Shi Cha Hai Drama (2020) || Our Honest Review

Watch the Shi Cha Hai Drama (2020) with Leo Wu and Guan Xiaotong

What’s one of the hottest Chinese TV shows in the last few years?

Check out the Shi Cha Hai drama which we are all absolutely loving at LTL right now!

什刹海 shíchàhǎi, is a TV show released in July 2020. If you search for Shi Cha Hai, you will see the result of the famous place to visit in Beijing.

Yes, it is indeed related to the same place. Check below for more information why this drama is named after it.

NOTE || Please pay attention to the word 什, here it is pronounced shí.

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Brief Introduction

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Main Characters

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Useful Vocab

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Shicha Hai Park

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Where To Watch

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || FAQs

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Introduction

Shi Cha Hai is the story of three generations of the Zhuang family who live in a Shi Cha Hai Hutong in central Beijing. It’s a great chance for you to become familiar with Beijinger’s daily life.

Mr Zhuang was previously a famous chef.

The lively Shi Cha Hai area has broken the original, peaceful life of the celebrity chef and his family.

Spoiler Alert: The following paragraphs will have a little spoiler, you can skip to main characters if you want to!

With the arrival of David of China, he offended Mr. Zhuang’s old principles and rules with his tendency to not bother with trivial matters (just due to culture shock).

David’s purpose is to get close to Zhuang Jing (Mr Zhuang’s second daughter), the woman of his dreams.

In order to flatter Mr Zhuang, David learned Tai-chi from him, and his relationship with Mr Zhuang quickly increased, and it was logical for him to become Mr Zhuang’s apprentice.

The eldest son Zhuang Zhicun has a stable job and has been trying to pursue finding love again.

However, the return of his ex-wife leads to difficulties. With the help of their daughter, Zhuang Xiaoxiao, the persistent, savage, and unreasonable ex-wife makes his chance of finding new love vanish.

The youngest son Zhuang Zhibin is righteous and cheerful.

A typical character of uncompromising face. Becoming more and more frustrated in middle age, he is scammed in his various investments and financial managements.

His good intentions lead to bad things, and trivial matters arouse family conflicts, and he is eventually driven out of the Zhuang Family.

Suffering from the scorching heat of the world, he made up his mind to change his past and was forgiven by his family.

A Bite of China 舌尖上的中国 🏆 Best Chinese Food Show Ever!

A Bite of China Review – In Chinese it’s called 舌尖上的中国 (shéjiān shàng de zhōngguó). This literally means “China on the tip of the tongue”.

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Main Characters

Mr Zhuang is played by Liu Peiqi.

His name is 庄为天 zhuāng wéi tiān.

There is a famous saying for all Chinese people: hunger breeds discontent 民以食为天 mín yǐ shí wéi tiān, which literally means people take food as their god.

That’s why this famous chef was named 庄为天.

Mr Zhuang is married and loves his wife very much.

They have two sons and one daughter. He was a chef and wants his youngest son to follow in his footsteps. You will see him to play Tai-chi and sing opera during the show.

Liu Peiqi is famous for playing the character (白三爷 bái sān yé) of Da Zhai Men.

Is Traditional Chinese Medicine Real? Watch Da Zhai Men 大宅门 To Find Out

Da Zhai Men 大宅门 is a TV show starts during the Qing dynasty, when Emperor Guangxu is six years old (the 1880s). Find out what you can learn here.

Zhuang Xiaoxiao 庄晓晓zhuāngxiǎoxiǎo is played by Guan Xiaotong.

A famed line from her in Shi Cha Hai goes like this…

我不要车，不要包，可我就想要男朋友
wǒ búyào chē, búyào bāo, kě wǒ jiù xiǎng yào nán péngyǒu.

This translates to – I don’t want a car or a bag, all I want is a boy friend.

Zhuang Xiaoxiao falls love in with a singer in a bar named Xiang Dong, however her grandfather does not agree with them being together.

Check out why by watching the show.

Xiang Dong 项东 xiàngdōng is played by Leo Wu.

He loves singing and is known as a singer in a bar. The truth is that he is actually very rich and his grandpa is a famous chef also.

You might recognise Leo Wu from the movie Adoring, which we also reviewed.

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Useful Vocab

• 贼舒坦 zéishūtǎn: Very comfortable (贼 zéi literally means thief but here it means very)
• 颠儿了 diān ér le: To leave
• 老家儿 lǎo jiā ér: Normally a respectful term for a son or daughter to call their parents.

冬天可以溜冰，夏天可以划船
dōngtiān kěyǐ liūbīng, xiàtiān kěyǐ huáchuán
You can skate on the lake in winter and boat in summer. (I strongly suggest you do this when you come to visit Shicha Hai in Beijing).

Find out more interesting lines of Beijing Dialect by watching the TV drama and leave us a comment below if you need more explanations.

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Shi Cha Hai Park

The show is named after a real place called Shi Cha Hai in Beijing.

Shi Cha Hai is always a good place for local residents’ to relax, like what we can see in this TV show.

Visiting Hutongs and Courtyards here has always been a popular activity for visitors from China and abroad, you will see lots of tuk tuks nearby.

You can wander, ride a bike or take the tuk tuk to enjoy the natural beauty.

If you are interested in the historical values of the architecture, you can visit Prince Gong’s Mansion (恭王府 gōng wángfǔ), a building of the richest, most corrupt official in Qing dynasty.

The famous Houhai bar street actually just lies in Shi Cha Hai park. Shi Cha Hai consists of Houhai lake also.

Here is our blog for recommendations of parks in Beijing.

Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || Where To Watch

Shi Cha Hai was released in July 2020.

There are a total of 37 episodes with each one being 45 minutes.

It is available on YouTube with English subtitles and you can also watch it on the Chinese streaming site iQiyi and Youku.

You may notice the weather during the show, but don’t freak out!

It is true that if you are in Beijing for more than two weeks I am sure you will not be surprised by a smoggy day or two.

Instead, pay more attention to the food they make, it is so colourful and looks really delicious.

One episode I really want to introduce to you is Episode 21.

One reason why you should see this TV drama is of course because of the vivid picture it paints of Beijing local life and the beautiful food they make during the show.

Another thing I want you to pay attention to is the culture this TV drama shows to you.

When you watch episode 21, you will see so many customs Beijing people partake in during the Spring Festival. What we do and what we eat, including making dumplings for sure!

Check out our Best Chinese TV shows for even more recommendations.

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Shi Cha Hai Chinese Drama || FAQs

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