14 Chinese Dramas from Q1 2026 with Douban Ratings Above 7.020.04.2026
Chinese drama release schedule for 2026 
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The first quarter of 2026 has come to an end, so it’s time to take stock. Below is our ranking of Chinese dramas released between January 1, 2026 and March 31, 2026 that scored 7.0 or higher on Douban. The Douban rating is based on reviews and votes from Chinese viewers. It is one of the most authoritative rating systems in China. Each user can cast only one vote, and the vote of a long‑standing user with a high reputation carries more weight than that of a newly registered user. Douban also has its own anti‑manipulation mechanisms. In short, both Chinese audiences and producers generally agree that the Douban score is an objective reflection of a drama’s quality and public appeal. Rating Criteria: Out of 60 dramas released in the first quarter with episodes longer than 30 minutes, 22 have not yet received a user rating. Fourteen dramas have a rating of 7.0 or above, and 24 have ratings between 4.8 and 6.9. The Douban data is current as of April 19, 2026, so ratings for dramas that premiered in the second half of March may still fluctuate slightly. Among the dramas that have been widely discussed by Russian audiences, the top‑14 list does not include: "Unveil: Jadewind" with Bai Lu and Wang Xing Yue (Douban rating 6.9), "Love Beyond the Grave" with Chen Fei Yu and Dilraba (Douban rating 6.7), "Love between Lines" with Chen Xing Xu and Lu Yu Xiao (Douban rating 6.5), "Pursuit of Jade" with Zhang Linghe and Tian Xi Wei (Douban rating 6.4), "About Love" with Wang Zi Wen and Liu Yu Ning (Douban rating 6.2), and "My Page in the 90s" with Chen Xing Xu and Wang Yu Wen (Douban rating 6.0). Chinese viewers’ ratings do not necessarily match the opinions of international audiences. The highest rating this quarter is 8.3. 1. "Swords into Plowshares"(太平年, 吴越归宗之太平年, The Age of Peace)
51 episodes, CCTV, iQiyi, Mango TV, Tencent Video, Cast: Bai Yu, Zhou Yu Tong? Yu Hao Ming, Dong Yong The story is set during a period of upheaval and follows the journey of Qian Hongchu, the young ruler of the Wuyue kingdom. Faced with chaos and devastation, he comes to realize that only the reunification of the country can put an end to the people’s suffering, and he makes the historic decision to return his lands to the embrace of the Song Empire. The narrative focuses on the fates of three protagonists: Qian Hongchu himself; Zhao Kuangyin, the founding emperor of the Song dynasty; and Chai Rong, the ruler of the Later Zhou. Each seeks his own path to peace for his land. Unlike many historical dramas, this series emphasizes not court intrigue and warfare, but deep inner choices and the recognition of the value of peace. It is based on a real historical event — the bloodless integration of Wuyue into the Song Empire. Read more here 2. "Life Tree"(生命树, Born to Be Alive)
40 episodes, CCTV, iQiyi, Cast: Yang Zi, Hu Ge, Li Guang Jie, Zhang Zhe Hua The drama unfolds across two timelines. In the 1990s, a deputy county head named Dorje forms a patrol team to combat poaching in a nature reserve, abandoning the initial idea of mining in favor of environmental protection. Decades later, a young policewoman, Bai Ju (Yang Zi), is drawn into an investigation of Dorje’s mysterious disappearance while also tackling ecological and poverty‑alleviation issues. Based on real events, the story explores self‑sacrifice, spiritual strength, and the protection of the fragile ecosystem of the Tibetan Plateau. 3. "The Dark Romance"(危险关系)
22 episodes, BTV, Dragon TV, iQiyi, JSTV, Cast: Sun Li, Chris Wu The protagonist, Yan Ling, is a 36‑year‑old single mother and university lecturer whose life collapses in a single day: a student sets a fire on campus, and her childhood friend dies under mysterious circumstances. While trying to uncover the truth, she meets Luo Liang, a charming psychiatrist who seems to be her ideal savior. But soon Yan Ling realizes she has fallen victim to a carefully orchestrated campaign of emotional manipulation, and she must not only untangle a web of lies but also save herself. This is a tense psychological thriller exploring the nature of toxic relationships. 4. "The Glamorous Night"(夜色正浓, 精英夫妻, Sales夫妇, The Sales)
24 episodes, Tencent Video, Cast: Jiang Shu Ying, Tong Da Wei, Zhang Chao, Lan Ying Ying The events take place at a prestigious company selling premium alcohol. The heroine, a sales department employee, faces her husband’s betrayal and fierce competition at work. The series weaves together the stories of several characters: some try to hold their families together, others climb the corporate ladder at any cost, and still others struggle to survive in a world of intrigue and temptation. The drama offers a look behind the scenes of the corporate shark tank, where a glamorous life conceals high stakes, risk, and the loss of self. It is a story of strong women who refuse to be victims. 5. "The Inner Eye"(女神蒙上眼, Themis)
30 episodes, Hunan TV, Mango TV Cast: Xin Zhi Lei, Lin Yu Shen, Zhang Yi Shang, Yumiko Cheng An adaptation of the novel of the same name about a young, principled lawyer, Tang Yingying. She clashes with her new boss, Kang Jun, and their professional rivalry soon turns into something more. The series is structured as a sequence of more than a dozen legal cases, each touching on acute social issues — from domestic violence to workplace discrimination. The project explores the eternal conflict between law and human emotions, showing that behind every court decision lie shattered lives. 6. "Hold a Court Now"(家事法庭, 我们与法庭的距离)
