Imperial China (221 BC - AD 1911)
Films & series set during the imperial dynasties of China. Imperial China can be divided into three sub-periods: Early, Middle, and Late.
The Early sub-period
Qin dynasty (221–206 BC)
Han dynasty (202 BC–AD 220)
Three Kingdoms (220–280)
Jin dynasty (265–420)
Northern and Southern dynasties (420–589)
The Middle sub-period
Sui dynasty (AD 589–618)
Tang dynasty (AD 618–907)
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 907–960)
Song, Liao, Jin, and Western Xia dynasties (AD 960–1234)
The Late sub-period
Yuan dynasty (AD 1271–1368)
Ming dynasty (AD 1368–1644)
Qing dynasty (AD 1644–1911)
The Early sub-period
Qin dynasty (221–206 BC)
Han dynasty (202 BC–AD 220)
Three Kingdoms (220–280)
Jin dynasty (265–420)
Northern and Southern dynasties (420–589)
The Middle sub-period
Sui dynasty (AD 589–618)
Tang dynasty (AD 618–907)
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 907–960)
Song, Liao, Jin, and Western Xia dynasties (AD 960–1234)
The Late sub-period
Yuan dynasty (AD 1271–1368)
Ming dynasty (AD 1368–1644)
Qing dynasty (AD 1644–1911)
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- DirectorJohn WooStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiTakeshi KaneshiroFengyi ZhangThe first chapter of a two-part story centered on a battle fought in China's Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.).Set in the Three Kingdoms period.
- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingStarsYimou ZhangGong LiTian-Ming WuChina 2.200 years ago. It's the time of the Qin dynasty. The emperor seeks immortality by busily letting his alchemists search for a formula and building the famous terracotta army from the bodies of outlaws and the condemned. This is the time Mong Tiang Fong and court lady Twon fall deeply in love. Such a thing is not tolerated at the court and when their relationship is discovered both are sentenced to death. In the meantime the alchemists have discovered the formula of immortality, but decide to destroy their work. However Twon gets possession of one immortality pill which she manages to give to Tiang Fong before he's made a terracotta warrior too. China 1930. While on location a film crew discovers parts of the grave of emperor Qin guarded by the terracotta warriors. Tiang Fong, being immortal, awakes...Set during the Qin dynasty.
- DirectorXiaowen ZhouStarsWen JiangYou GeQing XuEpic drama about China's first emperor (221 BC) who struggles to make his childhood best friend, now China's greatest composer, succumb to his will and compose a grand anthem to his exploits.Set during the Qin dynasty.
- DirectorKaige ChenStarsGong LiFengyi ZhangZhou SunIn pre-unified China, the King of Qin sends his concubine to a rival kingdom to produce an assassin for a political plot, but as the king's cruelty mounts she finds her loyalty faltering.Set during the Qin dynasty
- DirectorStephen ShinStarsRay LuiRosamund KwanGong LiInsurrection deposes the tyrannical first emperor of China during the evil Qin Dynasty. Warrior/general Xiang Yu and the cunning peasant Liu Pang join forces to win through civil war. Xiang Yu's weakness for Lady Yu combine with Liu Pang's treachery result in Liu founding the legendary Han dynasty.Set during the Qin dynasty.
- StarsShiShi LiuEddie PengGe HuYu Jin was raised within the desert tribes of Xiong Nu, was forced to flee to Chinese capital Chang'an where she got caught into palace politics due to her romantic involvement to important men.Set during the Han dynasty.
- DirectorFelix ChongAlan MakStarsDonnie YenWen JiangLi SunThe story of legendary Guan Yu crossing five passes & slaying six generals. He played a major role in the civil war that led to the collapse of Han Dynasty & the establishment of Shu Han of the 3 Kingdoms, making Liu Bei its first emperor.Set at the end of the Han dynasty.
- StarsGuoqiang TangYanjun SunGuoan BaoIn 2nd century China, chaos reigns as warlords divide a land facing famine, drought and invasion. In times of disorder, heroes emerge.Set at the end of the Han dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period.
- DirectorLinshan ZhaoStarsChow Yun-FatLiu YifeiHiroshi TamakiSet in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, the story focuses on Cao Cao in his old age, exploring the areas of military tactics, love, and the relationship between father and son.Set in the Three Kingdoms period.
- DirectorDaniel LeeStarsAndy LauSammo Kam-Bo HungMaggie QBased on "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by Luo Guangzhong. It ranks as one of China's four most important pieces of literature.Set in the Three Kingdoms period.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiTakeshi KaneshiroFengyi ZhangSecond and final part of epic tale about a legendary battle that changed the course of China history.Set in the Three Kingdoms period.
