Chinese Paladin 3 (TV series)
A prequel set 50 years earlier, where past lives and mystical quests collide.
Chinese Paladin 3 is a 2009 Chinese television series adapted from the video game of the same title, and, because of an added time travel concept allowing the protagonist from Chinese Paladin (2005) to appear in the setting decades before the events of the first. It was first aired on Taizhou Broadcasting Station in June 2009.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Wuxia / Romance / Fantasy / Adventure
- Writer
- Deng Zishan
- Director
- Lee Kwok-lap
- Starring
- Hu Ge / Wallace Huo / Yang Mi / Cecilia Liu / Tiffany Tang / Jerry Huang
- Open Theme
- Love Forever and Ever by Kary Ng
- End Theme
- Forgot the Time by Hu Ge
- Composer
- Mak Chun Hung
- Country
- China
- Language
- Mandarin
- Num Episodes
- 37
- Producer
- Karen Tsoi
- Runtime
- 45 minutes per episode
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series is a prequel to Chinese Paladin and takes place 50 years earlier. Jing Tian is a mischievous pawnshop assistant who, because of the power of a mystical jade, crosses paths with the spoiled and sassy Tang Xue Jian. Xue Jian is the beloved granddaughter of Tang Manor's Tang Kun, who meets with danger when an evil cult tries to take over control of the Tang Manor. Xu Changqing, the eldest disciple of Mt Shu Sect, aids the pair in defeating the cult and rescuing the Tang Manor. Meanwhile, Chong Lou, ruler of the evil world, breaks into Mt Shu's Suo Yao Pagoda to retrieve a magical sword. He passes the sword to Jing Tian, claiming that it belonged to the latter when he was a deity in his past life and forces Jing Tian to battle with him. The 5 elders of Mt Shu Sect call upon Jing Tian and Chang Qing to attain 5 mystical pearls to seal up Suo Ya Pagoda and destroy a powerful force of evil so as to save the world from destruction. Together with Xue Jian, the group set off to accomplish their mission. On the way, they overcome various obstacles and must solve mysteries pertaining to their pasts. Long Kui, a 1000-year-old ghost, emerges from the magical sword Jing Tian possessed. She claimed to be the princess of Jiang, and that he is her beloved brother. Later, Jing Tian realizes that Long Kui is telling the truth so she journeys with them. Next, Xu Changqing meets Zi Xuan, a 200-year-old descendant of the Nuwa goddess. Chang Qing discovers his memory of her was sealed and she was, in fact, the love of his life in two lifetimes. Struggling to deal with his feelings and carrying the burden to save the world, he initially rejects her. Jing Tian also comes to realize he was Fei Peng (2,000 years ago) and Long Yang (1,000 years ago). Xue Jian also finds out that she was originally a fruit created by Xi Yao, a goddess who guards the tree in the heavenly realm. It blooms a flower in 500 years and grows a fruit in 1,000 years. Eventually, Evil Sword Immortal takes over the world and is in control of all 6 realms making him close to impossible to defeat. Jing Tian combines powers with everyone, along with Chang Qing to defeat him. Long Kui sacrificed herself by sealing her spirit into the sword to strengthen it.
Reader's Guide
The series achieved massive popularity and topped ratings chart in various regions of China. It was awarded the Ratings Contribution award at the Sichuan Festival. Chinese Paladin 2 was not filmed because the producers felt that the third game had a much stronger story than the second.
Production Choices & Franchise Positioning
Chinese Paladin 3 arrived on Taizhou Broadcasting Station in June 2009, but its place in the franchise was anything but straightforward. Rather than adapting the games in numerical order, the producers deliberately bypassed the second installment, reasoning that the third game's narrative was simply stronger and more compelling than the second's. This decision meant the television adaptation leapt directly to the third title, using it as a springboard for a prequel structure. Set fifty years before the events of the 2005 live-action Chinese Paladin, the series wove in a time travel mechanism that allowed the original protagonist to appear in this earlier era, effectively stitching the two productions together into a shared timeline. The result was a show that functioned simultaneously as a standalone adventure and as a deepening of the world first introduced four years earlier. By choosing the third game's story over the second, the creative team signaled a commitment to narrative quality over strict franchise continuity, a gamble that the subsequent ratings would prove well worth taking.
