Novels like Is This Really the Jianghu?
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Is This Really the Jianghu?, best match first.
- 1 The Heroic Chronicles of Jingming 惊溟侠记 In the final years of the Tang Dynasty, the Twelve Jingming Sacred Steles, which celebrated the empire’s founding heroes, were destroyed. A prophecy soon spread among the people: “When Jingming appears again, the Tang will fall.” From then on, the martial world of the Tang was no longer at peace, and the imperial court and the jianghu became intertwined through Jingming. The orphaned boy Jiang Yunque has no desire to enter the jianghu, but is swept into its conflicts all the same. At the Mount T 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 The Bright Moon of Yong 雍时明月 The Six Kingdoms have been pacified, and Great Yong has unified the realm. The nine sacred texts of antiquity lie shattered. The Confucians, Mohists, Daoists, Legalists, Diplomats, and countless other schools each hold fragments, their ideals at odds. Undercurrents surge through both the martial world and the imperial court, and conflict has never ceased. A boy from the streets was taken in as a child by a reclusive swordsman. In more than a decade, he learned only to recognize the warmth and co —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 Drunk on the Wu Hook 醉吴钩 [Court politics × Martial arts world × Alternate history × Powerful male and female leads × Ensemble cast × Everyday lives of ordinary people × Serious drama] “Seven years, and you've come back. But your name is already infamous. Do you still hope to become someone's sword and try to rewrite the verdict in the history books?” “History is told about the past, experienced in the present, and retold in the future. It never speaks for itself. We have different stances, different methods, different p —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 Five-Star Reviews Make Me Stronger, So I Go All Out as an Escort 好评就能变强，走镖的我卷疯了 [One heroine + Lighthearted daily life + Everyone gets their time on screen + No contrived twists + A light System] Li Shanhai opens his eyes to find he has transmigrated into the body of the young master of a failing escort agency on the brink of bankruptcy. He owes three hundred taels to a loan shark, a fat creditor is at the door demanding to seize the estate, and everyone calls him "Weak-kneed Li." His predecessor drank himself to death at a brothel. Just when all seems lost, the Divine Esco —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 A Record of Splendor and Misty Rain 风华烟雨录 [Historical setting + light wuxia + lighthearted comedy + political intrigue] A handsome pavilion master who hides his true abilities, an exquisite divine physician who plays the pig to eat the tiger, a righteous young gentleman, and a wealthy heiress who spends lavishly. Four young people from very different walks of life meet and, each pursuing their own aims, set off together on a journey of their own. One step across the land, one step through the martial world. Conflict rages throughout the 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 A Lone Leaf on a Boat as a Thousand Sails Fade Away 一叶孤舟千帆尽 (One female lead, no harem, no System + no dumb decisions + not a beginner's novel. Traditional martial arts are dead, so proceed with caution if that bothers you!) I thought the jianghu was just the jianghu. I thought revenge was just revenge. As citizens of Daxia, we must strive to become stronger! 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 The Inn That’s Always on the Verge of Closing 有间客栈随时要倒闭 [Not a wish-fulfillment story + farming + one heroine + ensemble cast + bedtime story] Spring catkins follow the flowing water; winter plum blossoms ride the wind away. Looking back, a hundred years have passed. Who knew spring would come again? Linghu Lanshu and Luo Mengshuang have long been unable to break through to the True Immortal Realm. Sect Master Feng Lan reveals the secret with a single remark. The two decide to live as ordinary mortals and experience the world properly. Along the way, —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 A Knife from the Start 开局就送一把刀 Watch as the young Qi Xiao carves his name into legend with a single blade on the path of the jianghu. 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 The Tale of Chongsheng 崇晟传 [No System, No Golden Finger, Not a Power Fantasy, Traditional Martial Arts, Mystery] He is the heir of the Southern Marquis, and should have grown up surrounded by wealth and privilege. But disaster strikes his family. His father is framed, his mother goes missing, and he is forced to roam the martial world. As he searches for his family, his sword pierces the throats of one enemy after another. His sword is so fast that his opponents can't even see what it looks like. But this time, he isn't u 2Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 10 Devouring Demons 啖魔 A thousand-year-old legend of gods and demons, and an eternal struggle between good and evil. A mighty imperial dynasty teeters on the brink of collapse. Swordmasters whose martial arts approach the divine lie hidden in the darkest reaches of the martial world and among towering mountain peaks. Yet there are beings even more powerful than they: the Demon God of antiquity. Though his body was destroyed, his consciousness remains, sealed in slumber beneath the Nine Hells as he awaits awakening. Hu 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 Hero of the Age 当世英雄 Lan Nu’s origins are shrouded in mystery. Her martial arts are peerless, and her swordsmanship is hailed as divine. After completing her training, she descends the mountain to seek the enemy who wiped out her clan, making bitter enemies among the martial world and getting swept into a tangled whirlpool of conflict between the imperial court, the martial world, and her personal vendettas. After a series of strange encounters, she joins forces with Gu Suyou, leader of the Salt Gang. As they resist 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 A Hero's Path Through the Snow 侠路雪漫天 Young A Qi takes his master to Luozhou to seek treatment, but his master's real purpose seems to be more than just finding a doctor. The people pursuing them from behind seem to have known all along that they would take the road to Luozhou. Gu Wan and Shen Heng, whom they meet along the way, claim to be traveling with them, but each has their own secrets. And no one has mentioned the case from nine years ago, when A Qi's father was brutally murdered on his way to the capital. This isn't just a s 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 Beauty Like Jade, Sword Like a Rainbow 美人似玉剑如虹 This is the story of a young man accidentally drawn into the martial world, who resolves to wipe out every evil under heaven. In an age of chaos, the youth heads north with his sword, quelling the flames of war across the northern lands. He returns to the martial world, traveling the roads of heroism with a beautiful companion and leaving countless tales behind. There are perilous battles, the distant reaches of the martial world, and the treachery of the imperial court. Waves of turmoil crash o 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 The Great Yan Immortal Martial Path 大炎仙武 Gods and demons set the stage, wuxia gives it form. Prove the Way with the sword, and slay immortals with martial might! At its core, this is traditional wuxia, with smaller stories of mystery, horror, and crime solving woven into the plot. Expect plenty of martial arts battles and a story full of twists and turns. —Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 15 Divine Sword, Invincible 神剑，无敌 Thirteen years ago, the entire family was wiped out overnight, and the young man’s meridians were shattered. Thirteen years later, he returned, reborn and determined to avenge this blood feud. But just as his identity was exposed, he found himself trapped in a deadly predicament once again. And what earth-shattering secret was hidden within his family all those years ago? 179Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 16 The Tale of the Swordsman and the Book 书剑侠义传 In the final years of the Yuan dynasty and the early Ming, powerful factions rise and fall as war spreads across the land. Ji Ziqian, a scholar from Jiangnan, rescues the wandering swordsman Qian Buyi, drawing him into the martial world. Court politics and the martial world, ghosts and fox spirits, all reveal the shifting nature of the human heart. People may be cunning, but there is still a sword beneath heaven, wielded by a scholar, that can soothe the heart. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 The True Forms of the Five Sacred Mountains 五岳真形传 If I'm going to write about the jianghu, I won't write only about the jianghu. I'll write of lonely lamps on rainy nights in the jianghu, and a decade of old wine at Xinting, of grudges, debts, love, and hate. Who, high in the imperial court, will recite a century of Confucian righteousness and summon the dragon's cry and crane's song from the nine heavens? Who, far away in the jianghu, will charge against the Guangling River with a spear, splitting its waters for eight hundred miles? Come, come —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 A Broken Book from the Start, and Now I'm the Enemy of the Martial World 开局一破书，成了武林公敌 An orphaned boy in a mountain stronghold had only his mother, a woodshed, and an old dog to his name. He thought that no matter how hard life became, he could endure it. Until the day blood stained the snow, and his mother's dying words became his lifelong obsession: protect the book, trust no one too easily, and survive. The Record of Heaven's Secrets contains the world's martial arts, but also endless peril. Bearing a blood feud and tasting every flavor life has to offer, he declares, “A man m —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 Chronicles of a Chaotic Age 清风乱世录 A century ago, Yang Feng, an unparalleled master, fell in a world-shaking battle. That moment set the stage for the rise of another genius: the young Lin Qing. Join the author in witnessing their love and hatred, their joys and sorrows. From a mere household slave, he will gradually ascend to become a legend of the martial world. Will he follow the same path as Yang Feng? 