If you've ever wondered how Chinese historical dramas blend martial arts, romance, and myth into binge-worthy spectacles, Wang Hedi (王鹤棣) is your gateway actor. Known for roles that demand both physicality and emotional depth—like the time-traveling detective in Guardians of the Dafeng—Wang has become a defining face of China's costume drama boom.
This article breaks down Wang Hedi's essential costume dramas, highlighting what makes each unique: intricate worldbuilding, genre-blending narratives, and performances that transcend language barriers.
Guardians of the Dafeng 大奉打更人
- Aired: 2025
- Period Background: A fictional dynasty inspired by the Tang and Ming dynasties, blending historical aesthetics with fantasy elements.
- Genres: Historical fantasy, mystery, romance, comedy.
- Main Roles: Wang Hedi as Xu Qi'an, Tian Xiwei as Princess Lin'an
- Adapted From: The hit web novel of the same name by Mai Bao Xiao Lang Jun
The series opens with Xu Qi'an investigating a series of ritualistic murders linked to a cult worshipping the "White Bone Goddess." Using forensic techniques alien to the Great Feng—like analyzing blood spatter patterns and soil samples—he exposes a plot to destabilize the throne. However, the deeper he digs, the more he uncovers about his own mysterious arrival in this era, including cryptic clues left by a previous time traveler.
Xu's partnership with Princess Lin'an drives both the plot and emotional core. In one standout arc, the duo infiltrates a ghost wedding ceremony to rescue kidnapped brides. Lin'an poses as a bride while Xu, disguised as a priest, deploys a makeshift lie detector (using a hollowed-out Buddhist prayer wheel) to interrogate suspects. Their banter—Lin'an rolls her eyes at Xu's "ridiculous modern gadgets"—adds levity, but the stakes soar when they discover the ritual is a cover for trafficking women to rival kingdoms.
The show's most iconic moment occurs in Episode 12: Xu and Lin'an share a 60-second kiss during a lantern festival, their silhouettes framed against exploding fireworks. Director Li Mubo shot the scene in one take to emphasize the raw, unscripted tension between the leads. Fans dubbed it the "fireworks confession," praising how it juxtaposed romantic release with the unresolved political storm brewing around them.
Fantasy-Meets-History:
The Great Feng's architecture mirrors the Tang Dynasty's cosmopolitan flair, with Persian carpets in palace halls and Uighur merchants in street markets. Costume designer Zhong Jiani reimagined Ming-era flying fish robes (飞鱼服) for the night watchmen, adding copper bell accessories that chime during spirit battles—a practical tool in folklore to repel evil.
The "White Bone Goddess" subplot draws from Tang legends about jiangshi (reanimated corpses), while the cult's hierarchy mirrors the Ming-era White Lotus Society, a real secret sect that opposed imperial rule.
Mystery Mechanics:
The night watchmen were actual officials in ancient China tasked with nighttime patrols and timekeeping. The show expands their role into "supernatural detectives" who use tools like spirit mirrors (inspired by Tang-era bronze boshan mirrors) and talismans based on Daoist sigils.
Xu's modern methods clash humorously with ancient practices. In Episode 7, he explains DNA analysis to baffled officials using a loquat fruit analogy ("Imagine every person's essence is like the unique seeds inside").
Comedy as Social Commentary:
The series uses Xu's anachronisms to critique both modern and feudal societies. When he introduces a "employee performance review system" to the night watchmen, it backfires hilariously as bureaucrats weaponize it for petty power struggles.
Princess Lin'an's struggle for agency mirrors historical figures like Tang's Princess Pingyang, who commanded armies but remains overshadowed in dynastic records.
Why It Works for International Audiences:
Relatable Hero: Xu Qi'an's wit and skepticism—he dismisses a haunting as "low-oxygen hallucinations"—make him accessible to viewers unfamiliar with Xianxia or Wuxia tropes.
Pacing: Unlike many 70-episode costume dramas, Guardians of the Dafeng adopts a case-of-the-week structure (e.g., a haunted tea house in Episode 3) interspersed with serialized political arcs.
Mood Balance: The show pivots seamlessly from horror (a corpse-cloning subplot inspired by The Thing) to slapstick (Xu teaching locals to make "ancient protein shakes" with eggs and goat's milk).
Stream It For: A fresh twist on historical fantasy that prioritizes character growth over lore dumps—and proof that Wang Hedi can anchor a genre-bending series with equal parts swagger and sincerity.
Love Between Fairy and Devil 苍兰诀
Love Between Fairy and Devil 苍兰诀
- Aired: 2022
- Period Background: A mystical realm divided between the immortal Shuiyuntian, the mortal world, and the demonic Cangyan Sea.
- Genres: Xianxia, romance, fantasy.
- Main Roles: Wang Hedi as Dongfang Qingcang : The emotionally repressed Moon Supreme of the demon tribe; Esther Yu as Xiao Lanhua: A gentle fairy who accidentally swaps souls with Dongfang Qingcang.
