"Did you know Zhang Linghe (Yan Qi in Pursuit of Jade) was also in The Princess Royal — playing the loyal guard who waits YEARS for the most powerful woman in the empire to let him in? Same quiet intensity, same devastating slow burn. 😭"
Zhang Linghe is one of the most exciting rising stars in C-drama right now. His speciality: the cold, perceptive man who notices everything but says nothing — until the moment he can't stay quiet anymore. He plays Yan Qi, the brilliant academy student who suspects Shen Ruoxi's secret and makes the decision that changes everything. Born 1998, he launched into leading-man status with The Legend of Anle and hasn't slowed down.
Other works
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as Pei Wenxuan (loyal imperial guard)
Palace intrigue + devoted bodyguard slow burn — fan-voted "most similar energy to Pursuit of Jade"
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as Male lead — the idealist the story keeps testing
Modern drama spanning 20 years — completely different from palace shows, same principled core
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A Journey to Love (一念关山) (2023)
as Ren Ruyi (supporting)
Wuxia with Ren Min and Liu Yuning — generated massive following for ZLH in this role
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The Legend of Anle (安乐传) (2023)
as Di Zi Yuan — the general torn between duty and love
His breakthrough leading-man role opposite Dilraba Dilmurat
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Meet Yourself (去有风的地方) (2023)
as Supporting
Netflix hit with Liu Yifei — a quieter, slice-of-life role showing range
→ See full filmography on DramaMatch
as Shen Ruoxi
Female Lead
"Did you know Tian Xiwei (Shen Ruoxi in Pursuit of Jade) has been delivering performances this good for years? She was already incredible in The Romance of Tiger and Rose — and now the rest of the C-drama world is finally paying attention. 🌹"
Tian Xiwei has been building her reputation for years, and Pursuit of Jade is her moment. She plays Shen Ruoxi — the scholar's sister who disguises herself as a man to attend the Yujian Academy, outsmarts everyone, and refuses to be the damsel in any scene she's in. Tian Xiwei's strength is emotional intelligence on screen; she plays smart characters who feel deeply, and that combination is rare.
Other works
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The Romance of Tiger and Rose (传闻中的陈芊芊) (2020)
as Supporting — plays Fan Qianqian
Beloved romcom with Zhao Lusi and Ding Yuxi — Tian Xiwei's early standout supporting turn
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Half a Lifelong Romance (半生缘) (2021)
as Gu Manzhen (lead) — tragic romance set in 1930s Shanghai
Adaptation of the Eileen Chang novel; Tian Xiwei earned critical praise for this emotionally layered lead role
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Nothing But You (一念关山) (2023)
as Supporting
Overlapping with Zhang Linghe — the two built chemistry long before Pursuit of Jade was announced
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Blossoms in Adversity (鹤唳华亭) (2019)
as Gu Yanxi (supporting)
Serious historical drama — shows Tian Xiwei can carry weight in period pieces
→ See full filmography on DramaMatch
Connor Leong
刘令姿 / Leon Leong
as Gu Chen
Second Male Lead / Fan-favourite rival
"Anyone else NOT okay after Connor Leong's scenes in Pursuit of Jade? He also played a neurodivergent badminton prodigy in Project 17: Never Stand Still — completely different role, same ability to make you feel everything. 🏸"
Connor Leong plays the second male lead who the community absolutely lost its mind over. That's not unusual in C-dramas — but the depth of the fandom response to his character tells you everything about how well he plays the role. Connor has been quietly building a resume across very different genres: from a tender sports drama about a neurodivergent badminton prodigy to modern ensemble dramas.
Other works
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as Ping An — neurodivergent badminton prodigy
Tender, acclaimed sports drama — completely different energy from Pursuit of Jade, showcases extraordinary range
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as Lin Jiu Yue (supporting)
Emotional female friendship drama — Connor in a quieter supporting role
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Twisted Fate of Love (遇见璃醍) (2021)
as Supporting
Fantasy historical romance where he holds his own against a stacked cast
→ See full filmography on DramaMatch
as Liu Zhi
Lead Villain / Antagonist
"Did you know Chen Xingxu (the VILLAIN in Pursuit of Jade) played the lead in The Starry Love — a completely different kind of handsome chaos? One moment he's the character you're rooting against, the next he's making you understand why the character made every wrong choice. That's real acting. ⭐"
The villain you love to hate. Chen Xingxu plays Liu Zhi, the antagonist whose scheming drives some of the most tense plot arcs in the show. Here's what makes him compelling as a villain pick: Chen Xingxu is genuinely one of the most charismatic actors in C-drama, and he brings that full force to his antagonist role. His fan following refuses to stay mad at him for long — which is the mark of a great villain performance.
Other works
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The Starry Love (星落凝成糖) (2023)
as Qing Kui (male lead) — dual roles, divine realm fantasy
Full leading-man mode — gorgeous xianxia opposite Landy Li
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Miss the Dragon (遇龙) (2021)
as Male lead — dragon who falls for a mortal
Sweet fantasy romance; built a huge international fanbase for Chen Xingxu
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Ancient Love Poetry (千古玦尘) (2021)
as Supporting — held his own opposite the stars of the whole drama
Major C-drama event — appeared alongside Xu Kai and Zhou Dongyu
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Sword and Fairy (古相思曲) (2024)
as Lead — the latest Sword and Fairy adaptation
Genre classic rebooted with him at the centre
→ See full filmography on DramaMatch
as Xu Ningzhi
Female Villain / Antagonist
"Cai Wenjing (the female villain in Pursuit of Jade) was also in The Bad Kids — one of the most acclaimed Chinese thrillers ever made. From domestic tension thriller to court schemer without missing a beat. That's range. 🔪"
Cai Wenjing plays the female antagonist with a particular kind of cold competence that makes every scene she's in feel dangerous. She's been doing this for years — playing complex, morally grey characters who you understand even when you want to shake them. Her career shows remarkable range across comedy, melodrama, and villain roles.
Other works
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The Bad Kids (隐秘的角落) (2020)
as Major supporting — in one of China's most critically acclaimed thriller dramas
Absolute must-watch psychological thriller — won every award going
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Go Ahead (以家人之名) (2020)
as Supporting in ensemble family melodrama
Emotional heavy-hitter about found family and the weight of parental failure
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A Romance of the Little Forest (一寸相思) (2021)
as Lead — palace intrigue + romance
Shows the full range: she can carry a romantic lead as convincingly as she plays villains
→ See full filmography on DramaMatch
as Bai Mingzhi
Fan-favourite Supporting Male
"Can we talk about He Junlin's character in Pursuit of Jade for a moment? Because the way he plays Bai Mingzhi is genuinely one of the reasons this show works as a full ensemble and not just a two-lead vehicle. 💙"
He Junlin plays one of the academy students who becomes a genuine highlight of the ensemble — the character that fandom affectionately loses it over for all the right reasons. He brings a lightness to scenes that contrast perfectly with the tension of the main plot.
Other works
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Reset (开端) (2022)
as Supporting in the time-loop thriller that broke records
One of the most watched C-dramas on iQiyi — a thriller that earned comparison to Dark
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Moonlight Chicken (泰版月光鸡排饭) (2023)
as Appeared in various 2022–2024 productions building a strong ensemble resume
Watch for him across multiple 2023–2025 releases — he's one to follow
→ See full filmography on DramaMatch