Cover Marriage of convenience? War? Politics? Watch these beginner C-dramas if you loved “Pursuit of Jade”
sinarduniamedia.com | “Pursuit of Jade” has spoiled everyone and has them looking for beginner C-dramas to fill the void after 40 episodes. After all, once you have watched Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei stare longingly at each other against snow-covered battlefields and lantern-lit courtyards (pork offal in the background), regular television starts to feel a little flat. Part of what made the drama such a phenomenon was not just the romance, but the total package: the impossibly stunning cast, the painterly cinematography, the marriage-of-convenience set-up and the way it balanced emotional intimacy with politics and revenge. It has become one of the biggest C-drama hits of 2026, with billions of views and record-breaking popularity across multiple platforms.
For many viewers, Pursuit of Jade has also become the gateway into C-dramas. It is the kind of series that tricks people into thinking they will watch “just one historical romance” before suddenly finding themselves Googling dynasties, memorising actor names and debating which tortured general deserves their heart. Once you fall for its mix of sweeping visuals, slow-burn longing and beautifully dressed people suffering in candlelight, it becomes very hard to go back.
If you are looking for more beginner C-dramas to fill the Pursuit of Jade-shaped hole in your heart, these are the shows most likely to keep you up until 2am (and all the way to next week);
1. Blossoms in Adversity (2024)
After her family is destroyed, a determined young woman must rebuild their lives while falling for a prince.
If what you loved most about Pursuit of Jade was watching a smart heroine survive impossible odds, Blossoms in Adversity should be your next stop. The series stars Zhang Jingyi as Hua Zhi, the daughter of a powerful family who suddenly finds herself responsible for keeping everyone alive after the men in the household are exiled. Opposite her is Hu Yitian as the prince who slowly becomes both her protector and her emotional equal. Like Fan Changyu, Hua Zhi is not born into power. Rather, she earns it through sheer determination.
The romance is also similar in spirit. There is a slow-building relationship with a protective but emotionally complicated man, and the drama has the same mix of gorgeous visuals, family politics and moments where love becomes a form of survival. It is slightly softer and more domestic than Pursuit of Jade, but it scratches the same itch for viewers who like capable women in beautiful clothes refusing to collapse under pressure.
2. Story of Kunning Palace (2023)
A disgraced empress gets a second chance at life and finds herself drawn back to the dangerous man who once destroyed her
If your main withdrawal symptom after Pursuit of Jade is missing Zhang Linghe in elaborate robes, Story of Kunning Palace is the obvious choice. He plays Xie Wei, a calculating and deeply unsettling court official whose relationship with Bai Lu’s heroine is much darker and more psychologically intense than his romance in Pursuit of Jade.
The story follows Jiang Xuening, a woman who gets a second chance at life after dying in disgrace and tries to avoid the mistakes that destroyed her the first time around. But of course, she ends up crossing paths with the very man who ruined her. It has palace intrigue, morally grey characters and political conspiracies. There is enough tension-filled eye contact to power an entire season of television. If Pursuit of Jade gave you the “beautiful people suffering in candlelight” experience, this is the next logical step.
3. The Prisoner of Beauty (2025)
Two strangers trapped in an arranged marriage slowly turn distrust into love
This is for viewers who were most invested in the romance. The Prisoner of Beauty stars Song Zuer and Liu Yuning in another arranged-marriage dynamic, with two people forced together by circumstance before slowly falling in love. Like Pursuit of Jade, it thrives on longing, trust issues, hidden agendas and that addictive moment when two characters realise they are no longer pretending.
The visual style is lush and elegant, with enough veils, candlelight and strategic hand-touching to satisfy anyone still emotionally recovering from Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng. It also belongs in this list of beginner C-dramas if only for the female lead, who is also strong without losing her softness. This detail makes the relationship feel emotionally grounded rather than just melodramatic.
4. Legend of Shen Li (2024)
A warrior general from the spirit realm escapes an arranged marriage and falls for a mysterious man hiding his true identity
If your favourite part of Pursuit of Jade was watching Tian Xiwei wield weapons and march into battle, Legend of Shen Li offers a heroine who is just as formidable. Zhao Liying plays Shen Li, a warrior general from the spirit realm who escapes an arranged marriage and ends up stranded in the human world with a mysterious man played by Lin Gengxin.
