15 Historical Chinese Dramas To Watch In 2023
Due to the popularization of South Asian culture, if there is one genre of tv shows that comes second to Korean dramas, it has to be Chinese dramas. Also known as C-dramas, as the new year approaches, fans of Chinese tvcan be prepared to witness a plethora of shows that will release in 2023.
Fans of C-dramas are aware of the popularity of historical and mythological shows over the last few years, so it is safe to say that 2023 will be loaded with a lot of historical dramas. With more episodes per season compared to to regular TV, C-dramas pack a punch for fans who enjoy longer, more detailed stories.
Here are our picks for 15 of the best Historical C-dramas that will be released in 2023.
Till the End of the Moon: Part 1
Network: Youku
Episodes: 34
The show is set in an era when the demons are in power and they are the masters of the despicable cultivators and mortals. The cultivator elders deem it necessary to send someone back in time, to determine the origin of the demon lord and to prevent his awakening.
Li Su Su accepts the mission, becoming the mortal Ye Xi Wu, General Ye’s third daughter who is married to Tan Tai Jin, the hostage prince and future demon lord. She is determined to destroy Tan Tai Jin, who in the future will massacre many mortals. But as a witness to Tan Tai Jin’s past life and rise to power, an unexpected tale emerges, complicating her quest.
Lost You Forever
Network: Tencent
Episodes: 55
The show is set in ancient times, when gods, goddesses, demons, and mythical creatures live alongside humans. There exist 3 mythical kingdoms that govern a region of the world, namely Sheng Nong, Xuan Yuan, and Gao Xing. Whilst travelling through the wilderness, Gao Xing’s princess Jiu Yao experiences all kinds of hardships like losing both her identity as well as her true appearance.
She eventually settles down in the town of Qing Shui disguised as a man called Wen Xiao Liu who is a doctor by profession. Circumstances lead Wen Xiao Liu accidentally meet her cousin, Qiang Xuan who is a Xuan Yuan prince. Surprisingly, Qiang Xuan had been searching for her in the wilderness all along. The fated meeting has now changed the destiny of the two individuals and everyone else involved.
Tiger Crane
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 36
Tiger Crane tells the story of the optimistic and cheerful mountain orphan Hu Zi who accidentally devours the treasure of the sun. Hun Zi meets Qi Xiao Xuan, the stern imperial demon master. These two young people with very different personalities are forced to take a journey together due to their mission.
They come across Zhao Xin Tong, Wang Yu Qian, Shan Cha and more who are on a similar journey. The journey had started from all of them being begrudging teammates to trusted friends. The group of friends learn about the truth of the war between the monsters from five hundred years ago as well as the demon army, which had been suppressed for five hundred years.
Now with the demon army about to move in an attempt to destroy the world, this group of passionate young men and women will not hesitate to sacrifice themselves to save the world and each other.
Wonderland of Love
Network: Tencent Video
Episodes: 50
Wonderland of Love follows the story of the emperor’s grandson Li Ni, who guards the border and is forced to take on the responsibility of quelling the rebellion. Although Li Ni is the grandson of the emperor, he was never loved by his father.
He hides his identity and is content with being a carefree frontline border general who has no intention of fighting for power. During military campaigns against the rebels, he encounters the ambitious Cui Lin, who is the only daughter of General Cui Yi, the commander of the Cui family army.
Cui Lin concealed her true identity and disguised herself as Lieutenant He, fighting alongside the army. The two cross paths with each other many times on the battlefields and in their competitiveness with each other, they are led down the path of falling in love.
Story of Kunning Palace
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 36
A fallen queen, Jiang Xue Ning, who aspired to have the highest power and authority in her life had been held hostage by rebels after the king, Shen Jie was poisoned. All her life, Jiang Xue Ning used everyone around her to reach the authority of the queen but in the end, she remained under house arrest.
During that time, Xie Wei slaughtered the entire city causing chaos. After she received the decree to be buried with the emperor, Jiang Xue Ning gets a second chance at life after she is reborn.
However, the condition is that Xue Ning has to refrain from entering the palace. Even though she vowed not to enter the palace, a certain turn of events entangles her with the palace and with Xie Wei whom she despised the most.
Chinese Paladin 4
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 48
This fourth season takes place prior to the Chinese Paladin 3. Here, Yun Tain He, a young man who had been living alone on a mountain peak. He is on a regular boar hunting trip when he comes across a young woman named Han Ling Sha, from a clan of short-lived tomb raiders. Han Ling Sha is attempting to break into his parents’ tomb, culminating in the destruction of the tomb.
He is set on a journey alongside Ling Sha to the outside world to uncover his parents’ past. On the journey, they encounter and befriend Liu Meng Li, the adopted daughter of the magistrate of Shou Yang. Liu Meng Li seems to have a connection with Tian He’s father that ties her with him.
Love You Seven Times
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 40
Love You Seven Times follows the story of Xiang Yun who was originally a cloud. She is turned into a fairy by Yue Lao Dian and starts working in Yue Lao Pavilion. Meanwhile, Chu Kong is a disciple of the Uri Xing Jun constellation. He lands in Yue Lao Pavilion and is treated as a villain.
Chu Kong accidentally breaks Xiang Yun’s fan leading them to have a fight that gets blown out of proportion. During their fight, the duo mess up the red string leading to the marriage of the three worlds. The Jade Emperor learns about the chaos and pushes the two by banishing them from going back to heaven until after they complete seven lives of love with each other.