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 Chronicles of Xuanwu’s Splendor 玄武风华录 (A plot-driven story, no System, not a mindless wish-fulfillment novel, with a vast world.) This is an age when spiritual energy has reached its peak, and an age when spiritual energy has begun to decline. This is an age when the divine order is crumbling, and an age when everyone longs to become a god. I raise the Xunwind Sword in my left hand and summon the Thunderclap Saber in my right. I sever the threads of fate and shatter the bridge of injustice. I break free from worldly shackles and see —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 The Youth Chu Xing 楚行少年 A sword rests on his back, bearing countless stories. The one who carries it, too, steps into the story of that sword. A simple, kindhearted young man wanders through a martial world that is not all that chaotic. Everything from the past has already been destroyed. The young man should not bear the burden of hatred, but put an end to this old feud. A boy who repays hatred with kindness is sure to reap even greater rewards. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 Guarding the Dao 守道 [Wuxia Feuds + Unhinged Beauty Assassin + Protecting the Common People] (A story about the greatest assassin under heaven becoming its greatest guardian...) Four years ago, Zhou Xinhe swept through the martial world and defeated countless masters, but then suffered a mysterious, grievous injury and vanished without a trace. Now, Zhou Xinhe has returned as the greatest assassin under heaven. To repay her master’s kindness and avenge her, she resolves to wipe out the heads of the four great famil 157Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 The Legendary Heroes of the Central Plains in Wuxia Novels 武侠小说中原侠侣传奇 Introduction to Wolong Sheng's wuxia novel, The Legend of the Heroes of the Central Plains: The Legend of the Lovers of the Central Plains: Ximen Yushuang, leader of the evil martial arts sect Plum Blossom Gate, intends to unite the martial world, but is thwarted by Bai Xixiang, a brilliant young woman suffering from a terminal illness. Ximen Yushuang hates her to the core and wants her dead, yet Bai Xixiang's cleverness fools her time and again. The two women match wits across the martial world 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 Sword Without a Trace 【剑无痕】 Introduction to Woniu Sheng’s wuxia novel Sword Without a Trace: The beautiful twin assassins Yulan challenge the renowned young hero Seven Swords Chasing Souls. Without a flash of blades or a clash of swords, the hero is captured without resistance. An obscure little town suddenly fills with countless figures from the martial world. Both sides of the law, and every school and sect, send their experts to conduct secret deals amid open and covert struggles. On Dongting Lake, a desolate little isl 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 Sword Shadows Across a Thousand Mountains 千山剑影 Dynasties rise and fall, and brilliant talents emerge in every age. Carrying the burden of his family's vengeance, the young Yan Yunsheng journeys from a scion of a distinguished family to a great hero of the martial world, from the splendor of the Tang Dynasty to its decline. Through hardship and upheaval, he writes a stirring tale of bold, passionate heroism. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 The Legend of Little Swallow: A Martial Arts Novel 武侠小说小燕子传奇 About the wuxia novel "The Legend of Little Swallow": To force the Ming emperor's hand, Ma Wenzhong, the governor of Henan, conspires with demonic cults from both regions. They abduct a princess and hide her within the palace, throwing the martial world into danger. The palace is gripped by unease, strange incidents plague the martial world, and a storm gathers over the Central Plains. Jiang Qianli, Little Swallow, the imperial guard commander Wang Tong, and a group of other martial arts maste 33Reads—Score714d adds
- 27 Dawn's Sword Rainbow 破晓剑虹 When Li Qiuhong came to his senses, the boy stood right in the center of his field of vision. The boy looked a little unusual, though Li Qiuhong couldn't say exactly what was off. He wore a felt hat at a slant. He was fairly tall but thin, with a willowy waist and shoulders. His face was only palm-sized and covered in dust, though his eyebrows were fine and well-shaped. His dry, pale lips were small, but a date-stone-sized mole at the corner caught the eye. The most astonishing thing about his f 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 The Sword of Mo Xu 莫须剑 The protagonist's halo is the kind people dream of having. Everyone wants a life like his, full of ups and downs, danger and surprise, sorrow and joy... Yun Bozhou accidentally transmigrates to the Jinghong Continent, where the strong rule all. But he is nothing more than an ordinary man, unable to take a single step forward on the continent. Who else shares his fate as a fellow sufferer? Luo Qinghan, the peerlessly beautiful Immortal Emperor of the celestial realm. With Luo Qinghan's help, Yun —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 Chronicles of a Hundred Lives in the Jianghu 江湖百生录 Conflict in the martial world has never ceased, and death is always close at hand. After each baffling incident, a trail of clues can eventually be found. Is it a blood feud? Revenge? Greed? Lust? Or perhaps a bid for the elusive title of the greatest martial artist in the land? In this era, as the older generation withdraws from the world, the new generation of young heroes is met with one terrible tragedy after another sweeping through the martial world. No one can stay out of it. You’ll never 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 The Wind Sweeps the Candle by the West Window 风卷西窗烛 A young man enters the jianghu for the first time and conceals his identity. Though he has no wish to get involved, he is drawn into conflicts between the jianghu and the imperial court. "What will you choose?" the old man before him asked. The young man picked up a black stone and placed it on the board. "This is my choice." (The male lead plays both sides of the law. The romance is minimal, with most of the story focused on the plot.) 