10 Best Chinese Fantasy Dramas

Chinese fantasy dramas have a way of keeping you captivated and spellbound. When the Chinese producers make dramas, they make them really good. With a good number of them, it can be a bit hard to choose the best one. Whether it is your first time to see the best Chinese fantasy dramas or you have been watching them for some time, you will love this updated list of 10 fantasy dramas.

Of course, you could go directly to social media forums and find out what people are saying about various Chinese dramas. You can also check various listings for the years 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 or earlier to see what was trending. You will find many mentions on social media for these dramas. Some have even won awards and some have been nominated for various awards.

All of the Chinese fantasy dramas that we bring you here have been mentioned at one time or another on different review websites. Therefore, we have checked their ratings on these sites and found them to be mostly positive. If thousands of other people found these dramas worth watching, you too will definitely find them worth watching.

Sit back, relax and read this write-up to the end. You will see why these dramas are worth watching. If you are reading this in April 2020 and you are under lock-down in your neighborhood due to the COVID-19, these dramas will make the time pass fast.

With probably hundreds of Chinese fantasy dramas, it can be a bit daunting to choose the best one to watch from home, or on the streaming sites. Here are 10 of the top fantasy dramas from China.

1. Eternal Love 《三生三世十里桃花》

This is without a doubt one of the most viewed dramas in China. After all, by 2018, more than 50 billion people had watched it in China. It is truly a fantasy drama because it is based on demons, goddesses, gods, immortals and more. If this is your cup of tea when it comes to television dramas, you must watch this one.

This drama is based on the novel by Tang Qi and people who have read the novel say that this drama series does the book justice. Well, you will have to read the book and watch the drama yourself to judge that. Even if you do not like fantasy genres, you will love Eternal Love.

In the production of this television drama, they did not leave any stone upturned. Everything, from the costumes, the lighting, the cast and the post production fuses together to form a mind blowing television series that some people even watch more than once.

Be ready to be blown away by particular scenes of passion, pain and love. You will agree that the cast outdid themselves fully to bring this television drama to life. The plot twists are quite clever. At the same time, tragedy has been tossed in at just the right moments.

2. The Journey of Flower 《花千骨》

There are 58 TV episodes of this drama and so you should be well set for a few days of binge-watching. So what can you expect from The Journey of Flower, which is based on a book by the same name? Quite a lot if you love Chinese fantasy drama.

Sit back and follow the story of an orphan with a strange accent that attracts demons and as a result, it causes the villagers to hate and fear her. The plot starts simply and sweetly, but soon after, it starts to twist up and cause you some serious anticipation and suspense. For example, our orphan – Hu Qiangu is saved by Bai Zihua – an immortal being, who wants mankind to live in peace. However, he has a tribulation on earth – Hu Qiangu!

When Hu Qiangu heads to Mount Chang Liu to train with the immortals, she ends up as the disciple of Bai Zihua. However, he is supposed to kill her and if he does not, she is the one who will cause his own death. Despite destiny, he falls in love with her.

You will see why this series won Actor of The Year, Actress of The Year, Top Ten Television Series and Audience’s Favorite Character awards in 2015. These are just some of the rewards that this series has won. There are others.

3. Chinese Paladin《仙剑奇侠传》

Chinese Paladin is an adaptation from a popular video game. If you have ever played RPGs, you should know what to look forward to because the plot might not be the same as you have been used to in other television dramas. It might appear a bit jerky with fast plot twists, but it does get back to the main story line, eventually. However, there is still quite a lot to look forward to in this drama.

If you love a good taste of martial arts, you should definitely watch the Chinese Paladin drama. The fight scenes are choreographed and a trained eye can tell that. However, they are very good and they make up for many errors. This is a fun drama so you should watch it without too many expectations of learning a life lesson or something. Just watch it for fun.

In the storyline, Li Xiao Yao is a happy-go-lucky orphan who has, on the advice of two men, traveled to Dream Island to look for a cure for his sick aunt. However, while there, he meets and falls in love with Zhao Ling Er and he marries her. However, he later wakes up with no recollection of how he went to Dream Island, or even whether he had married Zhao Ling.