- Adapted From: The novel Love Between Fairy and Devil by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, a renowned author in the Xianxia genre.
The series begins with Xiao Lanhua accidentally breaking Dongfang Qingcang's 30,000-year seal, binding their souls together. Forced to coexist, they swap bodies—a device that fuels both humor (Dongfang, in Xiao's body, struggling to mimic her "girly" mannerisms) and pathos (Xiao, in Dongfang's body, experiencing his physical pain from the curse).
Their journey to sever the soul tie becomes a metaphor for emotional healing. In one pivotal arc, Dongfang rediscovers fear after centuries of numbness when Xiao nearly dies protecting him from heavenly soldiers. Wang Hedi's delivery of the line "Why does my chest hurt?"—his first acknowledgment of human sensation—marked a turning point, with the scene trending globally on TikTok.
The couple's romance defies Xianxia tropes. Instead of grand gestures, their bond grows through quiet acts: Dongfang using his demonic powers to water Xiao's orchid form each night, or Xiao stitching his battle robes despite her mortal blindness. The finale's tragic twist—Dongfang erasing Xiao's memories to save her from a fate worse than death—subverts the genre's typical "happy ending," leaving audiences debating its emotional resonance for weeks.
Xianxia Aesthetics:
The Shuiyuntian realm draws from Taoist depictions of heaven, with floating islands and palaces wrapped in silk-like clouds. Demon realm Cangyan Sea, however, features volcanic landscapes and armor inspired by Terracotta Warrior designs, symbolizing Dongfang's militarized rule.
Xiao Lanhua's costumes evolve with her character: pastel gowns as a naive fairy, stark white robes during her sacrificial arc, and finally crimson battle attire symbolizing her embrace of dual immortal-demon identity.
Philosophical Depth:
Dongfang's struggle between duty (to his demon subjects) and desire (for Xiao, 孝) reflects Confucian debates on righteousness (义) versus emotion (情). His ultimate choice—destroying his own heart to save both realms—echoes Daoist ideals of balance through sacrifice.
The "Love Root" curse critiques the Xianxia trope of emotionless heroes, arguing that true power lies in embracing vulnerability.
Why It Resonates Globally:
Character-Driven Fantasy: Unlike typical Xianxia shows focused on godly battles, Love Between Fairy and Devil prioritizes intimate moments, such as Dongfang learning to smile by copying Xiao's expressions.
Universal Romance: The leads' chemistry transcends cultural barriers. Their "red string of fate" arc, where threads visibly connect their hearts, visualizes devotion in a way that needs no translation.
Moral Complexity: Supporting characters like Ronghao, an immortal who turns villain out of grief, add shades of gray rarely seen in the genre.
Stream It For: A Xianxia masterpiece that redefines love stories through Wang Hedi's career-best performance and a narrative blending poetic subtlety with epic stakes. Perfect for fans of The Untamed seeking more emotional depth.
Miss The Dragon 遇龙
Miss The Dragon 遇龙
- Aired: 2021
- Period Background: A timeless romance spanning four lifetimes in imperial China.
- Genres: Romance, fantasy, tragedy.
- Main Roles: Wang Hedi as Lord Liu Yan: A dragon king bound to protect a mortal woman across reincarnations.
- Adapted From: The Chinese RPG Video Game.
In Miss The Dragon, Wang Hedi stars as Lord Liu Yan, a dragon king bound by duty to guard the mortal realm. His life shifts irrevocably when he falls in love with Xuanyuan Xiaoqi, a servant girl who unknowingly saves his life during a heavenly ambush. Their romance is cut short when Xiaoqi is killed by a vengeful deity, but Liu Yan refuses to let her disappear. Drawing on his dragon lineage, he strikes a forbidden pact with the underworld: he will endure celestial punishments for centuries to protect Xiaoqi's soul across her reincarnations.
The series spans four lifetimes, each testing Liu Yan's devotion. In Xiaoqi's first reincarnation, she becomes Qing Qing, a scholar's daughter in the Song Dynasty. Liu Yan poses as her family's gardener, silently shielding her from political schemes linked to her father's controversial reforms. Their bond deepens when Qing Qing discovers his true identity, but their happiness is shattered by her arranged marriage to a corrupt official. In a heart-wrenching scene, Liu Yan unleashes his dragon form to rescue her from a fire, only to watch her choose death over a life of subjugation.
By her third life, Xiaoqi reincarnates as Xiao Xue, a warrior nun during the Ming Dynasty. Here, the tone shifts to action as Liu Yan aids her in battling a demonic cult manipulating the imperial court. Their dynamic evolves into a partnership—Xiao Xue wields a sword forged from Liu Yan's scales, symbolizing their intertwined fates. However, their victory costs Xiao Xue her life, leaving Liu Yan to confront his growing despair.
