The Best TV Shows on CCTV-8

In 1916, Chu Shaohua marries Chen Dashun, the eldest son of the Chen family’s pharmacy, to save her brother. With integrity and sharp business skills, she earns the respect of Chen’s father and becomes the manager. After the sudden deaths of Chen’s father and Dashun, the pharmacy passes to Chen Ershun, who squanders the family fortune, driving it to ruin. Through hardship, Chu Shaohua establishes Huashun Pharmacy to support the family. Just as she plans to start a new life with her first love, Xia Chu, Chen Ershun and his mother block her path. When bandits raid the Chen household, Chu loses her daughter and, devastated, leaves for Shanghai. There, her outstanding performance at Yongxin Department Store draws the attention of business talent Wen Zhiqiu, who invites her to co-found a new venture. Step by step, she rises to become a bold and trustworthy woman entrepreneur.

On her wedding day, Ning Xiuxiu, the daughter of Tianqiang Temple Village's richest man, is kidnapped by bandits. Her father refuses to pay the ransom, marrying her sister to her childhood sweetheart instead. In defiance, Xiuxiu cuts ties with her family and marries farmer Feng Dajiao, learning the value of land and community. Inspired by revolutionary ideals, she empowers village women to challenge feudal beliefs and leads efforts against banditry and the Japanese invasion.

Di Renjie is Tang dynasty magistrate and statesman, who investigates mysterious murders.

After personal and family hardships force her to leave university, Fang Wanzhi, a determined woman from a mountain village, moves to Shenzhen. There, she and two close friends rise from factory workers to entrepreneurs, overcoming betrayals and challenges along the way.

A comedy about some friends and their stories in Qixia Town.

Set against the backdrop of massive economic growth in the 1990s, the story follows A Bao, a self-made millionaire and his journey from being a young opportunist with a troubled past to accumulating dazzling wealth in the city of Shanghai. It also follows his entanglement with four women who represent the pursuits of his life: adventure, honour, love and innocence.

Palace of Desire, also known as Da Ming Gong Ci, is a Chinese television series based on the life story of Princess Taiping, a daughter of China's only female emperor Wu Zetian. Directed by Li Shaohong and Zeng Nianping, the series starred Chen Hong, Zhou Xun, Gui Yalei and Winston Chao in the leading roles. It was first broadcast on CCTV-8 in mainland China on March 30, 2000.

20 years of perseverance, hot-blooded teenagers finally become the people's hero.

Laughing in the Wind is a 2001 Chinese television series produced by Zhang Jizhong, starring Li Yapeng and Xu Qing in the leading roles. The series is an adaptation of Louis Cha's novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. It was first broadcast on CCTV in China in 2001.

Zhang Qing, a present-day college student in culture and history major wants to study in professor Ye's postgraduate class, so he decides to write a historical fiction to elaborate his perspective of analyzing ancient literature history with modern concept. In the fiction, Zhang himself acts as a young man Fan Xian with mysterious life who lives in a remote seaside town of Kingdom Qing in his childhood, under the help of a mysterious mentor and a blindfolded watchman. Fan goes to the capital when he grows up, where he experiences plenty of ordeal and temper. Fan persists in adhering the rule of justice and goodness and lives his own glorious life.

During the late stages of the Warring States era of the Qin state, Ying Zheng, Lu Bu Wei, Li Si, Wang Jian and many formidable politicians work together to unite the six states under one rule.

In 1970s China, Fei Ni, a hardworking factory girl, enters a fake marriage with Fang Muyang to secure housing and chase her dream of attending college. Through shared struggles and quiet moments, their bond deepens into real love as they pursue a brighter future together.

Nanotechnology researcher Wang Miao is taken to the Joint Operations Center by police officer Shi Qiang, who's investigating the mysterious suicide wave among scientists worldwide. He is recruited to sneak into an organization called the Frontiers of Science to help the investigation. When Wang Miao is contacted by the leader of the organization, Shen Yufei, she introduces him to a sophisticated VR video game called Three-Body, but soon he discovers that it's more than just a game.

Xu Qi’an, a recent police academy graduate, awakens in a strange world filled with Confucians, Taoists, Buddhists, demons, and warlocks. Facing imminent exile to a remote frontier town, he seizes the chance to change his fate by joining a powerful organization of guardians.

Born into a scholarly family, Huang Yimei grows up surrounded by care and affection, displaying artistic talent from a young age. Early in her career, she quickly gains recognition and meets her partner, Zhuang Guodong. They fall in love but eventually drift apart. This period of professional growth gives her a clearer vision for her future, leading her to return to school for further education. After graduation, she marries her senior, Fang Xiewen. However, their divergent career paths lead to a divorce. Huang Yimei then starts her own business and makes a name for herself in the planning for art exhibitions. During this time, she meets her soulmate, Fu Jiaming, but their love story ends tragically with his passing just a few months later. Despite this, Huang Yimei remains resilient, continuing to strive for a more fulfilling life.

Li Lian Hua is a countryside doctor who travels dragging around a lotus tower. He accidentally becomes "famous" and gets pulled into the pugilistic world that he no longer wants to have any connections with.

Five independent, career-driven women living in the Ode to Joy apartment building navigate love, ambition, and personal growth as they chase fulfillment on their own terms. As they try to make it in the big city, each faces unique challenges and romantic entanglements while discovering who they truly want to be.

"Legend of Zang Hai" follows the son of Imperial Astronomer Kuai Duo. Consumed by vengeance, he spends a decade honing his skills. Assuming the name Zang Hai, he ventures into the capital to uncover the truth, avenge his family, and restore justice.

Luo Yingzi, a self-taught lawyer who, after personal setbacks, teams up with Qiu Hua and Xia Shu to fight for justice, navigating both legal challenges and their own personal struggles