Novels turned into dramas became a trend after the explosive success of Bu Bu Jing Xin. Starting in 2012, mangas lost their appeal to the mainland audience and production teams turned to c-novelist for solid contents sure to please a large fanbase. Here is a list of the most well known modern c-authors. ^^
Comment: I personally do not read any C-novels, but I know many of our readers and people among the international fanbase love them 🙂
桐华 Tong Hua
The talented author behind Bu Bu Jing Xin. Her books always sell like hot cake (e.g. Starry Night was written last year and there is already a drama in the making). Her books have a lot of content and a huge amount of angst. Prepare tissues if you decide to watch Bu Bu Jing Xin!
- Scarlett Heart (Bubujingxin)
- Yun Zhong Ge (Sound in the Clouds)
- Ballad of the Desert (Da Mo Yao)
- Best Times
- Starry Night, Starry Sea
顧漫 Gu Man
I don’t remember much about this author, but she is definitely one of the most popular ones!
- My Sunshine
- Just One Smile is Alluring
- Boss & Me (Shan Shan Come Eat)
丁墨 Ding Mo
An author in the thriller and mystery genre. The following books are part of a trilogy but they have been filmed separately.
- When He Comes, Close Your Eyes (Love Me if You Dare)
- When a Snail Loves
- Memory Lost
郭敬明 Guo Jingming
Guo Jingming became famous at a young age and is seen as a gifted and high profile author. Unlike many other authors on this list, his private life… is a lot less private. (He is also known for been extremely short). He directed the Tiny Times Saga starring Yang Mi, Chen Xuedong, and Kai Ko in 2012-2015, one of the most successful franchise. He collaborated multiple times with Chen Xuedong and the two looks very alike 😀 He is also known for his online photoshopped pictures… with essayist Han Han.
- Tiny Times Saga
- L.O.R.D.
- Ice Fantasy
- Rush to Dead Summer
唐七公子 Tang Qi Gong Zi
An anonymous author that have given us the masterpiece Three Lives Three Worlds. It is a book with many characters and is very loved by the audience.
- Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles Blossom
- Hua Yu Xin
- Twice Blooming Flower
辛夷坞 Xin Yiwu
- So Young
- Never Gone (Turns Out You Are Still Around)
匪我思存 Fei Wo Si Cun
- Chronicle of Life
- Eastern Palace
- The Girl in Blue
明晓溪 Ming Xiaoxi
- Summer Desire
- Whirlwind Girl
Fresh果果 Fresh Guoguo
Fresh Guoguo is a young author with an introvert personality. Her most well known book, Hua Qian Gu, is known for been very complex and interesting, but which also lacks the depth of assiduous writing.
- Journey of Flower (Hua Qian Gu)
吴雪岚 Wu Xuelan
- Legend of Zhen Huan
- Legend of Ruyi
阿耐ane Ane
- Ode to Joy
海宴 Hai Yan
- Nirvana in Fire
The classic ones 🙂
查良镛 Jin Yong
- Condor Heros trilogy
- Demi God and Semi Demon
- Ode to Gallantry
古龙 Gu Long
- Xiaoli Feidao
- Lu Xiaofeng
- Proud Twins (Juedai Shuangjiao)
梁羽生 Liang Yusheng
- Chronicles Of The Shadow Swordsman
- The Bride with White Hair
- Seven Swordman
琼瑶 Chiung Yao
- My Fair Princess (Huan Zhu Ge Ge)
- Romance in the Rain
- Dream Links
NOTE: For a full list of C-novel adapted into dramas and movies, let me introduce you to my good friend: wikipedia :).
