Bai Lu and Zhao Liying Lose Out! Top 10 Most Beautiful Heroines in Battle-Damaged Looks in Chinese Dramas, Champion Still Divine Despite Blood-Soaked Face—Truly the Chosen One for Costume Roles

In Chinese costume dramas, the 'battle-damaged look' uses bloodstains, wounds, messy hair, and pale makeup to depict a character’s state after intense combat, torture, or severe injury. When an actor’s expression aligns with the emotional tone of the story, even a disheveled appearance can highlight facial features, creating an unforgettable 'broken beauty.' This article compiles the 'Top 10 Most Beautiful Heroines in Battle-Damaged Looks in Chinese Dramas' by referencing short reviews from Weibo and Douban, as well as public netizen comments, evaluating visual distinctiveness, character intensity, and audience reception.

10th Place: Li Qin in 'The Wolf' 'The Wolf' is a historical drama starring Wang Dalu, Li Qin, and Xiao Zhan. Li Qin plays Ma Zhaixing, a clever and sincere princess. Initially believing in human kindness and true love, she suffers family tragedy, romantic betrayal, and war, forcing her onto a path of revenge. Li Qin’s look—face smeared with blood, eyes filled with hatred—vividly portrays Ma Zhaixing’s transformation from an innocent girl to a tragic female general.

Netizens described her battle-damaged makeup as 'incredibly captivating' and praised her for 'vividly portraying the beautiful, strong, and tragic.' Li Qin naturally exudes a cool, distant aura, and when stained with blood, her facial contours become sharper, showing both the fierceness of a female general and the fatigue of one repeatedly wounded by fate.

9th Place: Zhao Lusi in 'Who Rules the World' 'Who Rules the World' is a historical wuxia drama starring Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi. Zhao Lusi plays Bai Fengxi, a free-spirited martial arts heroine whose true identity is Princess Feng Xiyun of Qingzhou. Skilled in martial arts and bold in personality, she later returns to court to protect the people and leads troops into battle. Her white robes stained with blood and face marked with wounds add a cold intensity to the otherwise bright and lively Bai Fengxi.

Viewers exclaimed that Zhao Lusi in armor is 'off the charts in coolness,' and praised her beauty and dedication, noting she 'performs most of her fight scenes herself.' Known for sweet, lively roles, this time she suppressed her smile, faced the battlefield with blood on her face, and displayed rare resilience and decisiveness.

8th Place: Yang Zi in 'Lost You Forever' 'Lost You Forever' is a mythological historical drama starring Yang Zi, Zhang Wanyi, Deng Wei, and Tan Jianci. Yang Zi plays Xiao Yao, a princess of Haoling who has wandered the wilderness for years. Once living under the alias Wen Xiao Liu, she endured constant pursuit, imprisonment, and torture. Even after reclaiming her royal identity, she repeatedly faces life-or-death crises. Yang Zi appears pale, with blood at the corner of her mouth and wounds all over, making Xiao Yao’s long-suppressed fear and loneliness tangible.

Netizens praised her performance as 'highly immersive,' with viewers noting Yang Zi’s 'increasingly natural acting—she becomes whoever she plays.' She doesn’t portray injury as mere crying, but through unfocused eyes, trembling body, and suppressed breathing, showing a character too pained to resist.

7th Place: Yang Mi in 'Eternal Love' 'Eternal Love' is a xianxia drama starring Yang Mi and Mark Chao. Yang Mi plays three roles: Bai Qian, Su Su, and Si Yin. The scenes where Su Su is blinded and jumps from the Zhu Xian Terrace, and where Bai Qian suffers severe injuries during her tribulation, are iconic heart-wrenching moments. Yang Mi, with pale skin and blood at the corners of her eyes—without ornate armor—leaves a deep impression through strong light-dark contrast and vivid blood.

Netizens described the look as 'overwhelmingly melancholic and broken.' Yang Mi’s features are naturally bright and striking, but without vibrant lipstick or full makeup, her face appears fragile. Her eyes, filled with despair after betrayal, became a classic image of the 'battle-damaged beauty' in early xianxia dramas.

6th Place: Zhou Ye in 'Brocade Moon, Like a Song' 'Brocade Moon, Like a Song' is a legendary historical drama starring Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei. Zhou Ye plays He Yan, a woman who takes her brother’s place in the army and rises to become a female general. After her identity is stolen, she re-enters the military, climbing from the lowest ranks back to the battlefield. Zhou Ye ties her long hair high, wears armor, and has her face smeared with blood and mud—her delicate features contrasting sharply with the harsh battlefield.

