TV drama resources
There are many popular TV dramas that are freely and legally available on YouTube. You can also find TV dramas using the resources below.
- Rakuten VikiA popular source to watch modern Asian TV dramas, including from China and Taiwan. Some content is behind a paywall, but there are still tons of good shows available to watch for free with ads. It also has a "learn mode," which allows users to see subtitles in both the target language and another language, and to gloss over words to see their definitions quickly.
- Graded WatchingThis website lists several Chinese TV shows with information about genre, country, and even vocabulary lists to go with the series.
Recommendations
- A Love So Beautiful 致我们单纯的爱美好A very popular romantic comedy from China that follows Chen Xiaoxi as she chases her crush Jiang Chen. It's available to watch for free on Viki.
- 爸爸去哪儿A really cute reality show about kids and their fathers who have to complete challenges together. Because there are lots of kids in it, the language is not too complicated, though sadly not many of the episodes have English subtitles. There are five seasons and most of the episodes are available for free on YouTube.
- Chinese Restaurant 中餐厅This popular reality show involves families setting up Chinese restaurants in different countries, including Thailand, France, and Hungary. Season 7 (Hungary) is linked above.
Video databases
Academic Video Online: a video database which provides access to short videos and movies in many languages. By clicking "Filter," you can narrow the language. It lists all three categories "Chinese," "Mandarin," and "Cantonese," so you may have to look through multiple categories to see all of your options.
Kanopy: another video database with some Chinese movies and movies about China. WashU buys individual titles on Kanopy based on student requests. You can watch or request a title on Kanopy by clicking "Watch Now," and then "Find Your University." If this title has not been purchased by WashU, it will ask you to fill out a request form explaining your need for the content.
The Chinese Film Project: an open-source project that aims to make classic Chinese movies more accessible. If you are interested in older movies, it is a great resource to learn about the most influential Chinese movies. They provide over twenty movies with English subtitles as well as a free, self-paced movie course. Their content is also available on the Modern Chinese Cultural Studies YouTube channel
DVDs available at the WUSTL libraries
Click here to see the full list. It should say in the record whether or not there are English subtitles. Keep in mind that this list may include movies in Mandarin, Cantonese, or possibly other languages if some Chinese is spoken in the film. Below are recommendations of influential and iconic Chinese films:
活着 = Lifetimes by Call Number: PN1995.91.C5 H86 1998Publication Date: 1998A historical drama directed by one of the most famous directors in China. It details the struggles of a family as they adapt to China's changing environment.
大红灯笼高高挂 = Raise the Red Lantern by Call Number: PN1995.91.C5 T33 2005ISBN: 9781595521835Publication Date: 1991Another famous Zhang Yimou film. It is about a woman who is married off to a wealthy nobleman. He has three other wives, and they all compete for his favor.
卧虎藏龙 = Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Call Number: PN1995.91.C5 W62 2001bISBN: 9780767861441Publication Date: 2001