NOTE 2: To read the English translation of the novels, I suggest the following links:
- Koala’s Playground translated a few books from Tong Hua, including Da Mo Yao
- Hamster428 translated Three Lives Threes Worlds by Tang Qi (text has been removed)
- Shu Sheng Bar probably has the most complete list of C-novels translation
Cdramadevotee 
I want to rewatch sound of the desert again!! My Shishi and Eddie feelz oh and my Hu Ge and me feelz hahaha omg my sunshine and boss &me too. I love how Guo Jingmingalways has that Pretty vibe in everything he does, I also want to put him in my pocket and carry him everywhere haha like Three Worlds, Three Lives too actually I love most of these but the ones I listed are my favs
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Yeahhh… glad to see so many of your favourites are on this list 😀
Guo Jingming is so preciously small 😀 And how he tried to act almighty and tall is kinda funny during press conference 😛 (or should I say, when everyone else try to act smaller)
Do you read c-novels? 🙂
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Kind of(If you recommend it, I read) also when Im on the hunt for a new cdrama I always end(stumble upon) up on a random page with a translated c novel i.e koalasplayground. and then I spend the whole time reading it. That makes me want to watch the drama even more. If you have a recommendations let me know☺☺
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Hmm… I dont really read c-novels but when I was writing this article, a lot of people recommended Tong Hua, Ding Mo, and Tang Qi 🙂
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The first adaptation (the drama version) of Tiny Times was the only Guo Jingming production that I could ever swallow. Mostly because it had a lot of seasoned actors and the same director as “In Time with You.” The rest seem mostly like GJ was locked into a room with a lot of brand name items and told to make a plot using them all. And then he directed the resulting messes himself. You can tell I’m not impressed, right?
And if you mention GJ, you have to mention how he has a weird online feud with essayist Han Han and how people keep photoshopping them into photos together.
Any how, I do read some Chinese novels in translation – usually historical or fantasy ones although my favorite so far is Gu Man’s Just One Smile is Alluring. It’s rare that an author gets the romance, the backstory, the side characters, etc. right in a story – especially when it’s a kind of wish fulfillment love story. When I wouldn’t mind being any character in a book (the heroine’s roommates are hysterical, her internship mates act quite real and her online gaming buddies – Oh, I’ve played with them before!) – that’s a good story.
I’d like to hear about which studios are making well-regarded productions of novels – heard Ice Fantasy is not doing well.
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I also watched the drama version of Tiny Times! It was good, better than the movie franchise in the character development and plot line, great actors, longer story and you don’t feel like you are missing anything. However, it lacks the beauty and the extravagance of the Shanghai high end life, which was in the movies. Also, I found Ivy Chen’s acting too bubbly.
Oh, I think I heard about Han Han before…
I decided to read Chinese novels when I can fully read mandarin, which is not going too well right now .-.
Definitely Tangren! If I look at the list, the team behind Nirvana in Fire, When He Comes Close Your Eyes, Zhen Huan Zhuan are probably the best.
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Wait no one knows the author of 3 lives 3 worlds??? How will he give his/her opinion on the drama?
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He/She is anonymous, but the author may still have a say on the production? 😛 Like how the mangaka Ai Yawara had a saying on the anime and movie
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Hamster428 deleted whole translation while ago due to Tang Qi Gong Zi’s plagiarism
I remember all the hype around Tiny Times but it didn’t live up. I mean really 4 light-headed girls messing around during the whole movie. I watched all parts hoping that something will changed but it didn’t happen. Last movie was quit confusing I didn’t get what actually happen, who was who’s relative, end how it all ends. But the setting and visual part was on point, it is undeniable.
Tong Hua makes masterpieces, I liked her novels more that drama adaptation, although Dao Mo Yao was quit enjoyably maybe because of cast. Also, she is in same way good as screenwriter. I’m anticipating adaptation of One Promised (Ancient Love Song) since this is my favorite duology combined with Lost You Forever.
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Awwnn no, that sucks 😦 But thanks for telling me
Tiny Times was supposed to be more complex? I would have really loved Bea Hayden’s story if they developed it more. Lin Xiao was the dizzy character that everyone boy fells in love with (didnt like her story). I tried to read the book and it was well written. However, the movie was CONFUSING
Oh, I didnt know she wrote it!
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I understand only Gu Li story that was about heritage of her father and some grudges with her brother and that was the only clear line among the rest of characters. Yes there was obviously something in characters but all the force was focused on decorations. I would like to know about Chen Xuedong’s character there was something in the first film but it was so weak developed. A lot of emotions but less sense.
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Okay, I am bored, but here is a quick summary of the movies 😀 Despite the lack of sensible content in the movie and things happening too fast, I really got addicted to this series >< [SPOILER]
Lin Xiao: mary sue character that her nice boyfriend cheated on and rich boyfriend faked death and avoid/stalked. She works in the big fashion company and is actually a tool for her boss (the brother of her rich boyfriend)
Gu Li: princess with strong capacity. Very strong bond with her bf Gu Yuan, despite been opponent with his mother in business. Her father died in a car accident because of her and he gave her the company. There is also a messy family secret involving half brother and gold legacy. She is also involved in Nan Xiang's love life (was *SPOILER* raped by the boyfriend).
Chong Guang: Famous writer who has cancer, and brother of Gong Ming. He "dies" in car accident but is in reality healed;.gets plastic surgery and is used as the scapegoat for the family's fiscal problems. Comes back in Lin Xiao's life as a foreigner super model.
Gong Ming: CEO of ME, brother of Chong Guang and the mastermind. He may have caused the death of everyone at the end of the books.
Nan Xiang: Artistic girl with goddess beauty, she was in an abusive relationship in university. Thanks to Gu Li, she becomes a fashion designer for ME. Then, partly thanks to Lin Xiao, she becomes the assistant of Gong Ming and becomes an office executive.
Wanru: Athletic and clumsy girl, she experiences a failed first love with an oppa at the tennis team.
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can i joint?
its to bad about the plagiarism rumor of 3 lives 3 worlds, since i love both ten miles peach blossom and pillow book so much, especially the pillow book. but i will still wait for the drama due curiosity.
its really fortunate for me to find a lot of good cnovel already translated in english.
and for tong hua, she successfully made me love once promised and love&hate lost you forever. you should definitely read it. the depth of the two stories would make you love the world she created.
and ding mo, i reading her 5 novel now and fall in love will each of them.
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Do you remember what the lawsuit was in reference to? :”D It sounds like a big deal.
^^ Yep, c-novels have a very DEDICATED audience, this is probably why so many production team choose them instead of creating new content.
Maybe I will, but for now drama>c-novels 😛
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yeah… i heard it too, but not pay too much attention when it happened. i only know the details when hamster deleted her post.
you should read cnovel when u have time. my suggest is that u visit shushengbar.com and try a short one. i try seven unfortunate lifetime by jiu lu fei xiang and feel in love directly. it made me love to read other cnovel.
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I feel that Tang Qi was very calculating with her plagiarism. She plagiarized a BL boy love novel. BL novels are banned in China. A lot of people in Mainland are not aware of her plagiarism. When others allegedly plagiarized parts of her novel, she goes after them aggressively. It’s a whole different story when she is the one who plagiarizes. No apologies whatsoever from her. I guess Yumama Yuzheng has similar accusations against him, but with TV series productions and plots
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I remember Tang Qi responded to her accusation in very aggressive way too, since author was BL novelist and has no right of voice.
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Awn… I hear about Yu Zheng’s a lot, he was going against Chiung Yao (the author of Huan Zhu Ge Ge) which was backed by Ruby Lin and some other people. Then he was against Tong Hua (the author of Yun Zhong Ge) which was backed by Tangren. Overall, he is definitely not the most liked producer…
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Lol Yumama don’t like Tong Hua but adapted YZG on screen. Now it’s clear how he express his dislike to smb. He must be hated Jin Yong that going make new Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber
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xD lool… thats so funny
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Sounds like Tang Qi has a creepy personality. I guess her greatest skill is in marketing and making the most profit from another person’s work and then badmouth the original author she steals from. It’s not an easy life to be a BL author to begin with. It’s a lot of hard work to write a novel. To have your book plagiarized and then get attacked by copycat Tang Qi while Tang Qi makes loads of money out of it. SMH. Amazing… A lot of the same plots, scenes, similar sounding characters, etc. For Tang Qi, it’s a money making machine. For the original author, almost a fated calamity. Became a cause for Tang Qi’s attack. How much more unlucky can one be?
