Strong Female Leads in Chinese Dramas
Strength comes in many forms: intelligence, skills, martial arts, kindness, etc.
I've watched all these dramas, and they vary in strength of the female leads. I keep thinking of adding more, but I'm unsure of how "strong" the female leads should be for this list. So, if you're looking for good Chinese dramas with strong female leads, I'd suggest to go by rating first.
Thanks and enjoy!
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1. I Am Just This Type of Girl
Chinese Drama - 2021, 40 episodes
Ban Hua has a horrible reputation, but she doesn't care one bit.
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2. A Journey to Meet Love
Chinese Drama - 2019, 52 episodes
Xin Yue sets out to reclaim what's hers and find out the truth of her father's death.
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3. An Oriental Odyssey
Chinese Drama - 2018, 50 episodes
Yuan An fights for justice and solves cases, but what will happen when the one closest to her betrays her?
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4. Arsenal Military Academy
Chinese Drama - 2019, 48 episodes
Xie Xiang impersonates her brother, Xie Liang Chen, at the Arsenal Military Academy to fight against the Japanese.
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5. Ban Shu Legend
Chinese Drama - 2015, 42 episodes
Ban Shu travels from the grasslands to the city to search for her family, and be recognized by them.
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6. Chef Fang
Chinese Drama - 2017, 36 episodes
Yi Shao is forced to marry a "bad boy," but she slowly changes him into a great man.
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7. Chef Hua
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
Xiao Mai loves to cook and works hard to make her dreams come true whilst falling in love along the way. Watching this makes me want to cook delicious food too!
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8. Eternal Love
Chinese Drama - 2017, 58 episodes
In each of her lives, Bai Qian/Si Yin/Su Su is clear about her love and hate.
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9. Fake Princess
Chinese Drama - 2020, 27 episodes
Chang Le is forced to get married to protect those she loves.
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10. General and I
Chinese Drama - 2017, 62 episodes
Ping Ting is a brilliant military strategist who falls in love with the "enemy."
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11. I've Fallen For You
Chinese Drama - 2020, 24 episodes
San Qi solves cases while looking for her childhood friend/brother.
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12. In a Class of Her Own
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
Wen Xi disguises as her brother, Wen Bin, to make money and somehow gets roped into attending an all male academy.
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13. Legend of Concubine Zhen Huan
Chinese Drama - 2012, 76 episodes
Zhen Huan adapts to palace life and becomes one of the most powerful women in the harem.
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14. Legend of Fu Yao
Chinese Drama - 2018, 66 episodes
Fu Yao sets out to find out where she comes from.
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15. Legend of Lu Zhen
Chinese Drama - 2013, 59 episodes
Lu Zhen sets out to get justice. She works her way up to become the first female prime minister.
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16. Legend of the Phoenix
Chinese Drama - 2019, 41 episodes
Ning Zhi's smarts, skills, and kindness help her to protect the country. Sometimes men are stupid.
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17. Legend of Two Sisters In the Chaos
Chinese Drama - 2020, 40 episodes
Yu Zhan is smart and strategically evades the dangers of politics and royalty.
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18. Lost Love in Times
Chinese Drama - 2017, 56 episodes
Qing Chen resets time to prevent a major mishap from occurring, but everything is different...
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19. Love is Sweet
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
Jiang Jun is allergic to her tears and could die if she cries, so she had to learn how to be strong.
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20. Love of Thousand Years
Chinese Drama - 2020, 30 episodes
Qin Chuan/Ah Man plans to get revenge for the murder of her family.
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21. Maiden Holmes
Chinese Drama - 2020, 32 episodes
Su Ci is a brilliant detective that sets out to clear her family's name.
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22. Mengfei Comes Across
Chinese Drama - 2018, 36 episodes
Bu Meng doesn't want anything but to survive life as a concubine, and the only way to do that is to not be in favor with the King.
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23. Miss Truth
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
Ran Yan is an expert coroner, trying to figure out the real cause of her mother's death.
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24. My Dear Destiny
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
Qi Qi is a witch that awakens as Chou Qing Li, a concubine. Without her powers, she must now navigate the harem whilst battling against hidden evil forces.
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25. Yu Zhao Ling
Chinese Drama - 2021, 32 episodes
Duan Mu Cui is an immortal who descends to the mortal realm to vanquish harmful demons.
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26. No Boundary Season 2
Chinese Drama - 2021, 20 episodes
The story continues for Duan Mu Cui in season 2.
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27. Ode to Joy
Chinese Drama - 2016, 42 episodes
5 very different women coming together to become better versions of themselves. They all live on the same floor of an apartment complex called "Ode to Joy."
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28. Ode to Joy 2
Chinese Drama - 2017, 55 episodes
The story continues for these 5 women in season 2.
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29. Oh My General
Chinese Drama - 2017, 60 episodes
Ye Zhao is a female general that gets married.