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 Blade and Sword in the Martial World 刀剑入江湖 A turbulent dynasty, a realm of heroes and intrigue. A host of champions take the stage: wandering swordsmen, constables, generals, scholars, beauties, and warlords. As one group exits, another makes its entrance. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Flying Sword, Singing Sleeve 袖剑飞吟 [Swordsmanship + Fantasy + Martial Arts + Xianxia] The greatest sword technique under heaven: Sleevesword Flying Song. It burst onto the scene, said to have been created by a young man in blue. What was the young man’s surname and given name? Stay tuned. 10Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 33 Eight Dragons Subdue the Golden Spear 八龙伏金枪 Seek the Eight Dragons, subdue the Golden Spear, and rule the troubled age, with all under heaven as your own! The shame of Jingkang, the fall of the Northern Song, and the ensuing chaos across the land: an old rumor, long forgotten, stirs the martial world into another storm of bloodshed. Little Yang Tian, a loyal and patriotic descendant of the Yang family, has just turned thirteen when he loses his father and then his mother. Through hardship and fortuitous encounters, he fulfills his father’ 1.2kReads—Score13914d adds
- 34 Maple Snow Sword Song 枫雪剑歌 With the first sword, the winds rise; with the second, clouds and sun ascend; with the third, snow falls cold! “Just as you’d expect from the youngest Sword God. You slaughtered the disciples of all three of our sects by yourself. That’s a record worth boasting about!” “Do you still have the strength to strike again!?” “Come and fight!!!” Maple Leaf refused to let himself fall just like this... 47Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 Sword Intent at Its Peak 剑意正浓 Sword intent pierces the clouds and reaches the highest heavens, its brilliance shaking the world. Once, a swordsman strode proudly through life, renowned throughout the martial world. As several of the martial world’s great sword manuals were lost, fewer and fewer people chose the sword as their weapon, and the sword gradually became little more than an ornament. Just as swordsmen were being forgotten, a young man entered the martial world with sword in hand, determined to restore the glory of 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 Glazed Light Reflected in the Cold Abyss 寒渊映琉璃 A bloody case from sixteen years ago is a nightmare Su Zhiqing can never wake from. Sixteen years later, a manhunt plunges her into an even greater mystery. Desperate for the truth, she whisks away her astonishingly gifted senior brother, Lin Hanyuan, and they venture into the martial world together, setting their swords against the demonic Baiyue Sect. The two establish the Tianshu Alliance, and amid flashing blades, their feelings quietly take root. But when an imperial decree of betrothal arr 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 Lone Star, Cold Moon, Frost 孤星冷月寒霜 Synopsis of Zhuge Qingyun’s wuxia novel Lone Star, Cold Moon, Frost: “Lone Star,” “Cold Moon,” and “Frost” are three exceptional martial artists, each with a unique skill: “The Lone Star Is Never Alone,” “The Cold Moon Is Never Cold,” and “The Frost Never Melts.” Together, their names are renowned throughout the martial world. As it turns out, the Lone Star and Frost were bound by a romance long ago. “The Handsome Lone Star,” Ma Erping, had a sweetheart when he was young. Pure of heart and no pa 96Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 Too Lazy to Return to the Jade Tower and Golden Palace 玉楼金阙慵归去 [A cool-faced, warm-hearted, highly skilled heroine of the martial world vs. a debauched, silver-tongued, scheming prince on the run] When Li Gantang first entered the martial world, she ran into the slick-talking, grinning Xie Zhuo. She thought he was unbearably noisy and, aside from being fairly good-looking, utterly useless. Xie Zhuo: “Beauty, you’re so gorgeous. You should smile more. Why the long face?” Li Gantang (rolling her eyes): “Go away!” Xie Zhuo: “I’m a delicate, beautiful young man 77Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 Wuxia Fantasy: The Jade Lotus Song 武侠玄幻碧莲曲 Synopsis of the wuxia fantasy novel The Song of the Jade Lotus: Whenever Fang Yuqi sits on this great rock, he naturally begins to hum The Song of the Jade Lotus. What a beautiful, lovely melody it is! It is the only song he ever learned as a child, and it has left a deep impression on his heart. It originally had no title. Perhaps it did have one, since a song cannot possibly have no name. But he was too young back then, and only knew how to sing it. Why would he have asked about its title? As 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 The Book of Wishes 如意经 A manual said to contain peerless martial arts has become the object of everyone’s desire. As schemes and treachery spread through the martial world, a thrilling tale of the martial arts world unfolds... 