From grand historical sagas to epic romance and complex fantasy, Chinese TV series are beloved around the world for a reason.
We’re talking a time commitment
A lot of Chinese scripted dramas come from books or web novels. These well-crafted narratives often become impressive television.
At one point, TV shows became so long, the Chinese government changed the regulations, limiting the length of a series to 40 episodes.
Adjust your perspective
Every entertainment industry around the world tells visual stories in their own way.
Chinese dramas, known as Cdramas, sometimes view a TV show as a whole, rather than an episodic experience — especially older shows, where episodes often ended mid-scene.
Screening multiple episodes in a day for multiple days in the week is standard practice for Chinese networks.
While the abrupt endings may throw you at first, Cdramas are perfect for binge-watching because episodes flow seamlessly together.
Censorship and content
China has different censorship requirements to Australia. If you prefer sexually explicit content or a lot of graphic violence, you’re out of luck.
Censorship decisions may relate to current events. For example, societal issues around China’s marriage and birth rates have seen romantic content under scrutiny in recent times.
Despite banning gay people on TV, shows featuring gay romance do exist (some are huge hits) but the love is carefully inferred, becoming subtext to bypass censorship laws.
What to check out
When I was young, SBS and ABC were the only places to find Chinese TV shows or films.
Both continue to offer great global entertainment, but you’re also spoilt for choice now thanks to today’s technologies.
Other places to find Cdramas these days
Amazon Prime Cdramas include popular shows Medical Examiner Dr Qin, historical assassin series Bloody Romance, and the mammoth 74 episode Nothing Gold Can Stay.
Netflix Chinese drama offerings boast stunning gem Eternal Love, a multi-life series following two deities that has racked up tens of billions of views on Chinese sites.
The Untamed is a series that catapulted the two male stars with amazing chemistry to incredible heights of fame, and there’s recent revenge hit and new Chinese drama, The Double.
To check if other streamers have Chinese TV shows, do a quick search of ‘Chinese’, ‘China’ or ‘cdrama’.
Have you tried YouTube?
A number of Chinese streamers and translation enthusiasts offer subtitled Cdramas on YouTube.
(Look for the cog symbol on a video. ‘Settings’ will appear when you scroll over it. Click, and then click on Subtitles. Now click on English or your preferred language.)
YouTube channels like iQIYI, YOUKU, Tencent Video, and Yoyo English Channel are a few to explore.
Remember the speed
On most streamers and YouTube, you can adjust the speed at which the episode plays, giving more time to read the subtitles.
And, of course, you can enlarge and change the font.
The web
While you can find great shows on the internet too, streamers and YouTube are best in the sense of avoiding sites that may be harmful to your computer.
But if you are set on a certain show, it’s likely subbed somewhere online.
Chinese fantasy is big, right?
It’s worth noting many popular Chinese TV shows fall under wuxia and xianxia.
Both genres have long, rich histories in Chinese fiction and entertainment. These are very brief descriptions.
Wuxia follows a martial arts protagonist on a journey or quest. A great wuxia is The Legends, about a naïve martial artist whose rescue of the Demon King’s son changes her life.
Xianxia is rooted more in mythology and Chinese philosophy. A beloved example is the popular series Ashes of Love, about a flower deity and a fire deity.
What else to watch
Do you need more recommendations?
Historical Cdramas
- The Story of Yanxi Palace
- General and I
- The Long Ballad
- The Imperial Coroner
Procedural Cdramas
- In The Name of People
- Love Me If You Dare
- Infernal Affairs
- When a Snail Falls in Love
Rom-com Cdramas
- Love is Sweet
- Le Coup de Foudre
- Boss and Me
- Go Go Squid!
MyDramaList is a website similar to IMDB, but focused on Asian entertainment. A great way to expand your knowledge of the best Chinese TV dramas.
Do you have a favourite Cdrama? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Ebooks and audiobooks: the pros and cons
