Novels like A Ballad of Jianghu
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Ballad of Jianghu, best match first.
- 1 Tainan Underworld: Tales of the Past 台南黑道往事 Lin Qing is a promising business management graduate, always impeccably dressed in Taipei, until a letter from home pulls him back to the heart of the storm: Anping, Tainan. His father, Lin Shuisu, rules the docks with an iron fist as the gang boss of the Shuishu Gang. This world reeks of the sea, rust, cheap betel nut, and unrestrained violence, a stark contrast to the orderly life of Taipei. His first lesson after returning home is watching his father hack off the fingers of a debtor named A S 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 Twenty Years on the Edge of a Blade in Southwest Shandong 刀口之鲁西南二十载春秋 (First person, period setting, not a wish-fulfillment story, underworld) When I was young, I couldn't accept things as they were, so I resolutely set out on the path of the underworld. I thought the road ahead would be smooth, never realizing it would be even more treacherous. I witnessed countless big brothers rise to glory, then fade into decline. All that brotherhood and bravado in the underworld was nothing but an illusion! My name is Zhang Hui, and I'm a man who refuses to accept his l 437Reads—Score10014d adds
- 3 It's Tough Making It in the Jianghu 江湖社会不好混 The underworld isn't just about fighting. It's also about human relationships and social savvy. Charging in thoughtlessly is what amateurs do. Planning and strategy are both essential. Strength is a prerequisite. Watch the protagonist climb to the top. P.S. This old hand at reading novels is writing one for the first time. I hope you'll support and encourage me. Please forgive me if it's not well written, and go easy on me in the comments. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 A Disciple of the Generation 一代门徒 In the 2000s, we entered a new century. Tower after tower rose from the ground, and people moved from a simple, kindhearted world to one filled with complicated struggles of human nature. The times changed and taught us so much, so very much. We also lost so much, so very much... 109Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 My Wild Youth: From Being Bullied to Becoming a Gang Boss 混过的青春：从被欺负到黑帮大佬 How does a timid boy who's bullied every day gradually rediscover the courage he lost in his youth? How does he finally redeem himself? And how does he rise step by step to the pinnacle of the underworld? What secrets lie behind it all? Find out in The Days We Lived Through. 5.3kReads—Score34914d adds
- 6 Decades in the Underworld: From Hidden Dragon to King 黑道十几年之潜蛟成王 [Not a wish-fulfillment story] [Follow a small-time student thug as he climbs step by step to the top of the underworld] [Not too serious, entertainment comes first!] In a forgotten corner of the city stood a notorious school: Municipal Third Songmu Middle School, known as “Third Songmu.” It was no ordinary academy, but a miniature jungle where hidden talents lurked and the weak were preyed upon. Beneath its peaceful facade, conflict churned like an underground current, and fighting was its eter 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 He and His Thousand Brothers 他和他的一千个兄弟 A sweeping crackdown on organized crime by the municipal Party committee and government brought Kangcheng ten years of peace. But after a decade, criminal forces sprang up like mushrooms after rain and returned in force. A breakup, having his identity stolen in the college entrance exam, and a construction boss’s schemes led Chen Li’an to give up on making an honest living. In the end, he went down a path of no return, turning against society. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 I Dabbled in the Underworld and Accidentally Reached the Top 黑道玩票，不小心混到了巅峰 (Underworld + passion + brotherhood) You want to force me to the top of the underworld? Then I’ll give you exactly what you want! I’ve weathered bloody storms! Walked through a hail of bullets! Been betrayed by brothers! Faced life and death with indifference! Endured every vicious scheme! I, Wang Dongsheng, will tear through the darkness and shatter every plot! I’ll lead my brothers to rise on this blood-soaked road! I only ever wanted to be a nobody, but you forced me to become a hyena bristli 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 The Black Son of Heaven 黑天子 [Realistic Underworld + Everyone Is Smart + First-Person] An unconventional workplace in a bygone era, where people deal in social connections as well as bloodshed. This “workplace” is hidden behind two veils. One is called the world beyond the law, and the other is called the underworld. My name is Chen Chunsheng, a survivor who experienced both worlds firsthand. 30Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 10 Underworld Storm: Southeast Asia 黑道风云之东南风云录！ In the 1990s, the southeastern provinces were a chaotic mix, with criminal gangs flourishing everywhere. They controlled the underworld, disregarded the law and morality, and kept crime rates high… In Min City, Minzhou Province, Li Tianju is forced back onto the road of no return after getting out of prison. He rises like a storm, crushing all challengers until he becomes a crime boss in his own right! (This book has no harem, no formulaic tropes, no invincible protagonist, and no filler. It’s h 140Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 11 The Thug Gets Out of Prison 暴徒出狱 Before I went to prison, I was a big shot everyone feared. After getting out, I wanted to live a different kind of life. I just wanted to be an ordinary person, live a quiet life, and work hard to make money. I was ready to let bygones be bygones. But I wanted to let them go, and they kept pushing me. So I had no choice but to fight back with everything I had. 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 The Jianghu in Its True Colors 江湖本色 [New book: River Dragon on the Loose] Many years ago, a group of cocky young boys smoked cigarettes that cost just a few yuan a pack and talked big about their dreams. Longing for the day they would grow up, they shouted, “Our future is bright!” Looking back in an instant, the old street is still there, and the stars shine as they always did. But are the brothers from those days still the same? A man remains a boy until the day he dies! Just like youthful passion, it may cool, but it never dies! 982Reads7.2Score10214d adds
- 13 The Unyielding Fist 不屈的拳头 This is a world of black and white, with no shades of gray. Twin brothers were forced apart while still in their swaddling clothes, and from then on lived completely different lives. Years later, they meet again at the same high school... 66Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 The Dragon City Kingpin 龙城枭雄 At the end of the last century, Longcheng was a haven for countless criminal gangs, and most of its people were driven onto a path of no return... In that era of flashing blades and bloody battles, a man named Yao Chutian unleashed a storm of bloodshed and chaos. 5Reads—Score114d adds
- 15 Tales of the Underworld 黑道风云往事 This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is coincidental. This book urges people to choose the right path and serves as a warning to those who have gone astray. At eight, backed by my uncle, I planted the seeds of violence with a kitchen knife and blood. At sixteen, yearning for the world of the underworld, I plunged headfirst into its maelstrom. I saw its filth and darkness, its betrayals and its worship of profit, with only the faintest trace of loyalty. I s 61Reads—Score214d adds
- 16 The Jianghu: A True Account of Half a Life in the Underworld 江湖：混社会的半生真实经历 A chaotic age, filled with flashing blades and clashing steel! The martial world is like a cup of tea. Everyone tastes it differently. My name is Zhao Long. Back then, most people called me Long Si, Brother Si, or Fourth Master! I'm not exaggerating when I say my reputation back then was almost as great as that of the famous Fourth Master Qiao up north! I was a poor kid who couldn't afford a meal. Through sheer grit and ruthl 4.7kReads7.1Score20114d adds
- 17 The Days We Spent Together 在一起的日子 Young and reckless, we chase our dreams. Full of passion, we strive to make our mark. Come on, let's all shout it out: “Guys, let's hit the road!” 56Reads7.7Score—14d adds
- 18 Skybreaker: Born Stubborn 擎天之生来倔强 [Urban + action-packed + youth] From the city’s nightlife to the front lines of the war on drugs, he uses underworld tactics to serve his country and people! In the end, he burns the drug dens to the ground and etches his bloodstained underworld legend into the backbone of his people! 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 The King of Hardened Criminals from Prison 监狱出来的悍匪之王 In 2001, Hanjiang City was named the safest city in the country. Chu Tianhong made an indelible contribution to that distinction, because two of his underlings were arrested. 23.9kReads8.8Score1.4k14d adds
- 20 Schoolyard Storms, Northeast Underworld 校园风云，东北江湖路 [Wherever there are people, there will be a world of the underworld] [A Northeast underworld story] [Decisive and ruthless] [A road of no return] [First person] [Recollections] [This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.] My name is Han Tian. I was kidnapped by human traffickers as a child and forced to beg on the streets. It wasn't until Uncle Han rescued me from them that I was given a name. He showed me that a person could live like a re 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 Tales of Black and White: Leaping Through the Dragon Gate 黑白往事之跃龙门 (Hardcore underworld, a rise from humble beginnings, ensemble cast, smart characters, a realistic coming-of-age style, not a mindless power fantasy, not first-person! Readers under 18 should exercise caution!) How much impact can one misunderstanding have? Enough to change someone's entire life! Can someone with a damaged brain still be a gang boss? Not only can he, he can be a great one! In the early 1990s, the tide of the market economy swept across all of China, stirring up everyone just like 2.4kReads7.0Score14714d adds
