Where the Ink Takes Root: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

Centered on the intangible cultural heritage of Xuan paper-making, this series follows Xuan Yan, a heir to the craft, and Lin Yiran, a local official who has returned to her hometown. Together in Taohua Town, they navigate the delicate balance between preserving ancient techniques and embracing modern innovation. As they reconcile the clashes between two generations of master craftsmen and break through industrial bottlenecks, they forge a new path for rural revitalization, keeping the thousand-year legacy of Xuan paper alive for generations to come.

Series details

• Title: Where the Ink Takes Root
• Format: Scripted
• Language: Chinese
• Genres: Drama
• Premiere date: 2026-06-23
• Final broadcast date listed: 2026-07-19
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: CCTV-1
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: Tencent QQ
• Network country: China
• Typical episode runtime: 45 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 92738

Cast and credited roles

• Zheng Ye Cheng — Xuan Yan
• Zhang Yue — Lin Yi Ran
• Ma Shao Hua — Xuan Yong Nian
• Wang Qian Hua — Xu Xui Mei
• Yin Xiao Tian — Liao Shan Ming
• Hu Yun Hao — Zhang Du
• Ding Yong Dai — Guan Shan
• Song Yu — Xiao Min

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2026-06-23; final listed air date 2026-07-19; episode order: 34.

Source and licence

Adapted from Where the Ink Takes Root 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.