Best movies & TV Shows like Song of Youth

In the twilight of the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial court is plagued by corruption as tyrants rule over the land. With the Manchurians preying on a weakened empire, war is imminent. To save the victims from their suffering, sorceress Jade Raksha fights the soldiers that oppress people for their own gain. As payback, local government officials decide to pin the murder of Governor Zhuo Zhonglian on Jade, turning her and the members of her cult into wanted fugitives for a crime they didn't commit.

The film is set in early 11th century China during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty. The emperor neglects state affairs and indulges in personal pleasures, while the government sinks into corruption and war continues to rage on at the borders of the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty is being invaded by the armies of the rival state of Western Xia. Yang Zongbao is the last man standing in the Yang clan, a family of generals who have dedicated their lives to defending the Song Dynasty from foreign invaders. He apparently dies in battle tragically when the treacherous Imperial Tutor Pang refuses to send reinforcements to aid him. Yang Zongbao's widowed wife Mu Guiying leads the other widows of the Yang clan into battle to continue the legacy of their husbands.

During the reign of Emperor Jia Jing of the Ming Dynasty, the evil court official Yan Song relies on the emperor favoritism towards him, becoming overbearing and domineering. An honest official Zhang Ying Long impeaches Yan Song with a Ten Cimes Five Deceits against him. But instead he gets flogged 30 times, and banished to a far off frontier Guizhou.

In Qing Dynasty, Chen Xiang and Liuli became maids and friends in the imperial palace. Liuli wanted to be famous whereas Chen Xiang just wanted to live a normal life. Liuli attempted to change her life by knowing the prince, even at the cost of betraying Chen Xiang.

A dramatized account of Empress Dou and how her efforts and achievements in the royal court positively influenced the reign of her husband Emperor Wen, which paved the way for the creation of the Rule of Wen and Jing. Set in Chang'an, China during the beginnings of the Han Dynasty.

Palace, also known as Gong, Gong Suo Xin Yu, and Palace: The Locked Heart Jade, is a Chinese television series produced by Yu Zheng. The series was directed by Lee Wai-chu and starred cast members from mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The series was first broadcast on Hunan TV in China in 2011. It is later followed by Palace 2.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a Chinese television series adapted from the classical 14th century novel of the same title by Luo Guanzhong. It is part historical, part legend, and part mythical – romanticises and dramatizes the lives of feudal lords and their retainers, who tried to replace the dwindling Han dynasty or restore it. The focus is mainly on the three power blocs that emerged from the remnants of the Han dynasty, and would eventually form the three states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The novel deals with the plots, personal and military battles, intrigues, and struggles of these states to achieve dominance for almost 100 years.

Zhang Xiao, a Chinese young woman from the 21st century, accidentally travels back in time to the Qing Dynasty period during the reign of Kangxi Emperor after experiencing a deadly combination of traffic collision and electrocution, resulting her somehow reliving the life of one of her previous incarnations and forcing her to assumes the identity belongs to her past: Maertai Rouxi (Liu Shi Shi), the teenage daughter of a Manchu nobleman, who also had a near-fatal incident in her own time which Zhang awakes from.

During the Ming Dynasty, Yu Qi Lin came to the capital with her foster mother’s token, alone. She ran into arrogant young master Jin Yuan Bao, son of the Jin family. Yu Qi Ling accidentally marries Jin Yuan Bao under a false identity. Luckily, she was saved by Gu Chang Feng and coincidentally learned that his mother was the only insider who knew her foster mother was framed back then. With truth coming out, Madam Jin finally came to her senses, and the Jin family took Yu Qi Ling in again.

Ma Fuya is a princess of the Chu state in 10th-century imperial China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In this time of warring kingdoms and political upheaval, Fuya's uncle usurps the throne and brutally kills her father. Ma Fuya is left an orphan, and she escapes with the help of a eunuch. She also falls in love with Meng Qiyou, the Prince of Later Shu. He instead uses her as a political tool, and he brings her back into his kingdom. Many of his brothers are attracted to her, such as Meng Qixing and Meng Qiyun. Due to her resemblance as Meng Qiyun's mother, the Emperor also falls in love with her. Ma Fuya is forced to marry the Emperor, but the procession is interrupted by Liu Liancheng.

Yun Zhong Ge also known as Song in the Clouds is a sequel to Ballad of the Desert. During the Western Han Dynasty, an eight-year-old Emperor Zhao of Han meets a girl Huo Yunge (daughter of Huo Qubing and Jin Yu from Ballad of the Desert), who rescued him from the cold of the desert. Ten years later, Huo is now a beautiful young woman, who could not forget the boy she saved. However, she mistook another Liu Bing Yi as Emperor Liu Fu Ling. Yunge helplessly watched him marry Xu Pingjun. The heartbroken Huo later meets a handsome Meng Jue, only later to find herself embroiled in a power struggles within the imperial palace.

Growing up in a family of physicians, Tan Yun Xian was adored by her grandparents for her intellect, curiosity and medical acumen. Despite the many barriers for female physicians in ancient China, Yun Xian nevertheless proved herself to be a skilled family and female doctor — and ultimately the most famous female doctor of the Ming Dynasty.