The Demon Hunter’s Romance
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 36
When Ban Xia reveals that her cousin’s sister-in-law is a demon, which leads her to be hunted down. She flees and is met with a demon-hunter, Xuan Ye. The gentle kiss he gives to Ban Xia’s eyes made her capable to see the world in which humans and demons coexist.
As they investigated a number of strange events together in Guang Ping City, the duo start growing closer. But the secrets that Xuan Ye carries from his past push Ban Xia away from him. He gradually discovers that although he is a demon hunter, he could also be a demon.
Mysterious Lotus Casebook
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 40
Ten years ago, Li Xiang Yi, the master of Sigu Sect, dominated the entire world with his superior swordsmanship and was a symbol of light in the martial arts world. However, he suddenly disappears along with Di Fei Sheng, the leader of the Jinyuan Alliance, after they arranged to battle in the East Sea.
Now, Li Lian Hua is a countryside doctor who travels dragging around a lotus tower. He accidentally becomes “famous” and gets pulled into the pugilistic world that he absolutely did not want to have any connections with. Fang Duo Bing, a passionate youth who dreams of becoming a hero, realizes that Li Lian Hua is not a simple man and vows to find proof that Li Lian Hua has been impersonating a famous doctor.
Destined
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 40
Liu Yu Ru, the daughter of a merchant, has only one hope in life: to find a good husband and marry into a good family so that she could escape from her own family composed of her very sick mother, her cruel stepmother and her neglectful father. She trains very hard to become a perfect lady who anyone would want as a wife and a daughter-in-law.
Yu Ru thinks she’s finally succeeded when she marries the rich young master Gu Jiu Si but as it would turn out for her, her husband despises her on thinks that she is with him only for his wealth. Jiu Si would rather spend his time in brothels than with his wife and Yu Ru finally understands that she must take her destiny into her own hands in order to survive.
She learns business with her mother-in-law, eventually earning her place in the family, and even succeeds in taming her husband, becoming able to stand up to him and change him from a drunken playboy into a brave, honest and righteous man.
Ripe Town
Network:Â Tencent Video
Episodes: 12
Ripe Town follows the story set in the Ming Dynasty. During the 37th year from the Wan Li Period, there were successive murders in the county seat of Jiangnan County. The deceased were all unrelated to each other however, the corpses were arranged in bizarre poses. The criminal also left messages written around each of the three bodies.
As the apprentice of the first victim, Xiaohu Kuaiqu Sanren cooperates with his friends to launch an investigation. With the deepening of the investigation, the three religions and nine streams, local farmers, workers and merchants of all colours come into the picture one after another. Amidst the fog, an old case from ten years ago resurfaces complicating the investigation further.
Subtle Fragrance Floating
Network:
Episodes: 30
A hard-working young woman in the new era wakes up and finds that she has transmigrated into a novel she stayed up reading all night. What’s worse for her is that she is in the body of a vicious supporting role.
Now being a character in a novel, the modern-day girl has to cope with having a traitor father and a playboy brother who are also a part of the story. However, she has done all sorts of bad things in the earlier parts of the story, which will soon come to haunt her in her long and difficult road to stay alive till the end of the novel.
Divine Destiny
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 36
A piece of bluestone found beside the Tianhe River in the fairy world is cultivated into an immortal that is mistakenly released as a demon. Because of hearing the chanting of nine heavenly books in the immortal world, this demon was able to get rid of its stone body and was cultivated in a fairy’s womb.
The bluestone enables the demon to take human form as he accidentally walks past a sky demon. The two fall into a pattern of hundred reincarnations in total. After meeting each other for 99 quick reincarnations, the two are in their last life for a final 100th reincarnation which will be narrated in the C-drama, Divine Destiny.
The Emperor’s Love
Network: iQiyi
Episodes: 36
The show narrates a love story revolving around the mysterious and unpredictable God of War of the North Mu Kingdom named, Zhan Qing Cheng and the daughter of the Feng family, Feng Qing Huan. Zhan Qing Cheng is the God of War of the North Mu Kingdom, the 9th prince who is good at strategizing and has killed thousands of enemies on the battlefield. He is mysterious and unpredictable. He also has a cold personality and a handsome appearance and seems vicious but actually has a heart of gold. His hand is full of blood and deep hatred.
On the other hand, Feng Qing Huan is the complete opposite of him as she has an appearance like a warm sun, warming his cold life. Feng Qing Huan is an intern doctor who has been studying medicine for ten years. She is the least favoured daughter of the Feng family. She faces an unprecedented crisis of life and death, she pretends to be naive and stupid. In reality, she is smart and wise, with a vast heart, strong and kind-hearted. She does not want to deal with Zhan Qing Cheng but somehow is very much trapped in the love of life and death.
The Shadow
Network: Tencent Video
Episodes: 24
During the Republic Era of China, Shen Zhi Heng, a famous vampire who lived for hundreds of years was almost assassinated by a group of masked soldiers and was saved by the blind girl Mi Lan and her friend, Situ Wei Lian. After he was saved, he went to repay Mi La.
However, he learns that Mi Lan’s family situation was very bad which gets him concerned about Mi Lan. On the other hand, Li Ying Liang, the director of the military operations department who really hates Shen Zhi Heng, vows to find out the secrets of Shen Zhi Heng and kill him after what happened to his family.
There you have it, our list of Historical C-dramas that we know are releasing in the year 2023. There could be some more additions to the list and we will be sure to update it as and when new titles are announced.
Be sure to let us know your thoughts about the upcoming shows in the comments and which you are looking forward to! You can also mention the titles of Chinese Historical and Mythological dramas and shows that we may have missed.