
Welcome to China's very own CSI, new series 'Coroner's Diary' sees medical expertise and mystery-solving unite in ancient times
And thus far it has been winning fans in not only in South-East Asia but also the whole region. With the ever-elegant Li Landi leading the way together with Ao Ruipeng, the series that pits CSI skills and mystery-solving talent, the "Coroner's Diary" is indeed a new trail for costumed drama series in Asia.
The series tells the story of Shen Wan (played by Li Landi), the daughter of an official from an ancient Chinese judicial institution. Using her remarkable medical and forensic skills, Shen Wan teams up with Prince Yan Chi (played by Ao Ruipeng) to solve complex mysteries, catch criminals, and clear her father's unjust charges.
Produced by iQIYI, the drama is written by Zou Yue, Gao Shen, and Huang Zien, and directed by Li Huizhu, Deng Weien, Huang Bin, and Chen Ziqiang.
Starring Li Landi, Ao Ruipeng, Yu Cheng'en, and Shen Yujie, "Coroner's Diary" combines episodic mysteries with themes of revenge and character growth, creating an engaging storyline. Before its release, the series attracted over 2.5 million reservations on iQIYI.
A major attraction of "Coroner's Diary" is its presentation of eight intriguing cases, including "The Headless Bride" and "Corpse in the Well."
Each case contains hidden clues linked to a broader revenge plot, gradually building tension as viewers uncover the truth. The series also features strong character development and emotional depth.
Li Landi plays two roles: Shen Wan and Qin Wan, who uses a hidden identity as a gentle doctor while secretly mastering forensic skills. Ao Ruipeng portrays Yan Chi, a young general whose tough exterior hides a warm heart, bravely investigating crimes. Unlike traditional romances, their relationship develops naturally as they solve cases together.
The series pays careful attention to investigative techniques, forensic props, and visual style, significantly enhancing its suspenseful atmosphere.
Realistic sets such as autopsy rooms and hidden passageways, detailed props like a six-fingered skeleton and poisoned needles, and a cold-colored visual style featuring rainy nights and ancient houses, all contribute to an immersive viewing experience.
About Li Landi
Chinese rising star Li Landi is considered one of the brightest stars to arrive in the scene over the last five years. Li Landi, also known as Landy Li, is a Chinese actress, singer, and model of Hui ethnicity.
She also starred in the 2019 Chinese film "Adoring". She is best known for her roles in the dramas "My Huckleberry Friends (2017), Wu Xin: The Monster Killer 2 (2017), and The Starry Love (2023)". She is now winning accolades in "Coroner's Diary", already one of the top series seen in iQIYI.
The young star has been acting since she was 10 and has a host of projects already lined up after "Coroner's Diary".
About Ao Ruipeng
At the age of 29, Ao Ruipeng is already a veteran of many TV series. The Chinese actor who was born in Chongqing and graduated from Chengdu College of Arts and Science.
He officially entered the entertainment industry in January 2019 with his participation in the blind date TV show "Dream Space".
His screen debut attracted the attention of many viewers as soon as he appeared on stage. In 2022, he played the role of Lei Wujie in The Blood of Youth and rose to fame and is now among the most sought-after leading men in the industry.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Chow Yun Fat has no problem taking photos with fans, encourages to post online
A Chinese fan who was lucky enough to get a photo with Chow Yun Fat. Photo: Xiaohongshu via Sin Chew Acting legend Chow Yun Fat was recently spotted jogging in Beijing's Chaoyang Park by fans. Those who encountered the 70-year-old star not only managed to take photos with him, but also found him warm and welcoming. According to a report by Sin Chew , Chow displayed no airs and happily posed for solo and group pictures. This isn't unusual, as Chow has long been known to stop and take photos with fans during his runs in Hong Kong. And it looks like he's keeping up that tradition while in China. The report added that he even jokingly told the fans: 'If you take a photo, you must post it online.' Unsurprisingly, his down-to-earth attitude has earned him even more admirers. That said, Chow is known to be focused while running. In this case, however, he had just finished his workout when the fans approached him. He reportedly told them: 'I'm almost done running. We can take photos now.' It was when some fans said they wouldn't post the photos online and wanted to keep them as personal mementos that Chow encouraged them to share the moments on social media.
