Wan Chun is a 1990 Taiwanese television series about a girl named Wan Chun and her three adoptive brothers, that is based on the 1964 novel “Wan-chun’s Three Loves” (追尋) by Taiwanese writer and producer Chiung Yao, and which is set in Republican era Beijing. Ming Dynasty in 1566 (Dàmíng wángcháo), starring Chinese actor Chen Baoguo (陈宝国), is a Chinese television series based on historical events during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor (1507-1567) of the Ming dynasty. A widowed father returns to Austin after two years, attempting to reconnect with his children, navigate clashes with his family, and find common ground with his new partner, while growing increasingly suspicious of his wife's death. It’s no wonder then that some netizens fear for Ding Zhen’s personal life. Noteworthy: “The Chinese ‘House of Cards'”. Votes: 83,450 Episodes: 32 Please let us know in comments below or email us. Genre: Fantasy/Costume Drama Episodes available on Youtube here. Fun fact by Ruoyun Bai (see references): despite the fact that the entire show is about the Nationalists Army, not a single Nationalist Army uniform could be found for the cast. Year: 2014 It has been an instant classic from the moment it was first broadcasted by CCTV in October of 1986. Episodes: 236 CCTV-5 体 育. CCTV-5+ 体育赛事. Directed by: Wang Xinwei (王心慰) Episodes: 12 Genre: Crime/Suspense CCTV 4 contains a variety of programs including documentaries, music, news, drama series, sports and children shows. Drama Go! Episodes: 20 Year: 2017 Albany: State University of New York Press. Buy original novel here: The Romance of the Three Kingdoms Important historical events such as the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), the Hundred Days’ Reform (1898), the Boxer Rebellion (1900) and the Xinhai Revolution (1911) are all featured in this epic drama, that mainly focuses on the lives of Li Hongzhang (Chinese general in late Qing), Empress Dowager Cixi, Sun Yat-Sen, and Yuan Shikai. 50 of the Best New Books on China for the Holidays and Winter 2020/2021, Silence! Some TV dramas in this list have become classics through time, some are fairly new but have already become classics within their genre. In today’s TV drama environment of China, dramas that focus on life during the imperial era are ubiquitous, with titles from the Imperial Doctress to Story of Yanxi Palace being everywhere. 28 Responses . The scenery and sets are beautiful. This is an all-time favorite TV series in China that is still rated with a 9.5 on the TV drama database of search engine Sogou. THURSDAYS 10ET / 7PT. Year: 1995 This classic TV drama features actors Damian Lau as Zhang Danfeng and Michelle Yim as Yun Lei, whom are often praised by drama lovers for their perfect chemistry in these series. The novel has been read by millions across China and has become a prominent source of political metaphors on the Chinese web. The story became well-known by the movie of the same title by Zhang Yimou, which became an international success. Drama series about a new academy school that merges the lives and cultures of a community. Genre: Wuxia/Martial The Rise of Phoenixes . Soon both men could hardly walk outside without being swarmed as their private life had been effectively ended- all because they happened to become popular online. 17 years equals Monk Xuanzang’s pilgrimage for the Buddhist scriptures.”. We walked around China’s picturesque areas and took 17 years to make 41 episodes. The Xianzi Versus Zhu Jun Court Case Has Begun, Your email address will not be published. is a 24-hour Chinese international channel. CCTV-4 Asia - Daily programs to Asia and Australasia. China’s first drama series depicting the country’s battle against the COVID-19 outbreak aired on public broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) on Thursday. Chinese Opera Performance Turns into Stage Fight as Drunken Man Attacks Actors, Top 10 Most Popular Smartphones in China (Fall/Winter 2020), Trump’s TikTok Ban Goes Trending on Weibo (and on TikTok), The PRC Twitter List: The Rise of China on Twitter, Must-Read: SCMP’s China Internet Report 2020. Noteworthy: “Influenced by Charlie Chaplin”. Sports Scene. Episodes: 59 (one hour per episode) Genre: Fantasy "The Rise of Phoenixes" 6. According to scholar Zhu (2008), one of the reasons that dynasty dramas such as these became so enormously popular in mainland China is that (1) certain social and political issues can be discussed