A young Joseon woman who's lived her whole life as a man ends up as a eunuch in the royal palace, where she begins to bond with the crown prince.

Gong Sun Li is the grand-daughter and disciple of military commander Gong Sun Yu. Jing Ke and Li have been in love with each other since they were children. While trying to protect Li during an attack, Jing Ke is poisoned. Li’s beauty has seized the interest of the Qin Emperor, Ying Zheng, and Li agrees to marry him in order to save Jing Ke.

Zhou Ying is sold to the powerful Shen family by her foster father, yet successfully escapes by sneaking into merchant Wu Ping’s palanquin. The Wu family agreed to take her in after witnessing her remarkable business acumen, and she ends up marrying Wu Ping. The drama will chronicle the life of the Qing Dynasty's richest female merchant, and her struggles to keep the Wu family business afloat during the last years of the Qing Dynasty. Shen Xingyi is a happy-go-lucky young sir who has never known hardship in his life. After meeting Zhou Ying, he eventually decides to change his ways and becomes a mature noble who is willing to protect his country and family from disaster. He has a seemingly unrequited love for Zhou Ying.

Right on elite businessman Gu Qing Pei’s first day of work at his new workplace, the chairman throws his vigorous and arrogant son Yuan Yang at him. Yuan Yang sees through Qing Pei’s hypocrite mask, but due to his father pressuring him, he can’t hit him. Therefore, Yuan Yang learns for the first time that there are things that can’t be taken care of by money or fists. He continuously tries to get Qing Pei into trouble, but Qing Pei sees it lightly and calmy resolves every issue. However, things are about to change when Yuan Yang asks his friends to do a background check on Qing Pei and finally finds his achilles heel.

The Story of Ming Lan, based on the novel written by Guan Xin Ze Luan, follows our heroine through her youth, into her adulthood, and well into her marriage life as well. She’s the 6th child of the Sheng household. Though she is an intelligent and beautiful child, she was not loved by her family (her dad, her sisters, her mom dies early.) She has to hide her intelligence and suffers through the years, hoping to avenge for her mom. During this process she will meet many friends and foes, one of which is our male lead, Gu’s second son, Gu Ting Ye. He has helped and mistreated her before, but also the one to witness her sharp wits and lonely soul. After they get married, they will work together as a power couple, managing the new King’s regime as well as harvesting a world of happiness on their own.

Chess Player is a children's animated series. It was produced in China. The show spans two seasons with 26 episodes in each. The story focuses on the journey of a young gifted chess player, Jiang Liu'er. The first season first aired on CCTV in 2006. The second season, called Chess Player 2, aired in 2009.

Zhang Qing, a present-day college student in culture and history major wants to study in professor Ye's postgraduate class, so he decides to write a historical fiction to elaborate his perspective of analyzing ancient literature history with modern concept. In the fiction, Zhang himself acts as a young man Fan Xian with mysterious life who lives in a remote seaside town of Kingdom Qing in his childhood, under the help of a mysterious mentor and a blindfolded watchman. Fan goes to the capital when he grows up, where he experiences plenty of ordeal and temper. Fan persists in adhering the rule of justice and goodness and lives his own glorious life.

Sun Ruo Wei entire family is killed on the orders of the Yongle Emperor in 1402, though she escapes death after being secretly adopted by Sun Zhong. Sun Ruo Wei becomes the concubine of crown prince Zhu Zhan Ji by chance, and continues to investigate the truth behind her family’s death. However, Sun Ruo Wei decides to abandon her revenge plans after realizing how dangerous it would be to destabilize the court for her own personal goals. Touched by Zhu Zhan Ji’s kindness, Sun Ruo Wei resolves to become a virtuous empress who can support him in times of hardship. Unfortunately, Zhu Zhan Ji passes away after a decade on the throne, and Sun Ruo Wei is honored as Empress Dowager once her 7-year-old Zhu Qi Zhen ascends the throne.

To seek revenge Tian Qi enters the palace disguised as a man. Due to her special abilities, she was taken to fancy by the Emperor and became his personal eunuch. As Tian Qi and the Emperor spend time together, the Emperor discovered that she is a girl. It turns out that Tian Qi is the daughter of Minister Ji Qingyun, named Ji Shao. Seven years ago, Ji Qingyun was framed by corrupted ministers and his family was sentenced to death. Only his daughter, Ji Shao survived. The Emperor, having fallen in love with Ji Shao, decides to make her his Empress. However, Ji Shao, who is burdened by her quest for revenge, begins to develop complicated and painful feelings for the Emperor.

Li Chang Ge's family was murdered by Li Shi Min, the Emperor of Tang, during the Xuanwu Gate Incident. She heads to Shuo Province under the guise of a man with hopes of raising an army to kill Li Shi Min to avenge her family's death. However, as a captain of the army of Shuo Province in Zhangzhou, she loses a siege by the Eastern Turkic Khaganate General Ashina Sun, who takes her to serve him as a personal military strategist.