30 episodes, CCTV, Tencent Video, Cast: Gong Jun, Ren Min Young judge Shen Xiezhi, who comes from an elite family of lawyers and is used to strictly following the letter of the law, is transferred from criminal court to family court. There, he encounters cases where cold legal paragraphs are powerless against broken families, parental feelings, and tangled family ties. Together with lawyer Qin Rui, he must go from being an “insensitive judge” to someone who understands that behind every decision lies a human life. Based on true stories, the series is one of the first projects to focus specifically on family court proceedings. Read more here 7. "Love Story In The 1970s"(实用主义者的爱情, 實用主義者的愛情, 纯真年代的爱情)
29 episodes, Tencent Video Cast: Chen Fei Yu, Sun Qian The story is set in the late 1970s. Fei Ni, a simple sewing factory worker, dreams of getting into university to escape poverty. To help her brother secure housing, she proposes a фиктивный marriage to Fan Muyang — a man who became a hero by saving others but lost his memory in the process. Initially driven by pure pragmatism, the two gradually develop genuine feelings for each other. This is a heartwarming tale set in China before Deng Xiaoping’s reform era, exploring the challenges people faced at the time — both everyday struggles and moral dilemmas. Read more here, here, here, here 8. "The Devil Between Us"(除恶)
16 episodes, iQiyi Cast: Ren Su Xi, Li Ze Feng, Wang Xiao, Cai Wen Jing In a quiet coastal town where everyone knows each other, a large drug shipment suddenly goes missing, triggering a chain of tragic events. Police officer Hu Wen Jing finds herself caught in a web of lies, where her old friends might be criminals. This dark noir drama explores intertwined fates, where every step towards the truth could be the last. 9. "How Dare You"(成何体统, In What Manner? This Is Ridiculous)
32 episodes, iQiyi Cast: Wang Chu Ran, Cheng Lei Office worker Wang Cui Hua unexpectedly finds herself transported into the world of a novel, cast as a “villainous concubine” with a dreadful fate. There, she meets another transplant from the real world — the “cruel” Emperor Xia Hou Dan. Struggling to survive in the treacherous palace, they use modern knowledge and wit to defy destiny, relying on absurd humour and mutual support. This vibrant comedy with fantasy elements parodies historical drama clichés and guarantees plenty of laughs. Read more here, here, here, here 10. "Mama Go!"(我的妈妈是校花)
24 episodes, Tencent Video Cast: Deng En Xi, Jiang Long, Zuo Lin Jie Student Kun Xiao Can learns that his mother is terminally ill. Desperate, he strikes a deal with an alien and gives up his life energy so that his mother transforms into her 20‑year‑old self. His mother recovers, but Kun Xiao Can must now live with his “rejuvenated” mom, who enrolls in college and starts rebuilding her life. This warm and funny family comedy reflects on the fleeting nature of time, sacrifice, and the importance of family bonds, showing that understanding between parents and children is possible at any age. 11. "The City Builder"(小城大事, 造城者, The Dream Maker)
40 episodes, CCTV, iQiyi Cast: Zhao Li Ying, Huang Xiao Ming, Chen Ming Hao, Zhu Yuan Yuan Based on real events, this drama tells how, in the early 1980s, two bold officials — Li Qiuping and Zheng Decheng — take on the challenge of building a new city from scratch in a small coastal Chinese province. With no government support, they raise funds from local peasants and, harnessing their energy and enthusiasm, turn a swampy wasteland into a modern city. The series chronicles the story of China’s economic miracle, highlighting the titanic effort and optimism of ordinary people who built a new life with their own hands. Read more here 12. "You Are My Fateful Love"(你是迟来的欢喜, You’re My Belated Happiness)
36 episodes, Hunan TV, Mango TV Cast: Wei Zhe Ming, Zheng He Hui Zi Xu Huai Song and Ruan Yu had feelings for each other back in school but never found the courage to confess. Ten years later, they meet again. Now Huai Song is a successful lawyer, while Ruan Yu is a writer accused of plagiarism. Xu Huai Song takes on her case, and as they work through it, the characters not only untangle a knot of professional problems but also finally realise that their teenage love was never unrequited. This low‑toxicity romantic story shows how one can find happiness years later — if they take the step forward in time. 13. "No Pain No Gain"(年少有为, 亏成首富从游戏开始, The Richest Poor Guy, Young and Promising, The Poor Winner)
26 episodes, Tencent Video Cast: Peng Yu Chang, Lin Yun, Liu Guan Lin The protagonist, Pei Qian, loses his job at a major company and receives a bizarre offer from a mysterious investor: to set up a company designed to make losses. But the harder Pei Qian tries to fail, the more successful his projects become — the games he creates in the hope of flopping soar to the top of the charts, while the employees he hired as “hopeless cases” turn out to be geniuses. This satirical comedy about startups and underdogs mocks the cult of success and shows that sometimes the road to fame is paved with a string of mistakes and absurd coincidences. 14. "Vanished Name"(隐身的名字)
24 episodes, Tencent Video, CCTV Cast: Ni Ni, Yan Ni, Liu Ya Se, Liu Min Tao, Bao Jian Feng, Dong Jie The husband of the main character, Ren Xiao Ming, is a successful writer. He publishes her old diary — which she wrote together with a friend — under his own name. The book becomes a bestseller. Determined to restore justice, Ren Xiao Ming decides to sue her husband. This action reopens old wounds and takes her back to the past, where the fates of several generations of women intertwine. The series is a gripping drama about identity theft, family secrets, and the price women pay for the right to be heard and to have a name of their own. According to Russian law, we are obligated to warn users that Instagram and Facebook are owned by META Platforms Inc., which is considered extremist under Russian law and its activities are prohibited in Russia. |
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