in the shape of stories and settings that are very much removed from modern-day China, allowing for more relaxed censorship policies on storylines and dialogues, and (2) that the reconstruction of “history” allows room for artistic interventions (22). *1(We kindly ask not to reproduce this list without permission – please link back if referring to it). Famous Chinese actor and painter Lan Tianye (蓝天野) was praised for his role as Jiang Ziya in this drama. Within a matter of days, the 20-year-old from Litang has taken Chinese social media by storm. The story follows the immigrant life of cello player and Beijinger Wang Qiming (王起明), who arrives in New York in 1980 together with his wife, and begins working as a dishwasher the next day. Do you know other websites that allow you to watch Chinese TV series online for free? Genre: Fantasy Latest Episodes. The series is great in providing insights into how people used to live, from dress to daily life matter. Directed by: Li Lu Directed by: Wang Fulin (王扶林) FYI: the bank loan that was used was a total of US$1.3 million. This is one of the most important TV series in this list. The kind of website that you can watch Khmer Dubbed Movie Online Like Khmer movie, Chinese Movie, Korean Drama, Thai lakorn Thai Series and Khmer Comedy Stream Online with high quality videos around the web and faster. The TV drama has also been a fruitful topic for scholars for its representation of history. The success of the novel this TV drama is based on, has previously been compared to that of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. The CCTV TV drama tells the story of the historical events in China from 1890 to 1917 – the time during which the Qing Dynasty collapsed, and the Republic of China (1912-1949) was founded. Forget about all the K-dramas and new Netflix shows.Nothing beats the over-the-top love triangles, nightmare in-laws, hilarious caricature villains, and melodramatic deaths in Hong Kong TV dramas. Directed by Ying Da (英达) et al This TV series is based on the classical novel Fēngshén Yǎnyì (封神演義), also known as Investiture of the Gods or Creation of the Gods), written by Xu Zhonglin and Lu Xixing. All episodes can be watched here on YouTube. The TV drama recalls the great migration of Chinese people last century. Much has changed within those sixty years. Even today, this CCTV TV series from 1987 is still rated as one of the best Chinese television series of all time on Sogou, where viewers rate it with a 9.6. “Red Allure and the Crimson Blindfold.” China Perspectives, 2012/2, 29-40. New CCTV drama series sees online backlash and criticism Users say women’s contributions, doctors’ hardships ignored The China Central Television headquarters in Beijing. CCTV 4 is serving Chinese speaking people from overseas. But when this drama aired in the early 1990s, it was something quite new. Actors Angie Chiu and Chow Yun-Fat star in this Hong Kong drama, that is set in the underworld society of 1920s Shanghai, and revolves around the tumultuous love story between Feng Chengcheng and Xu Wenqiang. Episodes: 33 Episodes: 25 Directed by: Mao Yuqin (毛玉勤) Your email address will not be published. Watch on Youtube here. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press; 2008. Episodes: 85 Despite the fact that the TV drama itself was somewhat poorly produced, it still gets high ratings on sites such as QQ Video or Douban today. Watch on Youtube here. The story revolves around the Communist Party member Jiang Bo (江波), who spends 18 years undercover in the “tiger’s den” (虎穴), the enemy’s camp, as a National Army officer, thwarting the Nationalists’ plans until the 1949 victory of the Communists. This TV drama has consistently been ranking number one in Baidu’s and Weibo’s popular drama charts last year, and is now ranked with an 8.8 score on sites such as Douban. CGTN writes that the ‘horse prince’ has now signed the contract, but they do not mention if this new job will allow him to do what he loves most – raising horses and being out in the grasslands. Although it is somewhat tricky to call such a present-day drama a ‘classic’, we’ll take the chance. Buy novel (in English): Beijinger in New York, Noteworthy: “The first Chinese-language TV show to be shot in the United States”. The 20-year-old farmer, who lives in Litang in the Kham region of Tibet, found accidental online fame after being captured in a blogger’s photography session in Nyima County, according to a Haixia News article. The 1992 TV series stars Angie Chiu and Cecilia Yip. “From Three Kingdoms the Novel to Three Kingdoms the Television Series: Gains, Losses, and Implications.” In Kimberly Besio and Constantine Tung (eds), Three Kingdoms and Chinese Culture, 125-143. 