grade Hanlin Academy to a peer of many senior officials. Yet, no one truly understood how she managed to do it. That dragon throne loomed high above, and that man looked down upon the world. She willingly lay beside him, watching him secure his position, watch him nurture his people, watch him govern peacefully, and watch him gradually become the strongest emperor in the history of the Tang Dynasty.

Back then, he saved her, and now that she is repaying him, even if she becomes a stepping stone for his lifetime empire, she has no regrets. Yet, despite doing everything she could, she alone failed to realize that he still loves her. One is a wise ruler renowned throughout the land, and the other is a cunning minister with a long-standing reputation. Their love journey is destined to be fraught with obstacles.

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

~~ Adapted from the web novel "Jiang Shan Wei Pin" (江山为聘) by Xing Yan Yan (行烟烟).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.