Watching movies from around the world can be a fun and educational way for kids to learn about other cultures. Chinese cinema, in particular, offers a rich array of films that are not only entertaining but also provide valuable insights into Chinese culture and traditions.
Here are the 10 best Chinese animated movies and TV shows on Netflix that are perfect for kids – some are designed more for younger children, while others feature more complex plots for teens and young adults.
Heaven's Official Blessing (天官赐福，2023 TV Show, TV-14): Banished to the mortal realm to exorcise ghosts, a deity reckons with a demon and soon uncovers a dark secret behind the heavenly gods. This animated TV show is based on a novel called 天官赐福 (Tiān Guān Cì Fú)
The Monkey King (美猴王，2023 Movie, PG): A stick-wielding monkey teams with a young girl on an epic quest for immortality, battling demons, dragons, gods — and his own ego — along the way. The action-packed family comedy is based on the legendary Monkey King from Chinese folklore.
Qi Refining for 3000 Years ( 炼气练了三千年，2022 TV Show, TV-PG): Bai Qiuran is one of Qingming's disciples and has much potential to be his successor. On a path to reach immortality, a talented Bai Qiuran is stuck at the entry level for three thousand years — until a chance of breakthrough finds him. As such, Bai Qiuran decides to go down the mountain, where exciting experiences await him.
No Doubt in Us (两不疑，2021 TV Show, TV-PG): Stern-faced Emperor Xiao Jinyun and spirited Empress Xu Yu are at constant odds within the Chinese imperial court. But an accident causes the two to switch bodies, forcing them to put themselves in the other's shoes—literally. In doing so, Xiao Jinyun and Xu Yu's personal qualities and unconventional skills find new purpose, and a sense of understanding and compassion grows between the two.
New Gods: Nezhu Reborn (新神榜：哪吒重生，2021 Movie, TV-14): Based on the character of Nezha from the Ming dynasty novel Investiture of the Gods. The film delivers a steampunk and cyberpunk take on the story. Nezha is reincarnated as Li Yunxiang in the fictional city of Donghai (loosely based on 1920s Shanghai) and must settle a 3,000-year-old grudge with the Dragon Clan.
Wish Dragon (许愿神龙, 2021 Movie, PG): Din is a working-class college student in Shanghai who dreams of reuniting with his childhood friend Li Na, who moved away ten years ago from their neighborhood with her father, Mr. Wang, and now lives a lavish life. One day, Din is given a teapot by an older man; Long, a wishing dragon, shows him the magic of possibilities.
Green Snake (青蛇，2021 Movie, TV-14): While trying to free her sister from Fahai's clutches, Xiao Qing winds up in a dystopian city and meets a mysterious man who can't recall his past life. This movie is based on the Chinese folk story, The Legend of the White Snake.
Over the Moon (飞奔去月球，2020 Movie, PG): Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei builds a rocket to the Moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess. This is based on the Chinese folk story about Chang-e, often retold during the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival.
God Troubles Me (汉化日记，2019 TV Show, TV-PG): Su Moting is an ordinary working girl. She is also the "son of the immortal and the monster."" Driven away from home by her parents, Su teams up with an immortal and a monster — these three unlikely pals must team up to save a world gone topsy-turvy.
Kung Fu Panda 3 (功夫熊猫，2016 Movie, PG): Inspired by Chinese martial arts, this is the third installment of Dreamworks's popular Kung Fu Panda movie series. It follows Po's visit to a secret panda village with his father. Po is forced to form a ragtag army to fight back when an evil spirit threatens all of China.
These 10 Chinese movies and TV shows on Netflix offer a delightful mix of adventure, humor, and heartwarming stories that will captivate young audiences. Whether exploring ancient myths, battling monsters, or embarking on epic quests, these films provide a window into Chinese cinema's rich and vibrant world.
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