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 Ninety-Two 九二 Hexagram Qian, line nine in the second place: The dragon appears in the fields. It is beneficial to meet a great person. The heroes of the world ought to be scattered, and the champions of the jianghu ought to be alone. Yet these great heroes and champions often find themselves brought together by one person. So they drink together in the wilds, share their deepest secrets, and pledge to live or die together after only a brief conversation. That person is Xie Tingwu. Perhaps he is the great —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 The Tale of the Chivalrous Thief 侠盗英雄传 In the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, the story unfolds in a small fishing village far from the noise and chaos of war. Zhang Caile is a country boy, born and raised in the village, who dreams of becoming a great hero. The story follows him from boyhood through youth, middle age, and old age as he pursues that dream amid turbulent times and the shifting currents of the martial world. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 Twelve Bars of the Eastern Wind 东风十二阑 A scion of a prestigious family × a fiendish maiden of the Demon Cult A legendary sword reappears in the martial world Factions from every side step forward to compete Will it be love and hate, with vengeance pursued and grudges repaid? Or will lingering shadows follow as hearts pledge themselves to one another? —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 The Way of the Mohists 【墨者行】 [Novel complete, one chapter a day] [Not for fans of fast-paced power fantasies] [The pacing is on the slow side] #New-School Wuxia #Political Intrigue #Wulin Feuds #Revenge and Growth #The Games People Play # He enters the martial world under an assumed name, and with one sword strike turns the tide and sets the world right! Bearing a blood feud, Gu Xiaoyuan travels the Nine Rivers under the name Mo Lingfeng. He investigates the truth behind his master's murder while unraveling a shocking cons 4Reads—Score114d adds
- 45 The Sword Falls, the Story Begins 落剑起 A sword case rests beneath the pillow. It enters dreams and keeps them company, a way to remember those gone and give shape to longing. A head of black hair has turned white. He thinks of the one he left behind, though they can never meet again in this life. All he can do is forge a sword to hold his yearning. Where is the jianghu? What is it like? Three kingdoms stand in a stalemate, and war rages without end. Where can he go from here...? 16Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 I Seek No Contest 我本无争 Traditional wuxia. Watch an ordinary young man slowly grow up in a strange and turbulent martial world where people are as treacherous as ghosts. Some people in this world are searching, some are chasing, and some are climbing... But that young man alone is drawing closer, step by step, to a kinder world! 200Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 47 The Swordsman’s Shadow, the Sword’s Radiance 侠影剑明 The jianghu is a vast and profound realm. It is more than simple fighting and killing. It is a proving ground for the human heart, a grueling contest between conviction and desire. In the jianghu, glory can crumble in an instant, and empty fame is like a bubble, vanishing with the wind. A true hero does not walk a path strewn with flowers, but holds fast to the scales of justice even in the dark. The jianghu seems free, yet its shackles are real; everyone is penned in by the fences of rules an —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 Drunk in the Pine Breeze 松风醉酒 One volume brings an end to the old grudges of Tiandu; three years bury the injustice and suffering of the snowstorms. A young man breaks free of his cage, old friends reunite, a wrongful case resurfaces, and the martial world opens its gates. The old dynasty's blood has yet to dry, and storms are gathering in the martial world. The old affairs of Tiandu reach their conclusion; the search for proof in the martial world begins. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 The Soul-Seizing Banner 【夺魂旗】 Shangguan Ling travels through the Central Plains with her master, the reclusive hero of the southern frontier, Xie Dongyang. Along the way, they meet the silver-bearded swordsman Fang Baichuan. Fang says that the Soul-Seizing Banner, one of the Five Peerless Wonders of the World, has been absent from the martial world for more than twenty years, but has suddenly reappeared. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 A Long Song for a Broken Sword 折剑长歌 The jianghu is a great dream you long to wake from, yet never can, trapped within it, sinking and crawling. It is also a poem, with every person a character in its verses. A thousand words and ten thousand voices come together to tell a single story. 272Reads8.0Score—14d adds