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perhaps adding the common drama translation to the title in the blog to help viewers. For example, “When He Comes, Close Your Eyes” is translated as “Love me if you dare” in English and “Hua Qian Gu” is translated as “Journey of Flower”
Also Honorablr mentions
A-Nai: Ode to Joy series
Hai Yan: Nirvana in Fire
Liu Liu: Dwelling Narrowness, Double Side Tape, Wang Gui and Anna
And the originals classics
Qiong Yao/Chiung Yao: Princess Pearl rain, Romance in the rain, Dreams Link etc, etc
Jin Yong/Louis Cha: Condor Heros trilogy, Demi god and semi demon, olde to gallantry etc, etc, etc
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Thanks 🙂 I added the information you gave me ^^
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Are there well known Mainland authors who write more sci-fi (not fantasy like Xianxia, “Novoland genre”) and thriller/mystery (other than Ding Mo)? My fav Mainland author is Hai Yan. I’m ok with Ding Mo. A Nai. A lot of the others write too much Mary Sue and/or romantic plots, although Tong Hua is good at adding detailed fiction into period novels. I love the sciences and reading deeper plots. If you look around us, our generation is moving into artificial intelligence. Watson is beating experts in go/chess. Cars are becoming self-driving. Robots are managing investments, getting into healthcare and starting to do nursing, do selected medical procedures. Meds are advancing so fast in some fields, there are apps to help doctors to stay abreast of the recent research. I don’t see any of that reflected in the novels above?? The TFboys drama with AI doesn’t look too good. idk if that’s based on a novel. I like novels that offer interesting insights into possible future. Tong Hua is all about looking into the past.
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^hey So,
Have you heard of Three Body Problem by Li Cixin? I haven’t read it yet haha but it’s on my to-read list. It’s sci-fi and the plot sounds quite interesting.
For thriller/mystery, I’d recommend Don’t Talk to Her/別和她説話 by Yu Jin. Just a warning though that it is quite dark. There’s a sequel but not worth reading compared to the first novel.
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Thanks, Tokkita! I heard 3 body problem is a trilogy. I think at least the prize-winning one has been translated into English. I may be able to borrow from a local library later. Though people often complain how the Eng translation is almost nothing like the original. ;- ) 別和她説話 may be harder to procure.
I read ” Folding Beijing, a science fiction written by Chinese female writer Hao Jingfang, has been included in this year’s shortlist of the Hugo Award for Best Novel. ” [ April 28, 2016 ]
Also, ” Based on the first book of the Hugo Award winner Liu Cixin’s best-selling Three-Body trilogy, a stage drama, directed by Liu Fangqi, debuted in Shanghai on June 1 and recently wrapped up its first 12 performances. “
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明晓溪’s Summer Desire is one of the first C-Novels I remember reading. I was so obsessed with that series back then but I don’t think I would like it as much if I read it now.
Bu Bu Jing Xin is a classic XD At the top for my favourite novels of all time.
There’s so many drama & film adaptations of novels coming up, I’m trying to read them first before watching but can’t keep up haha. Looking forward to Just A Smile is Alluring and When A Snail Loves.
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Tiny Times was just meh but I still have the urge to watch all films idek why HAHA
can probably never move on how the great author of BBJX wrote Best Times because that was just completely horrible @_@ the drama was exactly like the novel according to Koala if I’m not mistaken, both horrible 😦
I must say that I already love Gu Man for Boss & Me and My Sunshine! Can’t wait for Love 020 and probably for her other works to materialize 🙂
thank you for this list!
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