Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty: Chang'an

Synopsis

The third installment of the "Tang Dynasty Mysteries" series follows Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming as they are tasked with investigating a series of eerie cases in Chang'an City, uncovering the truth behind conspiracies hidden within power struggles.

Overview

The Strange Cases of Tang Dynasty: Chang'an is a historical suspense unit crime drama jointly produced by iQiyi and Changxin Media, serving as the third installment in The Strange Cases of Tang Dynasty series. The series is directed by Ju Xingmao, written by Wei Fenghua, produced by Guo Jingyu and Bai Shan, and stars Yang Xuwen and Yang Zhigang in leading roles.

The series premiered in mainland China in 2025, consisting of 40 episodes. It debuted with a Douban rating of 8.1 and stabilized around 8.0, becoming a rare historical IP to maintain a rating above 8 across three consecutive seasons, achieving both critical acclaim and high viewership.

Plot

During the summer-autumn transition of the Xiantian 2nd year, although the Emperor had ascended the throne, the influence of the Grand Princess grew stronger, making the political situation in Chang'an unpredictable. Jinwu Guard Lieutenant General Lu Lingfeng (played by Yang Xuwen) and Di Renjie's last disciple Su Wuming (played by Yang Zhigang) are ordered to lead an investigation team, including Pei Xijun and Fei Jise, to delve into a series of bizarre cases occurring in Chang'an city.

This season presents multiple suspenseful cases in different styles through a unit-based format, with each case concealing deeper conspiracies. Amidst the treacherous political landscape, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming must not only solve these strange cases but also struggle to survive the power struggles.

The Tang Gui series stands out in domestic dramas with its unique historical suspense style, combining the strange and mysterious cases of the Tang Dynasty with its historical background to create a thrilling viewing experience rich in cultural depth.

Cast

Awards and Reception

The series debuted with a Douban rating of 8.1, making the franchise a rare historical IP to maintain ratings above 8 for three consecutive seasons. It surpassed 10,000 in popularity within 4 days of its premiere and became the drama with the highest average viewership per episode during its peak broadcast period in 2025 according to Yunhe data (exceeding 32 million).

The series broke the "sequel curse" of domestic dramas, with all three installments maintaining high quality and acclaim, standing out in the fiercely competitive drama market of 2025.

Cultural Impact

Set against the backdrop of the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Gui series incorporates numerous elements of Tang history, culture, and supernatural legends, showcasing the unique charm of ancient Chinese suspense and deduction. Its success also demonstrates the viability of the "historical + suspense + team" model in domestic dramas.

As one of the representative works of the "Guo Family Team" (Guo Jingyu's team), the series continues the literary tradition of "strange case records" found in traditional Chinese narratives while incorporating the fast-paced rhythm of modern suspense dramas, receiving widespread praise from audiences.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/36318037/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/唐朝诡事录之长安/64756092
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/唐朝诡事录之长安
4. Hualong Net: https://www.cqnews.net/1/detail/1438060198173315072