10 Most Watchable Chinese Period Dramas That Deserve Way More Hype

As Western audiences learn more about the Asian entertainment industry and filmmaking, they are diving deeper to explore their favorite genres with a cultural twist. If you're a fan of period dramas and have seen everything you can find about the Joseon era in K-dramas, it's time to turn your attention to Chinese productions.

With just as much romance, action, and magic, these TV series will impress any viewer with the quality of production and aesthetic visuals. Here are 10 Chinese period dramas that don't get nearly enough love and attention for what they're worth.

An Ancient Love Song (2023)

Shen Bu Yan is a modern professor, but through the magic of chance he has been thrown back a few centuries to the ancient era of Acacia. Trying to make the most of this strange journey, he decides to be the one to unravel the mystery that surrounds this era and turns to the local girl, Lu Yuan, for help.

Dong Lan Xue (2023)

Both the Seventh Prince Chu Ning Yuan and his maid Shen Yan have known each other since they were children. However, the tragedy has left both of them cold, and the growing feelings between them have become entangled in the palace intrigues and a never-ending competition for power.

A Familiar Stranger (2022)

In order to escape the fate of being forced to marry a general, the Prime Minister's daughter Shen Qin traps an artist and performs some kind of magic ritual to swap faces with her. Now the woman she swapped faces with, Shi Qi, must find a way out of the chaotic triangle she has become a part of.

Butterflied Lover (2023)

An honorable general Ling Chang Feng and his wife Tang Qian Yue have been happily married for three years, but instead of celebrating, they are forced to protect themselves from madmen. When Tang Qian Yue turns out to be infected, her husband Ling Chang Feng refuses to give her up and searches for the cure himself.

The Longest Promise (2023)

The love affair between Princess Zhu Yan of the Chi Yi tribe and Royal Prince Shi Ying was doomed from the start. At first, he acted as her teacher, so neither of them could show their true feelings, and then they were separated by the political cause. But true love always finds a way, and this story is not an exception.

Ancient Detective (2020)

Ancient Detective is exactly the show you think it is. The detective in question, Jian Buzhi, suffers from amnesia but decides to solve the old mystery of his father's murder. On his journey he solves a lot of cases for the people around him and gets to know some of the most important companions in his life.

Ripe Town (2023)

When a series of gruesome murders occur in the 37th year of the Wan Li period of the Ming dynasty, it's only a matter of time before another one strikes. But the deeper the investigation goes, the more gruesome details from the past come to life, and the harder it is to connect all the dots into a complete picture.

And the Winner Is Love (2020)

When Chong Xue Zhi, the young mistress of the Hall of Flames, is ready to enter the marriage market, she meets Shangguan Tou, the Master of the Moon Valley. But a series of unfortunate events forces the young lovers to embark on a perilous journey to defeat evil. Will they be able to stay together, or will their love fall victim to the adventure?

My Sassy Princess (2022)

When Liu Ling is given the title of Princess by the Emperor, she becomes spoiled and bratty with all the gifts and benefits people are willing to give her. It does affect her reputation, but she doesn't really care. This all changes when she falls in love with the cold-hearted warrior Shen Yan, who isn't too impressed with her attitude.

The Imperial Coroner (2021)

The young girl Chu Chu comes from a family of coroners, but that doesn't give her the power to conduct her own investigations, no matter how powerful she is. But when she meets the weak and sickly Prince Xiao, who has been assigned to a terrible criminal case, she has a chance to prove herself to the emperor and change her life forever.