Northward: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

The series is adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Xu Zechen, which won the 10th Mao Dun Literature Award in 2019. The story revolves around several boys and girls who grew up together along the canal, after leaving to make their own growth, reunite after many years. After experiencing competition and the pressures of life, they rediscover the hope for a new life. Through the perspective of these Jiangnan youths, the audience not only witnesses their growth trajectory but also feels the vicissitudes of the Grand Canal's history, from its dry period to rejuvenation over more than a century. It conveys the profound and enduring cultural heritage of the Chinese Grand Canal in the river of history.

Series details

• Title: Northward
• Format: Scripted
• Language: Chinese
• Genres: Drama
• Premiere date: 2025-03-03
• Final broadcast date listed: 2025-03-25
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: CCTV-1
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: iQIYI
• Network country: China
• Typical episode runtime: 46 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 74508
• IMDb ID: tt27936497
• TVDB ID: 439908

Cast and credited roles

• Ou Hao — Xie Wanghe
• Bai Lu — Xia Fenghua
• Zhai Zi Lu — Shao Xingchi
• Gao Zhi Ting — Zhou Haikuo

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2025-03-03; final listed air date 2025-03-25; episode order: 38.

Source and licence

Adapted from Northward on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.