Legendary Tales Challenge - China

Welcome!

Hello folks! While taking a look at Apollymi's lists, I realized there are a ton of remakes for lots of Chinese classic stories. I want to eventually get myself to check these out, and I figured I should make a challenge to help! Compared to the many stories on Apollymi's lists, this challenge is pretty small, but I'm trying to think of it as a place to start instead of an all-inclusive challenge. The current challenge focuses on what are generally collections of classics, “the four great etc.” 

I might make a wuxia classics challenge and maybe even a challenge about various immortals and deities unless you make them first! If you do, let me know. I’ll probably end up playing too :D Have fun! ^_^

Rules! 

There are several different categories to choose from based on theme. Feel free to pick one or all of them. 

There is no time limit. 

You can watch a drama, movie, special, or tv show. 

Stories can be adapted by any country on MDL. 

If you don't know where to start finding titles, check out the lists linked on this post! The linked lists are places where you can start to choose titles from, but it is NOT required that the title you watch be from the list. 

To play, just use the template below. Feel free to alter the style however you see fit. 

Legendary Tales Challenge - China Edition

Started: xx/xx/xxxx | Completed: xx/xx/xxxx

Category 1: The Four Classics 

• Journey to the West - [Insert title here]

• Romance of the Three Kingdoms

• Water Margin

• Dream of the Red Chamber

Titles Completed: x/4

Category 2: Four Great Folktales*

• The Butterfly Lovers

• The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid (alternatively, this list by @Athena is made up of shows that reference this specific legend.)

• Legend of White Snake

Titles Completed: x/3

Category 3: Supernatural Tales†

• In Search of the Supernatural

• Strange Tales of Liao Zhai

• Classics of Mountains and Seas

• Investiture of the Gods

Titles Completed: x/4

Last updated: xx/xx/xxxx

Notes for nerds
(not part of the template)

*The Four Folktale Classics is missing the legend of Lady Meng Jiangnu. This is because I could not find any adaptations of this story that have English subtitles at the time of creating this challenge. The earliest adaptations that would qualify for this challenge is from 1923, and the latest is from 2005. The only one that I could actually find online was from 1996, but again, it was not translated. If you want to watch this story without subtitles and add it to the challenge, or if you happen to know another adaptation that is subtitled, change your Titles Completed from x/3 to x/4 and feel free to add it to your challenge. If you find a title that isn’t on MDL but should be, well then help us out and add it to the database! For a list of some titles related to Meng Jiangnu, check out Apollymi's list. If you find a translated title, PLEASE tell us. HAPPY UPDATE! Since this was created @Estelle has identified a title that qualifies. Feel free to add this final story to your challenge template if you would like.

†The Supernatural Tales, from my research, is made up of four different anthologies and one novel (the novel being Investiture of the Gods). This challenge is missing What the Master Would Not Discuss, collected by Yuan Mei from the Qing Dynasty. Allegedly, the collection of stories were intentionally excluded from The Analects by Confucious. For a full list of the short stories, read here. As of this challenge, it is not clear which of these stories have been adapted or if they are translated anywhere. If you happen to know, please share with the class! Have a list of them? Even better! In the meantime I’ll be doing my own research and may add this item as a bonus to the category later depending on my findings. If you watch a story from the anthology, change your Titles Completed from x/4 to x/5 and feel free to add it to the challenge.

Fun fact! There's a festival that celebrates the Cowheard and the Weaver Girl on the 7th of July.

Want to read more about this challenge? Read the post about it in the Historical Drama Challenge forums. 

Badges by @Rien

Once you've completed your challenge, feel free to place any of these amazing badges on your profile to celebrate!

 Berd:

*does the 2023 Butterflied Lover count for this?

Yes it does! Welcome to the challenge ^_^

Edit: Also~ Didn't realize there was a new Painted Skin remake. I'm going to have to watch that too!!

@Estelll yes please feel free! I was actually wondering if I should have a wuxia section. Glad to know you would have liked it ^_^ thanks for joining 

Legendary Tales Challenge - China Edition Started: 01/01/2024 | Completed: xx/xx/xxxx

Journey to the West - [The Supreme Treasure]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Water Margin

Dream of the Red Chamber

Titles Completed: 0/4

The Butterfly Lovers

The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid

Legend of White Snake

Titles Completed: 0/3

Titles Completed: 0/4

Last updated: 04/12/2024

reserved

Started : Jan 1, 2024

Last updated: xx/xx/xxxx

Started: January 01,2023| Completed: xx/xx/xxxx

• Category 1: The Four Classics  

Journey to the West : Deity of Love (2022) . Romance of the Three Kingdoms :  The Wind Blows From Longxi (2022)  . Water Margin .  Dream of the Red Chamber

• Category 2: Four Great Folktales*

• Category 3: Supernatural Tales†