Viewers praised 'Zhou Ye’s makeup is incredibly cool' and 'her male disguise is strikingly handsome.' Her battle-damaged look emphasizes the sharpness of a young female general; the bloodstains don’t diminish her youthfulness but instead highlight He Yan’s stubborn refusal to bow, even when injured.

5th Place: Dilraba in 'As If You Were Returning' 'As If You Were Returning' continues the story of 'Once Upon a Time,' with Dilraba playing Ji Yunhe, a beast-tamer. Imprisoned for years by the Shunde Fairy, her body repeatedly experimented on and tortured, she escapes only to face dwindling spiritual power and a countdown to death. Dilraba wears armor, blood at her lips, and her gaze shifts from weak to resolute, portraying Ji Yunhe’s determination to protect others even at life’s end.

Many netizens said the scene had 'too much emotional impact' and her battle-damaged makeup was 'nothing short of legendary.' Dilraba’s strong features harmonize perfectly with the blood-toned makeup—red lips, pale skin, and dark armor creating a striking, dangerous visual.

4th Place: Zhao Liying in 'Princess Agents' 'Princess Agents' is a legendary historical drama starring Zhao Liying, Lin Gengxin, and Dou Xiao. Zhao Liying plays Chu Qiao, a slave girl who rises to become the Princess of Xiuli. From the start, she’s thrown into a human hunting ground, chased by wolves in the desert, then endures prison, war, and betrayal. Her face covered in dust, blood at her lips, yet her eyes burn with defiance—her battle-damaged look tightly connects with her character.

Netizens said she ‘has presence yet breaks your heart’ and ‘beautifully tragic.’ They praised Zhao Liying’s dedication, noting she ‘worked so hard,’ performing many high-intensity scenes herself despite extreme desert heat and demanding action sequences, making her battered appearance convincing.

3rd Place: Peng Xiaoran in 'Goodbye My Princess' 'Goodbye My Princess' is a historical tragic romance starring Chen Xingxu and Peng Xiaoran. Peng Xiaoran plays Qu Xiaofeng, the ninth princess of Xizhou. Once a free-spirited girl on the grasslands, she loses her family, memories, and love due to a political marriage. In the finale, she stands before two armies in red—symbolizing her homeland—and takes her own life. The red dress, pale face, and blood create the drama’s most unforgettable image.

Viewers called 'Goodbye My Princess' their 'white moonlight, cinnabar痣,' and said 'Chen Xingxu and Peng Xiaoran are truly worthy.' Peng Xiaoran’s red outfit was once vibrant and bold, but in the end, only emptiness and despair remain—its beauty highlighting how love and power drove Qu Xiaofeng to despair.

2nd Place: Bai Lu in 'Till the End of the Moon' 'Till the End of the Moon' is a xianxia drama starring Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu. Bai Lu plays three roles: Li Susu, Ye Xiwu, and Sang Jiu. Each identity bears the fate of saving the world or losing a loved one. The drama features many scenes of coughing blood, being stabbed, having仙sui extracted, and white robes stained with blood. Bai Lu’s battle-damaged look blends ethereal beauty with tragedy, especially striking when red clothing contrasts with her pale face.

Netizens said her injured look ‘achieved ultimate broken beauty, once again legendary,’ and viewers felt ‘deeply moved, unable to calm their emotions.’ Bai Lu’s crying scenes are emotionally explosive—when tears, blood, and trembling expressions appear together, audiences feel the pain of choosing sacrifice despite knowing the outcome can’t be changed.

1st Place: Liu Shishi in 'A Journey to Love' 'A Journey to Love' is a legendary historical drama starring Liu Shishi and Liu Yuning. Liu Shishi plays Ren Ruyi, a former elite guard. Highly skilled in martial arts and calm in demeanor, she joins the Wuguo imperial envoy team to uncover the truth about a deceased friend. In the final battle, Ren Ruyi wears dark battle attire, her face covered in blood and scars. Even exhausted, her gaze remains cold and resolute, merging an assassin’s killing intent with the sorrow of facing death.

Netizens exclaimed ‘the face stands, so does the nation,’ calling Liu Shishi ‘the chosen one for costume roles’ and saying she ‘shocked the world of historical dramas.’ Another comment praised her for ‘hiding tenderness beneath coldness, with fluid, sharp action scenes.’ Liu Shishi’s battle-damaged makeup doesn’t hide her natural cool aura—blood and wounds instead enhance her aloofness and determination. Standing tall despite being covered in wounds in the final battle, her victory is highly convincing.