- StarsKei GambitGe HuTu-Te-Ha-MengStory about a son's search for his family's lost honor.Set in the Northern and Southern period.
- StarsDaniel Hiu Tung ChanShaofeng FengQiang HeThe legend reveals life and romance of ancient China's masterful warrior, who wears a mask to hide his beautiful features and to intimidate his enemies in battlefield.Set during Northern Qi, one of the Northern dynasties.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsZiyi ZhangTakeshi KaneshiroAndy LauA romantic police captain breaks a beautiful member of a rebel group out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.Set during the Tang dynasty
- DirectorHark TsuiStarsTony Ka Fai LeungChao DengCarina LauAn exiled detective is recruited to solve a series of mysterious deaths that threaten to delay the inauguration of Empress Wu.Set during the Tang dynasty.
- StarsLiu Xiao Ling TongDehua MaHuaili YanParticipate in the legendary long pilgrimage of Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk Tang Shen, who traveled to the western regions of Central Asia and India to obtain sacred Buddhist texts.Set during the Tang dynasty.
- StarsKei GambitTian JingJialun RenThe series is about the ups and downs in the life of Shen Zhen Zhu, a exceptional beauty living during the most turbulent periods of the Tang dynasty.Set during the Tang dynasty.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsChow Yun-FatGong LiJay ChouDuring China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.Set during the Tang dynasty
- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingStarsKelly ChenDonnie YenLeon LaiAfter the death of her father, a woman is forced to take over as empress and fight to save her kingdom.Set in the Ten Kingdoms period.
- StarsRuby LinYikuan YanJennifer Ling HungMa Fuya is a princess of the Chu state in 10th-century China. In this time of warring kingdoms and political upheaval, Fuya's uncle usurps the throne, and brutally wipes out her family. Fuya bravely takes on the quest of avenging her family and restoring her kingdom at any cost. Loved by both the Prince of Shu Meng Qiyou and the Prince of Northern Han Liu Liancheng, the exiled princess becomes entrenched in the Shu court succession struggle and the battle between their contending states. Rising to power amid war, romance, and betrayal, what fate awaits Fuya, her people, and her love?Set in the Ten Kingdoms period.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsMatt DamonTian JingWillem DafoeIn ancient China, a group of European mercenaries encounters a secret army that maintains and defends the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.Set during the Song dynasty.
- StarsFelix WongBenny ChanCarman LeeThe story deals with several separate yet intertwining story lines, revolving around the protagonists Kiu Fung, Duen Yu and Hui Juk. Duen Yu is a young, naive prince of the Kingdom of Dali. Despite the long tradition of the practice of martial arts in the royal family, he refuses to learn martial arts due to Buddhist influence and his disdain for bloodshed. When his father tries to force him to learn martial arts, he runs away from home. Ironically, he acquires three of the most powerful skills in the novel and becomes immune to poison after consuming the Zhuha, a poisonous toad known as the "king of all venomous creatures". During his adventures, he encounters several beautiful young maidens, who all fell in love with him. Kiu Fung is the charismatic chief of the Beggars' Sect, who possesses strong leadership qualities and exceptional prowess in martial arts. He falls from grace after he is revealed to be a Khitan, and after he is wrongly accused of murdering several fellow martial artists to conceal his identity. He becomes an outcast and the prime enemy of the Han Chinese wulin (martial artists' community). Hui Juk is a monk from the Shaolin Sect, described to have a kind-hearted and submissive nature. He believes strongly in following the Buddhist code of conduct and refuses to break it even when faced with life-threatening situations. He follows his elders to a meeting once, which marks the start of his adventures. Coincidentally, and by sheer luck, Hui Juk breaks a weiqi formation and becomes the successor of the Carefree Sect and inherits the powers of Wuyazi.Set during the Song dynasty.
- StarsStephen ChowWah YuenKien ShihNaive Kwok Ching and selfish Wong Yung's adventures lead to the creation of powerful Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre. Manipulated due to kindness, Kwok influences Wong who aids his quest to defend Han Dynasty against Mongolian invasion.Set during the Song dynasty.
- DirectorDaniel LeeStarsDonnie YenWei ZhaoChun WuA kung fu thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and centered on a secret service agent (Donnie Yen) in the emperor's court who is betrayed and then hunted by his colleagues.Set during the Ming dynasty.