While his father was one of founding marshals of the Tang Empire, Cheng Chu Mo was a shiftless young man. His life took a radical turn when he fell in love at first sight with Fu Rou, the diligent daughter from a merchant family. In order to woo Fu Rou's heart, Chu Mo began to study earnestly. As he grow in knowledge and maturity, he decided to follow in father's footstep to serve the country and planned a campaign against pirates harassing the coast of China. Meanwhile, through a misadventure, Fu Rou became a Weaving female official of the court, making it difficult for the two young lovers to meet in private. In her new post, Fu Rou uncovered some dark secrets and a plot which got her family in serious trouble. Fu Rou and Chu Mo must rely on their wits and skills and overcome their enemies together...

Set in the ancient capital Luoyang during the era of 13 dynasties, it revolves around three people who come together to investigate a series of mysterious incidents involving the conspiracy to overthrow Empress Wu Ze Tian. Adapted from the novel Luoyang by Ma Bo Yong.

The story takes place during the reign of Hong Taiji, the founder of Qing dynasty. He formed military alliances by marrying the daughters of Mongol and Manchu clans. He first married Jerger of Khorchin Mongols and made her his primary wife. Then, he renewed their alliance by marrying her niece Dayu'er. However, it was Dayu’ers low status half-sister, Harjol, he favored above the rest. His favoritism caused a rift between the women. Dayu'er formed a secret alliance with his brother Dorgon to place her son on the throne over his elder sons and brothers.

In the 9th Century Tang Dynasty-era China, the Emperor is locked in a deadly power struggle with a group of formidable eunuchs who wield enormous power at court. He strikes back by ordering the death of their ringleader Qiu Shi Liang. But the mission is botched. The eunuchs get their revenge by murdering the Emperor’s loyal first minister, along with his entire family. But his twin daughters, later known as Cheng Ruo Yu and Qiu Yan Zhi, escape. The Emperor is determined to rid the scourge of the eunuchs once and for all, and Ruo Yu pledges her life to help him do that – even if it means throwing herself in the path of danger. The duo forms a romantic bond as they get closer. But will the Emperor still trust her when he discovers her true identity – and her connection to his mortal foe?

Zhao Pan'er is a smart and savvy teahouse owner in Qiantang, living alongside her two best friends Sun Sanniang and Song Yinzhang. When she finds out her fiancé left her for another woman of a high ranking officer after becoming an official in the capital of Bianjing, she refuses to give into her fate and decides to travel to the capital in search for the truth. On her way there, she crosses paths with both of her best friends whose lives she saves, and they follow her onward. Gu Qianfan is a commander in an elite capital squadron nicknamed "Living Devil". He is setup by the very people he swears allegiance to and must find out the truth behind a nefarious scheme involving the imperial court. When he first meets Zhao Pan'er, they don't see eye to eye, however this intelligent businesswoman has caught his attention and as they help each other, they get closer to their own goals.

In the fifteenth year of his reign, Emperor Kang Xi (Luo Jin) was forced to overcome the greatest challenge of his young life when his empire was nearly washed away by the raging current of the Yellow River. Having recently experienced a bout of uncommonly heavy rainfall, the mighty swollen river began to spill over its banks. Washing away home, destroying crops, and taking countless lives, the people of Kang Xi’s empire turned to him for guidance, certain their mighty leader would know how to save them. Unable to find a solution to the problems at hand, Kang Xi decided to recruit the empire’s brightest individuals into his service. Setting up a series of civil service examinations, candidates from across the empire came, hoping to secure a place by the Emperor’s side. Among these hopefuls was Chen Huang (Yin Fang), a bright young man with a head full of ideas and the confidence needed to turn them into action.

A Chinese television series based on historical events in the late Ming Dynasty during the reign of the Tianqi Emperor.

The Legend and the Hero 2 is a Chinese television series adapted from the classical novel Fengshen Bang by Xu Zhonglin and Lu Xixing. The series was first broadcast on TTV from September to October 2009, and was preceded by The Legend and the Hero in 2007.

A Mai, the daughter of a Nanxia official, is out for blood after her family was killed by her childhood sweetheart Chen Qi. Having grown into a young woman, she disguises herself as a man and wanders the lands to seek revenge. During a chance encounter, A Mai rescues Shang Yizhi, the son of the Crown Princess, and helps him out of many predicaments. Their fates have been intertwined ever since. When war broke out, A Mai joined the military. She moved up from a foot soldier to a commander due to her marvelous achievements. At the same time, Shang Yizhi has been struggling to survive as he is being hunted down. A Mai assists him in turning the tide. Meanwhile, she also has repeated encounters with the enemy general Chang Yu Qing in the battlefield. Through unexpected events, their paths cross again and they experience life and death together. In the face of the cruelties of the times, A Mai must make a decision for the sake of her country.

A young woman's plan to marry the heir to a Chinese incense empire leads to her family's ruin...until she gets a second chance to right her wrongs.

Aisin Gioro Puyi, the last emperor of Qing dynasty, as well as the last emperor of entire Chinese history. This TV series explore modern history and its main incidents in Puyi's perspective.

Writer Hua Qing Ge transforms into a character within the world of her own novels. She thought she was in control of the script, but falling in love with Ji Chu was not part of the plan. (Source: Baidu)