![[Watch] The Secret Chinese Life Of Malaysia's National Anthem](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.therakyatpost.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F07%2FUntitled1-9.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Watch] The Secret Chinese Life Of Malaysia's National Anthem](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ftherakyatpost.com.png&w=48&q=75)
Rakyat Post
10 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
[Watch] The Secret Chinese Life Of Malaysia's National Anthem
Subscribe to our FREE Most Malaysians know every word of 'Negaraku' by heart. They've sung it at school assemblies, sporting events, and national celebrations for decades. But here's what they probably don't know: the same haunting melody was also living a parallel life in Chinese popular music as both a Cantonese love song called '花月明' (Hua Yue Ming) – 'Bright Flower Moon' – and a Mandarin romantic ballad titled '南海月夜' (Nan Hai Yue Ye) – 'South Sea Moonlit Night.' It's a musical mystery that spans continents and cultures, involving French composers, Javanese dancers in Paris, Portuguese sailors and Chinese recording studios. And like many great stories, it starts with a woman far from home. The Chinese Chapters: Three Languages, One Melody The melody's journey didn't just flow through Southeast Asia – it also began living parallel lives in Chinese communities, crossing both linguistic and regional boundaries within the Chinese-speaking world. The Cantonese version, '花月明' (Bright Flower Moon), found its way into Chinese popular music, though the exact date of its first recording remains a mystery. Music researchers have noted that Chinese recording companies produced versions of this melody. Still, many of the early recordings have disappeared from digital archives, making it difficult to pinpoint when this musical migration first occurred. The Mandarin Version: '南海月夜' The most well-documented Chinese version came in 1953, when Chinese singer Yao Li (姚莉) from the With lyrics by Mei Weng (梅翁), this version painted a romantic picture of moonlit nights over the South China Sea: 蔚蓝长空,轻轻地吹送微风, 静静的南海迎风波动。 星光闪耀,那月夜如梦, 美妙的歌声陶醉心胸。 (Azure skies, gently blowing soft breezes, the quiet South Sea ripples in the wind. Starlight sparkles, that moonlit night like a dream. Beautiful songs intoxicate the heart.) The song tells of two lovers rowing together under the stars, their feelings growing deeper as they wish for their hearts to remain united for life. It's a far cry from the patriotic themes that would later define the same melody as Malaysia's national anthem. The Hokkien Connection: '南洋之夜' The melody's reach extended even further into Chinese-speaking communities through a Hokkien version called '南洋之夜' (Nanyang Zhi Ye – 'Night of the Southern Seas'). This version was particularly popular among the large Hokkien-speaking population in Singapore and Malaysia, performed by artists like Yang Zhihua (杨志华) and other prominent Chinese singers of the post-war era. The Hokkien version flourished alongside its Cantonese and Mandarin counterparts in the pre-Merdeka days, as recorded by major labels including Singers like Lin Li (林丽), Dou Jinhuai (窦金怀), Wu Meiling (巫美玲), Chen Meiguang (陈美光), and Bai Feng (白凤) were household names, performing this beloved melody for audiences who recognised it as their own cultural expression. The Paris Connection: Where It All Began But to understand how this melody reached Chinese communities, we need to go back to where the documented trail begins. The year was 1927. In a Parisian recording studio, a Javanese-born performer named She was about to record what would become the earliest documented version of the melody we now call 'Negaraku.' But she wasn't singing about patriotism or national pride. She was singing 'Terang Bulan' (Bright Moonlight), a tender love song that had been making its way through Southeast Asian communities. The recording, made on 17 March 1927, for the Pathé record company, captures something remarkable: a melody that would later become one of the most recognisable tunes in Southeast Asia, performed by an Indonesian artist in the cultural heart of Europe. Thanks to the This historical discovery was brought to light by French historian and author Serge Jardin through his research and social media documentation. The Travelling Melody The tune's journey reads like a musical passport stamped across half the world, with roots possibly tracing back to The melody's journey to Southeast Asia was facilitated by Portuguese traders who introduced the The song gained prominence in Malaysia when Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah II, during his exile in the Seychelles, By the early 20th century, the melody had become 'Terang Bulan,' a staple of bangsawan (Malay operatic theatre) and popular song. However, it also began living parallel lives in Chinese communities. This demonstrates that great melodies transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries, transforming from a French chanson into a symbol of Malaysian national identity. The Melody Comes Home The melody's most dramatic transformation occurred in 1957, when it was chosen as Malaysia's national anthem. Suddenly, Chinese communities that had been singing '花月明', '南海月夜', and '南洋之夜' found themselves humming a familiar tune with entirely new meaning. Today, when Chinese-Malaysians sing 'Negaraku,' they're coming full circle, returning to a melody their community may have known and loved in both Cantonese and Mandarin before it became a national symbol. The story of '花月明,' '南海月夜,' '南洋之夜' and their journey preceding 'Negaraku' reminds us that the most beautiful art often emerges from the spaces between cultures, carried by dreamers who see no borders in a good melody. Malaysia's national anthem doesn't just represent one culture—it carries within its melody the voices of Javanese performers, Chinese singers, French composers, and Portuguese traders. READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.


New Straits Times
13 hours ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Chinese rapper Lan Lao topples Jay Chou as most-streamed Mandarin singer
GUANGZHOU: With over 3.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify and even more across various Chinese streaming platforms, Chinese rapper Lan Lao has dethroned the long-reigning Mandopop king Jay Chou as the most-streamed Mandarin singer. The Straits Times of Singapore reported yesterday that the 27-year-old, also known as Skai IsYourGod, released his second album, 'Ba Fang Lai Cai' (or 'Stacks From All Sides'), last year, which quickly went viral on mainland China's TikTok-like platform, Douyin. Today, his fame has extended to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia. Born in Huizhou, in China's southern Guangdong province, the rapper has said in interviews that he was significantly influenced by Cantonese culture while growing up. After graduating from the Sichuan University of Media and Communications, he took on various odd jobs while pursuing music in his spare time. His first notable creative appearance was a Douyin video promoting Lao Gan Ma chilli sauce. His passion for rap stems from influences such as Chinese rapper Wang Yitai and global hip-hop stars Drake and Young Thug. Lan Lao's songs resonate with those who are fed up with the daily grind and harbour dreams of striking it rich quickly. 'Da Zhan Hong Tu' (or 'Blueprint Supreme'), the biggest hit from his second album, is a prime example of his signature fusion of Cantonese folk music with American rap. The track, which opens with a famous Cantonese opera duet by Hong Kong divas Yam Kim-fai and Pak Suet-sin, is currently trending in Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong, partly thanks to its music video being filmed in the city. For a long time, rap was not viewed favourably in mainland China. However, the rise of reality television has led to the genre's explosive popularity across the country. In 2017, the Chinese rap competition show The Rap of China became a massive hit, garnering over 2.7 billion online views. Lan Lao's songs have also proven popular with Taiwanese-American rapper OZI and K-pop star Jay Park, who have collaborated on a rendition of 'Blueprint Supreme'.