# Joy of Life (2019)

> A modern student writes himself into an ancient Chinese kingdom, where a young man with a hidden past navigates imperial intrigue with his principles intact.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/80906

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 83
- Episode runtime: 45 min
- Status: Returning Series
- Genres: drama, fantasy, history
- Created by: Mao Ni
- Network: CCTV-8, Zhejiang Television, Tencent Video
- Cast: Zhang Ruoyun, Li Qin, Chen Daoming, Wu Gang, Xin Zhilei, Liu Duanduan, Song Yi, Li Xiaoran
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11273352/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: earnest, heroic, intriguing, melancholic, warm

## What critics say

Audiences broadly acclaim the series for its sweeping wuxia-style political intrigue, its clever protagonist and its rich ensemble of characters across the capital and the seaside town of Qing.

## Synopsis

Joy of Life (2019-present) is a Chinese historical fantasy drama series created by Mao Ni and broadcast on CCTV-8, Zhejiang Television and Tencent Video. Zhang Ruoyun plays Fan Xian, a young man of mysterious origins raised in a remote seaside town of the Kingdom of Qing, who is guided by a secretive mentor and a blindfolded watchman. The engine of the series is his journey to the imperial capital, where he faces court murders, family rivalries and shifting power struggles while trying to hold to justice and goodness. Lin Wan'er (Li Qin) and Emperor of Qing (Chen Daoming) anchor the royal and romantic threads around him. The story frames its ancient world through a present-day college student who is writing the fiction, adding a reflective layer to the adventure. Each episode mixes wuxia martial arts, political maneuvering and romance across an ongoing multi-season run. The tone is earnest and warmly heroic, with moments of dread and bitter court politics. Fans of Story of Yanxi Palace, The Legend of Mi Yue and Empresses in the Palace will find resonance in its imperial intrigue and resilient protagonist.

## Shows like Joy of Life

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- [Love Like the Galaxy (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/113899)
- [Story of Yanxi Palace (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/69468)
- [The Princess Weiyoung (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/60010)
- [The Wolf (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/84062)
- [Who Rules The World (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/105471)
- [The Rise of Phoenixes (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/69851)
- [Legend of Yun Xi (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/69008)
- [Coroner's Diary (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/156947)
- [Story of Kunning Palace (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/129469)

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