Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

What happens when a TV drama turns its viewers into amateur historians, ­museum-goers, and cultural detectives? In China, this is not a hypothetical question, but a rising reality. On any given night, as a new episode of a costume drama drops, followers are not just watching - they are pausing scenes to zoom in on the embroidery of a Tang Dynasty (618-907) robe, debating the authenticity of an ancient ritual in online forums, or planning their next weekend trip to a heritage site featured in the show. With every meticulously recreated artifact and every historically inspired makeup look, Chinese costume dramas are igniting a "research craze" that is transforming entertainment into a powerful force for the revival of living tradition.

Researching the historical details of costume dramas is more than a passing fad. It reflects that China's new generation is eager to connect with its own past - not as passive recipients of heritage, but as active participants and creators. When a fragment of history hidden in historical records or museums is found in a popular TV series, it can fuel a confident, creative embrace of tradition, and forge a vibrant bridge between the past and present, the screen and reality.

Chinese costume dramas are no longer content to rely on generic palace sets and fantasy costumes. A wave of historical authenticity is sweeping the industry, as seen in Flourished Peony, in which Tang Dynasty jewelry and furnishings were recreated based on cultural relics at museums, and in The Litchi Road, whose makeup and styling can be found among the exquisite images of Dunhuang murals. 

These details are not just surface-level embellishments, but statements: whether or not a story names its dynasty, both creators and audiences now expect and demand details from etiquette and language to household objects that respect and grasp the spirit of history.

This heightened pursuit of accuracy is not simply a technical upgrade, but a reflection of a deeper cultural self-confidence. Young Chinese audiences, in particular, are hungry for tradition presented with nuance and beauty that speaks to their modern aesthetics, Shi Wenxue, a veteran cultural critic based in Beijing, told the Global Times. They want heritage reimagined, made vivid, and woven into stories that feel relevant to their lives.

When The Litchi Road draws its color palette and makeup from ancient murals, it is not only a visual delight, but also a creative act of cultural revival that turns costume dramas into living gateways for traditional culture, making the past tangible and immediate.

Social media, forums, and video platforms offer a channel for followers who treat each new drama as a cultural puzzle to be solved. They fact-check, debate, and share knowledge, transforming passive viewing into active, collective exploration. For many, the cycle now goes as follows: watch the drama, research its historical basis, and even visit the places or museums relics featured. After Flourished Peony aired, for instance, online communities were filled with user-generated analyses of props and side-by-side comparisons with museum artifacts. History, once confined to textbooks, now becomes a living part of daily experience.

This prompts creators to adopt a more rigorous attitude and enhance the historical authenticity of their works, according to Yin Hong, a professor from the School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University.

The costume drama, Luoyang, set against the backdrop of the Tang Dynasty, incorporates chase and fight scenes to take audiences on a tour of the ancient city, meticulously restored on screen in collaboration with experts. The Luoyang Wenbao Group, a group dedicated to protecting the ruin sites of the city, told the Global Times that they introduced the production team to the architecture of the ancient capital and organized discussions with experts on the city's history.

Producers of costume dramas increasingly consult scholars and incorporate the latest research, ensuring that what appears on screen is not just beautiful, but also credible. The scholarly involvement not only deepens the dramas, but also helps popularize academic knowledge, bringing the fruits of research into the mainstream and making complex history accessible and exciting.

Meanwhile, costume dramas have liberated intangible cultural heritage, local customs, and historical stories from books and museums, transforming them into tangible, experiential, and consumable products. This has deepened the public's connection to history, creating a process of "watching dramas - exploring historical facts-on-site visits," turning history and traditional culture into vivid, personal experiences.

For instance, an endangered intangible cultural heritage gained renewed attention after appearing in The Legend of Zang Hai, leading to multiple performance invitations for its inheritors. The Longest Day in Chang'an inspired many viewers to research Tang Dynasty history on their own, with some even traveling to Xi'an for on-site exploration. The Luoyang franchise has been developed into various cultural and tourism formats, creating a unique ­cultural symbol representative of Luoyang, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Yet, while the drive for accuracy is commendable, it would be a mistake to treat costume dramas as mere documentaries. Artistic creation demands a delicate balance between fidelity to history and the freedom to imagine. The best historical dramas respect the facts and spirit of their setting while also responding to contemporary issues, emotions, and aesthetics. As the "research craze" matures, creators face the challenge of honoring historical truth without stifling creativity.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn