The domestic television drama market has seen a continuous stream of high-quality productions within the first two months of 2026, featuring diverse genres and strong casts. Ranging from epic historical narratives to everyday life stories, and from ancient detective mysteries to hilarious transmigration tales, the offerings cater to all age groups. These dramas provide a mix of cool-headed professional suspense and high-stakes power struggles, making them excellent choices for entertainment during the long Spring Festival holiday, whether they are currently popular hits or highly anticipated upcoming releases.

**"The Peaceful Age" | CCTV-1, iQiyi, Mango TV, Tencent Video (Premiered Jan 23)** As a major historical drama launching the year, "The Peaceful Age" experienced a journey of rising from initial low ratings and mixed word-of-mouth to eventual success. Its early episodes, dealing with the obscure Five Dynasties period, high narrative barriers, and difficult classical dialogue, initially deterred many viewers. However, through rigorous historical research and meticulous production details, the drama staged a remarkable comeback. Viewers began voluntarily studying the Five Dynasties history, leading to a surge in organic promotion. By February 7th, it achieved a peak rating of 3.175% during the prime-time slot according to CVB data, topping the charts. Its Douban score currently stands at 7.9 and is steadily climbing. This success is attributed not only to solid creative effort but also to precise casting focused on acting skill over celebrity status. The ensemble cast is exemplary, with every actor delivering strong performances. Beyond the screen, the drama achieved cultural and commercial success, sparking a 300% sales increase for related history books and boosting tourism to featured locations.

**"The Blindfolded Goddess" | Mango TV, Hunan TV (Premiered Jan 25)** Starring Xin Zhilei and Lin Yushen, this legal drama adapted from the novel of the same name offers superior detail in its portrayal of legal professionals, drawing from the author's sociology background and real-world observations. Cases involving sexual harassment and domestic violence focus on women's issues with significant relevance. Xin Zhilei's performance is sharp and fitting. While the drama itself is well-made, its marketing has been criticized for sensationalizing female conflict, which detracts from its substantive narrative.

**"The Deep of Night" | Tencent Video, Jiangsu TV (Premiered Jan 28)** This urban emotional drama stars Jiang Shuying, Tong Dawei, Zhang Chao, and Lan Yingying. Adapted from the novel "Sales Couple," it tells the growth story of a bottom-level promoter rising to industry prominence. Offering a darker alternative to light-hearted series, it claims 90% of its plot is based on real industry cases. Storylines about trademark disputes and corporate bribery have resonated with audiences. The drama tackles workplace issues like sexual harassment and gender discrimination head-on. Jiang Shuying's character is praised for her decisiveness, while Tong Dawei delivers a standout performance as a hypocritical sales director.

**"Guilty" | iQiyi (Premiered Jan 28)** Starring Wei Daxun and Sun Qian, with Wu Gang in a complex antagonist role, this suspense drama begins with a bizarre 2010 kidnapping case that points to a recently released mine owner. The story flashes back to 1999, revealing a buried tragedy of youth that forever altered the lives of those involved. Eighteen years later, old and new cases intertwine, uncovering a shocking truth about power and redemption. This role marks a departure for Wei Daxun from variety show persona into serious acting.

**"The Tree of Life" | CCTV-8, iQiyi (Premiered Jan 30)** A realistic drama from Daylight Entertainment, shot over 188 days on the Tibetan plateau, featuring breathtaking scenery. Starring Yang Zi and Hu Ge, it follows a female police officer joining an anti-poaching patrol team in 1996. Both leads underwent significant physical transformations for their roles. Despite a strong premiere, ratings gradually softened, with some criticism directed at its pacing. Nevertheless, its sincere portrayal of ecological conservation and Tibetan culture represents a rare and commendable effort in domestic television.

**"Young and Successful" | Tencent Video, Jiangsu TV (Premiered Jan 31)** A urban comedy starring Peng Yuchang and Lin Yun, adapted from a web novel. The plot revolves around a protagonist who must lose money in business to gain personal wealth, leading to the creation of a vast empire. The series removes the original "system" element, focusing instead on a satirical "reverse startup" logic with anti-overwork policies, providing light-hearted entertainment.

**"Traces Left by the Wind" | Tencent Video, iQiyi (Premiered Feb 3)** Starring Gong Jun and Jiang Wu, this series adapts a bestselling novel by a former forensics expert. It focuses on trace evidence investigation technology, a first for Chinese detective dramas. The production invested heavily in an authentic lab and expert consultation. However, its performance has fallen below expectations, with criticism aimed at the male lead's acting and excessive focus on his character's emotional subplot.

**"Strange Cases in the Tang Palace" | CCTV-8, Youku, Netflix (Premiered Feb 5)** A costume suspense drama starring Bai Lu and Wang Xingyue. It achieved record-breaking热度 on Youku shortly after its premiere. The series uses a dual narrative structure of a main conspiracy alongside individual case investigations, blending history with Chinese horror aesthetics. It also addresses the plight of women in feudal society. The pairing of a female official and a male scholar offers a fresh dynamic.

**"How Improper!" | iQiyi (Premiered Feb 6)** A costume romantic comedy starring Wang Churan and Cheng Lei, adapted from a popular web novel. The plot involves a modern woman transmigrating into a novel as a villainous concubine who teams up with the tyrannical emperor to change their fate. Its unique "triple transmigration" structure and faithful adaptation have won over fans. While high on entertainment value, its depth is considered lacking.

**"Back to Youth" | Tencent Video (Premiered Feb 9)** A urban sitcom directed by Ying Da, featuring veteran actors. The story revolves around university students interning at a retirement community, leading to intergenerational friendships. While praised for the actors' performances, the humor and plot have been received as average.

**"Country Love 18" | Youku (Premiered Feb 10)** The latest installment in the long-running rural comedy series. It continues the daily life stories of villagers, maintaining its signature humor. For many viewers, watching it is a nostalgic Spring Festival tradition.

**"Love in the Age of Innocence" | Tencent Video, CCTV-8 (Premiered Feb 21)** A period romance starring Chen Feiyu and Sun Qian, set in the late 1970s. It follows a factory worker and a amnesiac war hero who enter a marriage of convenience, eventually developing genuine feelings. The production meticulously recreates the era's atmosphere.

**"A Decade of Lights in the Martial World" | Tencent Video (Premiered Feb 22)** A costume martial arts romance starring Zhou Yiran and Bao Shang'en, adapted from a novel by a renowned author. It tells the story of a cunning young master and a carefree female knight uncovering hypocrisy in the martial world. Expectations are high given the author's previous successful adaptations.

**"Roses in Bloom" | Tencent Video (Premiered Feb 26)** An urban romance starring Olivia Wang, Liu Yuning, and Jiang Xin. It focuses on a "relationship tester" who verifies partners' loyalty and her journey of emotional healing with a financier. The series adapts a popular webcomic, toning down some controversial elements.

**"The Good Times" | CCTV, Hunan TV, Mango TV (Upcoming)** A period family drama directed by the acclaimed Liu Jiacheng, starring Mei Ting and Tian Yu. Set in the late 1970s, it depicts the blended family of a factory worker and a song and dance troupe actress, exploring three decades of emotional entanglements. Known for his skill in portraying ordinary life, the director's new work is anticipated to be a heartwarming choice for family viewing during the holiday.

With so many options available, have you found your top pick for the Spring Festival holiday? Enjoy your viewing and have a wonderful New Year!