It emerges later that his trip to Dream Island was actually a plot to kidnap Ling Er, planned by the Lunar Sect Cult. They join hands to go and fight the Lunar Sect Cult and to see whether Xia Yao will regain his memory.

4. Ashes of Love《香蜜沉沉烬如霜》

What happens when two immortals meet and fall in love? You can only find that one out in Asian fantasy dramas. Western dramas are not always that dramatic. In the drama Ashes of Love, two immortals meet and they fall in love. To make this story even sweeter, it is set in a prehistoric time when there are six realms, which include the demon, human, floral and celestial realms, which live in harmony. However, while the first three realm members are immortal, there is still the god of Fate, who is above all the realms.

In the story, the Floral Fairy is giving birth to a daughter – Jin Mi. This daughter is Fated to live through a tragic love experience in the next 10,000 years. However, she wants to help her daughter cheat Fate, so she makes her take the Unfeeling Pill.

Before she dies, she swears everyone in the Floral realm to keep the secret of her daughter’s birth. However, she also makes a magical seal for her daughter to protect her from the world. This magical barrier is breached 4 millennia later by the second son of the king of Celestial realm – the Fire Immortal. Fire Immortal is seriously injured and Jin Mi takes him in and when he recovers, he promises he will free her from her prison, not knowing who she really is.

The story is incredible, has many plot twists and is very entertaining. In fact, many people say that if it were in a language like English, it would win many international awards because it is so well written.

5. The Legend Of Chusen《青云志》

Many reviewers say that The Legend of Chusen was one of the best Chinese fantasy dramas. There are a total of 72 episodes in all, with the first season taking 56 of them while the second season takes 16.

This drama is enjoyable and it brings to the table a story of love where two young people are orphaned in the Grass Village massacre. Both of them are then appointed disciples to the Qing Yun sect. Here, Xiao Fan takes the top position with Lu Xueqi when he takes a staff that he collects from the river to battle between the sect’s disciples.

Later, they go to investigate the origins of the heretical sect and along the way, he meets Bi Yao – the daughter of the Soul King. They grow closer. Towards the end, we learn from Xiao Fan that love is not everything but that making the person you love is the best thing. That is why in a battle; Bi Yao chooses to fall into a deep, ceaseless sleep to save Xiao Fan.

This television drama has some of the best fight scenes. The sound tracks are also quite incredible, carefully chosen and placed in the right places. In fact, the music contributes a lot to making this drama unforgettable.

6. Fighter of the Destiny《择天记》

This Chinese television series has been adapted from a novel of the same name. There was only one season for this series with 52 episodes. The story line is very interesting and if you love fantasy, it should be right in your alley.

In the very beginning, there were three races in the world. There were the demons, man and beast. However, a war of supremacy between man and demons happened and in one of the battles, the Emperor Taizhong died leaving his wife to take over as the Empress of Zhou.

She would try to defeat the demons using the Astrolabe, which was a creation of Zhou Dufu but she had to get help from the Frost Dragon as the race of man was almost losing the battle to the demons. She sacrificed her son to the Astrolabe to be able to draw energy from the stars and defeat the demons, which retreated to their realm.

Some years later, a Zhou Dynasty hero is born when a boy called Chen rescues a young girl called Xu Yourong who was trying to evade assassins. Later he learns that his blood can cure all ailments and poisons but at his own death.

As you can see, this is quite an interesting storyline that grows deeper with intrigue and action. There are breath-catching fight scenes too. Will the Demon Clan prevail at last? Or will the Human Clan that has lived with the Beast Clan stay the winners? Watch this Chinese fantasy drama to see for yourself.

7. Legend of Fuyao 《扶摇》

As far as historical dramas go, everyone agrees that they do not come any better than the Legend of Fuyao. The 66-episode television series is many things combined into one. First, there are the well-choreographed fight scenes. Secondly, this series is quite funny and you will find yourself laughing along. Thirdly, the choice of characters is up there with the very best and the story line is compex and thrilling.