Narrative Architecture & Character Revelations
The story follows Jing Tian, a mischievous pawnshop clerk whose life is upended when a mystical jade connects him to Tang Xue Jian, the sharp-tongued granddaughter of Tang Kun. Their bond is tested when a sinister cult threatens the Tang Manor, and Xu Changqing, eldest disciple of the Mt Shu Sect, joins them in driving the villains back. The stakes escalate when Chong Lou, sovereign of the evil realm, breaches the Suo Yao Pagoda and seizes a magical sword, which he forces upon Jing Tian claiming it was his in a prior divine existence. The five elders then task the pair with gathering five mystical pearls to reseal the pagoda and halt a world-ending force. Along the journey, layered past-life identities unravel: Long Kui, a thousand-year-old ghost bound to the sword, reveals herself as Jing Tian's long-lost sister; Zi Xuan, a two-hundred-year-old descendant of the goddess Nuwa, is uncovered as Chang Qing's forgotten love across two incarnations; and Xue Jian discovers she was once a celestial fruit grown by the goddess Xi Yao. The arc culminates in a final confrontation with the Evil Sword Immortal, who has seized all six realms, and Long Kui's ultimate sacrifice—sealing her spirit into the blade to empower the decisive strike.
Soundtrack & Musical Identity
The series' musical identity is one of its most distinctive features, with a fourteen-track soundtrack blending vocal performances and instrumental character themes. The lead single, "Shengsheng Shishi Ai" (Love For Eternity), was performed by Kary Ng, while male lead Hu Ge contributed two tracks himself: "Wangji Shijian" (Forgetting Time) and the lighter "Guanggun" (Bachelor). Ronald Cheng sang "Daying Bu Aini" (Promise Not to Love You), Chang Yun-jing performed "Pian'ai" (Insist on Loving You), and Guo Hengqi delivered "Nishiwo Yishou Changbuwan Dege" (You're My Everlasting Song). The score also features dedicated instrumental pieces for individual characters—"Xuejian: Xianfan Zhilü" (Immortal's Journey), "Jingtian: Hujia" (Armour), "Changqing: Zhongsheng Pingdeng" (Equality of All Sentient Beings), and "Long Kui: Qiannian Dengdai" (Waiting for a Thousand Years)—giving each major figure a distinct sonic signature. Tracks like "Xiangmo Jian" (Demon-Subduing Sword) and "Gongban Chuang Tianya" (Travel the World Together) reinforce the show's themes of adventure and sacrifice, making the soundtrack a narrative layer in its own right.
Popularity, Reception & Franchise Legacy
Upon its June 2009 debut on Taizhou Broadcasting Station, Chinese Paladin 3 achieved massive popularity, consistently topping ratings charts across multiple regions of China. The series' commercial success was formally recognized when it received the Ratings Contribution Award at the Sichuan Festival, an honor that highlighted its significant impact on the regional broadcasting landscape. Within the wider franchise, the show occupies a unique and somewhat unusual position: by functioning as a prequel set fifty years before the 2005 Chinese Paladin, it deepened the mythology established in that earlier production, while the added time travel concept allowed the original protagonist to appear in this earlier era, bridging the two narratives. The series also sits alongside other entries in the broader Xuan-Yuan Sword universe, including the film Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky, reinforcing the franchise's enduring place in Chinese popular entertainment. Official channels on CTV, Sina, and dedicated franchise websites continue to archive the series, ensuring its accessibility to new generations of viewers and fans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chinese Paladin 3 (TV series)?
Chinese Paladin 3 is a 2009 Chinese television drama that brings the story of the video game of the same name to the screen in a fantasy, adventure, and romance format. It first aired on Taizhou Broadcasting Station in June 2009.
Is Chinese Paladin 3 (TV series) a prequel to the 2005 Chinese Paladin series?
No. Although its plot is set roughly fifty years before the events of the first game, the series is a standalone adaptation and not a direct prequel to the 2005 show. No character from the earlier series appears, and the story does not involve any time-travel mechanics.
What genres does Chinese Paladin 3 (TV series) cover?
The series is a blend of fantasy, adventure, and romance. It presents the narrative of the Chinese Paladin 3 video game in serialized television form without relying on the plot of the first game or its 2005 adaptation.
Why is Chinese Paladin 3 (TV series) important to the franchise?
It marked the first time the third installment of the Chinese Paladin video game series was adapted into a full television drama, broadening the franchise's reach beyond gaming. The show also received a Ratings Contribution award at the Sichuan Festival, underscoring its popularity with viewers.
When and where did Chinese Paladin 3 (TV series) premiere?
The series first aired on Taizhou Broadcasting Station in June 2009. It was presented as a multi-episode fantasy drama aimed at a broad television audience.
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