The Heir: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

It is China's first historical costume drama centered on the culture of Huizhou ink.Set in the mid-Ming Dynasty, a tribute-ink scandal disrupts the long-standing Huizhou ink industry, causing the centuries-old Li family of ink makers to fall from grace. With the Li family's reputation shattered, the Luo family rises to prominence, only to later face ruin due to political entanglements. As time passes, Li Zhen, the youngest daughter of the eighth branch of the Li clan, embarks on the path of ink making to support herself. Through talent and hard work, she became a dark horse in Huizhou's ink industry. Luo Wenqian, the second son of the Luo family, schemes to restore his family's fortune and single-handedly shakes up the industry. Together, Li Zhen and Luo Wenqian engage in a battle of wits with the rising Tian Mo family, ultimately bringing Li's family back to its former glory. With the reopening of maritime trade and challenges from overseas ink markets, Li Zhen produces top-tier ink that earns Huizhou ink the title of "The Best Ink Under Heaven." In the end, Li Zhen and Luo Wenqian become a couple, working together to preserve and promote Huizhou ink for generations to come.

Series details

• Title: The Heir
• Format: Scripted
• Language: Chinese
• Genres: Drama
• Premiere date: 2026-05-17
• Final broadcast date listed: 2026-06-03
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: CCTV-8
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: iQIYI
• Network country: China
• Typical episode runtime: 55 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 80042
• IMDb ID: tt34133054
• TVDB ID: 462977

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2026-05-17; final listed air date 2026-06-03; episode order: 42.

Source and licence

Adapted from The Heir 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.