《Silent Witness》 and 《White Night Chase》 Lost! The Strongest Revenge Drama TOP10 Champion is It: Tragedy After All, the Aftertaste is Too Strong, Can't Get Out After Watching

Revenge dramas have a kind of irresistible attraction. The protagonist may spend years investigating the truth, or even stake their life, just to seek justice for themselves or important people. Compared to those that merely pursue the satisfaction of slapping faces, truly highly-rated works often focus more on why the characters embark on the path of revenge and what price hatred ultimately pays. This ranking selects Chinese TV dramas broadcast in the past 10 years, screening those with a Douban rating of 8 points or above and with revenge or retribution as the main plot motivation. It then ranks them based on the comprehensive evaluation of rating levels, number of raters, and positive sentiment in Douban short reviews and discussion areas, helping you understand the plots, characters, and netizen reviews of high-rated Chinese dramas such as 《The Long Season》, 《Silent Witness》, and 《White Night Chase》.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 10: Qin Hao, Deng Jia Jia 《No Crime》｜Rating: 8.0 Qin Hao plays Yan Liang in 《No Crime》, a police officer with a stubborn personality and unconventional investigation methods. The story begins with a series of 'Snowman Murder Cases', where the killer leaves similar marks after each crime. Deng Jia Jia plays Zhu Hui Ru, who gets involved in a murder case to protect her brother; Yao Lu plays Guo Wen, who bears the pain of his wife and daughter's death. After years of investigation, he chooses to seek retribution from the real culprit in his own way. The entire drama is not a traditional feel-good revenge story, as revenge also involves mistaken killings, taking the blame, and moral choices.

Many viewers were deeply impressed by Guo Wen played by Yao Lu after watching it. Some said, 'Guo Wen's tragic sense is too strong,' while others felt, 'Qin Hao performed Yan Liang's roguishness very well,' and 'This is not a revenge drama that makes you feel good after watching.' Guo Wen, in order to avenge his wife and daughter, slowly pushes himself into the abyss. Although viewers know his methods are wrong, they still find it hard to completely dislike him. The pace in the latter half is not as tight as the beginning, but each character has their own troubles, leaving a heavy feeling in your heart after watching.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 9: Lei Jiajin, Yi Yifan 《Long An Twelve Hours》｜Rating: 8.1 Lei Jiajin plays Zhang Xiao Jing, a condemned prisoner who was once a soldier guarding Chang'an. After committing a serious crime, he was imprisoned in the death cell. Later, he was promoted by the Jing'an Bureau and investigated the plan of the Wolf Guards to attack Chang'an within twelve hours. Yi Yifan plays Li Bi, the deputy head of the Jing'an Bureau, who is young but familiar with court politics and official operations. The story's surface is about preventing the disaster of Chang'an, but the encounter of the mastermind Long Bo and the old soldiers of the Eighth Team gives the entire operation a meaning of seeking retribution from the nobles.

The most frequently praised aspect of this drama is the atmosphere of Chang'an. Some viewers said, 'Chang'an is shot as if people really live there,' 'Lei Jiajin is Zhang Xiao Jing himself,' and 'Long Bo made mistakes, but his hatred is not out of nowhere.' At the beginning, you might be a bit confused by the many characters and job titles, but later you will realize that Long Bo wants to destroy not only Chang'an but also the court that used and discarded the Eighth Team. Some people felt that there were too many subplots in the middle, but every time Zhang Xiao Jing remembered his deceased comrades, the emotions were still very powerful.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 8: Li Xian, Zhang Ming'en 《River God》｜Rating: 8.2 Li Xian plays Guo Deyou, known as 'Little River God,' who is familiar with the waterways of Tianjin and folk autopsy methods and can solve cases by identifying injustices through smoking. Zhang Ming'en plays Ding Mao, the young master of the Canal Transportation Association, who, after his father's mysterious death, joins forces with Guo Deyou to investigate the truth. The case gradually reveals the old case of Magic Road from twenty years ago, and the survivors, victims, and avengers of that year reappear, leading a series of strange cases back to the covered disaster.

