{ "id": "epnrgexr29", "slug": "love-better-than-immortality", "title": "Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials", "label": "International serial drama and telenovelas", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" }, { "id": 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"https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_international_serials" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月), also known as Spring Flower Autumn Moon, is a 2019 Youku Chinese transmigration romance drama, 40 episodes, starring Zhao Lusi, Li Hongyi, and Wu Junyu, adapted from Shu Ke's novel.", "snippet": "Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月), also known as Spring Flower Autumn Moon, is a 2019 Youku Chinese transmigration romance drama, 40 episodes, starring Zhao Lusi, Li Hongyi, and Wu Junyu, adapted from Shu Ke's novel.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_int_serials_east_asia.chinese_wuxia_martial_arts", "markdown": "# Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月)\n\n**Love Better Than Immortality** (天雷一部之春花秋月) is a 2019 Chinese costume romance web drama in which a young woman from the year 2169 gives up immortality to travel into a fictional wuxia world and experience love for the first time.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/46481/love-better-than-immortality) • [2](https://www.cpophome.com/love-better-than-immortality-li-hongyi-zhao-lusi/recap/) It was produced by [Alibaba Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/alibaba-pictures), directed by Huang Chun, and stars [Zhao Lusi](https://www.edgepedia.org/zhao-lusi), Li Hongyi, and Wu Junyu.[3](https://www.bjcma.com/Item/14425.aspx)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | 天雷一部之春花秋月 (Tiān léi yī bù zhī chūnhuā qiūyuè)[4](https://cnovelholic.com/drama-review/romance/love-better-than-immortality-drama-review-english/) |\n| Basis | Adapted from the web novel *穿越之天雷一部* by Shu Ke, a writer described as a master of time-slip stories[3](https://www.bjcma.com/Item/14425.aspx) • [5](https://dramanavi.net/asia/206892) |\n| Run | 40 episodes on Youku, 5 July to 16 August 2019, Fridays at 20:00[6](https://en.myshows.me/view/65784/rating/) • [1](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/46481/love-better-than-immortality) |\n| Lead cast | Zhao Lusi as Chun Hua (Lei Lei), Li Hongyi as Shangguan Qiuyue, Wu Junyu as Xiao Bai[3](https://www.bjcma.com/Item/14425.aspx) • [7](https://www.asiadramatictv.com/lineup/SO0000009964/) |\n| Performance | Held a Top 3 position on Youku's rankings for 47 consecutive days in July 2019[8](https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2019/1217/2019121700482_c.pdf) |\n| Budget | 60 million yuan[7](https://www.asiadramatictv.com/lineup/SO0000009964/) |\n| Ratings | 7.2/10 on IMDb (351 votes); 9.3 on Rakuten Viki[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11061532/ratings/) • [10](https://www.viki.com/tv/37346c-love-better-than-immortality?locale=zt) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise\n\nThe story opens in 2169, when humanity has achieved immortality but love has been reduced to physiological stimulation delivered through a VR helmet. A young woman named Lei Lei rejects this existence and gives up her immortality for a chance at true love, arranged through a service called the Tianlei System. Before departing she lists her requirements for a \"Mr. Right\": handsome, faithful, powerful, and doting, in a story full of twists and sweet moments.[2](https://www.cpophome.com/love-better-than-immortality-li-hongyi-zhao-lusi/recap/)\n\nShe transmigrates into a fictional martial arts world under the alias Chun Hua (春花). There she becomes entangled with two young men on opposing sides, one clad in white and one in black, and must choose between an instant connection and a love that develops over time.[2](https://www.cpophome.com/love-better-than-immortality-li-hongyi-zhao-lusi/recap/) • [11](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/love-better-than-immortality/umc.cmc.6v5iupwoaw0qdsvz4umi4f1nh) The man she meets first, the upright young estate master Xiao Bai (played by Wu Junyu), is designated her destined partner; she then falls in with the notorious, cold-blooded swordsman Shangguan Qiuyue (Li Hongyi), who takes her in under the pretense that she is his sister, and is gradually drawn to him despite herself.[7](https://www.asiadramatictv.com/lineup/SO0000009964/) • [5](https://dramanavi.net/asia/206892)\n\n## Production and broadcast\n\nThe drama began filming in June 2018, when [People's Daily](https://www.edgepedia.org/peoples-daily)'s entertainment section reported the start of production with Li Hongyi, Zhao Lusi, and Wu Junyu in the leading roles.[12](https://ent.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0627/c1012-30091466.html) It premiered on Youku on 5 July 2019 and ran through 16 August 2019 as a 40-episode series.