18 Best Chinese Dramas to Watch in 2026 on Disney+
Looking for your next Chinese drama obsession? From palace intrigue and revenge-driven heroines to supernatural mysteries and sweeping romances, 2026 has plenty of historical C-dramas worth adding to your watchlist. Against the Current, starring Tan Songyun, and Tigers Sniff the Rose, featuring Meng Ziyi and Li Yunrui, are among the standout titles for fans of elaborate costumes, complex relationships, and political power struggles.
Here are 18 Chinese dramas to explore, featuring romance, fantasy, martial arts, and compelling historical storytelling. Streaming availability may vary by region.
18 Chinese Dramas to Add to Your 2026 Watchlist
- Against the Current
- Wish You All the Best
- Xin Liao Zhai
- The Road to Splendor
- Royal Betrothal
- Blossoms of Power
- The First Jasmine
- Tigers Sniff the Rose
- Zhan Zhao Adventures
- Love Beyond the Grave
- Glory
- Guardians of the Dafeng
- Moonlight Reunion
- Joy of Life Season 3
- The Legend of Zang Hai
- Fight for Love
- The Legend of Shen Li
- Lost You Forever
1. Against the Current
Starring: Tan Songyun, Liu Xueyi
Genres: Historical, Romance, Political Intrigue
After losing everything in a family tragedy, a noblewoman assumes a maid’s identity to uncover the truth behind her family’s downfall. As she navigates a dangerous household, she rises through the ranks and develops a complicated relationship with a powerful man. Revenge, romance, and elaborate household politics drive this historical drama.
For more details about the drama, read our Against the Current Chinese drama review.
2. Wish You All the Best
Starring: Song Zuer, Chen Xinhai
Genres: Historical, Romance
A clever young woman enters a contractual marriage to escape a difficult situation, only to find herself falling for a principled scholar with little interest in romance. Their relationship promises a classic marriage-of-convenience story filled with witty exchanges, emotional tension, and unexpected affection.
3. Xin Liao Zhai
Starring: Chang Huasen, Zhang Miaoyi, Song Zuer, Lin Yun
Genres: Historical Fantasy, Supernatural, Mystery
Inspired by the supernatural traditions of Chinese folklore, this fantasy drama explores a world where humans, spirits, and demons coexist. An exorcist and a mysterious fox spirit embark on adventures across the realms of the living and the supernatural, uncovering strange encounters and deeper truths about human nature.
4. The Road to Splendor
Starring: Ding Yuxi, Deng Enxi
Genres: Historical, Romance, Family Intrigue
A bold salt trader and a noblewoman accused of wrongdoing are forced to flee together. Their journey takes them beyond the confines of aristocratic households into a wider world of danger, political conflict, and revenge. Their growing bond adds an emotional dimension to this unconventional historical adventure.
5. Royal Betrothal
Starring: Wu Jinyan, Chen Zheyuan
Genres: Historical, Political Intrigue, Mystery
A determined female scholar rises from humble beginnings to challenge corruption at the heart of the imperial court. Working alongside a young emperor, she becomes entangled in dangerous political schemes. Their relationship evolves amid shifting loyalties, ambition, and a shared struggle for justice.
6. Blossoms of Power
Starring: Meng Ziyi, He Yu
Genres: Historical, Romance, Revenge
A resourceful princess and a seemingly frail crown prince become unlikely allies in a world shaped by hidden agendas and court politics. Both conceal their own strengths and ambitions, and their partnership gradually develops into a bond built on trust, loyalty, and mutual understanding.
7. The First Jasmine
Starring: Bai Lu, Cheng Lei
Genres: Historical, Romance, Revenge
Bound together by marriage, a determined woman and a disabled prince initially approach each other with suspicion. Both carry secrets and personal ambitions, but their shared pursuit of revenge gradually brings them closer. Their relationship develops against a backdrop of family rivalries and political conspiracies.
8. Tigers Sniff the Rose
Starring: Meng Ziyi, Li Yunrui
Genres: Historical, Romance, Political Intrigue
A bold princess crosses paths with an intelligent scholar whose ambitions extend far beyond his humble origins. As he rises through the political ranks, their relationship becomes intertwined with the fate of the empire. With strategic alliances, court rivalries, and a capable central couple, this drama offers more than a conventional historical romance.
9. Zhan Zhao Adventures
Starring: Yang Yang, Zhang Ruonan
Genres: Historical, Martial Arts, Mystery
Based on the world of traditional Chinese heroic legends, this martial arts drama follows the renowned warrior Zhan Zhao as he becomes embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy. After a mysterious case puts him in danger, he joins forces with a courageous ally to investigate a plot that threatens the realm.