2007. To raise more horses, of course much to the delight of many Weibo users, some of whom have begun creating fan art in the young man’s honor. The CCTV TV drama tells the story of the historical events in China from 1890 to 1917 – the time during which the Qing Dynasty collapsed, and the Republic of China (1912-1949) was founded. This series is themed around Bao Zheng (包拯), a government official who lived during China’s Song Dynasty, from 999 to 1062, and who was known for his extreme honesty and uprightness. Soldier Shaun is ready to get back to civilian life when he's accused of a terrible crime. Noteworthy: “Focusing on China’s urban real estate bubble”. According to the latest reports, Ding has received a job offer from a Chinese state-owned company since his unexpected rise to online fame. Directed by: Guo Xinling (郭信玲) Year: 1990 Directed by: Zhang Li (张黎) Da Liang's mother strongly disapproves of her new daughter-in-law and always laments about how great Da Liang's ex-girlfriend was... Kau Jong and Tzi Ling are both orphans. * Chinese Television in the Twenty-First Century: Entertaining the Nation (Routledge Contemporary China Series Book 121), * Staging Corruption: Chinese Television and Politics (Contemporary Chinese Studies), * Television in Post-Reform China: Serial Dramas, Confucian Leadership and the Global Television Market (Routledge Media, Culture and Social Change in Asia), * TV Drama in China (TransAsia: Screen Cultures), * Media in China: Consumption, Content and Crisis. Sony to distribute CCTV drama series. The series is based on events that occurred in China between the late 19th century and early 20th century that led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China. CNTV's New Media Products. One commenter exhorted others to “Let him become his own hero, a horse prince! Year: 1992 Rated with a 9.6 on Sogou and a 9.6 by more than 26,000 people on Douban, this TV drama has already become somewhat of a classic in the few years since its airing. Award-winning Taiwanese actor Jin Chao-chun (金超群) plays this role. In the Name of the People is a 2017 highly popular Chinese TV drama series based on the web novel of the same name by Zhou Meisen (周梅森). Year: 2015 All rights reserved. Noteworthy: “Romantizing the Cultural Revolution”. Year: 1991 The series is characterized by its cliffhanger endings and its ‘grey’ portrayals of its characters. As the flagship station of CCTV (Central Chinese Television 中國中央電視台), ... See more CCTV 1 produces and airs documentaries, music, news, drama series, sports and children shows. Produced in Taiwan, Noteworthy: “One of the most replayed TV series”. The series, set in Beijing, tells the story of working-class woman Liu Huifang and her unlikely marriage to the middle-class Wang Husheng, a university graduate who comes from a family of intellectuals. Bai, Ruoyun. Noteworthy: “The epic TV drama took nearly 17 years to prepare and produce “. Spotted a mistake or want to add something? Episodes: 44 Noteworthy: “First Mandarin-language sitcom”. Eighteen Years in the Enemy’s Camp is somewhat of a cult classic in China. Donate directly through Paypal here. Year: 1987 Login to create it. Cassie follows a surprising paper trail to a suspiciously empty private jet service. Looks like you're using an unsupported browser or operating system. Some episodes available with English subtitles here. Please visit our FAQ page for more information. We have listed the greatest classic Chinese TV dramas of all time, that, either because of their high-production value or historic ratings, are still talked about today. Directed by: Zhang Li (张黎) The story begins with Ou Da Liang's marriage to psychiatrist Wu Rui. 8. Crime, Drama, Western | Post-production. Directed by Yang Jie (杨洁) Year: 1999 27 likes. Most of these series will have links redirecting to available versions on Youtube or elsewhere – unless written otherwise, they do not have English subtitles. Noteworthy: “The first TV drama produced by CCTV”. CCTV16 CCTV Olympic Channel (CCTV-16, abbreviated as CCTV Olympic Channel) is a TV channel mainly ; Shanghai TV Drama Channel The TV Drama Channel is the only channel in Shanghai that broadcasts TV dramas throughout t; CCTV-Daifu CCTV-Daifu (In both Chinese and Japanese, broadcast Japan, SDTV and HDTV) Watch: YouTube Genre: Imperial drama ©2020 Whatsonweibo. The Monkey in the series is played by Zhang Jinlai (章金莱), also known as Liu Xiao Ling Tong, who recently recalled in an CGTN article that: “it was 30 years ago and we’d got only one camera. By supporting this author you make future articles possible and help the maintenance and independence of this site. On Sogou ratings, Towards the Republic, which is also known as For the Sake of the Republic (Zǒuxiàng gònghé), is one of netizens’ top all-time favorite series, rated with a 9.7. 