The series leans more fantasy than Pursuit of Jade, but the emotional core is similar: a strong woman trying to navigate love without sacrificing herself. It also has stunning action scenes, a slow-burn romance and the kind of sweeping landscapes that make every episode feel cinematic.
5. New Life Begins (2022)
A cheerful young woman unexpectedly marries a prince and transforms palace life in the process
For anyone who wants more Tian Xiwei specifically, New Life Begins is the obvious comfort watch. She plays Li Wei, a clever and cheerful young woman who ends up in an arranged marriage with a prince played by Bai Jingting. Unlike Pursuit of Jade, this drama is much lighter and funnier, but it has the same appeal of watching Tian play a heroine who is underestimated by everyone around her before proving that she is actually the smartest person in the room.
There is still romance, still palace politics and still plenty of emotional payoff, but the mood is much brighter. Think of it as Pursuit of Jade’s sunnier younger cousin. It may also bode well for those who prefer less battlefield trauma and more female friendship and domestic chaos.
6. My Journey to You (2023)
An assassin infiltrates a powerful family but (surprise) becomes entangled in love, loyalty and betrayal
If you loved Pursuit of Jade for its moody visuals and constant atmosphere of danger, My Journey to You may be the closest visual match. The drama stars Esther Yu as an assassin who infiltrates a powerful family in order to complete a mission, only to become emotionally entangled with the very people she is supposed to destroy. Opposite her are Zhang Linghe and Cheng Lei, who provide plenty of romantic tension and moral ambiguity.
Everything about it feels expensive: the costumes, the candlelit interiors, the misty forests, the fight choreography. It is darker and more gothic than Pursuit of Jade, but it has the same “everyone is beautiful and miserable” energy that makes beginner C-dramas so irresistible.
7. Are You the One? (2024)
A woman with amnesia believes she is married to a man whose secrets could change everything
If you want something that captures the emotional softness of Pursuit of Jade without becoming overwhelmingly tragic, Are You the One? is an excellent follow-up. The series stars Wang Churan as a woman who loses her memory and ends up believing she is married to a man with secrets of his own, played by Zhang Wanyi.
Like Pursuit of Jade, it thrives on hidden identities, fake relationships that become real and characters who slowly lower their guard around each other. One of the most ideal beginner C-dramas, the romance is warm and intimate, and the leads have the same kind of chemistry that makes you want to rewatch entire scenes just to stare at them again. Now isn’t that why you stay tuned to the 40 episodes of Zhang Linghe?
8. Love Like the Galaxy (2022)
Love Like the Galaxy is for anyone who adored the scale of Pursuit of Jade: the wars, the family betrayals, the politics and the sense that the romance exists inside a much larger world. Zhao Lusi plays Cheng Shaoshang, a neglected young woman who grows into herself while navigating palace politics and falling for a brilliant but emotionally damaged general played by Wu Lei.
The drama is massive in every sense. It is funny, devastating, romantic; it is also full of side characters who feel just as vivid as the leads. Much like Pursuit of Jade, it understands that the best romances are the ones that happen while kingdoms are collapsing in the background.
9. The Double (2024)
If what you loved about Pursuit of Jade was the revenge element, The Double should absolutely be next on your list. The series stars Wu Jinyan as a woman who survives betrayal, assumes a new identity and returns to destroy the people who ruined her life. Opposite her is Wang Xingyue as a duke whose icy exterior hides both political ambitions and unexpected tenderness.
Like Pursuit of Jade, this drama understands the appeal of watching two wounded, intelligent people slowly fall in love while surrounded by enemies. It also has the same visual richness: elaborate costumes, lavish mansions, candlelit confrontations and enough yearning to sustain you for weeks (until your next binge).
10. The Rise of Ning (2024)
The Rise of Ning is ideal for anyone who loves Pursuit of Jade and is looking for beginner C-dramas. It features a mix of family politics, strategic heroines and romance that grows out of trust rather than instant passion. The series stars Zhang Wanyi and Ren Min as two people navigating a deeply complicated household full of rivalries, inheritance battles and hidden agendas.
Much like Fan Changyu, Ren Min’s heroine is underestimated at first, only to reveal herself as far smarter and more resilient than anyone expects. The romance is subtle and slow-burning, but that only makes the emotional payoff stronger. If you want another historical drama where love develops in the middle of family warfare and palace intrigue, this is an easy fit.
(Dilansir dari tatlerasia.com)