Mandarin dramas with english subtitles

[leosmith]

I’m in Beijing for the next 10 days, and would like to buy some Mandarin TV dramas. Most of these come with Mandarin subtitles. I want to find shows that also have English subtitles available.

Question: Could you tell me the names, preferably in Mandarin, of any shows you think I’d like (see below) that have English subtitles available? Please provide links/info for acquiring the English subtitle version.

I don’t like streaming, so I prefer shows that can be downloaded or purchased, either here or in the US. If I’m sure I can get a hold of the English subtitle version, I will try to buy the Mandarin subtitle version while I’m here.

What I want in a drama: The drama must have a happy ending, be generally up-beat, have good conquering evil, the guy getting the girl, etc. I prefer comedy/romance, but some adventure, mystery, and suspense thrown in is fine. Pretty girls are a big plus. It must take place during modern times. I prefer characters acting like real people, rather than over-the-top evil or silly. That being said, I realize that most asian dramas have at least a few stupid scenes in them; I’d just like to keep it to a minimum. Examples of Mandarin dramas that I like: The Struggle; Ugly Betty (I know it’s silly, but somehow all the redeeming qualities make it acceptable).

[imron]

Here is the definitive list:

[XiaoXi]

Assuming you are a student of Chinese I would suggest you don't watch Chinese shows with English subtitles...otherwise the result will be the same as countless Chinese people trying to improve their English by watching American shows with Chinese subtitles ie you'll get nowhere. My advice is to find shows where the Chinese is not too hard and use the Chinese subtitles as an aid to understanding. Don't worry if you don't understand it all, just try and follow the story by following the imagery, expressions of the actors etc and your Chinese will improve in a very natural way and faster than you'd think too.

Maybe what I just said it all irrelevant since you have another reason for wanting Chinese shows with Mandarin subtitles in which case please ignore what I said but unfortunately as Imron stated, there are in fact none.

[Guest realmayo]

try d-addicts.com to download English-subbed TV shows from China, Taiwan etc etc.

I find some of the big old historical dramas too difficult to bother with unless they've got English subs.

[roddy]

Basement of the big shopping mall at the south end of Wangfujing - the one that connects to the subway, can never remember its name - has a music and video store, FABB I think it's called? Last time I was in there they had a selection of Chinese TV shows that claimed to have English subtitles, but I don't remember seeing any that I recognized.

[leosmith]

Here is the definitive list:

Why isn't the one I already have on your list?

Assuming you are a student of Chinese I would suggest you don't watch Chinese shows with English subtitles

This is poor advice' date=' since it's certainly not true for everyone's situation.

try d-addicts.com

I got one from there. There are several, but I can't get any seeds. Any other sites like this would be appreciated. Also, there are several streaming sites that have shows with english subtitles, and I've heard of a special site that will download streaming TV, but would prefer to avoid this if possible.

FABB

Thanks - I'll check it out.

[Hofmann]

YouTube? They've got the 1987 紅樓夢, for example.

[leosmith]

Thanks. I'm trying to avoid streaming, but if I can't, i'll check it out. I can't get youtube in China, so I'll have to check it later

[MaLaTang]

there arent many dramas that have English subtitles that you can buy in Beijing, because most of the translations are added later by private companies formainland shows are going to be broadcasted in Malaysia, Singapore, and other countries.

but 2 mandarin shows that I know of with English subtitles are available on youtube:

1. 男才女貌 (Romance in the city)

2. 宫 - 锁心玉 (Jade Palace Lock Heart)

http://www.youtube.com/user/02262011x2#p/c/D081D53A99A35C8D/0/nyWmmwMW8ic

you WILL BE able to find these dramas for sale in Beijing but most likely WITHOUT english subs

[MaLaTang]

oh i forgot...youtube is still blocked in china...dayum..they started banning youtube periodically when i was there in 2008... when i was there, i remember searching online for this company called 'freedom house' and the censors went up...then i realized the word 'freedom' had alerted the censors.. that had me steaming mad.

[leosmith]

Thanks. I agree with you - I'm not really expecting to find many english subtitles here. But I would like to get a list of shows for which english subtitles exist, and I can get back home. I'll pick up the mandarin versions while I'm here, because I prefer actual discs, and often the english versions don't come with separate mandarin subtitles. I foolishly didn't develop a list before I got here, and most if not all of those sites are blocked in china.

So changing tacks a little, if you know of a show, that matches my description of what I like, for which english subtitles exist, even if it's streaming, please list it.

[renzhe]

iPartment has English subs for some episodes on viikii (linked in thread) and youtube (you'll have to search).

[leosmith]

Thanks. Viki TV is what I'm most familiar with. But viki, youtube and some other sites are not available to me here, so I'll have to wait to search those.

[SusanA9]

Okay, don't laugh or snicker, but I am only learning oral Mandarin and am at the lower intermediate to intermediate level, with a lot of gaps because I'm not following any integrated course of study. At the age of 22 (about 27 years ago) I lived and studied Chinese in Taiwan for a year and only returned, now to the mainland, about two years ago. But even though I had forgotten a great deal, having engrained speaking patterns and tones in my mind at a fairly young age, and having a good ear and experience learning other languages, I was able to land on my feet when I returned. Anyway, am simply too busy to get back into character learning, and perhaps too old to have too many high-flung goals, and too stressed with a high pressured life to sit down and memorize. I hope I've sufficiently excused myself... Anyway, what I do, outside of speaking Chinese everyday in an active life out and about, is listen to ChinesePod podcasts with the transcripts, the same with Pop-Up Chinese (less effective for daily life unless you spend a lot of time with pirates, zombies and vampires) and watch every Chinese movie with English subtitles that comes out. I feel that this continuous assault to my ears every chance I get is remarkably effective, considering I'm not really "studying"--and the important part is that I don't feel stressed. Anyway, I'm dying to get my hands on some TV series that have English subtitles and watch whole seasons. I almost fell off my chair tonight when I found this thread, especially when I read that there were subtitles--not realizing that it meant Chinese subtitles. What a cruel letdown when I realized they were Chinese. Anyway, though you guys are way beyond me and I don't rightly fit in this forum, I wonder if any of you could take an indulgent view and tell me what you know about any Chinese TV series that might have English subtitles and how I might access them. I've heard that there really are some out there. Thanks if you can help!

[roddy]

Moved the above in from the GFEP topic. There are a couple of other topics that might help if you do a search for 'english subtitles'.