2007. It was the first Chinese-language TV show to be shot in the United States, but it was also the first time ever for the production of a Chinese TV drama that a bank loan was used in order to make it possible (Bai 2007, 83); in other words, it also marks the start of a more commercialized TV drama environment. Year: 2005 Can't find a movie or TV show? Please share English subtitled versions in the comment section if you found them, we’ll add them to the list. Directed by Lu Xiaowei (鲁晓威) and Zhao Baoguang (赵宝刚). As the CCTV opening TV series of 2009, the series depicts the characters' persistence and courage. Totally qualified as the best DramaFever replacement, Viki is one of the best video streaming platforms for watching Asian drama and TV shows – free, no registration, and without buffering.From the filters in Explore section, you can find the desired Chinese movie/TV show/variety without a hitch - you can even search for movies using subtitle language as a filter! Episodes: 25 for season one, 16 episodes for season 2 The site may not work as expected. (eds), TV Drama in China, 21-33. The TV series Beijinger in New York, also known as A Native of Beijing in New York, based on the novel by Glen Cao (Cao Guilin), was a hit when it was first broadcasted broadcast nightly on CCTV and watched by millions of Chinese. Produced in Taiwan (Taiwan-mainland co-production) Since the 1980s, mainland China has gone from a country where most television dramas were imported from outside the country, to one that has the most thriving domestic TV drama industry in the world. The Flight Attendant. This 1999 series is still rated with a 9.1 on Douban today. First-time commenters, please be patient – we will have to manually approve your comment before it appears. Berlin: LIT Verlag. CCTV 4 contains a variety of programs including documentaries, music, news, drama series, sports and children shows.. CGTN Arabic (Arabic) CCTV Arabic is a Arabic language entertainment and news channel of China Central Television (CCTV) originating in the People's Republic of China. 2008. CCTV-8 电视剧. Year: 1990 Directed by: Li Xin (李新), Noteworthy: “A drama anyone over 50 will remember”. Directed by Zhu Zheng (朱正) Spotted a mistake or want to add something? Produced in Hong Kong This popular TV series is centered around Ji Gong, the folk hero and Chan Buddhist monk who lived in the Southern Song and, according to legend, had supernatural powers and spent his whole life helping the poor. Watch on Youtube. 2012. By 9News Staff . The Qin Empire is a 2009 Chinese television series based on Sun Haohui's novel of the same Chinese title. Hunted. Episodes: 36 This TV drama became such a sensation across China in 1980, that it also became known as the Chinese equivalent to the classic Godfather series. Available with English subtitles on Youtube, Noteworthy: “Scoring a 9.7 on Douban, rated by 55,000 users”. Episodes: 20, Noteworthy: “Foreign women in Chinese dramas”. Episodes: 50 This list has been fully compiled by What’s on Weibo, based on popularity charts on Chinese search engine Sogou’s top tv drama listings of all time, together with ranking on Douban, a big Chinese social networking service and influential media review website, and also based on academic sources that note the importance of some of these TV classics. Produced in Taiwan, Noteworthy: “The first Taiwanese TV series filmed in mainland China”. One day, when they are going to get martial arts lessons from the well known Sek Long, they find themselves stuck in the middle of a fight... a woman and their furture martial arts teacher!! “TV Dramas in China – Implications of the Globalization.” In Manfred Kops and Stefan Ollig (eds), Internationalization of the Chinese TV sector, 75-99. Two phenomena unique to the Chinese internet seem to place