- 22 The Underworld! 黑道！ [Gangland, realistic, no wish fulfillment, no mindless plot, no System, frequent updates] Five years ago, Lin Jun enlisted in the military. During those five years, he earned countless military honors. Five years later, Lin Jun returns home after leaving the military, only to find not a happy life awaiting him, but his mother's cold corpse. To avenge his mother, Lin Jun has no choice but to embark on a path of no return, stirring up countless waves in the underworld! 34.9kReads8.5Score2.6k14d adds
- 23 The Third Republic 第三共和国 [Apocalyptic wasteland]+ [underworld]+ [political intrigue]+ [underdog rises]+ [war]+ [no System] After an asteroid strikes Earth, civilization and order disappear without a trace. Resources are scarce, society is in chaos, and corruption runs rampant… Chen Wei makes his way alone from the lawless, chaotic zone to Shanxing City. All he wants at first is enough to get by, but the cutthroat environment, self-serving superiors, and privileged second-generation heirs… force him to transform from 3.7kReads6.0Score37514d adds
- 24 Tales of the Second High School 二中之风云往事 For all three years of middle school, my whole class ostracized me. Second-year students cornered and humiliated me, and everyone treated me like trash and walked all over me. They thought I was weak and easy to bully, but they didn’t know that a boy backed into a corner has nothing left to lose. From this day on, I’ll give my life to anyone who protects me, and pay back anyone who bullies me twice over. This isn’t a novel. It’s the bloody path of my youth, the one I truly walked. “My name is Ba 258Reads—Score10914d adds
- 25 The Dark Path: From Dust to the Abyss 黑途：从尘埃到深渊 The underworld keeps order through violence. But when drugs let people catch bullets with their bare hands and run up walls, the old rules have to be rewritten. Xue Ran was just a minor player in the underworld, until his boss set him up during a deal. From then on, he would no longer be a pawn for others to slaughter. As his boss and the forces behind him hunted him again and again, an unexpected twist led him to swallow the “primordial serum” developed by those very forces. But power brings mo 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 From School Bully to Big Shot, I Fought My Way to the Top 从校霸到大佬，一路杀疯了 The rating is still low, but it will rise as more people rate it. Read without worry: the characters won’t suddenly become stupid. [Underworld fiction + play the pig to eat the tiger + master strategist + resource consolidation] Lin Feng was born the second young master of an underworld family, yet he was determined to conquer the world through his wits. He gathered his brothers, advanced step by step, and struck decisively. Just as everyone thought he was aiming to become the school’s top bully 93Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 27 The Underworld: I Make the Rules 黑道：我才是规矩 Two years in prison, and nothing is as it was. Wherever there are people, there are rivalries and power struggles. Schemes and betrayals are everywhere, and one careless move can destroy an entire family. No matter what, the strong can turn the tables against the odds. Starting today, I make the rules in Philadelphia! 2.4kReads—Score10414d adds
- 28 I Said I'd Just Be a Nobody, but You Became the King of the Underworld 说好当混子，你却成江湖天花板 In bloody times, the underworld is a world of its own. Do you choose loyalty or profit? The passion we felt back then was all for standing shoulder to shoulder with our brothers, blades in hand, singing at the top of our lungs! We once swore we would build a glorious future together! But time flies by in the blink of an eye. How many people still dare to shout those bold slogans from back then? Do people change society, or does society change people? Perhaps some will forget what they set out to 893Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 29 The Underworld: A Life in the Jianghu 黑道：人在江湖 What is the underworld? No one can really say. To me, the underworld is the jianghu. The jianghu has its own rules and its own stories. It’s not all fighting and killing. More than anything, it’s about human relationships and navigating the ways of the world. In 1996, a film about young gangsters influenced countless young people, leading them down a path of no return... That same year, after four years in prison, I walked out through those heavy doors and regained my freedom. My name is Fang We 206Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 30 Northeast China Underworld: The Autobiography of a Crime Boss 东北黑道：一位黑道大哥的自传 [Urban] [Underworld] [Outlaws] [A Cast of Villains] [Justice Served] [An Unvarnished Northeastern Chinese Gangster Story] The underworld rises and falls, settling old scores in blood. To others, the jianghu is about loyalty, passion, and settling scores with a thrilling flourish. The jianghu I’ve seen is nothing but deceit and betrayal. There are no bonds of brotherhood, only greed. There is no mercy, only merciless extermination. On this road, a knife is leverage, blood is the price, and a cons 31.3kReads8.8Score1.7k14d adds