[6](https://en.myshows.me/view/65784/rating/) Alibaba Pictures' 2019 interim report credited the costume romance with holding a Top 3 spot on Youku's rankings for 47 consecutive days in July, breaking out of the summer season as a low-budget surprise hit.[8](https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2019/1217/2019121700482_c.pdf)\n\nJapanese sources describe the production as a 60-million-yuan effort by the up-and-coming director Huang Chun, and note that the series reached hundreds of millions of views on Youku; one account gives 840 million plays, another more than 1 billion.[7](https://www.asiadramatictv.com/lineup/SO0000009964/) • [5](https://dramanavi.net/asia/206892) For Japanese television broadcast the series was re-edited into 32 episodes, with the running time adjusted for the local schedule while the content itself remained uncut.[7](https://www.asiadramatictv.com/lineup/SO0000009964/)\n\n## Genre placement and reception\n\nThe drama belongs to the wave of Chinese \"transmigration\" (chuanyue) romances in which a modern protagonist travels into a historical or fictional past, and it is frequently listed among the genre's self-aware, meta entries.[13](https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/entertainment/meta-c-dramas-self-aware) Reviewers classify it as romance, historical, and time travel, with a fantasy universe modeled on the wuxia world of martial-arts heroes and villains.[4](https://cnovelholic.com/drama-review/romance/love-better-than-immortality-drama-review-english/) • [14](https://dramapanda.com/2019/07/spring-flower-autumn-moon-2019.html)\n\nViewer response has been divided. The series holds a 7.2/10 weighted rating on IMDb and a 9.3 user score on Rakuten Viki.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11061532/ratings/) • [10](https://www.viki.com/tv/37346c-love-better-than-immortality?locale=zt) On MyShows, where the series averages about 4.1 out of 5 per episode, commenters praise the chemistry between the leads and Shangguan Qiuyue's charisma, while also noting absurd plot moments and stretches they found boring.[6](https://en.myshows.me/view/65784/rating/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Love Better Than Immortality, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/46481/love-better-than-immortality)\n2. [Love Better Than Immortality Recap, Plot, Synopsis, CPOP HOME](https://www.cpophome.com/love-better-than-immortality-li-hongyi-zhao-lusi/recap/)\n3. [《天雷一部之春花秋月》甜蜜开播, 北京现代音乐研修学院](https://www.bjcma.com/Item/14425.aspx)\n4. [Love Better Than Immortality Drama Review, Cnovelholic](https://cnovelholic.com/drama-review/romance/love-better-than-immortality-drama-review-english/)\n5. [中国ドラマ『春花秋月　～初恋は時をこえて～』はどこで見れる？, 海外ドラマNAVI](https://dramanavi.net/asia/206892)\n6. [Ratings of Love Better Than Immortality (2019), MyShows.me](https://en.myshows.me/view/65784/rating/)\n7. [中国ドラマ「天雷一部之春花秋月（原題）」, アジアドラマチックTV](https://www.asiadramatictv.com/lineup/SO0000009964/)\n8. [Alibaba Pictures Group 2019/20 Interim Report, HKEXnews](https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2019/1217/2019121700482_c.pdf)\n9. [Love Better Than Immortality (2019) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11061532/ratings/)\n10. [Love Better Than Immortality, Rakuten Viki](https://www.viki.com/tv/37346c-love-better-than-immortality?locale=zt)\n11. [Love Better Than Immortality, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/show/love-better-than-immortality/umc.cmc.6v5iupwoaw0qdsvz4umi4f1nh)\n12. [《天雷一部之春花秋月》开机, 人民网](https://ent.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0627/c1012-30091466.html)\n13. [9 meta C-dramas joining the transmigration plot wave, Tatler Asia](https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/entertainment/meta-c-dramas-self-aware)\n14. [Spring Flower Autumn Moon (2019), DramaPanda](https://dramapanda.com/2019/07/spring-flower-autumn-moon-2019.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › Chinese wuxia and martial-arts serials*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/love-better-than-immortality", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/love-better-than-immortality.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/love-better-than-immortality. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月)](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-better-than-immortality)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/love-better-than-immortality](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-better-than-immortality). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Love Better Than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/love-better-than-immortality. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Love Better Than Immortality, also known as Spring Flower Autumn Moon, is a 2019 Youku Chinese transmigration romance drama, 40 episodes, starring Zhao Lusi, Li Hongyi, and Wu Junyu, adapted from Shu Ke's novel." }