The male and female leads are wonderful. First, there is Wuji, the male lead. His destiny is to be the emperor of the five kingdoms. However, the lead female – Fuyao, was born of a lotus flower. She has five colored stones and she will use them to bring chaos in the world. Everyone loves to hate her although she tries hard to keep the evil in her suppressed as she does not break the five seals for chaos. There is also the female villain Fei Yan. She is downright nasty. Other villains also make the show worth watching.

The supporting characters are great too. Collectively, you get a well-rounded cast that brings the oomph and spirit out of this show in a way that you probably have never experienced before.

8. Battle Through the Heavens《斗破苍穹》

The 3-season and 45-episode Battle Through The Heavens TV show aired on Hunan TV in September and October 2018. It is based on the novel by the name Dòupò Cāngqióng, which means Fight Through The Sky when loosely translated into English. The novel was written by Tiancan Ducou.

In the story line, you get to meet Xiao Yan whose mom died when he was only 9 years old, but his father never talks of how she died. He has been trying, but not making any progress in his martial arts training since his mother’s ring has been absorbing all of his progress. However, his luck changes when he meets Yao Chen, an old man who helps his martial arts training advance a great deal. Yao was also the martial arts teacher to his mother and we assume it is from him that Xiao later learns who killed his mother.

The lead female is Xiao Xun’er who was adopted by Xiao Yan’s family and she has been his secret admirer since childhood. She is descended from the Gu Tribe and later becomes the Dragon Mother of the Gu clan.

Look forward to stunning fight scenes in the series, great music and nice acting from the main as well as the supporting cast.

9. Eternal Love, The Pillow Book 《三生三世枕上书》

This thrilling television series is one of the very best Chinese fantasy dramas. Feng Jiu was in the wilderness alone, where she was working on immortal cultivation skills when a beast attacked her and the god of the Heavenly Kingdom – Dong Hua Di Jun, rescued her.

Because she feels heavily indebted to him and as a show of gratitude, she follows him to war. Later on in the story, we learn that her feelings for him have grown into love. However, Dong Hua is a god and he does not know how to love.

For her protection, Dong Hua sends Feng Jiu to the human realm, something that brings about the death of a friend. Feng Jiu must then enter the dream series of the Princess Ah Lan Ruo of the Winged Tribe to look for a holy fruit that can bring the dead friend back to life. However, she is trapped in the princess’s dream world forever, until Dong Hua, who realizes that he has loved her all along, can rescue her.

Does this sound like something that you find captivating? It is almost similar to Eternal Love, which we discussed at the beginning of this article. Plot after plot, you will find this story quite thrilling.

10. Swords of Legends《古剑奇谭》

If you love traditional Chinese martial arts and sword fights, you should get this fantasy drama. There are 50 episodes and each takes about 45 minutes. You get to follow the story of Baili Tusu, who is a martial artist who feels a special force within him that is only suppressed by the Sword of Burning Solitude. He has been cursed with this special aura and as a result, he keeps to his company. When he is accused of murder, he runs away and as he tries to find out who committed the murder, he finds family, friendship and love.

Later, when he is fighting bandits, Baili comes across Fang Lansheng and Ouyang Shaogong who are on a journey to look for a special jade ornament that they can use to create a special elixir with resurrecting powers. He hopes that he too can use the elixir to awaken his sleeping mother.

Do they get the elixir? Yes, they do and his mother wakes up. However, Baili realizes that his mother is in grave danger. He will also have to fight with the Shaogong to save the world.

The music, the costumes and the casting in this show is out of this world. There are also CGI effects, which are hard to miss, but they are forgivable.

Wrapping Up

Also known as wuxia, the Chinese fantasy dramas that we have reviewed here are incredible in their own special ways. Some of the story lines are fast-paced and some not so fast. However, all of these dramas are likable because of their costumes, cast, music and even the effects. If you choose any of the dramas that we bring you here, you will never regret it.