- 31 Underworld Turmoil in Yunnan and Guizhou 滇黔黑道风云 Even with nothing to your name, you can still shape the world! A poor boy can become a lord! People love reading face-slapping stories about rich families. I, however, want to write an inspiring tale of a poor boy facing one twist in the road after another, surviving countless brushes with death before rising to power! Life never goes exactly as you wish. In all things, be content if things go even halfway your way. Follow the eventful rise of a young man from Nanguang, from hauling bricks to ru 5.2kReads6.6Score24114d adds
- 32 Rise to the Top of the Underworld! 引领黑道巅峰！ [Power fantasy] + [Undercover agent] + [Clash of black and white] + [Decisive and ruthless] + [No System] + [Patriotic] Three years, then another three years, and another three years! Jiang Wuqing, you’re a cop! No! I’m the gang’s top enforcer! If you weren’t a cop, why wouldn’t they arrest you when they took down the gang? I play both sides! Years later… Please, when you take them down, take me with them. I can’t take it anymore! There’s really no crime left anywhere in the world. I’ 853Reads6.9Score10614d adds
- 33 The Bad Guy: I Transmigrated into Xie Wendong, but I Won’t Join the Underworld 坏蛋：穿越谢文东，我不混黑道了 Xie Wendong opened his eyes and discovered that he had become the younger version of the future underworld kingpin. Looking at his youthful yet ruthless face in the mirror, he smiled. “Run with the underworld? That’s way too low-tech.” Armed with modern business thinking, he founded the Dongsheng Group. San Yan became chairman of the security group, Li Shuang took charge of logistics, and Jiang Sen switched careers to become 705Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 The Pinnacle of Dark Martial Arts 黑武之巅 Sorry, everyone, for posting the prologue so late. You can skip ahead to the beginning of Chapter 102 first, then come back and start reading from Chapter 1. Apologies. A novel featuring the underworld, supernatural abilities, the city, and campus life. He and his friends will rise together to the pinnacle of the Black Martial Path. This is the story of his growth... People are often at their most brash and carefree when they are young. That’s what it means to be young and reckless. This is an e 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 The Boy in the Dog Cage 狗笼里的男孩 [Smart protagonist + leaves no loose ends + decisive and ruthless + crime lord + political intrigue + business warfare + comeback + revenge] He escapes the hellish dog cage, only to discover that the world is an even bigger prison. This time, he's going to topple every throne. Starting on the streets of Donghai City, he climbs the ranks, moves on to international resource battles, and eventually shakes the global financial order. Underworld rules don't work? Then he'll teach them a lesson with b 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 Dark Glory: Twenty Years in the Underworld of Northeast China 黑暗荣耀：东北江湖二十年 1.3kReads8.8Score10914d adds
- 37 Forced to Fall! The Gangland Boss Won’t Stop Fighting to Claim Me 强制沦陷！黑道大佬他又争又抢 [Arrogant, obsessive foreign power broker VS beautiful, strong, and tragic stubborn agent] [Combative couple + star-crossed love + mortal enemies + devoted power couple + unrequited love + twisted obsessive forced romance] Born the only son of one of the world's most powerful families, Bai Jinghe was destined to get whatever he wanted from the moment he came into the world. He excelled at school from a young age and made a name for himself early. Later, he crushed every local gang and claimed th 656Reads8.1Score10314d adds
- 38 Twenty Years of Gangland Turmoil 黑道风云二十年 I had just gone to prison when my girlfriend got together with my big brother. My name is Wang Chao, a street punk who takes loyalty seriously. The passion of the 1990s is my dream. And the youth an entire generation can never get back. With my story, I’ll look back on the glorious years we shared! 507Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 39 Gangland: Starting by Winning Over a Stunning Beauty 黑道：从拿下极品红颜开始 [The short drama adaptation of this novel, Urban Good Guys, is now streaming. It’s exciting and thrilling, so come watch!] [Urban life + underworld + mature beauties + conquest + multiple heroines + comedy + feel-good power fantasy + period setting + underdog comeback] An underdog comeback story with multiple heroines! In 1990s Donghai, country boy Chen Feng starts out guarding a nightclub. With his fists and his brains, he carves out a bloody path, gathering brothers, seizing territory, taking 64.9kReads8.3Score4.9k14d adds
- 40 Smoking with a Black Dragon Tattoo, and You Call This a Good Student? 叼烟纹黑龙，你说这是好学生？ A new teen observational show called Youth Shines Bright bursts onto the scene. Its contestants are either good students or delinquent youths. As an outstanding top student at Haiyun University, Qin Xiaomo is the obvious choice to represent good students on the show. But as filming goes on, things start to feel more and more off. How come Qin Xiaomo drinks and smokes if he’s a good student? How come Qin Xiaomo has a full-back tattoo of a nine-clawed black dragon if he’s a good student? How can Q 1.1kReads6.5Score10414d adds
- 41 Hong Kong Crossover: Starting in Tsuen Wan, Rebuilding a Money Empire 港综：从荃湾开始，重铸金钱帝国 “Big D, you're a big shot now. Stop going around hacking people up, and try to be a little more level-headed.” White smoke rose from the cigarette between Zhang Zhen's fingers as he spoke with a hint of teasing. “Out here, if you don't hack people up or fight for territory, how are you supposed to make money? Ah Zhen, didn't you say there were three things you needed to make it big: people, money, and the guts to take risks?” Big D said from the sofa, holding a glass of liquor. “Remember this, B 43.3kReads5.6Score2.5k14d adds
- 42 A Song for the Underworld 混子的挽歌 [Raise our cups and toast the rugged road through the underworld.] [Through blood and fury, a brotherhood that lasts a lifetime.] A naive, timid young man, to keep from losing the brothers at his side again, chooses to take up a three-foot steel blade and step into a world stained red with blood. Behind the brotherly bravado and drunken revelry of the underworld, the only things that never change are ruthless exploitation and cold reality. The people he meets make him sick. And little by little, 2.4kReads7.3Score23914d adds
- 43 A Bull on the Rise 牛冲天 My dad was a king of the battlefield in the Vietnam War and a national second-class merit award recipient. In 1989, something happened to him while he was home on leave. He escaped after being surrounded and pursued by eighty plainclothes detectives. The authorities never said what he was guilty of, and rumors said he was either a master thief or a defector. I was the only one who believed he was a good man, because he told me he was someone I could be proud of, and I believed him. I was eight t 57Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 After I Got Out of Prison, My Sister Forced Me to Inherit a Billion-Dollar Fortune 出狱后，姐姐逼我继承亿万家产 Food delivery rider + Sanhe drifter + brotherhood in the underworld + rise to the pinnacle of power. Revenge and face-slapping + unexpected fortune + underdog's rise + tight, logical plotting. A Southeast Asian power struggle + fierce mercenary battles + leading your brothers to the top. My ex-girlfriend clings to a rich man and mocks me: “All you'll ever be in this life is a garbage picker!” Late one night, three sexy older women corner me beneath a bridge. “Your parents left you hundreds of mi 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 Lone Wolf of the Underworld: I Came from Hell 黑道孤枭：我从地狱来 Orphaned at eight, I spent eight years keeping my head down. I came from hell, and I came for revenge. When the lone wolf strikes, the underworld runs red with blood. Those who owe me will repay me tenfold. Those who wrong me will be ground to dust! 201Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 Kidnapped and Sold by a Jerk, I Became the Gang Leader’s Wife 被渣男拐卖后，我成了帮派大嫂 [Love grows over time, two powerful leads working together] Bai Xiangpu has been searching for her mother, who died many years ago, but after her best friend jumps from a building for no apparent reason, a scumbag lures her into the terrifying M District. While fleeing, she unexpectedly crashes into the arms of Wu Wei, a gang boss! To win his protection, she tries every way she can to get close to him and win him over, even attempting to seduce him. It never works, but every time, people get the 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 Black Shark 黑鲨 I can’t stand you, so I’ll beat you up! You made me unhappy, so I’ll make you pay! White can be black, and black can become white, because even under the brightest lights, shadows are always there. Blunt and revealing, but not judgmental. This may not be the pinnacle of crime fiction, but it is absolutely a trailblazer in the genre! Just wait and see! 557Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 48 The Bad Guys 坏家伙们 When the jianghu is no longer traditional, it’s bound to become driven by self-interest! After the turn of the millennium, a new generation of “bad guys,” born in the eighties and nineties, began to take the stage in their own jianghu! These newcomers no longer revered the spirit of chivalry. They let money clear the way and put profit above all else! To carve out a place for themselves in this treacherous jianghu, they had to stop at nothing and plan every move! The great waves sift the sand! M 5.4kReads8.9Score31914d adds
- 49 Tales of the Southern Underworld 南方黑道往事 A highly realistic and utterly authentic autobiographical story about the underworld. Many readers who have started reading have already been drawn deep into it. Open this book, and you'll see a real underworld: helplessness and betrayal, a deeply immersive world of bloodshed and brotherhood. 5.7kReads8.9Score44114d adds
- 50 The Thirteen Guardians of Tang City 唐市十三太保 The Tang City Underworld Duology, Part One: The Thirteen Guardians The bigwigs of Tang City’s martial world fell one by one during the 1983 crackdown. But wherever there are people, there will always be a martial world, and new forces are already stirring! Who will become Tang City’s next underworld boss? The story of the Thirteen Guardians of Tang City begins after Qin San, Wang Wu, and Ma Liu witness their father’s execution by firing squad! 965Reads—Score—14d adds