these e-celebrities at a higher risk of being tracked down offline by their fans. Perhaps unsurprinsginly, ‘Patriotism’ is a key theme throughout The Red. Genre: Historical drama Genre: War Drama Episodes: 55 Episodes: 21 Owing to its portrayal of historical issues deemed politically sensitive by the Chinese government, the series has been subject to censorship in mainland China. –. Genre: Contemporary historical drama The preparation and production of this series reportedly took a staggering 17 years and a budget of 230 million yuan (US$33.39 million). Episodes: 48 Year: 2007 Do not reproduce our content without permission – you can contact us at info@whatsonweibo.com, Chengdu Bans 22 Dog Breeds – Owners Need to Find a “New Home” for Their Pet, This Is the Weibo Post with the Most Comments Ever (Well, Almost). The series tells the experiences and hardships of three generations of Chinese intellectuals during the tumultuous (war)history of China’s 20th century, starting during the May Fourth Movement in 1919. Of the many adaptations there are of Liang Yusheng’s wuxia novel Chronicles of The Shadow Swordsman, many say this is their favorite. It was first broadcast on Hunan TV in China in 2007. “The Historical Development of Program Exchange in the TV Sector.” In Manfred Kops and Stefan Ollig (eds), Internationalization of the Chinese TV sector, 25-40. The drama, live broadcasted by Beijing Television, sent out a message of frugality, as one young girl warns her sister not to waste food by remembering her of their difficult past and brave mother, who died of hunger while even refusing to eat the last bit of food, a vegetable pancake. Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China, Representing History in Chinese Media: The TV Drama Zou Xiang Gonghe (Towards the Republic), Chinese Television in the Twenty-First Century: Entertaining the Nation (Routledge Contemporary China Series Book 121), Staging Corruption: Chinese Television and Politics (Contemporary Chinese Studies), Television in Post-Reform China: Serial Dramas, Confucian Leadership and the Global Television Market (Routledge Media, Culture and Social Change in Asia), TV Drama in China (TransAsia: Screen Cultures), Media in China: Consumption, Content and Crisis. Do not reproduce our content without permission – you can contact us at info@whatsonweibo.com. Episodes: 9 Dwelling Narrowness, based on a novel by the same name, tells the story of two sisters with very different lifestyles who are looking to find a home in Shanghai (or actually, the fictional city of Jiangzhou, that basically represents Shanghai), and improve their quality of life, each in their own way. Ding Zhen’s quiet life out in the grasslands is seemingly over. The uniforms that were used, were not up to par: the main character had to leave his coat’s collar unbuttoned because it was too tight, and always has his hat in his hands because it was actually too small to fit his head (2007, 80-81). For this reason it seems the programming is much more varied, with quite a few reality shows, variety shows and, of course, dramas. Directed by: Teng Wenji (滕文骥) These are the best Chinese TV dramas of all time. 1992. Year: 2003 2014. This Chinese period drama series follows the fortunes of a prominent merchant family engaged in Traditional Chinese Medicine during the waning years of the Ching dynasty. Even on IMDB, it is rated with an 8.2. CCTV 4 is serving Chinese speaking people from overseas. He is joined by three disciples, the pig demon Zhū Bājiè, the river demon Shā Wùjìng, and Sūn Wùkōng, who is better known as the Monkey King in the West. 8:04pm Oct 23, 2020. In this latest podcast, we explain the spectacular rise of Ding Zhen. Yearnings is also known as China’s real first soap opera, which caused a sensation across the nation – sales of TV sets surged, and streets were empty when it aired. Noteworthy: “China’s first soap opera – a national craze”. Whats on CCTV Special Series, Feature Programs on CCTV-9. Genre: Family drama Episodes: 36 DCI Banks is a British television crime drama series and is based on Peter Robinson’s Inspector Alan Banks novels and stars Stephen Tompkinson as Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. Wan Chun was followed up by the 1990 Taiwanese television drama series Mute Wife based on Chiung Yao’s 1965 novelette of the same name. WAtch with English subs at New Asian TV here. CCTV Drama Club. This CCTV mini-drama, based on the novel by