Viewers who like 《River God》 generally appreciate its strange and local-flavored atmosphere. Some say, 'Guo Deyou is both roguish and clever, and it's interesting to watch him solve cases,' 'The folk customs are shot better than ordinary suspense dramas,' and 'Those seemingly strange cases will eventually lead back to the events of twenty years ago.' Guo Deyou believes in old experience, while Ding Mao emphasizes new science. The two bicker but help each other, and it seems to go smoothly. The special effects may look a bit old now, but the overall story is still very easy to make you watch episode after episode.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 7: Huang Xiaoming, Liu Haoran 《Nirvana in Fire: The Promise of the Dawn》｜Rating: 8.4 Huang Xiaoming plays Shao Pingzhang, the heir of the Changlin House, who is calm and puts national responsibility before personal choices; Liu Haoran plays his younger brother Shao Pingjing, who was originally carefree but was forced to grow up after his brother and family encountered one misfortune after another. In the story, Puyang Ying, due to the epidemic disaster and hatred of annihilation of her mother country, directs her revenge target at Great Liang; Shao Yuanqi also gradually walks towards another path of revenge under the temptation of power and the death of his family. Shao Pingjing must return to the battlefield after losing his family and stop hatred from destroying the country.

This drama was compared to 《Nirvana in Fire》 when it first aired, and it was indeed slower to warm up at the beginning. However, many people only truly got into it after Shao Pingzhang got into trouble. Viewers often say, 'After Shao Pingzhang left, the entire drama suddenly became very heavy,' 'Liu Haoran played Shao Pingjing from a teenager to someone who can handle things, and the change is obvious,' and 'The villains in it are not inherently bad; they are gradually led astray by hatred.' Some people originally just came to watch because of the previous work, but in the end, they were moved by Shao Pingjing and the Changlin House's feelings. Its revenge is not about the satisfaction of slapping faces but more about watching how a person grows up after losing their family.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 6: Zhang Yi, Zhang Songwen 《Rush to the Dead Summer》｜Rating: 8.5 Zhang Yi plays police officer An Xin, who, from a young and enthusiastic police officer, has been chasing the black and evil forces of Jinghai for more than twenty years, witnessing the sacrifice of comrades, witnesses turning their testimony, and cases being suppressed by power, but has never given up. Zhang Songwen plays Gao Qiangqiang, who was initially just a fishmonger being bullied but later established a criminal group using human relationships, violence, and umbrellas. An Xin's pursuit of Gao Qiangqiang also includes seeking the truth for his mentor Cao Chuang, comrade Li Xiang, and many victims.

The discussion of 《Rush to the Dead Summer》 almost always revolves around Gao Qiangqiang. Netizens believe that 'Zhang Songwen performed Gao Qiangqiang's transformation from a fishmonger to a black boss very naturally,' 'An Xin is not incapable, but every time he is about to touch the truth, he is stopped,' and 'Big Brother and Big Sister's appearance immediately has a strong presence.' The Gao Qiangqiang in the first half made many viewers both sympathetic and afraid because it is clear that he initially just wanted to protect his family, but later he went further and further astray. An Xin has been chasing for more than twenty years for his mentor, comrades, and victims, and that kind of always losing but not giving up tiredness is more torturous than ordinary revenge plots.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 5: Bai Yufan, Ning Li 《Under the Power》｜Rating: 8.5 Bai Yufan plays Qu Sanjiao, a small constable during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. After his mentor, Cold Head, was killed in a mysterious way, he begins to investigate the truth. What initially seemed to be unrelated cases gradually connect back to the Lu family fire twenty years ago. Ning Li plays Song Chen, whose identity and position are always shrouded in mystery; Yu Yao plays Lu Zhi, who is the key to understanding the entire revenge plot. The story alternates between the timeline of young Lu Zhi and adult Qu Sanjiao, slowly revealing how a person transforms from a victim to a plotter.

Many viewers initially thought this was just a costume detective drama, but later realized that the real core is Lu Zhi's revenge after waiting for twenty years. Some netizens say it 'has literary value,' 'is not just a detective story but also like watching the lives of people in a small city at the end of the Ming Dynasty,' and 'the lighting and editing are very flavorful.' The beginning has many names and clues, requiring a bit of patience. After the two timelines connect, many seemingly unrelated cases have their reasons. Lu Zhi's plan is precise but hard to feel satisfying because he has already trapped himself in that great fire.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 4: Qin Hao, Rong Zishan 《The Hidden Blade》｜Rating: 8.8 Qin Hao plays Zhang Dongsheng, a mathematics teacher at a junior high school whose marriage is on the verge of collapse. He pushes his in-laws off a cliff but is accidentally caught on camera by three children. Rong Zishan plays Zhu Chaoyang, who was originally an outstanding but introverted student, long ignored by his family and bullied by classmates. As blackmail, death, and lies increase, Zhu Chaoyang gradually learns to use secrets to protect himself and even control the people around him. The revenge in the drama is not a single line but adults and children using harm to respond to the harm they have received.