The final arc sees Xiaoqi reborn as Yun Xi, a 21st-century musician plagued by dreams of her past lives. Liu Yan, now weakened by millennia of heavenly punishments, must navigate modern bureaucracy to protect her from a reincarnated antagonist. The climax hinges on Yun Xi's choice: erase her memories to live normally or embrace her past to save Liu Yan. Wang Hedi's portrayal of Liu Yan's quiet anguish—particularly in a silent tear shed as Yun Xi initially rejects him—showcases his ability to convey profound emotion without dialogue.
Reincarnation & Buddhist Philosophy: The series mirrors Buddhist teachings on karma and samsara. Each of Xiaoqi's lives reflects karmic lessons: Qing Qing's story critiques feudal oppression, Xiao Xue's arc emphasizes dharma (duty), and Yun Xi's modern struggle represents breaking free from past-life baggage. Liu Yan's eternal vigil parallels the Bodhisattva ideal—postponing enlightenment to alleviate others' suffering.
Visual Poetry:
Episodes are structured like Tang Dynasty poems, using seasonal motifs to mark emotional beats. For instance:
Spring: Xiaoqi's first life blooms with cherry blossoms, symbolizing fleeting love.
Winter: Liu Yan's isolation is framed by snowscapes, his dragon form coiled around a frost-laden mountain.
Director Chen Weiting employs lyrical camerawork, such as slow-motion shots of falling petals mirroring Liu Yan's tears, to underscore the tragedy.
Mythological Authenticity:
Liu Yan's dragon design blends Qing Dynasty textiles with Han Dynasty dragon iconography. His transformation sequences incorporate Taoist qigong movements, while the underworld bureaucracy mirrors Ming-era judicial systems—complete with ink-brush scrolls detailing karmic debts.
Miss The Dragon's core theme—love that transcends time—echoes Western narratives like The Time Traveler's Wife, but with a uniquely Chinese spiritual lens. Liu Yan's sacrifice resonates with anyone who's experienced unrequited or enduring love.
Wang's portrayal avoids melodrama; his Liu Yan is a restrained yet magnetic figure, making his moments of vulnerability (e.g., trembling hands as he touches Xiaoqi's reincarnated face) profoundly relatable.
Spectacle and Artistry:
Costume Design: Liu Yan's robes evolve from Tang-style silks to Ming-era brocades, each embedded with scales that glow during battles. The "copper bell uniforms" in Guardians of the Dafeng and Love Between Fairy and Devil's ethereal battle armor demonstrate China's craftsmanship legacy.
Action Choreography: In Miss The Dragon, Liu Yan's dragon form fights with a mix of Wuxia swordplay and mythical CGI, creating balletic combat sequences. Compare this to Love Between Fairy and Devil's spell-based duels, which mimic calligraphy strokes.
Cultural Hybridity:
Guardians of the Dafeng's humor bridges eras—Xu Qi'an's joke about "ancient HR departments" when reforming the night watchmen mirrors A Knight's Tale's modernized medievalism.
Miss The Dragon's modern-day finale merges traditional aesthetics with sci-fi elements. Liu Yan uses a smartphone app to track Xiaoqi's soul energy, a playful nod to how China's youth reconcile technology with spirituality.
Wang Hedi's global appeal lies in his ability to anchor fantastical stories in human truth. Whether portraying Liu Yan's millennia-spanning grief or Xu Qi'an's witty anachronisms, he embodies characters who feel simultaneously epic and intimate. Miss The Dragon exemplifies this duality—a love story steeped in Buddhist philosophy, yet as visceral as a first heartbreak. For international viewers, it's a gateway to understanding China's rich narrative traditions, where dragons weep and love defies even the heavens.
Wang's portrayal of Dongfang Qingcang, a demon king cursed to feel no emotions, turned a classic Xianxia trope into a global phenomenon. Fans worldwide praised his ability to convey restraint (a single tear in Episode 24 broke social media) and his chemistry with co-star Esther Yu. Similarly, in Guardians of the Dafeng, Wang merges slapstick comedy (imagine explaining DNA to Tang Dynasty officials) with Sherlock-level mystery-solving. These roles showcase his range—from tragic antiheroes to witty everymen—while anchoring fantastical plots in relatable humanity.
In Love Between Fairy and Devil, it's not just the CGI dragons that captivate—it's Dongfang Qingcang's journey from icy ruler to vulnerable lover. In Guardians of the Dafeng, the appeal lies in Xu Qi'an's modern wit clashing with ancient bureaucracy, like using forensic science to solve a dynasty's murder mystery. These shows don't just showcase China's history or myths; they make them accessible through character-driven plots.
For international viewers, Wang's projects are ideal entry points. Miss The Dragon explores reincarnation across four lifetimes without drowning in exposition. What unites these dramas is Wang's ability to balance grandeur with intimacy—a sword fight isn't just about choreography but the emotions behind each strike.