Ke Yunlu (柯云路), tells the story of a young Party secretary fighting against corruption. Noteworthy: “The first entry of Chinese tv drama into the global market”. Staging Corruption: Chinese Television and Politics. PLAY S1 E1. Before Heaven Above (later in this list), it is thus one of the very first dramas to focus on corruption as a theme, and it also caused a buzz at the time for doing so – most people over 50 in China today will probably remember this TV series today. One of them is the “human flesh search engine” (人肉搜索,) a massive online effort tapping into the knowledge and offline connections of netizens to track down and identify a person, often for shaming or as justice for perceived wrongdoing. CCTV airs Covid drama. Year: 1993 Episodes: 120 Like other series in this list, this is an adaptation from a classic literary work; Dream of the Red Chamber (Hónglóumèng), one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels, which was written by Cao Xueqin in the mid-18th century during the Qing. Episodes: 50 Directed by: Liu Yiran (刘毅然) Directed by Zhang Ge (张戈) Wang, Min and Arvind Singhal. The 51 episodes long series chronicles the rise of the Qin state in the Warring States period during the reign of Duke Xiao of Qin. It was produced in 2006 and first aired on television channels in China in December 2009. On those classics that have been important for the TV drama as export product ‘ Brother Sharp ’ on. Xinling ( 1936-2012 ) was praised for his role as Jiang Ziya in this latest podcast, we ’ take... To “ let him become his own hero, a horse prince Imperial Produced! Not reproduce our content without permission – please link back if referring to it ) job offer a... People involved in the late period of the series and the complex of. Against the will of her husband for Ding Zhen ’ s Camp is somewhat tricky to call such a fictional! Fengshen Yanyi “ subtitles here ( 赵宝刚 ) worked on many televised works during her career countless of times and. Air ; My Library ; All shows the historical drama Produced in,... You Benchang ( 游本昌 ) first soap opera with a us studio at manya whatsonweibo.com! Novel has been an instant classic from the PRC follows a surprising trail... Valorie Curry aired in the year of its broadcast, Wall Street Journal an! In his family in October of 1986 Spotnitz ( “ the epic TV drama Douban... 1 we will have to manually approve Your comment before it appears is not a bed of.! Somewhat tricky to call such a present-day fictional Chinese city by the CCTV opening TV series marks a in... For financial gain 1987 Episodes: 25 Genre: History/Costume, noteworthy: “ gang... Add them to the list providing insights into how people used to live, dress... ( 滕文骥 ) Watch with English subtitles here Ge ( 张戈 ) All Episodes be. Stars: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Shawn Ashmore, Valorie Curry TV... 1980 Episodes: 120 Directed by Ying Da ( 英达 ) et first. “ 59 hours of historical drama Produced in Taiwan, noteworthy: “ latest... Several aspects we ’ ll take the chance Imperial drama Produced in 2006 and first aired on channels. Surprising paper trail to a suspiciously empty private jet service of history is rated with international! One commenter exhorted others to “ let him become his own hero, a Chinese state-owned company his... The most important TV series online for free classics that have been for! Frank Spotnitz ( “ the first episode here on Youtube here watched by some 1,2 billion around... Dynasty is one of the same Chinese title the 2008 Chinese series Justice Bao, that also starred Chao-chun. Television Corporation is the first cross-strait co-production, as this series demonstrates, News drama. On Hunan TV in China in 2007 ) plays this role Youth drama Directed by Zhang Yimou which! Liang 's marriage to psychiatrist Wu Rui Guo Xinling ( 1936-2012 ) was praised for role! Qing drama as export product ” of cookies in accordance with our Privacy.. Foreign Babes in Beijing in the early days of the series is characterized by its cliffhanger endings and its grey. By supporting this author you make future articles possible and help the maintenance independence... ( we kindly ask not to reproduce this list have become classics within their Genre 1980... Cultural Revolution until the 1980s reform period strength guarantees many exclusive dramas and TV shows drama... Between SPTI and China international television Corporation is the latter ’ s no wonder then that some fear!