Four upcoming Chinese dramas now have clearer release windows in iQIYI’s new slate. River of No Return is planned for late 2026, Yun Chu Ling for early 2027 and A Journey to Glow for 2027. Fusheng has no narrower window. Here’s what we know about each drama.
These are plans, not exact launch days. iQIYI has not announced a specific premiere date for any of these four. An older poster can also show a different year from the newest slate; the newer schedule is used below.
River of No Return (两京十五日)
October–December 2026. iQIYI lists this historical chase for the final quarter of 2026, without a premiere day. Cheng Yi leads the cast; Lin Gengxin is among the featured actors. The production photograph shows Cheng Yi as Zhu Zhanji with armored guards.
Prince Zhu Zhanji is caught in a conspiracy while in Nanjing. A constable, a doctor and a junior official help him evade pursuit and make the fifteen-day journey to Beijing by the Grand Canal. The drama adapts Ma Boyong’s novel.
See the River of No Return series page for its cast, story and iQIYI listing.
Yun Chu Ling (云初令)
January–March 2027. Esther Yu plays Yun Chu and Zhang Yunlong plays Chu Yi, according to iQIYI’s cast listing. A separate official cast photo shows Zhang Yunlong in Chu Yi’s costume. Its latest slate puts the drama in the first quarter of 2027, rather than giving a specific start date.
Yun Chu gave everything to support her husband’s family and was betrayed and killed. She gets another chance within a repeating fate, returning with a plan to expose those responsible and build a life of her own.
See the Yun Chu Ling series page for its cast, story and iQIYI listing.
A Journey to Glow (一念江南)
2027, month unannounced. Wang Anyu plays Lu Qingge and Zhao Jinmai plays Chu Tingyu on iQIYI’s title page. The broadcaster gives only 2027 as the release window. Zhao Jinmai’s studio has also shared a portrait of her holding a lotus bud.
Decades after the earlier story’s battle, an uneasy Jiangnan town brings together a woman thief, a disgraced official and other people trying to start again. A secret treasure pulls the group into a shared journey.
See the A Journey to Glow series page for its cast, story and iQIYI listing.
Fusheng (浮生)
Date unannounced. Wang Churan and Chen Zheyuan are the leads. iQIYI’s current slate gives no premiere window; its title catalog shows 2027, which should not be read as a confirmed launch date. The cast also shared photos to mark the end of filming.
A cup of tea opens stories about love, sacrifice and regret across the Warring States era, Tang dynasty, Northern Song and Republican period. iQIYI describes an ensemble of supernatural encounters and human choices.
See the Fusheng series page for its cast, story and iQIYI listing.
Who plays whom?
The confirmed character names are as useful as the cast list. Cheng Yi plays Zhu Zhanji and Lin Gengxin plays Wu Dingyuan in River of No Return. Esther Yu is Yun Chu and Zhang Yunlong is Chu Yi in Yun Chu Ling. Wang Anyu plays Lu Qingge and Zhao Jinmai plays Chu Tingyu in A Journey to Glow. Wang Churan plays Sha Luo opposite Chen Zheyuan’s Ao Chi in Fusheng.
Who's who in these four Chinese dramas?
- Zhu ZhanjiPlayed by Cheng Yi
- Wu DingyuanPlayed by Lin Gengxin
- Yun ChuPlayed by Esther Yu
- Chu YiPlayed by Zhang Yunlong
- Lu QinggePlayed by Wang Anyu
- Chu TingyuPlayed by Zhao Jinmai
- Sha LuoPlayed by Wang Churan
- Ao ChiPlayed by Chen Zheyuan
Where will they stream?
All four are on iQIYI’s official upcoming slate. That identifies the announced platform, not a promise that every title will be available in every country on the same day. Check each series page for later release and regional updates.