This drama scared many viewers from the first episode. Some netizens said, 'The beginning is very surprising,' 'The pictures, editing, and actors are all in good condition,' and 'After watching, I want to go back and find details.' Qin Hao's Zhang Dongsheng made 'Shall we go climbing together?' a classic line, but what really makes you think is Zhu Chaoyang. Some people think he was just forced into a dead end, while others believe he learned how to use secrets very early. The drama did not explain all the answers, so after the broadcast, everyone still argues about which are facts and which are just the fairy tales Zhu Chaoyang wrote for himself.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 3: Pan Yue Ming, Wang Li Zheng 《White Night Chase》｜Rating: 8.9 Pan Yue Ming plays both Guan Hongfeng and Guan Hongyu. The younger brother Guan Hongyu is accused of committing a massacre, and the elder brother Guan Hongfeng, to avoid suspicion, resigns from his police job but secretly helps his brother investigate the truth. Due to Guan Hongfeng's nyctophobia, the brothers have to take turns using the same identity, investigating cases during the day and night. Wang Li Zheng plays Zhou Xun, who both relies on Guan Hongfeng's abilities and always suspects that the brothers are hiding secrets.

When watching 《White Night Chase》, many viewers first notice that Pan Yue Ming really distinguishes the two brothers. Some viewers say, 'You don't need to look at the clothes; just looking at the eyes, you can tell if it's the elder or the younger brother,' 'Each case is not dragged out, and the massacre main storyline always keeps people on edge,' and 'Guan Hongfeng looks the calmest but actually hides the most.' Guan Hongyu wants to prove that he did not kill, and Guan Hongfeng...

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 2: Hu Ge, Liu Haoran 《Nirvana in Fire: The Promise of the Dawn》｜Rating: 8.9 Hu Ge plays Shao Pingzhang, who is calm and puts national responsibility before personal choices; Liu Haoran plays his younger brother Shao Pingjing, who was originally carefree but was forced to grow up after his brother and family encountered one misfortune after another. In the story, Puyang Ying, due to the epidemic disaster and hatred of annihilation of her mother country, directs her revenge target at Great Liang; Shao Yuanqi also gradually walks towards another path of revenge under the temptation of power and the death of his family. Shao Pingjing must return to the battlefield after losing his family and stop hatred from destroying the country.

This drama was compared to 《Nirvana in Fire》 when it first aired, and it was indeed slower to warm up at the beginning. However, many people only truly got into it after Shao Pingzhang got into trouble. Viewers often say, 'After Shao Pingzhang left, the entire drama suddenly became very heavy,' 'Liu Haoran played Shao Pingjing from a teenager to someone who can handle things, and the change is obvious,' and 'The villains in it are not inherently bad; they are gradually led astray by hatred.' Some people originally just came to watch because of the previous work, but in the end, they were moved by Shao Pingjing and the Changlin House's feelings. Its revenge is not about the satisfaction of slapping faces but more about watching how a person grows up after losing their family.

Douban Highest-Rated Revenge Chinese Drama No. 1: Huang Xiaoming, Liu Haoran 《Nirvana in Fire: The Promise of the Dawn》｜Rating: 9.0 Huang Xiaoming plays Shao Pingzhang, the heir of the Changlin House, who is calm and puts national responsibility before personal choices; Liu Haoran plays his younger brother Shao Pingjing, who was originally carefree but was forced to grow up after his brother and family encountered one misfortune after another. In the story, Puyang Ying, due to the epidemic disaster and hatred of annihilation of her mother country, directs her revenge target at Great Liang; Shao Yuanqi also gradually walks towards another path of revenge under the temptation of power and the death of his family. Shao Pingjing must return to the battlefield after losing his family and stop hatred from destroying the country.

This drama was compared to 《Nirvana in Fire》 when it first aired, and it was indeed slower to warm up at the beginning. However, many people only truly got into it after Shao Pingzhang got into trouble. Viewers often say, 'After Shao Pingzhang left, the entire drama suddenly became very heavy,' 'Liu Haoran played Shao Pingjing from a teenager to someone who can handle things, and the change is obvious,' and 'The villains in it are not inherently bad; they are gradually led astray by hatred.' Some people originally just came to watch because of the previous work, but in the end, they were moved by Shao Pingjing and the Changlin House's feelings. Its revenge is not about the satisfaction of slapping faces but more about watching how a person grows up after losing their family.