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30. Princess Agents
Chinese Drama - 2017, 67 episodes
Xing'er/Chu Qiao, with her memories lost, struggles to survive in a cruel world.
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31. Princess Silver
Chinese Drama - 2019, 58 episodes
With no recollection of her past, Rong Le/Man Yao struggles between her duty to her country and her love.
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32. Queen Dugu
Chinese Drama - 2019, 50 episodes
Jia Luo wants revenge for her family's demise. Eventually, she becomes Empress.
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33. Rookie Agent Rouge
Chinese Drama - 2016, 45 episodes
Yan Zhi becomes a spy to fight against the Japanese.
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34. Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace
Chinese Drama - 2018, 87 episodes
Ruyi's only goal is to maintain her love.
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35. Skate Into Love
Chinese Drama - 2020, 40 episodes
Tang Xue reconnects with her passion, speed skating.
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36. Sound of the Desert
Chinese Drama - 2014, 35 episodes
Yu Jin/Jin Yu travels from the desert to Chang'an and makes a name for herself.
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37. Story of Yanxi Palace
Chinese Drama - 2018, 70 episodes
Ying Luo enters the palace to find out what happened to her sister and exact revenge.
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38. The Brightest Star in the Sky
Chinese Drama - 2019, 44 episodes
Zhen Zhen manages an unruly singer, making him a better person and artist.
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39. The Empress of China
Chinese Drama - 2014, 96 episodes
Wu Zetian's rise to becoming the only female emperor.
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40. The Imperial Coroner
Chinese Drama - 2021, 36 episodes
If Chu Chu can't find the cause of death, no one can.
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41. The Imperial Doctress
Chinese Drama - 2016, 50 episodes
Yun Xian's excellent medical skills get her into the palace.
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42. The Journey of Flower
Chinese Drama - 2015, 58 episodes
Qian Gu becomes a strong and powerful fighter, never forgetting where she came from.
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43. The King's Woman
Chinese Drama - 2017, 48 episodes
Gong Sun Li is forced to marry the King to protect her lover. She eventually falls in love with the King, but never forgets about the common people's suffering.
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44. The Legend of Dugu
Chinese Drama - 2018, 55 episodes
Ban Ruo is assertive, smart, and ambitious. She will do anything to become queen and realize the prophecy "The World of Dugu." Man Tuo is cunning and selfish, and will do anything for wealth and status because her mother was a concubine. Jia Luo is clever and kind; she cares for her family and the people.
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45. The Legend of Hao Lan
Chinese Drama - 2019, 62 episodes
Hao Lan's struggle to survive and become stronger.
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46. The Legends
Chinese Drama - 2019, 56 episodes
Zhao Yao was once one of the strongest martial artists, known for being evil, but she wasn't always like that. After she "dies," she comes back for vengeance.
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47. The Long Ballad
Chinese Drama - 2021, 49 episodes
Chang Ge/Shi Si struggles to survive in order to get revenge, but also save the people from suffering.
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48. The Moon Brightens For You
Chinese Drama - 2020, 36 episodes
Qing Hong's journey to become a great martial arts master and to fight for what is right.
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49. Monarch Industry
Chinese Drama - 2021, 68 episodes
Wang Xuan may be a princess, but she quickly learns that family was not what she thought it was. She uses her wisdom to protect her country and people.
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50. The Romance of Hua Rong
Chinese Drama - 2019, 24 episodes
Hua Rong uses her intelligence to help others on her journey to become a heroine.
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51. The Song of Glory
Chinese Drama - 2020, 53 episodes
Li Ge fights for the people and against the cruelty and hypocrisy of royalty and nobles.
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52. The Story of Ming Lan
Chinese Drama - 2018, 78 episodes
Ming Lan is a clever girl, just trying to survive. If you don't mess with her, she won't mess with you.
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53. Jin Xin Si Yu
Chinese Drama - 2021, 45 episodes
Shi Yi gets married in order to find out the truth behind her mother's murder.
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54. The Virtuous Queen of Han
Chinese Drama - 2014, 47 episodes
Zi Fu wins everyone over with her kindness.
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55. To Get Her
Chinese Drama - 2019, 30 episodes
Zheng Zheng/Zhen'er enters a video game set in ancient times to save her boyfriend, but he has no memories of her and even hates her.
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56. Under the Power
Chinese Drama - 2019, 55 episodes
Jin Xia is an intelligent constable, who ends up figuring out where she comes from.
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57. Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures
Chinese Drama - 2019, 6 episodes
Zhao Hua (Ying Luo's daughter from Story of Yanxi Palace) struggles to get married. Her arrogance masks her fragility, but that doesn't mean you can mess with her.
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58. Your Highness, The Class Monitor
Chinese Drama - 2019, 36 episodes
Nian Nian helps her classmates become better versions of themselves.