RasyaFor my regular readers, you’ll know that I absolutely love Chinese novels to the point that I want to learn Chinese so that I can read more and more books without having the need to wait for English translation or going through the mess of Google machine translation. With the motto of good books must be enjoyed together, I present to you 11 list of my favourite Chinese novels recommendation featuring mix of smart, strong, adorable and powerful female protagonists.
11 List of Chinese Novels Recommendation
1. The Princess Weiyang
Raw: Completed
English translation: Ongoing (Link)
Drama adaptation: Yes. Available on Netflix.
The drama adaptation did the novel so dirty. Weiyang is supposed to be smart, good at reading people, decisive, and cruel towards her enemies due to being betrayed by her husband and family in the past life.
But what do we get?
A princess who gets schemed countless times waiting for the male lead to save her. I also couldn’t comprehend why the producer or whoever in charge of the drama adaptation decide to change the plot line, characters and the male lead????
Anyway, back to the novel. What I love about Weiyang is her wits fighting from her low position as an unfavoured concubine daughter until she was awarded the Princess title. Her scheme against the Jiang family is one of the best highlight of the novel.
Unlike an official wife, a concubine has a low status and would not be included in the family lineage. If the concubine birth a child, the child cannot call her birth mother ‘mother’ and must call the official wife mother instead. This is why Weiyang is one of my favourite MCs as being a concubine daughter means that you’re going to be used as marriage chips for political benefits but Weiyang manage to change her fate solely by relying on her cleverness.
2. Rebirth of a Malicious Empress of Military Lineage
Raw: Completed
English translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: No
Similar with The Princess Weiyang, Shen Miao, the MC also get betrayed by her husband and relatives in the past life but unlike Weiyang, Shen Miao is a legitimate daughter of a General = higher status in society. But her parents and older brother are guarding the country’s border so Shen Miao lives a pitiful life before her rebirth due to being brainwashed by her greedy and vicious relatives.
I’ve a soft spot on Shen Miao because she lives in guilt due to her stupidity and naivety in the past life resulting to the terrible death of her family and children.
The phoenix must burn to emerge.
3. Bone Painting Coroner
Raw: Completed
English translation: Ongoing (Link)
Drama adaptation: Yes
If you like crime and mystery genre, you’d love the story as the story’s centered around
Ji Yunshu’s adventure solving eccentric crime by using her forensic skills.
I heard that Kyulkyung, an ex-member of Kpop group, Pristin and IOI would be the main female lead of the drama adaptation and I’m excited.
4. The Rebirth of An Ill-Fated Consort
Share the same universe with Rebirth of a Malicious Empress from Military Lineage except more tragic.
5, General and I / Gu Fang Bu Zhi Sheng
Raw: Completed
Translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: Yes
Also one of my favourite novels! Bai Ping Ting, the MC may not be the most beautiful but she has the brain and intelligence to plan a war strategy and plus she plays the qin beautifully. I stan.
100% must read.
6. A Slight Smile is Very Charming / Love o2o
Raw: Completed
Translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: Yes
The novel is a light love story suitable to those who wanted to experience sweetness of romance without the unnecessary third party interferences. The drama adaptation is pretty popular and turned me into Yang Yang fan who played the male lead.
Please excuse me as I’m in awed of Yang Yang’s beauty.
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Rasya7. A Love So Beautiful
Raw: Completed
Translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: Yes. Available on Netflix.
A fluffy and sweet read featuring Chen Xio Xi and Jiang Chen who are in the same class in high school. Xiao Xi is so adorable that I want to put her in my pocket. The drama adaptation is also a success and look at the height difference,
cute.
8. Ballad of The Desert
Raw: Completed
Translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: Yes.
One of the coolest MC among the books that I’ve read to date. I read the book years ago so my memory is fuzzy and the only thing I remember about the book that it is a good read lol.
9. Three Lives Three Worlds, The Pillow Book
Raw: Completed
Translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: Yes (Rumor)
The Pillow Books is the Book 2 of the Three Lives Three Worlds series which the First Book become a popular and most viewed drama (Eternal Love/Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms) starred by Yang Mi.
Unlike Bai Qian’s sassy personality, Feng Jiu, The Pillow Book’s MC is a bit naive but her personality is adorable and the actress who played Feng Jiu, Dilraba in the Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms is gorgeous. Please let the same actress and actor in the Pillow Book adaptation too. *pleading-eyes-emoji*
10. A Mistaken Marriage Match: A Generation of Military Counselor
Raw: Completed
Translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: No
This novel is one of the book in the A Record of Mistaken Marriage Match series. Gu Yun, the MC used to be a SWAT squad leader which why you could see the MC kicking ass left and right. Her background translates well into the story as I’ve read novels where the MC is supposed to be assassin in the past life but her action is like she had an IQ of a child.
11. To Be a Virtuous Wife
Raw: Completed
Translation: Completed (Link)
Drama adaptation: No
What if you get transmigrated into the past where a woman’s value is no more than as a children birthing machine and polygamy is rampant among men. Qu Jing Jiu is one of the unlucky one who get transported into the past but she manages to maneuver the ancient life beautifully and what I like about the story is how realistic the plot is. Usually ‘woman transported to the past’ plot line would have the MC trying to change the world into a modern belief where everyone is equal but the reality is, it’s not easy to change a mindset that has been ingrained from thousand of years.
Even now, the gender gap between males and females exist so why do you think a lone woman
with no background and power could change a country just by pretty words.
I’ve more novels that I love but 11 already make a long list so see you next time!
If you’ve any novel recommendation please share it to me too so we can fangirling together *wink*
2 comments
Hi, i also like your list of chinese novel. You should try The daughter of powerful minister (mtl), or browse http://www.novelupdates.com for more novels.
Thanks for the rec!