The Legend of Zang Hai
The Legend of Zang Hai is a 2025 Chinese television series produced by Youku, Quantum Entertainment, and Chunyu Film and Television. It was directed by Zheng Xiaolong and Cao Yiwen, and written by Zhao Liuyi.
The series was released on Youku on 18 May 2025 ]. It is also available on streaming platforms Viu, Disney+, and Viki.
Plot
After experiencing the massacre of his family, the main protagonist Zang Hai goes through decades of ambush and precipitation, and finally completes revenge with exquisite and reasoned calculations. In the process, after gaining more power, Zang Hai gradually put down his obsession and sought the welfare of the people of the world.Cast and characters
Main
- Xiao Zhan as Zang Hai / Zhi Nu
- * Jiang Rui Lin as young Zhi Nu
- Zhang Jingyi as Xiang An Tu
- Zhou Qi as Zhuang Zhi Xing
- Huang Jue as Zhuang Lu Yin / Duke Ping Jin
Supporting
- Liang Chao as Master Gao Ming
- Song Yuan Fu as Guan Feng
- Yang Bo Xiao as Shi Lei
- Liu Chao as Zhuang Zhi Fu
- Wang Kun Lun as Master Zhang
- Sha Bao Liang as Chu Huai Ming
- Xing Min Shan as Cao Jiang Xian
- Yang Yu Tong as Zhao Tong Er / Ba Gong Zi
- Jin Tie Feng as Shi Yi Ping
- Qiao Zhen Yu as Lord Yong Rong
- Tian Xiao Jie as Shi Bing Wen
- Michelle Bai as Liu Chu
- Yu Nan as Xiang Yu Su Ti
- Zhao Zi Qi as Jiang Xiang
- Zhang Guo Qiang as Emperor
- Xu Ling Yue as Shen Wan
- Liu Ming Ming as Shi Quan
- Tan Yang as Zhuang Shan
Guest
- Wallace Chung as Kuai Duo
- Michelle Chen as Zhao Shang Xian
- Huang Jun Peng as Ji Qun
- Lin Ya Dong as King Yan
- Shao Wen as Yang Zhen
- Shi Yu as Eunuch Sun
- Zhang Duo as Master Xing Dou
- Sun Zheng Yu as Song Xin
- Lin Ya Dong as King Yan
Production
It started filming in Hengdian on December 30, 2023 and wrapped up mid June 2024. The series tells the story of Zang Hai's life.Television soundtrack
The Legend of Zang Hai television series features a number of original soundtrack pieces. Below is a list of the tracks included in the official soundtrack release:| No. | Title | Lyrics By | Composed By | Performed By |
| 1 | "It's Me" | Yi Chu Zhen | Hu Xiaoqiu | Sun Nan |
| 2 | "Hidden Star" | Zhou Jieli | Hu Xiaoqiu | Yuan Yuwei |
| 3 | "Blooming Cang Mang" | Yang Sili, He Lan | Yang Sili | Wang Xinye |
| 4 | "Who Waits" | Yang Sili, He Lan | Yang Sili | Liu Yuxin |
| 5 | "Moon Song" | Zhou Jieli | Hu Xiaoqiu | Dan Yichun |
| 6 | "Amidst the Wind and Moon" | Gu Xing | Chen Xinqing, Mo Qiao | Xilinnayi Gao |
| 7 | "Returning to the Moonlight" | — | Yan Qingsai | — |
Reception
The Legend of Zang Hai was one of the most highly anticipated Chinese dramas of 2025. It is the first drama to break 9.7 million reservations on Youku. The drama achieved explosive ratings and critical acclaim upon its premiere, exceeding 100 million views and surpassed 10,000 in popularity heat index on Youku just 38 hours after its premiere, becoming the fastest drama to reach this milestone setting a record in the history of the platform. The final episode reached a peak market share of over 40.1%, topping the charts for 23 consecutive days. It also ranked highly on several charts, including the overall online drama series effective viewership ranking and the ranking of newly released drama series with 30 days of effective viewership.On the first day of the broadcast of Legend of Zang Hai, the peak ratings of CCTV reached 2.4666%. In the first week of its launch, the drama swept the ratings on various major streaming charts: it topped the Disney+ chart in Taiwan for 7 consecutive days. It also topped the charts in Hong Kong. X trends: "Legend of Zang Hai" entered the Trends charts in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Ukraine, India and other places on the day of its launch. #Legend of Zang Hai ranked in the top 12 of the global trend, #ZangHaiZhuan ranked in the top 1 of the Thai trend, and multiple entries related to Legend of Zang Hai and Xiao Zhan ranked in the top 5 in Thailand. It ranked in the top 10 in Vietnam, Malaysia and other regions. In addition, the title and starring related entries entered the top 5 and top 9 of the longest-lasting tag list in Ukraine within 24 hours. The Legend of Zang Hai has exceeded 1 billion views and its popularity has skyrocketed. Xiao Zhan's performance was highly praised by the director and he wanted to work with him again.
Its overseas cooperation map spans 15 regions, covering platforms such as Singapore Singtel, Malaysia Astro, Thailand Truevision, Vietnam FPT, Philippines and Indonesia Viu, North America Viki, Cambodia PPCTV, Japan C7, and South Korea SBS. The head of Disney Asia Pacific said: "The Legend of Zang Hai broke the cultural barrier. The data proves that it is not only a hit in China, but also a common choice of audiences around the world."
When asked to comment on the mainland TV series Legend of Zang Hai, which has ranked in the "Top 10 Hot Broadcasts of the Day in Taiwan" for seven consecutive days and media reports from the island indicating that the series is so captivating that viewers cannot bear to stop watching, and they have highlighted the memorable quotes from the series, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said that a large number of original cultural masterpieces have emerged, receiving high market recognition and widespread appreciation from audiences.
In 2025, the Beijing Television Artists Association, with support from the Beijing Municipal Broadcasting authorities, released a curated list of innovative and recommended television works across genres. The Beijing Television Arts Innovation 推优 honors outstanding productions that demonstrate artistic innovation, cultural impact, and industry significance in both content and craft. Inclusion on this list signifies that Legend of Zang Hai is recognized as one of the most noteworthy and artistically innovative dramas of the year by a respected television arts organization in China.