10. Love Beyond the Grave
Starring: Dilraba Dilmurat, Chen Feiyu
Genres: Historical Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural
A powerful ghost queen encounters a young general whose past holds unexpected connections to her own. As the two investigate each other’s secrets, attraction grows between beings separated by extraordinary differences in age, nature, and experience. Their romance explores loneliness, destiny, and the limits of time.
Curious about this supernatural romance? Check out our Love Beyond the Grave review.
11. Glory
Starring: Hou Minghao, Guli Nazha
Genres: Historical, Family Intrigue, Mystery
A fallen official finds himself drawn into a complicated case involving a powerful tea-producing family. Rescued by the ambitious daughter of a tea magnate, he becomes entangled in a world of rivalry, deception, and competing interests. Their evolving relationship adds romance to a story driven by investigation and strategy.
Want to learn more about the series? Read our full Glory Chinese drama review.
12. Guardians of the Dafeng
Starring: Dylan Wang, Tian Xiwei
Genres: Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Comedy
An ordinary modern man unexpectedly finds himself in an ancient dynasty, where survival depends on his intelligence and quick thinking. Taking on a new identity, he becomes involved in solving unusual cases while navigating an unfamiliar society. Fantasy, humor, and a series of interconnected mysteries give this drama its distinctive appeal.
13. Moonlight Reunion
Starring: Xu Kai, Tian Xiwei
Genres: Historical Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural Mystery
Set in the Tang dynasty, this story follows a seemingly upright young man and a spirited woman with a supernatural secret. Their relationship takes an unexpected turn as their contrasting lives become entangled with mysterious threats in Chang’an. Romantic tension and Chinese folklore combine in a fantasy-filled historical setting.
14. Joy of Life Season 3
Starring: Zhang Ruoyun, Li Qin
Genres: Historical, Political Intrigue, Comedy
Fan Xian’s extraordinary journey through a world of court politics, family secrets, and dangerous rivalries remains a major attraction for fans of the series. Blending sharp humor with elaborate schemes and sudden twists, the story follows a clever protagonist trying to understand his origins while navigating powerful forces. The third season is an anticipated continuation for viewers following his journey.
15. The Legend of Zang Hai
Starring: Xiao Zhan, Zhang Jingyi
Genres: Historical, Revenge, Political Intrigue
After witnessing the destruction of his family as a child, Zang Hai dedicates himself to mastering strategy and specialized skills. Years later, he returns to the capital under a new identity to approach the very people connected to his family’s tragedy. His pursuit of revenge leads him into a much larger conspiracy than he initially imagined.
16. Fight for Love
Starring: Ding Yuxi, Victoria Song
Genres: Historical, Romance, War
When Chu Yu’s father dies in battle, she becomes determined to uncover the truth behind his death. Her investigation leads her into the Wei household, where she encounters the surviving young general Wei Yun. Initially wary of each other, they gradually develop trust as they confront hidden secrets, family tragedy, and threats to their homeland.
17. The Legend of Shen Li
Starring: Zhao Liying, Lin Gengxin
Genres: Xianxia, Fantasy, Romance
A powerful warrior from the spirit realm escapes an unwanted marriage but ends up injured in the human world. There, she encounters a mysterious ancient deity who has chosen to experience mortal life. Their unexpected connection develops into a romance that challenges the boundaries between the divine and the mortal.
18. Lost You Forever
Starring: Yang Zi, Zhang Wanyi, Deng Wei, Tan Jianci
Genres: Historical Fantasy, Romance, Mythology
Set in an ancient world inhabited by humans, gods, and demons, the story follows Xiao Yao, a princess who loses her identity and lives under an assumed name. Her life becomes intertwined with three very different men, each bringing their own loyalties, desires, and emotional conflicts. Love, family, political ambition, and sacrifice shape this sweeping fantasy romance.
Which Chinese Drama Should You Watch First?
If you enjoy revenge and palace intrigue, start with Against the Current, Blossoms of Power, or The Legend of Zang Hai. For romance with political tension, Tigers Sniff the Rose and The First Jasmine are worth exploring. If supernatural worlds are more your style, try Xin Liao Zhai, Love Beyond the Grave, or The Legend of Shen Li.
Whether you prefer clever heroines, complicated love stories, martial arts adventures, or fantasy mysteries, these 18 titles offer plenty of options for your next C-drama marathon. Check your local Disney+ catalog for regional availability before watching.
